FiiO M23 can be used with Bluetooth headphones or wired headphones with 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm jacks … [+]
Digital audio players are something special in this era of advanced smartphones that incorporate technologies like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound platform. Is there still a need for a dedicated music player when smartphones can do pretty much the same thing? Is the iPod concept dead?
From serious music lovers and audiophiles, there is still a demand for digital audio players that incorporate the best digital-to-analog converters money can buy along with excellent amplifier technology and connectivity for headphones and wired headphones. up.
The FiiO M23 is a new Android-based digital music player that offers a high-end DAC and excellent THX AAA-78+ amplification. Like an Android phone, the FiiO M23 has a touch screen and uses AKM’s latest AK4191EQ and AK4499EX chips for decoding digital files and turning them into beautiful analog music.
The FiiO M23 is available in Blue Titanium or Stainless Steel.
The digital and analog circuitry inside the FiiO M23 are completely separate so they can produce the best possible sound. The M23 can decode most digital audio files ranging from the humble MP3 to 32-bit 384kHz PCM. There’s also support for DSD256 and MQA files, and the player can even handle a higher-resolution digital source up to 768kHz-32bit and DSD512 when using the M23’s USB output.
To ensure the FiiO M23 produces the best possible sound, the entire circuit is shielded to reduce the chance of interference and ensure less heat build-up. The FiiO M23 is a serious piece of electronic engineering and is built to please even the most discerning of ears.
Signals from digital audio files are decoded by the FiiO M23 into an analog waveform using two AKM DACs. The analog signal is channeled through two THX AAA-78 amplifiers, resulting in a strong and muscular sound that has many nuances. THX has made great strides in portable amplification and the amplifiers used in this player are among the best available.
The M23 digital audio player is powered by several advanced technologies from KMA.
Although the FiiO M23 is a portable player, many people will probably use it at home or while at their desk, listening to hi-res music streaming services like Tidal or Qobuz that require a good broadband connection if you don’t want to swallow. all your data allowances using your smartphone as a hotspot.
FiiO anticipated this usage scenario and has included a Desktop Mode in the M23 which digitally disconnects the battery charging circuit and boosts the power supply so that the player can drive the types of headphones and earphones that are difficult to ‘run, especially those that use plans. – magnetic drivers. FiiO’s Desktop Mode also ensures that the M23’s built-in battery is not damaged by overcharging.
The FiiO M23 is an Android device and has an octa-core Snapdragon 660 chipset that is backed by 4GB of RAM. The M23’s color touchscreen measures 5.5 inches and offers a resolution of 1,440 x 720. The player can be used in exclusive music-only mode if that’s what you want or else it can function a bit like an Android smartphone, but no phone.
Because it’s powered by Android, the M23 can access the Google Play Store to download all your favorite streaming apps. The player can also play music that’s stored locally on its microSD slot, which can handle cards up to 2TB in capacity, which should hold a good number of chunky FLAC files.
At the base of the M23 are USB-C power and data ports, as well as a microSD card tray or slot. … [+]
The build quality of the M23 is excellent and FiiO has supplied a clear plastic case to protect the player’s textured finish. Controls are logically placed with a power button on the left side and a volume slider below it. Below the volume control is a handy button that collects a list of useful shortcuts so you don’t have to go through the settings menu.
On the right side of the player there are three music control buttons for playing, pausing, skipping and repeating songs. There’s also a dedicated switch for putting the M23 into Desktop Mode and a handy Hold button which disables the buttons and stops them from being accidentally activated.
At the base of the M23 there is a slot for a microSD card and a USB-C port for charging and powering the player. A second USB-C port functions as a digital output for connecting the FiiO M23 to external devices. The power port is colored red, so it can be easily distinguished from the USB data port.
It is possible to connect the M23 to your smartphone for streaming.
Finally, at the top of the M23 are two exit slots. One is for headphones with a balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn connector and the other is for unbalanced 3.5mm headphones that also doubles as a digital coax output. The balanced output provides more volume, but the gain level can be set using the Settings menu. Both outputs sound great and can handle a variety of headphones and IEMs.
For those who want to use the FiiO M23 in battery mode, there is a 5,500 mAh rechargeable battery on board. The charging mode is smart enough to change the speed of the charging process when the battery is nearing full charge. This process helps to extend the overall battery life and works like the smart charging feature of a smartphone.
The M23’s battery can be fully charged in about an hour when using a 30W charger, but there’s no charger included, but your phone or tablet charger should work just fine. A full charge of the battery will provide up to eight hours of playback, and a little more if you use the 3.5 mm output instead of the balanced 4.4 mm connection.
The FiiO M23 has excellent build quality and a modern style.
Like any digital audio player, the FiiO M23 has built-in Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet and operates on the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. There are six operating modes for the player which are Android, Pure Music mode, AirPlay, USB DAC, Bluetooth Receiver and Roon Ready. Which one you use will come down to personal choice.
FiiO preloads its dedicated music app on the M23, or you can download Android versions of Roon and stream music from network-attached storage using uPNP, WebDAV and SMB. I downloaded the Tidal Android app and it worked great. The display is super sharp and the touchscreen is very responsive. With ApplePlay, you can stream your music from the M23 to any AirPlay-enabled device or set of devices.
The FiiO M23 has a 10-band parametric equalizer to shape the sound tone. Other parameters can be adjusted for a customized sound. This is one area where I have had some trouble. I tried a bunch of EQ settings and fiddled with things, but I noticed a certain amount of distortion. At first, I thought my headphones were blown, but once I turned off the EQ, the distortion went away. Not sure what the problem was, but I felt the sound was better without the EQ.
For a bit more, you can get the FiiO M23 in a classy stainless steel finish.
So how does this luxury portable player sound? That’s wonderful. FiiO has done a great job specifying the excellent AKM DACs and using them in conjunction with THX amplification. The result is a sound that is not only accurate, but also musical. Unlike many digital audio players, there’s nothing metallic or muffled about the M23’s sound. This is a digital audio player that delivers great analog sound thanks to innovative DACs and advanced amplification.
I tested the M23 with a pair of Campfire Audio Ara IEMS, my standard headphones. The level of detail produced by Ara’s seven drivers was outstanding. The detail was forensic, but the M23 never looked labored or overly digital. I listened to some Diana Krall and used the balanced 4.4mm output with a pair of Sennheiser HD660 S2 headphones and the results were excellent. The distortion levels are so low on this player and the music sounds so relaxed and has a fascinating musicality with great timing. Music on the go doesn’t get much better than this.
Verdict: The FiiO M23 digital audio player is as good as it gets. If you spent three or four times the price on one of Astel&Kern’s top players, I’m not sure you’d get proportionally better results. The M23 has most of the features you need, plus it uses the latest technology and has the most up-to-date specifications. This is a fabulous little powerhouse of audio brilliance that will suit anyone who doesn’t want to compromise when listening at their desk or on the go. If you love your music, you’ll love the FiiO M23.
Price and availability: The FiiO M23 digital audio player is available now and costs $700 / £649 / €700 for the Blue Titanium model and $899 / £799 / €849 for the Stainless Steel version.
More information: fiio.com
Technical characteristics:
- DAC: Flagship AKM AK4191EQ + AKM AK4499EX
- SoC: Qualcomm 660.
- Amplifier: THX AAA-78+ (x 2).
- Display: 5.5″ 720 x 1440 (18:9 aspect ratio).
- Output Power (Desktop Mode): L+R≥1000mW+1000mW (32Ω, THD+N＜1%), L+R≥730mW+730mW (16Ω, THD+N＜1%), L+R≥240mW+240mW (300Ω, THD+N＜1%)
- Output Power (Internal Battery): L+R≥630mW+630mW (16Ω, THD+N＜1%), L+R≥475mW+475mW (32Ω, THD+N＜1%).
- Output power (Internal battery with HiFi boost mode enabled): L+R≥760mW+760mW, (32Ω, THD+N＜1%).
- Earning modes: low / medium / high / super high.
- Headphone outputs: 3.5 mm (single-ended) / 4.4 mm (balanced).
- Line Outs: Yes (3.5mm (single-ended) / 4.4mm (balanced)).
- Coaxial output Yes (3.5 mm).
- Bluetooth (Receive): SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX LL, aptX Adaptive, LDAC
- Bluetooth (Transmission): SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, LHDC.
- Micro SD Slot: Up to 2 TB.
- Desktop Mode: Yes.
- RAM / ROM: 4 GB / 64 GB.
- Battery capacity: 5500 mAh.
- Battery life: 10.5 hours (full charge).
- Audio support: PCM up to 384kHz/24-bit, Native DSD256
- MQA Support: Yes.
- Dimensions: 136.5 x 75.7 x 18.1 mm.
- Weight: 299g.
- Colors: Blue Titanium / Stainless steel.