Sparsi vs Penta CDX

Sparsi is a straightforward music player for the audio files you already own. Import songs directly from the Files app — no syncing, no cloud account, no subscription. Everything plays from your device, offline, exactly as you'd expect from a local player. IMPORT YOUR WAY Bring in audio files from Files, iCloud Drive, or any Files-connected storage provider. Sparsi reads the embedded tags automatically so your library is organized from the moment it lands. EDIT METADATA Fix a wrong title, artist, or album — or add artwork from your photo library — right inside the app. Sparsi keeps the original file tags untouched on disk, so edits are always non-destructive and can be reset back to the source at any time. BUILD PLAYLISTS Group songs into playlists, reorder them, and pick custom cover art. Your playlists live alongside your library, always a tab away. BROWSE AND SEARCH Sort your library by title, artist, album, or date added. Search finds a track in seconds, even in a large collection. PLAYBACK THAT STAYS OUT OF YOUR WAY Lock-screen and Control Center controls, background audio, a persistent mini-player, shuffle, repeat (off/all/one), and position memory so playback picks up exactly where you left off — even after the app was closed. PRIVACY BY DESIGN Sparsi doesn't require an account and doesn't stream anything to a server. Your library stays in your device's storage. Photo library access is used only if you choose artwork for a playlist — nothing is uploaded anywhere. Sparsi is built for anyone who already has an audio collection and just wants a fast, uncluttered way to listen to it.

Penta CDX-5 turns your iPhone or iPad into a five-disc CD player — the tactile hi-fi component you grew up with, rebuilt for your Apple Music library. Open the deck, browse your albums, and drag a disc into the spinning carousel. Load up to five at once, then play, skip, seek, shuffle, and repeat from a machined transport bar. Every detail is here: the fluorescent display, the motorized carousel spin, the power-on self-test, and the satisfying clunk of a disc dropping onto the spindle. FEATURES • A real five-disc carousel — load, spin, and swap discs by hand • Plays your Apple Music library in full, with real album art on every disc • Jewel-case browser — tap an album, open the case, drag the disc out to load it • Magazines — save a set of five discs and reload the whole cartridge later • Favorites, whole-library search, and on-demand Apple Music catalog search • A vacuum-fluorescent display with track, time, and format readouts • Customizable display colour, meter style, and spin speed • Favorites and saved magazines sync across your devices via iCloud • Procedurally synthesized sounds — every click, whir, and clunk is generated live PENTA PRO A one-time unlock that adds the full phosphor-colour set, the analog needle and combined VU meters, a gentle readable spin, the minimal readout, and unlimited saved magazines — plus every future Pro upgrade. The free deck plays your whole library with no limits; Pro is just for the collectors. Penta CDX-5 is a labour of love for anyone who misses physical media. Requires an Apple Music subscription for full playback.