REVIEW: FIIO Q1 – THE ENTRY DAC/AMP

Author：LIEVEN

Review from：Headfonia

→→ Read the original article on Headfonia：>> Click here

Disclaimer: Fiio sent us a free sample of the Fiio Q1 DAC/AMP for review, it doesn’t need to be returned

Q1

Fiio’s product line changes all the time. They’re adding new products, updating old products (-k) and creating new “letters” faster than Lucky Luke’s shadow. After the E07, E10 and E17 getting K versions, Fiio now has removed the E07K from their product line up and they have replaced it with the Q1. That now makes the Q1 the most entry product in Fiio’s line-up, being available for $69.99. The Q1 can be used as an AMP/DAC combo, a DAC only or an amplifier only.

Fiio has always been known for their budget gear and their excellent price/quality ratio. Budget quality gear is what made Fiio big and loved worldwide and I am glad to see they are still focusing on this part of the market as well. Lately they have been going more upmarket to Medium-Fi as well with the earlier released X5SG DAP and the upcoming X7 DAP.

The Q1 comes delivered in Fiio’s new style of boxes and as accessories you get two silicone mats, two rubber bands, a USB cable and an awesome little InterConnect (IC – see pics). Most people have been buying the $4.99 JDSlabs IC but now Fiio has one too and it’s wonderful. I always found the original 10cm 3.5mm IC to be a bit long for a double stack but now they have this. I haven’t seen it pop up in their web shop though, so maybe it is only supplied with the Q1 for now.

The Q1 now is E17K’s little brother and if you remember well I earlier this year called the E17K a “Good All-Round Starter”. A lot of people will be interested in this starter AMP/DAC and because of that huge lower end fan base, Fiio has a really good reason to make this a good sounding unit.

The Tech

Unlike the E17K (for now Fiio’s TOTL portable AMP/DAC) the Q1 uses the Texas instruments PCM5102 DAC chip and the amplifier is Maxim’s MAX97220. I’m not sure Fiio has ever used these in their products before but that does mean you will get “only” 24/96 and not 32/96 like the E17K does. The PCM5102 also doesn’t support DSD, so if that’s your thing you’ll have to look at the $126.49 E17K.

Size wise you can compare the Q1 to the E11/E11K, only this time the Q1 has more of a “flask” shape with curved surfaces. It is still small, weighs only 100g and measures 97mm x 56mm x 13.1 mm. The potentiometer used is not ALPS but TOCOS and I have to say that with my head- and earphones, the channel imbalance at very low listening level was reduced to a minimum. That’s great news for sensitive IEM users.

The battery used inside the Q1 is a 1400mAh battery that is supposed to give you over 30h play time I personally have not tested that as I as good as always had it connected by USB in my office, but those are very impressive numbers. I suppose this is in amplifier only mode and not when the DAC is running but it still is a big number. The battery charges in under 4h as well and the Q1 works perfectly fine while it is charging.

It wouldn’t be Fiio if there wasn’t a Gain and Bass Boost implementation. Gain using the Aux in is -7dB / 4.5dB and when using the DAC it is -3.5dB / 4.5dB. Q1’s bass boost is 0 / +5dB and that’s only half of what Fiio normally has in store for their BB. The Q1 has a 0.3Ohm Output impedance and delivers >190mW(32Ohm) and >75mW (150Ohm) with a recommended load of 15 to 150Ohm.

The Q1 doesn’t officially run on android but it seems it will work with a series of phones, there are no promises however.

Build quality and comfort

While the Q1 looks like the E11/E11K series, its form factor is a little different.  The new Q1 has a flask shape and while it aesthetically looks good, you have to use the plastic mat provided to use the Q1 on your desk. If you don’t, the volume control wheel will touch the desk it is resting on and turning the pot will result in the Q1 moving left or right. I usually tend to sticking 3M rubber feet under the units but that’s a no go with this shape. Of course it won’t be any issue when you use the Q1 as a portable amp and you can easily put the silicon mat between your source and the Q1 to keep it in place and to prevent both units from getting scratches.

For $69.99 the build quality is decent and unlike the old plastic E11, the Q1 has a full aluminum feel and finish. Besides the plastic like gain, charge and bass boost buttons I can’t see how this unit could have been even better built. I have to admit I dropped it a few times already but the Q1 still looks (and works) like new. In the future I don’t think Fiio will ever disappoint with the build quality of their products, they pretty know what their clients expect.

Q1 Lay-out

Besides some printing there is nothing to be found on the top and bottom of the unit. On the small front plate you have the bass boost switch on the left side, the protected volume control in the middle and the 3.5mm headphone out on the right. In between the headphone out and the volume pot is a mini LED that will shine blue (operational), green (charged) or some kind of purple (charging). On the back of the Q1 you will find the micro USB port, the 3.5mm in/output, the gain switch and the charge switch.

It’s a pretty basic unit but all buttons and switches are perfectly accessible and not in the way of other buttons. Maybe Fiio could have made separate line in and outputs but there’s probably not enough room to do that.

Q1’s Sound is right after the click HERE or below

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I remember the time when most Fiio units had a really warm sound, lately however with the X3SG and X5SG just to name two, the Fiio sound signature has moved to the more neutral side. That’s exactly where the Q1 is situated as well: not neutral or warm but somewhere in between, leaning a little to the warmer side. With the Q1 there’s also a difference whether you’re using it as a DAC, a DAC/AMP or an amplifier only but more on that in a bit. General impressions are when using the Q1 as a DAC/AAMP combo, as most people will be using it like that.

I called the E17K’s a good all-round starter. The Q1 costs you a little over half of the E17K and logically its performance isn’t up to the same level. Sound stage wise the Q1 of course isn’t the widest sounding when comparing it to top of the range portable amps like the Duet and Vorzuge. Q1’s sound stage width and depth is good for the price level but you will get a more in your head kind of sound with less space between the instruments. Music is fairly concentrated and what’s missing most compared to the higher end gear as well is layering and clarity. The overall balance of the amplifier is as good as it gets in this price range. Fiio’s black background is present in the Q1 as well.

Q1’s speed is certainly not slow but with the bass boost turned on, its bass can get on the slower side. Q1 is very pleasant to listen to with an easygoing presentation of whatever you are playing but it will never be the most resolving and dynamic sounding amp/DAC. At this price level you can of course expect only this much, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all.

Personally I most of the time (except when I was listening to bad recorded 90’s retro techno) turned off the bass boost. If you are using a headphone that already has an emphasis on bass the Q1 with BB turned on might make bass go overboard (+5dB). I most of the time found the Q1 without bass boost delivering the best balanced sound. But some people always want more bass. Bass without BB is fairly tight and fast and has good body that is perfectly in line with the mids section. I wouldn’t call it a layered bass and it doesn’t reach to the sub regions but it’s engaging to say the least. Turn on the boost and the bass will get a more prominent role and unfortunately, a looser presentation. Depending on the music you’re listening to and the head/earphone in use, bass might even take over the mids as it will increase in body and get looser.

The mids section has good body and sounds very natural and realistic but you mostly will get musicality over detail, layering, space and clarity. At this price range, again, this is rather normal. Its treble is just clear and extended enough to make to overall experience musical. Again detail and layering aren’t what you should be looking for. With the bass boost turned on, treble for me could have been more crispy and forward but treble will always be very gentle and soft on with the Q1.

AMP – AMP/DAC – DAC

For only $60 you get a device you can use in 3 different ways and that’s a lot of value for money (as we’re used to with Fiio). I found the Q1 doesn’t necessarily sound the same in these different configurations though and it seems to me the DAC part is holding the unit back. Using it in amplifier only mode with a good DAC or the Luxury & Precision L5PRO in my case, will make your music sound a whole lot more clear and detail with an more airy presentation. I in example preferred using the Audioquest Nighthawk in amplifier mode, in combined mode it just sounded a bit dark/warm and sometimes even muffled, especially with the BB turned on.

The DAC only part, when used with the Meier Corda Quickstep, sounding dark and warm and the Quickstep was clearly not getting the detail out of the music, something it normally does really well. The Audioquest Jitterbug did clear up the sound from the DAC a little bit but I was surprised at the background noise I got when using the Q1 as a DAC only, and that was even with the Audioquest Jitterbug in between. As I can’t hear that when I’m using it as an AMP/DAC, I have a feeling the Line Out of the Q1 is to blame.

Comparisons

I find Fiio’s E10(K) to have more detail, clarity and depth. And it sound even more musical with far better layering. Do note the older E10 has a warmer signature than the newer E10K/Q1. I know the E10K isn’t as portable as the Q1 one is but the sound quality is significantly better. I still think the E10(K) is one of the best units Fiio ever made.

Fiio’s E17K has even more detail and sounds a lot more spacious, dynamic and realistic. Of course it costs quite a bit more but don’t forget it can do 32/96 and DSD also. The E17K to me still is the best performing amp/dac combo in Fiio’s product line-up.

On the whole other side of “budget” you will find amp/DAC units from Cypher Labs such as the Picollo DAC in example. While the Q1 also has a more analogue kind of sound to it just like the Pdac, the latter takes everything to another level.

Fiio’s old E07K offers a dual headphone out and sounds very clear and smooth with the Wolfson chip inside. While the E07K sounds good and very musical (I love its presentation), the E17K beats it in technicalities. The Q1 doesn’t really beat it though.

Recommendation & Conclusion

The Q1 is a nice starter unit with good body where musicality is its unique selling point. Q1 isn’t the most resolving, dynamic, detailed or clear amp but it is a starter amp that will most likely improve your onboard sound and that will show you what higher end units are capable of.

The Q1 has more than enough power to drive your ear- and headphones but. The Q1 performs well for its price, that’s a given fact, but overall it’s missing detail and depth. What distinguishes it from the mid-fi and high-fi models is a more unrefined and less resolving sound (especially when using it as a combo) but there’s no shame in that.

If you do have a little more budget I do advise you to check out the E17K and especially the E10K, but that last one isn’t portable. Both these units to me sound remarkably better. At the Q1 only costs $69.99 and in return you get a very versatile unit that is hard to beat value wise.