The appearance of the first player Hidizs ‘ AP100 was the event really noticeable. Player, released in 2014 and is still enjoying good demand, — that, you know, a strong bid for success. For a long time from the camp of the company heard no sound until a budget model AP60, which was good, but a breakthrough did not. But the end of last year brought us two models of the company, and today we’ll talk about the second audit of the AP60.
Despite the affordable price and good feature set, the first “shestidesyati” has not gained great popularity due to some flaws in the sound, not the best because of the touch buttons control. Meanwhile, the segment of inexpensive but high-quality solutions in a compact format clearly required some kind of model. And then Hidizs ‘ really did almost incredible, they are meticulously gathered all the deficiencies of the first revision of your player and removed them, releasing an updated AP60. Of course, improvement on all fronts could not do for free (and I would like to write about a surprising not the changed value), so the price of the player have grown to $ 120, however, in this case, the overpayment clearly is worth it.
Technical parameters
- Processor: X1000
- DAC: AKM4452VN
- Oh: MAX97220A
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (-0.5 dB)
- Output power: 35 mW @ 32Ω
- Output impedance: 0,1 Ω
- Total harmonic distortion+noise: 0,005%
- The ratio signal/noise: >109 dB
- Dynamic range: >105 dB
- Channel separation: 106 dB
- Supported resolution: PCM up to 192 kHz/24 bit, DSD up to DSD128
- Format support: FLAC, APE, WMA, WAV, ALAC, AAC, OGG, MP3, AIFF, DSF, DFF
- Bluetooth: 4.0 with aptX
- Screen: 2″ TFT, 320 × 240
- Input: MicroUSB
- Output: 3.5 mm
- Battery: 1000 mA/h
- Work time from a single charge: 10-12 hours
- Storage card: MicroSD up to 256 GB
- Dimensions: 75 mm × 42 mm × 14 mm
- Weight: 71 g
Packing and delivery
The exterior design of the packaging meets the “brand” of a yellow stripe, a little spoiling is good the rest of the design. Inside the player, power cord, screen protectors (one already glued from the factory, and I raise my glass to the companies that do this) and plastic protective polucha on the rear panel.
In General, everything is quite simple, but for a budget player — it is normal. By the way, Hidizs ‘ for the first generation AP60 was a very nice leather case with a flip that sold still. I haven’t checked, but I think for the second generation it also must be suitable.
Design and management
That is the main area where the efforts of developers. The second version of the player is pleasing housing made of aluminium with a striking back panel “under glass”. Changed the materials significantly improve the perception of the player, it looks much more expensive than the first generation. AP60-II there are five (at least not yet) color options, they are all rather subtle, but look stylish, so we can safely choose any of them. The build quality of the player is very good for this price level, nothing creaks, not loose and not loose.
Additional “wow-factor” of this gadget is its small size, it is really compact and light weight (despite the mentioned on the box 50 grams, weigh-in showed 70) allows you to easily carry it even in your pocket light summer shorts.
On the left side are the volume rocker brand (if desired, it can be switched in the menu on the navigation tracks), it has a curved shape, and the finger he falls to the desired place that allows you to use it without looking. Above is the power button, it also locks the screen. On the right side put a slot for MicroSD cards, the lower the headphone connectors and MicroUSB. The latter is very versatile, it serves for charging and file access, it allows you to connect AP60 as a USB DAC. Also the player understands USB OTG pendrive and can serve as a USB transport, connecting to external DACs.
By the way, about charging. In my standard test (MEEAudio P1 as a load, FLAC 44.1/16 as material) the player worked 9 hours and 40 minutes. Charged it fast enough to fully charge demanded less than two hours, overall good results for such a compact player with full DAC.
Pleased and the updated front panel. First, the screen. Don’t know where Hidizs ‘ take parts, but display “shestidesyati” really happy, despite its small size, it has good resolution and color reproduction, very good viewing angles and even some margin of brightness (as I’m waiting for the summer…). Second, the control unit, the first revision of the player in a small area below the screen was placed just six touch buttons, which led to erroneous clicks and inconvenient management “blindly”. In the second revision the buttons were mechanical, and they still have only four. Simply put, the plate under the screen acts as a 4-position switch, so now you can easily control the player without removing it from the pocket (though that pocket fuss side could be perceived the wrong way).
Insertion
Some processing undergone firmware. The basis is still code Hiby, offering familiar. The developers slightly changed the navigation, making it logical and convenient. To move the menu buttons up/down to select the functions, press “right”, “left” button is used to return back. On the playback screen, the “up” and “down” serve to navigate through the tracks or right — starts playback and enables the pause. On the playback screen and the tracks for a long period of retention “to the right” opens a secondary menu, long pressing “left” will return you to the main menu.
Menu itself is divided into four sections.
Browse music by folder. Everything is obvious: choose an SD card or USB OTG USB flash drive (if it is connected, make automatically removing unnecessary menu Chinese programmers don’t want for many years) and enjoy the media library in the form in which you created it. The pop-up menu you can add/remove track to favorites or delete it from the memory card completely.
Browse music by categories. There are all too familiar: once all tracks, albums, artists, genres, favorites, playlists and recently played tracks. Pop-up menu, then for some reason another, and offers in addition to the removal and favourites to add a track in a random playlist.
Settings music. Here, too, all the usual:
- update library (fast enough)
- gain
- output mode DSD
- equalizer (10-band, but traditionally it is better not to include)
- playback order
- remembering the current position when switching off
- gapless playback
- maximum volume
- volume when switching on (to remember or to set a specified value)
- channel balance
System setting. I think just listing the same will be enough:
- language (Russian — in stock)
- Bluetooth (turn on, search for devices, activation HibyLink). As before, the player can serve not only as a transmitter but also a receiver, so you can, for example, to stream music from the phone to the player, but on the practice it is limited only SBC codec. However, it is still a nice opportunity
- USB mode (memory access or USB DAC), the DAC operates with a slight delay, so listening to music is quite possible, but the video can be difficult
- brightness
- time light
- clock setting
- skip to the next folder when playing (why is it not in the settings of music — I don’t know)
- the functions of the side buttons (volume or scrolling through tracks)
- off timer when idle and sleep timer
- formatting a memory card, upgrade firmware, information about the player
The playback screen — the usual other players with similar firmware, most of it is album art. Requires a little getting used to the fact that navigation through the tracks is the vertical buttons, but after the reorganization of the reflexes of the problems it causes. Immediately expected, there is an additional menu with the desired settings and functions.
In the latest firmware added a clock function, first press the power button you see the clock plus the name of the current track, and only the second will return you to the player control. Fortunately, the buttons start to work already on the screen with the clock, so to switch tracks or pause the power button just press one time. If you watch without the need to shut it down.
In General, the IOS works very quickly and without any problems, the player is conveniently operated and is pleased with obedience. By the way, judging by the reviews online (I personally have not tried), the firmware from the second revision can be installed on a first generation player, but the feasibility of this action remains in question.
Sound
To listen to the device used the following headphones: iBasso IT03, 99 Meze Classics, Audio Zenith PMx2, Noble Kaiser Encore, Campfire Audio Andromeda, 64 Audio U12, HUM Pristine and others.
If you take into account the price of this player, the sound was very good even. Hidizs ‘ fixed the lack of bass of the first version, and fixed right this time, at the hardware level (for the first option AP60 they just released firmware that tried to correct in software, and it wasn’t pretty), so AP60-II is devoid of any distinct disadvantages and plays very vigorously and thoroughly. In the further description of the sound I’m not going to take into account the price of the device, describing its deficiencies relative to much more expensive models.
The bass is in feeding the player a little accented, but the accent is very moderate. NCH surprisingly have the depth, but control the “lower” layers expected average, and they are a bit weakened quantitatively, but they do not crawl the rest of the range. The speed of the bass and resolution is quite good, but more expensive solutions, it is also obvious do not hold out, however they just do not suffer from smearing, typical cheap China noname models.
Midrange is neutral, they have a normal resolution but served in a slightly dry manner. Sometimes this “dryness” of the sixties, even over the top, but it’s mostly a problem of records, not the device itself. Any obvious problems there, still before us is not a device on a primitive codec. An imaginary scene — a little less than the average depth and width, but the division plans still available (though not perfect), and the tools don’t fall in a heap and lose their character.
Vernacularly range has a normal resolution, but the study of attacks and attenuation is at a medium level, so the “layering” of the high-frequency range here is almost nonexistent. Fortunately, the player still does not turn the whole upper part of the frequency response in the monotonous rustle, the intelligibility of the range remains decent for the price range level.
If a little to expand the price segment AP60II, it includes several popular models.
FiiO X1-II. Larger player allowed to use a FiiO amp or notebook that will be help for those who listen more difficult to solve headphones. Also note that, in terms of functions and speed firmware the hero of this review clearly looks advantageous. If we compare purely on the sound, FiiO slightly warmer overall flow and offers a bit more emotional.
Shanling M1. An example of almost perfect competition: the players are the same in function and very similar in sound (although the mid/treble from Hidizs ‘ sound slightly cleaner and more natural), so the whole competition is in the field of design and ease of operation. I in this aspect is more like AP60II (or, more precisely, less like M1), but this is an extremely subjective question.
Cayin N3. Another player with quite similar functions. On the side of the Cayin a lot of power, more musical midrange and better defined treble. It meets AP60II smaller, more comfortable controls and better design.
Compatibility
Of course, 35 milliwatts of power and impose restrictions on the use of headphones, from Panoramio you can only use the sensitive model, however, with most IEM under which “locked” the player, no problem. I would advise the player in the first place cheap hybrids or “Dyne” segment “about $ 100”, but this is a matter of taste. The player had almost no noise even when you turn on Bluetooth.
Genre AP60II universal (of course, adjusted for its price), any preference he has, but, of course, for full disclosure complex music need something more. Quality record player is not particularly critical, so on a 10 point scale his “moodiness” I would estimate somewhere in the 4.
Traditionally, some of the tracks as example
A Perfect Circle — Passive. If supergroup going, so it is necessary for someone. Here “a Perfect circle”, apparently, appeared to let MJK to present their ideas in a more relaxed, than in a Tool form (although not always so easily). The track is well suited to serve small Hides — complex enough to demonstrate the positive side of the player, but not very brutal and crushing compression that could ruin the experience.
Julian Lage — Splendor Riot. A wonderful example of modern jazz guitar. A former child Prodigy Julian has matured, but his talent with the guitar has risen to some transcendent heights, and in contrast to musicians “rock school”, he’s not into distorsion and “Sapelli”, preferring to demonstrate the technique in a more easy manner. AP60II, of course, is not ideal for similar styles, but still in a very good level to cope with the nuances of virtuoso playing.
Sergio Mendes — Bim-Bom. British scientists have proved that the best way to survive winter is Latin jazz, relaxing the soul and pleasing to the ear not only cheerful melodies, but also pleasant musical discoveries. The hero of today’s review thanks to the well-fixed bass builds the Foundation of this track, stringing her other layers of the track.
Summary
What surprised me about Hidizs’, as is the ability to correct errors. Taking not a particularly successful model, they clearly localized problems and I corrected them, firing is probably the best compact player over the last couple of years.
Buy Astell&Kern A&ultima SP1000
Review of hidizs ‘ AP60II player is a compact beauty
Pavel Dmitriev