If you’re going to listen to your favourite tunes, they may as well sound the best they can and that’s where High Resolution audio comes in. With demand for High Resolution music growing by the day, we’ve put together a list of the best sounding players, designed to give you the best from your favourite artists.
Cowon Plenue 1 High Resolution Player
First up in our list is Cowon’s Flagship player, the Cowon Pleune 1.
Cowon’s greatest player to date, the Plenue 1 is Cowon’s first big step toward the top end of the market. All support for ‘unnecessary extras’ such as video playback has been stripped away, allowing the P1 to focus on producing the best sound it possibly can, making your favourite tracks a joy to listen to.
With 128GB of internal memory and the option to expand up to 256GB, support for FLAC, WAV, DXD and DSD up to 192kHz/24-bit resolution and a streamlined UI, Cowon have created one of the best sounding players on the market at the moment.
What makes the Cowon Plenue 1 great?
128GB of internal memory with the option to expand
Support for high resolution file types
Intuitive user interface
What’s not so great?
Battery playback time of ~ 10hrs
No earphones included with player
See the Cowon Plenue 1 here:
Cowon Plenue 1 High Resolution Music Player
iBasso DX90 High Performance Digital Audio Player
Identical in almost every way, the DX90 may be easily confused for its little brother the DX50. The same simple UI, 8GB internal memory with support up to 2TB promised, and supporting all the usual audio files the DX90 may not seem so exciting at first glance.
The main difference between the two players is the DX90’s Dual ES9018K2M DAC design. Incorporating a single DAC per channel (one left, one right) the DX90 manages to minimise interference between channels, providing you with an excellent sound quality hard to find at this price.
What makes the DX90 great?
Same great file support and UI as the DX50
8GB internal memory expandable up to 2TB with future firmware updates
Dual DAC design provides superior sound
What’s not so good?
Only 8GB of internal storage, though this is expandable
Screen may be difficult to see in direct sunlight
See the iBasso DX90 here:
iBasso DX90 High Performance Digital Audio Player
Sony NWZ-A15 High Resolution Walkman
The A10 series is the new range produced by industry experts Sony in their new drive towards high resolution music. The A15 has proven very popular already, and it’s no surprise.
The A15 is the world’s smallest and lightest Hi-res audio player, making it great for listening on the go and features both Bluetooth and NFC support. The 16GB player also features a Micro SD card slot with support for up to 128GB.
What makes the A15 great?
Very portable and easy to use
Expandable memory with 16GB built-in
50 hour battery life
What’s not so good?
Proprietary port for charging/syncing
See the Sony NWZ-A15 here:
Sony NWZ-A15 High Resolution Walkman
Astell & Kern AK240 High Fidelity Sound System
The Astell & Kern AK240 is unquestionably the best player on the market at the moment. Designed and built by a division of iRiver, the AK240 will bring you closer to your favourite artist than you probably thought possible.
The Grand-daddy of portable audio players, the AK240 features a sleek UI and a space-age body. Inside, the AK240 has 256GB of memory and supports expansion via Micro SD card up to a massive 384GB. A Dual DAC design, balanced output, DSD support, MQS streaming and USB DAC functionality mean the Astell & Kern AK240 is truly the best sounding piece of kit in the portable audio market at the moment.
What makes the AK240 great?
Huge 384GB memory (with 128GB Micro SD card)
Great file support, including high resolution formats
MQS streaming
The best sound quality of any potable audio player on the market
What’s not so great?
The odd shape may not suite everyone’s taste
The price
See the AK240 here:
Astell & Kern AK240 256GB Portable High Fidelity Sound System
FiiO X3 All New 2nd Gen High Resolution Digital Audio Player
Lastly, but certainly not least is FiiO’s X3 High Resolution player. Despite being at the lower end of the market, the X3 2nd Gen can still hold its own against more expensive players. With support for all the usual file formats (including DSD and ALAC), the X3 2nd Gen offers immersive sound quality that belies its low-end price.
The X3 2nd Gen will do double duty as a digital audio player and USB DAC when connected to your computer, satisfying your music needs at home and on the go. With a Micro SD card slot supporting cards up to 128GB you can literally bring your entire music library with you.
What makes the FiiO X3 2nd Gen Digital Audio Player great?
Excellent sound quality for the price point
Doubles up as a USB DAC
Support for in-line remote
What’s not so great?
No internal memory
Scroll wheel and UI can be fiddly
See the FiiO X3 All New 2nd Gen High Resolution Digital Audio Player here:
FiiO X3 All New 2nd Gen High Resolution Digital Audio Player