Audison bit Play HD Review: Capable but Dated Hi-Res Player

This Audison bit Play HD review looks at a hideaway car media player built to feed 24-bit/96 kHz FLAC and WAV files into an Audison digital processor. Is it worth buying? If you want local hi-res files and already run, or plan to run, an Audison processor with a Toslink input, it does one specific job well on paper. If you mostly stream from a phone, a much cheaper Bluetooth receiver covers most of the same ground. The player dates from 2014. Its current status is not confirmed, and no successor is confirmed either.

The unit scores 3.0 out of 5 on the rubric explained near the end. The verdict, pros, cons and specification list sit in their own boxes on this page, so the text below covers how the player works, what the rated figures mean and what to check before buying.

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Audison bit Play HD design and build

The player is a compact black box meant to be hidden under a seat or behind a panel. The manufacturer lists it at 249 x 98 x 41 mm (about 9.8 x 3.9 x 1.6 in) and 0.9 kg (1.98 lb). Our calculation from those dimensions gives a volume of roughly 1.0 litre (249 x 98 x 41 = 1,000,482 mm3). The SSD version carries a 2.5-inch SATA solid-state drive in a slot Audison describes as mechanically damped, an approach aimed at the vibration a car produces. Case material and internal construction quality are not stated in the sources, so they are not confirmed.

One rating deserves attention in hot climates: the sheet gives an ambient operating range of 0 to 50 degrees C. A closed car parked in the sun can exceed that, so the mounting location matters more than usual.

Features and usability of the bit Play HD

The player handles FLAC and WAV up to 96 kHz/24-bit, plus OGG, AAC and MPEG audio, and it also plays video up to 1080p over HDMI. Storage comes from the optional internal 240 GB SSD (the sheet says the slot supports drives up to 2 TB) or from two USB 2.0 ports. A supplied USB extension lets you plug a flash drive in at the dash.

Control works three ways. Two infrared remotes are supplied, a compact audio-focused unit and a larger one for on-screen navigation. A free Audison app for iOS and Android connects over the player's own 802.11n Wi-Fi network through a supplied USB dongle, and standard DLNA apps also work. According to Audison's materials, streaming a phone's own music to the player is available through its app on Android only. The App Store listing shows version 2.0 from August 2017 and states that it needs firmware 2.0.x.x or newer, which Audison says comes from its bit Drive portal after logging in. Whether that portal is still active is not confirmed.

If your head unit has a video input, HDMI or composite output shows the player's own interface on the dash screen. An optional Audison DRC MP controller adds a physical interface and, per its listing, a power-off delay setting for the player. The spec sheet lists no built-in streaming-service apps and no CarPlay or Android Auto, which matters to anyone used to modern head units.

Audison bit Play HD rated performance

Our research found no independent lab measurements for this model, so the figures below are the manufacturer's. The player outputs PCM up to 96 kHz/24-bit over Toslink. Its analog RCA outputs are rated at 1 Vrms with 0.003% THD at 1 kHz, a signal-to-noise ratio of 100 dBA and a 20 Hz to 20 kHz bandwidth, all under the maker's own conditions.

Two points put those figures in context. First, the rated figures work out to a 100 dBA analog signal-to-noise ratio that sits close to the theoretical range of 16-bit audio (about 98 dB) and far below the roughly 146 dB that 24 bits allow (6.02 x 24 + 1.76). The 24-bit label therefore describes the file and digital-output format, not the analog stage, which is why the Toslink route into an Audison processor is the intended path. Second, the manufacturer sheet sets a 96 kHz ceiling on the Toslink output. Some retailer listings advertise 192 kHz S/PDIF instead, and the manufacturer sheet does not support that figure, so this review follows the sheet.

Whether 96 kHz/24-bit files sound better than CD-quality files in a car is a separate and contested question, since cabin noise limits what most listeners can pick out. One practical caution applies regardless: the player's output level can differ sharply from the radio's, so lower the volume before changing sources and set levels carefully.

Installing the bit Play HD and daily use

The manufacturer designed this as a professionally installed component, and the 2014 launch coverage says the same. The sheet lists an 8.5 to 14 VDC supply range, a 3 A internal fuse, a 7 to 15 VDC remote-in trigger and a 12 VDC remote-out. Idle draw is 1.0 A with the internal SSD, which is roughly 12 W at 12 V (1.0 x 12) and about 1 Ah per hour if it is left powered.

Safety notes for anyone wiring one in: disconnect the battery before working on the power lead, fit an inline fuse close to the battery on the main feed, and use a solid chassis ground. Use the remote-in line so the player powers down with the system instead of draining the battery. Keep video playback out of the driver's view while moving, and use the parking-brake video inhibit wire the sheet describes where local rules require it.

For a full digital chain, the Toslink output goes to an Audison bit processor with an optical input, then on to the amplifiers. Check the specific processor's input before buying. The RCA outputs let the player feed any amplifier or head unit auxiliary input, though that route gives up the digital path.

Audison bit Play HD against two alternatives

These are not like-for-like products, and none is a close price match. They are the most realistic alternatives for getting hi-res audio into a car system. The Audison B-CON II is the same company's Bluetooth receiver, and the Alpine iLX-F511 is an 11-inch head unit with hi-res USB and Bluetooth playback.

Item	Audison bit Play HD	Audison B-CON II	Alpine iLX-F511
Type	Hideaway media player	Bluetooth receiver	11-inch head unit
Price	$649.99 without SSD; $799.99 with 240 GB SSD	EUR 189; US price not confirmed	$1,299.95 to $1,699.95
Top hi-res rate	FLAC/WAV 96 kHz/24-bit	96 kHz/24-bit via LDAC, Android only	96 kHz/24-bit via USB or Bluetooth
Digital output	Toslink, PCM up to 96 kHz/24-bit	Toslink, 96 kHz/24-bit max output	Not confirmed
Analog output	2 x RCA, 1 Vrms	RCA, 2 Vrms	4 V preamp outputs
THD (1 kHz, 1 Vrms)	0.003%	0.003%	Not confirmed
SNR (A-weighted)	100 dBA	107 dBA (spec table; page text elsewhere says 100 dBA)	Not confirmed
Local file storage	Internal SSD option and 2 x USB	None	USB drive playback
Size	249 x 98 x 41 mm, 0.9 kg	90 x 60.4 x 23 mm; weight not confirmed	Not confirmed

The B-CON II costs a fraction of the bit Play HD and takes streaming apps straight from a phone, but it has no storage of its own, and its top rate needs an Android phone with LDAC. The Alpine adds a screen and replaces the head unit rather than adding a source, and it is the most expensive of the three.

Who should buy the bit Play HD and who should skip it

It suits drivers with a library of FLAC or WAV files who run an Audison bit processor with a Toslink input and want a dedicated, hidden source with a known digital path. It also suits installers extending an existing bit One HD or similar Audison system that needs a matching source.

Skip it if you mainly use streaming services, want CarPlay or Android Auto, want 192 kHz file support, or are building a new system where the Audison B-CON II would cost far less. Also skip it if you need guaranteed long-term software support, since that is not confirmed.

Audison bit Play HD price and what to check before buying

The Audison bit Play HD is priced at $649.99 without the SSD and $799.99 with the 240 GB SSD at Safe and Sound HQ. The $150 SSD option works out to about $0.63 per GB ($150 / 240 GB). Both prices match the $649 and $799 launch pricing in the 2014 coverage, which means buyers today pay launch money for a 2014 design. Prices change often, so check the current listing. The Amazon listing for this player shows the live price and which variant it covers.

Before buying, confirm which variant you are getting, with or without the SSD. Check that the seller is an authorized Audison dealer so the warranty is valid, and that the unit is new. Check the firmware version, since the current app needs firmware 2.0.x.x or newer. Confirm that the Wi-Fi dongle, USB extension cable and both remotes are included, as the manufacturer sheet lists them as supplied. Full box contents and warranty terms are not confirmed, so get both in writing. The optional DRC MP controller price is not consistently confirmed either.

Drive capacity is worth a quick sum. Our calculation puts uncompressed 96 kHz/24-bit stereo at roughly 115 hours on 240 GB (96,000 x 24 x 2 = 4.608 Mbit/s), and uncompressed CD-quality audio at about 378 hours (44,100 x 16 x 2 = 1.411 Mbit/s). FLAC compression stretches both numbers.

Final verdict on the Audison bit Play HD

The player earns 3.0 out of 5. The rubric weights performance and function at 40%, features and usability at 20%, build and design at 15% and value for the price at 25%. The weighted result is 3.075, which rounds to 3.0 on the 0.5 scale. Our research score is based on the rated figures and documented details above.

Category	Weight	Score (0 to 5)	Weighted points	Why
Performance and function	40%	3.5	1.400	Strong rated digital and analog specs and a clean Toslink path, held back by the 96 kHz ceiling
Features and usability	20%	3.0	0.600	Dual remotes, app, HDMI interface and USB, but no streaming apps and an older app
Build and design	15%	3.0	0.450	Damped SSD housing and compact size, with materials unconfirmed and a 50 degree C limit
Value at review price	25%	2.5	0.625	2014 launch pricing and much cheaper hi-res alternatives for streaming users
Total	100%	3.075, rounded to 3.0	3.075

For a library of local hi-res files feeding an Audison processor, the player still fits the job, and you can see the Audison bit Play HD on Amazon before deciding.

Sources and further reading

• Elettromedia, bit Play HD product information (January 2016) (manufacturer specifications)
• audioXpress, launch announcement (December 2014) (launch details and pricing)
• Audison, B-CON II product page (specifications and price)
• Audison, streaming device accessories (current range)
• Audison, bit Play HD firmware upgrade notice (firmware and app requirements)
• App Store, Audison bit Play HD app listing (app version and firmware requirement)
• Safe and Sound HQ, bit Play HD US retailer listing (price)
• OnlineCarStereo, Alpine iLX-F511 retailer listing (price and specifications)