INTRODUCTION:
Hidizs, based out of China is an established brand among the audiophile community. They are well known for the exquisite products ranging from in ear monitors to the digital audio players. Today in out hands is the Hidizs AP80 Pro Max, the latest and the flagship DAP offering. In this review, let’s check out in detail how good is this and stacks up against the competition.
Table Of Content
SPECIFICATIONS:
Master Chip: Ingenic X1600E
DAC Chip: ES9219C X2
MQA Processing Chip: ES9219C
OS: HiBy OS (Linux-based)
Charging/Data: USB-C 2.0 (Type-C)
Analog Audio: 3.5mm PO/LO and 4.4mm balanced output
Housing: Aluminum Alloy CNC Integration
Battery: 1,300mAh Lithium Polymer, with a charging time of about 1 hour.
Battery Life: 8-10 hours balanced (BAL) and 10-12 hours normal (PO) playtime, with a 60-day standby time.
Storage: Supports up to 2T via a Micro SD (TF card).
Single-ended Audio Output Power: 112mW + 112mW @32Ω
Balanced Audio Output Power: 340mW + 340mW @32Ω
DISCLAIMER:
The unit for this review is sourced from the Review tour organized by the brand Hidizs in India. The views are based on my observations and are not influenced by anyone by any means.
BUILD AND DESIGN:
AP80 Pro Max looks compact and elegant considering its functionality. The whole-body fits nicely in the palms and can be slide into one’s pocket without any difficulty.
AP80 Pro Max utilizes a CNC machined aluminum with glass back plate that has unique texture which is exclusive to Linsoul edition. The brand does have a Pure copper variant and that’s limited to 699 quantities. The front gets the 2.95-inch HD touchscreen that’s quite responsive to the touches and has good clarity.
For the controls, the AP80 Pro Max quite a few buttons to operate. A high precision ALPS volume wheel is included for easy adjustments. However, the wheels do feels wobbly at times. Quick access physical buttons are provided for play/pause, next and previous tracks.
The ports are given below for easy of access. 3.5mm, 4.4mm and Type C port are neatly laid in the bottom of the DAP while the Micro-SD slot is tucked on the left side.
SOUND IMPRESSIONS:
AP80 Pro Max has a flagship grade dual ESS Sabre ES9219C Dac Chip that has a unique character to it displaying a neutral bright signature. In contrast, the AP80 Pro Max sounds different! This is where the implementation of DAC by the brand is shown incorporating their own taste to it. AP80 Pro Max sounds Warm and Dynamic in general. This got good amount of bass presence, an engaging forward mid-section and an elevated treble response.
PAIRINGS: Tanchjim Fola, Hidizs MP143, MS2 Pro, Tin HiFi C3 MK2, Tin HiFi T2 MK3.
BASS PROFILE:
- Rich in quantity displaying warmth and body in plenty.
- Pairing it up with a neutral earphone, this gives the needed warmth and fullness to it.
- Thicker mid bass occasionally bleeds leading to slight congestion in busy tracks.
- Overall, a thicker bass response with precise attack and decay that goes well with neutral to bright sounding gears.
MID-SECTION:
- Delivers a forward vocal and neatly spread-out background instruments.
- The extra warmth creates occasional congestion in the lower mid-section.
- Upper mid-section got adequate air displaying its vivid character to the presentation.
- Tonally, they lean towards the warmer side and that makes them sound thicker.
TREBLE:
- Displays good amount of air and brilliance in the top end of the presentation.
- Timbre appears natural and the percussion instruments shows proper decay.
- Extension is neatly done with no sharp edges leading to sibilant free listen.
TECHNICALITIES:
- This helps in bringing out the essential nuances with ease and the extended treble elevation does its magic in this aspect.
- Staging however feels slightly constricted compared to other DAC’s I have tried (Eg: xDuoo Link2 Bal)
- Positional accuracy feels good with proper note placement depicting good imaging capabilities.
CONNECTIVITY:
DAP MODE:
- There’s no inbuilt storage rather they went ahead and gave a micro-SD slot to load up the playlists that supports till 2TB.
- The DAP has inbuilt streaming apps namely Tidal and Qobuz which can be accessed through WiFi.
- MSEB Equalizer is available to EQ the sound based on the user’s liking.
USB DAC MODE:
- It has bi-directional USB Dac Amp functionality which enables the user to use this as a line out option as well as a standalone DAC AMP.
- AP80 Pro Max can be used as standalone DAC AMP and is compatible with Android, Apple Ecosystem and Windows.
- It can decode 32bit Audio, DSD and has MQA 16X decoder in built for high fidelity listening.
BLUETOOTH MODE:
This supports bi-directional Bluetooth mode where this can be used as a receiver, transmitter and Bluetooth DAC mode.
DLNA AND AIRPLAY SUPPORT:
AP80 Pro Max helps the users in streaming their favorite tracks wireless from Phone or PC directly to the DAP as a hi-res DAC.
POWER OUTPUT:
- Considering the functionality and practicality this offers, the power output is no slouch either.
- Though this is not the most powerful DAP out there, this does the job in ease with most of the easy drive-able gears.
- It delivers 70mW in 3.5mm and 190mW in 4.4mm at 32 Ohms. Which might not seem staggering considering the options available in the market at this price.
- In 4.4mm, the comfortable listening can be achieved at 70 percent of volume.
OPERATING SYSTEM:
- Hidizs uses the Hiby OS which is minimalist and does the job without hiccups.
- The upgraded X1600E SoC has been used here that makes this DAP navigate smoother with no noticeable stutters during the usage.
- The unique feature of Hiby OS is the presence of MSEB (Master Sound Eight Ball EQ).
- Basically, it’s an EQ that laid out in layman terms that even a non-audiophile can tune it according to his/her preference precisely.
- Though the features that Android gives are lacking here, this shows its strength in its playback time and battery.
- The 1300mAh battery gives you 60 days of standby time with 8-10 hrs of playback time in Balanced mode and 10-12 hrs in unbalanced mode.
VERDICT:
AP80 Pro Max, a DAP from the house of Hidizs, priced under 200USD is a Mini Marvel! Being a successor to their previous iterations, this does shows improvements in all the aspects. This solid piece of CNC machined aluminum block gives the rich feel on the hands and it’s so compact that one can easily fit in their palm.
The 2.95-inch HD touchscreen accompanied with Hiby OS gives the pleasurable experience to the user. A big thanks to the upgraded X1600E SoC which makes the overall UI and the navigating experience smoother and fluid. Hidizs gives user the complete control by giving plethora of buttons to operate (Play/Pause/Track Change). The ALPS volume wheel adds a premium touch to the DAP (wobbly at times) as this eases the volume adjustment with a flick of finger.
As a DAP, the user gets plenty of options to fiddle with and the functionalities are applauder for the price. Bidirectional Bluetooth transmission, USB DAC, Inbuilt DLNA and Airplay, Tidal, Qobuz, Casting support that gives user the needed freedom to stream their favorite tracks.
SONIC VERDICT:
Sonic wise, the AP80 Pro Max has a warm touch to the presentation despite the usage of Dual ES9219C Dac Chip, which sounds neutral bright in general. This packs a lot of dynamism while maintaining the control throughout the presentation. Mid-section feels slightly recessed due to authoritative mid bass section but nothing to be complained about. Treble section is nicely extended, and one can easily appreciate its flawless elevation and presence of immense airiness. Technical chops are neatly brought out displaying precise imaging and stereo separation. The staging felt a bit congested due to the extra warmth the DAC possess.
The gripes from my side with the AP80 Pro Max are the average power output and the slight discoloration (warm) to the overall presentation. Despite the gripes, the functionalities and the value AP80 Pro Max delivers should be overlooked and indeed it’s a mini marvel in its segment.
POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES:
Pros:
- Warmer presentation with Rich Dynamism
- Compact Size and Solid Build
- Clean Hiby OS
- Dual Outputs with immense functionalities (USB, Bluetooth, WiFi)
- Excellent Battery Life
- Value for Money
Cons:
- Mid-section feels a bit pushed back
- Average Power Output
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