This video was more useful than literally any other video I saw on RUclips. You should make more DAP/MP3 player reviews id love to see them, keep up the great vids.
@@ramanujgogoi same!. I have a lot of music stored local on an external hard drive, so I'm still looking for something that would be great to load and use to listen..I'm just spoiled by wifi accessibility, Bluetooth, and the ability to search and find and even download music so fast to add to my collection and doing it only my phone's has made it souch easier. Let me know if you ever find anything that works for you!!
For all those wondering how to show album covers: if it's music ripped from a CD (therefore without metadata), you have to download the cover of the album in question and resize it to 400×400px. Next, place the image in the album folder, renaming it "Folder.jpg" (jpg is the only supported format). In other cases, use a tag editor to remove the cover already inserted in the metadata, and perform the same process. Keep in mind that if the files already have a cover and you do not remove it, but still place the resized image in the folder, the player will NOT show it
Hi! Does Mechen M30 have a search function? And I wanted to ask: if I have a single song with its own cover saved as a tag data (with a tag editor in Windows, for example), does it show it? Thank you!
@@Lukas_Miglioranza no, it doesn't have a search function, and for covers you have to remove the ones already associated with the files and replace them with the one you put in the folder.
@@rupentiumal I feared it. There are legends about the sound quality of this Mechen M30; it is said that you need stuff worth 300 euros to match it in quality; I would like it as a player and pre-amp for my Topping Nx7, and my Fostex T20rp mk3 headphones, so as to free up my phone. The slightly outdated software gives me these hesitations, otherwise it would already be mine. Thank you so much for answering me! Happy Sunday! 🌞🎶😎
Just bought one & absolutely dont regret it 😊 especially like the line out option so i can run a micro jack into a stereo input on my yamaha mixer and it sounds superb - buy one you wont regret it 😊
I live in the Yukon where cell coverage is not everywhere. And there are long drives and the ability to load up music ahead of time is a nice one. Looks solid and reliable.
seems pretty much all devices will have an slight interrupt between songs, and that's why there's a whole "trackless" standard now with flac where there's one file for the album, with time stamps you can skip between for each track, so there's no interrupt between songs. that being said, i just tested it with a live album of separate flac files for you. there's about a 3 second delay as it loads each next track. so if you want uninterrupted tracks go with trackless format.
I bought this recently after I realized that my old non-DAC mp3 player is rather lacking in sound quality. I have a Google Pixel 5A which has a DAC and everything sounds clearer and richer compared to my old mp3 player. But I wanted a dedicated player and this is it. Nice review!
I might have to order myself one of these. I have an ipod classic 160gb that is on its way out, a sony walkman that takes forever to turn on and read sd card. No bluetooth doesn't worry me. What worries me is the sound quality and all reviews say this is amazing.
I finally found a solution! Indeed this method works, make sure you open the albums folder on your PC, you need to delete all the flac files, then re-download them, adjust the artwork to 500x500 size and drop them back into the albums folder.
just got one of these for christmas this year. love it. got around to updating my music library to flac, and getting it more organised, nearly filled up a 256gb sd card, and paired it with a koss moded set of headphones. sounds great and feels like i'm not even wearing headphones. and even better i picked it up for about £35 direct from the manufacturers store on aliexpress. rather than paying the £90 it goes for on amazon..
Hi, great review, I’m looking at getting a similar one to this, have you experimented with which size memory card it can detect and use? My old IPod classic 320gb was just about near full when I was using it and I’d probably still be using it if it didn’t fail spectacularly…I’m hoping that this music player with be firmware updated to be able to use upwards of 256gb tc cards…
Hi there , I have one question , maybe one of you guys can help . The Hifi walker H2 has a built in amplifier, does the Mechen m30 have an amp? I bought the M30 and let me tell you this thing is phenomenal 😂 me listening to the acacia strain chhinnamasta or Meshuggah's Combustion blew my ears off in a good way , like , fuckin hell the little thing has some serious power!!!! I don't know if it has an amp in it but it sure feels like it does...!!! Time waits for no slave by Napalm Death is another song that I just felt like I made a good choice on buying this instead of listening to that song using my Redmi phone...I put 250 GB of albums in it on WAV quality and I swear it's just bonkers!!! Having that said , I can't tell if it has an amp in it ... Somebody know about this? Friendly regards
I've just ordered one from AE for £42 (prob just over $50 or so). Due to arrive in a few days together with some Tangzu Wan'er in ear monitors for £9/$12
@@RynoDBones cool, good to hear. it feels pretty well built, so i don't know what those other people have been doing with theirs for them to be breaking. planning on designing a 3d printed belt holder for mine, with a place to loop and hang headphones too. so should keep it nice and protected as well.
@@ge2719 my main headphone port died a few months in (only single channel now), probably due to dropping it a few times and having headphones rip out of the port forcefully, the other quieter port still works though.
If it *is* based on the Nintaus X10, then yes, or at least my Nintaus does. I pause the track, switch off and when I switch back on, press play, and it's back where it was. 'Stop' and power off and sometimes it'd drop back to the beginning of the file. Same with just switching off. Very good sound from the Nintaus at least. Seems the reshell hasn't altered that.
I've had mine 4 months now and after about 3 it started not recognizing my laptop and now on the fourth month it is not recognizing it at all so I cant download any more music and my play button isn't responding I'm just noticing as I type this. I've pretty much been babying the thing the whole time I've had it. Also, there is NO search function. you have to add songs to 1 of 3 playlists. If you have a ton of songs that really sucks. It feels great and has a nice weighty feel. The wheel is almost useless also. They need to add grip to the top of it to make it more functional. I end up just using the buttons. The volume also takes forever to go up or down. little disappointed for what I paid. No search function is a bit nuts in this day and age.
Pretty nice review but I'm still struggling to figure out whether this device handles PLAYLISTS and how (what format, etc..) I regretfully have to say goodbye to my iPods Classic 7 Gen that I've been using for a good decade, just because Catalina isn't able to handle them anymore. Quite a dramatic chance for me as I was used to iTunes (now Apple Music) for managing ID3 tags AND, very important, my playlists.. So in a few words here are the points that I am still having a hard time figuring out with this MP3 (and other alternatives to iPod Classic) : - Do they and how do they handle playlists, which format, etc.. - What about the file transfer and OS integration (Mac? Win?) and let's dream big, any chance of iTunes/Apple Music compatibility, integration, or even "trick" to get what I use to get from it : just a nice workflow organising music and getting all this songs and playlists into a player..
With most of the non-Android devices you are stuck creating your own playlists in the device itself. They don’t support pre-made playlists. Easiest way around it is to pre-sort your files into folders before you transfer them to the card, then just pick the folder to play. I have a massive collection of random songs that I sort by decade, then into volumes of five CD size folders, then I just select either the decade folder to play them all or the volume folder to get a big chunk, or by specific cd folder to listen to specific songs. Definitely won’t be able to use iTunes with these types of devices. Best bet is something like MediaMonkey for proper sorting and sending to the device…..but I use Tag&Rename for my tags then just drag and drop the folders onto the drive. If I have specific albums, I sort them as artist/album/Weezer - Blue Album - ## - Buddy Holly.mp3. Others are 70s\Vol. 2\ CD08\Ryno’s 70’s Mix - ## - Alice Cooper - School’s Out For Summer.mp3.
@@RynoDBones If you create many folders in computer with each folder has lets say 20 songs, can it be copy and paste to the memory card when the MECHEN M30 is plugged in the PC? (Is other software such as MediaMonkey needed to do this simple copy and paste task?). Can the MECHEN M30 handle folders in the main folder (lets say there are 20 main/root folders, and in each root/main folder I created 5 folders in each root folder)?
Hi will this device's screen remain on and not time out. I use mp3 players for my one man solo gigs and I need it to stay on so I can change quick to songs. Please let me know. thank you dave
@@davidwaynerecording9432 it does have timeout settings, but can't remember if it can be disabled. I will check this afternoon and get back to you. I left it home after the long weekend. Usually it's here at my office.
@@RynoDBones ok well that won't be bad if I have to set it each time I hope it can be set for around an hour (my sets are 45 min) thanks for taking your time with me. Dave
@@ThBreadMan coming from an iPod Nano, this would be a massive upgrade. Out of all the players I've gotten over the past six or seven years, this is the one I still use most often. The DAC is exceptionally good for the price. If you can deal with a clunky, weird interface, I still recommend this one
There is also one from Phinistec, I think it's the Z6. It's really good for the price, and it's cheaper than this one. Essentially the same weird interface, but a solidly built player with great battery life.
For ease of use, I'd go for the Phinistec, but for the best sound quality I'd definitely go for this one. M30 has awesome hardware for the price. Phinistec is a very close second only because it is incredibly easy to use. Just don't get all the different format compatibility or the truly high quality sound. So it really depends on what you're looking for. The M30 is great, but it's got a clunky interface and navigation takes getting used to. Phinistec is superior in terms of user interface. I've got the Phinistec in my car and the M30 is in my office connected to my good headphones.
Categories depend on your ID3 tags, but I mostly have my files sorted into folders. Loading music on - this is like an external USB drive. Drag and drop into the music folder. No special software needed.
Hi, love these reviews. I have had the fiio x1 for a while now. The mechen just arrived and it is not as loud as the fiio. It the Surfans f20 louder than the mechen to your knowledge? Thank you so much
Fiio is going to beat most things in this price range. I dunno if I can tell too much of a difference in volume between the Mechen and the F20. F20 is slightly louder. Definitely a better sound.
Can I use it for Audible Books from 2008 till present Audible removed Microsoft and unfortunately iTunes as well and returned to (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID and IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON"T FIX IT, ( for now)?
Depends on the DAC the phone has, really, BUT it comes down to taste, too. Personally, I thought it sounded better than my old LG V20 which had an exceptionally good DAC…but compared to modern smart phones with one, this doesn’t hold up. My LG V60 is far superior, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max with a headphone adapter was fantastic. I’ve not had a current flagship Samsung, but the Ultra 22 does have a DAC built in. So…if you have a flagship with a DAC, don’t bother with this unless you just want a dedicated MP3 player (which I do).
I got mine 2 weeks ago. It's true that you cannot see more than 4000 songs at the time, unless you go through each folder to play them. It sounds great with my bose headphones, can anyone recommend some high quality Audio headphones for audiophiles? Thank you.
They are very similar, but the Surfan has better internals. Unless you've got some fantastic headphones you probably won't be able to hear a difference. Either is a good choice if you can handle the user interface. Both are built well.
If you can export the files to MP3 or FLAC, you can use them. I don’t have any experience with Apple outside of my old iPod, and I filled it with my own CD rips.
The F20 is only slightly better but the interface is very similar. I've had one shot several years and it's by far the best player I've owned. Just really confusing to use if you're not used to Chinese mp3 players. As for playlists, I believe you gotta make your own on the device.
Thanks for the review Ryno. One big issue for me that hasn't been covered - I want to be able to program my music so the music will turn itself off after a certain length of time or after the song or playlist has finished. Is that possible on this player?
I don’t believe this has an option like that. It does have an auto shutoff, but it isn’t customizable as far as I can tell. It just powers down after being inactive.
great review, i'd buy it except for the micro usb port. i'd prefer a player with a USB C port...would you be able to review a player with a USB C port ?....thanks for the review. full marks.. 👏👍🏆
The user interface on this is VERY basic. You're basically limited to just the cover art for the song. The audio you get out of this, however, will be superior to 90% of smartphones out there. Now, if you've got a phone with a DAC, you'll get great sound...But if your phone doesn't have a DAC, this will sound better and have more power to drive better headphones. Another caveat - you kinda gotta have some decent headphones or you won't be taking advantage of the DAC anyway. My phone (an LG V60) has a fantastic Quad-DAC, that beats this player hands-down. Here's a list of phones with the best sound, plus some USB-C to 3.5mm adapter cables with DAC built in. I use one of those cables with my iPad and it is wonderful. allaboutwindowsphone.com/features/item/23960_Smartphone_wired_audio_and_DAC.php
Short answer - yes. Long answer…….You can make playlists on the player only. It doesn’t support M3U files. The best thing I have found is to pre-sort my files into playlist sized folders then play one folder at a time. Something like - The Ryno Collection\50’s\Vol. 1\CD1\ 01. - Buddy Holly - That’ll Be The Day.mp3.. Have about 80 minutes of songs in that folder with the two-number file name prefix. I also make sure all my files are tagged correctly using Tag & Rename.
@@didgeteria9068 No? you have a bandwidth that in this case is of no use to you, but a connection that comes off under the weight of the copper. USB-C is the worst connection of all time.
@@m1000-n8w quality control can be iffy, though. From one batch to the next, you never know if they use the same components. If you're in the market, just find the least expensive one that looks the same. The company that originally made it sold out and it's now sold under several different names.
@@RynoDBones I thought that a couple of these entry-level DAPs looked really similar. It makes sense that theyre using a lot of the same components. I was kinda attracted to the Mechen, because of the battery life. Even if quality is iffy, it sounds like it lasts longer than the Surfans or similar
If only it took AAA alkaline. The youth don't like changing batteries, but replaceable cells have kept my Sandisk player running for over 15 years. Most ipod from the same era got trashed, due to the dead battery.
@@stevejohnson1321 I get it. I have had the same portable CD/MP3 player since 2002 and it eats up AAs like candy, but it’s still working just fine. This Mechen currently lives in my office at work permanently connected to my stereo. One charge keeps it going for a week or more. Out of all the standalone players I’ve tried, I like it the best. My son has my old F20 and it’s nearly ten years old. Dunno why I’ve never made a video on that one.
Ne ho acquistato uno pochi giorni fa. Ho copiato sulla micro sd solo file in formato FLAC, l'ho collegato ad un amplificatore e sono rimasto letteralmente sbalordito da come suona. Uno degli acquisti migliori della mia vita! ☺️😉 Lo consiglio vivamente
This video was more useful than literally any other video I saw on RUclips. You should make more DAP/MP3 player reviews id love to see them, keep up the great vids.
I dont need Bluetooth, so this is the right player for me.
Idk why but an mp3 player popped in my head and I started looking, this one popped up and you did a great review on it. Thanks dude.
Am going through the same. Which medicine did you take to cure this disease? (Sarcastic but honest sincere question)
@@ramanujgogoi honestly I never made a decision. Considering it's too easy to listen and stream music on my phone I couldn't decide
@@se7enBC1 thanks man! I am still researching on and on if I should get one xD
@@ramanujgogoi same!. I have a lot of music stored local on an external hard drive, so I'm still looking for something that would be great to load and use to listen..I'm just spoiled by wifi accessibility, Bluetooth, and the ability to search and find and even download music so fast to add to my collection and doing it only my phone's has made it souch easier. Let me know if you ever find anything that works for you!!
@@se7enBC1 sure will! Cant find anything cheap, there are some good expensive ones with HiFi sound playback
For all those wondering how to show album covers: if it's music ripped from a CD (therefore without metadata), you have to download the cover of the album in question and resize it to 400×400px. Next, place the image in the album folder, renaming it "Folder.jpg" (jpg is the only supported format). In other cases, use a tag editor to remove the cover already inserted in the metadata, and perform the same process.
Keep in mind that if the files already have a cover and you do not remove it, but still place the resized image in the folder, the player will NOT show it
Hi! Does Mechen M30 have a search function? And I wanted to ask: if I have a single song with its own cover saved as a tag data (with a tag editor in Windows, for example), does it show it? Thank you!
@@Lukas_Miglioranza no, it doesn't have a search function, and for covers you have to remove the ones already associated with the files and replace them with the one you put in the folder.
@@rupentiumal I feared it. There are legends about the sound quality of this Mechen M30; it is said that you need stuff worth 300 euros to match it in quality; I would like it as a player and pre-amp for my Topping Nx7, and my Fostex T20rp mk3 headphones, so as to free up my phone. The slightly outdated software gives me these hesitations, otherwise it would already be mine.
Thank you so much for answering me! Happy Sunday! 🌞🎶😎
Hi, there is a program called tagscanner, it's free and helps you change the metadata, cover, etc of your songs.
Just bought one & absolutely dont regret it 😊 especially like the line out option so i can run a micro jack into a stereo input on my yamaha mixer and it sounds superb - buy one you wont regret it 😊
Found this really helpful in my next purchase. Thanks.
It's still my personal favorite over a year later. Better than any of the sub $100 ones with touch screens running Android.
I live in the Yukon where cell coverage is not everywhere. And there are long drives and the ability to load up music ahead of time is a nice one. Looks solid and reliable.
We're on a road trip right now and have been using it for three hours straight. One of my favorite players.
Everithing you need to know about this mp3-player you can find in this video. This is a helpful detailed review! Thanks😊
If I’m listening to an album where two songs connect, will this play them connected or have a pause between songs
seems pretty much all devices will have an slight interrupt between songs, and that's why there's a whole "trackless" standard now with flac where there's one file for the album, with time stamps you can skip between for each track, so there's no interrupt between songs.
that being said, i just tested it with a live album of separate flac files for you. there's about a 3 second delay as it loads each next track. so if you want uninterrupted tracks go with trackless format.
@@ge2719 thank you, but have you tried to open a .m3u or .cue file with tracks on a unique flac file?
I bought this recently after I realized that my old non-DAC mp3 player is rather lacking in sound quality. I have a Google Pixel 5A which has a DAC and everything sounds clearer and richer compared to my old mp3 player. But I wanted a dedicated player and this is it. Nice review!
Which was your old mp3 player?
This looks interesting. Thanks for the video. Will start shopping about and see what's available.
I might have to order myself one of these. I have an ipod classic 160gb that is on its way out, a sony walkman that takes forever to turn on and read sd card. No bluetooth doesn't worry me. What worries me is the sound quality and all reviews say this is amazing.
The BEST OF THE BEST!
the video was very informative, his personality sold me, he comes across authentic ; looking forward to future reviews from him
I finally found a solution!
Indeed this method works, make sure you open the albums folder on your PC, you need to delete all the flac files, then re-download them, adjust the artwork to 500x500 size and drop them back into the albums folder.
great review, Mac.
Fantastic review thank you for this, just ordered one.
just got one of these for christmas this year. love it. got around to updating my music library to flac, and getting it more organised, nearly filled up a 256gb sd card, and paired it with a koss moded set of headphones. sounds great and feels like i'm not even wearing headphones.
and even better i picked it up for about £35 direct from the manufacturers store on aliexpress. rather than paying the £90 it goes for on amazon..
Hi, great review, I’m looking at getting a similar one to this, have you experimented with which size memory card it can detect and use? My old IPod classic 320gb was just about near full when I was using it and I’d probably still be using it if it didn’t fail spectacularly…I’m hoping that this music player with be firmware updated to be able to use upwards of 256gb tc cards…
All I've had a chance to use is 128GB, but if yours is formatted as FAT32, it might work.
Hi there , I have one question , maybe one of you guys can help . The Hifi walker H2 has a built in amplifier, does the Mechen m30 have an amp? I bought the M30 and let me tell you this thing is phenomenal 😂 me listening to the acacia strain chhinnamasta or Meshuggah's Combustion blew my ears off in a good way , like , fuckin hell the little thing has some serious power!!!! I don't know if it has an amp in it but it sure feels like it does...!!! Time waits for no slave by Napalm Death is another song that I just felt like I made a good choice on buying this instead of listening to that song using my Redmi phone...I put 250 GB of albums in it on WAV quality and I swear it's just bonkers!!! Having that said , I can't tell if it has an amp in it ... Somebody know about this? Friendly regards
Waiting for this badboy to come in from Aliexpress. Nice video! Should be good for my street photography sessions.
I've just ordered one from AE for £42 (prob just over $50 or so). Due to arrive in a few days together with some Tangzu Wan'er in ear monitors for £9/$12
how's yours holding up? heard some people say theirs started to break after a few months. just got one myself from ali for christmas.
@ge2719 mine is two years old, still holds a good charge, and works perfectly. I only take it home from work to add new music.
@@RynoDBones cool, good to hear. it feels pretty well built, so i don't know what those other people have been doing with theirs for them to be breaking.
planning on designing a 3d printed belt holder for mine, with a place to loop and hang headphones too. so should keep it nice and protected as well.
@@ge2719 my main headphone port died a few months in (only single channel now), probably due to dropping it a few times and having headphones rip out of the port forcefully, the other quieter port still works though.
If I was listening to an audiobook, would the player be able to start playing from where I stopped listening ? ( Hope that makes sense ) - thanks 🙏
If it *is* based on the Nintaus X10, then yes, or at least my Nintaus does. I pause the track, switch off and when I switch back on, press play, and it's back where it was. 'Stop' and power off and sometimes it'd drop back to the beginning of the file. Same with just switching off.
Very good sound from the Nintaus at least. Seems the reshell hasn't altered that.
I've had mine 4 months now and after about 3 it started not recognizing my laptop and now on the fourth month it is not recognizing it at all so I cant download any more music and my play button isn't responding I'm just noticing as I type this. I've pretty much been babying the thing the whole time I've had it. Also, there is NO search function. you have to add songs to 1 of 3 playlists. If you have a ton of songs that really sucks. It feels great and has a nice weighty feel. The wheel is almost useless also. They need to add grip to the top of it to make it more functional. I end up just using the buttons. The volume also takes forever to go up or down. little disappointed for what I paid. No search function is a bit nuts in this day and age.
hi does it show album covers or some art that is attached to the mp3 files (cant remember what exactly they are). thanks
Pretty nice review but I'm still struggling to figure out whether this device handles PLAYLISTS and how (what format, etc..)
I regretfully have to say goodbye to my iPods Classic 7 Gen that I've been using for a good decade, just because Catalina isn't able to handle them anymore. Quite a dramatic chance for me as I was used to iTunes (now Apple Music) for managing ID3 tags AND, very important, my playlists.. So in a few words here are the points that I am still having a hard time figuring out with this MP3 (and other alternatives to iPod Classic) :
- Do they and how do they handle playlists, which format, etc..
- What about the file transfer and OS integration (Mac? Win?) and let's dream big, any chance of iTunes/Apple Music compatibility, integration, or even "trick" to get what I use to get from it : just a nice workflow organising music and getting all this songs and playlists into a player..
With most of the non-Android devices you are stuck creating your own playlists in the device itself. They don’t support pre-made playlists. Easiest way around it is to pre-sort your files into folders before you transfer them to the card, then just pick the folder to play. I have a massive collection of random songs that I sort by decade, then into volumes of five CD size folders, then I just select either the decade folder to play them all or the volume folder to get a big chunk, or by specific cd folder to listen to specific songs. Definitely won’t be able to use iTunes with these types of devices. Best bet is something like MediaMonkey for proper sorting and sending to the device…..but I use Tag&Rename for my tags then just drag and drop the folders onto the drive. If I have specific albums, I sort them as artist/album/Weezer - Blue Album - ## - Buddy Holly.mp3. Others are 70s\Vol. 2\ CD08\Ryno’s 70’s Mix - ## - Alice Cooper - School’s Out For Summer.mp3.
@@RynoDBones If you create many folders in computer with each folder has lets say 20 songs, can it be copy and paste to the memory card when the MECHEN M30 is plugged in the PC? (Is other software such as MediaMonkey needed to do this simple copy and paste task?). Can the MECHEN M30 handle folders in the main folder (lets say there are 20 main/root folders, and in each root/main folder I created 5 folders in each root folder)?
@@ScreamingReel500 it works just like an external hard drive. Drag and drop!
@@ScreamingReel500 also, with folders, I know mine go four deep and it detects the songs just fine
@@RynoDBones Thank you! I am considering buying the MECHEN now.
Any experience getting this player to connect to an iMac? I bought the player but the iMac does not recognize it when it connect the USB.
Hello, I just got one of these but the buttons are not working while on lock screen mode, Is there a way to fix it?
Hi will this device's screen remain on and not time out. I use mp3 players for my one man solo gigs and I need it to stay on so I can change quick to songs. Please let me know. thank you dave
@@davidwaynerecording9432 it does have timeout settings, but can't remember if it can be disabled. I will check this afternoon and get back to you. I left it home after the long weekend. Usually it's here at my office.
@@RynoDBones ok well that won't be bad if I have to set it each time I hope it can be set for around an hour (my sets are 45 min) thanks for taking your time with me.
Dave
@@davidwaynerecording9432 The timeout can be set for 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, or ALWAYS ON. So no worries on that one.
Wonder if it sounds as good as a QK5 dac
I'm looking for a mp3 player to replace my 1st gen ipod nano would you suggest this one or is there a better one would you suggest for $100
@@ThBreadMan coming from an iPod Nano, this would be a massive upgrade. Out of all the players I've gotten over the past six or seven years, this is the one I still use most often. The DAC is exceptionally good for the price. If you can deal with a clunky, weird interface, I still recommend this one
There is also one from Phinistec, I think it's the Z6. It's really good for the price, and it's cheaper than this one. Essentially the same weird interface, but a solidly built player with great battery life.
Which player is better: Mechen M30 vs Shmci C60 ?
How do you compare this with Phinistec. Which one you prefer?
For ease of use, I'd go for the Phinistec, but for the best sound quality I'd definitely go for this one. M30 has awesome hardware for the price.
Phinistec is a very close second only because it is incredibly easy to use. Just don't get all the different format compatibility or the truly high quality sound.
So it really depends on what you're looking for. The M30 is great, but it's got a clunky interface and navigation takes getting used to. Phinistec is superior in terms of user interface. I've got the Phinistec in my car and the M30 is in my office connected to my good headphones.
Would have been nice to see the data upload interface. How easy is it to load music and categorize on the device?
Categories depend on your ID3 tags, but I mostly have my files sorted into folders. Loading music on - this is like an external USB drive. Drag and drop into the music folder. No special software needed.
How do you download the music?
thanks, very good
Hi, love these reviews. I have had the fiio x1 for a while now. The mechen just arrived and it is not as loud as the fiio. It the Surfans f20 louder than the mechen to your knowledge? Thank you so much
Fiio is going to beat most things in this price range. I dunno if I can tell too much of a difference in volume between the Mechen and the F20. F20 is slightly louder. Definitely a better sound.
@@RynoDBones Thank you so much. Really appreciate you getting back to me and so quickly. That's really helpful! :)
How’s the volume? If I can turn up the volume would it get louder through the headphones?
Can I use it for Audible Books from 2008 till present Audible removed Microsoft and unfortunately iTunes as well and returned to (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID and IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON"T FIX IT, ( for now)?
This one has zero internet connectivity. If you've downloaded the actual MP3 files you can put them on here like it is an external hard drive.
Thanks for the great review. Is it possible to adjust (slow down) the playback speed?
Great review! Thanks
Did you try in Amplifier?
Can u review their newest one the mechen d53
HI! Wonderful review. I wanted to ask if the Mechen M30 can serve headphones with 55 ohm impedance or more or less.
Thanks again.
Most I’ve used are the ATH-M40X and they’re 35ohms. They get enough power. Usually this is in the car, so don’t use it with headphones often.
How does the output compare to a flagship smartphone?
Depends on the DAC the phone has, really, BUT it comes down to taste, too. Personally, I thought it sounded better than my old LG V20 which had an exceptionally good DAC…but compared to modern smart phones with one, this doesn’t hold up. My LG V60 is far superior, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max with a headphone adapter was fantastic. I’ve not had a current flagship Samsung, but the Ultra 22 does have a DAC built in. So…if you have a flagship with a DAC, don’t bother with this unless you just want a dedicated MP3 player (which I do).
I got mine 2 weeks ago. It's true that you cannot see more than 4000 songs at the time, unless you go through each folder to play them. It sounds great with my bose headphones, can anyone recommend some high quality Audio headphones for audiophiles? Thank you.
@@pablodarko84 I use Audiotechnica M40x and they're pretty decent for the price. I'm considering getting the M50x in the not too distant future.
@RynoDBones hi, I will write that down, thanks a lot!
Can't go wrong with Grado headphones. Best I ever had and darn near indestructible.
@@StevefromOhio1972 True, but if you have Grado money, you’re not looking for a Mechen M30. Heh heh.
@@RynoDBones I have the cheapest Grados, paid $99 bucks. had 'em for years great sound and great build quality.
how much is it?
exactly
Great demo Bro.. love the parts detail.👌🏽
This mp3 or the Surfan?
They are very similar, but the Surfan has better internals. Unless you've got some fantastic headphones you probably won't be able to hear a difference. Either is a good choice if you can handle the user interface. Both are built well.
@Ryno Reviews Stuff thanks Bro Think I'll go for the surefan on that note. Better line-out quality is also needed. Thanks Bro . Appreciated 👍🏽👊🏽
crossfade?
No crossfade, so there are some gaps.. Some long, depending on the files. Haha
Can I use this with Apple Music? TIA
If you can export the files to MP3 or FLAC, you can use them. I don’t have any experience with Apple outside of my old iPod, and I filled it with my own CD rips.
is this still for sale anywhere?
Hi, can you import a playlist from a windows laptop, or do you have to re-make it in the mp3 player? Also how does it compare with the SURFANS F20
The F20 is only slightly better but the interface is very similar. I've had one shot several years and it's by far the best player I've owned. Just really confusing to use if you're not used to Chinese mp3 players. As for playlists, I believe you gotta make your own on the device.
@@RynoDBones Thanks Ryno
Thanks for the review Ryno. One big issue for me that hasn't been covered - I want to be able to program my music so the music will turn itself off after a certain length of time or after the song or playlist has finished. Is that possible on this player?
I don’t believe this has an option like that. It does have an auto shutoff, but it isn’t customizable as far as I can tell. It just powers down after being inactive.
I looked at another review, there was a setting for sleep mode and shutdown after a certain period of time (set by the user)
Does it sound as good/better than nintaus x10..i really liked nintaus x10 but it sadly went broke
This will sound identical to the X10. All the hardware is the same, just a different outside case.
great review, i'd buy it except for the micro usb port. i'd prefer a player with a USB C port...would you be able to review a player with a USB C port ?....thanks for the review. full marks.. 👏👍🏆
Yes micro usb always gets loose and craps out
does Does the device display the bass in the songs? How does the device compare to listening to music on android smartphones?
The user interface on this is VERY basic. You're basically limited to just the cover art for the song. The audio you get out of this, however, will be superior to 90% of smartphones out there. Now, if you've got a phone with a DAC, you'll get great sound...But if your phone doesn't have a DAC, this will sound better and have more power to drive better headphones. Another caveat - you kinda gotta have some decent headphones or you won't be taking advantage of the DAC anyway. My phone (an LG V60) has a fantastic Quad-DAC, that beats this player hands-down. Here's a list of phones with the best sound, plus some USB-C to 3.5mm adapter cables with DAC built in. I use one of those cables with my iPad and it is wonderful. allaboutwindowsphone.com/features/item/23960_Smartphone_wired_audio_and_DAC.php
Now if you're using bluetooth headphones, it wouldn't make much of a difference. I'm still using wired headphones most of the time.
Does this player support playlists?
Short answer - yes. Long answer…….You can make playlists on the player only. It doesn’t support M3U files. The best thing I have found is to pre-sort my files into playlist sized folders then play one folder at a time. Something like - The Ryno Collection\50’s\Vol. 1\CD1\ 01. - Buddy Holly - That’ll Be The Day.mp3.. Have about 80 minutes of songs in that folder with the two-number file name prefix. I also make sure all my files are tagged correctly using Tag & Rename.
Micro USB is a human rights violation.
It's better of Usb-C, the worst connection ever.
@@Lukas_Miglioranza No....
@@didgeteria9068 No? you have a bandwidth that in this case is of no use to you, but a connection that comes off under the weight of the copper.
USB-C is the worst connection of all time.
@@Lukas_Miglioranza ok ... End of the world a fucking USB Connection
Why?@@Lukas_Miglioranza
Will it play while it is charging?
Mine does, yes
How's the battery life?
Can usually go about ten to fifteen hours before I decide to charge it. I'm not sure how much longer it can go.
@@RynoDBones That's awesome
@@m1000-n8w quality control can be iffy, though. From one batch to the next, you never know if they use the same components. If you're in the market, just find the least expensive one that looks the same. The company that originally made it sold out and it's now sold under several different names.
@@RynoDBones I thought that a couple of these entry-level DAPs looked really similar. It makes sense that theyre using a lot of the same components. I was kinda attracted to the Mechen, because of the battery life. Even if quality is iffy, it sounds like it lasts longer than the Surfans or similar
"Loud"? What kind of impedance are your phones? This device only cranks 80 mw. It will not drive high impedance phones.
Got it as a gift for an older relative. For 50 bucks.
If only it took AAA alkaline. The youth don't like changing batteries, but replaceable cells have kept my Sandisk player running for over 15 years. Most ipod from the same era got trashed, due to the dead battery.
@@stevejohnson1321 I get it. I have had the same portable CD/MP3 player since 2002 and it eats up AAs like candy, but it’s still working just fine. This Mechen currently lives in my office at work permanently connected to my stereo. One charge keeps it going for a week or more. Out of all the standalone players I’ve tried, I like it the best. My son has my old F20 and it’s nearly ten years old. Dunno why I’ve never made a video on that one.
Ne ho acquistato uno pochi giorni fa. Ho copiato sulla micro sd solo file in formato FLAC, l'ho collegato ad un amplificatore e sono rimasto letteralmente sbalordito da come suona. Uno degli acquisti migliori della mia vita! ☺️😉 Lo consiglio vivamente
Tôi cũng đã mua nó và nó đang trên đường đến nơi, thật mừng khi thấy bình luận của bạn.
This Player cut all songs by 2-3 sec....
does it have bluetooth?
Nope! For Bluetooth, I'd go for the F20 player. Not much pricier, and much better DAC.
NO FUKKEN BLUETOOTH? WTF?
Why would you want bluetooth? Then just use your phone
You can buy a Bluetooth aux dongle
Y do u need one?
Thanks for the review.... I will order one!