There are flagship DACs out there that have less interesting actual DAC chips, which are priced more, and don’t have even half of the features of Q5s. This makes it one of the most reliable products if you want an all-in-one solution, and this has been pretty much the thing with Q5s all along, it is made to be so compatible with everything, has so many inputs and outputs, just the right driving power to replace everything and become your main entertainment center. Before the days of Cowon and when things started getting a turn for the Fun, appeared FiiO, a company making very affordable, yet high-quality, high-power amplifiers, the size of match boxes. Data exchanging, Charging, Firmware upgrade There’s also a COAX cable. With Line-In, USB, Optical and Coaxial, you have a swiss army to drive Q5s, but it also has a 2.5mm Balanced, 3.5mm Single Ended, 4.4mm Balanced, and a Line output, making it probably the most versatile device out there in terms of the inputs / outputs ratio. We thank FiiO for this opportunity. Probably MUCH better in SQ terms than Radsone es100..Right? Video Review This being said, you can further configure Q5s because it has a multitude of AMP modules available, which can replace the original AM3E it comes with. The Q5s continues to use the interchangeable amp module design of its predecessor, and is fully compatible with all FiiO amp modules released thus far. This is really close to FiiO’s own numbers, and the reason I got slightly lower numbers may be because I tested Q5s on almost full volume at all times. The treble is also rich on Q5s, it is fluid, clean, sparkly, there is excellent detail, but it bears less punch, less dynamics, there’s more detail to be heard, with a more mature presentation. Even so, there’s an auto shutdown function, if no input is detected for 10 minutes. At the end of this review, if you’re looking for one of the best DAC/AMPs in the market, Q5s surely is one of the best. We Came As Romans – My Love Note, the 2.5mm TRRS and 4.4mm pentaconn outputs share the same stage so their performance is the same. The vocals and everything felt more forward and less forgiving on Q5, and things are more forgiving, less forward, less harsh on q5s, but this makes Q5s less engaging by nature, and you’re slower to start tapping your hand with your music, since it all sounds much easier, more fluid, more refined. Overall, I think the package for Q5s is one of the best out there for this price range, and easily competes with the package of, Audio Input:Standard 3.5mm Port (Shared Line / Coaxial/ Optical in), Digital Coaxial Input Port:Standard 3.5mm Port (Shared Line / Coaxial/ Optical in), Standard 3.5mm Port (Shared Line / Coaxial/ Optical in), Data exchanging, Charging, Firmware upgrade, Recommended Headphone Impedance:16~150Ω(PO), 16~300Ω(BAL), Volume Control:Potentiometer(ADC Sampling), APP interconnection:Supports setting through App, Supports connection to Sony Walkman players:Yes, Deep-sleep:automatic stand-by, can be controlled on App, Firmware upgrade:System firmware and Bluetooth version can be upgraded through USB. It is also more flexible with both balanced and unbalanced outputs capability via a 3.5mm TRS, 2.5mm TRRS, and a 4.4mm pentaconn connector. In terms of sound, they actually come pretty darn close. FiiO Q5s + CTM Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci X – Da Vinci X is also a great pairing, because it reveals just how clean, yet how the wetter nature of Q5s sounds refined, and not lack detail. XD-10 Poke was a monster in terms of driving power and actual sound, but the whole design is quite spartan and doesn’t feel anywhere near as polished and well-thought as Q5s. This was on the principle you are channeling power away from signal to reduce noise and jitter. 10/22/19: The following is a slightly updated/modified version of my original review. Micro USB（11pin） Just make sure to check my comparisons, because depending on what you need your DAC/AMP to do, there are a few options, each tailored for someone. https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/64555551-ec3c-4279-ae44-248fdfcf6c4b Our review is now published on Headfonics! Pretty much everything else from FiiO comes with Type-C, but to offer proper compatibility with older FiiO Modules that worked for Q5 and X7mkii, they extended the support to include microUSBs port instead. The treble feels similar, wet, extended, refined, and clean on both. Kishida Cult – High School Of The Dead  Escape The Fate – Gorgeous Nightmare  The speed of Q5s is natural, and it feels detailed, clear, crisp, and clean by nature. Bass Boost:Yes I experienced no dropouts on Bluetooth, and I also experienced something pleasant, but FiiO products are the ones that are best integrated with ROON and TIDAL, so if you’re looking at doing a lot of streaming, don’t worry and go with FiiO, they always go big with software. If you happen to have an Android smartphone or DAP with Oreo upwards and the likes of the LDAC capable Sony DAPs this will make big a big difference in terms of distance, dropout and audible sound quality on the Q5s compared to the older Q5. This being said, you can further configure Q5s because it has a multitude of AMP modules available, which can replace the original AM3E it comes with. Youtube Playlist The bass was stronger and had more punch / presence with the older Q5. There’s a screwdriver, so you can replace the amplifier modules of Q5s. About FiiO. Q5s has better midrange and treble detail, and a bit more engagement, although both are fairly dynamic and punchy. Speaking of automatic features, Q5s can detect the power output of your computer’s USB ports, so it will know how much to charge. They started way before the golden age of portables, when music was still mostly about using earbuds connected to a smartphone. We recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new most, most of them being rather catchy. I first started reviewing in the late 80s (ouch!). It is priced at $399.99 All categories Earbuds HeadPhones HeadSets Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in FiiO Q5s find their next music companion. Recommended Headphone Impedance:16~150Ω(PO), 16~300Ω(BAL) This makes bands like Dance Gavin Dance sound much more musical, and especially Tilian’s voice can sound sweeter and more harmonious with Q5s. I do hope there will be a new leather case soon for the Q5s as whilst the original Q5 leather case fits, the button positioning is off and makes it relatively unusable. For reference, xDSD has only a 3.5mm Single Ended / Balanced / Line Out combo output. Battery Life Report abuse. Q5S was still their flagship portable DAC/Amp, but it was plagued by an aging Micro-USB port and by the Lightning only cable found in the package. Helpful. It depends on what you are plugging into it. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 January 2020. FiiO’s quality control is also questionable, as out of the box (sealed) I noticed a scuff mark on the casing that came from the manufacturer. The FiiO Q5S is excellent in every regard. The good news is that XMOS XUF208 USB decoding chipset upgrade which allows USB-DAC PCM rates up to 32BIT/784kHZ and native DSD decoding is retained which keeps the Q5s very competitive for digital. Whilst the core functionality has not changed, the means to access it and the technical ceiling has increased exponentially. Disclaimer : the FiiO Q5S was sent to us free of charge by FiiO in exchange of our honest opinion. For the comparisons part of this review, Mojo, the bonus will be the first, as Chord never gets a second place. Da Vinci shows that Q5s has really nice textures, along with detail and a wide stage. Two great options, each for a different taste. The gawky gold hi-res stick on the front of the Q5 is now printed right into the finishing of the Q5s aluminum housing and is a more low-profile black color. Ozzy Osbourne – I Don’t Wanna Stop   Yasuda Rei – Mirror This being said, if you like balls, especially colored glowing balls, Mojo has something for you in store, as for its volume control, as well as its input selection, you have a few clicky balls as the main interface. Disclaimer: The FiiO Q5s sent to us is a sample in exchange for our honest opinion. Supports connection to Sony Walkman players:Yes The newcomer, TR-AMP from Earmen, has only just appeared, but may very well be the one that becomes your choice, based on what features you need from your portable DAC/AMP, since it does not have all the features of Q5s. Similar battery lives as well. I would love to see these cards come with USB-C but perhaps design-wise that is not possible. Q5s tend to be more linear, and this may be caused by the fact that the older AK4490EQ chip sounded fuller and more punchy in all implementations, than the newer AK 4493EQ. It could be argued its old school but the simplicity makes it much easier to understand for me. XD-10 has a selection of Filters, which sound pretty similar to each other, it also has a gain setting, and it also has a bass boost setting, although it is stronger than the one found on Q5s, coloring the sound more. There’s also a COAX cable. Zomboy – Lights Out Something we welcome here on Headfonics. Battery Capacity:3800 mAh The package of XD-10 though, is as good as the one for Q5s, as it also comes with a lot of extras. The sound is different, Q5s is leaner, rich and organic in the mids, but TR-AMP has more punch in the bass. The CSR 8675 Bluetooth 5.0 Chip allows you to take advantage of all the nice BT codecs, and has one of the strongest, most reliable signals out there. Weight: About 195g MdFuX. The Q5s features new DAC AKM4493 DAC Chips, more inputs, more BT codecs, and a … With Line-In, USB, Optical and Coaxial, you have a swiss army to drive Q5s, but it also has a 2.5mm Balanced, 3.5mm Single Ended, 4.4mm Balanced, and a Line output, making it probably the most versatile device out there in terms of the inputs / outputs ratio. Output power: >220mW(PO/32Ω)/>560mW(BAL/32Ω) The treble feels similar, wet, extended, refined, and clean on both. Dope – Rebel Yell Or was there some other way you were thinking of pairing? Just like I noted in my TR-AMP Video Review, having one device that does everything is quite ideal, but let’s be honest, Q5s really does everything. That means an elongated but nicely curved sandblasted CNC aluminum body with a detachable amp module to the base. Mojo also works with iPhones, as well as Android phones, and it also has a microUSB port, rather than a Type-C port. XD-10 has a little display at the front, which makes it easier to read than Q5s. The BT modules in phones are of a higher standard than most DAPs and you will not be using any Q5s DAC or amp stages in transmitting. What to look in when purchasing a high-end portable DAC/AMP The little pouch gets the least highlight, because you cannot use Q5s while it is in the pouch, but it is still interesting. Hifiman Deva is slowly going to replace Sundara, thanks to a brilliant design and sound, so the Video to that will be fun. The sound without any enhancements active is leaner, cleaner, more refined, wetter, with a more liquid overall presentation for Q5s. The Q5s is bundled with the AM3E amp module with both single-ended and balanced 2.5/4.4 outputs The next big update is the inclusion of a brand new amp module card. The FiiO Q5s Type-C is a portable DAC and amp featuring a detachable THX AAA AM3D amp card, dual AK4493EQ, and Bluetooth. Dimensions:About 124mm x 64mm x 16mm Compared, you need to get a special cable for Q5s. You should also notice that XD-10 Poke does not have a Balanced output at all, where Q5s has a good selection of them. Let's review FiiO Q5s! There’s just such a wealth of specifications and FiiO makes it very transparent when you want to know what they used in their products, and what their products can do, and what they can’t. You go from 160mW on a 32Ω unbalanced and up to 440mW balanced on the same load on the Q5 to 210mW and 560mW on the same Q5s settings. The basic form factor of the Q5s remains the same as the Q5 and both are really drawn from the X7 Mark II DAP sans LCD screen. TR-AMP has 6.3mm and 3.5mm outputs, where Q5s has two extra balanced outputs, but no large 6.3mm output. Headphone out: 2.5 + 4.4(Bal) + 3.5(PO) + LINE OUT Ken Ashcorp – Absolute Territory APP interconnection:Supports setting through App TR-AMP has 6.3mm and 3.5mm outputs, where Q5s has two extra balanced outputs, but no large 6.3mm output. Astronautalis – The River, The Woods Both are capable of DSD, and both are capable of Hi-Res, and both devices work with Android and iPhones. The Offspring – Special Delivery In this FiiO Q5s review, we will use the two headphones: Sony IER-M7, and MDR-1AM2, which has both single-ended 3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm ports in addition to Focal Clear. ＞9.5 h (COAX IN) The treble is also rich on Q5s, it is fluid, clean, sparkly, there is excellent detail, but it bears less punch, less dynamics, there’s more detail to be heard, with a more mature presentation. There are two sets of rubber bands, so you can strap Q5S to any smartphone, regardless of the size. The battery lasts the same, or even more than most competitors, making Q5s a really good option to take outdoors. Whilst the AM3E is based on the core AM3 line the performance numbers are improved over the AM3 and Am3a from the original Q5. Q5s tend to be more linear, and this may be caused by the fact that the older AK4490EQ chip sounded fuller and more punchy in all implementations, than the newer AK 4493EQ. We thank FiiO for this opportunity. Incubus – Summer Romance Even if you decide to go hiking, to escape from the endless torment of today’s city stress, Q5s should be able to keep up with you, and you’ll have a great time. The USB input found on XD-10 is the same as the one found on xDSD, where you can use any short OTG you can find to connect it, and you don’t have to search for extra cables. None doesn’t erase the BT algorithms from the sound though, and most people can still tell BT and Wired apart, so you’ll be happy to know that xDSD has a very basic USB input that makes it compatible with any short OTG cable you will find on the market. You should also notice that XD-10 Poke does not have a Balanced output at all, where Q5s has a good selection of them. Memphis May Fire – Not Over Yet. ＞9.5 h (OPT IN) I’m trying to decide between Q5s, xDSD and Mojo for my CA Solaris and HEXv2. Founded in 2007, FiiO is a chi-if superstar. or would that be a waste?. How time flies. The transition between the bass and the mids is more coherent on Q5s, with a softer overall presentation of everything, where Q5 had a soft mid, but a pretty strong bass. What has changed is the output power numbers which FiiO seems to have tweaked for higher levels under load. It is professionally done with not a huge amount of fuss in materials. FiiO Q5s Type-C Review. THD+N:＜0.001% (1 kHz/10kΩ) Q5s makes no exception, and with a full metallic build, with a leather patch on the back, to give it style, it is as impressive as the older. FiiO Q5s vs iFi xDSD (350USD vs 400USD) We reviewed the original FiiO Q5 back in June of last year and were so impressed with it we gave it our Best Portable Amp/DAC award for 2018. Mojo runs a bit warmer than Q5s, but it has two headphone outputs, both in the 3.5mm format, so you can listen to music with your dear ones. I’m looking forward to both companies releasing a Type-C powered version really soon to be honest. I know it does no service for my hearing, but listening to music is just too fun this way. FiiO Q5s is modular amp/dac which plays DSD256 up to 32bit 768kbps. The most important part of every audio product review is how it sounds. 384kHz/32bit（USB IN） The AEON 2 needs more power than any of those. Apart from that, the accessory list is very good and you still get an upgraded screwdriver for swapping the amp cards that is way better than iBasso’s fiddly cheap screwdrivers. There’s also Da Vinci X, which is great at revealing everything about a source, and for your (and my) enjoyment, HIFIMAN Sundara. Speaking of automatic features, Q5s can detect the power output of your computer’s USB ports, so it will know how much to charge. Which one do you think is the better choice? That should mean a slightly smoother upper mids and treble performance over the older harder sounding chipset from the Q5 as well as lower distortion and better SNR numbers. Thanks for the review The main pairings in this review will be with FiiO FH7, Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci X, and HIFIMAN Sundara, as those all should reveal what Q5S is capable of, and where things changed from the previous generation. You simply press and hold until the LED bar on the front plate flashed red and blue then pair with your smartphone etc. The USB port being microUSB is outdated at this point, but happily, FiiO includes Type-C connectors with all their other recent products, like BTR5, FiiO M11, FiiO K3, FiiO K5 PRO, and FiiO EH3NC. Founder & Owner of headfonics.com. M2Tech Young MK III, for example, doesn’t have all the BT codecs that Q5s has, but costs way more as a DAC. XD-10 Poke is another direct competitor, although it is slightly less known. Electric Six – Dager! The build quality is good, DAC feels as a whole unit with good buttons and switches, etc. Line output specifications It is from here you pair with your source transmitting device. I am trying to bring a balanced mix of comedy, information, and ultimately, fun, with every video. The Fiio Q5s is the successor to the original Q5, and the more brolic sibling of the Q1 Mark II. FiiO Q5s + FiiO FH7 – Starting with FiiO’s own top IEM, it has a good revealing ability, along with a rich layering for its stage, as well as an easy-to-drive impedance, so Q5s has no issues in getting it loud, punchy and crisp. Deep-sleep:automatic stand-by, can be controlled on App If you like a musical, natural presentation, Q5s went in the right direction. 192KHz/24bit（COAX IN） FiiO is well-known among audiophiles. S DAC převodníkem FiiO Q5s se doopravdy nemusíte nijak omezovat. This review reflects my personal experience with FiiO Q5s. I would stick with a modern phone for Bluetooth. Using my FiiO FH5 iems with the balanced 2.5mm cable, the hiss from the Q5S is intolerably very discernible. The accessory lineup seems to have remained largely unchanged from the original Q5 picklist. The package is similar, or actually better on Q5s, since TR-AMP comes with just one rubber strap, and I think I needed two, but I’m good using one as well, because Q5s comes with a rubber separator, where TR-AMP has rubber feet to separate it from your phone, so just one rubber band can work okay. And for bassheads, or “fun” sound lovers, there’s a Bass switch which you can turn on, which will thicken the sound a bit, and give you a little extra push in the lows. There’s also Da Vinci X, which is great at revealing everything about a source, and for your (and my) enjoyment, HIFIMAN Sundara. Veil Of Maya – Unbreakable The good thing is that the price has not changed, it is still $349.99. When thinking of purchasing a DAC/AMP in 2020, you should totally consider Earmen TR-AMP, which costs pretty much the same as Q5s, or a bit less actually. Katy Perry – Who Am I Living For Have you tried pairing it with the Q5s or the xDSD? They started way before the golden age of portables, when music was still mostly about using earbuds connected to a smartphone. Bluetooth codec support: AAC/SBC/aptXLL/aptA HD/LDAC BT receiving speed is also now going to be much faster than the older BT4.2 protocol if paired with a BT5 transmitter source and pairing distances likewise should have a bit more maximum distance without disruption.