Can be arbitrarily long to be like ostriches, burying our heads in the sand, or, like the three famous monkeys, close my eyes and ears in an attempt to dissociate itself from reality, but the fact is that the farther, the more portable players will move to Android. And today we’ll talk about one of the most affordable models with this OS, Hidizs ‘ AP200.
Despite my personal dislike of the OS from Google, is currently the only method to implement in player support for Wi-Fi and streaming services without special effort on the part of developers. Practice has shown that most users really want these same services in full, and it’s not even in price (funny to talk about this in countries accustomed to unlicensed content 99%), and convenience. Then you and a nice tip “that used to listen to”, and an almost infinite library right protagorean albums are automatically updated with new releases, and the same new-fangled MQA — interesting stuff. Of course, hypothetically speaking, large manufacturers are able to subsidize the development of firmware based on the same Linux or even uOS supports Wi-Fi and streaming, it will be expensive and, as a consequence, not very clever, but if it decides to do. Then in force licensing policy Tidal/Deezer/Spotify and all that, and all of these efforts will be in vain. Android allows you simply install the Google services, and then the user downloads the desired client, and with the license no problems, and client development, do the programmers of the service. If you add to it and the easy implementation of things like DLNA, USB OTG, and more — choice of OS for the developers of the players becomes evident.
Anyway, something came a long introduction, let’s get back to the AP200. Hidizs ‘ decided not to waste the opportunity to stake a claim for a piece of the promising market and released (after 3 years of developing, reviewing 120 design options and the creation of 10 prototypes) is quite unusual on the iron player. There are two ES9118 chip (SoC interesting from ESS, including the DAC, amplifier and switch outputs), the strengthening TPA6120A2 headphone meets, in General simple but effective scheme. In Hidizs ‘ tried to squeeze from it the maximum using two high-quality master oscillator, a special screening of chips for protection from interference and so on and so forth.
The company has managed to keep a very nice price tag, the base version in aluminum body with 32 GB of flash memory sells for about $ 300 and for the extra money you can get a version in steel “body” with 64 or 128 GB.
Technical parameters
- Processor: RK31884
- DAC: 2 × ES9118C
- Oh: TPA6120A2
- RAM: 1 GB
- Output power: 130 mW @ 32Ω
- Recommended load impedance: 16Ω –150Ω
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 40 kHz
- The ratio signal/noise: 115 dB
- Channel separation: 75 dB
- Output impedance: 4,8 Ω
- Format support: APE, ALAC, AIFF, FLAC, WAV, WMA, MP3, OGG, AAC, DSD (ISO, DSF, DFF), DXD
- Maximum resolution: up to 384 kHz/32 bit, DSD up to DSD128
- Wireless interface: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with APT-X
- Internal memory: from 32 GB to 128 GB depending on the model
- Storage card: MicroSD up to 256 GB
- Input: USB Type-C
- Output: 3.5 mm
- Screen: The 3.5″ IPS 960 × 640
- Battery: 3100 mA/h
- Work time from a single charge: 8-10 hours
- Charging time: < 4 hours
- Dimensions: 107 mm × 61 mm × 16 mm
- Weight: 145 g aluminum version, 208 g steel
Packing and delivery
Well, at least this time the box is a little different from the “Canon” — for AP200 did not make a “jacket”, leaving just the packaging is black cardboard with a black printing on upper cover and transfer performance characteristics and the “features” on the back. For lovers of pristine box sealed in plastic.
Inside, of course, you’ll find the player itself cord USB-C charging, plastic poluchal-bumper, spare protective screen (one pasted on the factory) and a few pieces of paper. I still have in the box was a cable with USB on MicroUSB C, but I’m not sure that it is included in the kit, so if you set the wires in the box important — consult the dealer before purchasing.
Of course, I would complete to see a more “full” case, but in trying to squeeze the lowest possible price, Hidizs ‘ they sacrificed, and to buy “leather” option need for some money (however small).
Design and management
What has always impressed me from Hidizs ‘ is that in the design they always went his own way. Like previous models, the AP200 has turned out unlike other manufacturers, while almost everyone else is trying in the least or hydrochloric cosplay as A&K, Hidizs ‘ produces another rectangle with rounded edges and a slight slant under the headphone socket at the bottom. Separate half a point I would have given “two hundredth” for its resemblance to AP60-II, lying together, the two players immediately evoke memories about a film about Austin Powers. Offering the discerning audiophile a variety of design options. Plain aluminum version uses the rear panel “under glass” and is available in three color options, more expensive steel model allows you to choose quality rear panel glass, carbon or wood.
If you’re wondering whether to pay more for the option of stainless steel, you should consider a couple of factors. First, the aluminium here is quite soft, so scratches are not eliminated, and secondly, the steel version is decently heavy (about 200 grams versus 150), and it is quite noticeable during operation.
In General, the player is not overburdened with controls. On the left is the volume rocker with a signature “bend” over it is the play button-pause. To navigate through the tracks the developers propose to use a double tap on the volume button method is working perfectly, but rewind the track so will not work. For me it is, for example, is not a frequent scenario, but I think there are people for whom this is important. On top of the device placed power button, it also serves to turn the screen off with the lock.
The right side without the controls, on the lower end put the headphone Jack (can be used as line output), USB-C connector and a slot for MicroSD cards. The player, of course, deprived of some nice bonuses available from competitors (another memory card and balanced output), but here it is necessary again to recall the difference in price. The company tried to saturate the player functions here and support USB OTG, audio output and USB for external DACs, and work as a USB DAC, but not all of them work equally well. In DAC mode there is a delay of sound, which would upset fans to watch the video, although for simple listening of music it is great. Also in the firmware yet promised HibyLink and support the aptX Bluetooth codec, however, Hidizs ‘ promised to add these two “features” in the near future (adjusted, of course, for the two-week celebration of Chinese New year).
The front panel is almost entirely devoted to a screen and it is very good. Here available and great for player permission, and eye pleasing color reproduction viewing angles, and an increased brightness for a summer day (although, of course, to cover the screen with your palm still have). From the point of view pictures it is probably the best screen in the budget segment of the players. Touch practiced well, although very occasionally there are lags, but I suspect it is the fault of the firmware and not the screen itself.
While working in my standard test (wireless off, MEEAudio P1 in the role of loading, FLAC 44.1/16) was approximately 7 hours and 50 minutes, the result is not a record, but overall, not the worst. Fully charge (for tests I use the charger from iPad) took 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Insertion
I think the day is near when there will be enough to say that the firmware did Hiby and everyone will imagine it possible (in the lower segment of the players it has already happened, players with Android all this goes). There are expected there are two modes: pure Android comes with a Music player, hidizs ‘ and “Pure Music”, in which the player replaces the launcher, eliminating the need to remember about wasps laying down.
At the moment the firmware has a “talking” version 0.2.2 Beta, although such numbering to Hidizs ‘ the norm rather than the exception, but in General the company has established itself on the positive side in the “dopisivanje”, so I think the updates will still be.
About Android mode is perhaps not much to describe except to mention the existence of the Play Store, everything is as expected: 5.1.1 the role of the OS, an additional “player settings” in the upper shutter, filter settings, DACS, and timers in the settings menu. In General, all very simple and familiar.
Player much more interesting. It consists of three sections, which turn the horizontal swipe.
Playback screen. Of course, designers Hiby with their love of semi-circular progress bar of the track you want to expose to the wheel, this thing penetrated here. On the other hand, rewinding the track is still quite possible, and in General, the playback screen is simple and logical. Expected displays the cover art or the lyrics, there is a button to switch the playback order, and add to playlists. Has all the makings of a modern interface, the color panel adjusts to match the cover of the current track, use beautiful blur effects, but the other two sections while struggling from this style.
Media library. Also quite familiar section, after scanning it lists your tracks grouped by albums, artists, genres and so on. More unusual then having access to network storage like Dropbox and Baidu. As of recent I have, and to the first enabled two-factor authentication, I did not mess around with the connection and test data points.
Main menu. Here is why it is possible to enter into a Hidizs ‘ account is that it will give, I don’t know, but it is possible that in the future it will be some proprietary network storage, it would be a strong step. Also here it is possible to scan the files on the device, rotate the equalizer (better not), and included several DSP plugins (better not squared) and change the settings of the player. The latter include gapless playback, auto-update the program of the player, the DSD output mode and similar options.
In General, the firmware normal, major problems with it there, everything is reproduced, Unicode is supported and so on, but individual lags and some illogical leave a slight feeling of incompleteness. I hope the next version will deliver us from it.
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.
In Hidizs ‘ decided to continue the tradition a little emphasis on bass sound, but this time its a little rounded out, to ensure your warmth and comfortable flow.
Bass moderately accented, but the accent is not limited to midbass and deeper. Therefore, with headphones, able to play deep bass skillfully (Hello, Dunu Falcon C), on the music like Juno Reactor, you can get a very effective “bottom-bottom”. In General, the bass normally balanced quantitatively, despite the added mass, it is not smeared, and generally has normal texture and separation of instruments, although, of course, superplastic bass, even with megadrivers valves.
Midrange is also served slightly flattened, so sometimes the player may lose a certain fraction of micronance at medium frequencies, but they are generally among the flaws in the recording that allows the AP200 well not even play particularly well recorded tracks. Player well it conveys the emotion, but the nature of the instruments are sometimes concealed, however, tracks on which it is heard — not so much. An imaginary scene somewhere in the middle in width and slightly less than the average depth, although the separation of instruments is made at a decent level, and the plans do not merge with each other.
HF is very decent quality, good resolution, and even is great for this price range study attacks and attenuation, but they are sometimes not enough quantitatively, however, it is still subjective, and headphones with bright treble is noticeably correct. On the other hand, those who are not very fond of “top”, tidy treble can even be a plus.
Speaking about comparisons, the two main competitors here are obvious.
Cayin N5-II. In this and the following comparisons I will not specifically focus on design, functionality and price, and I will only talk about the sound. If Hidizs ‘ tends to the taste, sometimes it’s called “warm” or “musical” sound, then You just monitor and technically, nothing adding from itself, it is better resolution, but brighter and more neutral. So here the choice is quite simple, you just have to ask yourself what sound you want.
FiiO X5-3. At first glance, it seems (or at first hearing?) that these two player are similar in flow, but more long-term comparison shows that this is not so. FiiO have better resolution across the entire frequency spectrum (except HF, there AP200 qualitatively better and quantitatively — X5-3). The emphasis on bass Hidizs ‘ makes with the ground, and FiiO using the additional “odanost”, also have a FiiO better midrange resolution.
Lotoo Paw 5000 Mk II. If we talk purely on the sound, then the “Lot” as better resolution (what to do, especially smooth flow and comfortable sound), more emotion in the midrange, bass is served in a more biting and dynamic manner. Treble a little worse for the attacks, but the rest is par. At the same time 5000, as well as other competitors AP200 more picky about the quality of the records.
Compatibility
On the one hand, 130 milliwatts — not to be called “huge power”, but let’s be fair: it’s enough for almost any headphone that makes sense to use portable. And most of the models which lack of 130 mW, is generally recommended stationary amplifier. Of positive it is also worth noting that the player was quite quiet and even hypersensitive valves, the noise is almost absent.
If we talk about genres, it all depends on the preferences of a particular listener, I’m especially player “went” with electronic music, jazz, soul, funk, dub, classic rock. But there are lovers of other styles, which AP200 like. The player is moderately tolerant to low-quality records, on a 10-point scale of “picky” I would have him evaluated at 6.
Traditionally, several tracks as example
Chaka Khan — I Mean You. Some good low female vocals — exactly what you need supply of this player. Similar tracks with AP200 gain even more realism, and then there’s the instrumental part more than good.
Apocalyptica — Path vol.2. Well, this is not a new track but it perfectly demonstrates the strengths of AP200: Nude cello, beautifully accented by percussion and background whispers — all of it is just immersed in the atmosphere of this recording.
Hayley Wai — Curious. For some reason sometimes pulls complement the collection with something from modern pop. Just like a bad habit in General is crap, but anything with myself I can’t, especially when you come across tracks like this: striking the drum part, well-written volume, in General all that is necessary to emphasize the strengths of the hero of this review.
Summary
On the one hand, of course, “killer of giants” from Hidizs ‘ failed. The player has a number of shortcomings, which, I think, correct firmware, and the sound is somewhere “on the money”. On the other hand, before us is the affordable player Android, plays very well, it’s pretty compact and sturdily built, so the model turned out to be quite competitive. Interestingly, in the price range of “300 to 400” had already formed a strong triumvirate of models with Android, but on the approach of another “new old friend” from Korea.
Buy Hidizs ‘ AP200
Review of hidizs ‘ AP200 player — available in Android HiFi
Pavel Dmitriev