The Best Portable MP3 Players of 2022 – From Budget to Hi-Res

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Portable Music and MP3 Player Buyer's Guide: Reviewing the Best Models on Sale in 2022.

If you would like to save battery power and memory on your smartphone, or simply decide that you need the highest quality sound on the road, your choice is a portable music player.

After the departure of the Apple iPod line from the market (of all its representatives, only the Touch survived, more on that below), there are many reputable players left in the segment of portable music players.

Starting with Award winners What Hi-Fi? for 2019, we have selected the best models in each price category - from budget Cowon players to high-end Astell & Kern players. You'll be amazed at how much you can get today for a fairly modest price.

Of course, all of these portable music players play MP3 and AAC files, but it doesn't stop there. Most of the models in our selection support DSD and PCM with high sampling rates, making it possible to listen to downloaded music files with the highest possible quality.

Many of them are equipped with slots for microSD cards, allowing you to almost endlessly expand the volume of your audio library by selecting the highest resolution tracks for it.

Finally, some models can also act as external DACs, capable of improving the signal from a smartphone or laptop on its way to headphones or speakers. There are players on this list with built-in streaming capabilities, and there are also models with functionality comparable to a smartphone.

But the main advantage of all participants in this list is excellent sound quality.

Cowon Plenue D2

Class-leading sound combines features and practicality.

Characteristics

Memory capacity: 64 GB + microSD card slot | Screen diagonal: 3.7 inches | Battery life: 45 hours | File formats: PCM 24bit/192kHz, DSD128 | Dimensions: 5.3 x 7.9 x 1.5 cm | Weight: 97 g

BEHIND

• Balanced, dynamic and energetic
• Pocket format
• Superior in sophistication to its predecessor (Plenue D)

Against

• Outdated interface

The PD2 (or Plenue D2), a new version of the 2022 Award-winning Plenue D (see below), is itself a full Award winner, winning the award in 2022. The price increase is quite justified: the sound has become cleaner and more sophisticated, and has also noticeably increased in transparency.

If you add 64 GB of expandable memory, two outputs - 2.5 mm balanced and 3.5 mm - as well as support for PCM 24-bit/192 kHz and DSD128 formats, to the best-in-class sound, you get an undisputed leader.

Hello computer

All players in our test charge and exchange data with the computer via the same cable. Unfortunately, none of the manufacturers decided to put a human mini-USB on their device - they came up with their own connectors. There’s nothing wrong with this as long as you don’t lose the included cable: if we have nothing yet with COWON and Apple, then finding cables for Sony, for example, is very difficult. The same goes for chargers. If you want to take the player on vacation, you will have to buy a special charger with a USB output, and this plus another 500-700 rubles.

To load files onto the player, you will have to connect to a computer: none of the players had a USB host. With S9 and NWZ-S544 everything is simple. Windows identifies them as removable media, and all you need to do is drag and drop the files into the appropriate folder. But Apple doesn’t want to give up: with the iPod nano, you are strictly tied to iTunes (the player program that synchronizes your collection of media files with the player). Interestingly, Apple is the only company that hides music on the player in a hidden folder and even renames tracks, replacing ordinary words with sets of letters and numbers. All other players store files in the public domain.

Work with computer

• Apple - 3/5
• COWON - 4/5
• Sony - 4/5

Astell & Kern A&norma SR15

Jack of all trades: DAC, preamp and quality sound.

Characteristics

Memory capacity: 64 GB + microSD card slot | Screen diagonal: 3.3 inches | Battery life: 9 hours | Dimensions: 9.9 x 5.7 x 1.6 cm | Weight: 154 g

BEHIND

• Clear and refined sound
• User-friendly interface
• DAC and preamp

Against

• Not everyone will like the appearance

Winner of the 2022 Product of the Year Award, the Astell & Kern A&norma SR15 may look unusual, but its intricate design reflects its outstanding capabilities. This device boasts a simple and user-friendly interface, large memory capacity and support for Hi-Res audio files - as well as extremely detailed and dynamic sound, which has long been a hallmark of the brand; no smartphone can even dream of such quality.

This gadget can also be used as a DAC and preamplifier to improve the sound quality of your smartphone or laptop.

Sony NW-A45

Convincing Hi-Res audio and impressive endurance.

Characteristics

16 GB + microSD card slot | Screen diagonal: 3.1 inches | Battery life: 45 hours | Dimensions: 9.8 x 5.6 x 1.1 cm | Weight: 98 g

BEHIND

• Vocal accuracy and sound quality
• Robust design
• DSD format support

Against

• Headphones are not included
• Inconvenient interface

You won't believe it, but this is a review of the new Walkman player! Moreover, this Walkman has already received an Award at the end of 2022. Sony has thought out the design and price of the NW-A45 so that it serves as a smartphone companion, rather than an alternative device, and fulfills the owner's desire to enjoy music in high definition. It does its job well, providing longer playback than the iPod Touch, and the build quality is on par with higher-priced players.

True, the iPod Touch in addition to this has applications, cameras, FaceTime, instant messengers and a voice assistant. But despite Sony's offline status and not-so-user-friendly interface, the newest member of the stellar Walkman line of players has many other advantages.

How to choose a HI-FI device

The human ear perceives live sound with a wide number of shades. Audio recordings do not convey phonemes, so live music is digitized, recorded on electronic media and released in print. Next, the reverse process occurs: electronic sound is converted to analog. The process is aided by the main component, the DAC (digital-to-analog converter), and an additional component, the amplifier. To convey the depth of detail, powerful spare parts are installed in the player, with large batteries and high energy consumption.

Criteria for choosing a quality player:

• power and DAC model;
• amplifier type;
• reproducible frequency range;
• audio file formats that the gadget supports;
• operating time outside standby mode;
• connectors;
• amount of built-in memory;
• the likelihood of its expansion;
• management method;
• device weight;
• additional functions.

DAC - amplifier

The cost of the device and the quality of the music directly depend on the model and power of the DAC and amplifier. Global manufacturers produce products with specific tones: some focus on bass, others capture mids and highs. To give preference to the player, you need to listen to your favorite music. The ideal sound will appear if the device has 2 DACs.

Frequencies

Sound quality depends on the width of the reproduced frequency ranges. The maximum frequency range in the player ranges from 20 to 60 kHz. Devices of different price categories and quality operate in the range of 20 – 20,000 Hz.

File formats

There are special programs and applications that help compress live sound in order to save space on the memory disk. When a file is compressed, the quality remains similar to the original recording, or is somewhat lost as the range decreases. File extensions that remain unchanged: ALAC, FLAC, APE, PCM, ADPCM. File extensions that are perfectly compressed, but of lower quality: MP3, AAC, OGG, WMA. High-quality files with a large size have the following extensions: WAV, AIFF. The maximum size and highest sound quality will work with the extension: DSD, DSF, DFF, ISO, DXD. The latest formats are intended for music lovers and are installed on expensive professional devices.

Player operating time

Portable devices usually work for 24 hours. If the product plays for more than a day, it uses a weak DAC and amplifier, and the quality of the music is greatly lost.

Audio connectors

To connect to other devices and when charging, the player must be equipped with inputs and outputs. The line input transmits an acoustic analog signal without processing. The coaxial output connects the player to any device in the house, transmitting the signal digitally. The balance jack delivers clear sound and eliminates interference. The optical connector controls the digital signal and eliminates electrical interference. Modern models have a USB or micro USB socket for transferring files with any extension.

Memory and expandability

The higher the quality of the audio file, the larger its size. As an example, when compressing to 192 kB, the main frequencies are left, throwing out a variety of additional noise. 320 kB compression provides more musical nuances. Large ranges of files must fit in a large amount of memory. Therefore, a player with a lot of free space is more valuable. The average memory capacity of most devices sold ranges from 4 to 256 GB. If necessary, you can buy a device on the market with one or two slots for a memory card. Installing cards increases the memory capacity. These models use microSD cards.

Control type

There are push-button and touch controls. The ideal option is mixed control, when everything is involved. Some types are inconvenient. When analyzing models, buttons control budget devices. The mixed type is welcome in expensive devices.

Device severity

Compact models weigh 40 grams, the most powerful ones reach 200 grams. The heaviness is due to the metal case - protection from falls, the capacity of the built-in battery, and the heaviness of the amplifier.

Functionality

Any player has a structure with a narrow specialization. The node can be convenient if there are additional functions. Useful features include: waterproof frame, which extends the life of the product; equalizers – regulate wave amplitudes, help to obtain the necessary sound in terms of frequencies and bass; Bluetooth – synchronizes the gadget with a computer and wireless headphones; clip – to attach the player to clothing; tuner – listen to the radio; Wi-Fi is used when downloading files from the Internet; video viewing mode, digital video camera; Dictaphone; eBook; camera, etc. Players are used for listening to high-quality music. Other functions and modes are not considered necessary.

Product price

Budget devices can be bought for 2 – 4 thousand rubles. They have weak DACs and amplifiers, low quality music, small memory size, power consumption, and light weight. High-quality converters are more expensive. Medium-priced players (20 - 50 thousand rubles) work with built-in memory of 16 GB, throughout the day. High-performance premium DACs work with a cache of 32 - 64 GB, support additional volume and most audio formats. The price of the product is more than 50 thousand rubles.

Apple iPod Touch (2019)

The latest model of the iPod family will find many admirers.

Characteristics

Memory capacity: 32/128/256 GB | Screen diagonal: 4 inches | Battery life: 40 hours | Dimensions: 12.3 x 5.9 x 0.6 cm | Weight: 88 g

BEHIND

• Dynamic and captivating sound
• High image quality
• Long battery life

Against

• For this price - nothing

Given the iPod Touch's extensive feature set and relatively low price, we like it enough to earn a recommendation. However, the seventh-generation player is capable of more: it proves that there is still a place for the iPod in the market for streaming from smartphones and expensive portable Hi-Res audio players.

From the point of view of tonal balance and general sound character, this is a completely recognizable Apple product. He does everything right, without overdoing anything. The sound is smooth, the rhythm is impeccable, and the impressive dynamics allow you to immediately distinguish between different genres and moods.

And we haven’t yet mentioned the HD display, the extensive list of applications, support for gaming capabilities – and even the front and rear cameras. In essence, it is a smartphone without a SIM card slot.

Availability of additional functions

Basic needs in the form of music are, of course, good, but having additional functions is even better. Voice recorder, display of videos and photos, as well as texts, listening to FM stations, built-in equalizer - all this can also be contained inside the player.

However, you have to pay for versatility and multifunctionality, and in this case the price for this is an increase in cost, sometimes significant.

Everyone wants to find a “combine” that will satisfy all needs

Astell & Kern A&futura SE100

If this model is within your means, don’t hesitate for a minute.

Characteristics

Memory capacity: 128 GB + microSD card slot | Screen diagonal: 5 inches | Battery life: 11 hours | Dimensions: 13 x 7.5 x 1.5 cm | Weight: 240 g

BEHIND

• Amazing sound
• Multiple format support
• Bright and energetic display

Against

• Sharp edges of the body

For those with grand ambitions, high-end headphones and a hefty amount of cash to their name, the stunning SE100 – the 2022 Award's most expensive portable music player award winner – is both a luxury item and a logical addition to the system.

With the SE100, Astell & Kern has built on the excellent previous models and given them a major overhaul, resulting in immersive sound, bold design and a slick interface that gives you access to a host of features. The player even retains the proprietary option of a built-in DAC, which allows it to significantly improve the quality of the signal on the way from the computer to the headphones.

Don't miss

The most difficult and ingenious thing about the iPod is its controls. Apple has successfully crossed mechanics with touch technologies. The famous Click Wheel is responsible for moving through the menu - a touch wheel with a button in the middle. Slide your finger clockwise - the tracks will rewind in one direction, slide counterclockwise - they will rewind in the other. We found the desired track and stomped on the center button. To control music there are clickable play and rewind buttons. If you are familiar with iPod, then you will quickly get used to the new player; If the Click Wheel is new to you, it will definitely take a couple of hours to get used to it.

The next bastion will be the menu. In some ways it resembles Explorer: in the root folder there are all sorts of category folders, from which you can get to the submenu - Music

,
Artists
,
Albums
,
Songs
,
Play
. There are many such chains in the iPod, and it will take a lot of time to learn them, but once you get the hang of it, you will most likely recognize Apple's controls as the best. True, the new nano is unlucky: the wheel has lost its size, making it difficult to get used to.

COWON follows in Apple's footsteps and also crosses touch controls with mechanics. The S9 has a touchscreen designed to work with fingers. The menu didn't disappoint. Dealing with the clutter of icons is difficult at first, but after a while you get used to it, especially since the same chains are used here as in the iPod nano and many other players. We especially note the zoom function: any menu or list can be increased in size, which is especially important when operating with your fingers - otherwise you will often miss.

COWON hasn't forgotten about blind controls either. At the top end there is a protruding Play/Pause button, and on the sides there are rewind and volume rockers. In your pocket, the player is controlled by five points. True, there is a small mistake here: if, while hiding it in your pocket, you accidentally went to the main menu, then the button music control will be disabled, only the touch control will remain. Apparently, this was noticed at an early stage of development and they tried to solve the problem using widgets: from them you can assemble your own main menu and display playback controls on it.

Unfortunately, neither Apple nor COWON can compare with Sony in terms of convenience: they didn’t reinvent the wheel and limited themselves to good old buttons. No position sensors, no sensor technologies. And, you know, it's still very, very convenient. The buttons are easy to distinguish by touch, you don’t even need to understand the menu, everything is clear and understandable.

Control

• Apple - 4/5
• COWON - 4/5
• Sony - 5/5

Fiio M11 Pro

To find a better quality portable player, you will have to pay a lot more.

Characteristics

Memory capacity: 64 GB + microSD card slot | Screen diagonal: 5.15 inches | Battery life: 9.5 hours | Dimensions: 13 x 7 x 1.7 cm | Weight: 232 g

BEHIND

• Intelligent, weighty and sophisticated sound
• Great interface
• Lots of features

Against

• The music scene lacks dimension

For more than a decade, digital audio specialist FiiO has, in a sense, led a double life. In its native China and throughout Asia, the brand is recognized as one of the driving forces in the portable digital audio players and peripherals segment. At the same time, in Western countries, FiiO is more likely to be “widely known in narrow circles” and is perceived as a kind of hipster alternative to the clunky products of Apple and Sony, and the M11 player has gained a reputation as one of the strongest representatives of its category.

The company can be proud of the new M11 Pro (it is 2 millimeters thicker than its “non-professional” brother): an intuitive Android interface is combined with exceptionally pleasant and immersive sound.

Display

As a rule, the player is used while jogging or training. And for this you need simple and understandable controls, which will be easy to get used to even blindly, because it is not always possible to look at the screen during exercises.

If the player is simply turned on for a while to listen to music, then you can take the option with a display that will display all the necessary information.

The display makes it much easier to control the player

Astell & Kern A&ultima SP1000M

The sound quality is almost flawless.

Characteristics

128 GB + microSD card slot | Screen diagonal: 4.1 inches | Battery life: 10 hours | Dimensions: 11.7 x 6.7 x 1.6 cm | Weight: 203 g

BEHIND

• Small and light
• Clear sound
• Expressiveness and detail

Against

• Not very convenient regulators

Almost the flagship model Astell & Kern A&ultima SP1000M is almost flawless in terms of sound quality. The high price and some problems with the controls are not able to deteriorate the favorable impression of the music when it is performed.

When creating this player, Astell & Kern listened to the voices of its users, making the body more compact and lighter than the flagship - and now it’s our turn to listen to the amazing sound.

Let's sum it up

When choosing an MP3 player, you should approach it with special care so as not to purchase a model that will simply disappoint after a couple of days of use. If you are an athlete or simply lead an active lifestyle, then it is better to purchase a compact version. It's easy to hide, put in a convenient way, and it will serve its main purpose - playing music. If you just use the player to listen to music during the day, you can take a more functional option. Then there will be video, photos, and high-quality music, which brings so much pleasure.

Cowon Plenue D

Excellent sound and great price.

Characteristics

128 GB + microSD card slot | Screen diagonal: 4.1 inches | Battery life: 10 hours | Dimensions: 11.7 x 6.7 x 1.6 cm | Weight: 203 g

BEHIND

• Energetic Bass
• Meticulous elaboration of the midrange
• Pleasant tonal character

Against

• At this price - no complaints

This stylish and high-quality player will cost you a little less than its brother from the first position on our list. For this price you will get a multi-functional device with support for FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, WAV, WMA and MP3 formats with parameters up to 24 bit/192 kHz.

The 3.7-inch color touchscreen, 32GB of storage and microSD card slot up to 128GB, 100-hour battery life for MP3 playback, and a durable yet lightweight design are complemented by detailed, refined, and precisely defined audio.

Astell & Kern Kann

For those who don't mind spending more time in the world of Hi-Res audio.

Characteristics

64 GB + dual memory card slot | Screen diagonal: 3.3 inches | Battery life: 14 hours | Dimensions: 11.5 x 7.1 x 2.5 cm | Weight: 278 g

BEHIND

• Great feature set
• High detail
• Powerful and dynamic sound

Against

• Not everyone will like the appearance

Arguably the best Hi-Res audio player in the sub-$100,000 category, Kann boasts a durable build, good battery life, and a long list of features.

It features unbalanced (3.5mm) and balanced (2.5mm) outputs, aptX Bluetooth for wireless streaming of music in higher quality than CD, and built-in support for 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256 formats. As for the sound, you can expect outstanding volume, detail, dynamics and realistic textures.

The owner of many talents, in whom it is difficult to find a serious flaw.

The best MP3 players with microSD support

This category includes music players that do not have enough built-in memory - they play all songs from external media.

Hidizs AP100 – stylish model with excellent sound

4.9

★★★★★

editorial assessment

72%

buyers recommend this product

See review▶

This player has good characteristics and produces fairly clear sound. Many users also like its design. But the main thing is that the Hidizs AP100 model has a sound close to Hi-Fi, while its price is much lower than standard representatives of such a high level. The manufacturer decided to expand the scope of delivery, so buyers can count on receiving pleasant bonuses (case, USB cable, various adapters).

The player transmits sound well, suppresses noise, and has a high dynamic range of 103 dB. The model has a built-in CS4398 DAC, a modern and reliable CS8422 sampling frequency converter, as well as an AD823A low-pass filter and a CS48L10 equalizer. Its advantage is that it is hardware based. There is also a reference oscillator that runs on two quartz crystals.

Pros:

• USB DAC support.
• Works with any audio format.
• Hardware equalizer.
• Logical control.
• Ability to play music at very high volume.
• Reasonable price.

Minuses:

• Quite large and has a considerable weight.

The Hidizs AP100 player is an ideal option for fans of high-quality music who do not want to overpay for the purchase of Hi-Fi equipment.

Shanling M0 is an inexpensive device with a good battery

4.9

★★★★★

editorial assessment

72%

buyers recommend this product

See review▶

This is one of the most affordable mid-segment players. The manufacturer offers a variety of colors and quite good filling. The ESS Saber ES9218P single-chip system allows you to convert a digital signal into an analogue one, and the player can also be used as an external DAC.

Shanling M0 supports Bluetooth 4, LDAC and aptX codec. The player's sound is inferior to its competitors, but significantly superior to smartphones, even quite expensive ones.

Pros:

• High quality electronics.
• High power output.
• Light weight and small size.
• Almost any Bluetooth is supported.
• Available as USB DAC.
• Holds a charge for a long time.
• Reads cards up to 512 GB.

Minuses:

• Lack of control buttons.
• No balanced output.

The Shanling M0 model is perfect for users on limited budgets, as well as those who plan to use their equipment on the go.

xDuoo X10 – laconic in appearance, rich in sound

4.9

★★★★★

editorial assessment

72%

buyers recommend this product

See review▶

The player is a Hi-Res device and is equipped with good electronics, but its design is quite simple and not very attractive. There are two slots for memory cards.

xDuoo has a minimal number of settings, but if desired, installation of other firmware is available, which will allow you to edit the file configuration and expand the capabilities of the device. The player simplifies high frequencies, softens mids, and reproduces low frequencies very well. If you are not very picky about high sound quality, then this model is quite suitable.

Pros:

• Optical output.
• You can use multiple memory cards at the same time.
• Relatively easy to use buttons.
• Expressive bass.

Minuses:

• Does not support USB DAC.
• The factory firmware has few settings.

The xDuoo X10 player is the best option for those who do not care about design, but require good quality music.

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