Top 5 Cheap HD Audio Players, DAP's & Music Players under $100
This article is the 2023 Audiophile On the list of the best high-definition audio players under $100. We list the best models and offer advice on what you should look for when buying cheap audiophile DAP.
So you don't want to break the bank? You have a tight budget. However, you still care about sound and want to buy the best-sounding high-resolution music player or MP3 player for under $100.
Well, let me tell you that it is indeed possible to have audiophile-grade hi-res music on the cheap.
Quick Recommendations: 3 Great Models
Best Budget Hi-Res Music Players 2023
1. RUIZU 64GB HiFi Lossless MP3 Player
The Ruizu is a compact budget music player that supports high-resolution playback. It’s aimed at audiophiles looking to buy a feature-rich DAP on a budget.
Pros:
Very feature-rich
Color touch screen
Excellent sound quality
Cons:
OS is a little clunky due to size
Review
Ruizu has received a lot of praise for its ability to deliver an excellent high-resolution audio player with many features to people on a budget. The launch model was a huge hit in the audiophile community, and Ruizu has filtered many of the high-end features to this lower-priced model.
While it may not be able to match the all-out performance of more expensive units on our list of the best audiophile DAPs for high-resolution music, it is an incredible-sounding player that punches well above its weight. It’s so packed with well-thought-out features it’s hard to believe its RRP is under $100.
I love the design of this player, with its clean lines and simple touch interface. It is well made and small to the point it disappears in your pocket. It even features tactile controls on the side and a volume pot for incremental volume adjustment.
The hardware is excellent, with an ES9018Q2C DAC capable of handling various modern music formats, including DSD at 256. On top of that, it uses state-of-the-art Bluetooth codecs like Aptx and LDAC to ensure high-quality sound when using wireless headphones.
The R2 audio player is small and weighs just 185g. It's well made and highly portable with a zing magnesium alloy body and a 2.8-inch touch screen. Battery life is solid at around 10 hours and features USB-C connectivity for charging and use as an external computer DAC.
If you are worried about storage, you can rest easy knowing that the Ruizu has 64GB internal storage and micro SD cards up to 512 GB.
If it was my money and the sound quality was a priority, I would choose this as my favorite music player for under $100.
2. Sony NWE394
The Sony NWE394 is a music player released a few years ago but its ease of use and great sound quality keep it on this list. Its also available online with heavy discounts.
Pros:
The ultra-portable design fits easily in the pocket
Classic Sony Sound with Xbass
35 hours battery life
Cons:
Internal storage is small and it is not expandable
Review
There is a lot to love about this device, and it’s hard not to start with discussing the super clean looks. The styling is on point despite being a few years old. Sony has put together high-quality components in a small package so that the NWE394 feels like a premium device. Then you see the price is usually well below $100.
Features are solid but not as advanced as other digital music players. Battery life in our tests showed an impressive 32.5 hours runtime at 70% volume, and a full recharge took just under 2 hours. That's crazy at this price and size.
The sound is well provided if you are using easy-to-drive earphones. It has punchy, fun, and energetic tuning typical of Sony's consumer-level devices.
If you are just looking for an easy-to-use player with good battery life, this is for you. The other options we discuss here will be better suited if you are looking for the latest and greatest file support.
3. AGPTEK A02
The AGPTEK A02 player is old-school cool with great battery life.
Pros:
Huge battery life (70hrs)
Ultra-lightweight (50g)
Simple old school fun
Cons
Some limitations on memory at 8GB internal and 128gb SD cards
Review
The AGPTEK A02 is the most basic music player on this list, but it earns its spot because it’s fun to use, has a retro appeal, and is cheap. The cheapest MP3 player we have tested, to be frank.
Still, despite the low price, I think you get an awful lot for your money as you throw in a 128 GB card filled with music. It doesn’t slow down, and the battery life is mighty, with 70 hours of playback from a single charge.
This is a great player for sports, going to the beach, or just messing around. Using it also took me back to when I loved my music without worrying about the gear. Its easy menu system and one-handed operation were cool, its new tech in an old school retro design from the noughties.
As for sound, it’s great. Leaning a little to the warm end with a smooth overall sound and bass, it pairs well with a good set of earphones as long as they don’t require too much power draw to drive them.
4. Sansa Clip Sport
The Sansa Clip is a legend in the audiophile community. Its loved for its low price and transparent sound. Great if you want a small mp3 player to use with earbuds.
Pros:
Cult following and a strong support community
Powerful with balanced sound
Well refined design
Cons:
Missing some functionality
Review
The old standard of budget audiophiles and the favorite MP3 player of enthusiasts for many years before the DAP market took off.
When MP3 players were full of junk hardware and distorted sound, the Sansa Clip stood out for its beautifully flat balanced sound. In addition, it was small, had great battery life, and could be rock boxed, thus giving a wealth of options for customizing your music player.
The new Clip Sports Go is the evolution, and it’s not just a cheap MP3 player for running. Instead, it is a more refined version of the original that does everything a little better and sounds fantastic.
It drives most headphones and earphones well and plays many high-resolution formats out of the box.
You will also find support for MicroSD cards, multiple playlist functions, and EQ settings to allow you some fine-tuning of the sound.
The clip is the cheapest music player on this list, and it sounds good to boot.
5. Mechen Lossless Player
The Mechin is a feature rich DAP with great file support and a fun interface. Sound is great with lots of detail.
Pros:
Amazing design
Huge file support, including DSD
Unbelievably small
Cons:
The screen is very small
Review
This little player may look a little odd with its tiny screen, but in a range of colors and the metal body, I think it's a nice design, and it has gained a cult following with its amazing feature list and sound quality.
It has amazing codec support and can handle DSD64, DSD 128, and DSD256, along with other lossless music standards like FLAC, ALAC, and WAV. You also get that physical volume pot that smoothly allows you to adjust during playback.
Advice before you buy a cheap DAP!
Your priorities should be in order; there are steps you can take to get better-sounding music, and there are multiple pieces to the puzzle that create good sound.
Did you know you can convert your phone to a high-resolution music player with an external DAC and amplifier?
Ok, these aren’t DAP, but many people don’t even know these products exist. Most people will likely carry their mobile phones everywhere they go, but with the removal of headphone jacks, they think they have lost the ability to use high-quality wired headphones.
That’s no longer true, and a few audio companies are producing tiny dongles with audiophile DAC and Amp chips inside that can convert your smartphone to a high-resolution audio player.
My favorite External DAC has Bluetooth and a balanced connector so that you can use it untethered from your phone.
The Audioquest Dragonfly (Original Review Here)is one of the most popular of all time and is a USB stick-sized Amp/DAC unit that seriously ups the audio capabilities of your phone. Similarly, Nextdrive has the Spectre X, and Cozy has the Takt-C. These are all great options and significantly improve the sound while allowing you to use Spotify and Tidal.
No decent sub $100 audio player supports Spotify and Tidal playback, so that's one giant plus of using your phone as a transport device. Of course, the other big plus of this method is that these DAC’s use the excellent ESS Sabre DAC, something you find in daps upwards of $400. It sounds great and doesn't cost the world.
Use well-mastered music
It starts with high-quality master tracks. Music produced to a high standard will always sound better, and no amount of money spent on headphones or mp3 players will improve poorly mastered music. In fact, in cases where your source material is sub-par, a good set of headphones will expose how bad the music is.
Upgrade your music file formats for a free boost to sound quality.
Next, it’s always best to have high-quality source music files. This means choosing file formats that do as little as possible to degrade the original recording's sound. Small-rate MP3 files, for example, compress the music files so much that the music loses much of its detail and nuances.
We suggest sourcing high-quality files like high-bitrate MP3s to FLAC and even DSD. Lossless or near-lossless music formats are essential here, making a big difference when used with other audiophile-grade components. We suggest you read the list of the best music formats to understand your options better.
Why are cheap high-definition music players worth buying?
The areas mentioned above are where you will get 60-70% of your sound improvements in a portable audio setup. Despite what some people believe, the actual improvement in sound from one of these budget audiophile DAPs listed below (Digital Audio Player) to something from our best Hi-Res music player list is relatively minimal.
Budget DAPs are fantastic and have come a long way in the past decade. While they may lack some of the features of the more expensive units, they usually have solid DAC and Amp sections, which will count most at this price.
You will see a dramatic jump if you come from a mobile phone or a cheap MP3 player. Moving to one of these dedicated music players created with sound quality in mind will make a significant difference.
There are also some extra benefits to using a dedicated audio player to listen to your music when on the go and to handle a broader range of formats compared to simpler devices. In addition, having a dedicated stand-alone unit with increased power to drive high-impedance headphones can be a significant advantage to some. Not to forget, using a separate audio player means less drain on your smartphone battery when out and about.
Many factors make something a great-sounding and fully featured DAP unit, and here are my top 5 picks if cash is a little tight. The best portable audio player solutions are under $100 right now.
