FiiO Q5 Bluetooth and DSD-Capable DAC and Headphone Amplifier

Description

The FiiO Q5 is a portable Bluetooth and DSD-capable DAC and headphone amplifier that delivers high-fidelity sound on the go. It packs a multitude of features in a compact and lightweight (at 6.87 oz) frame, and offers both wired and wireless connections for use with most audio sources such as smartphones, tablets, and computers.

The Q5 employs audiophile-grade components including dual AK4490EN DAC chips for audio up to 384 kHz / 32-bit and an XMOS XU208 micro-controller chip to ensure connection stability and reliability when connected to most audio sources. A specially designed power supply provides each of the unit's major components with its own filtered and regulated power, resulting in a clean and natural sound, free from component interference.

The interchangeable amp module design allows you to customise your Q5 with the appropriate amp module, based on the power needs of your headphones or your preferred sound signature. The unit ships with an AM3A amp module, which provides 2.5mm TRRS balanced and 3.5mm TRS unbalanced headphone outputs. The Q5 offers a comprehensive set of inputs including line, coaxial, and optical. Two USB ports let you transmit digital audio signal on one port, while accessing ample power on the other to ensure optimal sound quality.

The Q5 delivers high-performance Bluetooth audio by passing the Bluetooth signal directly to the AK4490EN DAC chips through the XMOS chip, for a lower noise floor and reduced total harmonic distortion and crosstalk. A 3800 mAh, high-capacity rechargeable battery combined with intelligent power management provides up to 10 hours of operation when the unit is used as a DAC or as a Bluetooth receiver.

The carefully surfaced, CNC aluminium body and backside polyurethane leather finish give the Q5 its minimalist and sophisticated look. Controls are designed for simplicity and intuitiveness with a protruding volume wheel that is comfortable to use. Gain and bass boost controls allow you to switch between low and high gain depending on how much power is needed to efficiently drive your headphones, as well as emphasise the bass according to your preferences.

Features

DAC Chips

• Dual AK4490EN chips
• High signal-to-noise ratio, low distortion
• Audio up to 384 kHz / 32-bit
• Native DSD up to DSD256

Audiophile-Grade Components

• Low-pass filter section employs two Texas Instrument OPA1642 chip
• MSP432 micro-controller offers precise audio handling with low power consumption for longer battery life
• Uses Panasonic film capacitors
• NJW1195 volume control chip

XMOS USB

Uses XMOS XU208 micro-controller chip for connection stability and reliability when connected to most audio sources such as computers or smartphones

Power Supply Filters

• Contains seven, low-dropout (LDO) regulators, one each for the DAC, line-out, volume control, low-pass filter, amplifier, XMOS, and Bluetooth section
• Each section has its own power circuits for clean power
• Keeps your sound clean with reduced component interference

Certifications

• MFi Certified: Certified by Apple to be "Made for iDevices"—iPod, iPad, iPhone
• Hi-Res Audio Certified: Deemed to be truly "Hi-Res Audio" capable by the Japan Audio Society
• aptX Certified: Utilises Qualcomm CSR8670 chip, supporting aptX high-fidelity Bluetooth audio

Interchangeable Amp Module

• Fully compatible with any FiiO amp module
• Choose amp module based on power needs of different headphones or different sound signatures

AM3A Amp Module

• Ships with the AM3A amp module
• 2.5mm TRRS balanced and 3.5mm TRS unbalanced headphone outputs
• Employs AD8620 wide-bandwidth JFET operational amplifier and OPA926 operational amplifier

CNC Aluminium Body

• Aluminium alloy shell is carefully surfaced with a CNC machine
• Rear of the shell is meticulously lasered for a minimalist and sophisticated look
• Sides of the shell are laboriously sandblasted
• Body is designed to resist electromagnetic interferences

Backside Leather Finish
The rear of the unit is covered in polyurethane leather to protect against scratches, with style

Ergonomic Design

• Sized for easy handling
• Controls designed for simplicity and intuitiveness
• Protruding volume wheel is comfortable to use
• Two sloping ramps naturally guide your finger to the volume knob
• 45° notches and red ring on volume knob discretely indicate the position of the knob
• Play, pause, change track buttons, on the upper left

ADC Volume Control

• ADC mechanism aims to get rid of volume imbalance between left and right channels and unwanted noise
• Reconstruct the ADC curve for adjustment accuracy when changing the volume

High-Performance USB DAC

• Connect unit to a computer via included micro-USB cable and use as a standalone DAC/amplifier
• Supports PCM audio up to 384 kHz / 32-bit and DSD up to DSD256
• If using Windows, you need to instal a driver to unlock full functionality (free driver download available on FiiO support page)—no drivers required for Mac
• Playing DSD in USB DAC mode may require certain speciality software

High-Performance Bluetooth Audio

• Bypasses Bluetooth chip's internal DAC for enhanced sound quality
• Reduced total harmonic distortion and crosstalk, lower noise floor

WM-Port Support
Use FiiO L27 cable (available separately) to use the unit as an audio decoder for any device using the WM-Port interface

Coaxial / Optical / Line Inputs

• Includes a 3.5mm coaxial/optical/line-in combo connector
• Optical connector allows you to connect to any device that supports optical output, such as the MacBook Pro
• Line-in connector allows you to use the unit as a standalone headphone amplifier

Dual Independent micro-USB Connectors

• Dual USB ports ensure access to enough clean power without draining the battery, for optimal sound quality
• Micro-USB port on the bottom for transmitting digital audio signals and updating firmware
• Micro-USB port on the side for charging the unit only

RGB Status Lights

• Quickly identify what input is being used by taking a glance at the LED lights at the bottom of the unit
• Cheque battery life and charging statuses

Gain and Bass Boost

• Switch between low and high gain depending on your headphone's driving power requirements
• Toggle between bass boost on/off according to your preferences

High-Capacity Rechargeable Battery

• 3800 mAh rechargeable battery
• 10 hours of operation on a full charge when connected to smartphones or used as a Bluetooth receiver
• 10.5 hours of operation on a full charge when connected through coaxial input
• 20 hours of operation on a full charge when used purely as an amp

Intelligent Power Management

• Does not drain battery of computer or smartphone, when connected via USB
• When idle, the unit shuts down after 10 minutes