@@iiWiReviews Thanks for pinning this comment :) I was looking for a low-costing MP3 player that had high-quality audio potential, with my only streaming music service on top of that :D
Just bought it today, because of Tidal availability. Pitty it does not make Tidal off line feature, I travel on plane a lot and downloading my music directly to this device, to use without internet connectivity, would be best option to me. Well… looks like I will stream from my phone (it has tidal downloads) over 5.0 bluetooth. Still acceptable.
I've had one for a couple of months and its great for on the go. I use it with DCA/ drop closed x can's & Tanchjim Tanya IEM's. It has plenty of feature's (quite a few not mentioned in your review) and is easy to use. My only criticism is when loading files from PC to it they don't always come out in album order 🤷♂it also looks good in silver with the brown leather case. Fair review & comparisons; dongles for me not an option; I don't use cellphones; too harmful to health. thank you for this video. BTW I miss your music recommendations 😭
DAPs have gone through an interesting evolution. They were initially the only viable option for portable high fidelity sound before dongles existed. My experience with the older Chinese DAPs was marred by their poor user interfaces and software / firmware support although they sounded decent relative to their time. I decided that I wasn’t willing spend for more expensive DAPs like an Astell & Kern (& expensive IEMs) but instead focus on really good desk top DACs and headphones. I also didn’t want to carry an additional device that was the same size as my phone. My DAP journey eventually ended with the Hiby R5 which is a very compact and flexible device (I sometimes use it as a portable streamer on other people’s audio system). I also added a Chord Mojo that I managed to get for a really good price which made it an exceptional value. The disadvantage of dongles is that they drain the power from your phone but I get around that by using my dongles mainly with my iPad mini that I generally carry with me when I leave the house. So I have a range of options depending on how much I want to carry and whether I want to use full size headphones (w/ Chord Mojo).
Okay, so you seem to know what you're talking about. What device is the best for bluetooth audio quality that has Tidal streaming? I'm a beginner audiophile, I've been learning about amps recently, which connect to my phone's usb-c port, seems interesting. But my mind cannot fathom how that could enhance audio quality. Of course, they only seem to work for wired earphones. Maybe I'll have to suck it up and just get a pair of good wired earphones. I have what I consider the best earbuds on the market. Anyway, please answer my original question after liking my comment so that I get notified (I disabled comment reply notifications). Thank you :)
I had the M1s since its offered , and despite living in metropolis area where internet connection perfectly fine, am still find the M1s very capable and useful , I can load all my high-Res FLAC Music and it can drive some of the more demanding IEM making it a decent platform to had Music on the go , without trying to fiddle with smartphone , a cable, then the dongle ( and it does not consume ISP quota when playing local files ) , and when I need streaming I just use my smartphone and the M1s as a decent Bluetooth DAC dongle or as a wired and self powered dongle as well
I think this is a great device with a very good screen. The sound is very very good. The track limit of 20.000 for the database is sad, considering the fast processor it uses. I like that it can import and export playlists. It also makes a big difference that you can select which folder to include in the database. If you just want to upload or download a few files, you can do this with a web interface. I miss a possibility to search for songs on the device and an index for the Artists and Albums.
Speaking about batteries... If you cannot easily replace them, the device is a Disposable. If the battery is a standard size and easily replaced, by a techie, *then the device is worth more.*
Yes indeed, it is good when DAP has the possibility of being easily repairable. Like for example the *Aune* *M1P* , visible screws make this possible. It's a pity that Aune does not offer a DAP with "exotic" *R2R* technology, such as the *Hiby* *RS2*
Have you heard the iBasso DC04pro yet. Just a little more than the Hidisz XO €119 or the DC03pro at €79. I wouldn't see a use case. It has to have streaming services and lossless audio connectivity. Otherwise a Dongle is more practical and just as good sounding or better. DAP's are for heavy users with a lot of owned music, and those will easily spend a lot more for something better.
Between the hiby fc6 and this which is the warmest sounding? I know different product was curious as the pricing is very close where i am. Would really appreciate your input
As much as I love gadgets in general and audio equipment specifically, I find it really hard to justify buying a portable music player, let alone lugging one with me all the time. First of all, there's the convenience factor. To really get all the benefits from a good DAP (or portable DAC dongle, for that matter) you need a pair of very good wired headphones. Those are way more cumbersome to use, not only because of the wire, but also because most of them were not designed to be portable (e.g. not foldable, no compact carrying case etc.) I think that wireless headphones are rapidly closing the gap in terms of audio quality, and are definitely way more convenient to use on the go. Then there's the surrounding environment to consider... When I'm out and about it's usually because I'm on a bus, train or walking in the street. Those are very noisy environments. Even very good passive noise isolation can't keep all the noise out, especially when walking and moving around. So in many cases, active noise reduction (when done well) will improve my enjoyment from the music way more than squeezing out a little more detail, which I probably won't hear anyway because of all the noise. I also love listening to music while running or riding my bicycle, but in those cases the wire is even more in the way, and I also prefer earbuds to headphones. When I'm stationary I don't mind using wired headphones, and the environment is usually less noisy, but then again, in those cases I'd rather have a more robust and flexible setup, that will also support speakers, so would rather buy a pair of good DACs than a single DAP (e.g. you can get a pair of SMSL SU1s for the price of this DAP, and still save about $50). So for me, the whole premise of a DAP seems very strange. Most of the functionality (and usually more) is found on my smartphone. The gainings in sound quality are negligible in most realistic use cases, and the added friction of carrying yet another device, charging it, moving it from one bag/pocket to another... Rarely seems worth it. If you combine the price of this (relatively cheap) DAP and a pair of decent wired headphones you get to around US $500, at least. I'd rather use the money towards a very good set of wireless headphones, with ANC, which I can use in more environments and use cases.
They just added Tidal streaming this week in a firmware update. :)
Thanks for the info, I'm pining it to the top.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for pinning this comment :) I was looking for a low-costing MP3 player that had high-quality audio potential, with my only streaming music service on top of that :D
Just bought it today, because of Tidal availability. Pitty it does not make Tidal off line feature, I travel on plane a lot and downloading my music directly to this device, to use without internet connectivity, would be best option to me. Well… looks like I will stream from my phone (it has tidal downloads) over 5.0 bluetooth. Still acceptable.
I've had one for a couple of months and its great for on the go. I use it with DCA/ drop closed x can's & Tanchjim Tanya IEM's. It has plenty of feature's (quite a few not mentioned in your review) and is easy to use. My only criticism is when loading files from PC to it they don't always come out in album order 🤷♂it also looks good in silver with the brown leather case.
Fair review & comparisons; dongles for me not an option; I don't use cellphones; too harmful to health.
thank you for this video.
BTW I miss your music recommendations 😭
DAPs have gone through an interesting evolution. They were initially the only viable option for portable high fidelity sound before dongles existed. My experience with the older Chinese DAPs was marred by their poor user interfaces and software / firmware support although they sounded decent relative to their time. I decided that I wasn’t willing spend for more expensive DAPs like an Astell & Kern (& expensive IEMs) but instead focus on really good desk top DACs and headphones. I also didn’t want to carry an additional device that was the same size as my phone. My DAP journey eventually ended with the Hiby R5 which is a very compact and flexible device (I sometimes use it as a portable streamer on other people’s audio system). I also added a Chord Mojo that I managed to get for a really good price which made it an exceptional value. The disadvantage of dongles is that they drain the power from your phone but I get around that by using my dongles mainly with my iPad mini that I generally carry with me when I leave the house. So I have a range of options depending on how much I want to carry and whether I want to use full size headphones (w/ Chord Mojo).
Okay, so you seem to know what you're talking about. What device is the best for bluetooth audio quality that has Tidal streaming? I'm a beginner audiophile, I've been learning about amps recently, which connect to my phone's usb-c port, seems interesting. But my mind cannot fathom how that could enhance audio quality. Of course, they only seem to work for wired earphones. Maybe I'll have to suck it up and just get a pair of good wired earphones. I have what I consider the best earbuds on the market. Anyway, please answer my original question after liking my comment so that I get notified (I disabled comment reply notifications). Thank you :)
I had the M1s since its offered , and despite living in metropolis area where internet connection perfectly fine, am still find the M1s very capable and useful , I can load all my high-Res FLAC Music and it can drive some of the more demanding IEM making it a decent platform to had Music on the go , without trying to fiddle with smartphone , a cable, then the dongle ( and it does not consume ISP quota when playing local files ) , and when I need streaming I just use my smartphone and the M1s as a decent Bluetooth DAC dongle or as a wired and self powered dongle as well
Thanks for the great review.
Btw it got tidal as an update.
Which one is better between Shanling M1s and Hidizs AP80 PRO-X ?
I think this is a great device with a very good screen. The sound is very very good.
The track limit of 20.000 for the database is sad, considering the fast processor it uses.
I like that it can import and export playlists. It also makes a big difference that you can select which folder to include in the database. If you just want to upload or download a few files, you can do this with a web interface. I miss a possibility to search for songs on the device and an index for the Artists and Albums.
A streaming service is coming. I’m using final beta now
Speaking about batteries...
If you cannot easily replace them, the device is a Disposable.
If the battery is a standard size and easily replaced, by a techie, *then the device is worth more.*
Yes indeed, it is good when DAP has the possibility of being easily repairable. Like for example the *Aune* *M1P* , visible screws make this possible. It's a pity that Aune does not offer a DAP with "exotic" *R2R* technology, such as the *Hiby* *RS2*
Would be more interested in the Hidizs XO than another player that I have to manage the battery of during protracted use, like on a long haul flight.
I wonder how this would compare to the new Hiby daps that are even less expensive than this one, the R3ii and the M300...
Do the Aune M1P
Hey I also have the XO got it in the prime sale and been very pleased with it. But I also have a mojo2 so would like a poly for the SD card
Have you heard the iBasso DC04pro yet. Just a little more than the Hidisz XO €119 or the DC03pro at €79. I wouldn't see a use case. It has to have streaming services and lossless audio connectivity. Otherwise a Dongle is more practical and just as good sounding or better. DAP's are for heavy users with a lot of owned music, and those will easily spend a lot more for something better.
I haven't tried it.
yep it can easily handle thousands of tracks; 2TB SD card
Between the hiby fc6 and this which is the warmest sounding? I know different product was curious as the pricing is very close where i am.
Would really appreciate your input
Thanks for the review! How does it compair with it's M0 brother?
As much as I love gadgets in general and audio equipment specifically, I find it really hard to justify buying a portable music player, let alone lugging one with me all the time.
First of all, there's the convenience factor. To really get all the benefits from a good DAP (or portable DAC dongle, for that matter) you need a pair of very good wired headphones. Those are way more cumbersome to use, not only because of the wire, but also because most of them were not designed to be portable (e.g. not foldable, no compact carrying case etc.)
I think that wireless headphones are rapidly closing the gap in terms of audio quality, and are definitely way more convenient to use on the go.
Then there's the surrounding environment to consider...
When I'm out and about it's usually because I'm on a bus, train or walking in the street. Those are very noisy environments. Even very good passive noise isolation can't keep all the noise out, especially when walking and moving around. So in many cases, active noise reduction (when done well) will improve my enjoyment from the music way more than squeezing out a little more detail, which I probably won't hear anyway because of all the noise.
I also love listening to music while running or riding my bicycle, but in those cases the wire is even more in the way, and I also prefer earbuds to headphones.
When I'm stationary I don't mind using wired headphones, and the environment is usually less noisy, but then again, in those cases I'd rather have a more robust and flexible setup, that will also support speakers, so would rather buy a pair of good DACs than a single DAP (e.g. you can get a pair of SMSL SU1s for the price of this DAP, and still save about $50).
So for me, the whole premise of a DAP seems very strange. Most of the functionality (and usually more) is found on my smartphone. The gainings in sound quality are negligible in most realistic use cases, and the added friction of carrying yet another device, charging it, moving it from one bag/pocket to another... Rarely seems worth it.
If you combine the price of this (relatively cheap) DAP and a pair of decent wired headphones you get to around US $500, at least.
I'd rather use the money towards a very good set of wireless headphones, with ANC, which I can use in more environments and use cases.
Lugging about LOL - have you seen the size of it? You’re quite the drama queen.
whatre some good iem to go with it
hi, if this is compared with the shanling ua5, in terms of sound quality, which one is better?
UA5 is better
I'm not sure for new device would sound upgrade from M2X, so this DAP is not for me
These devices are not for me. I have had an LG V40 for years and I am very happy with its performance for the little use that I give it as a player.
Good that is has NO volume knob because ALL our Shanlings did have problems with them!
I don´t like the shape of this M1S.
It HAS got a volume nob. You should open your eyes and be more aware.
The lack of streaming services is a show stopper for me.
Tidal just got added as a firmware update
@@mokisan yes, but its a pity their library is very restricted, hopefully they will grow.
It does Tidal and Qobuz