FiiO JM21 Portable High Resolution Digital Audio Player (Light blue)

Great little dap, cheapest one out there, great sound, all the whistles and bells included, wi-fi and Bluetooth work perfectly unlike on my A & K £700 machine. Maybe battery life could be improved but it’s ok. If you are used to using your phone for music you must try one of these!!

I was always interested in DAPs, but having since long transitioned to full streaming, DAPs seemed too expensive for me, so I was using Smartphone + USB DAC. I am a Tidal user for further context.I was hesitant towards purchasing a DAP given my use case, but now that I have finally decided to go for a Fiio JM21, and very happy with it, I would like to list the advantages of DAPs if you're a streaming user only as I find relatively lttle content from this perspective online.The JM21 at its price point, really makes the investment worthwhile and I believe more people with my use case should consider it.- Undistracted listening: this has to be the primary reason, when listening from the phone, doesn't matter how much I actively tried, just by handling it, it was to easy to get distracted by an email, a notification, etc. Sure ther are way to manage this with software, but having a physical device dedicated to the one activity makes it so much easier.- Memory Card: with most phones not allowing SD cards, I can now have a huge offline selection, that I can take anywhere with me, especially considering the next factor- Pocketable form factor: I can now take my music a lot more easily on the go and on runs, and I can listen to my favourite IEMs while running!- Car audio: this one depends on whether you have an AUX port, but for me that I have, there is an improvement in the audio quality. Also much easier to take the dinky JM21, plug it in and go than using the phone- Bluetooth codecs: getting into niche territory here, but for example I have a pair of Oneplus Buds 3 that use the LHDC codec, not available on my phone- More battery: as much as people complain on some reviews I am perfectly satisfied with the battery on my JM21, I can still listen to music even after a long day, much more important when cosidering that a USB DAC would occupy the charging port of your phone.

I have rated this device at 3 stars not in order to imply that it is mediocre but only that it does not fulfil my personal expectations for a DAP. A few years ago I owned and enjoyed a FiiO DAP and based on that experience I had high expectations of this device I terms of usability. Only some of which were met as I try to explain here.Press reviews of the JM21 are generally positive about the build quality and, of course, the sound which at this price point is very good indeed. It is a nicely produced device that feels good in the hand, has a solid, slightly weighty feel to it and two headphone outputs (although I don't have balanced 4.4 headphones so couldn't sample this aspect). In addition, a very nice, thoughtful production detail is that it arrives with a fitted, clear silicone backside case and fitted screen protector. What's not to like.But, while admiring almost everything about this device and, bottom line, the sound output is terrific, I found much to disappoint me in the user interface. This feels too complex, occasionally confusing, awkward to navigate, and generally seems over featured (for example I have no need for a VU meter). Too often I could not easily backup to the choice point I was at beforehand so got lost or arrived at a choice that was unexpected. For me, in regular use a good DAP should provide simple and reliable methods for locating tracks, albums, etc. and going on my experience with the early model FiiO that I once owned that is what I expected here.I have spent quite a few hours uploading files, trying out the various functions, editing metatags etc. to help with file organisation but I have come to the conclusion that the interface for managing music files is it weakest feature if, like me, you want good quality sound with a straightforward play-me-this-music-now interface. Other devices on the do this although the price point of the JM21 is a key, and important, selling feature. Also, this is a device based on Android so some of the features that you will find here look like more mainstream computing resources and some users may well find these useful (e.g. the ‘safe’ folder) and because it has WiFi internet updates are routinely notified.Having said all this I do not want to diminish the quality of this device. It is great and for the money you are getting a device that will play your music to a quality level that may cost at least a hundred pounds more (assuming you are using a high quality file format in the first place). It would certainly suite users who really want to drill into some of the subtleties of managing music files … and for whom a VU meter might be a useful tool! In other words this is a device that would please that school of users known as audiophiles, an audience that is FiiO’s main focus these days.Note: (i) I have no comment about battery life. It lasted quite well while I was using it. Some reviewers have reported that it does not last as long as specified, but of course there are many usage variables at play for battery usage. (ii) My comments are mainly based on the use of the Pure Music Mode. Android Mode also provides playback tools. (iii) Online help for the device (what we used to call a User Manual!) seems limited.

The JM21 is a fantastic player and I highly recommmend it. The feel and build exudes high quality. The delivery was also exceptionally quick. A+++++++.

Great bit of kit. Good sound and easy to use. Nice screen. Works well with my headphones and has a large capacity and takes very large cards. Nice design.

Great sound, fair price.

I bought this player a few monthes ago. Now it does not turn on. Show an empty battery and does not charge any more. I tried different chargers and cables.

Brilliant mp3 player for the price had it playing through Bose QC 36 ultra didn't put a foot wrong dark side sounded great