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It is a assessment of the Hidizs AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version which is a limited-run DAP that includes a purple copper shell and a twin ES9219C DAC. It’s priced at $249.
Disclaimer: This pattern was despatched to us in change for our sincere opinion. Headfonics is an unbiased web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. We thank Hidizs for this chance.
To learn extra about Hidizs merchandise we have now beforehand lined on Headfonics click here.
Be aware, that this text follows our present scoring pointers which you’ll be able to learn up on here.
As we speak, we might be tossing the Hidizs AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version music participant into the fray and testing in opposition to a few of the firm’s older fashions.
I’ve been by way of their AP80 lineup for the reason that starting of the collection although Cheryl lined the Pro-X not too long ago. Odds are nice I’ll be there on the finish of it and watch the candy caress of the tip of the AP80 universe finish earlier than the following mannequin to exchange them will get a launch.
I take pleasure in these DAPs quite a bit, as you possibly can see by the seems to be of my final mannequin in these pictures (the one with the magnet on the again facet), it has gotten a number of utilization in my automotive as my major journey supply.
Will the brand new mannequin substitute it? Let’s discover out!
Tech Highlights
DAC
The ES9219C DAC is model new to me and shares the identical precise DAC inside the unique AP80 Professional-X in a twin chipset implementation and is analogous additionally to items just like the Shanling M3X.
The Hidizs AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version is able to decoding a variety of codecs. It has a top-tier functionality of as much as DSD256 natively and as much as 32BIT/384kHz for PCM.
It might additionally handle MQA unfolding as much as 8X and with Bidirectional Bluetooth 4.2 help you may also decode wirelessly as much as aptX and importantly for a lot of, LDAC.
The DAP may also function as a USB-DAC so these numbers above apply natively when wired to your PC or MAC. It can additionally assist you to function in a 2-way mode for the USB-DAC.
Efficiency Numbers
The AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version places out 70mW x2 into 32Ω or roughly 0.14W whole in single-ended, about 380mW, or 0.38W in balanced 2.5mm output.
For a little bit man like this, that could be a large amount of output energy. That’s near half a watt in a tiny chassis!
Why is that this necessary? Nicely, gone are the times of needing an exterior amp in case you are utilizing reasonably power-hungry headphones. Now, cranking out half a watt in such a little bit package deal is absolutely the stuff of goals for us audio nutbars.
We’ve wished this for a while, and we’re inching nearer and nearer to the magical tiny chassis 1W output, which implies we will drive absurdly needly Planar headphones and 600Ω dynamic driver headphones with ease, we’ll get there quickly.
Design
The brand new AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version has the very same bodily specs because the older fashions, however now makes use of a pleasant Samsung 2.45’ IPS display, which seems to be a bit extra vibrant than the previous fashions.
The outside steel is totally purple copper supplies and feels insanely heavy for being so small. The construct high quality is excellent and I can’t see this getting higher than the thickest chunk of an unusual steel materials.
Issues are getting loopy in a great way, I assumed the final AP80 Copper version was heavy, and likewise the usual AP80 Professional (maroon/wine-colored one in my pictures) which additionally was fairly hefty. Nevertheless, this new Pink Copper version is basically a small lead weight in comparison with these. I prefer it!
The buttons and quantity knob are actually strong items of steel and really feel extraordinarily heavy and satisfying to click on and play with. I discovered myself simply toggling the quantity knob for no motive through the testing part just because it felt so good and weighted. That is the perfect construct within the micro-DAP collection they’ve launched thus far.
Aesthetics & Display screen
You both find it irresistible or hate it. Some folks love the tiny kind issue, some don’t. I really feel like the general measurement of this unit is one thing I would like on touring journeys and enterprise journeys.
It matches properly right into a pocket and is so small that it virtually doesn’t take up area in your suitcase in any respect. For kind issue, you possibly can’t beat it actually so, I sing excessive reward for the even higher construct on this tiny package deal.
The AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version LCD display is extra colourful and sharper vs the older fashions, one can see that simply nevertheless it doesn’t present up in any respect on pictures I attempted to take.
To the bare eye although, it is vitally straightforward to see which fashions have the decrease res font and sharpness to pictures and colours. This new mannequin is the perfect of the lot. Noticeably brighter, sharper, and barely extra vibrant.
I/O
On the underside facet of the unit, you will discover a 2.5mm balanced output, a USB-C charging, and information port, and an ordinary 3.5mm output.
On the Pink Copper’s left facet, a single micro-SD card slot that Hidizs says helps as much as 512GB. I wouldn’t have a 1TB SD card to check with, so I can’t verify it could transcend 512GB.
On the correct facet, you get an ordinary monitor skip ahead/play and pause heart button, monitor backward, in addition to the ability dial which doubles as a quantity knob. Fortunately, no play and wiggle within the buttons or knob worthy of point out. Every thing feels very sturdy and nothing feels loosely related.
Controls
The AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version is not any completely different in button format from the previous fashions, and sure there may be some situation attributable to its small kind consider pocket play and hitting the correct buttons.
Typically, I click on the flawed one and I find yourself both monitor skipping or pausing the unit UI once I didn’t imply to. However that is one thing that each one tiny DAPs have. So, no factors are taken off for that, it’s a widespread pure downside to have.
Small measurement, small buttons, it’s best to know that already {that a} small factor can have small buttons. It isn’t in any respect an enormous downside, however in case you are out for a run or one thing and assume you possibly can precisely 100% of the time hit the correct button when that is in your pocket, you’ve one other factor coming.
Battery Life
In balanced mode with a a lot larger output, I obtained about 7 hours of steady play earlier than the AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version battery hit 1%. On customary 3.5mm, that elevated to 11 hours of steady play. Each of these checks had been carried out with the display off.
Count on a good bit much less should you stored the setting for the show to remain on always. Think about that for a second…0.38W output for 7 hours. That’s magnificent. Bravo Hidizs, the battery life is superb on this mannequin.
Packaging & Equipment
The AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version is nicely…restricted to 499 items so I contemplate myself grateful to obtain one. Odds are good since that is really restricted; I cannot personally abuse it as I did the final fashions. I’ll preserve this one for future comparisons solely and preserve it as secure as potential.
It comes with a small customary field and a display protector put in already on the entrance and rear panels. A USB-C to USB-C and a daily USB to USB-C charging cable and a few paperwork and promo papers are all which are included.
Software program UI
The AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version UI is snappy and quick, manner sooner than the final fashions such because the Cu which all carried out considerably slower in operations than this new Pink Copper model.
The OS is optimized and slick, I’m able to swipe by way of the menus so quick in comparison with the opposite fashions I’ve.
I’m used to a little bit lag and realizing I can’t flip by way of songs at mild velocity or menus with out the system crashing or simply stopping totally for a second earlier than it tries to maintain up.
Now, the AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version doesn’t appear to have that downside. That is now additionally probably the most highly effective mannequin from Hidizs that I’ve been capable of check and assessment.
It’s really fairly humorous to side-by-side undergo menus between this new mannequin and the unique black model of the AP80. Whereas the menu remains to be loading on the unique, I’m already tapping by way of menus and songs on the brand new Pink Copper. What an unlimited enchancment and an enormous leap ahead in processing energy.
Software program Options
The Hiby OS3.0 firmware is lastly slick and clean with the ability inside this DAP. It gives MSEB, which is my absolute favourite inner software program EQ of all time, you are able to do wonderful issues with it and the unit itself may be very attentive to alterations.
That signifies that while you change issues within the menus and transfer the switches digitally barely up or down, you possibly can really feel and listen to the distinction and that’s reflective of excellent circuits getting used that aren’t junk. The DAP additionally has 8x MQA help, high-res recordsdata, and playlist help are lovely issues.
Two-way Bluetooth is a godsend. Having the ability to hyperlink the DAP to my cellphone or pill and use that because the monitor selector however enjoying off the AP80 Professional-X Pink Copper Version participant itself is wonderful.
There are occasions once I wish to be on my PC or cellphone and never should dig in my bag or attain for the DAP, (1st world issues?).
Curiously, the low achieve setting is useless silent for delicate IEMs. Excessive achieve can be a lot quieter than the opposite AP80 variants however pushing 0.38W in a tiny little chassis like that is one thing I’d have initially thought would course of a ton of grounding noise issues. However they obtained round that one way or the other and it ended up being very quiet.
Click on page 2 below for sound impressions and select comparisons
