AR-M2
When I opened the shipping box, I was presented with a nice military-grade Pelican case containing the AR-M2 and accessories (USB cable and charger). The M2 itself is similar in size to the iPhone 6, but twice as thick and twice as heavy. Given the price of the M2, one might expect high physical quality as well as great sound. You will not be disappointed. The M2 is attached to a leather or leather-like cover*, quite luxurious, with a magnetic closure. I wear an Omega Grey Side of the Moon wristwatch in solid ceramic, and the M2 has just that kind of aesthetic in my opinion. Very well made with a large and beautiful touch screen, and with all of the essential features** I’ve enjoyed with the iPhone 6 – features that in some cases aren’t available on other DAP’s (Digital Audio Players).
*) The attachment of the cover to the music player is very similar to how Oppo attached the cover to its HA-2 DAC/amp, except that since the HA-2 doesn’t have a screen, its cover does not open like the M2. I really appreciate the M2 cover design, since it’s always present and affords good protection for the screen.
**) The most important feature I rely on with the iPhone is the A to Z buttons in the music player, which allow me to jump immediately to songs that begin with ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, etc., since I prefer to keep 2600-plus songs in the main playlist. The M2 has that feature, which is activated by merely scrolling the default playlist up or down a little.