iPod nostalgia is at an all-time high, so meet two new cheap, adorable tiny hi-res music players that invoke the best of the music-player era (bring your own white wired earbuds)

Shanling Q2 unveiled as an iPod nano-alike upgrade for high-res music Fiio recently launched the Echo Nano, an original iPod shuffle-like player with a screen iPods are so nostalgic, they're still being actively advertised by resellers Remember the iPod? Of course you do: nostalgia is so high that you still have tech journalists dusting off their iPod Classics , they're so popular on resellers that refurb site BackMarket is actively advertising them as though they're new, and popular audio brands are releasing doppelgangers that have even more features than the originals.

In recent weeks, both Shanling and Fiio have released products that look like iPods going through their goth stage, but they're not just cash-ins.

These are devices that could end up on our best hi-res audio players list , with features and tools Apple never gave us.

These new releases aren't quite a surprise — and not just because Fiio released another iPod nano lookalike at the end of 2025 .

No, the non-smart low-tech revival is in full swing, and the proof is in the pudding.

We're seeing transportable SACD players , retro cassette players and blingy throwback turntables , and other such products launching with regularity.

Buyers want distraction-free devices, especially ones which let them avoid streaming music, and manufacturers have delivered.

Let's get to know the Fiio and Shanling (Image credit: FiiO) The Fiio Echo Nano was unveiled early in August 2026.

It costs $49.99 / £54.99 (about AU$110), a fair amount cheaper than the launch price of its Apple doppelganger: the stick-thin first-gen iPod Shuffle (which is admittedly now available through resale sites for a fraction of the price).

This mechanical-looking MP3 player has a physical scroll wheel for navigation, and an 0.91-inch display to see what you're selecting.

And in true Fiio style, the real magic is on the inside — aside from a great DAC, there's space for a 256GB microSD card.

The battery life reaches seven hours, and you can even use the device as a USB DAC, if you plug it into your PC or smartphone.

The Echo Nano weighs 33.5g, and as you can see from the picture, there are loads of color options available. (Image credit: Shanling) If you've got more money burning a hole in your pocket, there's the Shanling Q2, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the third-gen iPod nano (albeit thicker, so there's a bit of iPod mini in there, too).

It was unveiled in late August, for the sum of $269 (about £200, AU$400).