@@AudiophileHeaven correct. I had to send an email to them. 70mw total. 35mw. For some iems. Like raptor or etymotic no point . I have a few daps. But I want one with balance. So I order the Hidizs AP80 PRO.x
That is pretty much what happened and what is happening. They gotta win in some way, and those who make very basic DAPs manage to make them sound better usually :)
@@AudiophileHeaven ive found the newer styles are more comfy to carry and use, but the f20 in this video just has something about it that performs better
I recently got an f20 on sale (Aug 2022) and the device is fitted with a USB-C port 👍 In general i really like this device, i haven't had a dedicated music player since the original Android phone came out but i switched back and I'm happy i did. The Bluetooth on my f20 has been spotty so now i mostly use iem instead of my pixel buds, i would like if the bt was better/easier but oh well. The sound quality is great and the battery lasts me about a week with daily use. I love the real buttons instead of a touch surface. I would recommend it to others 👍
Does it have a true shuffle player, my android phone has shuffle option but I noticed it likes to repeat the same song within a hour 😐 I remember ipod classic had true shuffle, if I had 500 songs it would shuffle < playing 1 out of 499> it will literally go though each song randomly until it reaches 500...
Hi George, just discovered your channel, I love your energy in these videos, a breath of fresh air in the HIFI space! Please tell me, in your experience, how does the F20 compare to the Hiby R3 Pro/Pro Saber? Thanks in advance.
Hiii, thank you and always happy to help!! Hm... R3 is a bit more neutral, F20 is a bit warmer in tuning, F20 has slightly more driving power, but also slightly more background hissing with IEMs. I would go for R3 PRO if budget allows and if you're not bothered by the screen, but if you prefer buttons controls then F20 is more comfortable to use.
I appreciate your reviews and would like to ask your opinion. I need to ask, should I go for Surfans F20, Hiby R3 Pro Saber, or a Hifi Walker H2? I am looking for a basic, reliable DAP. The ease of transferring files (and creating playlists) is very important to me. Many thanks!
Hii, all of them are ok, none can't do on the go playlists very well. I would probably go R3 PRO saber for more functions, and go H2 or F20 for more driving power, and an improved sonics What are you driving with them?
Thank you so much for your reply!!!! I am unsure of the pairing, as this will be a gift for my Dad. I am unsure of the headphones that he has but know that he would utilize a Wonderboom 2 via Bluetooth for casual use. (I recognize that this would impact fidelity.) He is mildly technophobic. Anything device with too many options or that is too complex to use will result in his lack of enjoyment and the device would sit unused. He LOVES music and has a considerable collection... and I want him to be able to enjoy that music as much as possible. I visited your website and your TH-cam channel and watched/read many of your reviews. You spoke VERY highly of all three devices. I had been leaning toward the Hifi Walker H2 or the Surfans F20 but wanted to check in with you first. All that said, I have a couple of follow up questions. I hope you don't mind. Based on your reviews, it seems that each would be solid choice. Which is the easiest to use? Are you aware of any of the 3 having issues pairing with the Wonderboom 2? The presence of tactile buttons would be a draw for my Dad; are the H2's plastic buttons quality or cheap? (I recall you raving about how well made the Surfans is.) I imagine the larger display on the Hiby is a bonus; of the Surfans and the H2, which is easiest to view? Any issues with any of the devices with updates? Anything you could offer pros/cons for these three devices in regards to the ease of putting music on them, adding music later, folder creation, etc? I truly thank you for your input and sharing your expertise!
@@pepesilvia9868 Hm... If he is technophobe, H2 would be better, but... I am not sure if it has good bluetooth support. I do not test bluetooth in depth usually because I use my phone to send bluetooth signals most of the time. I would recommend R3PRO because it should just work by itself, has the largest display and is generaly the most potent, but H2 is also great. All buttons are ok quality on both H2 and F20. I would go with H2 because it has a nice sound, but if someone is using bluetooth, the differences will be zero compared to using a smartpohne, which I would generally recommend because phones usually have better bluetooth range and signal strength compared to those portable music palyers. R3 PRO has the strongest bluetooth chip of the 3...
Great review. Can you please tell me how is the battery on the F20? I pretend to use it with a Bluetooth headphones only. How much time do you usually get? 2..3..4 hours of music? Thanks and keep on with your good work 🍻
Thank you for your kind words! The battery life should be higher than 4 hours, it should hover around 8-9 usually. Screen on time matters a bit too, if you change songs a lot, but for bluetooth, i would use a phone, usually the BT antenna is better in phones, and signal is more reliable
@@AudiophileHeaven Thank you very much for your fast answer. I really want to use this strictly for music because i cannot always use my phone because of my work. 8 to 9 hours with Bluetooth sounds perfect. Now i just need to found some little pouch bag so i can use it on my belt. Can you please tell me if the F20 is bigger or larger than a pack of cigarettes? Thank you very much 🍻
The only player that i had was a Walkman NWX-B172F... XD I want to get more serious and buy my first Hifi DAP. I saw the F20 and i thought it's pretty cool, but at this price, what you think is the other options? And what would you recommend for someone like me?
@@AudiophileHeaven I just found a device called Ak nintaus x10s, pretty similar to the F20 on design, almost half the price. What you think about it? (Sorry if i'm bothering you... It's not something really cheap, and i want to make sure before buying one.)
@@moonchase1 no worries, I like helping!! I'm not sure about that one, but if it is half of F20, it may be worth the risk, I know there are a few with the same device but under different brands
Hi. I've read about issues related to a "fade-in" during playback in the HiFi Walker (probably the Surfans too). Has this issue been fixed in firmware update? Is it only when turning on the "gapless play" function or something similar? I can't find a clear response regarding this topic and I would like to be clear on it before I make my decision on buying or not buying one of them.
I did not notice it as a glaring issue, but if you're sensitive to it, I recommend checking out MECHEN M30, I made a written review on it - www.audiophile-heaven.com/2022/12/mechen-m30-music-player-old-school-design-contemporary-sound.html
Hi, great review. Quick question. I had the fiio x1 and just bought mechen m30. Found it to be quieter than the fiio. Is the f20 louder than the mechen? Thanks
Hii, at max volume they are all about equal, there should not be a big difference. I had not had X1, but having F20 and Mechen, I found that I can take Mechen louder with lower distortion
Would you recommend this over an iPod 5th Generation for FLAC files? One of the main reasons I want to upgrade from it is the HDD is a little slow, and I'm not looking to SD cart mod it at the moment. For $98 USD this is looking pretty good tbh. This seems to be a great option at a budget pricepoint, but I just want to make sure it's a worthy upgrade or if I should hold off for a more premium DAP. Thanks in advance :)
Hii, it should sound quite a bit better than the iPod 5th gen, the only next worthy upgrade sonically and in UI would be either Tempotec V6 oir iBasso DX170, both of which are QUITE pricier.
@@AudiophileHeaven Hmm, I may consider the iBasso DX170 then. It's on sale for $360 right now. It'd be nice to have the option of using Tidal and such. I really like the build and aesthetics of this one though. Have you used the iBasso DX170? Would you say it's worth the extra $260?
I have used DX170 and loved it personally. I loved the sound. The DAP is nor particularly fun, like it is a DAP and does what any DAP does, but sound wise, it was a neat one for me. Would consider it a huge upgrade over ipod and over F20. Tempotec V6 sounds also amazing, like relaly good, but the DAP functions are much less intriguing, it is more spartan and I can't say I would recommend it if you're coming from an iPod and want the smooth system, both may feel odd until you get used to them.
Hi George. Do you know if this player can be used just as a transport of hi-res signal to an external DAC (Schiit Modi3+) via USB cable? I just want to be able to listen to my 192/24 files (I use mainly CDs) through my Schiit stack.
Hiii, it is still working ok, but due to the much better DAPs I have in my hands, I can't say that I have used it as much as a typical user would if this was their main DAP. I am mostly using DX260 from iBasso and DX320 MAX Ti from iBasso for my daily music listneing.
hi dear Georges and thank you a lot for all your reviews, always very interesting ! please, i need you to know wich is the best sound between this surfans f20 and the ACMEE MF01 ?? (only sound because i know that surfans f20 has more functionality) and wich has the best sound between the surfans f20 or the HBY R3 PRO ?? (only sound because i know that HIBY R3 PRO has more functionality ) i think your opinion and your advice are concrete and full of common sense, can you help me ? take care chris
@@AudiophileHeaven thank you again dear Georges, i agree with you. On the other hand, is the acmee mf 01 your best" budget dap" ? i mean in his price category ??( because it's cheap) , can you help me one more time ?
@AudiophileHeaven I got it ! Awesome little thing for the price :> unfortunately my one did not come with a usb c, but I got it on sale so maybe it's older stock. Still super happy with it though
hello, unfortunately I am Italian and I do not know English, I could know between Hidizs AP80 PRO and Surfans F20 which of the two has the best audio and which one do you recommend to buy? thank you very much.
What would you pick between this and a astell kern ak70 I heard the 70 has a big battery but bluetooth issues. But the ak70 is meant to have a fantastic soundstage I use 32ohm headphones
The lagest difference is in how the device looks like and feels in hand. Sonically, and as far as features go, the differences may not be very high. One important detail though, F20 is cheaper right now , so a better overall deal
Nice feel and button response. The wheel is stiff and better withe 2 thumbs. For 125 us, the firmware and ui needs to be updated. USB is 2.0 and the output is mediocre at best.. it is not a garbage player but should be 50us max.
Woah, I agree USB standard can feel a bit old and output not the best, good thing there are many alternatives too to drive the market for the better :)
Hii, at this price point, it is pretty great. I don't know much else great and new to recommend, this one is good for IEMs too, Acme MF-01 is also good, but that one has hiss with IEMs and isn't recommended
Hi I’m looking to buy my first DAP, I’ll be using ETYMOTIC ER3XR IEM’s, I’d preferably like the DAP to be none touch screen analog controls and a USB - C connector for transferring files and to charge the device, any recommendation would be highly appreciated. Bless you for the awesome review.✌️
Hiii, and thank you so much for your kind words! Right now, the only drawback of F20 is the lack of type-c connector, but otherwise it is pretty amazing. iBasso will be making a new DAP soon, but it will be touch screen based, named DX170, and it will also be interesting to look at.
Hi George, nice review. Why do you think this sounds so good? It has Texas Instrument's PCM510Xa (5102?) DAC chip yet, these days, everyone seems to only rave about totl AK4490/93/97, ESS Sabre ESS9218P DAC chips and Cirrus Logic CS43131 chips. Is it simply that the chip in the Surfans F20 is perfectly matched and balanced in all its input/output stages? Thanks.
@@AudiophileHeaven Thanks, that's great to know. Having looked around on Head fi obscure chifi daps and your review I ordered this and just heard it's arriving today 🙂 Keep up the excellent work on all your sites 👍🏻
Have you plugged it into a car audio system via USB? I read somewhere on the internet that it's one of its flaws, one cannot connect it to the car that way, so if I'm gonna be using bluetooth (my car doesn't have aux input) then I'm better off with my ipod touch. Does sound quality drop if used with bluetooth?
Hello. I have a question. For a dap to use for gym I am looking for something around 100 bucks. Now what I need is mw power, and a good eq. I got the fiio m3.hiby r2 and r3. And I can't use it because they have a bad eq that affects volume about 6 to 10 db. No point for them to be 70mw power when I change the ew it goes down to 30mw and the Sony nw a55 has only 45mw. But a perfect eq that does not change other fz like this hiby does. Other thing is the mseb, .its real bad, bass extention does not go on bass and affects mids, then you had mids to be forward because you lost vocal volume and then change the air because the voice become thicker and then the bass extention goes back to 0. Is like a having a seating that says, to loose weigh press this. And other that says. Loose weight with burgers, and when you add loose weight with burgers the loose weight goes back to default. It makes no sense that eq. Thicker instruments changes voice tone. Temperature changes bass and voice. Is like you send 3 hours back and forwards and all people speak about this without having a trial. Then I say, screw this crap. Back to eq and volume goes down that I need to play at 100% and all distortion comes on. It's bad. So I ask a simple question. What eq is good that does not affect volume. And what dap is strong in volume because I have 50 iems and some they need power. Thanks
Hiii În your situation, I would consider something more expensive, all entry level DAPs will have serious shortcomings and won't be worth the stress. I would consider something elegant like FiiO M11Pro second hand. I don't know of any that has good EQ in the entry level price range .......
For the gym. I already won good daps. But for the gym they all break. So I go cheap now. The fiio 11 I think uses the hiby eq, and that eq looses volume by 40% and sounds really bad. Afraid to buy it. But I can't be sure. I know the.m3 has that eq.
@@AudiophileHeaven I’m actually already in love with it. You can’t manipulate the track with the F20 as much as the Ap80, but the look and feel and sound are growing on me and I will be using this one much more than my Ap80. Thanks for your video!
Hi. Most probably not with this one, but if you're using it as a USB DAC from your phone, and have a 3.5mm aux cord on your 2.1 speakers, it would theoretically work. But you could use virtually anything else to do it , like any DAP with USB DAC function
Honestly, I am not sure, for wireless I always recommend smartphones, they have better connection quality, stronger antennas, and are more reliable wirelessly.
@@AudiophileHeaven Thanks for your reply :) This was mentioned by someone in an Amazon review. I'd like to be able to skip tracks and adjust volume without taking it out of my pocket, so having to unlock would be a deal-breaker for me...
Overall, it sounds a bit more powerful, can drive headphones a bit better, and is a bit more forward. Not quite as easy to recommend if you need apps, but if you like the vintage design, it would be a perfect match!
@@Sithma That's true, but neither won't fix the product if you have a big issue after the warranty expires. Both are covered by Amazon if you purchase from Amazon, which I recommend :)
@@AudiophileHeaven Amazon is the only option! I was sure to get R2 since I watched your review, because of brand , complete features and such but I follow you for years and I always trusted your reviews and advice
That's a good question, I don't think so. I don't have any to test directly, but as gat as i know , only music files are generally supported You could convert the files via foobar2000 though 😌
Hii, it should play both Wav and ALAC or apple lossless. Here's the full list of files that work on it: FLAC, WAV, WMA, M4A, MP3, MP2, AAC, APE, ALAC, OGG, AIFF, DFF, Native DSD64 (2.8MHz) DSD 128
Geez, u just advised me of my inadvertent DOWNgrade in mp3's. I already have the HiFi Walker. I just ordered the Hiby R3 Pro Saber for twice the price. But I still want that Saber for the features. I hope it at least comes CLOSE to the HiFi Walker in sound. Your opinion?
Never don't downgrade lossless files to MP3. I never heard the hifi walker, so I'm not sure if it is the same thing or not, bit R3Pro should be the best one for features. It should also sound similar , shouldn't be below the hifi walker or Surfans f20
I would suggest not giving too much importance to hi res with this one. While I can hear differences between hi res and normal with most DAPs, entry level ones aren't worth using above FLAC and typically don't see all of my files properly 😔
@@LINUXGRATISYMEJOR F20 did not read it for me, doesn't see the files 😔 But I'm not sure why tho DX300 sees the same files, mostly some Metallica discography (?)
It seems the "iRULU" and "Surfans" make this exact same F20 HiFi MP3 Player with Bluetooth. At the being of this video you answered my question, why? Both look exactly the same with the same specs and features, appearance etc. - exactly. The only difference is the name (logo) on the player itself. I'm an old Zune Mp3 player person, I have a few, Zune 32GB HD players plus a red - 120GB Zune player. I had an old HP Windows 7 Pro desktop that died recently and I had to buy a Windows 7 desktop, even though I have two Windows 10 computers because the Zune software will only work on Windows 7 computers or older versions of Windows, it will not work on Windows 10. So I found a really nice, totally refurbished Dell - SFF desktop computer with Windows 7 Pro, freshly installed with all the Microsoft Windows 7 updates also installed, totally loaded and specked out with an intel CORE i7 processor and tons of memory/super fast for just 119.00 bucks - it looks and operates just like a new one out of the box! It's 3 times the HP computer that just died and I thought it was the good one! That's how much I love my Zune Players. I had to buy a Windows 7 computer just so I can load and program my Zune players, this is on top of already owning two separate Windows 10 Pro computers. Anyways, I think I'm gonna try this new "Surfans" MP3 player, it's got my interest, especially with it having Bluetooth. Thanks for the info! Love this video and your channel!
@@AudiophileHeaven I put albums on there? But the thing of it is it may be because it’s 128gb who knows. But if I can’t put no more music on there and my capacity is full? Why does it say that?
Can't see the mw power anywhere. Does it have power in volume?
I could not find the exact power anywhere either...
@@AudiophileHeaven I did. 70mw. Same as sony 55
@@paulosilva8200 Woah, good info! Hope everyone gets to see it, will come in handy to those considering the DAP!
@@AudiophileHeaven correct. I had to send an email to them. 70mw total. 35mw. For some iems. Like raptor or etymotic no point . I have a few daps. But I want one with balance. So I order the Hidizs AP80 PRO.x
seems like the old/vintage looking DAPs has more power and better sounding than other DAPs with great screens, ui or more updated like type-c lol
That is pretty much what happened and what is happening. They gotta win in some way, and those who make very basic DAPs manage to make them sound better usually :)
@@AudiophileHeaven ive found the newer styles are more comfy to carry and use, but the f20 in this video just has something about it that performs better
Purchased a Surfans F20 and Sound Magic E11s........brilliant sound and the build quality of items is superb.
Woah, super nice, happy to hear you're having fun!
@@AudiophileHeaven😃👍
I recently got an f20 on sale (Aug 2022) and the device is fitted with a USB-C port 👍 In general i really like this device, i haven't had a dedicated music player since the original Android phone came out but i switched back and I'm happy i did.
The Bluetooth on my f20 has been spotty so now i mostly use iem instead of my pixel buds, i would like if the bt was better/easier but oh well. The sound quality is great and the battery lasts me about a week with daily use. I love the real buttons instead of a touch surface. I would recommend it to others 👍
Happy to hear you're having fun! Also, for bluetoth, it is not the best, smartphones always handle bluetooth much better
Does it have a true shuffle player, my android phone has shuffle option but I noticed it likes to repeat the same song within a hour 😐 I remember ipod classic had true shuffle, if I had 500 songs it would shuffle < playing 1 out of 499> it will literally go though each song randomly until it reaches 500...
@@MrChangeordie I haven't noticed shuffle repeating songs, but I don't use it very often so you might discover otherwise
@@KaiCrafted 👍😎
Hi George, just discovered your channel, I love your energy in these videos, a breath of fresh air in the HIFI space! Please tell me, in your experience, how does the F20 compare to the Hiby R3 Pro/Pro Saber? Thanks in advance.
Hiii, thank you and always happy to help!!
Hm... R3 is a bit more neutral, F20 is a bit warmer in tuning, F20 has slightly more driving power, but also slightly more background hissing with IEMs. I would go for R3 PRO if budget allows and if you're not bothered by the screen, but if you prefer buttons controls then F20 is more comfortable to use.
Great video! So would you say, for playing flac files this is way better than using a high end 2022 phone in terms of sound quality?
Hii, yes, should sound much better!
That was a really excellent review!
Really happy to help!!!😸
A good review. This dac now comes with Usb-C type. So sing a song on that one!
Super nice, and thank you!
I appreciate your reviews and would like to ask your opinion. I need to ask, should I go for Surfans F20, Hiby R3 Pro Saber, or a Hifi Walker H2? I am looking for a basic, reliable DAP. The ease of transferring files (and creating playlists) is very important to me. Many thanks!
Hii, all of them are ok, none can't do on the go playlists very well. I would probably go R3 PRO saber for more functions, and go H2 or F20 for more driving power, and an improved sonics
What are you driving with them?
Thank you so much for your reply!!!! I am unsure of the pairing, as this will be a gift for my Dad. I am unsure of the headphones that he has but know that he would utilize a Wonderboom 2 via Bluetooth for casual use. (I recognize that this would impact fidelity.) He is mildly technophobic. Anything device with too many options or that is too complex to use will result in his lack of enjoyment and the device would sit unused. He LOVES music and has a considerable collection... and I want him to be able to enjoy that music as much as possible. I visited your website and your TH-cam channel and watched/read many of your reviews. You spoke VERY highly of all three devices. I had been leaning toward the Hifi Walker H2 or the Surfans F20 but wanted to check in with you first. All that said, I have a couple of follow up questions. I hope you don't mind. Based on your reviews, it seems that each would be solid choice. Which is the easiest to use? Are you aware of any of the 3 having issues pairing with the Wonderboom 2? The presence of tactile buttons would be a draw for my Dad; are the H2's plastic buttons quality or cheap? (I recall you raving about how well made the Surfans is.) I imagine the larger display on the Hiby is a bonus; of the Surfans and the H2, which is easiest to view? Any issues with any of the devices with updates? Anything you could offer pros/cons for these three devices in regards to the ease of putting music on them, adding music later, folder creation, etc? I truly thank you for your input and sharing your expertise!
@@pepesilvia9868 Hm... If he is technophobe, H2 would be better, but... I am not sure if it has good bluetooth support. I do not test bluetooth in depth usually because I use my phone to send bluetooth signals most of the time. I would recommend R3PRO because it should just work by itself, has the largest display and is generaly the most potent, but H2 is also great. All buttons are ok quality on both H2 and F20. I would go with H2 because it has a nice sound, but if someone is using bluetooth, the differences will be zero compared to using a smartpohne, which I would generally recommend because phones usually have better bluetooth range and signal strength compared to those portable music palyers. R3 PRO has the strongest bluetooth chip of the 3...
Thank you so very much! You've been a huge help!!!
@@pepesilvia9868 Always happy to help!!
music i listen is soul, funk, jazz, rap
Great review.
Can you please tell me how is the battery on the F20?
I pretend to use it with a Bluetooth headphones only.
How much time do you usually get?
2..3..4 hours of music?
Thanks and keep on with your good work 🍻
Thank you for your kind words! The battery life should be higher than 4 hours, it should hover around 8-9 usually. Screen on time matters a bit too, if you change songs a lot, but for bluetooth, i would use a phone, usually the BT antenna is better in phones, and signal is more reliable
@@AudiophileHeaven Thank you very much for your fast answer.
I really want to use this strictly for music because i cannot always use my phone because of my work.
8 to 9 hours with Bluetooth sounds perfect.
Now i just need to found some little pouch bag so i can use it on my belt.
Can you please tell me if the F20 is bigger or larger than a pack of cigarettes?
Thank you very much 🍻
Always happy to help! F20 is smaller than a Romanian pack of cigs, shorter, a bit narrower and a bit thinner.
@@AudiophileHeaven You're amazing 🍻 Thank you very much🙋👍
The only player that i had was a Walkman NWX-B172F... XD I want to get more serious and buy my first Hifi DAP. I saw the F20 and i thought it's pretty cool, but at this price, what you think is the other options? And what would you recommend for someone like me?
At this price point, it would be perfect. I can also recommend tempotec V1A, but it can be a bit buggy
@@AudiophileHeaven I just found a device called Ak nintaus x10s, pretty similar to the F20 on design, almost half the price. What you think about it? (Sorry if i'm bothering you... It's not something really cheap, and i want to make sure before buying one.)
@@moonchase1 no worries, I like helping!!
I'm not sure about that one, but if it is half of F20, it may be worth the risk, I know there are a few with the same device but under different brands
@@AudiophileHeaven Alright. Thanks buddy!
Hi. I've read about issues related to a "fade-in" during playback in the HiFi Walker (probably the Surfans too). Has this issue been fixed in firmware update? Is it only when turning on the "gapless play" function or something similar? I can't find a clear response regarding this topic and I would like to be clear on it before I make my decision on buying or not buying one of them.
I did not notice it as a glaring issue, but if you're sensitive to it, I recommend checking out MECHEN M30, I made a written review on it - www.audiophile-heaven.com/2022/12/mechen-m30-music-player-old-school-design-contemporary-sound.html
Which is better between HI-FI Walker H2 and this Surfans? Thanks
They are on equal footing, pick the one that seems like a better device for operation! Which you think looks better, etc.
Great review, got it yesterday and to my surprise it came with a usb-c port!
WOAH, that's so awesome!!
Wouldlove a USB C version, where did you order your F20?
@@couzcouzify Ordered on Amazon Surfan Audio.
I got mine about 6 months ago and it was micro USB 😢
Hi, great review. Quick question. I had the fiio x1 and just bought mechen m30. Found it to be quieter than the fiio. Is the f20 louder than the mechen? Thanks
Hii, at max volume they are all about equal, there should not be a big difference. I had not had X1, but having F20 and Mechen, I found that I can take Mechen louder with lower distortion
@@AudiophileHeaven Ah ok, thanks for your reply , thats good to know :)
Would you recommend this over an iPod 5th Generation for FLAC files? One of the main reasons I want to upgrade from it is the HDD is a little slow, and I'm not looking to SD cart mod it at the moment. For $98 USD this is looking pretty good tbh. This seems to be a great option at a budget pricepoint, but I just want to make sure it's a worthy upgrade or if I should hold off for a more premium DAP. Thanks in advance :)
Hii, it should sound quite a bit better than the iPod 5th gen, the only next worthy upgrade sonically and in UI would be either Tempotec V6 oir iBasso DX170, both of which are QUITE pricier.
@@AudiophileHeaven Hmm, I may consider the iBasso DX170 then. It's on sale for $360 right now. It'd be nice to have the option of using Tidal and such. I really like the build and aesthetics of this one though. Have you used the iBasso DX170? Would you say it's worth the extra $260?
I have used DX170 and loved it personally. I loved the sound. The DAP is nor particularly fun, like it is a DAP and does what any DAP does, but sound wise, it was a neat one for me. Would consider it a huge upgrade over ipod and over F20. Tempotec V6 sounds also amazing, like relaly good, but the DAP functions are much less intriguing, it is more spartan and I can't say I would recommend it if you're coming from an iPod and want the smooth system, both may feel odd until you get used to them.
Hi George. Do you know if this player can be used just as a transport of hi-res signal to an external DAC (Schiit Modi3+) via USB cable?
I just want to be able to listen to my 192/24 files (I use mainly CDs) through my Schiit stack.
Hii, I don't think it has USB output, only OTG function to read USB cards...
How is this DAP holding out after 3 years? Is it still working properly? Have the buttons held out well?
Hiii, it is still working ok, but due to the much better DAPs I have in my hands, I can't say that I have used it as much as a typical user would if this was their main DAP. I am mostly using DX260 from iBasso and DX320 MAX Ti from iBasso for my daily music listneing.
hi dear Georges and thank you a lot for all your reviews, always very interesting ! please, i need you to know wich is the best sound between this surfans f20 and the ACMEE MF01 ?? (only sound because i know that surfans f20 has more functionality) and wich has the best sound between the surfans f20 or the HBY R3 PRO ?? (only sound because i know that HIBY R3 PRO has more functionality ) i think your opinion and your advice are concrete and full of common sense, can you help me ? take care
chris
Hii Chris ,
Surfans F20 or R3 Pro are your best bet😊
R3 Pro would probably sound the best of them all, but also most expensive
@@AudiophileHeaven thank you again dear Georges, i agree with you. On the other hand, is the acmee mf 01 your best" budget dap" ? i mean in his price category ??( because it's cheap) , can you help me one more time ?
@@chrissound5764 mf01 is best if you have hard to drive headphones. It won't work well at all for IEMs though, it had a high output impedance
@@AudiophileHeaven YOU are the boss ! thank you again, have a nice day
@@chrissound5764 hope you also have an awesome day in there!!!
Hai, juat recently ordered one, im fairly certain it comes with a usb c connector now, will update when i recieve it though !
Hope it will be lots of fun when it arrives!
@AudiophileHeaven I got it ! Awesome little thing for the price :> unfortunately my one did not come with a usb c, but I got it on sale so maybe it's older stock. Still super happy with it though
hello, unfortunately I am Italian and I do not know English, I could know between Hidizs AP80 PRO and Surfans F20 which of the two has the best audio and which one do you recommend to buy? thank you very much.
Hard choice. I would go with the Hidizs, seems more stable right now, and you can find it in stock easier
@@AudiophileHeaven thank you very much
What would you pick between this and a astell kern ak70 I heard the 70 has a big battery but bluetooth issues. But the ak70 is meant to have a fantastic soundstage I use 32ohm headphones
They are not even remotely the same price, would pick AK70 any day for sound. Bluetooth is still better from a smartphone.
What is the difference with the HIFI WALKER H2 also on Amazon?
The lagest difference is in how the device looks like and feels in hand. Sonically, and as far as features go, the differences may not be very high. One important detail though, F20 is cheaper right now , so a better overall deal
Nice feel and button response. The wheel is stiff and better withe 2 thumbs. For 125 us, the firmware and ui needs to be updated. USB is 2.0 and the output is mediocre at best.. it is not a garbage player but should be 50us max.
Woah, I agree USB standard can feel a bit old and output not the best, good thing there are many alternatives too to drive the market for the better :)
I just got a pair of Etymotic ER4SR
f20 is a good player to use with it ? Or do you think are better ones at similar price ?
Thanks
Hii, at this price point, it is pretty great. I don't know much else great and new to recommend, this one is good for IEMs too, Acme MF-01 is also good, but that one has hiss with IEMs and isn't recommended
Hi I’m looking to buy my first DAP, I’ll be using ETYMOTIC ER3XR IEM’s, I’d preferably like the DAP to be none touch screen analog controls and a USB - C connector for transferring files and to charge the device, any recommendation would be highly appreciated. Bless you for the awesome review.✌️
Hiii, and thank you so much for your kind words!
Right now, the only drawback of F20 is the lack of type-c connector, but otherwise it is pretty amazing. iBasso will be making a new DAP soon, but it will be touch screen based, named DX170, and it will also be interesting to look at.
hey, surfans f20 or hifi walker h2 in your opinion? which is better?
Hii, they're about equal. F20 is better for headphones, H2 works well for IEMs too, becuase it has a lower output impedance.
Hi George, nice review. Why do you think this sounds so good? It has Texas Instrument's PCM510Xa (5102?) DAC chip yet, these days, everyone seems to only rave about totl AK4490/93/97, ESS Sabre ESS9218P DAC chips and Cirrus Logic CS43131 chips. Is it simply that the chip in the Surfans F20 is perfectly matched and balanced in all its input/output stages?
Thanks.
The main idea is that the DAC is good, but the OP-AMPs are what's magical. It has Muses 01 OP-AMPs, some of the best that ever existed
@@AudiophileHeaven Thanks, that's great to know. Having looked around on Head fi obscure chifi daps and your review I ordered this and just heard it's arriving today 🙂
Keep up the excellent work on all your sites 👍🏻
@@escudos999 Thanks a lot, and hope it brings tons of fun to you!
@@AudiophileHeaven This is a fact? Sorry, but I can't find any info to substantiate it.
@@Elegiac7 about the muses op amps?
They are really good!
Have been out of production for a long time now...
Great review and is it that good? Exactly as described. I brought one and soooo happy I did.
Happy to have helped, friend!!
@@AudiophileHeaven Really Appreciate the clear honest Review
thinking about getting this
@@nateword Only 1 issue I have with it. There is no case for it. Apart from that. It is exactly the digital retro music player I needed.
@@RainWalking on Amazon now !! how many songs can it hold,is it 32gb?
You can always trust Balki Bartakamus!
Thank you!
Have you plugged it into a car audio system via USB? I read somewhere on the internet that it's one of its flaws, one cannot connect it to the car that way, so if I'm gonna be using bluetooth (my car doesn't have aux input) then I'm better off with my ipod touch. Does sound quality drop if used with bluetooth?
You can't use it that way, sadly.ipods work, but this one not , at least with my car.
Yes, sonic quality degrades a bit if you use Bluetooth
hi! thanks for the review! Can you turn off bluetooth?
Hi, yes, it should be turned off unless you manually turn it on
Hi nice review.
Please do review also for the F28 model
Thank you! I will try to cover that one too!
Hello. I have a question. For a dap to use for gym I am looking for something around 100 bucks. Now what I need is mw power, and a good eq. I got the fiio m3.hiby r2 and r3. And I can't use it because they have a bad eq that affects volume about 6 to 10 db. No point for them to be 70mw power when I change the ew it goes down to 30mw and the Sony nw a55 has only 45mw. But a perfect eq that does not change other fz like this hiby does. Other thing is the mseb, .its real bad, bass extention does not go on bass and affects mids, then you had mids to be forward because you lost vocal volume and then change the air because the voice become thicker and then the bass extention goes back to 0. Is like a having a seating that says, to loose weigh press this. And other that says. Loose weight with burgers, and when you add loose weight with burgers the loose weight goes back to default. It makes no sense that eq. Thicker instruments changes voice tone. Temperature changes bass and voice. Is like you send 3 hours back and forwards and all people speak about this without having a trial. Then I say, screw this crap. Back to eq and volume goes down that I need to play at 100% and all distortion comes on. It's bad. So I ask a simple question. What eq is good that does not affect volume. And what dap is strong in volume because I have 50 iems and some they need power. Thanks
Hiii
În your situation, I would consider something more expensive, all entry level DAPs will have serious shortcomings and won't be worth the stress. I would consider something elegant like FiiO M11Pro second hand. I don't know of any that has good EQ in the entry level price range .......
For the gym. I already won good daps. But for the gym they all break. So I go cheap now. The fiio 11 I think uses the hiby eq, and that eq looses volume by 40% and sounds really bad. Afraid to buy it. But I can't be sure. I know the.m3 has that eq.
I have the Hidz ap80, I am going to take a leap of faith on this one...I
I'm not sure if you'll see a big upgrade, but I hope it will be fun!
@@AudiophileHeaven I’m actually already in love with it. You can’t manipulate the track with the F20 as much as the Ap80, but the look and feel and sound are growing on me and I will be using this one much more than my Ap80. Thanks for your video!
I had that one for 6 months. Then the jack broke and I sent it back. So considering this
Surfans f28 is better than fiio m3 pro? Regarding audio quality
I have not heard the F28 yet, but I will try to and let you know how it compares
I'm with you on the usb-c. Micro is a horrible connector.
USB C for the win!!
Hi, any ideas whether it is better than old fiio X3? Thank you.
It is smoother in operation and more reliable than an old X3 can be right now. The sound is more natural, less warm and more wide in soundstage
Can I stream Amazon HD from my iphone to it and then connect it to play thru powered bookshelf 2.1 speakers
Hi. Most probably not with this one, but if you're using it as a USB DAC from your phone, and have a 3.5mm aux cord on your 2.1 speakers, it would theoretically work. But you could use virtually anything else to do it , like any DAP with USB DAC function
I need this to be twice as big with an RS232 to charge/sync
Woah, that would be am interesting dap. I don't think they would make it as cheap though 😔
@@AudiophileHeaven I was just trying to think how to make it more clunky 😂 Anyway, great review 👍🏼
@@koolstup thanks a lot!!!
Hello George
How is the loudness combared to the Fiio X1 version 1?
Hi, it should get much louder with everything
OK.Thx
does surfans work with airpods pro?
Honestly, I am not sure, for wireless I always recommend smartphones, they have better connection quality, stronger antennas, and are more reliable wirelessly.
Is it true that to use skip/pause buttons you must first illuminate the screen to unlock?
Good question, I honestly haven't checked, but it should be possible to do it both ways, if you set it right (?)
@@AudiophileHeaven Thanks for your reply :)
This was mentioned by someone in an Amazon review. I'd like to be able to skip tracks and adjust volume without taking it out of my pocket, so having to unlock would be a deal-breaker for me...
Vs hidizs ap80/ap80pro? In terms of power & sound quality? Tia
Overall, it sounds a bit more powerful, can drive headphones a bit better, and is a bit more forward.
Not quite as easy to recommend if you need apps, but if you like the vintage design, it would be a perfect match!
should i use wired or bluetooth headphones with this? if so any recommendations?
Wired.
I'm not sure it does such a great with Bluetooth. I would use a smartphone for Bluetooth usage .
@@AudiophileHeaven thanks are there any specific headphones you recommend?
@@diegoivan4977 What money do you have?
I know a few that are ok
@@AudiophileHeaven probably somewhere around 30 usd
@@diegoivan4977 uhhh , tight budget
I would suggest saving up to IBasso IT00 . Lower is Blon stuff, I reviewed a few
How would you compare it with Hiby R2?
Sonically, F20 sounds considerably better than R2, more driving power, more dynamics, more punch 🎵
@@AudiophileHeavenTy, I'm going to get it, my only concern is about the company considering the future, Hiby is a more consistent company
@@Sithma That's true, but neither won't fix the product if you have a big issue after the warranty expires. Both are covered by Amazon if you purchase from Amazon, which I recommend :)
@@AudiophileHeaven Amazon is the only option! I was sure to get R2 since I watched your review, because of brand , complete features and such but I follow you for years and I always trusted your reviews and advice
Does this player supports gapless playback for mp3 files?
In theory it should. it won't work for certain files sometimes, but it does have support for it Afaik
Does it play audiobooks in .m4b file format?
That's a good question, I don't think so. I don't have any to test directly, but as gat as i know , only music files are generally supported
You could convert the files via foobar2000 though 😌
Type C! Type C! Type C! Why no Type C for 120 big ones?!?
Yes, that's a pretty big downside to it... I have to search for a cable to charge it...
Is that guy who does Hollywood voice overs?..
Wish I was XD
Does it play wav, apple lossless format?
Hii, it should play both Wav and ALAC or apple lossless. Here's the full list of files that work on it: FLAC, WAV, WMA, M4A, MP3, MP2, AAC, APE, ALAC, OGG, AIFF, DFF, Native DSD64 (2.8MHz) DSD 128
Geez, u just advised me of my inadvertent DOWNgrade in mp3's. I already have the HiFi Walker. I just ordered the Hiby R3 Pro Saber for twice the price. But I still want that Saber for the features. I hope it at least comes CLOSE to the HiFi Walker in sound. Your opinion?
Never don't downgrade lossless files to MP3.
I never heard the hifi walker, so I'm not sure if it is the same thing or not, bit R3Pro should be the best one for features. It should also sound similar , shouldn't be below the hifi walker or Surfans f20
it seems their other player F22 has USB-C and touchscreen... however the specs not as impressive
Indeed!
I guess i have a second revision because mine has usb c.
I heard that newer editions come with USB C, more for the win for us music lovers
@@AudiophileHeaven exactly 😄
Que reproduzca audio .flac HiRes en 24Bit a 384000Hz, quedo conforme.
I would suggest not giving too much importance to hi res with this one. While I can hear differences between hi res and normal with most DAPs, entry level ones aren't worth using above FLAC and typically don't see all of my files properly 😔
@@AudiophileHeaven Y a una calidad de 24Bit y 192000Hz, puede ser?
@@LINUXGRATISYMEJOR F20 did not read it for me, doesn't see the files 😔
But I'm not sure why tho
DX300 sees the same files, mostly some Metallica discography (?)
@@AudiophileHeaven Amigo entonces si no te muestra unos archivos, mejor ni pienso en comprarlo.
SOLD OUT
Do you have another link?
Woah, they are fast! I think most of the units sold because of me, judging from the Amazon raport lol
Here's a different linky : amzn.to/3dDvO9O
@-*KGB*- eBay and even Aliexpres could work!
Serge!
Sir yes sir 🤣🤣🤣
Why not invest good quality headset and use your cellphone as a player instead.
That is also an option, check my channel, I review a ton of good headphones and earphones.
would have been nice to see the file transfer.
It is not very fast, would not use it to transfer files, I always purchase a separate microSD reader.
Does it play radio ?
Hii, sadly as far as I know, it can't play radio 😔
It seems the "iRULU" and "Surfans" make this exact same F20 HiFi MP3 Player with Bluetooth. At the being of this video you answered my question, why? Both look exactly the same with the same specs and features, appearance etc. - exactly. The only difference is the name (logo) on the player itself. I'm an old Zune Mp3 player person, I have a few, Zune 32GB HD players plus a red - 120GB Zune player. I had an old HP Windows 7 Pro desktop that died recently and I had to buy a Windows 7 desktop, even though I have two Windows 10 computers because the Zune software will only work on Windows 7 computers or older versions of Windows, it will not work on Windows 10. So I found a really nice, totally refurbished Dell - SFF desktop computer with Windows 7 Pro, freshly installed with all the Microsoft Windows 7 updates also installed, totally loaded and specked out with an intel CORE i7 processor and tons of memory/super fast for just 119.00 bucks - it looks and operates just like a new one out of the box! It's 3 times the HP computer that just died and I thought it was the good one! That's how much I love my Zune Players. I had to buy a Windows 7 computer just so I can load and program my Zune players, this is on top of already owning two separate Windows 10 Pro computers. Anyways, I think I'm gonna try this new "Surfans" MP3 player, it's got my interest, especially with it having Bluetooth. Thanks for the info! Love this video and your channel!
Thanks a lot, and really happy to help! :)
@@AudiophileHeaven do you know where this company comes from? irulu?
@@briepeterson9718 My best guess would be China tbh
❤❤🤞
XD
Time for a haircut?
I'm not sure, I like longer hair, and most barber shops are closed in here, so I'd have to do it myself.... xD
@A Rodriguez thank you... I hope I'll still have it later too 😣
Almost 100 dollars on this garbage and came broken dont waste your time and money on this sh...
Woah, what happened to U, friend?
The company and Amazon should send u a new one if it arrived broken
Im still waiting after 10 days and nothing
I bought it and I couldn’t put every song on there and it’s MP3! It’ll say “Unsupported File” 🤦🏾♂️!
@@91Definite woah , did you ever manage do find out why?
@@AudiophileHeaven I put albums on there? But the thing of it is it may be because it’s 128gb who knows. But if I can’t put no more music on there and my capacity is full? Why does it say that?