It’s been a very long time because the unique iPod hit the scene, however when you clamour for the times when MP3 gamers have been all the trend, and when listening to music felt like a real interest and never one thing that merely occurs within the background of one other process, you then’re in luck. Recreating these glory days of music playback however with a contemporary twist, there are tons of moveable music gamers you should buy in 2026, and due to our tech specialists, we all know which of them are finest.
Though we’re large proponents of moveable music gamers (we wouldn’t have compiled this very checklist if we weren’t), there are certain to be some folks studying this text questioning why on earth they’d ever put money into a devoted music system once they can so simply leap right into a Spotify or Apple Music stream on their smartphone. It’s a good level, however it’s lacking a ton of nuance.
For starters, the massive enchantment is that if you wish to hear your favorite tracks with as a lot element as doable, then a transportable music participant is the best way to go. With one in every of these gadgets in tow, and a pair of wired headphones, you’ll spot the distinction straight away as there’s extra depth, higher encompass sound and a way of vitality that you simply simply don’t get when listening to audio over a smartphone which is downgraded by the very nature of streaming.
Nevertheless, in contrast to the music gamers of previous, there are a variety of fashionable conveniences that may be discovered with newer tech. There are some gadgets which run on Android and, consequently, may give you entry to your go-to streaming companies, however right here you possibly can take pleasure in them with a notable audio increase. There’s lots to love, however in an effort to separate the perfect from the remaining, we put every music participant by way of a collection of rigorous exams.
Our evaluate course of contains listening to each excessive and low high quality music information throughout an array of headphones, establishing a tool’s versatility alongside the best way, while additionally checking on battery drainage by way of on a regular basis use. Solely the music gamers that really excel in all of those checks are then thought of for this checklist. Should you don’t have already got a pair of cans to go together with a brand new music participant then our guides to the perfect headphones and the perfect low cost headphones have you ever coated.
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SQUIRREL_ANCHOR_LIST
Be taught extra about how we take a look at music gamers
We play a variety of music, completely different genres and at completely different file resolutions to get an concept of how properly moveable music gamers.
If there are options then we be sure we fiddle with them till we’re glad. We gauge on how lengthy their battery life is and whether or not the participant holds as much as the producer’s claims. We strive them on their numerous wi-fi connections to see if they provide a clean efficiency, and we’ll delve into their sub-menus and see in the event that they work as they’re meant to.
In fact, it all the time comes again to the music. Moveable music gamers are examined by reviewers who’ve a love of music, a data of sound high quality, in addition to a context of the market. We’ll evaluate to equally priced rivals, so once we suggest a selected mannequin, it’s among the many finest you should buy for the cash.
Clearly, we all know not everybody has the identical style in music, so we received’t solely take a look at with the identical completely mastered album, however with a wide range of genres and file qualities, from MP3 to Hello-Res FLAC. Discover out extra about how we take a look at in our ethics coverage.
Professionals
- Articulate, expressive and assured sound
- Lavishly specified
- Important perceived worth and delight of possession
Cons
- Fairly chunky by ‘moveable’ requirements
- Wildly costly
- Gained’t entice vegans
Professionals
- Really excellent sound high quality
- Great construct and end
- Intelligent and versatile specification
Cons
- Huge and heavy
- Reasonably dear
- Devoted portables and full measurement entrance ends can value much less
Professionals
- Open, expansive soundstage with a number of element
- Premium construct high quality
- Intuitive person interface and operation
- Intensive specification
- Swappable DAC characteristic
Cons
- Participant and DAC modules are costly
- Not precisely moveable
- Battery life not the longest
Professionals
- Brings refinement to music library
- Compact measurement
- Straightforward to make use of
- Huge file assist
Cons
- Wi-Fi efficiency generally is a little gradual
- Battery life doesn’t really feel too intensive
- Getting dear for an entry stage product
Professionals
- Detailed, composed and completely entertaining sound
- Specified properly past what the asking worth may recommend
- Spectacular customary of construct and end
Cons
- Can get barely shouty at largest volumes
- Miserly usable reminiscence
Professionals
- Hefty aluminium chassis
- Bluetooth pairing is simple, and works decently properly
- The heat and saturated really feel of a cassette has a wierd enchantment
Cons
- Not essentially the most moveable of gamers
- No auto-stop operate is a disgrace
Articulate, expressive and assured sound
Lavishly specified
Important perceived worth and delight of possession
Fairly chunky by ‘moveable’ requirements
Wildly costly
Gained’t entice vegans
The worth of the Astell Kern SP3000T places the remainder of moveable gamers on this checklist to disgrace, although it’s (mockingly) inexpensive than its predecessor. At $3199 / £2999, it’s among the many most costly music gamers we’ve examined.
Just like the Astell and FiiO gamers that characteristic on this checklist, the SP3000T is moveable within the loosest sense. It’s angular similarly to different Astell Kern gadgets however the construct high quality is excellent. It’s constructed from 316L stainless-steel, with the entrance adorned by a 5.5-inch 1080 x 1920 touchscreen that we discovered to be vivid, crisp, and responsive.
Battery life is just like the FiiO M17 at ten hours, although the general characteristic set is much less complete than the FiiO. There are fewer inputs and outputs, and whereas the built-in storage is greater (256GB), the SP3000T can solely increase to 1TB with the assistance of a microSD card.
There may be aptX and LDAC Bluetooth assist, with pattern charges of as much as DSD512 and 32-bit/768kHz supported too. There are a number of DAC filters to mess around with, the Crossfeed goals to create a soundstage that’s just like listening to a pair of loudspeakers in a room.
In relation to listening to music on the SP3000T, the participant offers music a constantly pure and lifelike sound. Element ranges are excessive, management over decay and assault of notes is well-judged, dynamism is properly conveyed whether or not on a small or massive scale and integration throughout the frequency vary is beautifully well-realised. Its sense of timing is about nearly as good as you will get from a transportable participant. The worth is big, however by way of its efficiency, we discovered the Astell Kern SP3000T to be an outstanding moveable participant.
Really excellent sound high quality
Great construct and end
Intelligent and versatile specification
Huge and heavy
Reasonably dear
Devoted portables and full measurement entrance ends can value much less
Should you’re an audiophile who’s continually on the go, it makes extra sense to have only one system that may function your go-to answer for music playback when travelling and when at residence. Though such a factor may sound like a pipedream, it’s completely accessible within the Astell & Kern PD10.
This can be a high-end moveable music participant that works simply as you’d anticipate on the transfer, however whenever you’re at residence you possibly can dock the PD10 in its accompanying cradle and use it as a entrance finish to manage playback from appropriate audio system. It’s an incredible answer to have when you’re obsessive about music constancy irrespective of the place you’re.
The PD10 additionally occurs to be one of the solidly constructed music gamers we’ve ever examined. Comprised of a stainless-steel chassis, the PD10 is way from light-weight within the hand, clocking in at 435g, however it has that satisfying heft that you simply anticipate from a tool at this finish of the market.
The row of bodily buttons on the facet are splendidly tactile and so they provide you with a faster technique of interacting with playback than waking up the six-inch display. Nonetheless, when you do resolve to dive in for extra granular controls, the brilliant show works brilliantly, as does Astell & Kern’s Crimson working system, which feels extra refined than ever.
When it comes to battery life you’re taking a look at a stable 15-hours of use between fees, so that you’ll have greater than sufficient within the tank to get you thru an extended day of labor and commuting. By default there’s a sizeable 256GB of storage included with the PD10, however if you wish to increase that, there’s a Micro SD card slot that may add as much as an extra 2TB to the combo. Certain, the entire thing prices much more than most music gamers however for a real all-in-one audiophile expertise, there’s nothing fairly prefer it.
Open, expansive soundstage with a number of element
Premium construct high quality
Intuitive person interface and operation
Intensive specification
Swappable DAC characteristic
Participant and DAC modules are costly
Not precisely moveable
Battery life not the longest
The Astell & Kern A&futura SE180 is among the South Korean model’s most superior gamers because of its DAC switching modules that permits the person to take away the DAC inside and exchange with it one other.
It’s an revolutionary concept, although we discovered the method of swapping DAC modules required some drive. That’s an space Astell & Kern may make simpler and swifter in future iterations.
The SE180 carries itself properly, though just like the SP2000T, its 280g isn’t precisely moveable (the similarly-sized iPhone 13 is a mere 173g by comparability). It’s well-built, much less uneven in look that Astell’s different gamers and options splendidly tactile quantity wheel that mimics a dial on a costly watch. Headphone outputs are catered for by 3.5mm unbalanced and a couple of.5 and 4.4mm balanced, with a USB-C port for charging and microSD enlargement that helps playing cards as much as 1TB.
The Quad Core processor affords a quick and responsive efficiency, the 5-inch color display affords some beautiful wanting colors, whereas we preferred the Android-esque interface, which is intuitive to make use of and simple to understand. File assist extends MP3 to DSD256 and resolutions as much as 384kHz, although by altering the DAC modules the file assist could be prolonged additional. With assist for aptX HD and LDAC, the SE180 is roofed on the wi-fi Excessive-Res Audio entrance.
All of that Hello-Res assist permits the SE180 to set a excessive marker for sound. We examined the system with a number of headphones and located it introduced a impartial and noise-free sound to whichever pair we used, that includes terrific quantities of readability and element. The soundstage is large and spacious, with the SE180’s sense of precision wringing as a lot out of music as it could. Whereas it’s succesful performer with lower-resolution information, it is a participant that shines with larger bit-rates and resolutions, making this a transportable participant for the audiophile.
Brings refinement to music library
Compact measurement
Straightforward to make use of
Huge file assist
Wi-Fi efficiency generally is a little gradual
Battery life doesn’t really feel too intensive
Getting dear for an entry stage product
The A&ultima SR35 is one in every of Astell & Kern’s extra inexpensive moveable gamers, although at £799 / $800, it’s dearer than the SR25 and SR25 MkII, placing dent in these ‘inexpensive’ credentials.
You get a variety of options and efficiency packed into the SR35’s compact body. As traditional, it comes with an off-axis display that does look odd however we adjusted to it in time. The contact display goes as much as 720p decision however is vivid and vibrant, whereas operation is straightforward sufficient with buttons on the facet for energy and playback, in addition to the beautiful tactile quantity wheel. In comparison with the cheaper FiiO M11S, the SR35 seems like a premium product.
Its characteristic set mirrors that of different Astell & Kern gamers on this checklist with its big selection of assist for audio codecs up 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth assist is accounted for, although we discovered with the previous that it takes some time for the Wi-Fi connection besides up when the participant is powered on.
Constructed-in storage is 64GB, however the SR35 helps expandable storage as much as 1TB with a microSD card. Battery life is rated at round 20 hours, however in our expertise, the participant has a behavior of chewing by way of its battery life faster than anticipated. There’s additionally a selection of Regular and Excessive achieve settings to match the impedance of the headphone it’s linked to.
When it comes to audio efficiency, the SR35 doesn’t present too heavy a hand in altering the sound of the headphone it’s partnered with. Not like the SE180 mannequin the place you possibly can hear the impact of the completely different DAC modules, the SR35 takes the audio sign and offers it extra polish and refinement whereas nonetheless conserving true to the headphone’s sonic signature. In comparison with the FiiO M15S, it’s sharper throughout the frequency vary, affords extra perception, and is extra dynamically expressive.
It’s the extra assertive and thrilling hear of the 2 equally priced gamers. Whereas the SR35 isn’t excellent in all areas, in our opinion, it’s the perfect moveable music participant you should buy within the £500 to £1000 vary.
Detailed, composed and completely entertaining sound
Specified properly past what the asking worth may recommend
Spectacular customary of construct and end
Can get barely shouty at largest volumes
Miserly usable reminiscence
Should you’re utterly new to the world of moveable music gamers and simply wish to begin issues out with a cheap possibility that doesn’t require a sizeable funding, then the FiiO JM21 is a superb place to begin. This music participant gives a lot of what makes FiiO such a family model on this market, however at a worth that massively undercuts the competitors.
Other than the tempting £179/$199 worth level, the important thing issue that makes the JM21 so alluring to new patrons is that the system itself is splendidly compact. At simply 13mm thick and weighing solely 156G, the JM21 is extra pocketable than the typical smartphone, so in contrast to with a variety of premium music gamers, you received’t be slowed down. The Sky Blue colourway additionally has an attention grabbing high quality about it, which is greater than we will say for lots of smartphones proper now.
In relation to the sound high quality, though you’re spending lower than what you’ll elsewhere, the JM21 nonetheless brings a good soundscape to the desk with a minimum of two Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chipsets. This paves the best way for playback in resolutions as much as 32-bit/384kHz which, in layman’s phrases, is a severe uptick on what you will get out of your smartphone.
Nonetheless, the expertise of utilizing the FiiO JM21 doesn’t really feel all that dissimilar to that of a smartphone because it runs on a reworked model of Android 13, with a 4.7-inch touchscreen besides. With solely 3GB RAM onboard, you don’t wish to be utilizing it for way more than listening to music, however a minimum of you do have the power to entry your streaming service of selection right here.
One factor that’s properly price making use of is the accessible Micro SD card slot. By default, there’s solely 32GB storage constructed into the FiiO JM21 which could be nice for some customers who simply need a couple of albums handy at a time, however for most individuals you’re higher off increasing that reminiscence so you possibly can have a real library of music on the go.
Hefty aluminium chassis
Bluetooth pairing is simple, and works decently properly
The heat and saturated really feel of a cassette has a wierd enchantment
Not essentially the most moveable of gamers
No auto-stop operate is a disgrace
Being utterly sincere, we’re nonetheless a bit perplexed by the truth that cassette tapes are having a resurgence provided that they have been by no means precisely rated as a medium with noteworthy sound high quality, but when an appreciation for all issues retro has allowed vinyls to turn out to be widespread as soon as extra, then it does seem to be honest recreation. Should you’re one such one that loves the concept of dusting off their previous cassette tapes and even shopping for among the newer ones which have began to look, then the We Are Rewind WE-001 is made with you in thoughts.
Earlier than we will speak about some other side, essentially the most putting factor in regards to the WE-001 is its design. Not too dissimilar to a product made by Teenage Engineering (the corporate behind the Playdate), the WE-001 incorporates a putting, uniform aesthetic, with the orange colourway being significantly eye-catching. It additionally seems to be similar to the traditional Sony Walkman, and wouldn’t really feel misplaced in a scene from Guardians of the Galaxy.
Should you’re not bought on the orange colourway then there are fairly a couple of alternate options accessible. Followers of The King will instantly gravitate in direction of the particular version Elvis possibility, whereas anybody after a extra subdued palette will recognize the Keith mannequin which is available in a darkish gray. Regardless of which one you go for, the bodily buttons have a beautiful tactility to them that makes them a pleasure to make use of, and so they really feel like a treatment to a world that’s now so dominated by touchscreens.
Nonetheless, though it very a lot wears its retro inspiration on its sleeve, the WE-001 is supposed to offer a extra fashionable different to followers of cassettes. With a built-in battery, the system could be topped up with a USB-C cable and, extra importantly, you don’t want to hold round a pair of wired headphones because the WE-001 helps Bluetooth. This implies which you could wirelessly take heed to your cassettes, making the format really feel far much less cumbersome.
You may take pleasure in as much as 12-hours of use on a single cost which ought to get greater than most by way of a mean day. Close to audio high quality, your enjoyment will very a lot rely on the way you view cassettes as an entire. In our testing, we have been reminded of the nice and cozy sound that cassettes can produce, which does have a pleasant high quality to it, however you received’t get the identical stage of element which you could with digital music gamers.
FAQ
Is it price shopping for a transportable music participant?
Smartphones are compromised by way of their efficiency as a result of they’re designed to do a number of issues. A transportable music participant is expressly designed for one factor, so when you love your music and wish to hear it in its very best quality, it’s price investing in a transportable music participant.
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Full Specs
Astell and Kern Aultima SP3000T Evaluate
Astell&Kern PD10 Evaluate
Astell and Kern Afutura SE180 Evaluate
Astell and Kern Aultima SR35 Evaluate
FiiO JM21 Evaluate
We Are Rewind WE-001 Evaluate
UK RRP
£3199
£2500
£1399
£799
£179
£129
USA RRP
$2999
$2500
$1499
$800
$199
$159
EU RRP
€3599
–
€1599
–
€199
–
CA RRP
–
–
–
–
CA$369
–
AUD RRP
AU$5299
AU$3000
–
–
AU$249
–
CPU
Snapdragon 6125 Octa-core
Octa-Core
Quad-Core
Quad-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 660
–
Producer
Astell & Kern
Astell & Kern
Astell & Kern
Astell & Kern
FiiO
–
Display Measurement
5.5 inches
6 inches
5 inches
3.6 inches
4.7 inches
–
Storage Capability
256GB
256GB
256GB
64GB
32GB
–
Expandable storage
As much as 1TB
As much as 2TB
As much as 1TB microSD
as much as 1TB
As much as 2TB
–
IP score
–
–
Not Disclosed
–
–
–
Battery
5050 mAh
5770 mAh
3800 mAh
3150 mAh
–
2000 mAh
Measurement (Dimensions)
84.7 x 18 x 141.5 MM
75.4 x 17.3 x 149.5 MM
77 x 19.9 x 137.2 MM
64 x 16.1 x 108.3 MM
68 x 13 x 121 MM
88.8 x 140.8 x 33.5 MM
Weight
483 G
435 G
280 G
184 G
156 G
404 G
ASIN
B0D365BX5K
–
B094JZWX7S
B0BZS29BVS
B0DRYJ9FCG
B0C6B2937N
Working System
–
–
–
Android
Android 13
–
DAC
AKM AK4191 x2 (Twin Modulator) & AKM AK4499EX x2 (Twin DAC)
AKM4191EQ x2 (Twin Modulator) + AKM4498EX x4 (Twin+Twin DAC)
SEM1 ESS ES9038PRO
Ciruss Logic CS43198 x4
2 x Cirrus Logic CS43198
–
USB DAC Mode
Sure
Sure
Sure
Sure
Sure
–
Launch Date
2024
2025
2021
2023
2025
2023
First Reviewed Date
–
–
–
–
–
08/01/2026
Mannequin Quantity
SP3000T
PD10
AK-SE180-SEM1-MS
SR35
–
–
Decision
x
1080 x 2160
x
x
x
x
Ports
–
–
USB-C, microSD, 3.5mm unbalanced, 2.5mm balanced, 4.4 balanced
–
–
–
RAM
8GB
–
–
–
–
–
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0
–
Bluetooth 5.1, 3.5mm jack
Colors
Silver
–
Moon Silver
Charcoal Gray
Sky Blue
Orange, Black, Blue
Audio Codecs
WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA
WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF, MQA
WAV, FLAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, DFF, DSF
AAC, AIFF, ALAC, APE, DSD, DST, DXD, FLAC, ISO, MP3, MQA, OGG, WAV, WMA
Cassette
Contact Display
Sure
Sure
Sure
Sure
Sure
No
Wifi Spec
–
–
802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz)
–
–
–
Display
–
–
Sure
–
–
–
Bluetooth
–
–
Sure
–
–
–
USB charging
Sure
Sure
Sure
–
Sure
Sure
Headphone port
–
–
Sure
–
–
–
Inputs
–
USB-C
–
USB-C
–
3.5mm jack for recording
Outputs
3.5mm balanced, optical out, 2.5mm balanced, 4.4mm
Unbalanced, Balanced, Optical
–
3.5mm unbalanced, 2.5/4.4mm balanced
3.5mm/SPDIF; 4.4mm
3.5mm jack for output, Bluetooth 5.1
