Top 5 Best High-End Digital Audio Player (DAP)Brands

A portable media player (PMP) or, DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER (DAP) is a portable consumer electronics device capable of storing and playing digital media such as audio, images, and video files. The data is typically stored on a compact disc (CD), Digital Video Disc (DVD), Blu-ray Disc (BD), flash memory, microdrive, or hard drive; most earlier PMPs used physical media, but modern players mostly use flash memory. In contrast, analogue portable audio players play music from non-digital media that use analogue signal storage, such as cassette tapes or vinyl records.

Digital audio players are often marketed and sold as "MP3 players", even if they also support other file formats and media types. The PMP term was introduced later for devices that had additional capabilities such as video playback. Generally speaking, they are portable, employing internal or replaceable batteries, equipped with a 3.5 mm headphone jack which users can plug headphones into or connect to a boombox or shelf stereo system, or may be connected to car and home stereos via a wireless connection such as Bluetooth. Some players also include FM radio tuners, voice recording and other features. Increasing sales of smartphones and tablet computers have led to a decline in sales of portable media players, leading to most devices being phased out, though certain flagship devices like the Apple iPod and Sony Walkman are still in production. Portable DVD/BD players are still manufactured by brands across the world.

WALKMAN is a brand of portable audio players manufactured by Sony. The original Walkman, released in 1979, was a portable cassette player. Its popularity made "walkman" an unofficial term for personal stereos of any producer or brand. By 2010, when production stopped, Sony had built about 200 million cassette-based Walkmans. The Walkman brand was extended to serve most of Sony's portable audio devices as well as related media devices. The name has been used on portable DAT players, MiniDisc players/recorders, CD players (originally Discman then renamed the CD Walkman), radio receivers, Sony's line of digital audio and media players, mobile phones and more. As of 2020, only digital audio and media players are in production.

The iPOD is a line of portable media players and multi-purpose mobile devices designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first version was released on October 23, 2001, about 8½ months after the Macintosh version of iTunes was released. As of May 28, 2019, only the iPod Touch (7th generation) remains in production.

Digital Audio Player (DAP) News, Reviews & Resources

• 20 years of the iPod - "How it shuffled music and tech into a new era. In October 2001, the music industry was riven by piracy and had no idea how to solve it. Enter Steve Jobs, whose new device created a digital music market – and made Apple into a titan."
• $20,000 iPod: vintage Apple products net the big bucks on eBay - "Like baseball cards and Beanie Babies, old-school Apple products have become lucrative collectables that are selling online for thousands of dollars."
• A portable Bluetooth cassette tape player brings retro audio into 2019 - "The It’s OK looks to cash in on your Walkman nostalgia."
• Apple announces its first new iPod in four years - "Apple hasn't forgotten iPod touch lovers: On Tuesday it released the first new iPod since 2015."
• Apple helped the US government build a 'top secret' iPod, former engineer says - "David Shayer was sitting at his desk in 2005 when his boss's boss at Apple (AAPL) asked him to take on a 'special assignment' for the company: help the US Department of Energy build a 'top secret' iPod."
• Apple’s new iPod touch isn’t for the converted; it’s for the nonbelievers - "A $200 gateway drug to a $1,000 iPhone."
• Astell & Kern announces the ridiculously powerful & pricey Kann Cube - "Cramming as much power into one music player as possible."
• Astell & Kern readies HC2: a 4.4mm balanced dongle DAC - "New from Astell&Kern is a dongle DAC with a difference. The HC2 is terminated at one end with a USB-C connector but at the other end sits a 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced socket - standard 3.5mm headphone terminations need not apply."
• Best PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYER Reviews & picks - Engadget.
• Cayin RU6 Review - "Vinyl sound" from your phone - "The Cayin RU6 provides a taste of hi-fi sound in pocket size and is a reminder of how much better wired headphones sound."
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• Chord Mojo 2 - since 1989. "Portable DAC/Headphone Amplifier. Simply without equal." Mojo 2 is the most advanced DAC/headphone amplifier in the world. It plays your favourite music with class-leading detail and clarity, right up to studio-grade levels.
• Digital-to-analog converter (DAC) - system that converts a digital signal into an analog signal. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) performs the reverse function.
• digital audio player (DAP) - portable consumer electronics device capable of storing and playing digital media such as audio, images, and video files.
• Elago W6, the cute Apple Watch stand that thinks it’s an iPod - "If you ever feel nostalgic for the classic iPod, you might enjoy the Elago W6, the Apple Watch stand that thinks it’s an iPod."
• Fiio’s new high-res music player is $200 & comes with USB-C - The Verge.
• Group test: what's the best portable media player? - PC Advisor.
• Here's How Apple's iPod Lasted for 20 Years - "The gadget survived music streaming, rival players and the iPhone."
• How Sony paved the way for modern music production - "One format that you might not even have heard of helped democratize music production."
• How to Actually Listen to Apple Music's Lossless Tracks on Your iPhone - "You need a portable DAC (and a good pair of wired headphones). These are the best ones to amp up your Apple Music experience."
• How to master your equalizer settings for the perfect sound - "EQ settings can now be found in everything from phones and wireless speakers to home theater soundbars and streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, but often in the form of safe presets such as 'Rock,' 'Hip-Hop,' or 'Bass Booster.' Understanding how exactly an EQ works and using it properly will put the power of sound-sculpting at your fingertips and can get you closer to the sound you want from your gear. But it can be intimidating, so we’re here to help with our top-to-bottom guide to mastering your equalizer for the perfect sound."
• How to upgrade an iPod for 2018 with flash memory and a new battery - The Verge.
• iPod - Wikipedia.
• MY ORIGINAL IPOD IS A TIME CAPSULE FROM 2002 - The Verge.
• No, Apple didn't just reinvent the iPod - "Why is this AirPods Pro concept causing so much controversy?"
• Our memories of the iPod - "A lot of listening, a lot went missing."
• portable media player (PMP) - Wikipedia.
• PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYER REVIEWS 2015 - Compared and Reviewed.
• PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYERS & Recorders | Reviews - TechRadar.
• Sony Announces Two New Premium High-End Digital Audio Players - "Most of us play music on our smartphones, but audiophiles demand a higher standard and the market is large enough for big players in the consumer electronics industry to produce premium digital audio players for people who simply must have the best audio quality possible. Today, Sony is announcing two new premium music players including new the Signature Series Walkman NW-WM1ZM2 and the NW-WM1AM2. Both models have been designed with audiophiles in mind and have been fine-tuned and are crafted from high-quality materials. Sony says the new players set a benchmark for Sony’s award-winning signature series, offering an exquisite listening experience in an ultra-premium design. The NW-WM1ZM2 and NW-WM1AM2 are Wi-Fi compatible and run Android 11, giving access to a vast collection of genres and artists, from all around the world. Listeners can choose to stream favorite music streaming or download music files by connecting to a PC to download tracks and playlists."
• SONY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF WALKMAN IN TOKYO - "Four decades of portable, personal music."
• Sony releases a Walkman for its 40th anniversary - CNN tech.
• Sony would love if you bought its $3,700 Walkman for over-the-top audiophiles - "Are you the sort of music listener who'll happily pay more for a set of earphones than you would on a nice computer? If so, Sony has the MP3 players for you. The company has released two ultra-high-end Walkman MP3 players aimed squarely at audiophiles."
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• Tea - Ultraslim Hi-Res Headphone Amplifier - "High Definition Music. Lossless Streaming Audio." MagSafe compatible: "Khadas Tea" magnetically attaches to your iPhone 12 or newer smartphone, or an Android phone equipped with a MagSafe compatible case. No more messy wires and dongles, just freedom of pure style. 'Tea' measures just 7.95mm at its thickest point, which means it can still comfortably slip into your pocket even when magnetically attached to your smartphone. 'Tea' brings back the analog audio jack to your smartphone with 3.5mm output, so you can use your favourite high-fidelity headphones to listen to lossless streaming audio directly from your streaming app. Supports up to 300 ohm impedances.
• The Fascinating History Of The Walkman - "It's almost hard to imagine life before headphones and customized playlists, a time when you couldn't take your favorite tunes with you no matter where you were going or what you were doing. That was the case, however, for every single person who lived out their lives prior to the late 1970s."
• The iPod created the two-headed monster that finally killed it - "Apple's music player led to smartphones and streaming, both of which made the iPod obsolete years ago."
• The iPod is dead, but the podcast lives on - "How the podcast outlived - and outgrew - its namesake."
• ‘The spirit lives on’: Apple to discontinue the iPod after 21 years - "Apple is discontinuing its MP3 player, bringing an end to device that transformed how we listen to music."
• The Walkman & Cassette Tapes Are Making A Comeback - "The cassette tape was created in the 1930s and became a household staple in the 1980s with the rise of Sony's Walkman, when music became 'on the go'. Now after the digital music revolution, one French company is bringing back the personal audio cassette player - but this time, for the 21st century."
• Vivia is a CD player that behaves like a turntable - "A turntable for Compact Discs? That’s the intent of South Korean designer Jaehyung Chu whose Vivia CD player applies the mindset of turntable design - especially, platter and tonearm - to CDs. We place the protective case in the display holder and the CD in the tray. The CD is then read from underneath by a laser. The twist? A plastic tonearm wand indicates playback position - just as a vinyl turntable’s tonearm would. The Vivia’s tonearm moves from the outside and inward during playback, adjusting its position according to which track is being played. Skip to the next track with the click button - located at the bottom right of the ‘platter’ - and the tonearm will move further inward; click the ‘previous track’ button and it moves back again."
• Walkman - Wikipedia.
• With Apple discontinuing iPods, what are the alternatives? - The Guardian.
• Your Next iPod Could & Probably Should, Be an Apple Watch - "'I ditched my iPod ages ago, because the computer on my wrist was more convenient.'"

Top 5 High-End Digital Audio Player (DAP) Brands

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• APPLE - since 2001. "Fun at full speed. Your music, wherever you go." Love music? You can keep more songs than ever on iPod touch, which now comes with up to 256GB of storage.1 Get an Apple Music subscription to stream and download all your favorite songs. iPod iTouch. All models.
• Shop all iPod accessories - "It goes with everything." Whether it’s a great pair of headphones or wireless speakers that can turn any room into a dance party, there’s an accessory that complements iPod touch perfectly.
• Astell&Kern - since 2012. "Be the Ultimate." Digital Audio Players are electronic devices capable of storing and playing high-resolution music or media files. Many digital formats, resolutions and encoding exist. Most DAPs can comfortably play most digital files. Astell&Kern’ DAPs are designed to provide experience for another value in music. A&ultima is a flagship AK model that combines the best specifications, high technology, and superior functionality, offering you the best value. All models.
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• Astell&Kern A&ultima SP1000 - "The A&ultima SP1000 is a one-of-a-kind, high-end, powerful flagship high resolution music player equipped with the latest advanced features. "
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• Cowon - since 1995. "The moment is your life." All models.
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• FiiO Music Players - since 2007. "Born for Music." All models.
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• Sony NW-WM1Z Walkman - "Delight in pure detail." Premium Walkman with High-Resolution Audio.
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• Sony Walkman Signature Series - "Pure listening indulgence." Part of the Signature Series, the WM1ZM2 sets a new benchmark in pure sound quality and listening sophistication. Crafted with fine materials and meticulous attention to detail, and offering the ease of downloading and streaming music, this is audio at its most indulgent.