MOBILE TUNES

A dedicated digital audio player can change the way you listen to music. Steve Hogarty picks three of his favourites

- By Steve Hogarty

You might be surprised to learn that MP3 players still exist. Not only that, but they’re popular with people who take their music seriously – the kind that roll their eyes at lossy Spotify streams and keep recommending you try Tidal.

MP3 players – or digital audio players, to give them their proper title – are also great for the gym and for running with, letting you continue to listen to your music and podcasts while leaving your bulky and expensive smartphone at home.

For audiophiles, dedicated players pack superior digital-to-analogue converters (DACs), higher power outputs and support for lossless audio formats to deliver truly high-resolution sound that your phone simply can't match. With the right player and decent pair of headphones, the songs you love can sound new again.

I've rounded up a selection of the best MP3 and digital audio players around, from premium high-res audio players to budget-friendly options perfect for kids.

Whether you want to rediscover your music library without the nagging distractions of a phone or you simply want the best possible sound quality on the go, keep reading for the MP3 players that will give your playlists a new lease of life.

How I tested

I've spent weeks testing various digital audio players. They've been used at home, in the office, and on walks and runs. When testing with high-end players, I listened using the wireless Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and the wired Sennheiser IE 100 in-ear monitors. This was my testing criteria:

• Sound quality: Listening to content across different genres (Brian Eno, Robyn, Kendrick Lamar, Arcade Fire, and many, many more) I considered sound fidelity (how accurately the players were able to reproduce the sound of what I was listening to), as well as sound detail and presentation across lows, mids and highs.