Top 5 BEST MP3 Players In 2025

The best MP3 players for dedicated, uninterrupted music on the fly

It’s not easy to review the top MP3 players. With sophisticated digital-to-analog converters (DACs) for superb sound quality, these compact gadgets have developed into high-resolution music players. Nowadays, a lot of them have Wi-Fi connections, allowing you to access streaming services as well as your locally stored music. I still have a sweet spot for my old iPod Classic, but they are capable of much more than just playing compressed MP3 files. (And no, I checked, and you can’t buy one new anymore before you email to inquire!)

So, how can you determine which contemporary player is the best? You’ve come to the right place since I and our knowledgeable staff have thoroughly examined each player listed in this book using our exacting testing procedures to make sure they are deserving of being included.

High-resolution audio formats such as FLAC, DSD, WAV, MQA, and ALAC are supported by modern MP3 devices. This means that these players guarantee that you can enjoy music in its full, lossless quality, regardless of whether you like to download your favorite songs or stream them from services like Apple Music, Qobuz, or Tidal. Although many also include Bluetooth connectivity for pairing with the finest wireless headphones or earbuds, they’re also a great match for the best wired headphones or wired earbuds.

In recent years, the MP3 player industry has seen significant development. In a time when the iPod Shuffle is more common as a hair clip, high-resolution audio players are frequently referred to as DAPs (Digital Audio Players). Don’t worry; our ratings and suggestions are based on decades of cumulative experience, so if something isn’t good enough, it doesn’t make the cut.

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1. Activo P1

To put it simply, we genuinely (very) enjoy this player, which will be released in July 2024 under the Activo brand, an audio subsidiary of Astell & Kern. Unless you are very well along in your audiophile path, in which case we applaud you, we don’t think the things that much more expensive A&K players can do that the Activo P1 can’t do are deal-breakers for most of us. Thus, this is the greatest all-around player that will work for the majority of folks.

Although it doesn’t appear to be as costly as the black metallic, angular players from its parent brand, what’s inside matters, and the P1 is excellent underneath thanks to an ESS ES9219Q SABRE Dual-DAC and the same amplification as more costly models.

Naturally, the most crucial factor is its sound quality, and in that regard, it more than deserves the full five stars: when used as a DAP, it produces amazing sound quality, and when in DAC mode, it enhances your computer’s audio capabilities. The equalizer may be used to create intricate EQ curves, but in our testing, we mostly left it alone because the P1 sounded fantastic without any adjustments.

The P1 supports the whole Play Store and is compatible with the greatest music streaming services in addition to local listening.Are there any drawbacks? Two: compared to players that sell for double, triple, or quadruple the price, it starts up a little more slowly and runs a little hotter. However, this is a fantastic little player if you don’t mind those minor flaws.

And we can help if you’re struggling to decide which headphones would work best with it. At the end of 2024, Activo released the Q1 in-ears to go with it, and our comprehensive Activo Q1 review is raving about them. The sound profile blends in perfectly with the player.

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2. Astell & Kern A&norma SR35

As much as Astell & Kern would like to think that this is a “entry-level” player, it is actually very expensive in anyone’s money. Astell & Kern usually doesn’t offer budget options (it has the Activo for that), and the SR35 costs $100 (roughly £150) more than Fiio’s equivalent, which is also on this list. The good news is that the SR35’s premium nature extends to its specifications, sound quality, and user interface in addition to its high ticket price.

It’s a very good player. At 184g, it weighs roughly the same as a deck of cards and isn’t the lightest DAP available, but trust us when we say that the enhanced amp circuitry and four inbuilt DAC filters make up for the few extra grams, and if you can afford it, the more than few additional dollars you’ll pay.

Additionally, the SR35 is less picky than many of its competitors, even yet it requires the highest caliber of content you can afford to store into it. Because of this, this specific Astell & Kern will easily handle and deliver 320kbps Spotify streams better than most, even though you should actually be giving it all of the 24bit/192kHz FLAC files.

You won’t believe the skill, detail, and fun this player can produce, regardless of what you’re listening to. Even the briefest listening sessions will turn into in-depth explorations of beloved songs to see what this DAP’s beauty can accomplish. Therefore, it will be well worth the additional cost if you can afford to upgrade from the less expensive options in this tutorial.

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3. FiiO M23

In terms of specifications, Fiio has thrown everything at this high-resolution audio player; we haven’t yet found an audio file type that it won’t accept, handle, unpack, and celebrate. The design is sturdy but elegant (albeit a tad too big for your skinny jeans, weighing 299g), it operates quickly, and unlike some smaller players, its touchscreen is easy to use. Fiio has become an audio specialist, and we’re so accustomed to using the phrase “great value, high-performance portable audio electronics” that the M23 could almost be considered a stand-alone instrument.

How does it sound? Minor (and certainly intermittent) audio playback trip-ups aside, this is an incredible audio beast of the greatest class. The M23 sounds powerful, muscular, incredibly detailed, and incredibly dynamic in every situation, with every file type and size we feed it. It also sounds sophisticated, sensitive, and nuanced. Although you should definitely invest in a good music streaming service subscription if you’re spending money on this player, it’s even ready to handle sub-16bit/44.1kHz content if you absolutely must. Oh, and it runs on an updated version of Android (in this case, Android 12), and it will gladly load your Tidal, Apple Music, and Qobuz subscription apps from the Play Store.

Fiio’s optimistic, self-assured stride seems to be unbreakable these days, and the fact that this outstanding player from March 2024 is still unbeatable is more evidence of that. You’ve come to the right place if you’ve been searching for an excellent MP3 player that is well worth the money.

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4. Sony NW-A306

This brave little player is not only a part of Sony’s new (but old… but new!) Walkman series, but it’s also designed to handle extremely high-quality audio files at a price that’s far more affordable than the majority of what’s now available. We’re grateful that Sony chose to make a comeback with this undeniably nostalgic audio device, the Sony NW-A306, which was released in 2023. The tape cassette interface is a deliciously retro touch.

The NW-A306’s shortcomings are not in its capacity to play music, but rather in the minor issues with its overall use. Under harsh scrutiny, we were obliged to reduce our star rating by half a star since the menu can occasionally be a touch unresponsive, the battery life can fluctuate, and—surprisingly—it occasionally has trouble playing a normal 128kbps audio file. However, there is no doubting that, particularly when considering the cost, the advantages greatly exceed the disadvantages.

From the box, the Sony NW-A306 has an outstanding specification sheet if you’re searching for a dedicated hi-res audio player. More than that, it excels with audio files that are significantly higher quality than CDs. Additionally, unlike many of the high-resolution players on our list, it is small enough to fit in your pocket.

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5. fiio m11s

You can tell the M11S is the real deal without having to listen for very long, loudly, or with very good headphones. It has talents in every significant aspect of music-making, and in some cases, it is a qualified specialist. Higher up on this list, the M23 has supplanted it, but what about it? Things move a bit more slowly with high-resolution audio.

The M11S can easily convey the most subtle, sensitive, and dramatic fluctuations in a solo instrument and is intuitive enough to make trivial or frequently fleeting information visible. It accurately depicts large, open, and clearly defined soundstages when needed, and it has more than enough headroom to handle larger changes without any problems. Perhaps the treble is a bit positive, but not enough that we would view it as a flaw; nevertheless, it’s our responsibility to point out flaws, and we have done so here.

An Android 10 operating system, a quick and fluid touchscreen, a powerful yet precise and controlled sound, and an overwhelmingly elegant design are just a few of the many features to like.The Fiio M11S effectively undercuts the Astell & Kern A&norma SR35, its closest competitor. Not to push you in any direction, but it’s simple to consider the savings and determine that investing in a high-capacity microSD card is preferable to its more expensive competitor.

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Support for hi-res files: TechRadar tests dozens of hi-res portable music players year, so we know exactly what features, specifications, file support, and wireless audio codecs to look for. We take the time to confirm that the promises made by their manufacturers regarding their players’ endurance, durability, connectivity, and sound quality are accurate because it’s crucial for us to compare their performance to those claims.

Comparative testing with similar class leaders: we make sure to evaluate every product against its main rivals as well, so you can be certain that, if we say so, it’s the best value.Before we start our tests, we ensure that the components have ‘bedded in’ by living with these players for weeks. We don’t stop testing until we are satisfied with the sound quality.

Various headphones; a wide variety of musical genres: to make sure that these devices can handle anything from thumping dance tracks to softly spoken podcasts in any format we throw at them, we test the audio performance using a variety of musical genres and with both wired and wireless headphones. We also stream and download music from a variety of sources.

Only the most seasoned audio reviewers: we are so sure that our star-rated ratings are the best indicator of the quality, having spent more years in this game together than we’d want to share. Every reviewer has extensive expertise of audio technology, and the majority of us specialize. Our years of industry experience and hands-on knowledge of various devices provide each review a rich layer of context. We are completely neutral because no sales teams are involved in our decisions, and we are not compensated with bonuses to award extra stars. It also implies that we won’t endorse it here if we don’t like its features, sound, design, or usability.

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Is it worthwhile to get an MP3 player?

Your needs will determine if purchasing an MP3 player is worthwhile. An MP3 player can help you concentrate only on music if you’re attempting to avoid your phone’s incessant notifications and other distractions.

In order to avoid carrying their phones or running the danger of breaking them at the gym, some people also prefer to work out using MP3 players.

Additionally, a dedicated player is a fantastic option if your phone isn’t big enough to hold high-quality music. For some people, an MP3 player is a game-changer, even though not everyone will notice or care about the better audio quality.

Are MP3s as high-quality as CDs?

The short answer is no. Because MP3 is a “lossy” format, some audio information—usually frequencies that are less audible to the human ear—is eliminated in order to minimize file size.

The greatest MP3s have a maximum quality of 320 kbps, but CDs hold music at a greater resolution of 1,411 kbps. Despite MP3s’ attempts to eliminate less important sounds, you could hear a “splashy” high end and a lack of deep bass. Although MP3s are convenient, lossless and high-resolution formats offer better sound quality.

Do high-resolution audio players have value?

If you value sound quality above all else, hi-res audio players are well worth the investment. High-resolution audio files, which are more detailed, rich, and deep than regular MP3s, can be played on these devices. Usually lossless, hi-res formats maintain the original recording’s quality, producing a broader soundstage, deeper bass, and better sound.

Nevertheless, your setup will determine if a high-resolution player is worthwhile. You might not notice much of a change if you’re streaming compressed music from services like Spotify or using inexpensive headphones. However, the sound quality can be significantly improved with high-end audio equipment.

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