MP3 players are back, and just in time for Black Friday – here are my 4 top deals as an audio expert

Thinking about getting into hi-res audio this Black Friday? I’m so glad. That means you’ll also be thinking about the glorious return of local storage, rather than paying by the month for the cloud.

Why? Because the gloriously detailed FLAC and DSD audio files you’re about to download as well as the tracks you’ll be streaming (I’d always recommend a combination of both, budding audiophile!) do require a bit of room, and said storage space isn’t that easy to come by on a device that’s also housing your WhatsApp backups, photos, voice notes and Instagram videos (aka, your phone).

The good news is that all of these issues can be solved with a great little hi-res audio player – and right now, my two absolute favourites are hugely discounted for Black Friday. If pushed, I’d nudge you towards the excellent Astell & Kern A&norma SR35, now just £599 (was £799) and with a free case at AV.com, or the superb Activo P1 player, which is now just £249 (was £399) at Amazon.

• Shop Amazon’s full Black Friday sale

Not after hi-res players? Our Black Friday deals hub can guide you towards whatever piece of tech your heart desires, or there’s my roundup of the best Sennheiser headphones and earbuds deals, my collection of the best Bose Black Friday headphones deals, my guide to the only 5 Black Friday headphones and earbuds deals you need or our dedicated Black Friday headphones deals live blog, if that’s what you’re after.

My best MP3 players guide is the place to go for my other recommendations in the world of hi-res portable options (and my best DACs guide is the place for if you just want to level up the bit between your device and the best wired headphones or best wired earbuds), but again, these really are the best deals I’ve seen to date, if it’s a player you seek.

Want to get into the nitty-gritty of wire-free higher-quality audio? Our aptX unpacked explainer is the place to click – or our more general guide to hi-res audio and how to get it.

So which should you buy? OK, I’ll say it: there comes a crossroads in any audiophile’s journey when the simple and reasonable question is posed: “Come on, which of these would you get if money were no object?” and my answer is “the most expensive of this roundup that you can afford”.

I’m sorry, but there it is, in this instance. While my enduring love for my humble-res iPod Classic is strong, I’m afraid this isn’t a win for the more frugally-minded – except of course that there are discounts live now, and this is Black Friday.

If, like me, you can’t drop £999 on the heavily discounted Kann Ultra, I’d go for the A&norma SR35. And if a reduced fee of £599 is also unthinkable, the Activo options are there – and while they’re not as good as the pricier options, they’re still a huge step up on the audio quality you’ll get from your phone on the commute. And that’s worth a lot.

Happy shopping, and do always remember to enjoy the music!