AP60 Review - Headfonics

The AP60 II is a second-gen entry-level digital media player from Hidizs. It showcases a number of improvements over the original. It is priced at 119.

Disclaimer: The Hidizs AP60 II sent to us are samples in exchange for our honest opinion. We thank the team at Hidizs for giving us this opportunity.

To read more about Hidizs products we reviewed on Headfonics click here. To access their Kickstarter campaign click here

The AP60 II is a second-generation entry-level media player from Hong Kong-based manufacturer, Hidizs. It replaces the original AP60, a DAP we reviewed back in May 2017. You can find the full review here.

In our review of the AP60, we described the AP60 has having a ton of excellent features for the sub $100 price point. Admittedly we felt the sound was a bit too warm and full-blooded to satisfy users given the stiff competition such as the X1 2nd gen from FiiO and excellent DAPs from Sony and Cayin.

There were also some UI and control interface issues that we felt could have been improved also such as the awkward capacitive front-facing buttons. However, as a transport, the tiny form factor was a perfect bed-buddy for some formidable DAC/Amps such as the Chord Mojo and it is in this form that I felt the AP60 proved its value.

Now along comes the AP60 II promising an upgrade on the original plus a fix for some of those issues. At $119 it is a bit of a jump in price so is it now worth its price increase?

What Is The Pitch?

Legacy Features
The AP60 II repeats a lot of the original AP 60 pitch such as being a cheap entry-level layer that can cover a wide range of function and features we tend to associate with more expensive players. Functions such as aptX Bi-directional Bluetooth, DSD native decoding, USB-DAC, and OTG capabilities. The AP60 II is designed as a relative risk-free first-time upgrade or entry into this mad hobby of ours.

This player is not designed to compete with the likes of the Android-powered DAP’s and it has no Wifi capability. Instead, it is a physical control based DAP much in the same vein as Cayin’s N3 and FiiO’s X1 2nd gen. Consider it a pure music player built for ultra-portability.

New Features

So what is new? On paper, quite a lot actually. Gone is the cheap plastic build and in comes a brand new aluminum chassis on par with their flagship AP200. Also, HiBy Link Bluetooth functionality is available out of the box. This is a very popular streaming type app that uses BT to tap into other sources such as smartphones as well as provide a remote control for the AP60 II.

Also, the screen has been upgraded from TFT HD to IPS HD. Gone are the capacitive front panel keys to be replaced by mechanical or physical keys. The last upgrade Hidizs are pitching is a superior OS workflow to the new AP60 II that they feel will make this player much easier to use.

To view the full original article, click here.