FiiO M23 DAP Review & Comparison

[@thelordgyoza]

Love you reviews bro. Keep it up! Great to see Malaysia represented in the KZbin audio community!

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks so much bro 🤘🙏

[@Kprawl291986]

Love the FiiO M23 review very well informative. Would love to see you get your hands some other DAP as well including the Shanling M5/M6 Ultra.

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks! I am in the process of adding more DAPs into my reviews, stay tuned!

[@hemlak4089]

Thank you andy❤❤❤i am learning a lot from you

[@AndyAudioVault]

My pleasure!

[@jamesberryman9893]

Fantastic review, Andy! 😃 I would consider this Fiio DAP as my "endgame" DAP. I'm currently using Hiby R3 ii, and I'm either considering Hiby R4 or Moondrop MIAD 01 as my next DAP unless Fiio releases a more budget friendly DAP. Fiio is undoubtedly my go to brand for DAC and DAP but all their DAP are not budget friendly. Hopefully soon!

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks. I do believe the asking price matches the goods in the case for FiiO upper tier DAPs, so much usable features on top of great sound. So it may be worthwhile to save up and be done with a DAP that will serve for a long time

[@jamesberryman9893]

@donglemadness That's actually a great idea! Thank you my friend!

[@MrBlackJava]

I love my Miad01 , sd worked for me and after last update they fixed lot of what you complained about , it now shows volyme nr1-100 the audible refreschrate in KHz in upper left, in audioconsole you has a 8 band manual EQ and preset EQ from moondrop as the dusk dsp. Woul be nice if you borrow it from your daugther and evaluate this new futures from a pro reviewer perspective.

[@rajeebdas1724]

Great review.. Kindly review the Hiby R4 as well. Budget gear deserve all the love.

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks. I would love to review R4 too once I can get hold of one

[@Drakken2030]

First off let me start off by saying that I absolutely love your videos I love your real world take on the audio genre. I love your comparisons 100 and I think that you provide us with a great source of normalcy to this overhyped market. Now with that being said I would really like you to do an in-depth video on the difference between daps. Because at the end of the day this is nothing more than an high end MP3 player. And I'm not understanding why we are acting like because it could support 4.4 mm headphone jack or it has one watt of power that this somehow means that it should cost as much as a standard Android cell phone all of these apps come with at best low to mid-range phone specs. And when you look at the phones that dominate the specs they usually are around 4 to 500 bucks. Yet somehow if you take that $500 low-end phone and you remove the cellular component. You remove the high-end touch screen display add you add a headphone jack and amplifier and somehow this is supposed to justify the jump in price tag over a phone when you yourself and I have to be honest because of your recommendations I have bought dongles that have given me and other users so much more functionality over their phone than ever before at not even half the cost of these daps. Please because I have asked others to do this and they have not so far so now I'm asking you can you make an in-depth video on the true pros and cons of having a digital audio player over a high-end dongle. Because truthfully I'm not really seeing the value in buying something like this and as a member of the audiophile community I have spoken to others who feel the same way and I would just like somebody of credible stature like yourself to help bring some clarity to this issue

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks for the support. I understand your perspective and this is something that I used to see as well. The what and why. Ultimately, it all becomes too confusing if you yourself don't set your own borderline, when we use what others perceive as Endgame to influence our own needs. Endgame should be set by us, by what we deem as fulfilling and the ones that gives us joy the most, no matter the price (be it super cheap or super expensive). The existence of different form of devices are not always about "which one is better", but to serve different needs and different preferences, while some find it totally viable to use direct phone out from their phones, some find it super cumbersome hence the need to use a dedicated DAP to handle purely music playback, with lots of options to tweak here and there (many things that you can't do on a phone). I keep my perspective open, I will not judge why a person would choose one device over the other, it is their money to spend and their choice on what or how they want to spend it, for as long as they are happy with it. My focus has always been to describe what an item could offer and how the audience would perceive that as useful or not useful to them. But yes, when I have the time I would like to do this video of why you would want to use one over the other, but I would never assert one should use this or that because of my personal preferences. Cheers

[@ronenbuium7699]

I am very happy that you are also reviewing and comparing a potentially good DAPs and DAC/AMP Combos! But can you also give scores to the sound? (Like the scores you are giving to the Dongles) Thanks 🙏

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks, once I have enough data I will likely start making score charts for DAPs as well. As of now my coverage on DAPs are still very limited

[@EleaticStranger]

Very thorough and informative review. Thank you!

[@AndyAudioVault]

My pleasure!

[@iggy6841]

Great vid and review Andy. I just use my phone with micro SD card through a dongle. Was wondering how do you get your music on your dap device, cd rips or file downloads?

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks. I used to own hundreds of CDs which was ripped to FLAC few years back. Now I buy new FLAC files on Bandcamp

[@topandrun126]

I really appreciate your in depth reviews thank you. I'm still curious about the blind test between a smartphone and the m23. Just wanted to know how much of a differences in terms of sound quality so i can decide if it worth buying a dap instead of continue using my smartphone as my player.

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks, I have another more extensive blind test coming up soon. So keep your fingers crossed :D

[@topandrun126]

@donglemadness I'm here never miss any of your videos.

[@anthonyberryman3443]

Great review! Can you download music on your Apps like Tidal, Apple and Qobuz to listen offline? Thanks in advance.

[@AndyAudioVault]

Yes you can, just like any other Android devices, the limitation only the space you have to do offline download

[@lukeeong]

Hi Andy, can i ask your opinion of this FiiO M23 vs my Onix AL1? Also, if I wanted to get a DAP, should I go for Hiby R4 instead? As always, my sincere thanks

[@AndyAudioVault]

Honestly sound quality wise I personally feel that ONIX Alpha offers richer and denser sound while both are technically on par. You get M23 especially if you want to enhance your listening experience with the rich controls M23 offer which ONIX Alpha is lacking. R4 is also a great option because of the rich options (almost as good as M23)

[@lukeeong]

@@AndyAudioVault thank you Andy

[@stevymaradona2838]

My opinion: the real contender for M23 in terms of price is M15 1st generation (used) in Indonesia. But for the bang for bucks, coz the sound performance is not very far is the M11 LTD or M11pro

[@GoogleDario]

Great review Andy! 👍🏼👍🏼 Can you compare the M23 with the iBasso DX 170? I actually love the way the iBasso is tuned. I like the warm, detailed and cozy sound, how would it differ from the AKM DAC?

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks, I haven't tried DX170 so I have no idea how they compares. I will not assume until I have the opportunity to try them myself. If I do get my hands on DX170, then I will get back on this subject

[@PK-nm4dc]

Andy, many thanks for this review. I have a questions regarding your comparison with Q15. How would rate these two devices when it comes purely to sound performance. Apart from small differences in tuning/sound signature (more neutral vs more organic), does Q15 match M23 when it comes to other sound aspects?

[@AndyAudioVault]

Aside from what I have mentioned in this video, Q15 and M23 are on par when it comes to resolution, imaging, dynamic transients handling and energy. Also M23 is slightly wider with soundstage while Q15 favors more traditional AKM frontal staging

[@PK-nm4dc]

@@AndyAudioVault Much appreciate your response, Andy. So, from the perspective of an HD600 owner who is not necessarily looking for a portable device Q15 seems to be more reasonable choice. Although I must say this smooth clearness and openness of M23's sound is tempting. On the other note, do you think you will have a chance to listen to the newest FiiO K9 AKM version (AK4191EQ+AK4499EX)?

[@AndyAudioVault]

@@PK-nm4dc Yes that's pretty much spot on. I hope soon I would be able to have a listen to K9 AKM. Thanks

[@GlennEdell]

I recently bought the Astell & Kern Kann Alpha and even though the sound is great the UI is just terrible. You can't find a more laggy experience than the Kann Alpha. Also the WiFi sucks. I can go on and on and on about problems with the player - it just sucks. It's no fun using it. It makes me so mad and sad since the player was a thousand dollars. Even dowloaded music lags using Tidal. Unacceptable! I will sell it. I ordered this FiiO M23 in stainless steel yesterday and I have high hopes for a more fun experience. Besides sound the overall experience has to be good in my opinion. Thanks for the review :)

[@AndyAudioVault]

No worries

[@AhmadGhaziA]

Fiio PEQ is good. It just needs to be more stable.

[@ronenbuium7699]

Hi Andy, Compered to your reference device: "Burson Audio Playmate 2", which one is better? And why? Thank you 🙏

[@AndyAudioVault]

Playmate 2 (V7) is superior with overall resolution and imaging

[@digitalpay]

고맙습니다. Terima kasih atas ulasan menakjubkan Anda. Penjelasan rinci dan kaya sangat membantu. Dan M11plus adalah informasi yang baik dibandingkan dengan M23 👋👋👋

[@AndyAudioVault]

My pleasure

[@1st_Nook]

Nice review. ❤ Next one Onix alpah xI1 right?

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks, and you are right ONIX is next

[@1st_Nook]

@@AndyAudioVault ❤️❤️❤️

[@Angel-AbC9]

My bottom line take is , if u own the m11 plus ess it's not worth moving to m23 , it's to similar in sound and features with the equalizer . I can see they are trying to nodge the newer m23 for sale but I'm not buying the hype.

[@AndyAudioVault]

It is not necessarily hype, I have tried both M11 Plus and M23, they offer options for people to understand that there are differences to suit different needs, I never mentioned that M23 being an upgrade over M11 Plus, my point was, if there is a need for something less bold sounding, something a bit more toned down with dynamic energy, then M23 suits those needs better than M11 Plus without losing the resolution and imaging M11 Plus offers, and if the analytical focus is what a user prefer, then M11 Plus would probably work best for them. This is all about options because we must never assume, just because one work for a person, it also must work for someone else

[@tonkfangnsx5536]

Hello. Just asking. Have you consider to review aftermarket C to C cable like those from DDHiFI TC05 or TC07? And have you tried C to C cable that usually used for charging to use it on DAC?

[@AndyAudioVault]

I did consider it and perhaps will do one when I have the time. Yes I use USB C cables that are data capable like Magtame cables that I reviewed here in my channel, most data cables will work properly for DAC

[@lukeeong]

Hi there, just to share with you. I bought the higher end TC09 and it was ok but not great. I lose some resolution surprisingly. As a fun fact, I compared it to a USB-C to USB-C cable that came with my Moondrop moonriver TI, and that moondrop cable is very very good. But I can’t buy it separately ..

[@tonkfangnsx5536]

@@lukeeong Huh. Basically, Moondrop Moon river TI cable > Tc09 cable?? Welp. I better buy the one that has extra function like Ibasso CB19 that can draw power from different sources so our DAC wont drain our source too much.

[@lukeeong]

@@tonkfangnsx5536yah…. I did a blind test with some people and the conclusion is the same. I felt ‘cheated’ hahaha

[@stephengriffin1541]

As far as I’m aware even high end daps do not run more than 64g of internal storage. They all have one or two micro sd card slots, many of which are capable of reading 2tb cards (if you can find or afford reliable 2tb cards!)

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Moondrop phone is half the price. I don't know if it's any good but that's my initial thought when I see the price

[@pedroaranha2355]

I have the miad01 Also the m1p dongle So far the miad works very well, I haven’t missed anything and can’t really tell a difference between the sound vs the m1p or my topping amps… + i am able to power all my headphones ( including hd600 )

[@CesarEnglishTeacherCesar7Peru]

este vídeo es mil veces mejor gracias al gatito

[@AndyAudioVault]

Geoff says thank you! 😻

[@Adt800]

hello, i already have M11 Plus ESS. i love the warm character m11 plus ess. but dont like the soundstage, its feel narrow. if i change to m23, i can feel the huge differences?

[@AndyAudioVault]

At this stage, huge is no longer the measure of differences. M23 does sound more open and spacious as how me and Ben tested

[@radiofreealbemuth]

I was wondering if i can ask a newbie question: does the Fiio M23 offer better sound quality than a standard android phone as a music source, if you connect it via USB to your desktop DAC amp setup? For example, does your iem or headphone sound better with your Burson Playmate or JDS Atom stack if you connect it via USB C to the Fiio M23, versus an android phone? I ask because a DAP like the M23 can play bit perfect audio and doesn't downsample your FLAC files like standard android devices.

[@AndyAudioVault]

If you run your Android phone via HIBY Music app with USB Exclusive mode, then you will get equal SRC Bypass like what you get on M23, but they key thing here is you need to bypass SRC limitations. On M23, you don't have to worry which app you use because the whole system is already SRC bypassed

[@radiofreealbemuth]

@@AndyAudioVault ah, thank you for the explanation. I heard bypassing SRC was not possible with my android phone, but I'll try looking into Hiby Music.

[@shahkhan110]

Hi...on only SQ aspect, how much better is this M23 as compared to dongles like dacport, FC6 or DC04 pro etc...

[@AndyAudioVault]

M23 is quite comparable to dongles like HIBY FC6 (FC6 actually sounder richer and denser but with less width and more frontal staging), almost identical to Aune Yuki/iBasso DC Elite and a few others

[@Masimo_Yovanni]

Some people are saying the M23 cuts off after 2 or 3 songs, have you experienced any playback issues with the M23?

[@AndyAudioVault]

Not that I am aware of, I have played my M23 continuously though my playlist with different songs for hours and not a single one of them cuts off. Be it Tidal or HIBY Music local FLAC playlist, no issues at all

[@jackfein8914]

Good video😌

[@AndyAudioVault]

Thanks!

[@thedar7164]

Thank you

[@AndyAudioVault]

My pleasure!

[@joegarcia6276]

Is it a huge change in sound quality over the m11s I love the sound quality on the m11s with tidal hifi

[@AndyAudioVault]

No, quality wise they are the same, as noted in this video, both are equally analytical and resolving, M23 just offer a different tuning for more refined and smoother, toned down dynamic energy and more analog timbre, M11 Plus focuses more on being technical, sharper edged resolution

[@joegarcia6276]

@@AndyAudioVault not the plus... the m11s.... from fiio

[@junclj]

Can I play Tidal/Qobuz straight without UAPP to get bit-perfect on this DAP? I want to play straight with Tidal/Qobuz because I need to ride airplane, there don't have internet inside the airplane. I need to pre-download all the music before I switch to flight mode.

[@AndyAudioVault]

Yes it can, anything you play on this DAP is always Bitperfect regardless what player you use

[@jogobonito2146]

Compare with ibbaso dx260 which one better for clarity

[@AndyAudioVault]

For clarity both DX260 and M23 are equally matched

[@goodvibesonly2847]

What is the sound quality of the 3.5mm terminal of this product. Is it the same as 4.4??

[@AndyAudioVault]

For efficient to drive partners, yes, the quality is comparable to the 4.4mm side

[@jamesk5323]

How it compares to K9 AKM? It has the exact DAC and Amp.

[@AndyAudioVault]

The one I have tried was just K9 ESS, so I would not know how the K9 AKM would compare to this

[@Amathusukx]

Is this worth an upgrade from the M11s

[@AndyAudioVault]

I hope someone who has tried M11s and M23 can help you with that, I have only tried M11+ ESS

[@arthurkillen396]

How does this compare to the Mojo 2, strictly in terms of sound?

[@AndyAudioVault]

With EQ off on both, Mojo 2 is sharper and crisper with imaging and resolution, more analytical like a well-tuned ESS Sabre unit. M23 just like many properly tuned AKM devices, offer smoother edged presentation, less bold. Also M23 offers wider sense of staging

[@Malik08902]

@@AndyAudioVault Hi! if you compare these? q15-m23-mojo2?

[@mokisan]

Its not qhd resolution. Its 720p+

[@neutral010]

it needs to be compared to shanling m5 ultra

[@FleurSosa]

I wish I could buy it….😅

[@НИКОЛАЙМУРАВЬЁВ-г5м]

Hello Andy. I have a topic that may be of interest to you. I am the owner of Fiio M17 and Fiio M15. I tried connecting these players in USB DAC mode to Android smartphones (three different Android models) to transmit sound from the smartphone to these player in USB DAC mode. Nothing worked for me. I contacted FIIO technical support and they emailed me the following: “Hi, are you using the C to C cable with direction? If not, please try the OTG C to C cable with direction to see whether it helps? The USB DAC function of M17 is not designed for Android mobile phone originally. So the connectin has some limitations."End quote. I want to ask you to try connecting your FIIO M23 in USB DAC mode to your Android smartphone and tell us all how it went. Thank you for your work.

[@AndyAudioVault]

I have just connected my M23 to my PC using a third party USB A to C data cable, connected successfully and the way it operates, Max volume 100/100 on PC/Windows, then only adjust volume on the M23. Working perfectly fine as far as I can see and I can adjust the Audio settings on M23

[@НИКОЛАЙМУРАВЬЁВ-г5м]

@@AndyAudioVault Yes, donglemadnes, everything works fine with PC and FIIO M15, M17. The problem is only with Android smartphones and transferring audio from them to FIIO M15, M17 (in USB DAC mode. If it’s not difficult for you, please try your FIIO M23 with an Android smartphone. Thank you.

[@theegreatest9322]

From both the 15 and 17 Wich one would u say is better for SQ ? I recently had the fiio m11 plus brought my sound system alive ! Long story short I lost it so now I wanna see if I should get either of those . Or just get another m11 plus since I liked it that much .

[@НИКОЛАЙМУРАВЬЁВ-г5м]

​@@theegreatest9322For SQ, FIIO M17 is undoubtedly better than M15 (for my taste). FIIO M15 sounds too honey-sweet and less analytical in comparison with FIIO M17. Before FIIO M15 there was IBASSO DX200 and that’s probably why I got used to SABRE. Although it should be noted that The DSD format sounds quite similar in both 17 and 15. Before buying, pay attention to the dimensions of the FIIO M17. It will not fit into your pocket. I carry it in a belt bag. They say that the FIIO M15S is very similar to the FIIO M17 in sound, but is more modest in power and dimensions. Have a good sound!

[@htk18119]

Apple music can or not

[@AndyAudioVault]

Yes can

[@Павел-м2б2ы]

lately you don't mention your favorite tanchjim zero and even put it below (60) in your rating, what happened, love has passed 🙂

[@AndyAudioVault]

The love for Tanchjim Zero is still there and always, just that ever since I have grown fond of SIVGA Nightingale, that Nightingale took over everything of all the tons of IEMs I have with me

[@RESURRECT2]

M23 vs Cayin RU7?

[@AndyAudioVault]

Sound wise they are similar, you want a DAP when you need more controls and flexibility which is very limited on dongles

[@Leo-yn5fx]

AK >>> ES

[@lowbudgetpcmr8122]

Day 17 of asking for Fiio KA11 Review video :)

[@matusjurcik6974]

10:27 just thinking about eq makes Andy puke, hehe 😁

[@AndyAudioVault]

🤣🤣🙃

[@Angel-AbC9]

Fiio is competing with there own daps instead of trying to take on sony , basso, AK , at a better price.

[@shamnoor07]

Not worth.... Rm3k+ Hahahaha Better get fiio R7