Disclaimers
This unit that I currently have was provided by HIDIZS, and I was chosen to be part of the Philippines tour for the HIDIZS AP80 Pro Max. This gave Me The opportunity to test this device thoroughly; without this opportunity, I would not have had the chance to try out this product, so I am very thankful to HIDIZS.
I did not receive any form of incentive for this review, and all opinions are my own.
We all have different ways of hearing sound, so your mileage may vary.
Introduction
The Hidizs AP80 Pro Max is the latest addition to the series of their DAP releases. Having personal experience with their products, the AP80 Pro Max is a must-have if you're just starting in the hobby. Due to its form factor, it can also pretty much fit in your pockets or bags.
Form factor and Size
Since we're talking about the form factor, I will also discuss the overall build here. The build is an aluminum alloy, which is quite sturdy and durable. The power and volume controls are merged into the wheel knob, which, by the way, is very tactile and responsive.
Gaming Capabilities
I am more of a rhythm game player, and I honestly like its responsiveness and latency. Although there are some hiccups, the sound becomes distorted randomly and it can ruin the accuracy of the sound, but I will consider this a nitpick. Since this is not made for gaming, its main priority is the superb audio quality that Hidizs is known for with their DAPs.
Bluetooth Specifications.
This has LDAC, a Sony codec that is commonly used in headphones and DAPs. It also features UAT (Ultra Audio Transmission), which can reach up to 192 kHz / 24-bit; this codec is developed by Hiby, and they are responsible for its research and experiments. The remaining three codecs—AAC, SBC, and aptX—are widely and commonly used, so I don't need to expand on them further.
Audio Decoder specifications
The native DSD support is up to DSD256; beyond this number, files will not be decoded or read. The MQA support offers 16x unfolding, which is a nice touch. I personally don't use MQA, but some of my tracks are in the MQA format, which gave me a chance to test the 16x unfolding.
By the way this has light indications to it, its function is to determine what audio format your using. For high resolution audio the color is aquamarine. For Flac and Mp3 the color is orange, for DSD the color is pearl white. For MQA the color is Green. If you pause the music the color will be blue.
By the way, the device has an indicator light that shows which audio format you're using:
- High-Resolution Audio: Aquamarine
- FLAC and MP3: Orange
- DSD: Pearl White
- MQA: Green
- Paused: Blue
It's powered by the new X1600E SoC, which I honestly don't know anything about. The SoCs I have usually tried are from the Qualcomm Snapdragon series, so this is a new experience for me. However, I did notice with this SoC that it's very power-efficient, which makes the DAP last longer.
The audio processing is powered by dual ES9219C Sabre DACs. Usually, in my experience with Sabre DACs, they tend to be too bright or unrefined, but in the AP80 Pro Max, it's refined and has a mature tuning.
Imaginative Kiso power Style
I really miss using this style of writing, haha. My old term for this was "Drive Type Power," so this is the new, updated term I use when it comes to power output.
By the way, this device has high and low gain settings. The default setting, low gain, is very powerful. Even at a volume of 35, it's already loud, and at 50 and above, you can hear the full depth of the sound.
High gain, on the other hand, isn't really suitable for sensitive in-ear monitors. It's usually paired with planar headphones or other power-hungry headphones and IEMs.
Software and responsiveness
Usually, in this price range, the main operating system of these DAPs is non-Android, which means you can't use Google services and the Android platform. The most common non-Android system is Hiby OS. Honestly, for me, it gives me a slight Android feel, even though I have experienced it countless times.
The responsiveness is somewhat sluggish, as it feels like it's having trouble catching up with the weight of the software. I believe that it can be fixed with software updates, but as of this writing, the experience is very sluggish and heavy.
In terms of music scrolling, it is pretty decent for me since I am not that choosy. There are times when there is a delay of milliseconds, but for a casual user or a student, it's not a major issue. I consider it a nitpick of mine.
File scanning
Based on the information I got (thanks Head-Fi and Google), the issue is the famous 20,000 file error. Basically, in this error, it can't detect other files when it reaches this number. But I don't have that many files since usually my collection is around 1,000 files (estimate, since I just copy my files without counting it! Hahahaha).By the way, the AP80 Pro-Max supports 2 TB storage, which is in a micro SD format. If you want faster read and write speed, go for a higher version of your memory, but the standard speed is more than enough. Beyond that is an overkill, which I did before and I accidentally cracked my SD card—that time it was a 1 TB one. The file scanning in the AP80 Pro-Max depends on the Sd card, but in my case its fast enough for my needs.
Screen Technology
The type of screen used here is more of an LCD, which older smartphones use. But the good thing about this technology is that it's battery-efficient and less prone to screen burn or green lines, which is common nowadays. In terms of its peak brightness, I can say that it's more vivid and clear compared to outside use, since outside it's not that bright but acceptable—it's like desk lamp light vibes to it.
Anime Vibes
This part of my review format I decided to bring back, since the last time I did this was during my CCA LYRA review, but that is not the main focus of this review. The main reason that I wanted to relate this anime to the DAP is because of how cute and powerful the DAP itself is. And in the anime Release the Spyce, which is the name of the anime and also the picture that was provided, they are your average high school teen girls, but on the night side or secret missions, they are the most powerful spyce, which is their power is activated by eating a cinnamon stick. The relation to the DAP is that the switch is also a power button.
Imaginative Kiso Harmonica
This will be my first time to use this review term. This is based on my previous review style when I was still known as Drive Type Audio. Anyway, its main meaning is the sound type and sound frequencies, but in a shorter meaning, it's just my own way of how I described the sound.
So while using it as my main DAP in my daily routine, the sound reminds me of the Hiby R6 Pro II, but more toned down—more like a bite-sized version of it. From a more detailed perspective, it has a warm feeling to it, and usually, this kind of sound is well synchronized with intensive high frequencies, such as the Tangzu Shiminli. This example is based on my collection.
The Mids in this DAP are quite appealing since it has great transparency and clarity, which gives an impression of natural yet well-detailed sound. The vocals are also quite good here since it adds some emotion and emphasis to it.
In the Treble it has some great tonal balance between energy and controlled range since it can cater for both treble heads and neutral heads such as me. The details is also quite good since it made my daily driver in ear monitor shine more and that in-ear is BQEYZ KC2 and Tangzu Wanner Second Gen.
Kiso's Sound Extraction: Technical Flavor Unleashed!
I'm introducing a new way to talk about the technical perspective of sound. Since the term "sound technicalities" is common, I want to develop a style that is uniquely my own. So basically in audiophile terms this is the soundstage, separation , layering, macro and micro details. I wont use any audiophile terms here so if your an audiophile reader then you can substitute my terns.
The impressiveness of this DAP is clear when watching anime. In Umamusume: Cinderella Gray, an anime about racing horse girls based on real racehorses, you can distinctly hear the voices of the other horses during the races.
Another impressive quality is the DAP's expansive feeling. The sound field it creates seems as wide as a horse racing track. I realize this metaphor comes from the anime, but as I've said, I am deliberately not using standard audiophile language.
Reasons to Buy this Gem
- Small yet powerhouse device
- Has a balance audio port
- Has high gain and Low gain options
- Tactile Buttons
- Aluminum Body built
- MQA Support
- DSD Support
- Spotify and Tidal Support
- Feature packed Bluetooth specifications
- Natural and transparent sound
- Light indications for different file types
- 2TB memory expansion capability
- Type C port
- Fast charging
- Bi directional type C support
- Non android based, Hiby-OS
- Touchscreen
- can be use for gaming output device
- battery efficient
- No Spotify support
- No inclusion of amp (Nitpick)
- High latency while scrolling in files and in the whole system
- Some bugs
- wish that it has a little bit higher in battery (Nitpick)
- wish for more colorway choices (Nitpick)
- does not run in snapdragon processor (Nitpick)
- DSD needs some refinement
- No 5ghz WIFI support
