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Hifiman SuperMini Digital Audio Player $199 (RRP $599) Delivered @ Addicted to Audio

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I’ve never used it but seems like a good discount. Hopefully someone here will convince me not to get one. :)

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  • +4

    Seems like a really good bargain as per the ozbargain rules.

  • +3

    released 2017?, actually 2016

    • +2

      it runs micro usb to charge

  • +3

    Surely these days a dongle amp on a phone is much better option?

  • +8

    From the reviews I've read it doesn't really seem worth buying this in 2022. Even my current smartphone's probably better.

  • +3

    OP since you asked for convincing. Don't get one, just because it's a significant drop doesn't mean you need it all of a sudden (I know that's not the ozbargain ideology)

    • +1

      Thanks for that. :). I just figured it fit the bill for a bargain so thought I'd post it.

      • +1

        no problem : ) yep might catch someone's interest!

        • -2

          i think the above product is completely at odds with current consumer expectations

          people want to run wireless anc earbuds or anc bt over ear headphones… off a phone

          the day of tethered dedicated players is limited

          • +6

            @tonyjzx:

            i think the above product is completely at odds with current consumer expectations
            people want to run wireless anc earbuds or anc bt over ear headphones… off a phone
            the day of tethered dedicated players is limited

            The vast majority of people have abandoned compact digital cameras and just use their phone instead.

            But there's still a market for expensive enthusiast mirrorless cameras.

            Bluetooth earphones may be perfectly acceptable to you and 95% of music listeners and that's absolutely fine. But there still are people out there who care about the extra 5-10% that dedicated hardware can bring.

            • @eug: so buy a usb dac or HP amp

              • @tonyjzx: OK, where would I insert my* 512GB micro SD card filled with FLAC files?

                *this is a typical use case for standalone media players, I use Spotify and Bluetooth earphones when out and about myself but I can understand why some people still prefer a standalone player.

  • Are we back in 2010? Doesn't a mobile phone do the same thing?

    • +1

      Umm - maybe 2003

    • +7

      Most high end mobiles don't have headphone sockets, and the ones that do can't pump out 320mW

      • +1

        USB-C to headphone adaptor?
        Like my offspring uses. $20 or less for a genuine Samsung.
        oh - sorry - Apple?

        • +3

          Still won't pump out the mW for higher end headphones that require amping, I'm sure your spawn's crappy JB Hifi specials work just fine

          • @dav3: Nup - no "higher end" headphones being used on bus to school. Keep good stuff for home PC etc.
            Crappy adaptor was bought direct off Samsung.

            • +2

              @wetwork: and thats where your point definitely stands….i do almost all my music listening at work these days….so shitty earbuds, phone and spotify makes for the perfect combo.. My high end headphones/media player sit in a drawer unused most of the time….
              Convenience is a hell of a thing..

          • +3

            @dav3: Actually, USB-C dongle DAC/Amps have improved significantly over the last few years. I've been really impressed with how clean and powerful the output is. Even the little Avani can drive my Elear and LCD2 just fine.

            Here's a good guide

            • @poppingtags: I'll have a read. Thanks mate

              • +1

                @DanielP2: No worries! You could also look into upgrading your work set-up with Chi-fi IEMs. They've done a remarkable job of completely redefining price-to-performance. For under $100, you could look into something like the Moondrop Aria, or for as little as $30 you can have something like the BLON BL03. Between $100-300, there are heaps of great options - I've recently started using the 7Hz Timeless and I reach for it over my full sized headphones more often than not! The huge bonus is they also fit in my pocket, so I can take them everywhere - coupled with one of those dongle DACs.

                • @poppingtags: i think that will be my next purchase. I have a bunch of stuff i want from my next pair tho besides decent sound quality. I really need decent battery life, and would love a pair that each ear bud can operate completely independant of the other side (I only use one side at a time at work. Would be great if i can just switch to the opposite side when one runs out of battery). Also, i dont need isolation at work as i need to hear what is going on around me, so some sort of pass through would be great if it exists

        • +2

          Those adaptors are perfect, audiophiles recommend them for IEMs all the time. Unless you have specifically hard to drive headphones you don't need anything special.

          • @Cyb3rGlitch: Yep, running my Moondrop Blessing 2 off Apple dongle and it's awesome.

  • -2

    For the RRP you can buy a decent new mobile.
    Reckon better off using the $199 towards a phone.

    • +2

      Which? I bought a Poco X3 Pro for $280 and audio quality is absolutely disastrous both from speakers and headset… The original iPod shuffle was miles ahead on audio output than this phone…

      I'm sure the more expensive phones have better audio output but I really doubt the budget phones bother with decent audio.

      • Since they started removing headphone jacks the audio quality of high end phones depends upon what's inside the $20 dongle.

        No reason you can't plug one into your budget phone.

        • +2

          Maybe but I forgot to mention before that the main reason I don't use the phone for audio any more is that it's so large it doesn't fit in my pockets and even if it manages to, it's so heavy it makes my pants start falling down. Having to use a dongle as well would just make things worse…
          Even with lighter and smaller phones, jogging with them is pretty much impossible. Hell I still use a 4th Gen iPod Nano when I do…

          I did have a Galaxy A20 before this one and audio was slightly better while being a bit smaller and much lighter so I could use it on train/bus/walking ect.

          • @AreYouAWiiizard: Maybe one of those wanky phone arm bands would work?

            I do agree that the old mp3 players gave a lot more thought to quality.

            I used to use one of these Sony MP3 players, hanging on a chain around my neck.
            Noise cancelling, OLED screen, real buttons, and amazing audio quality - in 2010.
            https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000JJICTS/

            Unfortunately like most Sony stuff of that era it uses proprietary software and non standard headphone jack and USB port.

      • I had a Poco X3 Pro which had pretty decent audio from both speakers and headset. Are you sure yours isn't defective?

        • +2

          How would I know? It's not like I have another to compare to. I mean it's not like unusable, I'm a bit fussy when it comes to audio and most people don't notice any difference but I sure can.

          • @AreYouAWiiizard: It sounds like yours might just be defective. I don't generally play it from phone speakers which is rubbish on any phone, but just bring up youtube reviews of the phone. A lot of them play music on there and the reviews have been generally positive. If you're playing lossless via the 3.5mm jack, it's also pretty impossible for it to be bad unless the connection itself is bad or your wired headset had issues. Here's a video showcasing the sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBTLjf6h9DI&ab_channel=Habil…

  • The late 2000s/early 2010s called. They want their MP3 player back.

  • +4
    • -2

      Has the word "reference" in the product name. Must be good :p

    • +2

      Been sold out for a while.

  • +3

    I have no idea about this actual media player, but i own a iBasso DX90. If you think any phone made ever can even come close to it in sound quality compared to some of the media player / amp combos, you are seriously kidding yourself. Just because a phone does the 'same thing' doesnt mean it necessarily does it as well. Unfortunately that is where the advantage of it ends. A phone is FAR more convenient to use, has streaming options and blows it away in every aspect other than sound quality. However, if you need something to drive a high end pair of headphones a phone is not going to always be the best option.

    Having said all that, I find myself using my shitty sennheiser bluetooth earbuds far more than any of my headphones exactly because of that convenience factor…

    • +1

      This is why people have moved to dongle DAC/amps. Even the cheap Apple one is considered good in audiophile communities.

      • i guess i'll have to look in to what is available. A decent DAC/amp and my phone with Spotify, or better yet Tidal would be so much nicer to use than having to rely on FLAC files. I havent looked in to the current state of media players since about 2015 when i got the DX90. Honestly though, id be VERY surprised if a little dongle style DAC/Amp can compare in sound quality to something with dual DACs + decent amp that is able to drive 600ohm headphones. But hell, a decent dongle + a phone would probably make the compromise tempting..

      • +1

        What cheap apple one?

      • Well, Thanks for all the info. I am now waiting on a Hidizs S9 PRO to arrive. Pretty happy to try one out for $150 delivered. All the reviews seem to point towards it having incredible sound quality and driving power, at the cost of using a bit more power from my phone than id like. My Oppo PM1s are supposedly extremely easy to drive, so Ill probably be fine tho.

  • Do mobile phones play hifi audio? 24/96 or 24/192? This player does, as do the Sony A55, etc.

    • Plenty of USB-C DAC/amps do, and cost less than this. e.g. https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/products/fiio-ka3-ultra-porta…

      • Will they sound the same? I haven't tried the one in this deal but I've tried a number of headphone amps/dacs and standalone players and they all sound different.

        • i think even the best phone with 24/192 dacs will struggle to match a dedicated amp

          but its up to you if you can even tell a difference

          i have a pair of B&W headphones at home but I use Taotronics MPOW Mobvoi and JBL and other garbage brands a work and I'm entirely ok with the SQ vs. price.

        • Hard to say, ideally DACs shouldn't colour sound and just convert from digital to analogue as directly as possible without noise. Problem is, some people like and even seek out a particular sound in their DAC/amp, so you'll hear X is better than Y all the time. Only two things really matter: is the noise floor low, and can it put out enough power to drive the headphones/speakers. Everything else should be in the headphones, the music, and any EQ you choose to add.

          Edit: This video explains it well. https://youtu.be/a3moaaOpYZM

          • @Cyb3rGlitch:

            Hard to say, ideally DACs shouldn't colour sound and just convert from digital to analogue as directly as possible without noise. Problem is, some people like and even seek out a particular sound in their DAC/amp, so you'll hear X is better than Y all the time.

            Yup, different devices will sound different which is why I brought up the question of whether or not it would sound the same. People say "device X does the same thing and is cheaper" and don't realise that different devices sound different.

            • @eug: Different != Better. Nobody can objectively tell you that one amp sounds better than another. If they can even hear a difference at all.

              • @Cyb3rGlitch: Yes. That is why you can't say "There are plenty of USB DACs/amps that cost less than this". They are not the same thing.

                • @eug: Not sure what your point is. An amp exists to amplify. You don't choose an amp for a negligible difference in sound (if they're audible at all), there are a multitude of other factors you can control for that. It's possible the differences you've heard in the past were down to different volume, EQ, post processing, headphones etc.

                  • @Cyb3rGlitch: OP was saying this player plays 24/96 and 24/192 audio.

                    You replied saying plenty of devices do it too and cost less than this, e.g. the Fiio KA3.

                    My point is that one device is not like another. As you know, different devices sound different. So you saying Device X does the same thing and costs less isn't meaningful as your stated example may not sound the same as the posted deal.

                    • @eug: For the stated criteria of 24/96 and 24/192 audio this does the job.

  • +3

    The one thing I pine for that my current phone/tablet lack is tactile previous/next track buttons, there is one on my headphones but it's an annoying double tap of the pause button to skip. I had an old Walkman MP3 player with a tiny screen that could just show the song name but it had all the physical buttons.

    I HATE that I lie in bed with my eyes shut listening to music then have to lift up the phone to see where the skip button is on the screen and tap it. I could root the phone and put a custom ROM but it's a lot of work just to remap the volume buttons long press.

    • There are a few apps that can skip tracks for you (or at least on android). Try out Volumee which is the one I use. If you have a rooted android there are also ways to do this on a system level.

    • Let's hope we see new phones with physical media buttons.

  • +1

    An LG V20 is still a better option ;)

    • +1

      v30+ was my last true hifi 4 dac 24/192 device

      however BT especially with AptX or better is really close enough for me in a work environment… and wireless is just such a QoL improvement.

      • I'm still rocking the V50, such an awesome phone for audiophile and enough power for general usage/gaming and decent camera. Oh and let's not forget about the dual screen ;)

  • 0👍🔊

  • Lg out of phone market just like sony and others. Who is making audiophile phones these days?

    I am planning on Topping D10s going to DSP in my car, need a good source. Could simply be a phone.

    • people are saying the Samsung S series is close enough if you're talking about 3.5mm - i have questions…

  • I still have, and regularly use, a dedicated portable media player. Waaaay more preferable than using my phone for music.

    • I'm on the iPod classic still!

      Love the thing and am about to replace the charger port/battery after 13 years.

      Hoping they crack the FLAC use on it soon and I'll give that a go.

      New to DACs so figuring out if one will be a good option, mainly use Sony wh-1000xm3 so might be worth adding one? More research needed….

      • If you're using Bluetooth earphones, the DAC is inside the earphone and can't be replaced.

        • That model is Bluetooth but I had been using it wired with the iPod.

          Had been considering buying some other headphones as im looking at picking up a used hifi system. Not sure where to start on that.

  • Everyone is ripping this but the device seems to get nothing but praise regarding its value at its $400 USD price point.

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