# The Review Tour of FiiO Q5 Flagship Bluetooth and DSD-Capable DAC & Amplifier Starts Right Now!



## FiiO (Jan 5, 2018)

*


 *

FiiO Q5—the Flagship Bluetooth and DSD-Capable DAC & Amplifier's officially released at FiiO 2017 Autumn Launch Event and the review units are getting ready soon! You've heard so much about the Q5, already can't wait to get your hands on it? Come and join the review tour!

*A. About Q5*

•Being equipped with two of AKM’s AK4490EN DAC chips
•Being equipped with XMOS XUF208
•Supports up to 384kHz/32 bit sampling rates as well as native DSD up to DSD256
•Certified by 3 Major Bodies: Hi-Res Audio + MFi + aptX
•Interchangeable amp modules, fully compatible with FiiO’s lineup
•Bundled with the AM3A amp module with both single-ended and balanced outputs
•World-class Bluetooth audio
•Supports connecting to your computer + iPhone + WM-PORT Sony Walkman player
•Includes a 3.5mm coaxial/optical/line-in combo connector
•3800 mAh battery for longer listening

(To give you a hint on how it costs: the MSRP for US market is about $349.99 and subject to change for other markets)

There are too many to mention, why not join and find out by your own!

*What's more!*
The review Q5 will ship along with some amazing accessories including the following (which need to purchase separately if needed):
•LC-Q5: Leather case of Q5
•LC-Q5i: Dedicated case for bundling the Q5 with iPhone
•L27: WMport to Micro USB digital audio cable
•L28: Coaxial digital audio cable
•Third-party provided Type C and Micro-to-Micro cable

*B. How to apply*

Please apply by replying to this thread and including the following information in your reply:
•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):

*C. About shipping info*

•Depending on the geographical distribution of selected reviewers, FiiO will ship out several Q5s, one or more to reviewers in each region, e.g. USA, Europe, SE Asia, Pacific region, etc. so that shipping costs from one reviewer to the next is kept low.
•FiiO will pay for shipping to the first reviewer and any customs taxes / import duties that may result from the Q5 crossing countries.
•Preview application period: Starting now! And accepting applications until further notice!
•First list of previewers to be announced: To be confirmed.
•Beginning of shipment of review the Q5: To be confirmed.

*D. Review regulations (subject to change before the tour commences)*

•Reviewers should keep the Q5 for at most 10 days before shipping to the next reviewer.
•Reviewers should ship the Q5 to the next reviewer by registered post requiring signature in the padded box provided.
•Reviewers will not be held responsible for any damage to the Q5 sustained during shipping or normal usage.
•Reviewers should do the preview fairly and objectively, and related product photos are required. (Alternatively, video reviews are welcome)
•Reviewers need not overstate the advantages of the products.
•Reviewers should indicate that the review Q5s are free loan units, in order to avoid any misunderstandings.
•Reviewers are reminded to listen responsibly and safely to the Q5, to not use it when operating machinery or driving, and not to drive headphones to excessive volume with the Q5.
•Reviewers should post the completed review content to this thread and the FiiO Q5's review page: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-q5-flagship-bluetooth-and-dsd-capable-dac-amplifier.22846/
•Please also provide FiiO with the links to your review, for us to come and admire your work.
•Please contact FiiO in advance if you have any difficulties with the Q5 in the course of your preview, so we may help you resolve it if possible.

*Best regards,
FiiO Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.*


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## demond (Jan 15, 2018)

I am here, and what you want to know, I can answer.




----------------------------------------
Sampling rate support：
384kHz/32bit（USB IN）
192KHz/24bit（COAX IN）
96KHz/24bit（OPT IN）

DSD support：
USB IN
----------------------------------------


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## IneffableMusic

Currently owned dacs/daps/amps/headphones: LG V10, Sandisk SansaClip Sport, Fiio E6, Meze 99 Classics, Hifiman HE4xx, Hifiman RE400

I live in London, Ontario, Canada. I haven't done any reviews but I have a great understanding of audio and have no problem communicating my thoughts on soundstage, imaging, frequency response including minor details like specific frequency ranges, PRaT etc. in english. I am also quite good with my english skills and can write the review in a very organised manner, and perhaps also do a video review for YouTube and/or other websites.


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## IneffableMusic

IneffableMusic said:


> Currently owned dacs/daps/amps/headphones: LG V10, Sandisk SansaClip Sport, Fiio E6, Meze 99 Classics, Hifiman HE4xx, Hifiman RE400
> 
> I live in London, Ontario, Canada. I haven't done any reviews but I have a great understanding of audio and have no problem communicating my thoughts on soundstage, imaging, frequency response including minor details like specific frequency ranges, PRaT etc. in english. I am also quite good with my english skills and can write the review in a very organised manner, and perhaps also do a video review for YouTube and/or other websites. I am very interested in the Q5 and would love to hear it and give a detailed, honest review.


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## s2kPanda

When will the preorder go up on Amazon?


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## FiiO (Jan 5, 2018)

s2kPanda said:


> When will the preorder go up on Amazon?



Dear friend,

If everything goes smoothly, it will be ready to ship worldwide by the very end of this month! Pls stay tuned with us!. 

Best regards


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## FiiO

What's more, the review Q5 will ship along with some amazing accessories including the following (which need to purchase separately if needed):
•LC-Q5: Leather case of Q5
•LC-Q5i: Dedicated case for bundling the Q5 with iPhone
•L27: WMport to Micro USB digital audio cable
•L28: Coaxial digital audio cable
•Third-party provided Type C and Micro-to-Micro cable

There is no doubt that you will find much fun in using the Q5! So come and join us!


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## KopaneDePooj (Jan 10, 2018)

•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
- Sennheiser HD 598 SE
- Sennheiser HD 518
- Sennheiser Momentum 2 AE
- Sennheiser HD 239
- Sennheiser PX 100-II
- Koss KSC75
- Koss Porta Pro
- SoundMagic E10

•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
- FiiO X5 3rd gen (and I'm active in the X5 thread)
- HTC 10
- Win 10 desktop PC

•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
I don't have any reviews yet but I promise this will be a good (meaning honest) first one 
I also expressed my impression about all the headphones I own and owned in various threads.
This is an old one and I'm not that thrilled any more but you might get an idea about my writing:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/only-believe-your-own-ears-or-how-i-discovered-the-hd-598se.790630/

•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
Brasov / Romania

•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):
Romanian / English


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## Dobrescu George

I think that Q5 looks pretty awesome! 

Would love to have a more in-depth time with it eventually!


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## tim0chan (Jan 5, 2018)

Iems/hps owned: empire ears Spartan Adel, qdc Neptune, shozy zero, fad e3000,ibasso it03. Hps/earbuds: he400i, monk lite 40ohm and120ohm
DAC/ amp: oppo ha2, project palaios Iona
Dap: LG g6 quad DAC shanling m1
Easy access to more items easily as I am located in Singapore.
Review experience: written but have not released them yet.
Located in Singapore
Write in English only


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## tauceti (Jan 5, 2018)

why does it only have Bluetooth 4.1? I thought it has 5.0? or at least 4.2...does it support also AAC next to APT-x?

Also why didn’t you use the new AK 4493 which is the successor of AK 4490 or the AK 4495 or AK4497?


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## tauceti

Can you also give us a comparison with the Q1 Mark II?


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## slackerpo

this is the end of me


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## s2kPanda

Will the Q5 work with Android phones?


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## tim0chan

s2kPanda said:


> Will the Q5 work with Android phones?


Yes, just like the rest of their dac/amps


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## AnthonyInTX

Oh, man! I would love to participate in this! My info is below:

Please apply by replying to this thread and including the following information in your reply:
•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
Sennheiser HD 598
Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear Wireless
Thinksound Rain
Hifiman RE400
B&O H3

•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
Fiio X5ii
Fiio X1
Aune B1 mobile amp
LG V20
iPhone 6 (converted to audio player)
iPod Touch 8GB

•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
This would be my very first review. I hope that doesn't disqualify me from participating. I have been a dedicated music fan for virtually my whole life and got into hi-res audio about 3 years ago. I've done my homework on why hi-res is better and what goes into making a great-sounding piece of equipment. My review wouldn't be the most scientific in the world, but would certainly be detailed and descriptive. 

•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
Houston, Texas, USA

•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):
English


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## AzureSerenity

Q5 is something that I've been eyeing for like more than a year on the other Q5 thread. I'd love to hop on the preview hype train.


Gear List:
Headphone: Campfire Audio Jupiter, IE80, HD6XX, K7XX, K550, Q460 etc.
DAP: L3Pro
Amp: Schiit Vali2
DAC: Schiit Modi Multibit, Fiio Q1

Previous Reviews:
I don't really write many reviews, but here was one (in Chinese tho)
Unboxing of the jupiter
http://tieba.baidu.com/p/5022556882?pid=105194434257&cid=0#105194434257

Location:
Houston, Texas, United States

Native language:
Chinese, but I'd say I'm more than proficient enough for writing a review in English


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## Ynot1

Please apply by replying to this thread and including the following information in your reply:
•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
Vfree (bluetooth, se, balance); KZ R2, ATR, ES3 (bluetooth), ZSE; XE800 balanced; Xiaomi P3 balanced; few others...
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
Accessport, Benjie X1, Creative G5, Walnut V2.1
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
I reviewed Accessport, Fiio Q1mkII, Fiio F9pro.
•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in): Cook county, USA.
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in): english.


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## Siriuslux

IEM Audio-Technica ATH-E70, Stax 4004
DAP iPhone 6s plus
DACs owned twmo modified Oppo BDP-105, various Hifiberry, abacus Preamp 14.
Location Luxembourg.
Native language German, can write in English, French Italian.


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## obsidyen

•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess: Fostex TH-610, Sony XBAN3AP
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess: None at the moment. I use my MacBook Pro 2016 which has a very good headphone out. 
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/noble-audio-kaiser-k10ua-universal-aluminum.21400/reviews  and https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/meze-99-classics.21066/reviews. Sadly I don't know how to give a link to my reviews directly in the new forum. But my reviews are there.
•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in): Istanbul, Turkey.
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in): Turkish and English. Also German though it's not fluent.


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## techboy

Headphones - HD 650, HD 598,HD 598 SE and a bunch of earbuds. 

DACs - Schiit Modi Multibit, iDevices, Redmi 3s Prime, Nexus 6, MacBook Air

Amp - Project Ember 2.1, Project Ember 1.0 with SC, iDevices and above stuff. Fiio E12. 

Done a bunch of reviews for Sennheiser India. Lookup my reviews in my profile on HeadFi. And other reviews. 

India. 

English. Hindi.


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## Audiowood

I am interested and will probably buy it at the end of the month. I am all for Bluetooth convenience and I have witness no audio differences using only bluetooth 4 and wired connection on some of the device currently available today.

That being said, I would like to do a review if I am selected. 

My headphones:
HIFIMAN ED X
Noble K10 CIEM 
Shure SE846.
And many more..

DAC/AMP
Pico SLIM
Zana Duex SE
Centrance BlueDAc
AK XB10
And many more... 

Location: San Jose CA. 

Previous review sample 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/i1-...plifier-from-fiio.803133/page-5#post-13537624

Language Native: English.


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## Sonic Defender

I would also like to be part of the Canadian leg of the tour. I have several reviews under my profile, most recently I was part of the Chord Hugo2 tour. I have access to many top tier headphones but I will be using my Pioneer SE Monitor-5 mostly. I will focus a great deal on Bluetooth as that is an area I am interested in and I also feel the market for Bluetooth is extremely important to pay attention to and it will only grow. I look forward to having an opportunity to audition the Q5 if selected.


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## .Sup

Mac Mini 2012/Yamaha CD-S1000 → Ref 5 DSP/DAC-19 DSP → SPL Auditor/DIY Bottlehead Crack SB/Yamaha CR-450/NAD 3240PE
Cans: HD800 S/N 00221, HE-4, SR950, AudioQuest Nighthawk
Aune M1s, various iPods, iPhone 5

Ljubljana, Slovenia, English language
this is the only review I found, for the love of God this site is a mess 
Thank you for the opportunity!


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## asian23 (Jan 8, 2018)

HI I'd like to apply:

•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:

Sennheiser HD6xx
Hifiman HE-4XX
Fostex TH-X00
AKG K7xx
iBasso IT01
MeeAudio PX
Koss Portapro
KZ ZS5
KZ ZS6


•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:

LG V30
Chord Mojo
Radsone Earstudio


•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
This would be my first review, but i hope to describe the sound in a human way.

•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
Melbourne, Australia

•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):
English, Chinese


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## monousa

I live in the New York area USA. My language is English. I use FIIO products. I use X3 Mark 3. I use BTR1. I also use E11. And E6
  I use Sennheiser HD 600. Momentum2.0. Grado 325es. SONY mdr1. Bose soundlink. 
I use cmoy headphone amps. As well as Headroom headphone amps. 
My daps are FIIO X3,SONY NWZ 18, and iPhone. I utilize ALAC. FLAC. WMA. MP3 files.


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## FiiO

tim0chan said:


> Yes, just like the rest of their dac/amps


Yes, technically it can work with all the phones with standard USB audio output function. But as there're too many different types of Android devices, and the standards are varying, the compatibility is not guaranteed. Pls kindly note, thanks!


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## Dobrescu George

FiiO said:


> Yes, technically it can work with all the phones with standard USB audio output function. But as there're too many different types of Android devices, and the standards are varying, the compatibility is not guaranteed. Pls kindly note, thanks!



I had this happen with the most universal things out there as well. 

For exmaple, My Xiaomi Mi Max 2 connects with anything you can try, while my brother's Huawei P10Lite connects with nothing you can try, so if anyone is rocking a Huawei phone and it doesn't work, I am 99% sure that it isn't FiiO's fault. both phones were on default firmwares, all updates made, it just works like this. I think that my T585 samsung Galaxy Tab A connects to everything out there as well, but I'm still testing.


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## FiiO

tauceti said:


> why does it only have Bluetooth 4.1? I thought it has 5.0? or at least 4.2...does it support also AAC next to APT-x?
> 
> Also why didn’t you use the new AK 4493 which is the successor of AK 4490 or the AK 4495 or AK4497?


As you may know, the R&D of Q5 was started one year ago, so it's designed on the basis of Bluetooth 4.1. But you don't need to worry about it, the Bluetooth can be upgraded via the side USB port to 5.0 or higher version in the future.


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## tim0chan

FiiO said:


> As you may know, the R&D of Q5 was started one year ago, so it's designed on the basis of Bluetooth 4.1. But you don't need to worry about it, the Bluetooth can be upgraded via the side USB port to 5.0 or higher version in the future.





FiiO said:


> Yes, technically it can work with all the phones with standard USB audio output function. But as there're too many different types of Android devices, and the standards are varying, the compatibility is not guaranteed. Pls kindly note, thanks!


If not supported, one can use the usb player app


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## SchwarzeWolke

*Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:*
Sony MDR-1A
Trinityaudioengineering Atlas and Icarus III
Custom Art FIBAE 3 (Hopefully soon!)
I can also try any of the stock Samsung or Apple headphones, which I got from various smartphones
*
Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:*
Sony NWZ-A15


FiiO said:


> [...]•L27: WMport to Micro USB digital audio cable[...]


 
Audioquest Dragonfly Black
Fairphone 2
iPhone 7
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Lenovo X1Carbon

*Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:*
Would be my first try 

*Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):*
Germany, Cologne

*Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):*
German and English


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## theaudiologist

this or mojo?


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## Sonic Defender (Jan 9, 2018)

theaudiologist said:


> this or mojo?


I owned a Mojo, and it is fantastic, but the odds of the Q5 not sounding also fantastic is low, plus, this has Bluetooth which believe me, you will grow to appreciate. I find the audio quality with Apt X Bluetooth fantastic which means you can use a phone as a source when needed, no cables required and still experience great quality audio. So for me, I would opt for the Q5 personally.


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## tauceti

as iPhone doesn't support APT-X will but only AAC instead, will this also be supported if streaming from iPhone to Q5 via bluetooth?


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## snellemin

theaudiologist said:


> this or mojo?



Mojo is overpriced for what it is.  It sounds pretty good to my ears.  Has that old school analog sound, but I would not spend over 300 for it.  The Q5 you have the ability to change the sound signatures and power with all the different modules available.  But 300 is also my personal limit for the Q5.  So, I'll be in the searching the used market once the hype has gone by.


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## Ynot1

tauceti said:


> as iPhone doesn't support APT-X will but only AAC instead, will this also be supported if streaming from iPhone to Q5 via bluetooth?



Could someone write an app to do aptx on ios? I would imagine theoretically it is possible. I'm not sure if apple would object if the app is a paid app.


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## demond

tauceti said:


> why does it only have Bluetooth 4.1? I thought it has 5.0? or at least 4.2...does it support also AAC next to APT-x?
> 
> Also why didn’t you use the new AK 4493 which is the successor of AK 4490 or the AK 4495 or AK4497?


Q5 started three years ago, and at that time, engineers were used to starting with their most familiar version 4.1. However, Q5 can upgrade Bluetooth firmware independently, and it is possible to upgrade to 4.2 or 5.0.
This activity is not arranged with Q1 II. This two products have different positioning.


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## demond

Ynot1 said:


> Could someone write an app to do aptx on ios? I would imagine theoretically it is possible. I'm not sure if apple would object if the app is a paid app.


APTX is a communication protocol that requires high pass authorization, and I think it's not possible to implement it through APP


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## demond

tauceti said:


> as iPhone doesn't support APT-X will but only AAC instead, will this also be supported if streaming from iPhone to Q5 via bluetooth?


Bluetooth from iPhone, SBR or AAC.


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## demond

s2kPanda said:


> Will the Q5 work with Android phones?


(Third-party provided Type C and Micro-to-Micro cable.)
Q5 supports Android mobile phones, and the type of support is like Q1 MKII. The tour has been paired with a TypeC/Micro to Micro cable to make it easier for Android to try.


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## DrunkSaru

I wonder if I should consider this for my HA-2 (First gen) replacement since my battery isn't lasting as long now. I really enjoyed the way the HA-2 was tuned and has paired wonderfully with all my Sennheiser headphones. Looking at specs only, this looks very intriguing. I've been spoiled with LDAC  since I got my Sony MDR1000X and my friend loved it so much, he got one too but he got the newer WH1000XM2 and so I've been borrowing that and trying to compare LDAC and APT-X HD. Hard to tell. But i've been spoiled so If it's a track i'm familiar with, I can generally now tell the difference between APT-X and APT-X HD. 

Anyway enough rambling. My question is why not put USB C on the product? Why continue with Micro USB? Also, the C to Micro adapter - is that cable modified so when connected to a phone, the phone won't try to automatically charge the connected device? Did Fiio just remove the charging cables or is there a chip on the cable that prevents it from charging?


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## tauceti

demond said:


> Bluetooth from iPhone, SBR or AAC.


So did I get this right that Q5 bluetooth also supports AAC or only SBR?


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## betula

*•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:*
_AudioQuest NightHawk, Flare Audio R2Pro_ (owned many others in the past)
*•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:*
_Chord Mojo, iFi Micro iDSD BL_ (previously owned _Fiio X3_ and _X3II_ and many others)
*•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:*
  Latest review on the_ iFi Nano BL_: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ifi-audio-nano-idsd-black-label.22770/reviews#review-19599
  The one before on _Chord Hugo2_: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/chord-hugo-2.22209/reviews#review-19669
  And _Meze 99Neo_: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/meze-99-neo.22329/reviews?page=2#review-19054
I have other reviews as well on Head-Fi, but it is a pain in the neck to look them up on this website.
*•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):*
 Salisbury, United Kingdom
*•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):*
 Hungarian and English


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## FiiO

Thank you all for participating! Here comes the updated info:

1. The first list of previewers will be announced* by tomorrow on Jan 13th;*
2. The Q5 / L27 / L28 / the third-party provided Type C and micro-micro cable are all ready;
3. The LC-Q5 and LC-Q5i are estimated to be ready by Jan 16th, so the shipment will begin once get ready!

Wanna be the first to get hands on the Q5, come and join us!


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## demond

tauceti said:


> Can you also give us a comparison with the Q1 Mark II?


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## FiiO

*Announcement on the first list of previewers for FiiO Q5 review tour:*

@KopaneDePooj
@obsidyen
@tim0chan
@Audiowood
@Ynot1
@Sonic Defender
@monousa
@betula

Please kindly send PM to @FiiO with your mailing info including the following:
1. Contact person + 2. Detailed address and postal code + 3. Telephone number

Congratulations and happy touring!

P.S. The application is still open till further notice, welcome to join the queue!


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## Ynot1

I sent my info. Let the tour begin, yeah!


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## PACSman

FiiO said:


> * *
> 
> FiiO Q5—the Flagship Bluetooth and DSD-Capable DAC & Amplifier's officially released at FiiO 2017 Autumn Launch Event and the review units are getting ready soon! You've heard so much about the Q5, already can't wait to get your hands on it? Come and join the review tour!
> 
> ...



Please consider signing me up and including me:

•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:  JH Audio Layla, MRSpeaker Ether C Flow
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess: iFi iDSD Black, Samsung S7e
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted: (none significant)
•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in): Denver, CO, USA
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in): English


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## tim0chan

PACSman said:


> Please consider signing me up and including me:
> 
> •-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:  JH Audio Layla, MRSpeaker Ether C Flow
> •-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess: iFi iDSD Black, Samsung S7e
> ...


It is possible that u just joined recently and that's why they didn't choose u


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## chrisba

Hi friends,
I would be very happy to also join the ride.

Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
PSB M4U2
Bose QC20
House of Marley Zions
FIIO F9,F9pro,FH1

Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
FIIO X5 iii 
and my phone S7

Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
Would be my first but posted impressions in f9* forums

Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
Germany, Wesel

Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):
German and English

Fingers crossed


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## w4cht3l

In the official German store fiio-shop.de
the Q5 can now be preordered for 449 euro.

That‘s a little bit disappointing. I expected something around 349 euro.

Is 449 the final price for europe?


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## tauceti (Jan 16, 2018)

Yes too expensive just for me too.Really disappointing. You get a Shanling M3s DAP with 2 AK4490 for only 280€


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## tim0chan

tauceti said:


> Yes too expensive just for me too.Really disappointing. You get a Shanling M3s DAP with 2 AK4490 for only 280€


It is the implementation that matters, not just the chip


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## tauceti

yes indeed but the specs seem to be similar.


----------



## William1953

FiiO said:


> *Announcement on the first list of previewers for FiiO Q5 review tour:*
> 
> @KopaneDePooj
> @obsidyen
> ...


----------



## William1953

This is my stuff never written a review before, but would enjoy the challenge, being retired I have the time.

AKG K3003 IEM converted to 2.5mm balanced
Technics EAH-T700 with 2.5mm balanced cable
Shure SRH 1540 with 2.5mm balanced cable
B&W P7
Bluedio Victory
Parrot ZIK
Bose QC15
Fiio F5
Fiio F9
Shure 530
Grado GR10


Fiio X5iii
Astel & kern 120ii
Ibasso DX90
Ifi Micro idsd
Graham Slee Solo Ultra-Linear Diamond Edition headphone amp
Acer laptop running J River 23 software
Sonarworks Reference 4 software


----------



## FiiO

w4cht3l said:


> In the official German store fiio-shop.de
> the Q5 can now be preordered for 449 euro.
> 
> That‘s a little bit disappointing. I expected something around 349 euro.
> ...


Hello!

Since we have an exclusive sales agent in Germany, we don't control over on the retail price of them. 449 Euro is a little too far, so we will talk to them regarding this issue with the aim to turn it a little bit down, thank you!


----------



## FiiO

William1953 said:


> This is my stuff never written a review before, but would enjoy the challenge, being retired I have the time.
> 
> AKG K3003 IEM converted to 2.5mm balanced
> Technics EAH-T700 with 2.5mm balanced cable
> ...


Kindly provide the info below as well, thanks!

•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):


----------



## William1953

FiiO said:


> Kindly provide the info below as well, thanks!
> 
> •-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
> •-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):


Hi


Geographical region Essex UK

Native language English only


----------



## Mouseman

I'd also like to throw my hat in the ring:

Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
Pinnacle P1 and P2 (balanced and unbalanced cables)
Massdrop x AKG K7XX
AKG M220 Pro
Fiio EX1 II
Fiio FH1s on the way
a whole bunch of other IEMs (Advanced Sound, Ostry KC06, etc.)

Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
FIIO Q1 original and MKII
Cayin N3
Xduoo XD-05

Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
Would be my first but posted impressions in other forums

Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
Metro Detroit, MI, USA

Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):
English


----------



## oopsydaisy

I'd like to give one a shot as I'm in the market for a portable DAC/amp

•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
Audeze LCD-2 (Pre Fazor)
Ultrasone Edition 8
Shure SE535 Red
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
iPhone 7
Yulong D100
Violectric V200
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
None
•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
New York, USA
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):
English


----------



## FiiO

FiiO Q5, the most powerful Bluetooth and DSD DAC&Amp ever, is available now! More details after the link: http://www.fiio.net/en/story/623


----------



## 397324

I have an X7ii with the standard AM3A amp. Does the Q5 come with an amp module fitted and with my AM3A fitted to the Q5, what improvements could I look forward to?


----------



## Dobrescu George

Darren Cotter said:


> I have an X7ii with the standard AM3A amp. Does the Q5 come with an amp module fitted and with my AM3A fitted to the Q5, what improvements could I look forward to?


]

Slightly smoother sound, base don the DAC Q5 has, but at this point that is speculation.  

Having the same AMP stage as X7mkii, the sound should be a bit similar. I am curious to test the differences myself actually! 

Might prolong the battery life considerably though.


----------



## 397324 (Jan 18, 2018)

Thanks. I asked the same question on the official FiiO forum about using the A5 full sized amp with my X7ii and suggested it might prolong battery life. A representative from Fiio said it wouldn't!

That was the best answer I got, as most people answered thinking I was talking about the AM5 amp module! I don't go on their much after that.


----------



## Dobrescu George

Darren Cotter said:


> Thanks. I asked the same question on the official FiiO forum about using the A5 full sized amp with my X7ii and suggested it might prolong battery life. A representative from Fiio said it wouldn't!
> 
> That was the best answer, as most people answered thinking I was talking about the AM5 amp module! I don't go on their much after that.



The AM5 module wouldn't prolong the battery life 

stacking A5 on X7mkii might not be necessary 

Stacking Q5 on X7mkii might not be necessary either, it has detachable modules just so you don't need to stack...


----------



## 397324

I never said the AM5 Amp module would, they just started talking about it when I was talking about the A5 (E12, E12A replacement). I thought stacking the A5 might give you more power than the AM5 module.

I was asking about stacking with the Q5, as I wondered if it had a better DAC than the X7ii?


----------



## Dobrescu George

Darren Cotter said:


> I never said the AM5 Amp module would, they just started talking about it when I was talking about the A5 (E12, E12A replacement). I thought stacking the A5 might give you more power than the AM5 module.
> 
> I was asking about stacking with the Q5, as I wondered if it had a better DAC than the X7ii?



I tend to prefer ESS DACs over AK DACs as a rule of thumb... AK tends to be smoother, which isn't something I prefer. 

I haven't tested AM5 and A5 side by side, but A5 might provide a bit more power


----------



## 397324 (Jan 18, 2018)

I've just been told on the other thread, that the Q5 comes with an AM3A amp.That's ridiculous.

Why are they doing this again? It's like the initial release of the original X7 all over again, where you were forced to have the rubbish AM1 amp.

If I could buy the Q5 without an amp and just buy an AM0 and transfer my X7ii's AM3A amp across, it would save me money. The AM3A is a great amp, but I don't want or need two!


----------



## tim0chan

Darren Cotter said:


> I've just been told on the other thread, that the Q5 comes with an AM3A amp.That's ridiculous.
> 
> Why are they doing this again? It's like the initial release of the original X7 all over again, where you were forced to have the rubbish AM1 amp.
> 
> If I could buy the Q5 without an amp and just buy an AM0 and transfer my X7ii's AM3A amp across, it would save me money. The AM3A is a great amp, but I don't want or need two!


It's not ridiculous.
Heathens like me do not own any other amp module and as such literally would not have a chance to audition it if it didn't come with an amp module. Besides, the whole point of a "flagship DAC amp" is for people (like me) who prefer to use their phones as a transport for easy to use UI and complete non-lagginess (if that makes sense). Connecting it to a dap twice its price defeats the purpose of having it in the first place considering it already will be on the same level or exceed the sound of the dac amp.
Another thing that I would like to point out is that the am3a on the Q5 would give it the sound desired by its designer. And as a future reviewer, I believe that it is my duty to give a review of the intended product before I do any swapping about of the amp modules. 
Who knows, maybe after the initial launch, they might just take up that idea. But for now (especially on this thread) please try to keep it civil.


----------



## demond

Perhaps the advantages of AM3A will be the greatest in Q5, which is very rare. I prefer the first user to buy FiiO to be able to like it. Of course, the modules like X7Ⅱ may appear to be repeated, and mass production will make the lowest cost and allow us to control the price better.
If the brand new module can't meet most hobbies, it will not be listed as a standard. If the cost is too high, it is not suitable for supporting sale. If you do not sell module, there will be a lot of trouble after sale.


----------



## FiiO (Jan 19, 2018)

The tour begins officially! The very first 3 units of Q5(with the said accessories) had been sent out yesterday to @KopaneDePooj, @tim0chan and @Ynot1 and will be followed by @betula @obsidyen and @Audiowood. Happy listening! (Also, this arrangement is subject to further notice! )


----------



## 397324 (Jan 19, 2018)

tim0chan said:


> It's not ridiculous.
> Heathens like me do not own any other amp module and as such literally would not have a chance to audition it if it didn't come with an amp module. Besides, the whole point of a "flagship DAC amp" is for people (like me) who prefer to use their phones as a transport for easy to use UI and complete non-lagginess (if that makes sense). Connecting it to a dap twice its price defeats the purpose of having it in the first place considering it already will be on the same level or exceed the sound of the dac amp.
> Another thing that I would like to point out is that the am3a on the Q5 would give it the sound desired by its designer. And as a future reviewer, I believe that it is my duty to give a review of the intended product before I do any swapping about of the amp modules.
> Who knows, maybe after the initial launch, they might just take up that idea. But for now (especially on this thread) please try to keep it civil.




I will post my opinions as I see them. Nothing I said wasn't "Civil". The worst word I used was ridiculous. Hardly the "C" word!

Regarding using it with a DAP twice the price, isn't it quite popular to use a Chord Mojo with A&K DAPs? The cheapest, the AK70ii is roughly double the price. I've never owned any A&K products, but I'm sure I've read that they actually recommended it?


----------



## tim0chan

Darren Cotter said:


> I will post my opinions as I see them. Nothing I said wasn't "Civil". The worst word I used was ridiculous. Hardly the "C" word!
> 
> Regarding using it with a DAP twice the price, isn't it quite popular to use a Chord Mojo with A&K DAPs? The cheapest, the AK70ii is roughly double the price. I've never owned any A&K products, but I'm sure I've read that they actually recommended it?


To me, I do not think we are in much of a position to criticize the actions of the manufacturer at this point of time.  I think that's bcos the sales have  not even started, and no one save the ppl at fiio have heard it. Let it play out then we can think about telling them how to improve.
As for the ak, I think it may be OK for to others who have the budget. However, for 
 me, it goes against my philosophy so ymmv


----------



## tim0chan

FiiO said:


> The tour begins officially! The very first 3 units of Q5(with the said accessories) had been sent out yesterday to @KopaneDePooj, @tim0chan and @Ynot1 and will be followed by @betula @obsidyen and @Audiowood. Happy listening! (Also, this arrangement is subject to further notice! )


When should I expect it to arrive? Also, who do I pass it to next.? Preferably a fellow local reviewer


----------



## Ynot1

Wow three!


----------



## RoMee

So, when will this be available on Amazon?


----------



## w4cht3l

RoMee said:


> So, when will this be available on Amazon?



Yeah I'm waiting. Really hope that it will be cheaper than on the official german store...

The Q5 is still listed for 449€ there. Too expensive. I honestly planned to buy the Q5 immediately after release. Just the device I was searching for. I was really looking forward to it.

The MSRP was stated to be around 349$. According to current exchange rate that would be 286€. But we know, that's not how it works: you would expect the price for Europe to be 349€, maybe a litte less. But 449€?? That's just ridiculous.

No offense: At 349$ and even at 349€ the Fiio Q5 will be an absolute bargain. But a price 100€ above the expected price for Europe and technically nearly 170€ above the price for the US... That's a shock. I really have to think again now.


----------



## Ynot1

Note the Q5 is like owning multiple devices in one.


----------



## w4cht3l

Like I mentioned: The Q5 is an excellent device and hats off to Fiio.

But in Europe I pay 170€ more to get said device, than you pay in the US.


----------



## Siriuslux

Try in the UK, if anybody is experienced with this store www.amp3.cu.uk
There it is at 329£


----------



## Niels78 (Jan 20, 2018)

399,- in Holland

https://hdphns.com/fiio-q5


----------



## wigglepuff

does this have a bypass on battery if you plan to use it as a dac/amp for desktop/laptop (similar to ibasso units)? or still filters through battery like most portable amps?


----------



## Tysun (Jan 21, 2018)

I would like to join the second phase of Q5 tour! If I get selected I am willing to be obliged to do the following:

1) A written review on Head-Fi in English (obviously). 2) A Chinese written review on a site recommended by Fiio team. 3) Two video reviews posted on YouTube in English AND Chinese Mandarin separately.

I will be focusing on comparing Fiio Q5 vs Oppo HA2SE as both are head-to-head in price and form factor.

•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
Senn HD6xx, Philips SHP9500, Shure SRH840, Monolith M1060, RHA T20i, KZ ZS6.
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
Fiio Q1mk1, Oppo Ha2SE (I am very eager to compare Q5 with HA2SE!)
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
My review of Xiao Yi action camera on YouTube:

•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):
Fluent in both English and Chinese Mandarin.

Thank you Fiio team!


Hamster


----------



## Makiah S

> Please apply by replying to this thread and including the following information in your reply:
> •-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
> •-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
> •-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
> ...



1)
_*Audio Technica ES10*_
ATH M40X
SuperLux HD 668B
Sony MDR V6
KRK KNS 6400
Byerdynamic DT 240
Sennhesier HD 800
_HD 25-1 ii
HD 280 Pro_
ZMF Eikon
_Hifiman HE 4XX_
HE 4
Audeze LCD 2
{D.I.Y Grado Style Headphones}
_*Ypsilon G1
Nhoord Red V1*_
__________________________
EMU Purpleheart
DD Audio DXB-04

Everything that's _itliacized _ is more sensitive gear that I like to test with portable products. The products in *BOLD *Are models I have a 2.5mm Cable to use with 

2)
[Portable DAPs/DACs/AMPs]
Shanling M2s
Shanling M3s
Hifiman HM 601 
Hifiman HM901
Geek Out V2+
Behring UCA 202
iBasso PB2
HeadAmp Pico Power

[Desktop DACs]
Audio GD NFB10ES2
JDS Labs EL Dac

[Desktop Amps]
Audio GD NFB10ES2
Project Ember II
APPJ PA1502A Moddified with Upgraded Caps

4):
South East USA
5):
English

3): My Signature has links to all my Social Media Accounts and a link to my Blog which features most of my Reviews. 

I'd love a chance to hear the Q5 and be part of the tour! Portable products are some of my favorites because of how versatile they are. I spend a lot of time away from home so I personally use them often in my own day to day listening! Either way, thank you guys for extending this tour out to the community! An I look forward to finding out who you choose as participants.


----------



## FiiO

Ynot1 said:


> Wow three!


Yes, with more participants join in, we will arrange more review samples out.


----------



## FiiO

RoMee said:


> So, when will this be available on Amazon?


If everything goes smoothly, the Q5 will be available for ship out worldwide by the very end of this month. So it will be available to purchase in early Feb.


----------



## FiiO

w4cht3l said:


> Yeah I'm waiting. Really hope that it will be cheaper than on the official german store...
> 
> The Q5 is still listed for 449€ there. Too expensive. I honestly planned to buy the Q5 immediately after release. Just the device I was searching for. I was really looking forward to it.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your kind understanding. Owing to different market situation to each country with different import tax, sales tax, etc, so we can't control over on the price, especially for markets with exclusive agent. Anyway, we will go and make suggestion to our partner in Germany for the retail price, thank you!


----------



## FiiO

Siriuslux said:


> Try in the UK, if anybody is experienced with this store www.amp3.cu.uk
> There it is at 329£


For now, we have three official sales agent in UK: Advanced MP3 Players (http://www.fiio.net/en/stores/140), EA Audio (http://www.fiio.net/en/stores/141) and AV Shop (http://www.fiio.net/en/stores/333).


----------



## FiiO

wigglepuff said:


> does this have a bypass on battery if you plan to use it as a dac/amp for desktop/laptop (similar to ibasso units)? or still filters through battery like most portable amps?


Here is the answer to your question:

When using as a DAC for computer, the Q5 would not discharge and use the power supply from USB port. Meanwhile, the computer will charge the Q5.


----------



## Siriuslux

Thanks for the reply regarding the UK dealers. I am from Luxembour and ordered from advancedmp3players in the UK, I will see how good and quick their service will be.

I think that is a real alternative to all the people who are not limited to German language, who live in Germany ow like me outside of Germany.
The dealer in Germany is just arguing they have a different coat structure and support in German language.
Different cost structure - well maybe, but the VAT is lower in Germany compared to the UK, the import duty (if any) is the same, etc. So I think the only thing is that they want a higher margin. Up to the customer to decide where to buy.
Support in German - at least here in the forum there are plenty of people who don’t care, for other people that might be different. I personally don’t mind if the distributor communicates in English, French, Italian or Spanish.
Looking forward to receiving my device.


----------



## tauceti

w4cht3l said:


> Yeah I'm waiting. Really hope that it will be cheaper than on the official german store...
> 
> The Q5 is still listed for 449€ there. Too expensive. I honestly planned to buy the Q5 immediately after release. Just the device I was searching for. I was really looking forward to it.
> 
> ...



that is why I ordered it on aliexpress directly from fiio. Hopefully the customs won't eat all the price difference...At least I get a nice leather case and a pet 
And hopefully the first batch won't be faulty in any way because warranty issues and sending back to china is too time consuming/costly etc.


----------



## tauceti

Yippie!!!


----------



## Dobrescu George

tauceti said:


> Yippie!!!



The beauty has APT-X!!!


----------



## Nalin

I want to know how this will compare with x7ii especially considering the price difference between these two. 

If @FiiO can enlighten us that would be great..


----------



## Dobrescu George

Thearcade12 said:


> I want to know how this will compare with x7ii especially considering the price difference between these two.
> 
> If @FiiO can enlighten us that would be great..



FiiO doesn't usually post sonic impressions, at least so far. 

The mai difference is in the DAC, where X7mkii has the flagship from ESS, their desktop version. 

Since the AMP is the same, AM03A, Q5 should sound similar.


----------



## Mouseman

Dobrescu George said:


> The beauty has APT-X!!!



The ram has APT-X? Is there anything that Fiio can't do?


----------



## Nalin

Dobrescu George said:


> FiiO doesn't usually post sonic impressions, at least so far.
> 
> The mai difference is in the DAC, where X7mkii has the flagship from ESS, their desktop version.
> 
> Since the AMP is the same, AM03A, Q5 should sound similar.



I mainly want to use this for streaming through my phone which x7ii is not capable of. Unless they are coming up with something like hibylink but even that doesn't support streaming iirc.

So for guys like me who stream music, q5 is the only option. Guess i have to wait for impressions and reviews. Aggghhh..


----------



## Dobrescu George

Mouseman said:


> The ram has APT-X? Is there anything that Fiio can't do?



I wonder where one can get one of those plushies


----------



## Dobrescu George

Thearcade12 said:


> I mainly want to use this for streaming through my phone which x7ii is not capable of. Unless they are coming up with something like hibylink but even that doesn't support streaming iirc.
> 
> So for guys like me who stream music, q5 is the only option. Guess i have to wait for impressions and reviews. Aggghhh..



I really think X7mkii is capable of streaming, but that is another discussion, as I haven't tested that, at this point being more of a guess. I do not have an account for streaming since I do not use it. 

As for the sound, usually the AMP part of a DAP is the one that gets a bit part of the synnergy, and Q5 comes with AM03A, the same as FiiO X7mkii, I am fairly sure that you will get a similar sound, more or less. 

It is the DAC which is different, and the AK DAC in Q5 is used in a few high-end devices as well, so I wouldn't worry too much, it should be pretty awesome.


----------



## chrisba (Jan 25, 2018)

How would I love to review this lovely device with PSB's brand new M4U 8 headphones - also including wireless with APTX-HD!
And they replaced the ugly crackling headband with a much more stable one.
But that's another story maybe being told sometime in the future (read this Paul Barton - I'm still in love with the m4u 2s despite of their flaws )

Edit:typo


----------



## Nalin

Dobrescu George said:


> I really think X7mkii is capable of streaming, but that is another discussion, as I haven't tested that, at this point being more of a guess. I do not have an account for streaming since I do not use it.
> 
> As for the sound, usually the AMP part of a DAP is the one that gets a bit part of the synnergy, and Q5 comes with AM03A, the same as FiiO X7mkii, I am fairly sure that you will get a similar sound, more or less.
> 
> It is the DAC which is different, and the AK DAC in Q5 is used in a few high-end devices as well, so I wouldn't worry too much, it should be pretty awesome.



It is certainly capable of streaming because of android but i was talking of bluetooth in my case which means my phone is source here.

The amp is why i compared it with x7ii basically. The dac is different i know but there is a substantial price difference which can be due to lack of screen or due to fiio postitining the q5 below x7ii sonically.


----------



## Ynot1

Yippee yabadabadoo!


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 25, 2018)

My unit had a scratch by the controls button. So the cases could be worthwhile beyond the included pouch. I also tried Bluetooth pairing and it worked but took a minute. I checked the manual and it comes loaded with cables. I hope to play music soon.

There is a blue light indicator on the power button and a hidden led light that is kind of neat. All in all the form factor looks similar to the e12.

Also I saw a torx screws and driver included. And the charge microusb and signaling microusb are dedicated on the unit.


----------



## betula

Is it possible to buy somewhere just the USB-C to micro cable?


----------



## Ynot1




----------



## tauceti (Jan 25, 2018)

Hi Fiio fans,

here are my first impressions with the Q5 (I am not in the review tour I ordered the Q5 myself):

Build quality is very nice. Q5 is very robust, knobs feel good and smooth. I found a very tiny scratch on one side which doesn't bother me as it is too small. Leather back holds the device tight onto the table and the leather case which I got also fits perfectly.

Bluetooth pairing with iPhone 7 works out of the box and is easy to pair. It only took a bit until my iPhone found it the first time.
Input priority is bluetooth,USB,Coax,Optical,LineIn
I tried the Q5 with DT770 Pro 80ohm and AKG K812 32ohm. Output power is enough for both with AM3A, a bit more than the Q1 I think which I had a couple of days. I use high gain switch with both. Bass boost is too much for the DT770 but great for the AKG.
Listened to Music with Deezer HQ and switched between bluetooth and lightning connection. I think there is a small difference that the lightning connection reveals more power to the bass and more details but the difference is very small. I need more time for testing.
Note: play/pause, next and previous button work only with bluetooth connection.

Connection to PC via USB and installing drivers worked with no problems. But I can only select 32Bit 192Khz not more in Win10. Don't know why. But with foobar it worked to playback a 352kHz flac file.
I also connected the 2nd charging USB port but then it seemed the device doesn't get charged. At least the light indicator didn't pulse. It did however charged when I connected the charging port to a charging power supply. Don't know why it is not charging when connecting it to a 2nd USB port of my desktop. Perhaps the power supply is too low?

I find the Q5 has more volume output power when using USB as when using lightning connection to smartphone. Don't know why but I can turn the volume more up.

DSD playback with foobar works and the DSD light goes on. Had to configure a bit as I'm not using DSD often but only for testing purposes.
Also I could only test unbalanced output.

So far I'm quite happy with it now. Sound quality is great. I would say it is similar to Q1 which also has an AK chip, a bit warmer than my NFB 11.28 dac with 9028 Sabre chip but very musical. But again this is really hard to compare and I need more time.
I also plan to test the Q5 with Eitr and coax input.
Just for now it makes fun to listen to it 
Thanks!


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 25, 2018)

Wow that was fast. And I agree with you so far. I'm still trying to get more music through.

Ironically I don't get much difference to notice between single ended and balance.

Q1MKII difference was far more noticeable.

The amp module looks small, but maybe the big power supply helps bring out that extra power.


----------



## slackerpo

im very interested on the mkII comparison, please feel free to go more in depth.


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 25, 2018)

From memory, the sound character is near identical to Q1MKII balance, I don't see it being warm nor bright, but really clear sounding. The bass boost also works similarly, in a very refined manner.
The fit and finish is really nice. I also have a case with iphone piggybacked feature and I'll have to try that with iphone 4, but something tells it's more for iphone se.

Correction:


----------



## demond

tauceti said:


> Hi Fiio fans,
> 
> here are my first impressions with the Q5 (I am not in the review tour I ordered the Q5 myself):
> ---
> ...


Thanks for sharing, when USB is inserted, it will work while charging. If it is not charged, it may be full.


----------



## Ynot1

MFi works just plug and play.


----------



## Tysun (Jan 26, 2018)

For those who are going to connect Android to Q5 via USB-C port: Please get this USB OTG cable to avoid your phone reverse-charging the Q5. This may drain your phone's battery really quickly. I recommend this cable because USB C is not standardized across all manufacturers and your device may or may not reverse-charge the Q5 if you connect with a random USB C to Micro OTG cable.

AFAIK, USB C to Micro OTG cable is not included in the factory package of Q5. @Ynot1  please confirm my statement tq.

eBay link:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/292052970340

Hamster


----------



## FiiO

Thearcade12 said:


> I mainly want to use this for streaming through my phone which x7ii is not capable of. Unless they are coming up with something like hibylink but even that doesn't support streaming iirc.
> 
> So for guys like me who stream music, q5 is the only option. Guess i have to wait for impressions and reviews. Aggghhh..


Or are you interested in this review tour to try it out by yourself?


----------



## FiiO

tauceti said:


> Yippie!!!


Congrats! Happy listening!


----------



## FiiO

Ynot1 said:


> Yippee yabadabadoo!


Everybody is waiting for your review, hurry hurry up, lol!


----------



## FiiO

chrisba said:


> How would I love to review this lovely device with PSB's brand new M4U 8 headphones - also including wireless with APTX-HD!
> And they replaced the ugly crackling headband with a much more stable one.
> But that's another story maybe being told sometime in the future (read this Paul Barton - I'm still in love with the m4u 2s despite of their flaws )
> 
> Edit:typo


You will get it soon  Kind of 3rd position!


----------



## FiiO

betula said:


> Is it possible to buy somewhere just the USB-C to micro cable?


You may try to contact a dealer by sending email to wang@ddhifi.com


----------



## tauceti

Dear Fiio,

regarding the charging feature:
When using a dedicated Power adapter (e.g. from iPad) the device is charging which I see that the light indicator pulses.
But when I connect the Q5 to the PC with 2 USB cables it does not pulsate so I guess it is not charging then? (Device should not be full as I was was using it before in bluetooth mode.)
Should it charge then? Is the USB port power output/supply too low? Have to test it with another cable.

Also tried the lineout today. Works great in my car. Then volume control knob, bass control and low/high gain switch don't work any more as this is for the amp module only right?

Thanks!


----------



## Ynot1

Usb C to microusb cable is available from Fiio separately from Q5 package. What makes it otg is something I can not verify cause I don't have a usb C device.


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 26, 2018)

The control buttons did not work in MFi mode. They worked in bluetooth only so far.

And doing a review fast will be very challenging, cause this Q5 has lots and lots of features.

So far I feel there is more power overhead than Q1MKII. But I don't have a difficult to drive headphones, so the advantage is not as useful.

The sound in balance and in single ended is a lot closer than my experience with Q1MKII.

The digital inputs, coax and optical,  feature is nice but I don't know if this is going to be useful when bluetooth brings really good quality, kudos to CSR/Q.

One thing I found was Q5 did not do bluetooth host, only client mode. I don't know if line in had to be plugged in. I was wishful thinking that Q5 can act as a bluetooth extender.

And with the case on, the volume control works less accessible because the backside is covered for protection, and only the topside is accessible.


----------



## tauceti (Jan 26, 2018)

Hi
I can confirm what you say. Yes I also think Q5 cannot send bluetooth signal to another device only receive.
BTW now I got the Q5 to charge when connecting it to PC USB. I think it is the cable I used which is very shaky. The connection could not be sticked firmly into the micro usb port. Will check with another cable.
Also connected the Q5 to the Fiio Music app via bluetooth and checked the settings. I don't hear any differences between the 5 AK filter settings.
Sometimes the app doesn't recognize the Q5 via bluetooth. Only restarting bluetooth connection worked. It doesn't work with lightning cable.
Also the other FiioController app doesn't work with the Q5 I think. At least I couldn't get a connection via lightning cable. Is this normal?


----------



## Nalin

FiiO said:


> Or are you interested in this review tour to try it out by yourself?



I am looking forward for more reviews to come since i mainly want to know how does it compare with x7ii.

Thanks


----------



## Ynot1

I think for people who wants to stay single ended, the Q5 is definitely an upgrade to Q1MKII. But still, for people who like the assurance of future proofing I think the Q5 does a good effort. In following, I would say Q5 for headphones and Q1MKII for iems with balance cable. And for people who need bluetooth, Q5 brings balance amping that I can not think of one device that can do bluetooth and balance amp. And speaking of bluetooth, I don't know about aptx and aptx hd because I don't know if I have that. I thought android and snapdragon was going to put aptx standard. I have a nougat device, but don't know yet if aptx hd low latency is built in. And I don't know if bluetooth 5 is supported either. iphone X can do that, but I'm not that privileged.


----------



## Ynot1

How do you benefit from dual dac? I can not tell what is being used or not?


----------



## tim0chan

Ynot1 said:


> How do you benefit from dual dac? I can not tell what is being used or not?


1 channel 1 DAC. Better measurements, overall better sound


----------



## betula

Ynot1 said:


> I think for people who wants to stay single ended, the Q5 is definitely an upgrade to Q1MKII. But still, for people who like the assurance of future proofing I think the Q5 does a good effort. In following, I would say Q5 for headphones and Q1MKII for iems with balance cable. And for people who need bluetooth, Q5 brings balance amping that I can not think of one device that can do bluetooth and balance amp. And speaking of bluetooth, I don't know about aptx and aptx hd because I don't know if I have that. I thought android and snapdragon was going to put aptx standard. I have a nougat device, but don't know yet if aptx hd low latency is built in. And I don't know if bluetooth 5 is supported either. iphone X can do that, but I'm not that privileged.


Balanced is not necessarily the future. Single ended done right is not worse than balanced, just more expensive. (See Chord DACs for example.) I would say balanced is an interesting alternative, but not the future. It exists for a long time, only relatively new to portable market.


----------



## tim0chan

betula said:


> Balanced is not necessarily the future. Single ended done right is not worse than balanced, just more expensive. (See Chord DACs for example.) I would say balanced is an interesting alternative, but not the future. It exists for a long time, only relatively new to portable market.


The next big thing seems to be a fight between good se and bal. And also 2.5mm bal Vs 4.4 pentaconn


----------



## Ynot1

Thanks. I'm guessing dedicated dacs routed with dedicated inputs avoids switching or switches that can add unwanted signal contamination. With that said, Q5 having so many inputs, dual dac is much appreciative; prolly less so when there are fewer inputs like the Q1MKII.


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 27, 2018)

I know Q5 is bulkier than Q1MKII, but it is still portable and with bluetooth, very convenient to carry separately. But how does Q5 stack up with non-portable units that's more or less unlimited by choice of power and real estate? Audiogd stuffs are highly praised. I wonder where Q5 is relatively and with upgrade options if the Q5 can sound even better.


----------



## Tysun

Just spent hundred over dollars ordering cables and adaptors just to test the balance output of Q5.... I'm getting ready to face the hype train!


----------



## oopsydaisy

Does anyone know if Audeze balanced cable will work with Q5? Correct termination?


----------



## Ynot1

Fiio uses 2.5 mm balance cable. It is standard by way of practice. If you have a 3.5 mm balance cable then you would need an adapter to go from 3.5 mm balance to 2.5 mm balance. Single ended cables can not be made balance using an adapter. Just saying the obvious.


----------



## oopsydaisy

Ynot1 said:


> Fiio uses 2.5 mm balance cable.



Seeing as the LCD balanced cable from Audeze terminates in XLR, can you recommend a quality adapter to terminate in 2.5mm?


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 27, 2018)

I don't have XLR source to recommend unfortunately. The affordable route maybe to check venture electronics.


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 28, 2018)

I know this isn't fair, but I think similarity exists between Creative E5 and Fiio Q5. and I don't mean just the number 5.
I have unfortunately only my G5 to compare, but it still has a five in it. And I think the price point speaks for itself, that
Q5 is worth its weight in gold. The G5 is lighter and has a bigger exterior dimension than the Q5. And the audio quality is good on G5,
while audio quality in Q5 is magnificent 7, but in a five kind of way. G5 is a lot warmer, while Q5 resolution is way over the top in comparison.
I think the E5 holds its own on aptx bluetooth, but between E5 and G5 they have optical line out to tap into Q5 so all is not really lost,
until you start using bluetooth and realize you may have to leave the creative stuff behind.
My goal is to use a twenty something dollar android tv box to see if between usb and optical, which is better convenience wise to connect to the Q5.

Edit: I just realized optical cables can run pretty long while costing very little.


----------



## tim0chan

Tysun said:


> Just spent hundred over dollars ordering cables and adaptors just to test the balance output of Q5.... I'm getting ready to face the hype train!


Lol, same here, reterminating my se cables and buying an old dap to test coax in


----------



## Ynot1

I get stuck at this point of the Fiio app. I tried connecting the Q5 and restarting the Fiio Controller app a number of times.


----------



## tauceti

Ynot1 said:


> I get stuck at this point of the Fiio app. I tried connecting the Q5 and restarting the Fiio Controller app a number of times.


 

I had the same problem it simply doesn't work with the Fiio controller app. You have to take the other Fiio Music app and there it works only with bluetooth connection. Then you can check the Q5 settings. Same is mentioned on the Fiio website where the Q5 is introduced!


----------



## tauceti

just tried Q5 with Schiit Eitr and Coax. Really sounds great. Did this just for testing purposes as I will normally use the Eitr with my audio-gd NFB 11/R2R 11. But I'm very impressed so far 
First I thought that it doesn't work but you have to switch input to yellow which means coax. Line in, coax and optical use the same input port.


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 28, 2018)

I found out the other Fiio app does not support ipad mini.

Interesting battle going on behind the scenes between single ended and balance, and a potentially a three way battle royal with dsd, multibit, and no dac at all. I'd say it is pretty exciting time in audio community with so many options to figure out. And did I mention Ldac and AAC and Aptx HD low latency with bluetooth 5.0. Just stop me already.


----------



## Ynot1

tauceti said:


> just tried Q5 with Schiit Eitr and Coax. Really sounds great. Did this just for testing purposes as I will normally use the Eitr with my audio-gd NFB 11/R2R 11. But I'm very impressed so far
> First I thought that it doesn't work but you have to switch input to yellow which means coax. Line in, coax and optical use the same input port.



How would you rank resolution, not brightness, among the amps you mentioned?


----------



## tauceti

Hi, the best resolution I have with the NFB 11.28. I use AKG K812 with them. Next is difficult to say. I need more time for testing


----------



## Trogdor

I'd like to apply to review.

I own a myriad array of high-end to low-end headphones and IEMs (Utopia SINE, i4, HF5, KSC-75, etc.) as well as a few amps and DACs (Mojo, iCan PRO, micro iDSD, and some others).

I've done many reviews on Head-Fi, some of which have been featured (almost all of them actually).

Please PM me directly or you can reach me via email here.


----------



## Ynot1

I have heard enough, but I have not tried all of the things the Q5 can do. And my time during my turn is coming to a close. So at the end of the day, I shall produce a review reflecting my circumstances. But did I mention Fiio sounds quite the premium sounding amplification. My comment is in regards to my experience with the Q1MKIi and the Q5. I already know it wiil be hard for me to go back to my relatively inferior gears.


----------



## OneL0ve (Jan 29, 2018)

Can I get a link to the PDF manual for the Q5? The manual link on the Q5 page below is for the Q1MKII.

http://www.fiio.net/en/products/83

EDIT: I found it. http://user-guide.fiio.net/Q5_User_Manual.pdf


----------



## Dobrescu George

Seems like Q5 is already getting a lot of love from everybody in the tour!~


----------



## FiiO

Ynot1 said:


> I get stuck at this point of the Fiio app. I tried connecting the Q5 and restarting the Fiio Controller app a number of times.


Dear friend,

The Fiio Controller app only works for the i1 not the Q5.

Best regards


----------



## Ynot1

Final pics before sendoff.





My iphone 4 has no chance to fit in and stay put.


----------



## Dobrescu George

Ynot1 said:


> Final pics before sendoff.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Maybe it wasn't thought for iPhone 4 

How did you feel about the sound?


----------



## Ynot1 (Jan 30, 2018)

Dobrescu George said:


> Maybe it wasn't thought for iPhone 4
> 
> How did you feel about the sound?



The sound is very refined and plenty. Fiio keeps pushing the quality higher and higher. And a few post back I posted the back of the piggy back case that specified the iphone 6 dimensions varieties.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...-starts-right-now.869076/page-8#post-13999944

The Q5 has been dropped off at Fedex. Enjoy!


----------



## OneL0ve (Jan 30, 2018)

Anyone getting an annoying pop or distortion switching from 44.1khz to 48khz songs and back? 

44.1khz to 44.1khz OK
44.1khz to 48khz BAD
I am using my DP-X1A with the Q5. *

DSP Function* On/Off does not make a difference. 
*Upsampling* ON/OFF makes no difference.

*Realtime DSD Conversion* ON (DSD light green on Q5) = no more pop or distortion when switching.

I also tested using the DP-X1A with Oppo HA-2 and there was* NO* pop or distortion when I switched songs. (same settings on the DP-X1A)


----------



## FiiO

OneL0ve said:


> Can I get a link to the PDF manual for the Q5? The manual link on the Q5 page below is for the Q1MKII.
> 
> http://www.fiio.net/en/products/83
> 
> EDIT: I found it. http://user-guide.fiio.net/Q5_User_Manual.pdf


Thank you for pointing out! Already asked our tech staff to update to Q5, just check later!


----------



## FiiO

Ynot1 said:


> Final pics before sendoff.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, the LC-Q5i is only designed for the iPhone 6/6s, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8.


----------



## FiiO

Ynot1 said:


> The sound is very refined and plenty. Fiio keeps pushing the quality higher and higher. And a few post back I posted the back of the piggy back case that specified the iphone 6 dimensions varieties.
> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...-starts-right-now.869076/page-8#post-13999944
> 
> The Q5 has been dropped off at Fedex. Enjoy!


Hope you had a great time with the Q5, lol! Look forward to your complete review!


----------



## Ynot1

FiiO said:


> Hope you had a great time with the Q5, lol! Look forward to your complete review!



Almost done. I learned using the ipad in bed too long gives me pinch nerve. I guess ergonomics is not good.


----------



## Kevincav

I've had a Fiio portable amp in the past, might look into trying this one out.


----------



## Kevincav

Actually, anyone having problems with the buy now link on their site?


----------



## FiiO

Kevincav said:


> Actually, anyone having problems with the buy now link on their site?


The link is ok now! And for your reference, the Q5 will be ready to ship to our worldwide sales agents soon by later this week or so, and we will update the daily delivery info and you may check with our worldwide sales agents (*>> Click here*) for its availability by then. For better before and after sales service, we suggest you to wait till then to buy from local sales agents. Thank you!


----------



## KopaneDePooj

Yesterday my HTC 10 received the Android 8.0 Oreo update. Just in time for testing with the Q5 review unit that I will receive hopefully tomorrow 
I'd like to point out to Android device owners that have Android 8.0, that there are new settings available in Developer Options that deal with Bluetooth audio:
- Bluetooth Audio Codec - available options: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC.
- Bluetooth Audio Sample Rate: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz
- Bluetooth Audio Bits Per Sample: 16, 24, 32 bit

If you don't know how to access Developer Options in Android, google it. And don't touch anything you don't know about in that menu.
More here: https://www.androidauthority.com/bluetooth-audio-android-o-758401/

Can't wait to test the Q5! I'll have a busy weekend


----------



## Ynot1 (Feb 1, 2018)

Where do I post my review?

Edit: Found it.


----------



## FiiO

Link to the story behind the FiiO Q5:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/fiio/things-that-you-want-to-know-about-fiio-flagship-dac-amp-q5/1693832937340899/
Link to the introduction of FiiO Q5 accessories:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/fiio/introduction-to-the-nicely-made-accessories-for-fiio-q5/1693827950674731/
Please feel free to check!


----------



## stylus75

Looking forward to mine arriving soon


----------



## FiiO

In case you are ready to share your listening experience of Q5 with us, just feel free to post it to: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-q5-flagship-bluetooth-and-dsd-capable-dac-amplifier.22846/ Thanks!


----------



## Makiah S

Hey guys! Awesome to see the tour has started, could I get a quick link to the participant list/organizing


----------



## Ynot1

FiiO said:


> In case you are ready to share your listening experience of Q5 with us, just feel free to post it to: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-q5-flagship-bluetooth-and-dsd-capable-dac-amplifier.22846/ Thanks!


By the way hacking had prevented me from linking the review.

And lately I've been sidetracked.


----------



## mailcolm9

When will Q5 appear at amazon? I asked a dealer nearby, and they said they haven't got ant news about q5.


----------



## FiiO

mailcolm9 said:


> When will Q5 appear at amazon? I asked a dealer nearby, and they said they haven't got ant news about q5.


Dear friend,

You may read this for help-FiiO Q5 is on the way to our worldwide sales agents!

You could get one from Amazon about one week or so.

Best regards


----------



## mailcolm9

FiiO said:


> Dear friend,
> 
> You may read this for help-FiiO Q5 is on the way to our worldwide sales agents!
> 
> ...


Hi, I forgot to mention that I am in U.S. right now. So I can see this product in about one week on Amazon?

Best,


----------



## FiiO

mailcolm9 said:


> Hi, I forgot to mention that I am in U.S. right now. So I can see this product in about one week on Amazon?
> 
> Best,


Dear friend,

Yes.

Best regards


----------



## KopaneDePooj

My review is live!
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...able-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews#review-19858


----------



## Dobrescu George

KopaneDePooj said:


> My review is live!
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...able-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews#review-19858



Gorgeous photos, my friend!


----------



## KopaneDePooj

Dobrescu George said:


> Gorgeous photos, my friend!


Thanks George, you're next in line, on monday I'll be sending this beauty to you!


----------



## Dobrescu George

KopaneDePooj said:


> Thanks George, you're next in line, on monday I'll be sending this beauty to you!



Thank you! 

Please make sure to enjoy it to the fullest until then!


----------



## Zachik

KopaneDePooj said:


> My review is live!
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...able-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews#review-19858


Great review - both photos and content! 
BTW, other than your comment about being non-native English speaker - there is no hint at all. Great job!


----------



## FiiO

KopaneDePooj said:


> My review is live!
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...able-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews#review-19858


Dear friend,

Thanks for the nice review.

Best regards


----------



## kn0ppers

Really interested in this one, but at the price point you guys could really include the leather case.


----------



## Lifted Andreas

Are the review applications still open?


----------



## FiiO

Lifted Andreas said:


> Are the review applications still open?


Dear friend,

Yes, if you would like to join, please reply to this thread and include the following information in your reply:

•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess:
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess:
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted:
•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in)

Best regards


----------



## emptymt

Is the tour still on?

Can I still get in the review tour?

I'm in Australia


----------



## zatara

Please consider me for the tour:
•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess: CA Orion, CA Lyra II, Noble N4, Senn HD650, Senn PX200, Denon AH-D600, Grado SR80
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess: Sony NWA-35, Ibasso DX80, JDS Labs C5D, ALO Amphora, RSA Raptor
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted: Nothing yet.
•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in): New Jersey USA
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in) English


----------



## Immortal

FiiO said:


> Dear friend,
> 
> You may read this for help-FiiO Q5 is on the way to our worldwide sales agents!
> 
> ...



Hi there,

Are you talking about "ships from and sold by amazon", other 3rd party sellers or directly by you through amazon? thanks!


----------



## emptymt

Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess: 
Shozy Stardust earbud
Meze 99 Classic
Focal Utopia

Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess: 
Fiio X7 II
Cavalli Liquid Carbon
Violectric V281

Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have postedof the top of my head + impressions of other gear across the site, got a list of my previous gears in my profile)
- Campfire Audio IEM lineup (Orion, Lyra, Lyra II, Jupiter, Andromeda)
- Noble Audio Savant
- Ifi Nano iDSD BL
- Sennheiser HD800s
- Sony MDR-Z1R
- Fiio X5 III
- Fiio X7
- Fiio X7 II
- Cayin I5

Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in): 
Melbourne Australia

Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):
English


----------



## diavoi

Tysun said:


> For those who are going to connect Android to Q5 via USB-C port: Please get this USB OTG cable to avoid your phone reverse-charging the Q5. This may drain your phone's battery really quickly. I recommend this cable because USB C is not standardized across all manufacturers and your device may or may not reverse-charge the Q5 if you connect with a random USB C to Micro OTG cable.
> 
> AFAIK, USB C to Micro OTG cable is not included in the factory package of Q5. @Ynot1  please confirm my statement tq.
> 
> ...




HI everybody and Fiio

This is my first post ! 

My Q5 just arrive via DHL from Fiio Officials Aliexpress. It takes about 2 weeks, which is very fast regarding customs etc.

Just done unboxing, with the sheep doll and leather case.

My source is Flac from Xiaomi mi 5 with Neutron player. 

Works fine, also DSD files. 

But.... 

The phone battery got drained very fast. 

Since Q5 have separate micro USB port for charging, this issue is IMHO overlooked by RnD team. 

If hardware wise it is not possible to make the port stop receiving energy from the cable. I wish the next firmware able to do so. 

Mean while, since Xiaomi mi 5 not yet Oreo, i won't used Bluetooth for connection. 

Also it's not easy to find usb C to micro USB here in Indonesia. Please someone inform me the right cable from Aliexpress or GearBest. 

@Hamster, the eBay link not working. 

BTW, in short minute listening to Q5, the sound is good.


----------



## Dobrescu George

Okay, so IU'll add this. 

This Q5 is crazy good. 

IT CAN DRIVE LCD-4MX IF YOU ADD AMP5~!!


----------



## KopaneDePooj (Feb 14, 2018)

diavoi said:


> HI everybody and Fiio
> 
> This is my first post !
> 
> ...



Hi! welcome to head-fi!
What cable are you using? If it can't do proprer OTG it can drain your phone's battery. Does the LED on the front of Q5 pulsate during music listening?
Also if there is no audio signal and the DAC auto shuts off, it will start charging from your phone.
Using the USB-C to Micro cable provided by FiiO with the review unit, I had no drain problems with the Q5 when it was turned on and connected to my HTC 10.
More here bottom of page.


----------



## int_architect

Dobrescu George said:


> Okay, so IU'll add this.
> 
> This Q5 is crazy good.
> 
> IT CAN DRIVE LCD-4MX IF YOU ADD AMP5~!!


Please tell me more! I've been curious about the Q5 with AM5 module. Have you used FiiO's A5 amp? If so, how does Q5+AM5 compare?


----------



## Dobrescu George

int_architect said:


> Please tell me more! I've been curious about the Q5 with AM5 module. Have you used FiiO's A5 amp? If so, how does Q5+AM5 compare?



I don't  / didn't have A5 actually, but Q5 + AM05 is really really love. 

At thius point I can't point the differences between X7mkii and Q5 that well, if they're using the same AMP module, but man is Q5 sweet. 

Especially with something like LCD-4MX, you can place your Q5 and cables in a pocket, then use an APT-X controller source to enjoy something like the might of LCD-4MX on-the-go...


----------



## int_architect

Dobrescu George said:


> I don't  / didn't have A5 actually, but Q5 + AM05 is really really love.
> 
> At thius point I can't point the differences between X7mkii and Q5 that well, if they're using the same AMP module, but man is Q5 sweet.
> 
> Especially with something like LCD-4MX, you can place your Q5 and cables in a pocket, then use an APT-X controller source to enjoy something like the might of LCD-4MX on-the-go...


Thanks. I need this in my life! What are your thoughts on the AM3A vs AM5?


----------



## Dobrescu George

int_architect said:


> Thanks. I need this in my life! What are your thoughts on the AM3A vs AM5?



AM5 is much much better to my ears, better definition, better clarity, better control, louder, wider soundstage, more instrument separation, much much more dynamic. 

(I only tested AM5 with really hard to drive headphones like Amiron or LCD-4 so far. Amiron swallows 80% of its volume , LCD-4 swallows less, but both reach the full AM03A maximum volume, so AMP5 is needed for them)

I will also test with IEMs soon, I did not do that 

One thing I can tell you from the start is the top end... MAN that top end has all the extension and sparkle you need. I sold the E12A I bought a few years ago because the top end was too smooth for me, so it lacked sparkle and wasn't engaging enough. Welp, AMP5 for Q5 is sparkly and neutral, an amazing AMP 

BTW, I wouldn't say AMP5 is too warm or has any inclination for the sound, just better overall clarity and especially dynamics than AM03A, AM03A already being quite excellent in my book. An excellent adition to an already excellent product


----------



## int_architect

Dobrescu George said:


> AM5 is much much better to my ears, better definition, better clarity, better control, louder, wider soundstage, more instrument separation, much much more dynamic.
> 
> (I only tested AM5 with really hard to drive headphones like Amiron or LCD-4 so far. Amiron swallows 80% of its volume , LCD-4 swallows less, but both reach the full AM03A maximum volume, so AMP5 is needed for them)
> 
> ...


This is so exciting to hear! My body is ready! Thanks for the info.


----------



## int_architect (Feb 14, 2018)

Dobrescu George said:


> AM5 is much much better to my ears, better definition, better clarity, better control, louder, wider soundstage, more instrument separation, much much more dynamic.
> 
> (I only tested AM5 with really hard to drive headphones like Amiron or LCD-4 so far. Amiron swallows 80% of its volume , LCD-4 swallows less, but both reach the full AM03A maximum volume, so AMP5 is needed for them)
> 
> ...





int_architect said:


> This is so exciting to hear! My body is ready! Thanks for the info.


Just ordered thanks to George! Will be here Friday. Can't wait!!!


----------



## Dobrescu George

int_architect said:


> Just ordered thanks to George! Will be here Friday. Can't wait!!!



I hope it will bring you lots of fun and happiness! 

I'll post a few photos as soon as I develop them. This is a love device for music


----------



## int_architect

Dobrescu George said:


> I hope it will bring you lots of fun and happiness!
> 
> I'll post a few photos as soon as I develop them. This is a love device for music


----------



## Tysun

diavoi said:


> HI everybody and Fiio
> 
> This is my first post !
> 
> ...



Android is obviously a jungle for peripheral support!

eBay link for those who needs a proper USB C to Micro OTG which does not draw current:
If the link does not work, key in keywords "Micro USB to Type C OTG Oppo HA2SE".

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/292052970340

Hamster


----------



## tim0chan

Tysun said:


> Android is obviously a jungle for peripheral support!
> 
> eBay link for those who needs a proper USB C to Micro OTG which does not draw current:
> If the link does not work, key in keywords "Micro USB to Type C OTG Oppo HA2SE".
> ...


Btw I have already mailed it to u, will pm u the tracking number soon


----------



## Tysun

tim0chan said:


> Btw I have already mailed it to u, will pm u the tracking number soon



Holy crap mate this is so cool! Awaits your PM.


----------



## Brooko (Feb 15, 2018)

Dobrescu George said:


> AM5 is much much better to my ears, better definition, better clarity, better control, louder, wider soundstage, more instrument separation, much much more dynamic.
> 
> (I only tested AM5 with really hard to drive headphones like Amiron or LCD-4 so far. Amiron swallows 80% of its volume , LCD-4 swallows less, but both reach the full AM03A maximum volume, so AMP5 is needed for them)
> 
> ...



AM5 is not overly warm, but it is slightly warmer than AM1, AM3 and AM3A.

As far as power goes - single ended the AM5 has the highest output, and also highest current output, but AM3A definitely bests it in balanced if you have a headphone that needs more overall power, and relatively high impedance.

AM5 SE - 55 mW into 300 ohm, with max current output 250 mA and 11 Vp-p
AM3A balanced - 70 mW into 300 ohm, with max current output 160 mA and 11 Vp-p

So it depends what you're driving.  The HD800S (balanced) subjectively sounds better to me via the AM3A balanced than the AM5.

I'll add this too - the Q5 is a game changer for me.  Only had it a few days, and its pretty amazing.  More after I've spent more time with it.

George - how did you volume match when you were comparing AM3A and AM5?  Just curious.


----------



## emptymt

Dobrescu George said:


> AM5 is much much better to my ears, better definition, better clarity, better control, louder, wider soundstage, more instrument separation, much much more dynamic.
> 
> (I only tested AM5 with really hard to drive headphones like Amiron or LCD-4 so far. Amiron swallows 80% of its volume , LCD-4 swallows less, but both reach the full AM03A maximum volume, so AMP5 is needed for them)
> 
> ...



Hey George, are you making the comparison of AM3A balanced mode vs AM5 SE mode?
I'm using the meze 99 classic as my portable, been thinking to get the balanced cable to upgrade the performance a little bit, based on your comments, I'm wondering if that cable money is better to be invested somewhere namely the AM5.

for at home use this wouldn't affect anything since I'll be using my desktop amp anyway.
btw is the AM5 silent for most IEMs?


----------



## Dobrescu George

emptymt said:


> Hey George, are you making the comparison of AM3A balanced mode vs AM5 SE mode?
> I'm using the meze 99 classic as my portable, been thinking to get the balanced cable to upgrade the performance a little bit, based on your comments, I'm wondering if that cable money is better to be invested somewhere namely the AM5.
> 
> for at home use this wouldn't affect anything since I'll be using my desktop amp anyway.
> btw is the AM5 silent for most IEMs?



Still haven't tried AM5 with IEMs... 

As for SE vs Bal, I'm using both on SE


----------



## Dobrescu George

Brooko said:


> AM5 is not overly warm, but it is slightly warmer than AM1, AM3 and AM3A.
> 
> As far as power goes - single ended the AM5 has the highest output, and also highest current output, but AM3A definitely bests it in balanced if you have a headphone that needs more overall power, and relatively high impedance.
> 
> ...



I don't have the cables to try anything in balanced, so only tested both in SE (LCD-4MX and Amiron) 

The only thing I could compare in Balanced is MEZE 99C and Beyerdynamic Amiron, since they both can fit Meze cables, but I'm still waiting on Meze silver balanced cables. 

As for volume matching, trying my best to get volume matching using a SPL app, Mi Max 2, closed back headphones, then checking as well if they are audibly similar. Using noise or very dynamically compressed loud metal music, I should get within 1-3 dB of volume matching, especially if using the same part of the song.  

Q5 is so bloody amazing I'm starting to consider it a while new level of revolution, this thing connects to my PC, X7mkii, my Samsung Tablet, providing quite an excellent sound. If both Q5 and X7mkii have the same AMP module installed, I can't really tell them apart sound-wise.


----------



## emptymt

Dobrescu George said:


> Still haven't tried AM5 with IEMs...
> 
> As for SE vs Bal, I'm using both on SE



Apparently the balanced out in AM3A is superior to the SE mode one, I tried both with my utopia, both using adapters.
1/4 stock cable -> 3.5mm adapter SE out
Norne Arcance XLR -> 2.5mm adapter Balanced mode.

The balanced mode sounds better to me with better separation, soundstage and what seems to me a more natural sound.
But the cable set up as you can tell has some difference in it, and volume matching is difficult, so I'm not very confident on my comments here.
But from what I experience, the balance out on AM3A is better than the SE one, enough to make me consider a balance cable for my portable.


----------



## emptymt

BTW, the Q5 has a different DAC than the X7 II, and it is also a dual DAC as opposed to a single one in the X7 II.

I don't have a full understanding of "True Balance" topology, does this mean the dual dac in the Q5 enables this set up/has this feature?

Like 1 DAC chip per channel into balance in to the amp to balance out onto the headphone.


----------



## Dobrescu George

emptymt said:


> Apparently the balanced out in AM3A is superior to the SE mode one, I tried both with my utopia, both using adapters.
> 1/4 stock cable -> 3.5mm adapter SE out
> Norne Arcance XLR -> 2.5mm adapter Balanced mode.
> 
> ...



Focal Utopia might eat more power than a IEM, and this might be why it might sound better on Balanced than SE, given that BAL and SE should be really really similar on AM03A, as far as design and components go. 

Again, I think I liked the BAL better before as well, but I can't test it with headphones yet, so no volume matching, no cable matching, many things to consider to make a clear statement  



emptymt said:


> BTW, the Q5 has a different DAC than the X7 II, and it is also a dual DAC as opposed to a single one in the X7 II.
> 
> I don't have a full understanding of "True Balance" topology, does this mean the dual dac in the Q5 enables this set up/has this feature?
> 
> Like 1 DAC chip per channel into balance in to the amp to balance out onto the headphone.



I mention it in my reviews, but really the implementation makes all the difference. It could be 16 DACs and be badly implemented, or 1 but excellently implemented. 

The DAC should be similar most of times, I mean, I can't pick the differences between Q5 and X7mkii yet, if they are both running AM03A and volume matched. And this is with RE2000 / ie800 / LCD-4MX, so really good transducers, I simlpy need more time to say if I can hear a difference and what that would be. DACs aren't as different as their implementation usually, and you have to take DAC filtering into account as well, making the discussion complex to say the least  

I trust fiiO to do amazing DAC implementations though, and that means that regardless what they put in there, I trust it'll be a great implementation of that DAC


----------



## Ynot1 (Feb 18, 2018)

emptymt said:


> BTW, the Q5 has a different DAC than the X7 II, and it is also a dual DAC as opposed to a single one in the X7 II.
> 
> I don't have a full understanding of "True Balance" topology, does this mean the dual dac in the Q5 enables this set up/has this feature?
> 
> Like 1 DAC chip per channel into balance in to the amp to balance out onto the headphone.



My guess is the Q5 uses the extra dac to avoid switching inputs and incurring loss through the switch, but unlikely. The X7 II does not have many inputs so a single dac can suffice. As for balance being true, you can always have it inside the dac. But it maybe trade secrets as to how it is done.

Another guess is one dac for analog inputs and one for digital inputs, but unlikely. The Q5 has line in, optical, coaxial, usb, and bluetooth input. The line in prolly uses an ADC. The bluetooth prolly uses CSR chip. The spdif prolly uses another chip. Like wise usb uses another chip. But then again the system on chip implementation may consolidate as much as possible to do the things that are easier to do well. I have a feeling the delay at each of these chips may have also influenced the design.

Another guess is the soc does the ADC and USB, while all the other decoder chips use a different dac. The X7 and Q5 may share the soc part. So it could have been a convenience reuse factor.

Depending on what the CSR makes available to the system integrator, Fiio has the domain access to implement something interesting. Fiio has their own app so they can build an encoder for really complicated audio formats. And Fiio can get the digital stream from the CSR to do the decoding. The CSR should not care what is being sent as long as the byte or message format is standard.
Since typically audio formats are not of live streaming, one can think like a squirrel and take as long as necessary to figure out how to get the nut so to speak.


----------



## jpfrog

@FiiO is there a case kit for the iPhone X in the works? The current case kit won’t work with it.


----------



## koven

None of the reviews have comparison to Mojo yet..


----------



## Dobrescu George

koven said:


> None of the reviews have comparison to Mojo yet..



It has the sound of X7mkii as far as I can tell. Compare X7mkii to Mojo, and it would be more or less the same thing


----------



## tim0chan

koven said:


> None of the reviews have comparison to Mojo yet..


Well, I found it to have the same level of technical performance as the x7 while offering a slightly warmer sound. As for the mojo comparison, the mojo is the cleaner source and is definitely more powerful without an amp swap. I found the mojo to be more energetic too


----------



## bahamot

@Dobrescu George , have you tried Q5 with iBasso IT01? I’m thinking of getting Q5 but still not sure.


----------



## Dobrescu George

bahamot said:


> @Dobrescu George , have you tried Q5 with iBasso IT01? I’m thinking of getting Q5 but still not sure.



I think the combination is quite lovely!~ 

It works as well as X7mkii, so it drives IT01 quite nicely


----------



## bahamot

Dobrescu George said:


> I think the combination is quite lovely!~
> 
> It works as well as X7mkii, so it drives IT01 quite nicely


Charging now


----------



## tas236

Anybody have a CEntrance BlueDAC to compare to? Seems like the closest competitor and I wanted to see a comparison before making my decision.


----------



## vlach

I'd like to know how it compares to the Oppo HA-2 and the iFi Micro DSD BL.


----------



## KopaneDePooj

I made the front page yay!!!


----------



## int_architect

KopaneDePooj said:


> I made the front page yay!!!


You wrote a great review, especially for your first. I've read it twice: the day it was posted; and again today! Great photos as well.


----------



## KopaneDePooj

int_architect said:


> You wrote a great review, especially for your first. I've read it twice: the day it was posted; and again today! Great photos as well.


Thanks!


----------



## Sonic Defender

KopaneDePooj said:


> Thanks!


Agree, nice review mate, congratulations. For some reason I got hungry while reading it?


----------



## KopaneDePooj

Sonic Defender said:


> Agree, nice review mate, congratulations. For some reason I got hungry while reading it?


LOL, yes I thought I'll add some color and fresh taste


----------



## jpfrog

Such a great review- part of the reason I went ahead and ordered a Q5 the other day.  Invoice said it was due to arrive next Thursday (3/1) but I just checked tracking and it's out for delivery today!!!  Very excited to try this little piece of kit out.  I'm relatively new, so I only have a few HPs to try it with (Senn Momentum on-ear, PSB 4MU 1, and Grado RS2e), and it'll be running from either my MBP or iPhone X as sources.


----------



## jooonnn

Is there anywhere else to buy this? Aliexpress still sold out


----------



## KopaneDePooj

http://www.fiio.net/en/stores


----------



## jooonnn

KopaneDePooj said:


> http://www.fiio.net/en/stores



I appreciate the response but this is not helpful to quickly find the Q5 specifically for sale online when it already has limited availability.  This is like saying “google it” or use the search bar (i have already done both).


----------



## KopaneDePooj

jooonnn said:


> I appreciate the response but this is not helpful to quickly find the Q5 specifically for sale online when it already has limited availability.  This is like saying “google it” or use the search bar (i have already done both).


FiiO posted a few weeks ago here or in the other Q5 thread a list with retailers that were supplied with the 1st batch of the product. But I didn't have time to find it for you.
At the link that I posted you can select your country and check availability. Also, I guess the fiio.aliexpress store will be restocked soon after CNY holiday. Maybe next week.


----------



## jooonnn

KopaneDePooj said:


> FiiO posted a few weeks ago here or in the other Q5 thread a list with retailers that were supplied with the 1st batch of the product. But I didn't have time to find it for you.
> At the link that I posted you can select your country and check availability. Also, I guess the fiio.aliexpress store will be restocked soon after CNY holiday. Maybe next week.



Awesome! The holiday restock does make sense (wish i thought of that!) so ill wait til next week to order and hopefully i can buy the case together.

On a side note, I did find there is an ebay seller that sells them with really good feedback.  Seller stated they get them from an authorized distributor.


----------



## jpfrog

jooonnn said:


> I appreciate the response but this is not helpful to quickly find the Q5 specifically for sale online when it already has limited availability.  This is like saying “google it” or use the search bar (i have already done both).



What does "quickly" mean?  I went to Amazon, typed in "FiiO Q5" in the search bar, and clicked on the result it gave me.  Those steps, plus adding it to my shopping cart took all of about 6 seconds to complete.  If Amazon isn't an option for you, and the other retailers mentioned in previous posts are out of stock, I don't know that there's much of a solution other than backordering with your preferred vendor.


----------



## jooonnn

jpfrog said:


> What does "quickly" mean?  I went to Amazon, typed in "FiiO Q5" in the search bar, and clicked on the result it gave me.  Those steps, plus adding it to my shopping cart took all of about 6 seconds to complete.  If Amazon isn't an option for you, and the other retailers mentioned in previous posts are out of stock, I don't know that there's much of a solution other than backordering with your preferred vendor.



Amazon is an option but all 3 vendors are backordered.  I did not define “quickly”, so i agree there is room for improvement on my communication but in general i assume it to be along the lines of “hey i got mine here they have them in stock (insert link here)”.  I personally lean on the side of giving people value added responses they can readily use, if possible.


----------



## FiiO

jooonnn said:


> Amazon is an option but all 3 vendors are backordered.  I did not define “quickly”, so i agree there is room for improvement on my communication but in general i assume it to be along the lines of “hey i got mine here they have them in stock (insert link here)”.  I personally lean on the side of giving people value added responses they can readily use, if possible.


Thanks for your kind interest in our Q5! Owing to the limited quantity of the first batch, only a few distributors got the chance to order and sell it: http://www.fiio.net/en/story/630. We are out of stock on our side as well, and need to wait till the end of March to get more stocks, pls kindly note, thanks!


----------



## FiiO

emptymt said:


> Is the tour still on?
> 
> Can I still get in the review tour?
> 
> I'm in Australia


Since for now there is no other applicant from Australia, so we still can't arrange one unit there. Sorry for the inconvenience.


----------



## FiiO

Mshenay said:


> Hey guys! Awesome to see the tour has started, could I get a quick link to the participant list/organizing


You are already in line! Pls kindly wait with patience, thank you!


----------



## emptymt

FiiO said:


> Since for now there is no other applicant from Australia, so we still can't arrange one unit there. Sorry for the inconvenience.



All good buddy!
Let me know if anything change, I have the X7 II, the q5 has different dac, but people say that the sound is similar, I found this very interesting.


----------



## Makiah S

FiiO said:


> You are already in line! Pls kindly wait with patience, thank you!



No problem! I am going to be out of town on the 2/3rd for a Head Fi meet, so hopefully I'll have it in time to showcase there!


----------



## Dobrescu George

I am in love with Q5 + AM5 + LCD-MX4 for my desktop setup! 

The clarity, raw power, and soundstage of this combo is phenomenal! 

You can hear thing you don't usually hear, even with flagships...


----------



## Siriuslux

My Q5 arrived this week, quite happy with it. Works fine with the iPhone 6s plus over Bluetooth and over USB.
The only thing is, that you always have to reactivate the Bluetooth and look for the Fiio on the iPhone.


----------



## int_architect

Siriuslux said:


> My Q5 arrived this week, quite happy with it. Works fine with the iPhone 6s plus over Bluetooth and over USB.
> The only thing is, that you always have to reactivate the Bluetooth and look for the Fiio on the iPhone.


Agreed about Bluetooth pairing with power on. I thought it would connect automatically once powered up. Although minor, hopefully can be fixed with firmware update. I have an Android as my personal phone, but an iPhone for work. The FiiO app is luscious!


----------



## int_architect

Dobrescu George said:


> I am in love with Q5 + AM5 + LCD-MX4 for my desktop setup!
> 
> The clarity, raw power, and soundstage of this combo is phenomenal!
> 
> You can hear thing you don't usually hear, even with flagships...


I'm so tempted to get the AM5 module!


----------



## wilk0076

I just received mine from my Amazon order (ProStudio Sound & Music).

And I am in love.


----------



## int_architect

wilk0076 said:


> I just received mine from my Amazon order (ProStudio Sound & Music).
> 
> And I am in love.


Very nice setup you have there! I purchased from the same folks.


----------



## Dobrescu George

wilk0076 said:


> I just received mine from my Amazon order (ProStudio Sound & Music).
> 
> And I am in love.



Lovely setup! 

I trust Q5 to drive those Denons fairly well!


----------



## wilk0076

Dobrescu George said:


> I trust Q5 to drive those Denons fairly well!



Quite.  And through USB from my laptop, it is crystal clear with nice deep sound.


----------



## RoMee (Feb 24, 2018)

I just bought the Q5 and I'm looking for the L27 cable to connect my Walkman. Anyone know where I can buy one?
Did FiiO stop making this cable?​


----------



## Siriuslux

int_architect said:


> Agreed about Bluetooth pairing with power on. I thought it would connect automatically once powered up. Although minor, hopefully can be fixed with firmware update. I have an Android as my personal phone, but an iPhone for work. The FiiO app is luscious!


I forgot to write, though I installed thr Fiio app, I am only using the Qobuz app, I don‘t use itunes for music. Having a Qobuz subscription I can just load any interesting music in the app, for storage size resons I do that mostly in MP3 320kbit/s, sometimes in CD quality.
I am listening mostly with my Stagediver SD2.


----------



## Zachik

Dobrescu George said:


> I am in love with Q5 + AM5 + LCD-MX4 for my desktop setup!
> 
> The clarity, raw power, and soundstage of this combo is phenomenal!
> 
> You can hear thing you don't usually hear, even with flagships...


George - do you like it better than your iFi Micro BL? How does it compare to the Q5 with AM5?


----------



## tim0chan

RoMee said:


> I just bought the Q5 and I'm looking for the L27 cable to connect my Walkman. Anyone know where I can buy one?
> Did FiiO stop making this cable?​


They still have it I think, u can probably find one on Amazon


----------



## RoMee

tim0chan said:


> They still have it I think, u can probably find one on Amazon


Checked Amazon, ebay, and nothing.


----------



## tim0chan

RoMee said:


> Checked Amazon, ebay, and nothing.


They stiol sell it in sg in retailers


----------



## Dobrescu George

Zachik said:


> George - do you like it better than your iFi Micro BL? How does it compare to the Q5 with AM5?



For driving LCD-MX4, I think that iDSD BL has a fuller overall sound, with a larger soundstage, and maybe a tad better dynamics and instrument separation, but Q5 + AMP5 is more portable, LCD-MX4 is large already along with their cables, add iDSD BL, and the setup is even less portable. 

The sound alone, it really depends on the music at this point, iDSD BL Micro works better with classical, while with something more forward like punk, Q5 + AMP5 portrays a more aggressive approach


----------



## vlach

Dobrescu George said:


> I think that iDSD BL has a fuller overall sound, with a larger soundstage, and maybe a tad better dynamics and instrument separation



Would you attribute that description to the DAC section, the amp section or when used together as a DAC/amp?


----------



## Zachik

Dobrescu George said:


> For driving LCD-MX4, I think that iDSD BL has a fuller overall sound, with a larger soundstage, and maybe a tad better dynamics and instrument separation, but Q5 + AMP5 is more portable, LCD-MX4 is large already along with their cables, add iDSD BL, and the setup is even less portable.
> 
> The sound alone, it really depends on the music at this point, iDSD BL Micro works better with classical, while with something more forward like punk, Q5 + AMP5 portrays a more aggressive approach


I do not listen to classical music. Mostly Rock. Already owning the micro BL for semi portable, and X5III for fully portable - I doubt I need Q5 in addition... or do I?


----------



## Dobrescu George

vlach said:


> Would you attribute that description to the DAC section, the amp section or when used together as a DAC/amp?



Most likely the overall device, not a single part of it, but the entire implementation will have certain effects. 

To put it simply, every implementation will be different and will have varying degrees of differences, some things are less audible than others, but lately I think that the AMP and power delivery makes the largest difference for most devices, and here I'm talking about the whole AMP implementation, not just raw power, but capacitor quality, capacitor size, power, current, power rails, how clean the transition is done, slew rate, and much more. Sadly, I don't have the equipment necessaryn to measure those right now, but I might do it at some point as I want to provide my readers the most straightforward answer possible  

Basically, there is a lot more that can influence the sound than a single thing by itself, but I heard less differences coming from DACs, which are usually very well implemented, than I heard from the actual amplification stage, which can be implemented very differently. 

Think about computer power supplies, two 650W units can yield very different results, especially in time. 



Zachik said:


> I do not listen to classical music. Mostly Rock. Already owning the micro BL for semi portable, and X5III for fully portable - I doubt I need Q5 in addition... or do I?



I'd much more take Q5 with AM5 over X5-3 for its sonics  

Of course, it would be less portable than having X5-3 alone... 

Q5 is at X7mkii levels, not at X5-3 levels, there's some space to walk between the two, at least for my ears. Please make sure to invest in IEMs and headphones first though, they make a lot of a difference and more revealing IEMs / Headphones can shine more light on different sources


----------



## FiiO

RoMee said:


> I just bought the Q5 and I'm looking for the L27 cable to connect my Walkman. Anyone know where I can buy one?
> Did FiiO stop making this cable?​


Dear friend,

It is out of stock now. 

Best regards


----------



## Fawzay

RoMee said:


> I just bought the Q5 and I'm looking for the L27 cable to connect my Walkman. Anyone know where I can buy one?
> Did FiiO stop making this cable?​


You can buy it from http://store.treoo.com/ i dunno whether it can ship overseas dou...


----------



## RoMee

FiiO said:


> Dear friend,
> 
> It is out of stock now.
> 
> Best regards


Is there an ET on availibility? 




Fawzay said:


> You can buy it from http://store.treoo.com/ i dunno whether it can ship overseas dou...



Out of stock, and back ordered..


----------



## FiiO

March 2nd / 3rd? I guess it won't be that fast, sorry!.. since the one before you is still waiting for its arrival, and he still got another 10 days before sending out to you.


----------



## FiiO

int_architect said:


> Agreed about Bluetooth pairing with power on. I thought it would connect automatically once powered up. Although minor, hopefully can be fixed with firmware update. I have an Android as my personal phone, but an iPhone for work. The FiiO app is luscious!


Thanks for the kind feedback. The Q5 is designed to connect to the last-paired device automatically once the Bluetooth of both are turned on, which takes about 7 seconds. But it has the possibility to fail to connect, and we will try to get it fixed by future firmware updates, thanks for understanding.


----------



## SupersonicArrow (Feb 27, 2018)

Hi guys, I am looking for an amp/dac and this came to mind, my IEM's would work great with this. But i'm wondering if my DT770 Pro (unbalanced) also would work well with the Q5 since they're 250 ohm. I looked at the specs but i'm relatively new to this, and i can't realy make out if they would.

EDIT: Just checked again and seems my IEM's have a lower impedance than needed. I'm going to keep this device in the back of my head for now and search a bit further for the time being. Still, seems like a solid device to own!


----------



## rantng

Anyone try pairing this with a Sony device yet? Specifically the ZX2. Really interested since the review package ships with the L27 WM-Port cable. The ZX2 is known to be somewhat underpowered.


----------



## Fawzay

rantng said:


> Anyone try pairing this with a Sony device yet? Specifically the ZX2. Really interested since the review package ships with the L27 WM-Port cable. The ZX2 is known to be somewhat underpowered.


yea u can paired with those two devices i also screenshot the compatibility of the Fiio L27


----------



## int_architect

Any more tour reviews coming? Curious to know what others think of the Q5.


----------



## betula

int_architect said:


> Any more tour reviews coming? Curious to know what others think of the Q5.


Well, the tour is on, so we can expect some more reviews the next couple of months. Mine will be up in 2 days.


----------



## Dobrescu George

int_architect said:


> Any more tour reviews coming? Curious to know what others think of the Q5.



There should be a lot more reviews incoming soon  

I think a lot of people fell in love with Q5 and are dazzled so they're slower to write their thoughts  

I havew tons of photos to process and had a really busy schedule in the past few days, this is why I didn't post anything yet 



betula said:


> Well, the tour is on, so we can expect some more reviews the next couple of months. Mine will be up in 2 days.



Happy to hear you're so close to posting it! 

Can't wait to hear your thoughts!!


----------



## Audiowood

I am working on the review. I am compairing this to Centrance Blue Dac. Mine will go straight to what really matters.. The sound quality.


----------



## tas236

Audiowood said:


> I am working on the review. I am compairing this to Centrance Blue Dac. Mine will go straight to what really matters.. The sound quality.



Great, excited to hear this comparison. Thanks in advance!


----------



## betula

I have just put this up. Posting the Q5 to @chrisba tomorrow. Thank you Fiio!


----------



## vlach

betula said:


> I have just put this up. Posting the Q5 to @chrisba tomorrow. Thank you Fiio!



Outstanding review and straight to the point when it comes to SQ. It would've been nice to see a little more comparisons against the micro BL however most of my questions have been answered.
Glad that you compared extensively against the Mojo. Great job!


----------



## int_architect

betula said:


> I have just put this up. Posting the Q5 to @chrisba tomorrow. Thank you Fiio!


Really enjoyed your review. My ears are curious to hear the Mojo!


----------



## betula

vlach said:


> Outstanding review and straight to the point when it comes to SQ. It would've been nice to see a little more comparisons against the micro BL however most of my questions have been answered.
> Glad that you compared extensively against the Mojo. Great job!


I reviewed the Micro BL too against the Mojo, the link is also in the Q5 review.
Apart of the obvious differences between the Q5 and The Micro BL (size, functionality) they sound very different, but both very good. The Micro BL is smooth with a strong velvety bass, sounds like a sound system in a cinema. The Q5 is clean, clear, precise, accurate, much brighter sounding. Also, the Q5 is a true portable amp while the Micro is a power beast able to drive speakers too.


----------



## Dobrescu George

betula said:


> I reviewed the Micro BL too against the Mojo, the link is also in the Q5 review.
> Apart of the obvious differences between the Q5 and The Micro BL (size, functionality) they sound very different, but both very good. The Micro BL is smooth with a strong velvety bass, sounds like a sound system in a cinema. The Q5 is clean, clear, precise, accurate, much brighter sounding. Also, the Q5 is a true portable amp while the Micro is a power beast able to drive speakers too.



Q5 can get closer to iDSD BL Micro with AMP5 installed rather than the AM03A as well


----------



## betula

Dobrescu George said:


> Q5 can get closer to iDSD BL Micro with AMP5 installed rather than the AM03A as well


Possible. Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to try the AM5.


----------



## Dobrescu George

betula said:


> Possible. Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to try the AM5.



No worries, I had AMP5 for X7mkii more than for Q5, but since Q5 also works with it, I had a chance to test it like that as well


----------



## vlach

betula said:


> I reviewed the Micro BL too against the Mojo, the link is also in the Q5 review.
> Apart of the obvious differences between the Q5 and The Micro BL (size, functionality) they sound very different, but both very good. The Micro BL is smooth with a strong velvety bass, sounds like a sound system in a cinema. The Q5 is clean, clear, precise, accurate, much brighter sounding. Also, the Q5 is a true portable amp while the Micro is a power beast able to drive speakers too.



I looked up the Micro BL against Mojo link in your Q5 review and it was very helpful indeed. I feel i can draw much better conclusions thanks to the comparative examples you give and your way of describing SQ aspects in general. Again, a BIG thank you for putting these excellent reviews together!


----------



## betula

vlach said:


> I looked up the Micro BL against Mojo link in your Q5 review and it was very helpful indeed. I feel i can draw much better conclusions thanks to the comparative examples you give and your way of describing SQ aspects in general. Again, a BIG thank you for putting these excellent reviews together!


Thanks for your kind words. 
We are lucky to have many good reviewers on this site. Some of them are much better than me. I am just a hobbyist, not an expert.


----------



## Lifted Andreas

betula said:


> Thanks for your kind words.
> We are lucky to have many good reviewers on this site. Some of them are much better than me. I am just a hobbyist, not an expert.



Just read your review earlier mate, very well written!


----------



## betula

Lifted Andreas said:


> Just read your review earlier mate, very well written!


Thanks. English is not even my first language, so you might have found some unusual wording.


----------



## Lifted Andreas

betula said:


> Thanks. English is not even my first language, so you might have found some unusual wording.



No can't say I did, the only thing I spotted was double wording.


----------



## chrisba

Well done!
Especially the comparison to the competitors with your personal impressions.


----------



## snellemin

My personal impression so far is that this Q5 is not worth the price I paid for.  Still breaking in I guess.  I'll give it another week.  

So been using the standard output so far and not impressed.  My E12A with the Muses 8832 still sound better.  I also don't like the actual female plug used.  I can't use my TRRS connector that works with every other FIIO product I own.  Major sucko.  I'll have to change that plug out if I can open it up.  Personally I feel the 2.5mm connector stupid and shows that Fiio is not "there" yet. All that engineering that went into this unit and someone at FIIO decided to go cheap on a simple part.  Sony has it right with using dual 3.5mm connectors or single 4.4mm connector for their balanced portable setups.  You still have the Ibasso style 6 pin Hirose and 4 pin Kobiconn (Alo, RSA) that could of been used in this Fiio Q5.  
Tomorrow I'll make me an adapter for the 2.5mm TRRS to 3.5MM TRRS and see how the balanced output fares.  

The Mojo and Sony PHA-3 sound a bit better in the dac department.  Both sound very analog vs the Q5.    The old Ibasso D7 where I swapped the dac out to WM8741, sounds a tad better.  I have a feeling it's the opamp in the AM3A that puts if off. Would be nice if I can change the opamp  out.

Build quality on the main unit is very good and feels premium.  The amp module is not a perfect fit and I was expecting it to be at this price point.  I do like the color and brushed metal feel.  The paint color on the amp module and main unit matches nicely.
DSD works nicely using the LG V20 and older Iphone 5s that I have.  
Line out to Ibasso PB2 sounds very nice.  I'll make balanced adapters going from the 2.5mm TRRS to the balanced input in the Ibasso PB2, RSA Intruder and my desktop setup.


----------



## Dobrescu George

snellemin said:


> My personal impression so far is that this Q5 is not worth the price I paid for.  Still breaking in I guess.  I'll give it another week.
> 
> So been using the standard output so far and not impressed.  My E12A with the Muses 8832 still sound better.  I also don't like the actual female plug used.  I can't use my TRRS connector that works with every other FIIO product I own.  Major sucko.  I'll have to change that plug out if I can open it up.  Personally I feel the 2.5mm connector stupid and shows that Fiio is not "there" yet. All that engineering that went into this unit and someone at FIIO decided to go cheap on a simple part.  Sony has it right with using dual 3.5mm connectors or single 4.4mm connector for their balanced portable setups.  You still have the Ibasso style 6 pin Hirose and 4 pin Kobiconn (Alo, RSA) that could of been used in this Fiio Q5.
> Tomorrow I'll make me an adapter for the 2.5mm TRRS to 3.5MM TRRS and see how the balanced output fares.
> ...



I like it much much better than E12A actually, E12A has the treble too... smooth for me. AM03A and AM05 are both much better 

The BAL output is from AM03A if I'm not mistaken, and that is pretty good! I still don't have it since I'm using AM05/

You can always buy the AMP5 module for a better sound, I love it! I swapped AM03A with AMP5 and am quite glad I did  

As for the DAC compartment, it has one of the best DACs out there, should be pretty darn uncolored, which is good  Wolfson DACs then to be ever so slightly warmer and smoother, so you might be used to that kind of sound, but AK DACs are really good in the technical department


----------



## snellemin

Made a quick adapter to try the balanced out.  Sounds much better vs the standard out.  Now I want FIIO to offer a high power balanced module for the Bass heads out there.  Pulling about 5.5W max from the USB port at max volume.


----------



## Dobrescu George

snellemin said:


> Made a quick adapter to try the balanced out.  Sounds much better vs the standard out.  Now I want FIIO to offer a high power balanced module for the Bass heads out there.  Pulling about 5.5W max from the USB port at max volume.



AMP5 has uber high power, but it is single ended. This single ended is done well tho


----------



## tim0chan

snellemin said:


> My personal impression so far is that this Q5 is not worth the price I paid for.  Still breaking in I guess.  I'll give it another week.
> 
> So been using the standard output so far and not impressed.  My E12A with the Muses 8832 still sound better.  I also don't like the actual female plug used.  I can't use my TRRS connector that works with every other FIIO product I own.  Major sucko.  I'll have to change that plug out if I can open it up.  Personally I feel the 2.5mm connector stupid and shows that Fiio is not "there" yet. All that engineering that went into this unit and someone at FIIO decided to go cheap on a simple part.  Sony has it right with using dual 3.5mm connectors or single 4.4mm connector for their balanced portable setups.  You still have the Ibasso style 6 pin Hirose and 4 pin Kobiconn (Alo, RSA) that could of been used in this Fiio Q5.
> Tomorrow I'll make me an adapter for the 2.5mm TRRS to 3.5MM TRRS and see how the balanced output fares.
> ...


I think the e12a with that opamp sounds good too, but u do have to realise it's kinda an upgrade to the internal opamp. Maybe in the future fiio can release a DIY amp like maybe am06x or smth. As for the connectors, I think fiio made a good decision to go for the 2,5mm connectors as it is the most popular at the moment. (2.5mm still sucks) The other connectors U listed are either mildly dangerous for the amp(3.5mm bal)if u plug into the wrong output , inconvenient (hirose,kobiconn) , needs more space on a circuit board(dual 3.5mm) or has just been launched (4.4 needs time to get popular). I also want fiio to start adopting the 4.4 standard as I feel it's the most reliable and best sounding out of the options available


----------



## fahadj2003

tim0chan said:


> Yes, just like the rest of their dac/amps


but will it work without draining my android phone's battery?


----------



## tim0chan

fahadj2003 said:


> but will it work without draining my android phone's battery?


Didn't for my phone


----------



## Brooko

snellemin said:


> Made a quick adapter to try the balanced out. Sounds much better vs the standard out. Now I want FIIO to offer a high power balanced module for the Bass heads out there. Pulling about 5.5W max from the USB port at max volume.



Seriously?  Its a portable DAC/amp.  5W of output power?  WTH are you trying to drive.  Very few headphones could utilise or benefit from that sort of power.  Unless your basshead headphone is something like an HE6.

Flabbergasted at this request .......

With a full 5W of output power, you're going to end up blowing a lot of headphones.  Why would FiiO put themselves at risk so that some idiot can turn up the volume full bore and either blow their headphone coils, or instantly deafen themselves?


----------



## Brooko

Dobrescu George said:


> AMP5 has uber high power, but it is single ended. This single ended is done well tho



And to put this in perspective - AM5 will output 500mW into a 32 ohm load (that's 0.5W) or 55mW into a 300 ohm load (0.055W)
Into that 32 ohm load - you'd deafen yourself at full volume.

AM3A balanced will output 400 mW into a 32 ohm load or 63 mW into a 300 ohm load
So again more than enough power to drive most loads, and actually better driving power for high impedance loads (if you go balanced)


----------



## Dobrescu George

Brooko said:


> And to put this in perspective - AM5 will output 500mW into a 32 ohm load (that's 0.5W) or 55mW into a 300 ohm load (0.055W)
> Into that 32 ohm load - you'd deafen yourself at full volume.
> 
> AM3A balanced will output 400 mW into a 32 ohm load or 63 mW into a 300 ohm load
> So again more than enough power to drive most loads, and actually better driving power for high impedance loads (if you go balanced)



You're right  

I just don't have any Balanced cables for harder to drive headphones, so I only used the SE of AM03A and that can reach its max with Beyerdynamic Amiron 102dB / 250OHM Open Back on Single ended. 

Also, agreed, I never went to full volume on AMP5, so it does have headroom for volume alone, for almost any headphone


----------



## snellemin

Brooko said:


> Seriously?  Its a portable DAC/amp.  5W of output power?  WTH are you trying to drive.  Very few headphones could utilise or benefit from that sort of power.  Unless your basshead headphone is something like an HE6.
> 
> Flabbergasted at this request .......
> 
> With a full 5W of output power, you're going to end up blowing a lot of headphones.  Why would FiiO put themselves at risk so that some idiot can turn up the volume full bore and either blow their headphone coils, or instantly deafen themselves?



I never said the unit was outputting 5W, I said it was pulling 5W from the usb port.


----------



## Brooko

snellemin said:


> I never said the unit was outputting 5W, I said it was pulling 5W from the usb port.


My apologies - but my point still stands.  What cans are you trying to drive? And I still don’t understand why the USB pull should correlate to output power.

Honestly - this quest for higher numbers, when most people have no clue what they mean IRL, just puzzles me.

Please advise cans / IEMs you need all this extra power for.


----------



## Dobrescu George

snellemin said:


> I never said the unit was outputting 5W, I said it was pulling 5W from the usb port.



Don't worry, that can be normal, especially if Q5 wasn't charged, it will pull more than it is using to charge, plus the wattage doesn't get transformed with a 100% efficiency. It is hard to say what the efficiency of a typical USB power adapter is, but it can vary a lot depending on the temps and such, so even if it is pulling a lot, it doesn't mean it will be able to transform that much into wattage, or that any device can provide that wattage to a pair of headphones 

To get an average idea, I thinkn that everything I tried so far requires less than 1W to sound loud enough for the loudest listener.


----------



## snellemin

For IEM's, the AM3A in balanced mode has plenty of power to drive my basshead drivers.  For my Bass head Pioneer sz1000 and sz2000, the AM3A is barely enough.  I do have two other portable amps that can drive the sz1k and sz2k to some deep subbass.  They are the IBasso PB2, with stacked buffers and the RSA intruder. Below that I have the FIIO E12DIY. But for bottomless bass I have my desktop setup, which also drives my planar headphone. 
1W is plenty loud, but not enough to produce the subbass levels I crave.  

Anyways the Q5 has found a permanent spot now for my work desktop setup.  The unit really shines in playing DSD files.


----------



## Dobrescu George

snellemin said:


> For IEM's, the AM3A in balanced mode has plenty of power to drive my basshead drivers.  For my Bass head Pioneer sz1000 and sz2000, the AM3A is barely enough.  I do have two other portable amps that can drive the sz1k and sz2k to some deep subbass.  They are the IBasso PB2, with stacked buffers and the RSA intruder. Below that I have the FIIO E12DIY. But for bottomless bass I have my desktop setup, which also drives my planar headphone.
> 1W is plenty loud, but not enough to produce the subbass levels I crave.
> 
> Anyways the Q5 has found a permanent spot now for my work desktop setup.  The unit really shines in playing DSD files.



Finally it makes sense 

SZ1K and SZ2K have been talked about many as power eaters, especially after EQ XD


----------



## upsguys88

FIIO, are you and the Q5 going to be at CanJam in LA?


----------



## Brooko

Well I'll defer to @Hawaiibadboy here - Chris know what power requirements are for these cans, and maybe there is something I'm not talking into account.

But the specs for the Pioneer SZ-1000 are 16ohm, SPL 107 dB/mW

I see that you have yours balanced - so at 16 ohm, the AM3A is putting 380 mW into that load.  AM5 SE would put 800 mW - so I would suggest picking up the AM5 module and going SE into the SZ-1000

Looking at the balanced though - and using a power calculator:

To get to 120 dB, requires 20.31 mW (AM3A balanced outputs 380 mW into that load)
To get to 120 dB, requires 35.63 mA (AM3A balanced outputs up to 150 mA)
To get to 120 dB, requires 0.57 Vrms or 1.6 Vp-p (AM3A balanced outputs up to 10 Vp-p)

It says to me that the AM3A outputs 5-10 times more power than is required to put you to the threshold of pain.  Even allowing for EQ, it should be more than enough with the SZ-1000


----------



## FiiO

upsguys88 said:


> FIIO, are you and the Q5 going to be at CanJam in LA?


Yes!
Best regards


----------



## snellemin

Brooko said:


> Well I'll defer to @Hawaiibadboy here - Chris know what power requirements are for these cans, and maybe there is something I'm not talking into account.
> 
> But the specs for the Pioneer SZ-1000 are 16ohm, SPL 107 dB/mW
> 
> ...



The AM3A is barely enough for my full size headphones.  It would probably be perfect for the Focal Elears, but not my Hifiman 400i.
120dB at higher frequencies is easy to achieve.  120dB at lower frequencies is not, and more current is needed to move the subwoofer's dynamic driver inside the SZ-1000.  
The higher frequencies are lowered when EQ'ing for bass.  So the ear pain is avoided and so is distortion.  Now comes the part of how well an amp has been designed to produce the lower frequencies.  Fiio has done a good job with the E12, E12DIY and A5.  But my fellow bass heads have to go to IFI to get the power needed in a semi portable setup.  For portable I'm stuck with the Ibasso PB2 and RSA Intruder.  Neither are a match to my Parasound setup, that produces the cleanest deepest lows and bring the Pioneers to a whole new level of refinement after swapping in Burson's opamps.  

So for bassheads, IFI is the only player in this current market of semi portable amps/dac.  Fiio could get some of that market share, if they are willing to invest in such.


----------



## Dobrescu George

snellemin said:


> The AM3A is barely enough for my full size headphones.  It would probably be perfect for the Focal Elears, but not my Hifiman 400i.
> 120dB at higher frequencies is easy to achieve.  120dB at lower frequencies is not, and more current is needed to move the subwoofer's dynamic driver inside the SZ-1000.
> The higher frequencies are lowered when EQ'ing for bass.  So the ear pain is avoided and so is distortion.  Now comes the part of how well an amp has been designed to produce the lower frequencies.  Fiio has done a good job with the E12, E12DIY and A5.  But my fellow bass heads have to go to IFI to get the power needed in a semi portable setup.  For portable I'm stuck with the Ibasso PB2 and RSA Intruder.  Neither are a match to my Parasound setup, that produces the cleanest deepest lows and bring the Pioneers to a whole new level of refinement after swapping in Burson's opamps.
> 
> So for bassheads, IFI is the only player in this current market of semi portable amps/dac.  Fiio could get some of that market share, if they are willing to invest in such.



Check out AMP5


----------



## mrmoto050 (Mar 15, 2018)

Brooko said:


> And to put this in perspective - AM5 will output 500mW into a 32 ohm load (that's 0.5W) or 55mW into a 300 ohm load (0.055W)
> Into that 32 ohm load - you'd deafen yourself at full volume.
> 
> AM3A balanced will output 400 mW into a 32 ohm load or 63 mW into a 300 ohm load
> So again more than enough power to drive most loads, and actually better driving power for high impedance loads (if you go balanced)





snellemin said:


> The AM3A is barely enough for my full size headphones.  It would probably be perfect for the Focal Elears, but not my Hifiman 400i.
> 120dB at higher frequencies is easy to achieve.  120dB at lower frequencies is not, and more current is needed to move the subwoofer's dynamic driver inside the SZ-1000.
> The higher frequencies are lowered when EQ'ing for bass.  So the ear pain is avoided and so is distortion.  Now comes the part of how well an amp has been designed to produce the lower frequencies.  Fiio has done a good job with the E12, E12DIY and A5.  But my fellow bass heads have to go to IFI to get the power needed in a semi portable setup.  For portable I'm stuck with the Ibasso PB2 and RSA Intruder.  Neither are a match to my Parasound setup, that produces the cleanest deepest lows and bring the Pioneers to a whole new level of refinement after swapping in Burson's opamps.
> 
> So for bassheads, IFI is the only player in this current market of semi portable amps/dac.  Fiio could get some of that market share, if they are willing to invest in such.


You need something with more current not power.


----------



## Brooko

mrmoto050 said:


> You need something with more current not power.



Agree - but if that is what he needs - then the AM5 (250 mA max output) is going to be far better than the AM3A balanced.  But really - how many people are actually going to be using vast amounts of EQ to push bass to the sorts of levels he's wanting.  And given the likely battery drain at such high current output - it again makes no sense to design a module for low (comparative) use which would dramatically affect battery life.

If bassheads want to be pushing the envelope this far (and I have no issues with them doing this), then the answer is a portable amp - not getting FiiO to design an amp module for a very specific need and a very small target audience.  Just IMO - but where would that be economically viable?

And why the dog pic?


----------



## mrmoto050 (Mar 15, 2018)

Brooko said:


> Agree - but if that is what he needs - then the AM5 (250 mA max output) is going to be far better than the AM3A balanced.  But really - how many people are actually going to be using vast amounts of EQ to push bass to the sorts of levels he's wanting.  And given the likely battery drain at such high current output - it again makes no sense to design a module for low (comparative) use which would dramatically affect battery life.
> 
> If bassheads want to be pushing the envelope this far (and I have no issues with them doing this), then the answer is a portable amp - not getting FiiO to design an amp module for a very specific need and a very small target audience.  Just IMO - but where would that be economically viable?
> 
> And why the dog pic?


I don't have any idea I'm going delete it if I can. Didn't know it was there. Deleted...


----------



## betula

AM5 might sound better, but I think at this point it is worth to mention that the the Q5's battery time drops to 6 hrs with this more powerful amp module. (From 10 hrs with the AM3A.)


----------



## Brooko

betula said:


> AM5 might sound better, but I think at this point it is worth to mention that the the Q5's battery time drops to 6 hrs with this more powerful amp module. (From 10 hrs with the AM3A.)



Sound better is subjective.  Personally I think the AM3A has better tonality - but that's just me.  I was suggesting AM5 for the guy who wants to do basshead EQ.  And your point very valid.  He wanted a higher current output.  So if AM5 is already down to around 6 hours - putting more output will curb the battery life even further.


----------



## ChasingDopamine

It's great so see portable dacamps are finally starting to incorporate higher bitrate Bluetooth codecs at these price points. LDAC or Aptx HD would have been ideal however this is a good start. I would love to have the dacamp in one pocket or a bag, tuck the wires away and be free to control on my phone without wires moving around. 

I've been thinking of getting the Q5 to replace my dragonfly red for use on the move with my Shure 1540s. The reviews out so far generally seem to be positive, however i was a bit concerned that a few people have said the treble can be a bit aggressive. The DFR is already a bright and analytical DAC and can sometimes be a bit much for me in that combo. Can anyone who has tried the Q5 provide some insight into how it compares with the DFR?


----------



## riodgarp (Mar 14, 2018)

hello, I wanna ask something, looking by picture its avaiable to use Q5 as portable amplifier  ? judging by its line out and line in position are close together can it used without amp module as line out device?


----------



## FiiO

riodgarp said:


> hello, I wanna ask something, looking by picture its avaiable to use Q5 as portable amplifier  ? judging by its line out and line in position are close together can it used without amp module as line out device?


Dear friend,

The Q5 can work as an AMP. Without the AMP module? Which input you are using?

Best regards


----------



## Dobrescu George

riodgarp said:


> hello, I wanna ask something, looking by picture its avaiable to use Q5 as portable amplifier  ? judging by its line out and line in position are close together can it used without amp module as line out device?



It comes with an AMP module by default. 

Also, yes, it works that way.


----------



## fahadj2003

tim0chan said:


> Didn't for my phone


elaborate? it didnt work? or it didnt drain battery?
which phone and cable did you use?
coz i have fiio q1 mk2 along with oneplus 3 (usbc) and unless i cut my usbc-microusb cable and solder the ground and ID pins, the dac keeps draining my battery.
can someone confirm if this is the case with q5, or does it work without draining battery without modifications?
thanks, would suck your d**k for a valid answer, no homo


----------



## tim0chan

fahadj2003 said:


> elaborate? it didnt work? or it didnt drain battery?
> which phone and cable did you use?
> coz i have fiio q1 mk2 along with oneplus 3 (usbc) and unless i cut my usbc-microusb cable and solder the ground and ID pins, the dac keeps draining my battery.
> can someone confirm if this is the case with q5, or does it work without draining battery without modifications?
> thanks, would suck your d**k for a valid answer, no homo


I used the cable that came with the Q5 in their review package, no charge. My phone is the lg g6


----------



## Lifted Andreas

fahadj2003 said:


> elaborate? it didnt work? or it didnt drain battery?
> which phone and cable did you use?
> coz i have fiio q1 mk2 along with oneplus 3 (usbc) and unless i cut my usbc-microusb cable and solder the ground and ID pins, the dac keeps draining my battery.
> can someone confirm if this is the case with q5, or does it work without draining battery without modifications?
> thanks, would suck your d**k for a valid answer, no homo



There was a link posted in the Q1ii thread to a usb cable that was confirmed to not charge the Q1ii. I assume it will work the same for the Q5.


----------



## fahadj2003

Lifted Andreas said:


> There was a link posted in the Q1ii thread to a usb cable that was confirmed to not charge the Q1ii. I assume it will work the same for the Q5.


yea i ended up making that cable (its gnd and id are shorted), but the cable died, so did my mk2's usb port (wear and tear)
now i'm gonna use take the solder mask off of the circuit's traces and solder the wire directly, and using a switch drilled into the back to control the otg mode.. 
i just wish i had the time.. #engineeringstudentlife


----------



## smpie

Impressive peace of kit ..My Compliments Fiio..
i really like the site..
http://www.fiio.net/en/products/83


----------



## Lifted Andreas

fahadj2003 said:


> yea i ended up making that cable (its gnd and id are shorted), but the cable died, so did my mk2's usb port (wear and tear)
> now i'm gonna use take the solder mask off of the circuit's traces and solder the wire directly, and using a switch drilled into the back to control the otg mode..
> i just wish i had the time.. #engineeringstudentlife



How did you manage that haha, I've had mine for like 2.5 months and its barely got a scratch on it.


----------



## Audiowood

Alright done with the review. I have posted in the review section. Now shipping to the next reviewer. 

Here is the review link
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...h-and-dsd-capable-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews

Enjoy folks!


----------



## ChasingDopamine

Audiowood said:


> Alright done with the review. I have posted in the review section. Now shipping to the next reviewer.
> 
> Here is the review link
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...h-and-dsd-capable-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews
> ...



Thank you for your review. Im considering the Q5 and it was very informative and helpful especially as this is a new product and not many people have it yet. 
Interestingly you described it as warmish, whereas another reviewer commented that it was bright with aggressive treble. did you find the treble to be at all fatiguing? Do you have any experience with any other dacs to compare it to?


----------



## Audiowood

It’s warmth with great clarity as compare to BlueDac. Bluedac has even sharper and brighter tone.


----------



## Audiowood

Since not many has head the Bluedac, I will use a comparison to several devices from the brightest to the warmest tone. 

1) Lightning adaptor - Thin and bright. Sometimes crossing to Sibilance (brightest)
2) BlueDAc - More to neutral
3) headamp Pico slim
4) Fiio Q5
5) A&K XB10 (warmest)


----------



## ChasingDopamine

Audiowood said:


> Since not many has head the Bluedac, I will use a comparison to several devices from the brightest to the warmest tone.
> 
> 1) Lightning adaptor - Thin and bright. Sometimes crossing to Sibilance (brightest)
> 2) BlueDAc - More to neutral
> ...




Ah thank you. have you heard the chord mojo or dragonfly red? I know one review said it was brighter than the mojo, and i also find the dragonfly brighter than the mojo so i dont know which one is brighter between the Q5 and the dragonfly. 

out of curiosity, do you think its worth the price? would you buy one for yourself now that your review tour is over?


----------



## scotvl

Audiowood said:


> Since not many has head the Bluedac, I will use a comparison to several devices from the brightest to the warmest tone.
> 
> 1) Lightning adaptor - Thin and bright. Sometimes crossing to Sibilance (brightest)
> 2) BlueDAc - More to neutral
> ...


Have you had a chance to review the EarStudio ES 100 yet and if so where would you place it in this comparison?


----------



## Lifted Andreas

ChasingDopamine said:


> Ah thank you. have you heard the chord mojo or dragonfly red? I know one review said it was brighter than the mojo, and i also find the dragonfly brighter than the mojo so i dont know which one is brighter between the Q5 and the dragonfly.
> 
> out of curiosity, do you think its worth the price? would you buy one for yourself now that your review tour is over?



I'd quite comfortably speculate and say that Q5 is gonna be warmer than the Dragonfly Red.


----------



## Audiowood

I don’t have Mojo and Dragonfly red with me now. I will say the Mojo warmer than the Q5 by a lot! As for dragonfly red, its about the same. This is based on my fading memory.


----------



## Audiowood

I have not listen to the Earstudio ES100 yet. I am eyeing on this and also Macintosh bluetooth dac/amp. The most expensive of them all.


----------



## ouyangx

Hi,

I want to know if it is possible to solve the one second of silence of every song I'm playing? I'm using Q5 as a USB dac for my PC.

Thx


----------



## Audiowood

ouyangx said:


> Hi,
> 
> I want to know if it is possible to solve the one second of silence of every song I'm playing? I'm using Q5 as a USB dac for my PC.
> 
> Thx



Try the gapless playback option. It’s done from the IOS apps.


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## Audiowood (Mar 15, 2018)

ChasingDopamine said:


> Ah thank you. have you heard the chord mojo or dragonfly red? I know one review said it was brighter than the mojo, and i also find the dragonfly brighter than the mojo so i dont know which one is brighter between the Q5 and the dragonfly.
> 
> out of curiosity, do you think its worth the price? would you buy one for yourself now that your review tour is over?




It’s certainly worth its price and I will buy it after I audition the Earstudio ES100, Macintosh MHA50, and IFI new bluetooth dac/amp.


----------



## jooonnn

ChasingDopamine said:


> Ah thank you. have you heard the chord mojo or dragonfly red? I know one review said it was brighter than the mojo, and i also find the dragonfly brighter than the mojo so i dont know which one is brighter between the Q5 and the dragonfly.
> 
> out of curiosity, do you think its worth the price? would you buy one for yourself now that your review tour is over?



I have owned the Q5, Mojo, and Dragonfly Red at the same time.  I just sold my Mojo due to the excess cost of the Poly and i specifically sold the Dragonfly Red due to brightness.  The Mojo was noticably the warmest, with the Dragonfly being noticably brighter.  I have a motherboard with the ess sabre 9018 dac and id still venture to say the dragonfly is a bit brighter still.  The Q5 without bass boost is brighter than the Mojo, but with the bass boost it is very preferable to me due to my “house” sound preference.  Id still rate the Mojo as my favorite DAC, but not worth the sacrifice in portability (especially how fragile the micro usb ports are) that both the Dragonfly Red and Q5 have.   It also should be noted i own the Audeze LCD-XC, V-Moda Crossfade 2, and V-Moda M-100, all which lean on the warm side.

Side note, i have had no issues with my eBay Q5 for weeks and have never looked back or envied a mojo poly combo.  Hope this helps!


----------



## ChasingDopamine

jooonnn said:


> I have owned the Q5, Mojo, and Dragonfly Red at the same time.  I just sold my Mojo due to the excess cost of the Poly and i specifically sold the Dragonfly Red due to brightness.  The Mojo was noticably the warmest, with the Dragonfly being noticably brighter.  I have a motherboard with the ess sabre 9018 dac and id still venture to say the dragonfly is a bit brighter still.  The Q5 without bass boost is brighter than the Mojo, but with the bass boost it is very preferable to me due to my “house” sound preference.  Id still rate the Mojo as my favorite DAC, but not worth the sacrifice in portability (especially how fragile the micro usb ports are) that both the Dragonfly Red and Q5 have.   It also should be noted i own the Audeze LCD-XC, V-Moda Crossfade 2, and V-Moda M-100, all which lean on the warm side.
> 
> Side note, i have had no issues with my eBay Q5 for weeks and have never looked back or envied a mojo poly combo.  Hope this helps!




Thank you very much everyone. I'm definitely getting rid of the dragonfly as it's so bright for me that I often prefer the sound of my note 8 with its abysmal dac just because the treble is actually tolerable compared to the red. Still a bit torn between the Q5 and mojo but at least that narrows it down thank you. The micro usb fragility and battery issues on the mojo do concern me. The Q5 seems to have very good build quality but I guess it hasn't been around long enough to tell of it will have any long term issues. There's no doubt it is more versitile and portable than the mojo, but still tempted to risk the build issues for the warmer sound due to my treble sensitivity. Could try switching to a warmer amp if the Q5 is too much though. I know everyone has different sensitivity but did you ever get fatigue with the Q5?

Did you have any issues streaming 16/44 or tidal offline to the Q5 via aptx?


----------



## ouyangx

Audiowood said:


> Try the gapless playback option. It’s done from the IOS apps.


Then how can I fix this on PC platform?


----------



## Audiowood

ouyangx said:


> Then how can I fix this on PC platform?


I am not sure how to do it on PC. If you have a friend who owns an Iphone, ask to download and connect via bluetooth with Q5 and then turn the gapless switch on. You only need to do it once and your friend can delete the apps.


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## KopaneDePooj (Mar 16, 2018)

ChasingDopamine said:


> (...) Interestingly you described it as warmish, whereas another reviewer commented that it was bright with aggressive treble. did you find the treble to be at all fatiguing? (...)



I didn't find it bright either, just good treble extension, detailed, but not harsh/bright. The cymbals for example sound natural and crystal clear but NOT grainy / harsh / acid / artificial.
I guess it depends on everyone's hearing and point of reference that's why it is always better to try test it for yourself.


----------



## FiiO

ouyangx said:


> Hi,
> 
> I want to know if it is possible to solve the one second of silence of every song I'm playing? I'm using Q5 as a USB dac for my PC.
> 
> Thx



Dear friend,

Every first secord for every song? Or just the first second when start playing? 

Best regards


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## No Deal

I am considering replacing my Sony PHA-1A with the Q5.  I am wondering if the Q5 is better or if it just has more features.  Any opinions?


----------



## Dobrescu George

No Deal said:


> I am considering replacing my Sony PHA-1A with the Q5.  I am wondering if the Q5 is better or if it just has more features.  Any opinions?


\

I haven't heard PHA-1A, but Q5 is in topn of my favorite DAC/AMPs and I am actually using it a lot lately, so you can factor that in


----------



## ouyangx

FiiO said:


> Dear friend,
> 
> Every first secord for every song? Or just the first second when start playing?
> 
> Best regards



The whole thing is like this
When you open spotify and start playing


FiiO said:


> Dear friend,
> 
> Every first secord for every song? Or just the first second when start playing?
> 
> Best regards


It happens when there is an audio input coming into the device, like when you open spotify and play the first song, then the first second of the song will be muted, but the following songs sound fine,
Then if you quit spotify and wait for like 10 sec and I can hear


FiiO said:


> Dear friend,
> 
> Every first secord for every song? Or just the first second when start playing?
> 
> Best regards


just first second of playing, and when you stop playing and wait for like 10 seconds and I can hear a sudden "boop" in my katana, like the connection is lost.
Then when you start playing something again the first-second silence will appear again


----------



## KopaneDePooj

ouyangx said:


> The whole thing is like this
> When you open spotify and start playing It happens when there is an audio input coming into the device, like when you open spotify and play the first song, then the first second of the song will be muted, but the following songs sound fine,
> Then if you quit spotify and wait for like 10 sec and I can hear just first second of playing, and when you stop playing and wait for like 10 seconds and I can hear a sudden "boop" in my katana, like the connection is lost.
> Then when you start playing something again the first-second silence will appear again


When not receiving audio signal the DAC disconnects to avoid idle power consumption. What you're hearing is the short delay needed for the DAC to re-initialize when you feed audio signal.
You can control the auto-disconnect timeout via the iOS app, or you can switch it off completely (not recommended because it will drain your DAC battery when idle).


----------



## ouyangx

KopaneDePooj said:


> When not receiving audio signal the DAC disconnects to avoid idle power consumption. What you're hearing is the short delay needed for the DAC to re-initialize when you feed audio signal.
> You can control the auto-disconnect timeout via the iOS app, or you can switch it off completely (not recommended because it will drain your DAC battery when idle).


If this is the case how can fiio claims Q5 to be a reliable desktop amp/dac combo...


----------



## tim0chan

ouyangx said:


> If this is the case how can fiio claims Q5 to be a reliable desktop amp/dac combo...


It's a tiny issue considering its
 1. Battery Powered, battery conservation is a conceen
2. It's 1 second at the start of usage.
3. It was designed to be portable, not as a desktop dav


----------



## int_architect

tim0chan said:


> It's a tiny issue considering its
> 1. Battery Powered, battery conservation is a conceen
> 2. It's 1 second at the start of usage.
> 3. It was designed to be portable, not as a desktop dav


Yeah, I don't think this is any different than your phone's screen timeout.


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## Dobrescu George

It is portable and it is good this way. 

It is not meant to sit in your dekstop system only, that is why all the fancy AMP modules, it is more of a uber DAC/AMP that has modular amps, I am actually happy that it turns down


----------



## Audiowood

ouyangx said:


> If this is the case how can fiio claims Q5 to be a reliable desktop amp/dac combo...



This is an auto timeout issues. The Bluetooth shuts down after a period of time when no music is playing to save batt. This is the same for most manufacturer of Bluetooth device like sony, B&O, Jaybird, including Apple owns wireless earbud. They all shutdown to conserve power. 

Fiio allows 0-30mins idle power off function (most manufacturers do not have this function) Did u set it to 30mins? I suspect u may have set to 0 mins, so it poweroff every time playlist ends and when u start another playlist it reconnects again with a 1 sec cutoff. .. just a thought.


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## riodgarp

FiiO said:


> Dear friend,
> 
> The Q5 can work as an AMP. Without the AMP module? Which input you are using?
> 
> Best regards



if we take off the amp module and use the Q5 as pre-amp ( from player to line in and line out to another amp ) is still working?


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## FiiO

riodgarp said:


> if we take off the amp module and use the Q5 as pre-amp ( from player to line in and line out to another amp ) is still working?


Dear friend,

No, the lineout of the Q5 could not output if you are using linein. And it seems no purpose to connect like that.

Best regards


----------



## Tysun

Q5 vs Oppo HA2SE posted on showcase page:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...h-and-dsd-capable-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews


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## KopaneDePooj

Tysun said:


> Q5 vs Oppo HA2SE posted on showcase page:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...h-and-dsd-capable-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews


Great! Now that you compared with the Oppo HA2-SE and we already have comparisons with Mojo and BlueDAC, we get a clearer picture about where the Q5 stands.
It is a really great device!


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## Tysun (Mar 22, 2018)

KopaneDePooj said:


> Great! Now that you compared with the Oppo HA2-SE and we already have comparisons with Mojo and BlueDAC, we get a clearer picture about where the Q5 stands.
> It is a really great device!



Your review is also a great and comprehensive one. Thumbs up!


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## chrisba

Also posted my review:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...able-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews#review-20104

Cheers ,
ChrisBa


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## Tysun

chrisba said:


> Also posted my review:
> https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...able-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews#review-20104
> 
> Cheers ,
> ChrisBa



Nice review. Very detailed. This cable will eliminate reverse charging issue:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/292052970340

They have 10cm, 20cm and 30cm options.


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## KopaneDePooj

Someone posted earlier a cable from the same vendor for but for FiiO Q5, don't know if it is connected differently:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-10cm-Lef...OTG-at-both-ends-for-FiiO-Q5-DAC/302647699981


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## chrisba (Apr 18, 2018)

I noticed that both are USB-C cables.
There is also the following with micro USB-B (e.g. for my S7)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/10cm-Right...oth-ends-Host-OTG-Adapter-Cable-/301228419677

Edit 18.4.2018: Happy to confirm this cable does its job without reverse charging


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## ngoshawk

Lol, late as usual, but what the heck. I'd love to audition the Q5 with my gear. I'm coming off the excellent Campfire Audio Cascade critter, so I'm always looking for more to review. Thank you for this opportunity!

-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess: _*Focal Elear, Grado GH-2, Unique Melody Maestro V2, 64Audio U8*_
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess: *Opus#2, Shanling M5/M3s, iBasso PB3, FiiO 5, iFi Micro DSD Black Label*
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted: *My review page/blog/YouTube: 
Link to my review thread: https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/ngoshawks-review-thread.854442/
Link to my Blog: https://ngoshawkblog.wordpress.com/
Link to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSOD0UMCah5VwdlawA-1lxQ*

•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in): _*Warrensburg, MO, USA*_
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in): _*English
*_
Thanks again!


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## Tysun

chrisba said:


> I noticed that both are USB-C cables.
> There is also the following with micro USB-B (e.g. for my S7)
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/10cm-Right...oth-ends-Host-OTG-Adapter-Cable-/301228419677


Micro-to-micro OTG reverse charging issue is unheard of.


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## Duncan (Mar 31, 2018)

After reading most of the posts on this thread I've ordered a Q5 for delivery hopefully tomorrow...

Just hoping that my Exynos Samsung S9+ actually has AptX...  Suppose I'll find out soon enough.

Just answered my own point, yes it does


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## scott s

Fiio needs to offer the q5 with the am5 !!


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## Dobrescu George

scott s said:


> Fiio needs to offer the q5 with the am5 !!



Been using Q5 with AMP5 from day 1, the combo is too good for this world!


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## Duncan

Dobrescu George said:


> Been using Q5 with AMP5 from day 1, the combo is too good for this world!


... For me as an IEM user, guessing that the same praise wouldn't be applicable to me, as I'm pretty sure all that extra power would be wasted, or, is it better technically?


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## Dobrescu George

Duncan said:


> ... For me as an IEM user, guessing that the same praise wouldn't be applicable to me, as I'm pretty sure all that extra power would be wasted, or, is it better technically?



With IEMs, it is a more delicate situation 

I feel it is deeper in staging, more dynamic and with a tad more layering, where AM03A is more forward, wider, and more energetic. For rock and metal AMP5 feels deeper and more involving, while AM03A feels more direct and would fit much more with something like punk. 

AM05 has a lot of volume though, even on low gain, if you're a quiet listener, you might find that you don't have enough volume wheel play to take full advantage of it.


----------



## milkypete

hi Fiio,

I'd like an opportunity for an EU unit, please

•-Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess: *Oppo PM-3, Grado SR80e, Bose QC3 *
•-Any DAP(s) / DAC(s) / amp(s) you may possess: *DragonFly Red*
•-Descriptions and links to review(s) you may have posted: *None.  First-timer!*
•-Your geographical region (e.g. the city and country you live in):  *Copenhagen, Denmark*
•-Your native language (and any other languages you may be able to write in):  *English*

thanks for your consideration!


----------



## FiiO

milkypete said:


> hi Fiio,
> 
> I'd like an opportunity for an EU unit, please
> 
> ...


Dear friend,

Thanks for your consideration and support to us. It is a pity that the tour in EU has ended now. You could have a try of the Q5 if there are local stores in your country.

Best regards


----------



## milkypete

FiiO said:


> Dear friend,
> 
> Thanks for your consideration and support to us. It is a pity that the tour in EU has ended now. You could have a try of the Q5 if there are local stores in your country.
> 
> Best regards


ok, no problem.  I see Fiio will be at CanJam London, which I'll be attending.  I can try it there!


----------



## scott s

Not trying to open a can of worms here but I would like to know honestly how the q5 sounds compared to the all in one cayin n5ii dap. Cayin claims the single DAC chip they use costs more than a pair of akm 4490. I would love to use my phone but the daps have better battery life and with double SD card slots storage is no longer an issue. Still deciding lol


----------



## snellemin

My Q5 has a mix usage of headphone and line-out during an 8 hour workday and I put around 3000mah back in after done charging when I'm home. The line out was used when just playing DSD through the Q5.   My PC doesn't charge the Q5, so strictly battery usage during my workday.  Not bad at all.  I will measure today how many mah I'll put back in using just the line-out.  I'm just listening to online radio today "Funx.nl".


----------



## scott s (Apr 18, 2018)

snellemin said:


> My Q5 has a mix usage of headphone and line-out during an 8 hour workday and I put around 3000mah back in after done charging when I'm home. The line out was used when just playing DSD through the Q5.   My PC doesn't charge the Q5, so strictly battery usage during my workday.  Not bad at all.  I will measure today how many mah I'll put back in using just the line-out.  I'm just listening to online radio today "Funx.nl".



Actually I am not so concerned about the battery life of the q5 but that of my phone. It is an axon 7mini. Currently I am using it's  internal akm DAC with uapp. Also have a fiio a5 hooked to it's headphone out port. I can use a powerbank when needed to keep the phone charged and still play music. The axon battery life is not great. There doesn't seem to be any way to use the axon c USB out to the q5 and charge the phone at same time unfortunately. Apparently USB c does not support splitting. Why I am curious about sound of cayin n5ii compared to q5.
Battery life of the axon 7 mini I am sure will be better not using the internal dac and headphone amp though so?


----------



## Dobrescu George

My review on FiiO Q5 is live now!

https://audiophile-heaven.blogspot.ro/2018/05/fiio-q5-rule-them-all.html

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...able-dac-amplifier.22846/reviews#review-20281

I invite you to read more about this lovely device and why I find it to be so amazing


----------



## Zachik

Dobrescu George said:


> My review on FiiO Q5 is live now!


George - great review, as usual 
Only thing missing (and you kinda hinted at it) is a comparison to iFi xDSD...
Hopefully that would come later (as part of the xDSD review?).


----------



## Dobrescu George

Zachik said:


> George - great review, as usual
> Only thing missing (and you kinda hinted at it) is a comparison to iFi xDSD...
> Hopefully that would come later (as part of the xDSD review?).



I promise to do that when xDSD arrives. Since the unit was still in transport, I wasn't able to do any review on it, and it might still take a little while before it gets there, around a week or so, but I will take care of it


----------



## Zachik

Dobrescu George said:


> I promise to do that when xDSD arrives. Since the unit was still in transport, I wasn't able to do any review on it, and it might still take a little while before it gets there, around a week or so, but I will take care of it


Cool - I will be looking forward.
I have products from both FiiO (X3-II, X5-III) and iFi (micro BL) and love both companies.
I do not really need Q5 or xDSD, but that never stopped me from buying stuff 
When you do your xDSD review (and comparison) - I am sure you'll discuss the different form factors. Personally, I am not a fan of the non-square design by iFi. Seems like it would be annoying when stacking. Also, I did play for 5 minutes with a prototype of the xDSD (CanJam NYC 3 months ago) and preferred its color scheme (same matte black as micro BL) over the shiny fingerprint-magnet they went to production with.


----------



## Brooko

My view of the Q5 - https://www.headphone-earphone.revi...5-flagship-blue-tooth-dac-amp-a-game-changer/

This really is a game changer IMO.


----------



## FiiO

Dobrescu George said:


> My review on FiiO Q5 is live now!
> 
> https://audiophile-heaven.blogspot.ro/2018/05/fiio-q5-rule-them-all.html
> 
> ...


Cool!


----------



## Sonic Defender

So far I am really loving the Q5. I have been using it exclusively via Bluetooth because it sounds so capable. I can't believe how well it is driving the Sony Z1R. The bass is subterranean and authoritative. I am lucky in that my balanced cable for the Pioneer SE Monitor 5 fits the Z1R so I can hear them both driven from the same circuit. The Focal Clear also sounds extremely well driven and that was just from the single ended connection. Pretty darn amazing what we can get out of such a small device! The Q5 is so far more than living up to my expectations. I only wish that the form factor permitted RCA out jacks like my iFi iOne as I would like to use the Q5 as a DAC for my NAD M3. I realize that I can get adapters, but understandably I like to avoid adapters from a simplicity perspective. Regardless, the Q5 can't be everything so not having the RCA jacks is quite an acceptable trade off in my view. Loving the Q5 for sure.


----------

