From MP3 Players to Smartphones
MP3 devices used to be everywhere, and in many sizes and shapes – from the famous iPod, to Sony’s many different lines of players (the “perfume bottle” series, which was particularly unique), and many, many others, each having its own quirks, but all with the same function – playing MP3 files, i.e. music.
With the arrival of the smartphone, and especially streaming services however, the MP3’s lost their popularity to convenience, as music libraries and another device, no matter how small, seemed an inconvenience for the average user.
The Evolution into DAPs
That doesn’t mean the technology disappeared. Instead, it evolved into a more niche, enthusiast-focused category. Modern MP3 players are now referred to as DAPs (Digital Audio Players), largely because, since it became an enthusiasts niches, users moved beyond standard MP3 files to higher-quality formats like FLAC.
FLAC files are uncompressed and offer better audio quality, though they take up significantly more storage. While high-quality MP3 files (320 kbps) are generally considered sufficient for most listeners, many “audiophiles” still prefer FLAC for its technical accuracy and completeness.
Modern DAPs and Their Features
Higher-end DAPs today often resemble smaller, thicker smartphones. Many include streaming capabilities, improved DACs (digital-to-analogue converters), and even Bluetooth support for connecting to other devices.
However, in the last few years there’s been a quiet boom of interest in dedicated music devices, and most of these new users are looking for something cheap and simple, without WIFI and apps and streaming – something that simply plays music without subscriptions and adds and algorithms.
The Rise of Budget “Chi-Fi” Players
The current DAP market is largely dominated by “Chi-Fi” (Chinese hi-fi) brands. This often means certain QC issues, cheap materials and long shipping times with inconsistent customer support – but they also offer impressive audio performance at a fraction of the cost of more established brands like Sony or Astell & Kern.
Most notable in this category of non-android music players are Hifi Walker H2, Surfans F20, Innioasis Y1, and the whole Echo line Fiio’s been releasing in various forms through the past few years. All of these devices are different in use castes and define their user in a way, since each has slightly different “ideologies” behind them, and they bring a certain level of personalization to the music listening experience, as well as intentionality and improved knowledge of personal music tastes too, in a way.
Intention in music
Personally, I became interested in this subject not for any quality of sound reasons, but because I realised I had no idea what I listened to, what with streaming giving so many options I usually just pick a rando Spotify mix, not knowing who signs or what the song is called. This seemed awfully sad, as music is supposed to be enjoyed, not used, and while I’m not currently using a DAP as of yet (my Hifi Walker H2 died for a bit, but it’s coming back to life with some efforts on my part), simply building the music library for myself, looking through Wiki pages of artists and similar, has been a very joyous experience, which has made me feel more connected to music i listen to.