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In hand, the result is even more impressive, thanks to that textured body and smooth edges. You could definitely drop it, or step on it, and it shall come out unscathed (I don’t recommend any of that of course), my only worry being the small low/high gain toggle. Yet, after two weeks in my bag, with no protection whatsoever, I’m happy to confirm that the Q11 came out unshattered, and the toggle is still there, unbroken. The FiiO Q3 is catering for all your needs with its three headphone outputs. It features 4.4mm and 2.5mm fully balanced output ports as well as a 3.5mm single-ended port. If you own a Q1 Mark II, this time I can confidently advise you to up your game and get the new Q3. Sound-wise, the difference isn’t massive, but if you take into account all the various ergonomics improvements, the scale really weighs towards the new Q3. On the phone side, iPhone users may want to buy a suitable cable, especially for Hip DAC 2, for it doesn’t provide the cable, but once you get the correct cable, they will work seamlessly too. We instantly prefer the FiiO because of its accessories, so you can hook the device regardless of whether you have an iPhone or Android phone. FiiO Q3 and iFi Hip DAC 2 Battery Life
Considering that its Reference design can output up to 168 mW of power in 32 Ohms and Q3 outputs 160mW of power in the same impedance, it is safe to say that FiiO squeezed the most out of these modules. Since FiiO used two stereo modules, its internal amplifier topology is fully balanced and in the same impedance Q3 is outputting almost double the power on its balanced outputs, 300 mW to be more precise. If you are new to THX AAA modules, these are reducing harmonic, intermodulation and crossover distortion by 20 to 40 dB and are offering a true to life, realistic and a fatigue-free listening experience. THX AAA modules accomplishes that by using a patented feed-forward topology to null conventional distortion and noise levels, resulting in the world’s most linear sounding amplifiers. The Q3 comes with the same XMOS XUF208 USB chip as found on FiiO’s flagship DAC/amplifier, allowing it to easily support decoding up to 768kHz/32bit PCM and DSD512.
Nailed it
On the go, the FiiO Q3 behaves strictly the same as before. You just have to connect your phone with the provided cables, link your headphone through the output of your choice, and attach both devices together, with the silicon bands. The FiiO Q3 has a 1,800mAH battery which the company says should last 10 hours or more, even under USB decoding. I found battery life fluctuated between 9 and 12 hours. It depends on how loud the music is and the signal being sent into the DAC. I think the battery life is acceptable, but maybe getting something more along the lines of 15-20 hours may be more acceptable to other users. Price/Value The FiiO Q11 is extremely simple to use. Okay, not as much as the KA5, or the iBasso DC03Pro, but still, unless you’re completely dumb (or don’t read the manual, RTFM) you should be up and running in a matter of seconds. Scalability that allows incorporation into any headphone or in-vehicle amplifier design, with the flexibility to match the required fidelity, output power, and price point I tried the Empyrean too, even if this was overkill. It sounds good and the Q3 had no issue reaching out surprisingly high volumes, but it didn’t feel as refined as the Q5S. Still, 99% of the time, I’m sure that the Q3 will be more than enough for everyone. Tonality
The FiiO Q3 shows a good level of subbass depth that will meet the expectations from a DAC/Amplifier. The bass quantity will be quite enough for most listeners and genres, while you have the option to increase the quantity to a next level (about 6dB) with the bass boost switch. But to be honest while the boost doesn’t affected the midrange (with exception of a slightly midbass hump that was somewhat noticeable with male vocals) and treble to much, the bass sounded a bit less controlled and loose to my ears.
The FiiO Series
As the name suggests, the FiiO K5 Pro is an updated version of the first K5, which replaced the FiiO E09K. An affordable desktop DAC/Amp, designed to drive power-hungry headphones or act as a bridge for your hi-fi system. We didn’t have the chance to get this one for review, but I can give you an excerpt of the previous K5 review, by Lieven: The FiiO Q3 has a pretty large stage for a precise and clear placement and separation of instrument and vocals. The neutral tonality and the wideness of the stage do help to make a quite spacious and airy atmosphere. The soundstage shows a good level of wideness, while the depth is on an average level. The lower treble region is slightly more emphasized and detailed compared to the upper treble area, which sound otherwise pretty good in this regarding. The general treble presentation is controlled and well adjusted, so that it doesn’t tire your ears even after longer listening periods. Instruments like hi-hats pronounced and do shows a good level of extension, while crash and ride cymbals are fast and detailed. Treble range has a very good speed in metal and jazz music and shows a good amount of intensity and brightness in genres such as EDM or Pop without to disturb your ears. At the other end of the device there is the data/charging usb type C port plus three extra buttons.
Everything was going great with my tests, I started from the bottom and tested it with the Moondrop Quarks, Tanchjim Tanya, Hifiman HE-4XX and it worked flawlessly with all of them, with plenty of definition and power, even to drive the 4XX to hurtful levels.Regarding the two filter settings they mostly affect higher frequencies with the one sounding more firm and well defined and the other more rounded and soft. The rated power output of the Q3 is higher than the Q1 mkii with 160mW/32Ω and 300mW/32Ω from the balanced out. Scalability that allows incorporation into any headphone or in-vehicle amplifier design, with the flexibility to match the required fidelity, output power, and price point. Mids gave me no issues and everything came through super clear and detailed. Vocals were a pleasure to listen to as well. I never ran into sibilance with female vocals on brighter mid focused headphones.
The FiiO Q3 also takes on all the volume functions. Your volume on your device and headphones will not function. FiiO says this analog potentiometer volume knob combined with ADC curve reconstruction gives you an accurate volume experience. Sometimes your computer or media player doesn’t have the adequate hardware to drive your headphones, so DAC like FiiO Q3 Vs iFi Hip DAC 2 are becoming necessary. This amplifier will help improve the audio quality and listening experience, especially for you with audiophile equipment. If you wonder which of these compact DACs to invest in, let’s see what they can offer below. Minimal bias current and highly efficient power management to optimize and extend device battery life My results are pretty close to the specs that have been shared by FiiO, which I think are pretty good for such a small device. I have tested the battery life with the FiiO FH3 and FiiO FH7 In-Ear Monitors under the following condition; The Q3’s 1800 mAh battery provides for up to 10 hours of continuous play, with a 2.5 hour charging time to fully refresh the FiiO Q3.
Design & Build Quality
Jade Audio” is a subsidiary brand of FiiO Electronics Technology Co., LTD. It is a stylish, technological, and youth-oriented brand aiming to provide high-quality yet cost-effective audio products with an excellent listening experience for the younger generation all around the world. The entity’s Chinese name is derived from “翡声” (Fei Sheng), meaning “the sound of Jade”. The name “Jade Audio” conveys our mission towards providing consumers with a crisp and pleasant listening experience while maintaining audio fidelity The hardware based bass boost is well implemented offering about +6dB of amplification without clouding very much the mid bass or overlapping the other frequencies. The FiiO Q3 is the third iteration of the mighty Q1, the entry-level portable DAC/AMP from the brand. Think of it as a battery-powered K3, as both devices share lots of quirks and features.
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