Our pick of the 8 Best Digital Audio Players for all budgets and uses:

We know how important it is to find the right player; whether it is for your mp3 collection, hi-res music or streaming apps such as Tidal or Spotify.

Whether you call them DAPs, players, music players, portable players, mp3 players or anything else, this is the post for you. We’ve gathered our picks for the best digital audio players that you can buy!

BEST DAP UNDER £100

1. Shanling M0 – £99

Shanling M0

If you fancy getting better sound on the move, but don’t want to add a large device to your setup – the Shanling M0 could be just what you’re looking for. This tiny player delivers top quality Hi-Res audio and can be used in two different ways. The SD card slot allows you to store your own library of tunes, from mp3 to DSD – it can handle it all. The M0 can also act as a Bluetooth amp and DAC for your headphones. So, if you prefer using Spotify or Tidal on your phone, then wirelessly connect to the M0 to boost the audio quality while using an interface you are comfortable with.

BEST DAP UNDER £200

2. Shanling M2X – £199.99

Shanling M2X

Shanling’s impressive M2x is our choice for under £200. The impressive build quality and easy to use software makes the M2x an enjoyable experience. Sound quality is well balanced and clean, with superb detail retrieval. Then the addition of Tidal streaming via the app, opens up the listening possibilities.

BEST DAP UNDER £500

3. Cowon Plenue D2 – £259

Cowon Plenue D2

The Cowon Plenue D2 may seem simple to look at, this is certainly not the case though. Cowon are very well known and admired for the sound quality of their players. Bringing life and energy to music, as well as impressive customisation with their well developed EQs. The Plenue D2 is solid and very easy to use, with impressive battery life giving up to 30 hours of HD audio playback.

MORE INFO: Cowon Plenue D2 Portable Digital Audio Player

4. iBasso DX160 – £349

iBasso DX160

A new addition to the iBasso family, the DX160 sports an updated design to previous models and the addition of a 4.4mm balanced headphone output. The large touch screen is very clear, with vibrant colours and responsive touch control. As for sound, the DX160 provides a well balanced and organic sound with an emotional quality to it.

5. FiiO M11 – £449.99

FiiO M11

FiiO have really upped their game with the release of the M11. The impressively designed and built player houses some impressive technology. Dual AKM DAC chips and their custom made op-amp helps make the most of the aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC compatibility. Then the flexible headphone connectivity brings 2.5, 4.4 and 3.5mm ports to accommodate all popular jack sizes.

MORE INFO: FiiO M11 Portable Digital Audio Player and DAC

6. Shanling M6 – £499

Shanling M6

Shanling has long flexed its muscles in the portable audio player scene, and M6, the latest digital audio player offering takes its place at the top of Shanling’s Hi-Res audio player line-up. M6 is the first Shanling audio player to run Android OS and is armed with Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Wireless Audio certification taking your audio to the next level.

MORE INFO: Shanling M6 Digital Audio Player & DAC

BEST DAP UNDER £1000

7. iBasso DX220 – £799

iBasso DX220

We feel that the iBasso DX220 hits the ultimate price and performance point in the higher end of the digital audio player market. The DX220 is superbly built, with solid software and an easy to use design. The dual Sabre DAC chips help to achieve a clean and neutral sound, and the replaceable amp modules provide a level of customisation that is not common at this level.

MORE INFO: iBasso DX220 Portable Digital Audio Player and DAC

BEST DAP OVER £1000

8. Astell & Kern A&ultima SP1000M – £1999

Astell & Kern A&ultima SP1000M

Astell & Kern were not sure whether it was possible to come up with a product that is different from the SP1000 while delivering the same sound quality, but they decided to take up the challenge so that more people could experience their products’ fidelity. There were many trials and tribulations in making the SP1000, A&K’s best product, smaller. They were determined to not compromise sound quality in the process, and ultimately developed the second A&ultima product, the SP1000M.

MORE INFO: Astell & Kern A&ultima SP1000M Digital Audio Player

Have We Missed Anything Out?

Please feel free to leave a comment below and let us know…

Cowon Plenue D Digital Audio Player Review

Cowon is known as one of the first companies to produce portable digital audio players (predating the iPod by a year with their CW100 model from 2000) and so they have quite a heritage in this area. Is the Plenue D player able to pick up the mantle of its forebears, and does the ‘D’ stand for ‘Dazzling’ or ‘Dunce’? We take a listen…

Pros:

Good, customisable sound
Small size is good for hands and pockets
Attractive look

Cons:

Short delay at power on (music database check)
No case included

Design and Appearance

The Plenue D is a very small player at 2″ x 3″ (52mm x 75mm) and is all black, apart from its silver top and power button, all of which gives an impression of stylish utilitarianism. Edges are slightly bevelled making it comfortable in the hand, and it’s quite easy to operate whether you’re left or right-handed.

Being a touchscreen operated player, the power button can be pushed with music playing which disables the screen. On the right side there are buttons for volume and track skipping with an extra play/pause button. Just remember to disable the ‘button lock’ option within the player so all these buttons function when the player is in use and the screen is disabled.

There is only one slot for a Micro SD card and the Cowon Plenue D can only accept up to a 128Gb capacity at this time, but larger cards may work with future firmware updates. Just now, a 128Gb card is recommended as the Plenue D will hold, but will not allow you to access music which is outside of this 128Gb capacity. However there is also an internal memory of 32Gb on the Plenue D, if you need a reserve.

The Plenue D is a basic player which forgoes Bluetooth, wifi and the installation of apps such as Spotify; it’s a good choice for anyone who just wants a decent player for their own music collection. Why pay for features you’ll not use?

One issue is that the player checks for any new music whenever it’s turned on. This is typically finished after about 10 seconds, but can be a pain if you just want to start the player up and get on with things. Also when scrolling through tracks, the display can lag a little but it’s not a serious problem.

Durability and Build Quality

The Cowon Plenue D is a solid little device; the side buttons have a good ‘clicky’ feel about them and there’s nothing much else to say about build quality. It’s perfect. Perhaps it’s just as well, as there is no protective case included; it would have been nice to see one.

Sound

The Plenue D has a fairly neutral sound, but with a touch of warmth about it. It can help tame models such as the Shure SE846 which can be a bit lively with the bright filters, for example. Extensive EQ settings are available as well, including an almost paragraphic-level EQ section within the settings so you should be able to get the sound you’re after without too much bother.

Being a portable player, the Plenue D is designed for low-impedance earphones and headphones; a separate amp will be required for use with models over about 80 ohms impedance, depending on sensitivity.

Summary

For a basic low-cost player, the Cowon Plenue D is a good choice. It does all that’s needed, and it’s clear that the Plenue D comes from a company which knows its stuff!

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Best DAP 2020: Hi-Res, Audiophile, Budget, Portable