HiDiZS AP80 Pro Max Audio Player and MP145 Pro Earphones

November 13, 2026

HIDIZS AP80 PRO MAX AUDIO PLAYER AND MP145 PRO EARPHONES REVIEW

Hidizs are a portable audio company from China; they’ve been on the scene for quite some time now, making a range of portable players, dongles, and earphones. They’re always great to talk to at shows and are very passionate about their products.

In this review, I’ll be taking a listen to one of their more recent products, the AP80 PRO MAX portable audio player, paired with their MP145 PRO earphones, along with some of my own headphones. If you buy the MP145 PRO with the AP80 PRO MAX, they offer a bundle discount; separately, the AP80 PRO MAX comes in at around £169 and the MP145 PRO at £159.

BUILD AND FEATURES OF THE AP80 PRO MAX

Starting with the AP80 PRO MAX portable player, this is a tiny little player that is made out of aluminium with a front touchscreen and a rear glass panel – with a volume and selection knob on the side. There are playback buttons on the side too, along with a USB-C port and 3.5mm and 4.4mm sockets on the bottom of the player. The top face is plastic – as this has both WiFi and Bluetooth built in. The overall build is very solid, with only minor play in the scroll wheel on the side of the player. The earphones are solidly made too, with a CNC-machined housing, a detachable 2-pin cable, and a reassuring weight to them.

Feature-wise, the AP80 PRO MAX runs on Hiby OS (Linux-based), so it’s easy and intuitive to both navigate and use. I didn’t have any issues flicking through my music and using it in daily listening sessions. It comes with dual ESS Sabre ES9219C DACs internally and can output 190mW per channel in balanced mode using the 4.4mm output – plenty of drive for most portable headphones and earphones. It has bi-directional Bluetooth and supports LDAC, aptX, AAC, SBC, and UAT. Bi-directional support allows you to use the AP80 PRO MAX as a source to Bluetooth headphones (as used with the Noble Fokus Artemis), and as a receiver to use the AP80 PRO MAX as a Bluetooth DAC/Amp into your headphones of choice.

The USB-C port is also bi-directional, allowing you to output audio via USB-C into an external DAC, as well as to use the AP80 PRO MAX as a DAC/Amp itself. WiFi supports streaming from all the usual services, along with AirPlay and general DLNA support. Internally, the player will support up to DSD256 and PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz, so it covers most bases. Battery life is around 12 hours, plenty for most people, and you get full PEQ/EQ facilities along with line-out mode and high/low gain too. MicroSD supports up to 2TB, which is a little mad – Hidizs have managed to pack a hell of a lot into such a tiny little device.

The MP145 PRO earphones are a little simpler; they house a single 14.5mm planar magnetic driver, with an impedance of 30 ohms and a sensitivity of 104dB. These are fairly easy to drive, but do benefit from a dedicated source – hence their pairing with the AP80 PRO MAX. They come with a huge assortment of tips for sound tuning, as well as 3 different interchangeable nozzles – Silver for high-frequency focus, Rose Gold for balanced, and Red for an increased low end. These nozzles do make an appreciable difference in sound signature; I found myself preferring the balanced nozzles and their Sea Anemone liquid silicone tips.

SETUP AND USE

I loaded up the AP80 PRO MAX with a 128GB microSD card with CD rips from my collection and used it for quite some time before writing this review. I used it as a Bluetooth source, sending audio over LDAC to the Noble Fokus Artemis headphones, and in wired mode with the MP145 PRO via the 4.4mm balanced output. I also used a few other headphones, as detailed below.

SOUND QUALITY

When using the AP80 PRO MAX as a Bluetooth source, it’s not colouring the sound as such, but it does work as an excellent source if used with a good codec like LDAC to a pair of high-quality Bluetooth headphones. I enjoyed using it with the Noble Fokus Artemis – it rivalled a good wired setup and meant I didn’t have to rely on an internet connection for streaming via my phone. It came in handy during my 3-hour trips to the office, and I cannot fault its use case as a Bluetooth source.

However, the main attraction here is going to be using this as a main DAP (digital audio player) during daily use. And that’s what I did. I used it on a flight for a work event with my Soundz Avant custom in-ears and it did a brilliant job of driving them with authority and detail. I would say that the output is pretty clean and neutral, with a great sense of detail and accurate control of the bass. Dynamically, it is a more fun and punchy-sounding DAP that works well in daily use with a range of different headphones and earphones.

Using the MP145 PRO earphones, I found that the AP80 PRO MAX easily drove them with great tonal balance. In My Blood by Movements came on, and the bass line is thick and articulate; then the drums kick in and you get great placement of them across the soundstage. Snares are snappy, with impressive control; cymbals crash and extend without harshness, and the overall balance is superb here. Vocals are real and well placed, with subtle details easily heard throughout; they never become congested. This combo sounds sublime for the money; you get spacious-sounding earphones with a great driving force behind them, for just over £300 – excellent value in my opinion. The AP80 PRO MAX is able to extract great impact from the kick drums; they not only hit hard, but they have the lower body to back them up. I found myself enjoying this combo a lot.

Next up was Fluorescent Adolescent by Arctic Monkeys, and the hard-panned stereo imaging of this track was well portrayed through the AP80 PRO MAX + MP145 PRO setup. The groovy bassline is perfectly placed; vocals and guitars cut through with authority, and the treble is once again detailed and clear without sounding fatiguing. The soundstage is wider than that of a lot of earphones; everything is well placed within it, and the overall sense of effortlessness is what stands out the most to me. The music flows, delivered with natural tonality and an engaging presentation.

Next up, I used the HEDD D1 full-size headphones with the AP80 PRO MAX using its 4.4mm balanced output. These are quite accurate yet fun headphones to listen to, and they do show up a poor source, yet this little DAP had no issues powering them with energy and punch. The neutral yet dynamic little player injects a little energy into the low end, yet they remain controlled and detailed throughout. Sometimes by Papa Roach came on, the acoustic intro sounding incredibly clean and open; then the band kicks in with a sense of energy. Vocals always come across cleanly and naturally, whilst the low end is given the power it needs to be punchy yet controlled and deep, with a treble presentation that’s open and detailed, without becoming harsh. The D1 are not boring headphones, and the AP80 PRO MAX does a brilliant job of bringing out their more fun and dynamic side.

One last pairing with this DAP: the Meze 109 PRO. These are dynamic-sounding headphones that can become borderline bright with the wrong pairing. Hold Back The River by James Bay came on, and the rim-shots and cymbals come across with great snap, without becoming problematic. The treble is clear, and transients snappy, yet the bass has weight and depth to it, all the while without encroaching on the midrange. The bass line is full and articulate here; the vocals come across with an effortless tone, and there is excellent detail and instrument placement throughout.

I did take out my reference Fiio M15s DAP and did a quick test with the Meze 109 PRO vs the Hidizs – and there isn’t a lot in it. The Fiio does have the upper hand in separation and detail, but for enjoyment on-the-go you cannot go wrong with the Hidizs. These differences are audible in a quiet home environment; as soon as you go outside, the differences will become smaller. Ok, the Fiio is better at driving a wider variety of headphones, but for IEMs and easy-to-drive headphones the AP80 PRO MAX is a great little thing.

QUIBBLES

The small screen is easy for me to use, but some may struggle with the size of it. The battery life is fine, but not exceptional.

CONCLUSION

You might look at the AP80 PRO MAX and write it off as an affordable, small DAP that’s best suited to cheaper earphones – but give it a listen and it is much more than that. Every headphone I used it with revealed it to be an engaging and fun-sounding DAP that avoided the pitfalls of overly colouring the sound. Yes, there is perhaps a tiny bit of added body and presence, but overall, it’s quite linear and clean-sounding with great separation and detail across the board. It was equally happy driving £150 earphones as it was £1600 ones, along with £600 studio headphones. It also works as an external DAC/Amp with your computer, a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver, and an all-round easy-to-use DAP for everyday use.

Then you have the MP145 PRO, neat single-planar-driver earphones that are relatively easy to drive and has nozzles that allow you to tune the sound. Out of the box with their balanced nozzles, they deliver up a lot of sound for the money, with great soundstaging and a natural, effortless sound signature.

AT A GLANCE

Build Quality And Features:

Both the earphones and DAP are well made, with longevity in mind

The DAP has tons of genuinely useful features, making it very flexible

Sound Quality:
The MP145 are natural, yet detailed earphones with a wide soundstage

The AP80 PRO MAX comes across as engaging, with good detail and energy

Value For Money:

Both are affordable bits of kit, and both impress with what they deliver for their respective prices

We Loved:
The sound quality and build quality

We Didn’t Love So Much:

Battery life isn’t exceptional

Small size won’t suit larger hands

Elevator Pitch Review:

If you are looking for an affordable, small daily DAP, the AP80 PRO MAX impresses with its great sound quality and diminutive size. It sounds a great deal bigger than it is and does justice to a huge range of headphones, provided they are relatively easy to drive. The MP145 PRO earphones also deliver up a lot of sound for the money, with a coherent, balanced, and natural sound with exceptional soundstaging for their price – and as a combo they bring out the best in each other.

Price:

AP80 PRO MAX – £169

MP145 PRO – £159