FiiO’s Snowsky Disc is a no-nonsense retro touch-screen music player

Following its ’90s Walkman-inspired Snowsky Retro Nano launched last year, FiiO has just launched its latest retro music player. This time, the company has consulted the Noughties for some inspiration – and the result is the Snowsky Disc.

Think of it like a meeting point between Apple’s iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle; the Snowsky Disc is a minimalist device that focuses on what matters: the music. Unlike smartphones, which are often bloated with apps and other distractions, the Snowsky Disc is entirely dedicated to your favourite tracks and albums, with a massive 2TB of potential MicroSD storage.

The compact music player is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, and is controlled by a circular touchscreen. And FiiO has made every effort to keep things simple keeps things simple; while the screen is has the ability to show song lyrics and album artwork, that’s about as complex as it gets.

Even then, if you’re not fussed about lyrics or album covers, the screen will stick to the basic functions of a music player, allowing you to simply navigate through your music library.

The Snowsky Disc also boasts a slew of ‘retro sound effects’, essentially filtering your tracks to give them a more nostalgic flavour. As FiiO puts it, the effects will capture the feeling of “classic audio gear”.

Inside of the device, the Snowsky Disc is powered by a dual audio DAC architecture, which comfortably supports all file types. However, if you don’t want to limit yourself to a local library, there’s also the option to stream music via Wi-Fi, as the device is compatible with AirPlay features. The in-built Wi-Fi also allows the music player to keep up to speed with any firmware updates.

In terms of listening, you can stick to the retro feel with corded headphone outputs (both 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced), or utilise the device’s more modern LDAC high-definition Bluetooth technology.

FiiO has also fit the Snowsky Disc with USB DAC features and USB audio output, allowing you to hook it up to your laptop, phone, or even play music through your speakers with ease. The battery also offers up to 12 hours of continuous playback, which should comfortably survive a long commute or gym session.

The Snowsky Disc is set to drop this month, with an approximate price of $80/£80. Learn more at FiiO.