Head to head
FiiO JM21 vs Sony NW-A306 Walkman
The budget Android DAP to beat: dual CS43198 DACs, 700mW balanced output, Snapdragon 680, and a 13mm-thin body at a price that undercuts almost everything with app support. The gateway Walkman: full Android with streaming apps, Sony's S-Master HX digital amp, and up to 36 hours of playback in a 113g body. No balanced output — this one is for IEMs and easy headphones.Here's how they line up on paper — differences highlighted.
FiiO JM21 | Sony NW-A306 Walkman | |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | ||
| Price | $199.99 | $349.99 |
| Released | 2025 | 2023 |
| OS | Android 13 | Android 12 (upgradable to 13) |
| Streaming apps | Yes | Yes |
| Audio | ||
| DAC | Cirrus Logic CS43198 ×2 | Sony S-Master HX (digital amp) |
| Max PCM | — | — |
| Max DSD | — | — |
| Balanced out | 4.4mm | — |
| Unbalanced out | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| Power (balanced) | 700 mW | — |
| Power (unbalanced) | — | — |
| Formats | FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD, APE, MP3, AAC, OGG | FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD, MP3, AAC |
| Wireless | ||
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | — | 5.0 |
| BT codecs | LDAC, aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC | LDAC, aptX HD, AAC, SBC |
| Storage & battery | ||
| Internal storage | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| microSD slots | 1 | 1 |
| Battery life | 12.5 h | 36 h |
| Battery | 2400 mAh | — |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 156 g | 113 g |
| Screen | 4.7" | 3.6" |
| Mac sync | ||
| Transfer | MTP | MTP |
| USB DAC mode | Yes | Yes |
Highlighted rows differ between players. FiiO JM21 data verified 2026-07-23.
Want a third option in the mix? Open this comparison in the picker and add any player from the catalog.
Whichever wins, load it from one place.
Diskoteca syncs your library to either player — converting formats per device when needed.
macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Pay once, keep it