AP80 - Hidizs next portable Hi-Res music player
Sep 18, 2019 at 1:59 PM Post #3,181 of 4,614
The AP80 as the Oppo is not doing any digital conversion?

It should be the Oppo who's decoding the digital signal. The AP80 bit-streams the audio via USB to the Oppo, where it gets decoded by its ESS DAC.

Unless you're using the 3.5mm audio in in the Oppo, in which case, the AP80 will be the decoder.
 
Sep 18, 2019 at 2:36 PM Post #3,182 of 4,614
Currently using the 3.5mm, but will try bit streaming from the USB port. I wasn't sure how the Oppo treated a decoded music file. Regardless, to my ears it's great. Last night I listened to the flac version of "Passaic Night ", the first official release and remastering of my favorite Springsteen bootleg show from 41 years ago, and it's a frickin' revelation. Couldn't sound better if it was recorded yesterday.
If it's the AP80 making the difference, I'm sold.
 
Sep 18, 2019 at 4:08 PM Post #3,183 of 4,614
This combination really brings the BEST out of Tin Hifi P1 the planar.

The problem though. It’s drawing A LOT of power from the AP80. I only played a few songs for 20 min and there’s only 72% left on the AP80! I’m sure it’s not the fiio because it didn’t lose much power. I should post this on AP80 thread as well

Mind if I ask where you got the rubber band from? Please
 
Sep 18, 2019 at 11:21 PM Post #3,186 of 4,614
Ye but it costs $34 more on amazon than on Hidizs original website (lol).

Yikes. The difference is only $5 CAD between Hidizs' site and Amazon.ca ( and no tax even though Amazon handles the shipping).

Guess you have to weigh the speed of Amazon vs the cheaper price from Hidizs or Aliexpress etc combined with possible duties and the "slow boat from China" shipping.
 
Sep 19, 2019 at 12:21 PM Post #3,187 of 4,614
Fair Enough. You might try the radsone ear studio es100. It has an extremely good iPhone app (no idea about android). While the app is not required to use it, the ES100 has a ton of options for excellent sound for the price.

I'll look into it, thanks!

I don't have experience with this. The difference is adding a phone to the equation, I don't have any reason to ever do that. That being said, I think its a (mostly) fantastic small player, yes there are a few quirks but for the money it sounds fantastic.

The main reason for me to add a phone (beyond the aforementioned syncing annoyance) is stuff like Spotify. The music quality isn't stellar, but I use Spotify as a way to find music I like. My liked music list would be more appropriately named my "I'm thinking about buying this".

For the car, I've put a really nice system in the car - it still uses the Audi MMI setup to control playback and that means I can do pause/play/previous/next fine with the car controls. Unless I connect the AP80 over bluetooth, I don't get that. And if I connect the AP80, I don't get hands free phone calls (I don't think I can connect more than one device). I MIGHT be able to connect the AP80 to the car via USB, but the connection for that is in my glove box.

In the end, it's really just simpler to use BT for everything, and use the AP80 as a BT enabled headphone amp. Which is exactly what I bought the darn thing for given the promised AAC BT codec support!
 
Sep 24, 2019 at 12:27 PM Post #3,188 of 4,614
I've been reading along for quite a while and now, after SW2beta, finally bought it.
What I see and hear is very likeable. The reported DSD hiss (which held me back) seems to be remedied, at least I can't hear any. Sounds great wired.

The AP80 would frequently be used with BT(aptx) too, but there is always the infamous pop/crackle between the tracks as in the old days of digital... I listen a lot to opera seria, so that's a nogo and would mean returning.
It was quite unexpected, Hiby Android App does deliver smooth, undisturbed BT on my phone, as does my old BB Z10 stock player. Crossfade, gapless didn't help. I'm listening BT on B&W P7 BT, also tested with wife's Sennheiser HD 4.5, Aptx or SBC, dsf, flac, mp3... no chance.

Is there anything I missed out/could be tried? I'd really prefer to keep the player. Or is it just the way it is?
 
Sep 24, 2019 at 2:02 PM Post #3,189 of 4,614
I've been reading along for quite a while and now, after SW2beta, finally bought it.
What I see and hear is very likeable. The reported DSD hiss (which held me back) seems to be remedied, at least I can't hear any. Sounds great wired.

The AP80 would frequently be used with BT(aptx) too, but there is always the infamous pop/crackle between the tracks as in the old days of digital... I listen a lot to opera seria, so that's a nogo and would mean returning.
It was quite unexpected, Hiby Android App does deliver smooth, undisturbed BT on my phone, as does my old BB Z10 stock player. Crossfade, gapless didn't help. I'm listening BT on B&W P7 BT, also tested with wife's Sennheiser HD 4.5, Aptx or SBC, dsf, flac, mp3... no chance.

Is there anything I missed out/could be tried? I'd really prefer to keep the player. Or is it just the way it is?
Turn on gapless?
 
Sep 24, 2019 at 2:21 PM Post #3,191 of 4,614
I've been reading along for quite a while and now, after SW2beta, finally bought it.
What I see and hear is very likeable. The reported DSD hiss (which held me back) seems to be remedied, at least I can't hear any. Sounds great wired.

The AP80 would frequently be used with BT(aptx) too, but there is always the infamous pop/crackle between the tracks as in the old days of digital... I listen a lot to opera seria, so that's a nogo and would mean returning.
It was quite unexpected, Hiby Android App does deliver smooth, undisturbed BT on my phone, as does my old BB Z10 stock player. Crossfade, gapless didn't help. I'm listening BT on B&W P7 BT, also tested with wife's Sennheiser HD 4.5, Aptx or SBC, dsf, flac, mp3... no chance.

Is there anything I missed out/could be tried? I'd really prefer to keep the player. Or is it just the way it is?

Seems like gapless applies only for wired connection at the moment. I guess Hidizs would have to implement it as well for Bluetooth connection.
 
Sep 24, 2019 at 3:20 PM Post #3,192 of 4,614
That would be a pity. My hopes were they already had. As I understand it is Hiby Software that's driving the player and Hiby Android manages the seam without noise via BT. Unfortunately one can't test items like these around here.
 
Sep 26, 2019 at 10:14 PM Post #3,195 of 4,614
Quite a noticeable difference in sound after about 10hrs of playback time, original AP80 (Al) vs AP80 (Cu). Want to give it a few more days of burn in before finalizing my thoughts on it.

ap80-x05.jpg ap80-x06.jpg ap80-x07.jpg ap80-x08.jpg

Also, love the size, small, but not too small :wink:

ap80-x10.jpg
 

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