The 6 best Amazon Prime Day portable hi-fi deals as chosen by TechRadar's audio editor: level up your listening with hi-res buys from just £79, live now

A selection of portable hi-fi products on grey plinths, with a brass rail between them — (Image credit: Fosi, iFi, Astell & Kern, Activo — edited with Gemini 2.0)

Friends, it's Amazon's October Prime Day (some call it Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, but I just don't have the time) and if you're here for something a little different, I want to tell you this: it's not all big wireless karaoke speakers or flagship Bluetooth headphones.

Perhaps, like me, you're bypassing Bluetooth these days and looking to level up the wired IEMs or player you already own. I'm here for that.

Top of the pile for me? That's easy: I've written odes to Astell & Kern's excellent HC3 DAC, which has a mic for gamers and is now just £99, down from £199, so it's less than half-price.

Also great for gamers who want to really enjoy the soundtracks to their interactive entertainment is the Fosi Audio K5 Pro, a compact and budget-friendly desktop DAC (that's 'Digital-to-Analog Converter') and headphone amplifier. It is designed primarily for gaming, streaming, and PC or console audio use — and for under £65 (was £80) it's a bargain.

If you're after cheap IEMs, you need to take a look at the Activo Scoop — from Astell & Kern's affordable sub-brand. They're in our best wired earbuds buying guide for a reason, and although they were initially priced at £80, Activo soon saw their popularity and upped the fee a little — which is why when they're back down to £79 (was £99) it's worth snapping them up. I mean, there are five drivers in each earpiece, if that's not value for money I don't know what is.

Want something that looks a lot more expensive than it is? Check out the iFi GO Bar Kensei. In our review (which you can find linked, if you'll only click on 'view details' in my little blocks below this text) we called it the "stylish steel swordsman of portable DACs".

Not sure whether you want USB-C (or even Lightning, if you've got an old iPhone 12 Pro kicking around… maybe just me) or the option to level up the audio but stick to Bluetooth? The Astell & Kern HB1 is for you. It's brutalist, easily pocketable and could even be mistaken for a high-end lighter to the uninitiated, but it comes with USB-C to Lightning and USB-C to USB-C cables. Oh, and if you want to connect to your device wirelessly over Bluetooth, you can do that too, all for 25% off at £149 (was £199).

What of A&K's HC4, also now slashed in price to just £149 (was £219)? That 32% off deal gets you a tiny DAC that, under intense review (also linked in the 'view details' tab) had us uttering: "When it comes to its single function — taking the digital audio information from your source device and converting it to the analogue equivalent — there’s plenty to admire here".

Whichever you go for, be sure to note the extra detail, added space around musical instruments, and crispness through the leading edges of notes, especially as the daily commute gets darker and colder. Music will see us through, chaps! Stay strong.