Hidizs AP80 Pro

Hidizs have been around the block for a while now, mostly focusing on portable DAC/Amps, dongles, and the occasional DAP/IEM. The AP80 Pro is their update to the original AP80, and it brings in a dual-DAC architecture and a balanced output. The rest of the device is rather intriguing too with DAC support, MQA decoding capabilities, and sporting Hiby OS which has a lot of bells and whistles to tweak the sound.

Without further ado, let’s see if the Hidizs AP80 Pro can justify its $170 price tag.

This review was originally published at Audioreviews.

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Hidizs was kind enough to send me the AP80 Pro for evaluation.

Firmware version: 1.5

IEMs/Headphones used: Final FI-BA-SS/E5000/Sonorous III, Dunu Zen, Campfire Audio Holocene, Meze 12 Classics V2, Etymotic ER2XR

Price, while reviewed: $170. Can be bought from Hidizs website (please note: this is an affiliate link, proceedings will go to a charity of choice)

Click to expand...

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES​

The packaging is fairly minimal but you get all that you need to get started: a type-C charging cable, an OTG cable, and a horrible looking silicone case. The case does its job but makes the entire device look ugly which is a shame given the great design. Nothing is left out, but nothing stands out either in terms of supplied accessories.
3.5/5

BUILD QUALITY AND HANDLING​

The Hidizs AP80 Pro was quite a bit smaller than I assumed it to be. It fits right in the palm of your hand though the sharp edges can feel uncomfortable. The design is a popular one: aluminium frame sandwiched by two sheets of glass. The screen protectors are pre-applied and that’s a good thing.



The scroll wheel is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s rather sturdy (doesn’t wobble as much as many others) and has defined clicks. However, the clicks feel mushy and the movement has a scratchiness to it. I am nitpicking but hey – I am a bit too particular about rotating knobs.



The playback buttons have good feedback, however, and I love that Hidizs put all the ports at the bottom of the device (unlike many flagship DAPs out there). On the left side you’ll find the microSD card slot (up to 512GB+, absolutely necessary since the Hidizs AP80 Pro lacks in-built storage). The top is bereft of anything.



Overall, the Hidizs AP80 Pro has a good build and the design is rather unique indeed. I do wish the scroll wheel was better (despite using ALPS potentiometer).
4.5/5

DISPLAY AND USER INTERFACE (UI)​

The display is a 2.45″ Samsung IPS panel (480*360) with capacitive touch layer underneath. Since the display isn’t laminated, it shows a loss of contrast when viewing from an angle (and not the best under direct sunlight). Display brightness is quite good though, and the pixel density is good enough to hide pixellation from working distance.

Hiby OS is what Hidizs is using here, and it’s a pretty solid DAP OS. It takes ~10 seconds to boot, and then you go straight into a “launcher” of sorts. Here, you can access the actual music player, or use the FM Radio/Pedometer/BT DAC/eBook reader (why?)/System Settings/About menus. It’s a pretty straightforward launcher though I wish there was a faster way to get back to the launcher screen from within the music player app (right now you have to exit the app and then only you can get to the launcher screen).

I think the most impressive/noteworthy part of the Hiby OS is its MSEB feature. It’s a sort of DSP/Parmetric EQ combo that allows you to fine tune aspects of the output such as warmth/brightness/bass rumble/male vocal thickness and so on. It’s fun to play with if you’re into tweaking the sound of your DAP, and can help in fixing some tonality issues in many IEMs.

However, the implementation here on the AP80 Pro isn’t as good as the one found on Hiby R6 2020, or even the Hiby R3 Pro Saber. Both of those had a more convincing tweak to the sound whereas on the AP80 Pro it feels like you’re just using a multi-band EQ and never really have the same control on shaping the sound.



Sliding up from the bottom of the screen brings a menu that’s not unlike iOS’ Control Center. Here you can adjust the volume/brightness, control playback, and switch Bluetooth on/off, select gain level (low/high), switch between DAC or Storage mode when connected to USB, and finally switch between line-out/headphone output mode. Use the last one with caution though since it just maxes out the volume to reach the nominal 2Vrms output level (it’s not a true line out where there is only voltage gain).

Speaking about the performance of the DAP, it’s pretty good and much better than a certain Fiio M6. However, you won’t get even low-end smartphone level of smoothness. There will be missed swipes and taps and the entire UI runs at 30fps or lower so things won’t be very smooth. It’s absolutely usable though and a far cry from non-touch DAPs like Questyle QP1R in terms of usability.
4/5

BATTERY LIFE​

Battery life was about average especially from the balanced out. You get between 8-10 hours of playback based on the device/volume level used mostly due to the 800mAh battery used. This is far from the battery life you get from some competing DAPs, namely Sony NW-A55 (~35 hours) or the Cowon Plenue D (~90 hours, it’s not a typo). In AP80 Pro’s defense – those don’t have quite as much output power or balanced circuitry as the Hidizs DAP. However, we are considering raw battery life only, so it’s an area where Hidizs can do better. The battery charging speed is fairly good though and should top the DAP up within an hour and half.
3/5

PAIRING NOTES​

The Hidizs AP80 Pro is not a powerhouse and won’t run the Sennheiser HD600 and the likes well. There’s a noticeable lack of bass extension and slam with the HD650, for example. Final Sonorous III fared much better though the bass wasn’t as well-controlled on the AP80 Pro as it is on desktop sources.

As for IEMs, even with the sensitive Final FI-BA-SS I couldn’t notice any hiss and the sound was fairly dynamic. Dunu Zen had a good pairing though the upper-mid glare was more noticeable here. Best pairing was with the Meze 12 Classics V2 and the Campfire Holocene.

TECH SPECS​

Hidizs decided to use the tried and tested Sabre ES9218P DAC chips in dual-DAC configuration, and are using the built-in amp circuit of these DACs. This isn’t a bad thing really since it allows you to get reasonably good amp performance in a small package. I couldn’t find the output impedance figures anywhere though, bummer. Full specs are here.

TONALITY, TECHNICALITIES, AMP PERFORMANCE​

The Hidizs AP80 Pro has a slightly colored tonal profile, with a bit more focus in the bass region and some emphasis in the upper-midrange (a common tonal trait of these ESS chips). There is some dryness in the midrange that makes male vocals sound a bit distant and coarse. This can be somewhat mitigated by the MSEB tweaks but I prefer not to use DSP/EQ too much myself. The bass and treble could be a bit more resolving given the competition.

The best part about the AP80 Pro’s sound signature has to be its soundstage which is quite wide and never feels closed-in even with IEMs that can feel narrow on some DAPs. Imaging isn’t as accurate as higher-tier DAPs but for the price I don’t expect much better. Separation is also very good provided you have a resolving enough IEM.

Speaking about amp performance, the balanced output was powerful enough to drive the Final E5000 quite loudly, but the E5000 didn’t have quite the bass control that you can get on something like Questyle QP1R/Apogee Groove. Also the balanced output won’t run pesky planars, though some low-end planars like Hifiman HE-400se sounded alright.

Still, for these headphones I’d recommend a desk amp. The balanced output also has better channel separation. I’d personally recommend using the balanced output on the AP80 Pro since it’s noticeably better than the single-ended output.

All in all, the Hidizs AP80 Pro is a good performer for the price bracket. It has good staging and separation capabilities but doesn’t stand out in the other performance criterion. The amp section is fairly powerful from the balanced out but won’t run high impedance headphones that well so it’s mostly for moderately sensitive IEMs and headphones.
4/5

SELECT COMPARISONS​

vs Hiby R3 Pro Saber ($210): At $40 extra, the Hiby R3 Pro Saber gives you WiFI capabilities (supports Tidal playback) and a more powerful balanced out. It also noticeably increases the battery life. You do lose out on the superior industrial design of the AP80 Pro and the Hidizs DAP has a better display.

That’s all on paper though. In terms of absolute sound quality, I can’t really notice much difference between them. The Hiby R3 Pro Saber has a bit more sterile tone (not a good thing in my book) but counterbalances that with better MSEB implementation (also the OS is more feature-rich on the Hiby R3 Pro Saber). The extra output power is handy if you want to push some higher impedance headphones but with most IEMs this extra power didn’t really matter.

In terms of specs, the $40 extra for the R3 Pro Saber is well worth it. However, if you’re after absolute sound quality and not the extra bit of power and can live without Tidal playback, the Hidizs AP80 Pro will give similar performance at a lower cost.

vs Sony NW-A55 ($200): I’ll say it outright – the Sony NW-A55 is my most favorite DAP around the $200 price bracket. It’s got a great industrial design, the display is fabulous, the UI is snappy, and the sound signature is gorgeous (as Gordon Ramsey would say). The best part about them are the modded firmware by a certain MrWalkman and they bring different tuning to the stock signature.

The Sony DAP is hard to find (it’s biggest con), lacks balanced output, and doesn’t have a lot of output power. Oh, it also uses the forsaken WMPort so you gotta carry that cable around. Battery life is exceptional though at ~35-40 hours of playback. Standby times are also excellent as I rarely turn it off and still have enough juice left for on the go use.

As for sound, the Sony NW-A55 reigns supreme in midrange rendition. The mids on the Sony DAP is unlike anything you’ll hear in this range and has a analogue-ish feel to it. The bass and treble is about similar on both DAPs, though I felt the bass to have slightly better texture on the A55. Staging and separation is where the AP80 Pro pulled ahead. Also, Sony NW-A55 doesn’t have anything like MSEB (though it has Sony’s own proprietary DSP based tricks).

Between these two, I’ll personally pick the Sony NW-A55. If you need a balanced out and more bells and whistles – the Hidizs AP80 Pro may be a better fit for your use-case.

CONCLUDING REMARKS​

Looking at the rest of the <$200 DAP market, the Hidizs AP80 Pro seems like a good value proposition. I don’t see a major weakness here. The issues I have are not really deal-breakers and competing DAPs have similar/worse problems. The display is good, the UI has quite a lot of features, and the design is a standout.

The middling battery life and the finicky touch response are the only sore points. Among its competitors, I do have a soft spot for the Sony NW-A55, but if you want better staging and separation over a more refined midrange tonality – the Hidizs AP80 Pro will serve you better than most other DAPs in this range.

CHINA IN YOUR HAND – HIDIZS AP80 PRO DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER​

Fun size & feature packed​

A Facebook find – John Beagley -I bought the complete collection on Bandcamp

With kind thanks from Yihua of Aoshida hi-fi, the AP80 Pro has a retail price of $169.99. In typical Chinese style, it represents a price level that seems way below it’s true worth. Far be it from me to give the game away so early on into my review, but I’m hoping you get the gist of what this is all about.

See what I mean? USBC – for charging or Dac- Standard and balanced outputs AND fixed line out

A tiny piece on what gets onto here and what doesn’t make it​

I don’t like to whinge. I especially don’t wish to waste my time moaning about audio products that don’t reach or exceed my expectations. My time is precious, and I, like your good selves, am holding down a demanding full time job. If I am sent a product that I don’t like, it simply doesn’t get on to these pages. Whilst I may not rave about every product I have reviewed here, there is always something engaging enough for me to warrant the many hours it takes to get the message out there. As always, the devil is in the details, read and research properly and you will find what you desire. I do not read any reviews on products that I am due to receive. This is the way in which I can keep my writing fresh, free from plagiarism, my own views and my own style. I trust that you respect this and take this as the reason as to why each review seems to have so much positivity in it. In a world full of so much bad news, my small part will try and take you
away from that; for a little while at least.

Now; back to business

Can you see it? The USBC cable is terminated in purple in harmony with the volume knob

​

​

About the AP80 Pro​

The question is not what the AP80 Pro does; it’s easier to mention what it doesn’t do! The Pro has no Wi-Fi and no app support. It doesn’t have a massive amp for your HiFiMan HE-6 or your Abyss or whatever crazy big headphone you’ve got. If you’re looking for this, thank you very much for your time so far, and I understand if you want to leave and seek elsewhere. I hope to see you soon. If I still have you with me, let us both take a look at what this thing can do.

I find the screen to be as vivid as my smartphone and just as easy to navigate

You have balanced cables for your posh earphones and need something to try them out on without breaking the bank. Box ticked. The AP80 Pro has a 2.5 balanced and 3.5 jack. A note of caution. Do not try a 3.5 to 2.5 adapter, even if there is one out there. It might damage the amp in the AP80 in just the same way as it would affect any balanced connection. If you want to try a balanced output, get yourself a balanced cable. There are no shortcuts to this. And a balanced cable can be got for $20-$30 (or £). That will look much nicer than an adapter spoiling your new DAP. The AP80 has bidirectional Bluetooth. It can receive a Bluetooth signal, for example, from your smartphone, and it’ll handle LDAC with ease. There is an app you can download and it’ll allow you to control the features of the AP80 on your smartphone, which has a bigger screen than the AP80 so therefore should be easier to navigate. It doesn’t stop there. Bluetooth can be pushed from the Hidizs to a Bluetooth headphone or speaker.

Most As supplied inc OTG cable and silicon case

Other inputs include a DAC facility which has DSD support for 64/128 formats. OTG is supported, so you can strap this to your phone for a wired connection, for example, and output Bluetooth to your wireless earphones. The AP80 has no internal memory but supports a micro SD card of 512 Gb and probably beyond. I can’t yet evidence that capacity but have had no problems with the 128 Gb I’ve been using. The UI on the Hidizs is fast and has plenty of features. There are many clunky operating systems out there for some otherwise good digital players; Hidizs are renowned for a high quality UI and licence this out to other manufacturers.

Another Facebook find – those Groups are treasure troves

In short, they know what they’re doing, and it shows here. The touchscreen and the Samsung display are responsive and sharp. There are side buttons for next, pause and back, and a volume knob that’s both precise and discrete. Within the settings all can be switched off for on the move purposes. In practice, I didn’t find any problems with the AP80 whilst out running and in unlocked mode. I can’t see myself needing to use the app.

The loveliness of the unboxing – never gets old does that

Sound quality​

What, if any, qualities or personality does this little gem bring to the table? Compared to the AK380, or the Fiio M11, is there any discernible difference? I will put some audio clips on and clearly label which ones are from which DAP, then you’ll be able to make that decision yourselves. Bear in mind that the Fiio M11 retails for £449 and the Astell & Kern AK380 is a former flagship DAP. That will set you back £1649…..

Ok, have you had a listen? Good. Now all you need to know is what this will sound good with. Plug in all types of earphones, and some full size headphones will work outstandingly well with the AP80 Pro. I’d suggest you’d be looking at anything with an impedance of 50 Ohms or less would be a good match. For full sized headphones, there is a gain setting within the GUI which needs switching to High Mode. Full sized bluetooth headphones have their own Dac and Amp so are not an issue. I happen to have the Ananda BT which is about as good as it gets with wireless headphones. Of course one must realise that by using bluetooth outputs we are essentially limiting the AP8 Pro to 50% of it’s capabilities, because then it simply becomes a source rather than using it’s analog outputs. The Dac and amp become switched off as those duties are being taken up by the bluetooth headphones.

Andrew Taylor, courtesy of Bandcamp download

Conclusion​

The need for a fast, good looking, feature packed DAP that can communicate with your smartphone and your bluetooth devices and hi-fi is never more important than now. If you want something disconnected from that world, don’t worry; chuck your files onto an sd card and listen in the traditional way. It’s got a clean looking, fast GUI and it hasn’t fallen over on me yet. The AP80 Pro doesn’t have WiFi and apps, which has undoubtedly kept the price level temptingly low. Your smartphone has all that, as has your laptop. So this does the next best thing and uses bluetooth with great efficiency. There is an app to control this from your smartphone when out and about. I can’t see the need indoors with a screen that is this good. My opinion on the sound is that it is difficult to fault at this level; I’m glad they didn’t try and cater for bigger headphones with a bigger amp section, because that would have pushed both the price and the size of the device up into another tier. And who, fellow bargain hunters, would want that to happen?

Love Me Now - HIDIZS AP80 PRO Ultra Portable Music Player











HIDIZS AP80PRO is an ultraportable DAP priced at 170 USD, and mainly designed for IEMs, but capable of also driving some easier headphones. It will get compared to Shanling M2s, FiiO M3PRO, and Hiby R3 PRO. It will also get paired with FiiO FA9, iBasso AM05, and MAS Audio X5h.

---

Introduction





Hidizs started with a small time company running Kickstarter campaigns and is now a full-fledged top level brand with multiple products, slowly becoming the new FiiO with a beautiful interaction with their customers, a really good price / performance ratio for their products, and Hiby's Full support for their software, growing to be even more loved than their competitors in the Chifi Audio market. They will totally solve your issues, they have a ton if new products coming along every day, and they aren't going anywhere any time soon, so purchasing from them is a totally safe and fun experience.





It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with HIDIZS. I'd like to thank HIDIZS for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with HIDIZS AP 80 PRO. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in HIDIZS AP 80 PRO find their next music companion.










Packaging





First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:























The package of the AP80 PRO does not disappoint, and it comes with a silicone case, and a cable for charging. This won't be enough for everyone, but it is perfect if you aren't too picky, and if you need a practical DAP.





Some small-time Chinese DAP makers include bonus microSD cards with their products, and plastic cases, but so far AP80 PRO has a 10/10 rating for their package, considering the price point.











Technical Specifications





DAC - 2x Saber ESS9218P
Bluetooth - 4.2 with Apt-X, LDAC and Hiby Link
Screen - 2.45 ", touch
Outputs - 3.5mm stereo, 2.5mm balance, USB-C
Output power, unbalanced / balanced, per channel - 70 mW @ 32 ohms / 190 mW @ 32 ohms
Frequency response - 20 - 90,000 Hz
Battery - up to 9 hours of operation from balanced output
Body material - aluminum, glass
Dimensions - 61 * 56 * 13.8mm
Weight - 68g











Video Review

















Build Quality/Aesthetics/Functionality





The overall build quality of AP80PRO is really nice, it is a solidly built DAP, with a metallic case, glass at the front, and with a glass screen protector applied from the factory. The glass screen protector is not applied perfectly, and you can see that in the photos in my review, as the edges are not glued perfectly.











The software of AP80PRO is basically designed by Hiby, so it comes with all the ups and downs of having it. The ups are excellent support for music playing, beautiful GUI, and good overall support for everything, even EQ and MSEB. The downside is that updates to that firmware are rare, and if something doesn't work from the start, you aren't likely to see support for it after the initial release, with a few exceptions.





The DAP is much better than previous versions, having the edges chamfered, and having a volume wheel that takes some pressure to rotate. The feature list is rich, and it includes MSEB, the best EQ out there, a dual DAC, ES9218, DSD support up to DSD256, Hi Res, an excellent battery life, and Bluetooth with both receiver and sender BT.











The battery life is better than most flagship DAPs, at around 9 hours, but there are Sony and Cowon DAPs that are a bit better, while Lotoo Paw 6000 is a good example of a flagship DAP that has excellent battery life. Still, 9 hours is considered excellent for a DAP.





The Bluetooth can go both ways, so you can use it as a receiver, or connect a BT Headphone to it. It lowers the battery life a bit, and the quality isn't as good as the wired connection, but this shows that it has excellent resolution. The resolution's enough to reveal the differences between BT and wired.











The overall GUI and usage experience is refined, compared to AP80, and I feel like using a high-end ultraportable DAP, not like an entry-level experimental one. HIFIMAN is quite good with the sound of their DAPs but their Megamini felt really old-school in GUI and overall usage. AP80PRO even outdoes Shanling M2s in terms of overall usage and reliability.











Sound Quality





AP80PRO is the same as the original AP80 when it comes to the overall tuning, if you don't enable any EQ at all. The sound is nicely extended, colorful, vivid, detailed, wide and clear. The sonic character is a bit dry, which means excellent texture and detail retrieval, but it can be harsh or grainy at times.











The bass is a bit dry and quick, the speed is fast, so it works nicely for metal, rock, and quick music. With EDM or Jazz, the bass may be a bit too short or lack in quantity, but you can happily engage MSEB and change the ratio and even character of the bass a bit if you desire to. The power of the AP80 PRO is really good, and it can totally induce sub-lows and rattle your brains with the right headphones or IEMs, so if you have an IMR R2 Aten or IMR Opus Mia, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Detail in the bass is good.





The bass is considerably better from the balanced output, with better control and more punch. In fact, everything is better, and this time around I do mention it because on Balanced it easily outdoes Megamini, and other previous favorites of mine when it comes to ultraportables.





The midrange is colorful, vivid, and neutral. It favors both male and female voices equally, and it favors both happy and sad songs equally. In general, the detail and dynamics stand out nicely, and even for simpler songs, they sound closer to live than to a recorded interpretation. On balance, it has a better overall dynamic and more punch, but also more separation between instruments.





The treble is smooth in texture, and doesn't impose itself in the mix, but the air extension is good, and the imaging is excellent. I'm trying to say that despite a treble that's fairly laid back, it has good extension for it, so the soundstage ends up being large and satisfying. The soundstage favors width over depth, and it has an oval presentation as it goes wider away from the listener, but doesn't go far in the front or the back.











Comparisons





Given the price and overall design of AP80 PRO, the main competitors for it are Shanling M2S, FiiO M3PRO, and Hiby R3 PRO. There are so many DAPs that have pro at the end that it is slowly starting to lose its meaning. At any rate, in this particular case, FiiO, Hiby and HIDIZS do all have an original version of their DAPs, and the PRO version is considerably better for all of them, so it works ok.











There are many more alternatives out there, like using a FiiO BTR5, or Quedelix 5K, or HIFIMAN Megamini, but the comparisons above are the most relevant at the moment of making this review.





HIDIZS AP80 PRO vs Hiby R3 PRO (170 USD vs 200 USD) - R3 PRO is slightly more sleek in ergonomics / design. I prefer holding it in my hand, feels more precise and the display is a bit larger so I can navigate it a bit better. The overall firmware is a bit smoother on R3 PRO, things work a bit better, and the DAP feels more finished. The sound is similar between the two, especially since you have MSEB available on both. It feels like AP80PRO puts on more punch and a bit more detail, especially over balanced.





HIDIZS AP80 PRO vs FiiO M3 PRO (170 USD vs 80 USD) - M3 PRO is a less expensive DAP, but still an interesting alternative. With a far more limited usage scenario, the main reason I included it in this comparison is because it has slightly better ergonomics, and because it still has a pretty detailed sound. AP80PRO has more dynamic, better punch and more driving power, along with more control, especially over the balanced output.





HIDIZS AP80 PRO vs Shanling M2s (170 USD vs 200 USD) - Shanling's M2S is old and a bit tired now, but it still was one of the first DAPs I ever seen with a Type-C connector, and even to date is loved by the ones who purchased it. The firmware is quicker on AP80PRO, the sound is more lively, more detailed, but it is warmer and more musical on M2s. Overall, if you want to indulge in using MSEB, AP80PRO is a good upgrade from M2S, but even if you don't, over balanced, it is a solid improvement.











Pairing





For the pairing part of this review, I went with FiiO FA9, the latest high-quality IEM from FiiO, iBasso AM05, and MAS Audio X5h. All of those are top-notch IEMs and Headphones, but the pairing list can go forever for AP80PRO.











You could pair it with FiiO F9PRO, or a Beyerdynamic Xelento, it would still work nicely. It doesn't have a lot of hiss, so Campfire Atlas would work, and if you're using the balanced connector, it can drive any IEM under the sun, including Final Audio E5000.





HIDIZS AP80 PRO + FiiO FA9 (170 USD + 500 USD) - FiiO FA9 is a great example of an IEM that doesn't really need MSEB or anything to sound good. In fact, there's no hiss, but the pairing has nice detail, a wide soundstage, and good layering. As a benefit, it is really convenient to have such a portable pairing and to be able to use the two together with zero hassle.





HIDIZS AP80 PRO + iBasso AM05 (170 USD + 300 USD) - AM05 needs a bit of MSEB magic if you want to make it more punchy and to give it more bass. By default, it takes all of the advantages of the BA tech, but has a tight bass that won't satisfy everyone, so I always considered DAPs with EQ a bonus when pairing AM05. If you prefer its original ethereal presentation, then AP80PRO can happily drive it well and provide a nice amount of impact, depth, and even punch.





HIDIZS AP80 PRO + MAS X5h (170 USD + 400 USD) - MAS X5h is an easy to drive headphone, but one that's a bit hard to control, as it is quite bassy. With MSEB you can make it clearer, give it better resolution (by increasing the treble, you will hear more detail), and you can make it tighter / quicker, also using MSEB, making AP80 PRO a good way to squeeze its entire potential.











Value and Conclusion





The value of AP80PRO is pretty much excellent, and it is a great example of a tiny device that can do it all. There's nothing it can't do really, and the only reasons you may want to go for a competitor is the ergonomics / shape and design, since feature-wise and sound-wise it is a top grade one.











Starting with the package, you don't get a lot, but you do get a cable, and a silicone case, both of which are handy and sweet.











We also notice a beautiful design once we open it, and especially those who prefer an edgy design, and want something different from FiiO M6, will love AP80PRO. With a good battery life, bluetooth receiver abilities, and even a good DAC chip, AP80 PRO is good in terms of usage and build.











The default sound can be a bit dry, especially the bass, which means good detail, but also a sound that's not exactly smooth. We have MSEB, the best EQ out there, to combat it though, so it should be all fine.











At the end of today's review, AP80 PRO is one of the best DAPs ever released for us music lovers. It has a nice ergonomic design, good battery life, and a lively, detailed sound with a lot of punch and dynamics. Especially if you use it on balanced, it is totally worth getting, if you need a one DAP to do it all.









--- Please remember to stay safe, and always have fun while listening to music!---











Full Playlist used for this review





We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. PRaT, Texturization, Detail, Resolution, Dynamics, Impact, and overall tonality are all revealed by those songs. We recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music!







Youtube Playlist





[embedyt]





Tidal Playlist





https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/64555551-ec3c-4279-ae44-248fdfcf6c4b





I hope my review is helpful to you!