RUIZU X02 4GB LCD Screen Sport MP3 Player with FM Radio BLACK with English Manual

The Ruizu X02 is a little chinese music player that is very popular right now, strangely tough there a big enthusiast thread about it no review can be found on Headfi, what's that?
Is it because it sound bad? I don't think so.
Is it because it do not sound HIFI? Perhaps, but at this ridiculous price who would think to get an exceptional sound chip and ultra clear sound? Not me for sure, I buy this enjoyable ''toy'' just to have a music player that I can take as back up or when it rain or snow or became dangerous to walk with an expensive device at night in a town with high rate of criminal activity.
 

 
The Ruizu X02 have 2 versions, 4G and 8G, with expendable memory trough microSd card. It can play Flac too and have a very long battery life (up to 80h).
 
Info:

RUIZU X-02 pocket 4GB HiFi media MP3 player
Compact and portable, convenient to carry anywhere
Lossless sound fidelity, loyal to the original sound
With digital display, supports AMV format, photos of JPG, JPEG, BMP format, and e-book with TXT format
Easy system: The most simplified system, easy operation
Audio format: MP3, WMA, WAV, APE, FLAC
Support TF card (not included in the package)
Record function

 
CONSTRUCTION & UI:


(From left to right: RUIZU X02, Idealist S1813, ONN X5)
 
Construction is all plastic but feel nice in the hand. Buttons too feel nice under the finger. Microsd slot work well and is easy to inser and extract the card. Screen is quit bright and easy to read. UI really impress me by his user friendly and intuitive approach, all operation can be make fast and the firmware is stable without any problem (the better out of the 3 showed up there).
 

 
SOUND :
 
So YES the sound is good for his price and can compete easily with other sub 50$ popular music players. At 15$ (usd) X02 is not the king of sub 100$ DAP for sure but it is surely in his price range. The sound is clear and bright with good energy and instruments separation if you use the right earphones with it. In fact, with good earphones this player can be sufficient for average music enthusiast that just want a ultra portable player with super autonomy. It is a perfect travel DAP that will do his job when it need to, nothing more nothing less.
 
 
LOWS :
The bass isn't enormous with the X02 and I guess it's because it do not deliver alot of power (wich is perhaps why his battery can stay so long). The bass is there but lack in weight and energy, it can sound good in classical music because of his bright nature but not in IDM or big beat music. Strangely, the lack of bass doesn't make music unatural and can be resolve with bassy earphones, when I use my Tennmak Dulcimer it get better, even more with my Superlux HD381 because of his good resolution.
 
MIDS :
Vocal are quite foward with the X02 and can be easily discernable even in bad recording. This make it even more adequate for instrumental and signer based music wich is were this DAP excell. Listening it right now with the Letv Reverse is really a good combination for opening mids (and bass) and make the sound more spacious and soundstage more articulate. With intimate recording it can sound sincerly good, as always I will say the earphones combination is crucial. So even if the sound isn't the clearest it can perform pretty good with the right earphones.
 
HIGHS :
The Ruizu X02 haven't lot of sparkly treble, more the opposite, the highs aren't particularly clear or present, details retreival don't feel abnormally bad because the energical music rendering make it quite fun to listen to. I do not hear lot of hissing too, wich is very good for this price range! Anyway, details retreival don't feel veiled and with analytical earphones ou can have a good musical ride.
 
Fast comparaison:
Idealist S1813: Ruizu have a more bright and neutral sound while the Idealist is more open and airy with a little more bass. UI is better and firmware do not crash and read correctly Microsd cards.
ONN X5: X5 sound is more detailed and clear, instruments separation is better, it can read HIRES files too. UI and Firmware of X02 is still better and line in have no static noise problem.
 
VERDICT :
 
The Ruizu X02 is an excellent music device for the price and do not sound bad at all. An average listener that just want to enjoy music on the go could have an excellent pairing of earphones and DAP for an absurd price, for a little 25-30$ you can get the X02 with earphones like the Superlux HD381, Letv Reverse or Rock Zircon from Gearbest or on Aliexpress, this is more than pleasing for on budget audiophile. The sound is gentle and perfect for long listening even if a tad on the bright side because of is V roll off nature sound. Anyway, the battery is life is incredible, it got radio and recorder, can work with 64g microsd.
 

 
 
Ruizu X02 deserve his popularity and can't be beat by any other dap at this price range for now.