CES 2017

The Explorer audio player from Echobox, crafted from solid blocks of luxurious wood, is easily the most attractive player on the CES show floor. While most companies are making blocky (or triangularly - looking at you, Mr. Young) plastic players, the Explorer looks more like a flask of aged whiskey than a piece of high-end audio gear.

The Explorer features a Texas Instruments Burr Brown PCM 1792 DAC with DSD support and 192k/24-bit PCM capabilities. It comes with 64GB of internal storage and an micro-SD slot with support for up to a 128gb SD card. It has a 4,000mAh Lithium-ion battery for up to 20 hours of playback and a bright, vivid 3.5” LCD screen. It should be noted that it has not been certified yet for official Hi-Res Audio designation. It does use an open-source Android-based OS so it can play games and apps.

In addition to playing back from internal memory, the Explorer is capable of streaming Hi-Res audio, which is especially exciting in light of the news that Napster, Pandora and Tidal are all committed to Hi-Res streaming. It supports WAV, FLAC, MP3, PCM and losslessly converts DSD to PCM. There is an onboard 10-band graphic EQ.

The Explorer is available in four solid-wood options: Maple, Mahogany, Zebra Wood and Ebony, all with machined aluminum trim. It will be available in mid-March for $600 with a matching docking station.

Why have an ordinary Hi-Res player when you can have an extraordinary one?