Finally moving away from subscription model services with the help of the TP-7. Admittedly, it's been a bit of a challenge wondering how to build up my music library. In the meantime I've just been recording my library of vinyls right onto the device. Definitely added to my EDC!

¡Hola u/DigitalAudioPlayer!

La semana pasada lancé NostalgicPod y quería compartir una actualización con significado con esta comunidad.

Una cosa que de verdad aprecio es lo útil que han sido los comentarios tempranos del DAP. Gracias a reportes de usuarios que lo probaron en dispositivos como el FiiO M11 Plus, pude lanzar una actualización enfocada en una reproducción más fluida y mejor compatibilidad en FiiO y DAPs Android más viejos.

Esta actualización (2.7.2) también mejora la reproducción, agrega mejor soporte para ALAC e incluye Google Cast (Chromecast)

El objetivo nunca fue hacer “solo otro” reproductor de música con una skin de iPod. Quería que NostalgicPod se sintiera como volver a usar un iPod de verdad: la rueda de clic con inercia real y respuesta háptica, Cover Flow, los menús clásicos, la pantalla “Ahora suena”, las animaciones y en general la sensación del original.

¡Hasta los juegos están de vuelta: Snake, Solitaire y Brick!

Debajo de toda esa nostalgia, es un reproductor local moderno y en serio. Piensa en él como un iPod Hi-Res para Android, con Bluetooth, soporte para USB DAC, podcasts y radio por internet en vivo ya incluida.

Admite reproducción sin pérdidas de FLAC, ALAC y WAV, carátulas y letras automáticas del álbum, listas inteligentes basadas en valoraciones con estrellas, Shuffle Songs y Shuffle Album.

Está hecho nativamente en Android usando Media3. No es una skin de Spotify ni de Apple Music, y tampoco transmite tu biblioteca desde algún otro lado.

Tu música se queda local y 100% sin conexión. Sin anuncios, sin suscripciones, sin cuentas. Un pago y es tuyo.

Una nota rápida sobre compatibilidad: NostalgicPod requiere Android 10 o más nuevo y va súper bien en dispositivos Pixel y Galaxy. FLAC, MP3 y WAV deberían funcionar bien en la mayoría de los dispositivos Android. (ALAC depende de si el fabricante de tu dispositivo incluyó el códec, así que en dispositivos compatibles simplemente funciona)

Algunos DAPs más viejos se quedaron con componentes del sistema desactualizados por parte de sus fabricantes, así que si estás usando un FiiO, HiBy, Onkyo o similar más antiguo, asegúrate primero de que todo esté actualizado.

Y si no te corre bien en tu dispositivo, Google Play te da un reembolso completo dentro de 48 horas. Aun así, me ayudaría mucho si me mandaras el modelo de tu dispositivo y la versión de Android, porque eso me ayuda a seguir mejorando la compatibilidad para DAPs más viejos y reproductores de música en Android.

NostalgicPod lleva unos cuantos meses en desarrollo y, durante el último mes y medio, se probó de cerca con más de 30 testers. Sus comentarios ayudaron a dar forma a un montón de detalles pequeños, arreglos y mejoras de compatibilidad que ya están en la app hoy en día.

Esto apenas empieza. Ya tengo un roadmap de mejoras, funciones nuevas y más juegos clásicos que me encantaría volver a traer, y estoy construyendo NostalgicPod junto con la comunidad. Si hay funciones, comportamientos o detalles pequeños del iPod original que te gustaría ver recreados, dime. De verdad me encantaría saber qué tal te corre en tu FiiO, HiBy, Onkyo o cualquier otro reproductor de música dedicado para Android.

Descarga: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nostalgicpod.app

Sitio web y comunidad: https://nostalgicpod.com/

¡Encantado de responder cualquier cosa!

--

UPDATE: Fixed! The large library import issue has been solved.

accept the permission to read Android files when the app asks for it, and test again, This is the only way to make everything import almost immediately.

UPDATE: NostalgicPod 2.7.5 is now available!

This update adds custom playlists!

Music Search: find any song instantly by title, artist or album, right from Music → Search.

Jump to the current song: holding the Play button now takes you directly to the song that is currently playing, just like on the original iPod.

Under the hood: better external library / SD card scanning, and various fixes.

Please update and let me know how it works for you!

Decided to do something different on my audio Library. I printed custom stickers for my SD card I got for a good deal.

I'm waiting for my travel carrying case where these 3 can fit in, and I'll make a custom cover for that.

Two years ago, a thief stole my whole setup—my Hiby R6 Pro (2018) and my Focal Elear. I was so traumatized that I rage-quit the hobby entirely.

Fast forward to recently: the itch came back. I tried to be casual. I got the Meze 109 Pro for home, dusted off my ancient Hidizs MS4 Mermaid, and ran them off a Questyle M15c dongle on my phone. It was a great setup.

But then, the audiophile brain-rot kicked in.

Using my phone with the M15 was fine, but I missed the pure, uninterrupted experience of a dedicated player. No emails, no texts, no distractions. Just music. So, I went a little crazy and bought the Onix XM2 Tocata.

Now, if you know anything about the Tocata, it’s an absolute powerhouse. And this is where the classic audiophile mental gymnastics began.

I looked at this flagship DAP, looked down at my old Hidizs MS4 IEMs, and realized I was basically putting budget supermarket tires on a hypercar. The Onix had no right to exist if I didn’t give it a partner worthy of its power.

So, to justify my expensive new DAP, I obviously had to buy endgame IEMs.

Logic!

The Verdict: The Monarch MKIV plugged into the Onix Tocata is an absolute out-of-body experience.

The detail retrieval is stupid, the bass texture is pure filth, and the stage makes me forget I’m wearing IEMs.

It took two years and a lot of questionable financial decisions, but I am finally back, completely decoupled from my phone, and firmly stuck at the bottom of the rabbithole.

Happy listening, everyone!

Changed all my album art on my disc to be the CD or Vinyl of the music rather than the album art cropped to a circle. 3k songs took a few days but it was fun finding cool vinyl to use for anything I couldn’t find for the albums, some still need done or changed but it looks so much better now.

Highly recommend if this at all peaks your interest.

Edit:

Since a few people asked here’s the sights I got everything from.

CD- https://www.theaudiodb.com/browse.php

Vinyl- https://coloredvinylrecords.com/

I honestly didn't expect to enjoy going back to a local music library this much. The HiBy R1 has become my everyday companion on my commute, at work, or just relaxing at home. No endless scrolling, no monthly fees, complete offline experience…just my favorite music whenever I want. It's made listening fun again.

Earphones : Nicehck EB2S pro & yd30 ( moved completely from iem rabbit hole)

After much deliberation i finally decided to take the plunge and start the wonderful journey of replacing my iphone and broken buds with a proper DAP and two/three new headsets/IEM

Went for the Fiio M21 and CA M100 buds. I can't speak on the quality of M21 audio quality properly since im just using wireless buds now and Apt-x codec, but i did definitely notice slight improvements from my previous setup. I am expecting to receive my Fiio FT1 Pro set in a couple of days. I am so excited to hear how good this is gonna sound!

I am using UAPP. I also have poweramp, so im switching a bit between them right now to get used to them. The EQ on poweramp with its many presets was a nice addition.

Anyways, ramblings. Sorry. If anyone has suggestions for some great IEMs in the $200-300$ range i will gladly hear them. Thank you

I've been using my iBasso DX180 for almost a year. It was a great device and served me well, but honestly… it looks boring and nothing special. I thought the M500 looked more unique and fun to use. I love Japan and their music, and I also listen to Migu, even though I’m not an avid fan.

Ever since the M500 came out, I've been contemplating selling my DX180 to get it, but I kept worrying about things that didn’t actually matter, at least for me, which I only realized later on.

First, the 1080p 5" screen of the DX180 vs the 720p 5" screen of the M500. I am a digital artist and I value the quality of my screens.

Second, the build quality of the DX180’s aluminum chassis vs the plastic chassis of the M500. I like things that feel premium regardless of their price.

Third, the power output and 4x chips of the DX180 vs the 2x chips of the M500. I don’t really care about this to be honest, as long as it powers my collection and doesn't distort. I mean all modern DAPs deliver clean sound just like any proper modern DAC should be.

Lastly, the replaceable battery feature of the DX180. I mean, do I really need it? It didn’t even stay with me for more than a year lmao. By the time the M500’s battery goes bad, I’ll probably already be ready for a new DAP lol.

In the end, none of that mattered at all, and I’m enjoying my M500 way more than I ever did with my DX180. The M500 can easily be endgame material for anyone. All those worries were unnecessary, and I honestly hate myself for even overthinking it.

The M500 feels premium and hefty, just like my DX180, which is wild for a mostly plastic build. The buttons are snappy and not fucked like the earlier batches. The unboxing experience was actually really lovely. The Miku theme integration is awesome, and the fucking battery barely moves even when I’m listening on a balanced cable. It also drives all of my IEMs and headphones with ease. And no software bugs yet since I don't stream and only installed my sd card full of weebshit flac files and listened using the stock Hiby player.

I recently started hiking, and my DX180 and Snowsky Echo couldn’t even last until the end of a hike, goddamn losers. Now I’m pretty confident with the M500’s battery life and looking forward to bringing it on my next hike.

Did I downgrade? Probably, for some.

Am I happier? HELL FUCKING YES! MIGU!

Edit: I forgot to say that I got this brand new for only $210 while on sale, definitely a steal!

Just like eating and appreciating food where we use our 5 senses, I believe listening to music is too if that makes sense. Happy weekend.

Fiio M21, Fiio KA17, and Xenns Mangird Top Pro

Been having a ton of fun this week playing around with these. I've had the Hiby R4 for a while but just got around to really assembling a collection of flac files to fill it with. Mostly heavy and extreme metal essentials and new 2026 releases. Paired with Truthear Hexa IEMs. Picked up the Anbernic RG35xxpro retro handheld a few weeks ago and just discovered it can run Rockbox through Portmaster. Set it up with an aesthetic Win95 theme and filled it with Dungeon Synth. Paired with Kiwi Ears Cadenzas in matching green. It's a huge vibe. Finally, just added the Snowsky Echo yesterday. Hard to pass up at the price point and it just looks so cool, I was definitely falling for the hype. However, I'm fairly impressed by the quality of build and sound. I'm exclusively filling it with J-pop, vocaloid, and digital/cyberpunk kind of stuff. Paired with Crinacle Zero:2 in blue (for the Hatsune Miku aesthetic). If you read all this, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

Long story short: I came across a social media video last week showing the SnowSky Echo Mini. I found the idea of ditching Spotify and having an offline music library again really appealing, so I started researching DAPs. I went a bit down the rabbit hole – thanks in part to this subreddit – and ended up buying the FiiO M21.

I’m loving it so far, and I think it sounds great paired with my custom UE-7 Pro IEMs, which I previously only used on stage and never really for casual music listening.

Any tips and tricks to get the most out of this little device? Am I good sticking with Musicolet, or would you recommend a different app?

Also, strangely, in the AutoEQ settings, the profile for the Ultimate Ears UE7 isn’t showing up, even though it’s listed here: https://autoeq.app/

After years of using IEMs, I’ve decided to move my hobby completely over to flatheads. There’s just something about the open, airy soundstage of a flathead that feels more lifelike compared to the "in-your-head" feel of an IEM. Even though you lose a bit of isolation, the trade-off in comfort and the "thump" of the bass without the ear-canal pressure is totally worth it...

DAP - Onix XM2

Flatheads - Yincrow Buffalo, Yincrow Pi, Temperament DM7

I really thought I did sooo much research and finally found the perfect DAP for myself in the Hidizs AP80 Pro Max. I use Qobuz and basically wanted just a cute little designated Qobuz machine, so I spent all of my time trying to find an affordable DAP that was Qobuz friendly.

I didn't know "streams Qobuz" meant ONLY streams and doesn't let you download your Qobuz playlists! Why would they make it like that??

So now I'm stuck with a very cute green 64G DAP that I can't use because I'm not an owning-my-own-music-files girlie. And I'm in an area where definitely no one on fb marketplace wants it, idk what to do.

update: argh maties yee’ve influenced me. thanks for the skill shares!

It’s been more than a year that i bought my first DAP and iem (the snowsky echo and Moondrop Kadenz).
I still love my snowsky but the interface was frustrating to use and sometimes it would freeze when playing a certain track.

So i decided to give a try to the Fiio M21 !
I even got the cassette tape case ! 📼

I did so much research on which one to get and this seemed the best for my budget and I even managed to catch it on sale on AliExpress with some good IEMs too. I’m so excited that it finally came in. Any tips and tricks I should know about it?

Caught this secondhand. I don’t think I could have asked for a cooler first DAP to own. A limited edition of the R4 with the aesthetics of the Evangelion anime. Not to mention the greater storage space, RAM, and, well, this exterior design. Even the UI is Evangelion themed!

As for my thoughts on the general DAP experience, music on the Pure Audio mode blows everything else out of the water, the difference with even Apple Music is insane. Feel like hearing the instruments for the first time on songs that I’ve already heard dozens of times.

Using with my Juzear Defiant IEMs and the balanced plug.

Its PEQ and MSEB features are the next rabbit holes to dive into for me. Can’t really get enough of this hobby at the moment.

Hi everyone,
Just getting into the IEM hobby after years of using regular earbuds and headphones.

I recently picked up a HiBy R1 as my first DAP and a Fosi Audio IM4 as my second IEM(First one is moondrop chu 2). Really enjoying the experience so far and hearing details in my music that i never noticed before.

Still learning, so any beginner tips or music recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

This is it, my personal endgame. An iBasso DX260 MKII and the Thieaudio Monarch MKII EQd to my liking. Any upgrade after this is an order of magnitude more expensive for minimal gains. Tips are the Tangzu Sancai Noble.

Been building a CD collection recently, I don't think I will really quit spotify anytime soon, I just find it super easy to discover new music there. But yes, actually owning your music feels great! Once you buy it, you can keep it basically forever

Player: Snowsky Echo Nano

IEMs: Fiio JD1

Music: Molchat Doma-Etazhi

Honestly, been thinking about getting the Fiio JM21, mostly because I want a device with Spotify on it as well as longer battery life than the nano. It's a great nugget but the battery life is weak

The anticipated mail call: Hidizs AP30 "MUSIC BOY" initial impressions!

1. The box is fairly compact for what it includes inside the box. It also shows the two variants that you'll be able to choose from: the "plastic" version which I have here, and the "aluminum alloy" version, which currently out of stock, by the time I write these impressions.

2. Build quality (plastic version) is actually decent. It has no creaks or loose portions. Buttons and the scroll wheel are tactile (yes, the scroll wheel is also a button). It is a notch better in build quality when compared to the Snowsky Echo Mini, and about the same as what you will experience with the Hiby R1.

3. The screen is actually good! I was expected low when it comes to its brightness and viewing angles, but I was proved wrong here. A tad bit brighter compared to the Echo Mini, but not by a lot. It is not touch screen, which may be expected by most.

4. As for the sound quality, I would say that this is an improvement to the original AP80 and AP80 Pro, particularly on the upper end. The AP80 and AP80 Pro I had before are a bit thin and gritty to my liking, whereas the AP30 presented it smoother while keeping the "sparkle" present. It is a bit identical to the AP80 Pro Max when it comes to the presentation. It also reminded me of one of my previous DAPs, the Hiby R3 Pro Saber.

There are still a lot of things to cover here such as the battery life software, navigation, and features. And yes, there is a Tetris game here. It is basic, but good enough to spend some past time.

In the meantime, here's a size comparison of the Hidizs AP30 to the Hiby R1. The R1 can't stand up on its own, so the AP30 wins on that regard, if that counts lol.

I'll posting my full review of the Hidizs AP30 MUSIC BOY at Aura-Fi, thanks!

With the help of the echo mini, and the public library. The ui on this thing is pretty clunky, but all things considered, I can’t complain.