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In hand, the result is even more impressive, thanks to that textured body and smooth edges. You could definitely drop it, or step on it, and it shall come out unscathed (I don’t recommend any of that of course), my only worry being the small low/high gain toggle. Yet, after two weeks in my bag, with no protection whatsoever, I’m happy to confirm that the Q11 came out unshattered, and the toggle is still there, unbroken. It acts also as the on/off switch and it is combined with ADC curve reconstruction to help improve with low volume channel imbalance. The FiiO Q3 comes with the new THX AAA28 amplifier module that promises high power with low distortion. Q3 is able to produce 150mW@16Ω, 160mW@32Ω & 19mW@300Ω over Phone Out, while the Balanced Outputs deliver 180mW@16Ω, 300mW@32Ω & 35mW@300Ω. Top end is on the clinical side. Nowhere near as bright or cold as the M11 but details were very good coming through without ever becoming harsh. I really liked the way drums came through as well as other high frequency instruments. There is still a nice sparkle up top but it holds well on not crossing into a splashy treble territory.
Last but not least there is the long awaited and missing from the Q1 mkii charge on/off switch that is very helpful when we do not want the Q3 to drain the battery of the connected device it's being connected to. Like the EarMen Eagle we previously reviewed, one of the best combos I heard was Q3 + Meze 99 Classics. Commanding bass and wide soundstage make that duo one of the best, affordable, solution you can get at the moment. In sum, the THX AAA™ technology appears to reduce overall distortion, increase efficiency and thus battery life, while being able to scale—requirement match—"any headphone or in vehicle amplifier." My review experience with the Q3 would appear to validate the above.
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The FiiO Q3 also takes on all the volume functions. Your volume on your device and headphones will not function. FiiO says this analog potentiometer volume knob combined with ADC curve reconstruction gives you an accurate volume experience. All in all, a very solid piece of work that inspires confidence and really gives a good impression. Comfort and Specifications Daily use The sound of the FiiO Q3 will depend on the headphones you’re using. This section should really only be about performance, as the Q3 is designed to improve the sound of your headphones. The Q3 itself doesn’t produce the sound, but it does process the signal from your source. The next one is a multifunction button that when it is short pressed switches between low and high gain and when it is double taped cycles between sharp and slow roll off filters. From the golden-toned brand logo (with a new font by the way), to the arabesque directly milled on the front-panel, or the unmistakable glass-panel upfront, everything gives a cyberpunk vibe to this new model – something that I’m personally fond of, but not everyone may find it as cool as I do.
My smartphone is equipped with a Hi-Fi DAC according to its
The FiiO Series
On the front of the device are the 3.5mm single ended phone/lineout, 2.5mm & 4.4mm balanced outputs and the volume potentiometer that turns also the device on and off. In terms of power the Hip-DAC's balanced headphone output (400mW) has an edge over the Q3 at 32Ω (300mW) and an edge at 600Ω with 66.15mW to the Q3's 35mW, prior to "Gain" boost. The Gain boost, however, increases the Q3's power to 100mW. The FiiO Q3 decodes to DSD512 and samples to 768kHz/32-bit, while the Hip-DAC decodes to DSD256 and samples to 384kHz/32-bit. Suffice to say, that either will play 100% of the Qobuz catalog. However, only the Hip-DAC will decode Tidal's MQA files, while the FiiO Q3 will not and for some this may well be the differentiating factor. This is one of the tightest calls that I have yet to make on two pieces of equipment from the perspective of sound and technology and cost. Internally the Q3 is completely renovated with all components and circuit arrangement being brand new.
The XMOS XU208 is a 32-bit multicore microcontroller that brings the low latency and timing determinism of the xCORE architecture to mainstream embedded applications. And this is where the Q3 outshines the old one: it’s immensely more powerful than before. Sure, the Q1 could drive my LCD-X, but the Q3 is able to do so almost effortlessly. Going through the 2.5 and 4.4mm outputs will immediately give you a surge of power, even in low gain.
Midrange is very engaging and higher frequencies are portrayed with a softer tone without rough edges.
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