PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYERS
TREAT YOUR TUNES TO A DEDICATED MUSIC PLAYER
Sony NW-A55L £160
Best portable music player under £250, Awards 2020 ★★★★★
Sony hasn’t carried out an update for the sake of it; the refresh is justified by squeezing more performance into a budget price than ever before.
Hi-res 32-bit/384khz, DSD Weight 99g Storage 16GB (plus microsd)
Cowon Plenue D3 £279
Best portable music player under £500, Awards 2021 ★★★★★
This is a talented player that betters its previous generation counterpart for detail, separation and transparency. An impressive, tiny box of tricks… Hi-res 24-bit/192khz, DSD 128 Weight 103g Storage 64GB
Astell & Kern A&norma SR35 £799
Best portable music player, Awards 2023 ★★★★★
The A&norma SR35 may not exactly be dressed for its not-insignificant price, but there’s no uncertainty over whether it performs to it.
Hi-res 32-bit/384khz, DSD256, MQA Weight 184g Storage
Astell & Kern Kann Alpha £1099
April 2021 ★★★★★
A powerful and talented machine, we cannot fault its sonic chops. The stylish, rock-solid build is (just) small enough to take with you on your travels Hi-res 32-bit/384khz, DSD256 Weight 316g Storage 64GB
Astell & Kern A&futura SE180 £1399
Best portable music player over £1000, Awards 2022 ★★★★★
If you’re looking for an excellent-sounding player without spending thousands, the A&futura SE180 is among the best we’ve come across. Hi-res 32-bit/384khz, DSD 256 Storage 256GB (plus 1TB via microsd)
Astell & Kern A&futura SE200 £1799
Best portable music player over £1000, Awards 2020 ★★★★★ Astell & Kern has managed to set a new performance benchmark for the price with the A&futura SE200.
Hi-res 32-bit/348khz, DSD 256, M QA Weight 274g Storage