Smartphones turned music into just another notification competing for attention, a song interrupted by a text, an album broken up by a calendar alert. RHYTHM exists to undo that arrangement entirely, focusing on hi-fi reinvention by building a dedicated listening device from real audio components instead of borrowing a phone’s guts and bolting on a headphone jack. It’s a from-scratch digital audio player designed around one job: playing music properly, without a screen demanding anything else from you.
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That commitment starts with what’s actually driving the sound. Rather than leaning on an all-in-one audio codec chip the way most budget players do, RHYTHM routes music through a genuine ESS SABRE DAC, the same category of chip found in dedicated hi-fi gear, paired with a discrete amplifier stage rather than a shortcut solution. An ESP32-S3 handles the file parsing and processing, but the actual sound reproduction runs through hardware built specifically for that job alone.
Designer: Mithilesh Gupta Konda
The headphone output makes the clearest case for why any of this matters. Instead of splitting one internal signal across a single jack, RHYTHM runs two completely independent, actively buffered 3.5mm outputs, each driven by its own dedicated amplifier chip. Two people can plug in two entirely different pairs of headphones, and each gets a full, uncompromised signal, no shared circuit quietly degrading whichever connection came second.
The Art of Hi-Fi Reinvention in Design
Keeping that signal clean required rethinking the power supply as much as the audio path. RHYTHM physically separates its digital logic and high-frequency switching lines from the analog circuitry that actually shapes the sound, regulating each side through its own dedicated, ultra-low-noise power regulator. It’s an unglamorous decision that never shows up in a spec sheet screenshot, but it’s exactly the kind of choice that determines whether quiet passages in a recording stay quiet. The hi-fi reinvention principle in power management ensures the clarity and purity of sound reproduction.
Physical control gets the same attention. A precision mechanical rotary encoder handles navigation alongside a set of tactile buttons, giving the whole interface a hands-on quality that a touchscreen simply can’t replicate. Paired with a compact 2-inch color display, the device reads less like a shrunken phone and more like a purpose-built instrument, something meant to be operated by feel in a pocket or a bag without needing to look at it.
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This approach is central to its hi-fi reinvention philosophy, which values tactile interaction over digital abstraction.
A microSD slot rounds out the practical side, storing lossless files locally rather than depending on a streaming connection or app ecosystem. That local-first approach extends the project’s entire philosophy: RHYTHM isn’t trying to replace a phone’s convenience. Instead, it’s opting out of that convenience on purpose, trading constant connectivity for a listening experience built around a single, uninterrupted task. This decision embodies the concept of hi-fi reinvention by prioritizing sound quality and focus over convenience.
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Juan Carlos is the Editorial Director for Yanko Design. Holding degrees in both Philosophy and Computer Science, he has been covering tech and digital lifestyle since 2012. As an open source contributor since 2006, he has worked with the Kubuntu and KDE projects as a technical writer and a software developer, helping to make computers more accessible and usable to people. Having honed his skills over the years, he has developed insights into the design trends in tech and UX. He is a digital artist in his spare time and a self-professed otaku.
Source: yankodesign.com
Frequently asked questions
What makes RHYTHM different from smartphones in terms of music playback?
RHYTHM focuses on hi-fi reinvention by building a dedicated listening device from real audio components instead of using a phone’s components. It is designed to play music properly, without a screen demanding any additional interaction from the user.
How does RHYTHM ensure high-quality sound?
RHYTHM routes music through a genuine ESS SABRE DAC and uses a discrete amplifier stage, ensuring sound reproduction is handled by specific hardware built for that job. The digital logic and analog circuitry are separated and regulated through ultra-low-noise power regulators to maintain sound clarity.
How does RHYTHM handle multiple headphone outputs?
RHYTHM provides two completely independent, actively buffered 3.5mm outputs, each driven by its own dedicated amplifier chip. This means two people can use different headphones without compromising on audio quality due to shared circuitry.