I really enjoyed this review. During one of my daughter's visits about a year ago I introduced her to higher end audio gear and her mouth literally hit the floor. She couldn't believe how good music can actually sound. She's started sharing my passion for audiophile level headphones and when she comes to visit she can't wait to see, and hear, what I've added to the collection. Of course her excitement is boosted because I've "passed along" some of my lesser used cans, lol. I think the FiiO Q3 just made my Christmas list for her.
Absolutely LOVE the call outs in the first few minutes of this video. You described the whole UA-camr bias thing against phones like LG, and mediocre bluetooth headphones in the best way possible.
Yeah, very impressive how he did a video about LG shutting down it's smartphone department and didn't mentioned anything at all about LG having the best smartphones for audiophiles, due to their special DACs inside them.
A smart phone ( which most people already have) , Amazon Hd music , UA-cam music ..ect and a good fitting quality IEM’s…will surprise almost everyone. The Addison of this DAP is literally end game for most people. Great review 🍻
I don’t think UA-cam music supports lossless tho. Apple Music is actually pretty good for its price since it offers both lossless quality and Dolby atmos at like 10 dollars a month.
Hello, Great Video man. Am a BollyWood Film editor from India and I’m so glad you made this video with proper explanations. Sometimes it becomes difficult to explain ‘good audio’ to people in simplistic terms. Will now save my time and will divert them to this video instead. Keep up the good work man, cheers 👍
I truly love how you open this video. The audiophile scene is one of the hardest to get in to for many reasons, despite the absolute wealth of excellent budget solutions available nowadays. $30 IEMs with sound quality that betray their price tag, $100 amps and DACs that would've cost much more years ago, etc
@@SomeGadgetGuy There's this one store in my city that lets you audition anything in the store. From headphones to tube amps. I'm so grateful for that place. Also, I think a great way to get people to discover the world of audio is through gifting. I lent my mum a pair of KZ in-ears and she fell in love with them.
Great video! Mainstream consumer audio is a weird space. Convenience and secondary, or tertiary, features are over hyped and their significance overshot. Yet, quality, on something that is directly linked to one of our primary senses, seems like an afterthought. Also. Given the fact that a lot of people put aesthetics over function or quality yet headphones are generally lackluster and can step up their game, is odd.
I certainly appreciate your discussion points regarding audiophiles and how most consumers are not well trained. I grew up in the '70s, and '80s and as you may or may not remember "Hi-Fidelity" was always a bit of a mystery to me though at that time I was a child and therefore did not have the means to become involved in proper audio listening. Just yesterday, out of the blue, I decided I wanted some decent audio headsets, and during my investigations, I came across a number of DAC's and amps, along with a bit of understanding of audio technology today. However, your video was also very helpful. Although I'm far, far from being an Audiofile, I do understand what good audio is. I experienced it over the years with the many cars I'd purchase. Some of the more premium brands had better-sorted systems in them and I'd notice that the harder I drove the system (volume up), the much better they sounded in some cases. More clearer, and better-defined music, and hearing instruments and sounds that I've never heard many years prior listening in other vehicles and whatnot. That said, I took my first step last night into understanding better-defined music by acquiring a Sennheiser Pro HD 650 Audio headset along with a Fiio Q3 DAC. I'm very much looking forward to connecting these to my Macbook Pro along with Apple Music in lossless format and learning to enjoy music on a whole new level!
What I didn't mention is that I also purchased Audio Technica ATH-M50x cans along with a Fiio E10K which just showed up today. Combined that with Apple Music Lossless 24/192 listening to the soundtrack from Inception, I'm quite literally floored at how vibrant the sound of well-made digital recordings can be. Total noiseless black space, and perception of various instruments and/or sounds I've not heard before when listening to the soundtrack. I'm looking forward to the Sennheiser 650's @ 300ohms and the Fiio Q3 DAC. Thanks again!
Wow only around $300 for those BTs and the Amp? I play a lot of rhythm games so I got the feeling those two items are gonna throw me straight into the audiophile rabbit hole!
That's pretty funny that you had Fear Incoculum displayed. I just upgraded headphones and I'm looking at proper portable amps to make high quality recordings like this album sound better. Pneuma is what made me decide to start upgrading.
Not an ignorant question at all. A little. The thing that puts Fiio over the edge are balanced connectors. If you take that plunge on headphones, it might be nice to make that transition. Comparing 3.5mm output against a quad DAC, we're pretty close, but LG won't trip the high output amp for headphones like planar magnetics. Generally I'd say the LG is PLENTY good for most premium audio situations, but there are some specialty situations where a unit like this would matter.
@@SomeGadgetGuy I'd like to add that, you technically CAN trip the high output amp on the Quad DAC for low impedance headphones like planars, if you plug in a wire that is not connected to any headphones first. So if your headphones have a detachable cable, plug that into the phone first, and then attach the headphones to that cable. Or if your headphones do not have a detachable cable/you don't want to detach the cable from your headphones first, you can plug in a headphone extension cable first, or an adapter, etc etc, and then the headphones. As long as you plug in a cable that is not attached directly to your headphones into the phone first, you can trick the phone into high output mode. Pain in the butt, but it works
True true. I was doing that dance with an extension cable and hooking up my Denny or DT 770 first, then swapping to my Audeze, but it is kind of a pain.
The Quad Dac is a decent solution but it's not only about being able to make headphones sound loud enough. There are a lot of small factors that add up. It's up to you if you need that extra quality on the go. For me BTR5 and FH7s are more than enough for on the road experience.
Dude my Lg V-10 Died a couple years ago dropped alcohol on it ! 32 bit DAC! I had some cans and self powered speakers that i forgot about . I currently have the OnePlus 6T that does Flac 24 bit to my Sony's 🎧 and their Bluetooth Bass X41 I have 4 of em for my office and APTX-HD for my new Denon BT 25W cans . Not to mention my wired 🎧 and speakers that i put in rotation some for more than a decade, no updates required or less than 5yr shelf life.mglad i found your Channel you make listening fun as it should be..
I own an LG 40 ThinQ. I bought it because of its DAC. I also have the DT Pro_250 (terrific specs). Though satisfied, I've been wondering about adding a DAC similar to the FIIO. GOOD commentary video about audio quality. Thank you.
I have a G7 and a Fiio BTR3, and the BTR3 is immediately obvious a superior sound. I don't know if the LG has some software "issues" that throttle its amp, or if the actual amp is too weak, but it never has the juice to sound right imo. The BTR3 for ~50$ is amazing as both DAC and AMP. And you don't have to worry about what phone you have.
You should make a series of ways to get better audio for cheap with direct comparison With Bluetooth consumer gear. Like instead of noise canceling headphone you suggest a pair of Bluetooth receiver and noise isolating cans like dt770 and HD 280 pro. And instead of earphones you suggest etymotic er2xr or custom Thieaudio legacy 3 with Bluetooth receiver. For a consumer these headphones / earphones plus something like btr3k will be all they need. If you haven't checked out some of the gears I mentioned here, I strongly urge that you do. You'll fall in love. ☺
considered this to pair up with my Note 20 Ultra but went with the FiiO BTR5 for BT and the iFi Hip-dac for the USB-Audio option (all this after selling off my Sony NW-ZX300)
Good review man, i have bought a sony walkman, the NW-A55 and have a pair of Blon BL03 and they sound great, the soundstage is really impressive. I got the walkmans for 98 euros and the blons for 40 euros. My daily oneplus bullet wireless 2 pale in comparison.
I now feel less reluctant to upgrade to a smartphone without a headphone jack, since DAPs and DAC/AMPs like these exist at such a great price point 🙏🙏🙏
Love my FiiO btr5 and somewhat enjoy my FiiO m11 DAP (processor is too slow after you start using it). I use thieaudio legacy 5s for my iem needs, Sony xm3 for subway noise cancellation in nyc, and my hifiman sundaras when I’m near my desktop amp. Love to see more awareness of all the great somewhat affordable options to make your music sound amazing.
Nice review. It's got me thinking if I should give a portable DAC amp a try. At the moment if I want higher quality than my phones can give I use on of my DAPs (Sony a45 or zx300) and headphones with balanced jack (for added quality). It's unfortunate that many smartphone makers focus the majority of their attention on screens, cameras, SoCs, with audio quality hardly if ever mentioned. Maybe this is a reflection of consumers not demanding higher quality audio. If the majority see it as 'good enough' then why bother? It seem only LG and Sony see audio as another key feature.
Wait... Did I just come into some parallel universe where tech UA-camrs actually care more about the "tech" instead of "which brand's tech"? 🤔 PS: I'm impressed with the script and how you explained the audio difference. Even if someone like me doesn't care about $1000 audio accessories but a "tech" youtuber should always care about such tech advancements. This media bias is the biggest reason why tech is not advancing fast enough because brands just stop caring. I mean yes normal user won't care about his stuff but as a tech reviewer who does have the money to burn on such expensive tech should always emphasize how good these solutions are. And also ironically they blame "being expensive" as the reason not buy these products when they are the very reason why these products are expensive in the first place. Otherwise if this product tech was emphasized more more people would buy it hence decreased cost overtime due to higher demand and mass manufacturing. 😂
Let's face it, Juan. Most people do NOT have trained ears. Even the cellphone companies don't do shit with marketing on the audio when they should, and the (mostly idiotic) comments from the average Joes don't help. It's good that you care about the audio because i don't see any other cellphone reviewer who does. Continue on this path, and the audio crowd will come.
It's a good idea connect this FiiO with my AMP (100W*2 speakers AMP) with the jack 3.5mm to a RCA (The idea is use that like a desktop DAC for two passive speakers Klipsch RP-600M)
You probably heard of these, but if not, here's some recommendations for better audio on phones.... Fiio btr5, es100 and qudelix 5k. All of those are bt amp/dacs. I think you can also use of them as usb amp/dacs. I own the older fiio q1 mk2 (1 gen behind the q3), and the btr5 and qudelix 5k essentially trump the q1. Not sure how it compares to the q3 though... Skipped that for xduoo's new xd05 Bal.
100% accurate. I’m using the Qudelix with a balanced cable on my Sundara headphones and it’s night and day from direction connection or AirPods as an example
Another great review thanks. Can you recommend some good in ear that works compliment this? Saw what looked like some high end Shure in this but would be good to know what you rate.
With the Q3 plugged to my phone, and a headset connected to the DAC, can I make phone calls? I do not mind if the mic used is the one on my phone, but I want to listen to the caller in my headset. What phones have you tried?
Thanks for the precious review. I have sennheiser hd 650 (300 ohm) with 2.5 balanced cable. I want to buy fiio q3. is it powerful enough to drive hd 650 ?
Now that Apple is charging (yikes) $600 for headphones maybe they'll be more interest in high-end audio in general. Probably not though they'll probably just buy whatever Apple makes :(
@@SomeGadgetGuy it'll happen to any company run by their marketing department, like how Tim Cook was the head of their marketing. At least Steve Jobs cared about their engineering - if he hadn't passed it would've been a long time until Apple made bigger iPhones - he was adamant that the iPhone 4 was the largest a phone should be.
Hi Juan, Just stumbled on your channel looking for reviews on the Fiio Dac. I had a question about listening. How important is the source music? I currently listen from a free Spotify account from a laptop. Would a DAC improve the listening quality? I'm listening from Etymotic ER4SR and Sennheiser HD490s. Thanks
Oh man, you're so right! I was just beginning to think I am a freak, at least so think all of my friends speaking of audio, portable or not, HiRes files, headphones, In-Ear Monitoring and DAPs. For some time now it sparkles in my mind to buy the Q3. But, have a question: how important is this when I already use the FiiO M15 with the Sennheiser IE 900? Can the Q3 bring much more?
If i bought this, but my equipment only have KZ CCA 10 Pro and use my Xperia L1 phone with most only have mp3 files, will increase music sound quality?
I replaced my original USB-C to USB-C cable with a high end cable... was difficult to find a short cable BUT i feel like the sound did improve also...it can send sound any way i connect the cable! I use a Sony Xperia 5 mk3 with my Fiio Q3 mqa and my headphones.. Sennheiser HD 660s and they are a fantastic match... also... buying them should not send you into serious poor status. (Yes there are better audio gear out on the market but some do cost crazy amount of cash... i found a good middle ground and im sticking to this) 🙂 next up i will get myself a Fiio K7 for my computer 🙂
I really liked your review. I do have a question about my setup. I have a Sony NW-A5 DAP, I just got the Fiio Q3. My headphones are Sennheiser HD 660s. My question is if I have everything hooked up right for the best sound. My 660s phones have a 4.4 balanced cable, which I am using. To connect the Sony dap and the FiiO I am using a dual 3.5 mm male plug, which i run through the Fiio's 3.5 headphone jack. It has really good sound, but I just am wondering if I'm missing something, when I play hi res files the light on the FiiO amp doesn't change colors, always is blue. Sorry for the novel, thanks for your time.
Great video been trying to find a solution to better drive my DT990 32ohm phones since I have to max out the volume on my iPhone which doesn't sound great. Also respect for the Excelsior poster 🖖
Thank you, I'm sold on buying this thing as my first dac amp thing... the only minus I see is that lack of microphone pass through... I could buy the btr5 instead but I want to use it with a laptop as well so it seems like it's a better choice plus it can power 300 ohms headphones right? Then in the future I could buy a nice pair of hurr durr six hundos by ol' mate senny and not have to worry about immediately getting an amp and dac as well... untill then I'll use it with some iems I'm going to buy the kz zs10 pro's and tin t2's
I actually don't have any 300ohm in house to test ATM, but this did a great job on my DT770's at 250 ohms. I think it should do well with even thirstier gear, but I think the main idea might be looking at your whole chain. If you're stepping up to that even higher tier of headphone (outside my more recording focused gear) you also want to examine the total listening "chain". From audio file, to amp, to headphone, to the room you're in. Making something portable is more convenient, but might still be a bit of a compromise over gear that would LIVE in your home. That said, I think this is a great way to get your setup up and running. I really like the Q3.
@@SomeGadgetGuy yeah that's my idea, start with a portable dac amp that can power iems and get some, then eventually get something like the sennheiser hd600 or hd660 and be able to use it with that dac amp then later get a dac amp stack... this is like my imagined progression to step into audiophile headphone setups...
It's a good plan. Don't rush it. This stuff gets spendy. And I think some of the joy comes from the experimentation along the way as you learn more about what you like.
@@SomeGadgetGuy I recently took a Razor headset and plugged it in without the POS DAC & had my 16 years old son listen to music. He said they sounded fine & I just wanted to scream. How can he not tell the difference between -Sennheiser- and Razor. Edit: They were Beyerdynamic, not Sennheiser
You can only lead kids so far as a parent, and at some point they have to be their own people. Even when they're horrifically incorrect. We still have to love them.
@@3sotErik He probably thinks it sounds good because he does not know what good to you sounds like. For example, you think mcdonalds coffee is fine until you try done good quality coffee which then changes your perspective. Also, things may sound fine but not the best, which may be enough and not as important for some people. Just like having the best phone is not what is important for me and my phone works fine for me.
I tried the Q1 with my V60 and DT 770. I like the V60 without the Q1, only advantage OF Q1 is the bass boost for me. Hows this Q3 Compared to the DAC of V60?
Do you have any thoughts on Fiio's line of DAPs? I have an M7 and it can be used as a DAP and as a USB and wireless DAC. It's something that I have not heard talked about much.
I have an X5iii, and the quality is fantastic, but I don't love the UI, underpowered guys, and OLD build of android. Anymore, I'm preferring the more streamlined solutions like the Q3 or BTR5, which use my phone. Just easier to use, the phones are more powerful, and I don't have to juggle separate devices.
I personally own a LG V40 and a KS ZS10. I primarily listen to symphonic music, and those brands of headphones accentuate the "sharp" part of a symphony. I am not sure if I am getting the best that I can get for that price. I want to branch out into audio, but I am not sure where to start. Also, what PC DAC would you personally recommend? I currently use the FX-Audio DAC-X6, but i did not hear much difference in the audio quality from when I used the port on my PC, the only thing that is different is just the manual volume control. I only listen to 16 bit FLAC files on my phone and PC, so I do not think that that is the problem. Sorry if it seems like I am rambling LOL
It doesn't get much better than LG v20-v60 and KZ buds. You're getting at worst 90% of the experience. The last 10% is way overkill and will be a nightmare to achieve. Once you reach good, it's hard to make it better objectively. You'll figure it out.
I've been using the Q3 with my Senheiser 560s and some audio technica M50x's over a balanced cable for almost 2 years and I have exactly one complaint. Sometimes the volume knob just stops working. And I will have to turn it off and on 2 or 3 times for it to start working again. I'm pretty sure this is a driver or windows issue as it's never happened when using it with either of my phones. (it seems to happen when it's on for a couple hours or if I just closed an app that had exlucsive control over an audio output device). I also regret buying the MQA version of the Q3 as Tidal doesn't even use MQA anymore, but that's a good thing I suppose 😂
I'm VERY positive on Qudelix, I just haven't listened on a 5K NEARLY as much as on this Fiio. Consider my opinion one based more on familiarity with a brand than ANY commentary (or implied deficiency) of the competition.
How is the bass quality ? I like bass boosted music , I tried many premium headphones but couldn't get what I wanted. Then I tried Sabbath ultra wireless buds , they are great as they good base quality. Does this device contain any such bass enhancing features ?
I had to jump through some serious loops to hook my base PS4 to my Fiio E17k. I would love to see your take on the next gen consoles audio capabilities and your takes on recommendable gear to knock the sound experience up a notch.
@@joseph233382 I'm not familiar with the Q3 but I'll tell you what I did with my E17k. I plugged an optical cable to my PS4, ran it through a very simple converter Optical-Coaxial, then hooked my E17K to the coaxial cable.
@@marioho I'm wandering if a USB-C to 3.5mm Audio Cable will work if i connected it with the Q3 then to the PlayStation controller . It sounds like it would work
I just got my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohms and my FiiO Q3. For whatever reason(s), the Q3 isn't working as advertised. I have to crank the volume all the way just to hear anything. And there's a constant distorted hiss in the left headphone.
Am i using fiio 10k DAC paired with Beyerdynamic DT 770 but listening mostly to Spotify, set to max Quality. Does DAC even get me some improvement since my source is not FLAC?
I'm looking for a device to really awaken my headphones. I don't have super amazing ones but they halfway decent. They are the zsn pro X and the grados sr60s will this device help? After watching I think I got a yes just want to double check
Hi, If I choose between btr5 and q3 for the best sound (ignoring price and portability), which should I choose? And my preference are wider soundstage and not tight. I'm using HyperX Cloud Revolver S that has 32 ohm impedance and 100,5 db/mW sensitivity.
I have bought a qudelix 5k, plugged to my phone and tried to play mp3 and YT audio. I heard 0 difference. Is it me, the source audio, the dac/amp or the iems? The most amount of change I get in terms of quality is when I use my X2hr. They make a difference for sure. Would I benefit from getting a fiio over the qudelix 5k?
I also have the Qudelix 5k, UA-cam and mp3 files won’t work. You’ll need lossless audio sources from your own media OR what I use is the Tidal app since they have top tier lossless audio. Keep in mind a balanced cable will make a huge difference with the Qudelix and some good cans. I personally use the Hifiman Sundara headphones
I did buy the new model Fiio Q3 MQA. Only on battery you can use it on PC. Disappointed, that doesn't say ONLY on battery, you can use it on laptop or pc! WHY????? I lost 160 euro, to use a damn battery, it's my fault i didn't find where says that?
Im assuming this video and its product are mostly directed for those without an LG phone that's has that badass 32 Bit Hi-Fi Dac. LOVE listening to music with the dac!
Same. love my G7. I can easily power things like my Edition XX or HD650. Can't power super hard to power things like the Sextetts though. Anything else is amazing
Yup, these LG jacks are indeed amazing. Yeah your battery can take a SLIGHT hit in draining when wired but its not drastic. Thats how you know its working tho. Even movie watching is so much fun wired on these LG 32 bit hifi quad dacs.
Can anyone help me with my question : I'm listening on an Android phone with the Fiio music app (it's free and it's really good). So,I connect my phone and a headphone amp (at the moment it's a Fiio A5)by a short 3.5-3.5 cable. Then the cans go in the other 3.5 socket. My question is....would the Fiio Q3 have the same two 3.5mm sockets on the top ,or one for my source and one for my headphones? Plz will someone answer this
that will do, 3.5 from your source (your phone or anything that plays music) to 3.5 to your Q3 that will amplify your headphones but using it as DAC (digital to analog converter), just usb-c to usb-c on your source to your Q3, simple as that but consider this, most smartphones/laptop doesn't have Line-Out, so it may sound quieter or much worse is having a noise-floor compare to dedicated audio players that has LO (line out), so using the Q3 as DAC on your smartphone/laptop would be a much better option
oh shit my bad, Q3 only have one 3.5mm output, can use it as headphone jack or a line-out so using it as AMP, you can just plug your headphones either on 2.5 or 4.4mm outputs
does it make me a jerk that my primary source of audio is spotify? is that quality trash? do you mostly listen to flac? also Fear Inoculum is wonderful 🤘
Not at all man. I stopped hating on spotify. It's super accessible. I mostly stream on Tidal these days, and then try and support individual artists by buying directly from them when I like their stuff. Those I try to save in FLAC on my NAS.
Spotify at "max quality" with its 320kbps MP3 is actually quite good for most listening. Yes, it's not master or lossless, but it's good enough to enjoy the music. I've tried Tidal, Deezer, and Spotify. Tidal and Deezer have the higher fidelity formats, and I could hear an audible difference, but their usability for me was inferior, Deezer was downright horrible with the music just not playing a lot of times. Also, they may sell you a premium/hifi plan, but not all the songs in their libraries are at this max quality, not even half of them. So in the end you're still listening to mostly MP3s from my experience. In the end, Spotify won for me just because 99.99% of the time it actually works and I can listen to music when I want to. Also their PC -> phone sync is amazing for sitting on the couch and switching songs on the main system from my phone. Tidal or Deezer having technical issues made them useless to me. In the rare times I can actually sit and enjoy music, the damn software needs to actually work. I still consider sometimes going back to Tidal for the sweet sound of their Masters quality, but never really do.
@@cristi724 @JuanBagnell so would you recommend using this dac with Spotify? I am looking to start training my ears and take care of them too. I have a Huawei p30 pro just for your reference.
@@audreybongabong2988 yup that'll work perfectly. I personally use Spotify. Just be sure to learn how to not turn up the music to damaging levels which is what most people using bad earbuds do to compensate for bad audio. Kill this habit
@@TarekMidani yes, I have never been one to turn music up to block outside noise, I have always been a fan of buds with eartips for a good seal. Thanks for th advice!
the fiio q3 paired with a warmish iem sounds like bliss! or alternatively you could go with the ifi hip dac and a neutral iem and that's a good pair ;) although I love my btr5 and it works awesome for me :)
You should try and get your hands on ifi hip dac. There's a unanimous opinion of it being better than q3 for same price. I own one and I am in love with it! 😍 The cable solution is also better.
I'm glad I come at this from a recording background. I "care" but not enough to jump off the deep end on a special acoustically treated room just for vinyl....
@@SomeGadgetGuy I'd love to see some real world numbers. Their claims on the AAA designs is crazy. Not that any could probably tell the difference between -110db THD and -140db.
Compared to where we were a couple years ago on headphone amplifiers, which made stuff loud but added a ton of noise, these new amps and DACs are substantially better.
Q3 is really not good for smartphones. That cable connection is really uncomfortable. Q5 with a wireless connection is a better choice. Q3 is better for laptops or stationary use. This video though is very good information!
I really enjoyed this review. During one of my daughter's visits about a year ago I introduced her to higher end audio gear and her mouth literally hit the floor. She couldn't believe how good music can actually sound. She's started sharing my passion for audiophile level headphones and when she comes to visit she can't wait to see, and hear, what I've added to the collection. Of course her excitement is boosted because I've "passed along" some of my lesser used cans, lol. I think the FiiO Q3 just made my Christmas list for her.
That's some good parenting. 😊👍 Looking forward to some of those chats as my daughter gets older.
I'm so glad that Fiio finally added an USB C to DAC/AMP with the battery
Yup!
Absolutely LOVE the call outs in the first few minutes of this video. You described the whole UA-camr bias thing against phones like LG, and mediocre bluetooth headphones in the best way possible.
This is the best review I've ever seen, thanks for putting that amount of dedication and detail 👏
This dude got so much right in this review. Subbed!
You should look at his deep dive on different headphones. It clarified so much I did not know and did not know how to ask
Same :-)
“I’m an expert on phone specs, and I don’t think audio is a big deal so it must not be a big deal”
I’m looking at you, Marques
Yeah, very impressive how he did a video about LG shutting down it's smartphone department and didn't mentioned anything at all about LG having the best smartphones for audiophiles, due to their special DACs inside them.
I mean he openly admitted that he’s not an audiophile so he doesn’t really put as much a focus on audio gear.
A smart phone ( which most people already have) , Amazon Hd music , UA-cam music ..ect
and a good fitting quality IEM’s…will surprise almost everyone.
The Addison of this DAP is literally end game for most people.
Great review 🍻
It's crazy how good these little portable DACs have gotten.
I don’t think UA-cam music supports lossless tho. Apple Music is actually pretty good for its price since it offers both lossless quality and Dolby atmos at like 10 dollars a month.
Hello, Great Video man. Am a BollyWood Film editor from India and I’m so glad you made this video with proper explanations. Sometimes it becomes difficult to explain ‘good audio’ to people in simplistic terms. Will now save my time and will divert them to this video instead. Keep up the good work man, cheers 👍
I truly love how you open this video. The audiophile scene is one of the hardest to get in to for many reasons, despite the absolute wealth of excellent budget solutions available nowadays. $30 IEMs with sound quality that betray their price tag, $100 amps and DACs that would've cost much more years ago, etc
I think a lot of folks would appreciate better audio if they could test drive more of this affordable gear.
@@SomeGadgetGuy There's this one store in my city that lets you audition anything in the store. From headphones to tube amps. I'm so grateful for that place.
Also, I think a great way to get people to discover the world of audio is through gifting. I lent my mum a pair of KZ in-ears and she fell in love with them.
Great video!
Mainstream consumer audio is a weird space.
Convenience and secondary, or tertiary, features are over hyped and their significance overshot. Yet, quality, on something that is directly linked to one of our primary senses, seems like an afterthought.
Also. Given the fact that a lot of people put aesthetics over function or quality yet headphones are generally lackluster and can step up their game, is odd.
No joke. It's sad that we still act like "easy pairing" is some hallmark feature.
I certainly appreciate your discussion points regarding audiophiles and how most consumers are not well trained. I grew up in the '70s, and '80s and as you may or may not remember "Hi-Fidelity" was always a bit of a mystery to me though at that time I was a child and therefore did not have the means to become involved in proper audio listening. Just yesterday, out of the blue, I decided I wanted some decent audio headsets, and during my investigations, I came across a number of DAC's and amps, along with a bit of understanding of audio technology today. However, your video was also very helpful. Although I'm far, far from being an Audiofile, I do understand what good audio is. I experienced it over the years with the many cars I'd purchase. Some of the more premium brands had better-sorted systems in them and I'd notice that the harder I drove the system (volume up), the much better they sounded in some cases. More clearer, and better-defined music, and hearing instruments and sounds that I've never heard many years prior listening in other vehicles and whatnot. That said, I took my first step last night into understanding better-defined music by acquiring a Sennheiser Pro HD 650 Audio headset along with a Fiio Q3 DAC. I'm very much looking forward to connecting these to my Macbook Pro along with Apple Music in lossless format and learning to enjoy music on a whole new level!
What I didn't mention is that I also purchased Audio Technica ATH-M50x cans along with a Fiio E10K which just showed up today. Combined that with Apple Music Lossless 24/192 listening to the soundtrack from Inception, I'm quite literally floored at how vibrant the sound of well-made digital recordings can be. Total noiseless black space, and perception of various instruments and/or sounds I've not heard before when listening to the soundtrack. I'm looking forward to the Sennheiser 650's @ 300ohms and the Fiio Q3 DAC. Thanks again!
I'd LOVE to see you try to explain tube amps this way. I'm willing to bet it'd a hell of a video!
It was a really good speech about audiophiles. You should continue doing more audio stuff than phones in my opinion
Wow only around $300 for those BTs and the Amp? I play a lot of rhythm games so I got the feeling those two items are gonna throw me straight into the audiophile rabbit hole!
That's pretty funny that you had Fear Incoculum displayed. I just upgraded headphones and I'm looking at proper portable amps to make high quality recordings like this album sound better. Pneuma is what made me decide to start upgrading.
I always said, you don’t know what your missing until you hear it.
It's always a little sad seeing people listen to their favorite song on my gear (which really isn't that fancy).
@@SomeGadgetGuy How does this compare to the hip dac?
*slick voice* : Well hey there BTR5 🕺🌹5:37 wanna go out & jam on some music with your bluetooth beauty
Pardon my ignorance but does owning a phone with a quad dac make something like this redundant?
I would also like to know, I own an LG V30
Not an ignorant question at all.
A little. The thing that puts Fiio over the edge are balanced connectors. If you take that plunge on headphones, it might be nice to make that transition. Comparing 3.5mm output against a quad DAC, we're pretty close, but LG won't trip the high output amp for headphones like planar magnetics. Generally I'd say the LG is PLENTY good for most premium audio situations, but there are some specialty situations where a unit like this would matter.
@@SomeGadgetGuy I'd like to add that, you technically CAN trip the high output amp on the Quad DAC for low impedance headphones like planars, if you plug in a wire that is not connected to any headphones first. So if your headphones have a detachable cable, plug that into the phone first, and then attach the headphones to that cable. Or if your headphones do not have a detachable cable/you don't want to detach the cable from your headphones first, you can plug in a headphone extension cable first, or an adapter, etc etc, and then the headphones. As long as you plug in a cable that is not attached directly to your headphones into the phone first, you can trick the phone into high output mode. Pain in the butt, but it works
True true. I was doing that dance with an extension cable and hooking up my Denny or DT 770 first, then swapping to my Audeze, but it is kind of a pain.
The Quad Dac is a decent solution but it's not only about being able to make headphones sound loud enough. There are a lot of small factors that add up. It's up to you if you need that extra quality on the go. For me BTR5 and FH7s are more than enough for on the road experience.
Dude my Lg V-10 Died a couple years ago dropped alcohol on it ! 32 bit DAC! I had some cans and self powered speakers that i forgot about . I currently have the OnePlus 6T that does Flac 24 bit to my Sony's 🎧 and their Bluetooth Bass X41 I have 4 of em for my office and APTX-HD for my new Denon BT 25W cans . Not to mention my wired 🎧 and speakers that i put in rotation some for more than a decade, no updates required or less than 5yr shelf life.mglad i found your Channel you make listening fun as it should be..
I own an LG 40 ThinQ. I bought it because of its DAC. I also have the DT Pro_250 (terrific specs). Though satisfied, I've been wondering about adding a DAC similar to the FIIO. GOOD commentary video about audio quality. Thank you.
I have a G7 and a Fiio BTR3, and the BTR3 is immediately obvious a superior sound. I don't know if the LG has some software "issues" that throttle its amp, or if the actual amp is too weak, but it never has the juice to sound right imo.
The BTR3 for ~50$ is amazing as both DAC and AMP. And you don't have to worry about what phone you have.
I listened to 3 Wu-Tang clan albums back-to-back-to-back using my discontinued LG V60 and my discontinued RBH HP-2s =D
You should make a series of ways to get better audio for cheap with direct comparison With Bluetooth consumer gear. Like instead of noise canceling headphone you suggest a pair of Bluetooth receiver and noise isolating cans like dt770 and HD 280 pro. And instead of earphones you suggest etymotic er2xr or custom Thieaudio legacy 3 with Bluetooth receiver. For a consumer these headphones / earphones plus something like btr3k will be all they need.
If you haven't checked out some of the gears I mentioned here, I strongly urge that you do. You'll fall in love. ☺
considered this to pair up with my Note 20 Ultra but went with the FiiO BTR5 for BT and the iFi Hip-dac for the USB-Audio option (all this after selling off my Sony NW-ZX300)
Nothing wrong with that combo 👍🎧
Good review man, i have bought a sony walkman, the NW-A55 and have a pair of Blon BL03 and they sound great, the soundstage is really impressive. I got the walkmans for 98 euros and the blons for 40 euros.
My daily oneplus bullet wireless 2 pale in comparison.
Love your detailed commentary.
Thanks to you I'm rocking an LG v50 and some Oppo pm-3's. 😊
Noice.
I now feel less reluctant to upgrade to a smartphone without a headphone jack, since DAPs and DAC/AMPs like these exist at such a great price point 🙏🙏🙏
DAPs are awesome. we (general public) need to get over the fear of having more then one piece of tech in our pockets when we leave the house
Love my FiiO btr5 and somewhat enjoy my FiiO m11 DAP (processor is too slow after you start using it). I use thieaudio legacy 5s for my iem needs, Sony xm3 for subway noise cancellation in nyc, and my hifiman sundaras when I’m near my desktop amp. Love to see more awareness of all the great somewhat affordable options to make your music sound amazing.
Is L5 the best in bass in L series?
Might have to grab this.. looks awesome
Nice review. It's got me thinking if I should give a portable DAC amp a try. At the moment if I want higher quality than my phones can give I use on of my DAPs (Sony a45 or zx300) and headphones with balanced jack (for added quality). It's unfortunate that many smartphone makers focus the majority of their attention on screens, cameras, SoCs, with audio quality hardly if ever mentioned. Maybe this is a reflection of consumers not demanding higher quality audio. If the majority see it as 'good enough' then why bother? It seem only LG and Sony see audio as another key feature.
Wait... Did I just come into some parallel universe where tech UA-camrs actually care more about the "tech" instead of "which brand's tech"? 🤔
PS: I'm impressed with the script and how you explained the audio difference. Even if someone like me doesn't care about $1000 audio accessories but a "tech" youtuber should always care about such tech advancements. This media bias is the biggest reason why tech is not advancing fast enough because brands just stop caring. I mean yes normal user won't care about his stuff but as a tech reviewer who does have the money to burn on such expensive tech should always emphasize how good these solutions are. And also ironically they blame "being expensive" as the reason not buy these products when they are the very reason why these products are expensive in the first place. Otherwise if this product tech was emphasized more more people would buy it hence decreased cost overtime due to higher demand and mass manufacturing. 😂
LOL there are a few of us about.
But i totally agree. It's galling when I see premium price tags and premium audio is not a part of that equation.
Let's face it, Juan. Most people do NOT have trained ears. Even the cellphone companies don't do shit with marketing on the audio when they should, and the (mostly idiotic) comments from the average Joes don't help. It's good that you care about the audio because i don't see any other cellphone reviewer who does. Continue on this path, and the audio crowd will come.
Some of the best listening experiences I’ve had have been from turntables playing LPs.
Thank you! and i have to add - Thank you so mutch. What do you think about Astell & Kern AK XB 10 (AptX HD)
It's a good idea connect this FiiO with my AMP (100W*2 speakers AMP) with the jack 3.5mm to a RCA (The idea is use that like a desktop DAC for two passive speakers Klipsch RP-600M)
You probably heard of these, but if not, here's some recommendations for better audio on phones.... Fiio btr5, es100 and qudelix 5k. All of those are bt amp/dacs. I think you can also use of them as usb amp/dacs. I own the older fiio q1 mk2 (1 gen behind the q3), and the btr5 and qudelix 5k essentially trump the q1. Not sure how it compares to the q3 though... Skipped that for xduoo's new xd05 Bal.
100% accurate. I’m using the Qudelix with a balanced cable on my Sundara headphones and it’s night and day from direction connection or AirPods as an example
i hope i will have it soon ❤️❤️
Another great review thanks.
Can you recommend some good in ear that works compliment this? Saw what looked like some high end Shure in this but would be good to know what you rate.
With the Q3 plugged to my phone, and a headset connected to the DAC, can I make phone calls? I do not mind if the mic used is the one on my phone, but I want to listen to the caller in my headset. What phones have you tried?
Thanks for the precious review. I have sennheiser hd 650 (300 ohm) with 2.5 balanced cable. I want to buy fiio q3. is it powerful enough to drive hd 650 ?
Now that Apple is charging (yikes) $600 for headphones maybe they'll be more interest in high-end audio in general.
Probably not though they'll probably just buy whatever Apple makes :(
One would hope, but I feel it's another step in turning the Apple label into something like Louis Vuitton.
@@SomeGadgetGuy it'll happen to any company run by their marketing department, like how Tim Cook was the head of their marketing. At least Steve Jobs cared about their engineering - if he hadn't passed it would've been a long time until Apple made bigger iPhones - he was adamant that the iPhone 4 was the largest a phone should be.
Awesome review as usual! 🔥🔥👌🏽
2:59 hmmmmmm MKBHD?
I believe yes, and I agree
I still use my q3 the first version, still working great especially for iphone users,
Hi Juan, Just stumbled on your channel looking for reviews on the Fiio Dac. I had a question about listening.
How important is the source music? I currently listen from a free Spotify account from a laptop. Would a DAC improve the listening quality?
I'm listening from Etymotic ER4SR and Sennheiser HD490s. Thanks
That’s the job of a parent now! Just say no to bad audio.
My daughter is learning about planar magnetics as we speak...
@@SomeGadgetGuy Be my dad?
😅
So true... I have been influenced with UA-cam reviewers about camera and music from phones...
It's a shame folks with the biggest platforms often tend to water down tech to "lowest common denominator average consumers".
Oh man, you're so right! I was just beginning to think I am a freak, at least so think all of my friends speaking of audio, portable or not, HiRes files, headphones, In-Ear Monitoring and DAPs. For some time now it sparkles in my mind to buy the Q3.
But, have a question: how important is this when I already use the FiiO M15 with the Sennheiser IE 900? Can the Q3 bring much more?
How does this compare to the audioquest dragonfly black?
If i bought this, but my equipment only have KZ CCA 10 Pro and use my Xperia L1 phone with most only have mp3 files, will increase music sound quality?
I replaced my original USB-C to USB-C cable with a high end cable... was difficult to find a short cable BUT i feel like the sound did improve also...it can send sound any way i connect the cable! I use a Sony Xperia 5 mk3 with my Fiio Q3 mqa and my headphones.. Sennheiser HD 660s and they are a fantastic match... also... buying them should not send you into serious poor status. (Yes there are better audio gear out on the market but some do cost crazy amount of cash... i found a good middle ground and im sticking to this) 🙂 next up i will get myself a Fiio K7 for my computer 🙂
That sounds like a fantastic set up to me. What cable did you use?
I really liked your review. I do have a question about my setup. I have a Sony NW-A5 DAP, I just got the Fiio Q3. My headphones are Sennheiser HD 660s.
My question is if I have everything hooked up right for the best sound. My 660s phones have a 4.4 balanced cable, which I am using. To connect the Sony dap and the FiiO I am using a dual 3.5 mm male plug, which i run through the Fiio's 3.5 headphone jack. It has really good sound, but I just am wondering if I'm missing something, when I play hi res files the light on the FiiO amp doesn't change colors, always is blue.
Sorry for the novel, thanks for your time.
Great video been trying to find a solution to better drive my DT990 32ohm phones since I have to max out the volume on my iPhone which doesn't sound great. Also respect for the Excelsior poster 🖖
My fave starship!
Thank you, I'm sold on buying this thing as my first dac amp thing... the only minus I see is that lack of microphone pass through... I could buy the btr5 instead but I want to use it with a laptop as well so it seems like it's a better choice plus it can power 300 ohms headphones right? Then in the future I could buy a nice pair of hurr durr six hundos by ol' mate senny and not have to worry about immediately getting an amp and dac as well... untill then I'll use it with some iems I'm going to buy the kz zs10 pro's and tin t2's
I actually don't have any 300ohm in house to test ATM, but this did a great job on my DT770's at 250 ohms. I think it should do well with even thirstier gear, but I think the main idea might be looking at your whole chain. If you're stepping up to that even higher tier of headphone (outside my more recording focused gear) you also want to examine the total listening "chain". From audio file, to amp, to headphone, to the room you're in. Making something portable is more convenient, but might still be a bit of a compromise over gear that would LIVE in your home.
That said, I think this is a great way to get your setup up and running. I really like the Q3.
@@SomeGadgetGuy yeah that's my idea, start with a portable dac amp that can power iems and get some, then eventually get something like the sennheiser hd600 or hd660 and be able to use it with that dac amp then later get a dac amp stack... this is like my imagined progression to step into audiophile headphone setups...
It's a good plan. Don't rush it. This stuff gets spendy. And I think some of the joy comes from the experimentation along the way as you learn more about what you like.
I've got hearing damage & I HATE that I can hear the quality difference & everyone around me thinks I'm nutz.
Makes you wonder how much MORE damaged THEIR hearing might be...
@@SomeGadgetGuy I recently took a Razor headset and plugged it in without the POS DAC & had my 16 years old son listen to music. He said they sounded fine & I just wanted to scream. How can he not tell the difference between -Sennheiser- and Razor.
Edit: They were Beyerdynamic, not Sennheiser
You can only lead kids so far as a parent, and at some point they have to be their own people. Even when they're horrifically incorrect. We still have to love them.
@@3sotErik He probably thinks it sounds good because he does not know what good to you sounds like. For example, you think mcdonalds coffee is fine until you try done good quality coffee which then changes your perspective. Also, things may sound fine but not the best, which may be enough and not as important for some people. Just like having the best phone is not what is important for me and my phone works fine for me.
I tried the Q1 with my V60 and DT 770. I like the V60 without the Q1, only advantage OF Q1 is the bass boost for me. Hows this Q3 Compared to the DAC of V60?
Have you tried the Fiio IEM?
I have both the q3 and q1mkii... Any major differences worth pointing out? Thanks
(i kindda feel I bought the same product twice)
slightly better clarity i guess
Do you have any thoughts on Fiio's line of DAPs?
I have an M7 and it can be used as a DAP and as a USB and wireless DAC. It's something that I have not heard talked about much.
I have an X5iii, and the quality is fantastic, but I don't love the UI, underpowered guys, and OLD build of android. Anymore, I'm preferring the more streamlined solutions like the Q3 or BTR5, which use my phone. Just easier to use, the phones are more powerful, and I don't have to juggle separate devices.
Aaaahh...a BTR5 ❤️
BTR5 is really good.
I personally own a LG V40 and a KS ZS10. I primarily listen to symphonic music, and those brands of headphones accentuate the "sharp" part of a symphony. I am not sure if I am getting the best that I can get for that price. I want to branch out into audio, but I am not sure where to start. Also, what PC DAC would you personally recommend? I currently use the FX-Audio DAC-X6, but i did not hear much difference in the audio quality from when I used the port on my PC, the only thing that is different is just the manual volume control. I only listen to 16 bit FLAC files on my phone and PC, so I do not think that that is the problem. Sorry if it seems like I am rambling LOL
It doesn't get much better than LG v20-v60 and KZ buds. You're getting at worst 90% of the experience. The last 10% is way overkill and will be a nightmare to achieve. Once you reach good, it's hard to make it better objectively. You'll figure it out.
I've been using the Q3 with my Senheiser 560s and some audio technica M50x's over a balanced cable for almost 2 years and I have exactly one complaint. Sometimes the volume knob just stops working. And I will have to turn it off and on 2 or 3 times for it to start working again. I'm pretty sure this is a driver or windows issue as it's never happened when using it with either of my phones. (it seems to happen when it's on for a couple hours or if I just closed an app that had exlucsive control over an audio output device).
I also regret buying the MQA version of the Q3 as Tidal doesn't even use MQA anymore, but that's a good thing I suppose 😂
How do you regard the Qudelix 5k compared to the Fiio Q3 as USB DAC? (That is, besides 5K’s BT capabilties)
I'm VERY positive on Qudelix, I just haven't listened on a 5K NEARLY as much as on this Fiio. Consider my opinion one based more on familiarity with a brand than ANY commentary (or implied deficiency) of the competition.
Hi @JuanBagnell can Fiio Q3 power HifiMan Edition XS to its full potential?
How is the bass quality ? I like bass boosted music , I tried many premium headphones but couldn't get what I wanted. Then I tried Sabbath ultra wireless buds , they are great as they good base quality. Does this device contain any such bass enhancing features ?
It is. But its bass boost kinda bleeding into mids to my ears. It isn't that bad, but it's still disturb a bit of the details
Which comparable DACs are more compatible with 5G phones?
I had to jump through some serious loops to hook my base PS4 to my Fiio E17k. I would love to see your take on the next gen consoles audio capabilities and your takes on recommendable gear to knock the sound experience up a notch.
I definitely need to play with that.
How can i use the q3 with my ps4 and headphones please
@@joseph233382 I'm not familiar with the Q3 but I'll tell you what I did with my E17k. I plugged an optical cable to my PS4, ran it through a very simple converter Optical-Coaxial, then hooked my E17K to the coaxial cable.
@@marioho Hmmm nice one ill see what i can do . The Fiio Q3 has a usb c slot upgraded from the micro usb the ones previous had .
@@marioho I'm wandering if a USB-C to 3.5mm Audio Cable will work if i connected it with the Q3 then to the PlayStation controller . It sounds like it would work
I just got my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohms and my FiiO Q3.
For whatever reason(s), the Q3 isn't working as advertised. I have to crank the volume all the way just to hear anything. And there's a constant distorted hiss in the left headphone.
Have you tried flick the gain switch ?
Which one is better for bass boost bro helm db12 or fiio q3
Am i using fiio 10k DAC paired with Beyerdynamic DT 770 but listening mostly to Spotify, set to max Quality. Does DAC even get me some improvement since my source is not FLAC?
I'm looking for a device to really awaken my headphones. I don't have super amazing ones but they halfway decent. They are the zsn pro X and the grados sr60s will this device help? After watching I think I got a yes just want to double check
I was considering the q3, but got the Ifi Hip Dac instead
same here. the IFI hip dac is much better!
That's nice, great review.👍
👍
Hi, If I choose between btr5 and q3 for the best sound (ignoring price and portability), which should I choose? And my preference are wider soundstage and not tight.
I'm using HyperX Cloud Revolver S that has 32 ohm impedance and 100,5 db/mW sensitivity.
go for open back headphones instead of gaming headphones
I have bought a qudelix 5k, plugged to my phone and tried to play mp3 and YT audio. I heard 0 difference. Is it me, the source audio, the dac/amp or the iems? The most amount of change I get in terms of quality is when I use my X2hr. They make a difference for sure.
Would I benefit from getting a fiio over the qudelix 5k?
I also have the Qudelix 5k, UA-cam and mp3 files won’t work. You’ll need lossless audio sources from your own media OR what I use is the Tidal app since they have top tier lossless audio. Keep in mind a balanced cable will make a huge difference with the Qudelix and some good cans. I personally use the Hifiman Sundara headphones
what's your iem? that first thing that you should upgrade is your iem next is source then good quality audio not just converted from youtube
15:13 couldn't agree more
I'm trying to learn about Hi Def audio but don't know where to start. I have a LG V30 and nothing else.
Does this sound better than the BTR5 in usb wired mode?
This is why I have four lg v series phones. Lg v60 ftw!
Quad DAC is good times.
here goes the Q: say, my headphones have 5hz-40khz freq range, would it be unwise to combine them with a 20hz-90khz amp?
No no it wouldn't
the new shanling up5 seems like a great bluetooth dac/amp tho
I did buy the new model Fiio Q3 MQA.
Only on battery you can use it on PC.
Disappointed, that doesn't say ONLY on battery, you can use it on laptop or pc!
WHY?????
I lost 160 euro, to use a damn battery, it's my fault i didn't find where says that?
Im assuming this video and its product are mostly directed for those without an LG phone that's has that badass 32 Bit Hi-Fi Dac.
LOVE listening to music with the dac!
Yep, going from ZTE back to LG and the audio quality from the K51 took me by surprise and I've been enjoying it 🙃
Same. love my G7. I can easily power things like my Edition XX or HD650. Can't power super hard to power things like the Sextetts though. Anything else is amazing
Yup, these LG jacks are indeed amazing. Yeah your battery can take a SLIGHT hit in draining when wired but its not drastic. Thats how you know its working tho. Even movie watching is so much fun wired on these LG 32 bit hifi quad dacs.
I have a G7 and it's good, for a phone. But a Fiio BTR3 is better, and almost all dedicated devices will be better.
Anybody know if something like this works with a Chromebook?
hope you review the ddhifi tc35b! quite an intresting product tbh
Can anyone help me with my question :
I'm listening on an Android phone with the Fiio music app (it's free and it's really good).
So,I connect my phone and a headphone amp (at the moment it's a Fiio A5)by a short 3.5-3.5 cable.
Then the cans go in the other 3.5 socket.
My question is....would the Fiio Q3 have the same two 3.5mm sockets on the top ,or one for my source and one for my headphones?
Plz will someone answer this
that will do, 3.5 from your source (your phone or anything that plays music) to 3.5 to your Q3
that will amplify your headphones but using it as DAC (digital to analog converter), just usb-c to usb-c on your source to your Q3, simple as that
but consider this, most smartphones/laptop doesn't have Line-Out, so it may sound quieter or much worse is having a noise-floor compare to dedicated audio players that has LO (line out), so using the Q3 as DAC on your smartphone/laptop would be a much better option
oh shit my bad, Q3 only have one 3.5mm output, can use it as headphone jack or a line-out
so using it as AMP, you can just plug your headphones either on 2.5 or 4.4mm outputs
How this sounds if paired with lg quad dac phone?
probably amazing.. the Q3 packs some serious punch!
this should be a perfect pair for my fiio m3 pro
Yup!
@@SomeGadgetGuy thank you for an amazing review!
does it make me a jerk that my primary source of audio is spotify? is that quality trash? do you mostly listen to flac? also Fear Inoculum is wonderful 🤘
Not at all man. I stopped hating on spotify. It's super accessible. I mostly stream on Tidal these days, and then try and support individual artists by buying directly from them when I like their stuff. Those I try to save in FLAC on my NAS.
Spotify at "max quality" with its 320kbps MP3 is actually quite good for most listening. Yes, it's not master or lossless, but it's good enough to enjoy the music.
I've tried Tidal, Deezer, and Spotify. Tidal and Deezer have the higher fidelity formats, and I could hear an audible difference, but their usability for me was inferior, Deezer was downright horrible with the music just not playing a lot of times. Also, they may sell you a premium/hifi plan, but not all the songs in their libraries are at this max quality, not even half of them. So in the end you're still listening to mostly MP3s from my experience.
In the end, Spotify won for me just because 99.99% of the time it actually works and I can listen to music when I want to. Also their PC -> phone sync is amazing for sitting on the couch and switching songs on the main system from my phone.
Tidal or Deezer having technical issues made them useless to me. In the rare times I can actually sit and enjoy music, the damn software needs to actually work.
I still consider sometimes going back to Tidal for the sweet sound of their Masters quality, but never really do.
@@cristi724 @JuanBagnell so would you recommend using this dac with Spotify? I am looking to start training my ears and take care of them too. I have a Huawei p30 pro just for your reference.
@@audreybongabong2988 yup that'll work perfectly. I personally use Spotify. Just be sure to learn how to not turn up the music to damaging levels which is what most people using bad earbuds do to compensate for bad audio. Kill this habit
@@TarekMidani yes, I have never been one to turn music up to block outside noise, I have always been a fan of buds with eartips for a good seal. Thanks for th advice!
the fiio q3 paired with a warmish iem sounds like bliss!
or alternatively you could go with the ifi hip dac and a neutral iem and that's a good pair
;)
although I love my btr5 and it works awesome for me :)
So it means the fiio fh3 is better with its own q3 than ifi hip dac ?
I also own a fiio fh3, is better with q3 or hipdac?
Great video, although I did have to watch it twice. I got a little distracted thinking, "wait... was that Brisco County, Jr?" lol
LOL I just ripped my DVD collection. Brisco is such a rad show.
Well guess my btr3 will have a sibling real soon.
😁
But seriously. How good is that little BTR3.
Wish you could compare this to ifi hip dac
hip dac is a bit powerful but on the warmer side
You should try and get your hands on ifi hip dac. There's a unanimous opinion of it being better than q3 for same price. I own one and I am in love with it! 😍
The cable solution is also better.
I think to myself a lot. I am glad I am not an audiophile. I think I would destroy my wallet
I'm glad I come at this from a recording background. I "care" but not enough to jump off the deep end on a special acoustically treated room just for vinyl....
沃日，飞傲。感觉好神奇
Is THX certified just as useless as Hi-Res Audio certified?
Not when it's properly listed as that new AAA amp. I've used two products now that deliver solid output.
@@SomeGadgetGuy I'd love to see some real world numbers. Their claims on the AAA designs is crazy. Not that any could probably tell the difference between -110db THD and -140db.
Compared to where we were a couple years ago on headphone amplifiers, which made stuff loud but added a ton of noise, these new amps and DACs are substantially better.
I only buy phones from Lg´s for audio and Iphone´s for video then I stream my music from Tidal Hifi mastered over DTS: 3D surround.
I've 150 dollars this or qdelix 5k
Fear inoculum \m/
YUP
Q3 is really not good for smartphones. That cable connection is really uncomfortable. Q5 with a wireless connection is a better choice. Q3 is better for laptops or stationary use.
This video though is very good information!