I've gone back in time for a more relaxing audio experience.
There has been something quite satisfying about using a dedicated device that doesn't cost you a subscription or ping you with notifications and emails every five minutes.
I’ve officially reached the "get off my lawn" stage of tech usage, and honestly? It’s been a minor revelation.
Recently, I did the unthinkable. I took my Pixel 9 Pro XL smartphone—a miracle of modern engineering capable of mapping the stars and ordering a burrito at 3 AM, and I put it to the side for my everyday music listening experience. In its place, I’ve been carrying the FiiO M3 Pro echo mini. A tiny retro style MP3 device....and I say retro with grimace as it's not retro to a man of my age.
If you’re wondering why I’ve reverted to pre fancy phone subscription 2005, let me explain why going "old school" is the most cathartic thing I’ve done.
1. The Death of the "Ping"
On my phone, a song isn’t just a song. It’s a background track to a notification from BookFace, emails, whatsapp, messenger, IG, LinkedIn and many more or even a low-battery warning.
With the FiiO, the only thing it does is play music. It doesn’t have Wi-Fi. It doesn't have apps. If I stare at it long enough, it doesn’t even tell me I’ve exceeded my screen time. It’s a digital fortress of music only.
2. High-Fidelity (Without the High Stress)
The "Snowsky" Echo Mini style isn't just a pretty face; it’s actually built for audio. While my phone treats music like an afterthought, this little brick treats it like royalty. Transitioning to a dedicated DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) means I’m actually hearing the songs themselves, not just a muddy vibration. It turns out my favorite albums have layers. Who knew?
3. The Joy of the "Owned" Library
Streaming services are great until your favorite artist has a royalty dispute and their discography vanishes. Using an MP3 player forced me to actually curate my music again. I had to drag and drop files like we all use to have to do. Luckily I still had everything backed up on an old hard drive, so easy as easy thing that's very easy I just had to organise folders and pick what I wanted.. It felt like building a physical CD collection without the fear of scratching the disc. While it may seem complicated to the "youth" of today, I found it engaging and enjoyable to pick old albums that had to be able to listen to again with advertisements or the very annoying 'your household limit has been reached, if you want to update to the family plan shizzle".
4. Pocket Peace
There is a specific kind of "tech-anxiety" that comes with a smartphone. You feel a ghost vibration in your pocket and immediately think the world is ending. With the FiiO, my pocket is just… heavy with tunes. It feels intentional.
5. Back to basics
The Echo doesn't have a touch screen, just clicky buttons like an old school walkman. This has been great albeit it really mKes you appreciate the technology advances we all have today. It's clunky but feels purposeful. Something I think young folk won't appreciate. It always wireless headphones but also wired head phones which is fun. Technology moves on for a reason and having already tangled the cables twice in an hour I do see the positive side of sticking with wireless headphones. I've also enjoyed the screen showing a cassette style playing animation. All I need is a pencil to rewind it now 😂
The Verdict
Is it "basic"? Yes. Is it "outdated"? Probably. But moving away from the "everything-machine" to a device that does exactly one thing perfectly has been the ultimate mental reset.
So if you see me in the park staring blankly at a tree while wearing headphones, don't worry. I’m not lost—I’m probably just finally picking the album or artist I'm wanting to be listening to.
#oldschool #MP3 #technology #edc #everydaycarry #edccooperative #cooperator
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