Fiio Q3 - A Good Product With Silly Flaws

[@dc99yt]

To drive a high impedance headphones, you will need to use the balanced output, which will provide a higher peak-to-peak voltage to the 3.5mm output, I have it connected to my HD6XX(300Ω), and Q3 has no problem driving them.

[@annelouisemendoza394]

So good to hear true unbiased review from you again. I was thinking of buying this one.

[@Shammyboi89]

Did you Buy it?

[@3062-l7g]

Would be lovely to hear your list of recommendations regarding different be price range and sound signature. For instance, i would like an openback headphones and portable dac combo with good instrument separation, wide soundstage soundstage and good subwoofer effect for mid-bass. Would it be achievable in 500usd? Great work! The audiophile scene needs more practical, precise wording and objective reviews like yours =)

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

only option i can remember is tm9+dx3, its not a headphone though

[@HiFiGOAudio]

It is a pretty solid device just lacks on some power when paired with headphones, overall the output has a noise-free dark background!! Excellent review from you!!

[@minnami778]

Hello.. I’m planning to buy a Beyer DT 990 pro 250ohm. Should I get this one and save some money or should I go for hip dac 1 (if 2 worth it to upgrade?) I don’t use mqa as I don’t use Tidal. Thank you very much. If you may have any suggestions, pls suggest me. Thank you very much 😇

[@NoThemeReviews]

Hip Dac V2 is not worth the price. It has no relevant improvements. The Q3 is fine and you should try and save money

[@minnami778]

@@NoThemeReviews thank you very much for a fast reply.

[@conandrum74]

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?

[@vaporizer1000]

I don`t know how possible using it with base boost. Maybe I have different iem but it is complitly don`t working for me. And sound from this q3 without any feeling of air, so not for every preson product for sure.

[@LakerTriangle]

Great review - it reaffirms the Hip-Dac was the right one for me. Like those Hart Audio cables...I had some custom ones made and are on the way.

[@dc99yt]

I don’t like this Hip-DAC because you have to remember to bring an OTG or Lightning camera cable. On the Q3, you just need to take one Lightning to USB-C cable (which you can use for charging the iPhone as well) or just a basic USB-C cable for smartphones with USB-C connection.

[@Yigit_Hacioglu]

Hi! I have MacBook Pro 16 inch 2020 and using tidal, earphones are bang Olufsen H9i do you recommended this device ? I just bought it, on the way...

[@NoThemeReviews]

Sure the Q3 is a fine device. You’ll get plenty of power for your B&O and the Q3 should serve you well for at least a few years.

[@Yigit_Hacioglu]

@@NoThemeReviews Thanks for reply! Already bought i think tomorrow ill get it 👍🏻

[@monotasking1611]

Nice review! Do you think the q3 would power my Audio Technica ATH-MSR7b to full potential? I don't want to order the DAC just to try

[@NoThemeReviews]

I don't have the MSR7B so I can't say with any certainty. However, it should get plenty of power with the balanced output on the Q3.

[@lamarhooks8351]

Totally off the topic but I would love to see a comparison between 800s, utopia, and clear.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Aha! Weeeeellll...funny you should mention that. I've been working on something for a while with these three headphones. Hopefully soon.

[@jaroslavfricek7772]

I just got the Fiio Q3 Hope won’t be dissapointed...😊

[@twraia]

Thanks for the review. As an owner of Q1ii, I’d like to know if there’s any sonic improvement with the Q3. According to FiiO’s own website, the main sonic related change seems to be the THX power amplifier, which seems to suggest that there’s not much perceivable difference. I still haven’t come across reviews online that compares the two though

[@NoThemeReviews]

Unfortunately I don’t have the Q1 to compare to the Q3. I think the dacs are different. Fiio doesn’t really have a specific sound signature. Each product is a little different from others they make. But I think they do try to keep some type of consistency. I’d say from my use of Fiio products that they are either neutral or just marginally warm, smoothing out treble. Of course, since they’ve developed so many products, I can’t say this impression is true as a rule.

[@twraia]

@@NoThemeReviews Thanks for the comment! I was referring to this link from FiiO which explains the differences between the two products, in case if anyone's interested www.fiio.com/newsinfo/450076.html

[@bagajohny1673]

@@NoThemeReviews Can you review fiio K3? I see you have K5 pro which is a upgrade to K3. Maybe tell which one to get. or in general if the cost is justified.

[@NoThemeReviews]

@@bagajohny1673 I don't have the K3 to review.

[@billwiley7216]

I just ordered one of these, I was thinking about going ahead and getting the Q5s as it has a lot more power and features but many sites are now listing the Q5s as "discontinued". I am wondering if that is due to the fire at the AKM chip plant making many chipsets to produce the products not currently available. Due to this possibility on many AKM chip based components if you want a product that is manufactured using these chips I would not wait long to make my purchase. I saw an interview back a few months ago by Jason of Schiit Audio stating they had a stockpile of AKM chips that would hold them for up to a year on production of many of their products but after that who knows what the future holds. I see a big uptick for the next year or two on the resurgence of Burr Brown chipset based products hitting the market due to the AKM chip shortages and non availability.

[@janala69]

How is the Dragonfly Cobalt compared to Fiio Q3?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Very different. The Q3 has a lot more power, more output options, better build, and probably a slightly more neutral sound signature--though it is sometimes hard to tell since power output will affect what you hear. The bottom line is that none of the Audioquest products are worth their MSRP at this point. There are so many alternatives, both with and without MQA, at cheaper prices, that the Dragonfly series are pretty dated. The only "benefit" to the Drangonfly's is that they're pocket-friendly...but you'll have to judge if this feature is worth the cost.

[@Satyajit_Dey]

Can the q3 and hip dac drive dt1990 pros to its full potential?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes

[@ValerieFire]

I was told the Q3 would only be good for IEM's. Can it power higher impedance devices like the 50 Ohm / 112 dB/mW Sennheiser 598 or 80 Ohm / 96dB/mW Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes. There’s not much the Q3 can’t drive.

[@ValerieFire]

@@NoThemeReviews Thank you!

[@diegomaat7050]

I wanna buy the audio technica msr7b with this dac fiio q3, it is a good combo tho? Thanks for the great review!

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yeah of course. But for the minor issues of the Q3, it’s a perfectly good amp/dac

[@Zzer012]

Is this one good for Sennheiser hd600? Thank you

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes it will work fine with the HD600

[@sesame25]

Well.. Thanks for the review! But I'm more confused now, i planned to get the HiFiMAN Sundara + topping nx4 but now it's even more complicated.. If you add the xDuoo dx5 basic to the list, it's a mess

[@heliopijpe]

The Topping is really sterile to my ears, clear, but cold also, I don't think it will pair well with the Sundara, I would go for a Bravo Audio Ocean, or the Hip Dac, something warmer ..

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yeah, I can understand why you say that. The Sundara does benefit from a warmer sounding dac/amp.

[@heliopijpe]

@@NoThemeReviews Right? Unless you'r going into Mojo price territory, something refined ... Oh btw, you should take a look at the Lotoo S1 if you get the chance, doesn't go well with low sensitivity / high power devices imo, BUT, super low noise floor and very controlled, neutral sound ;-) (also no battery , just USB-C plug and play ;-) ) (The Austrian HX55 is on my list btw, for monitoring, thx alot for that)

[@nicktan4530]

Hi, am still having troubled finding protable amp/dac for my needs. What is your main protable amp/dac and why ?

[@NoThemeReviews]

What are your needs and budget?

[@nicktan4530]

@@NoThemeReviews No budget. Just transparent with excellent technicalities, nuetral. Sound priority comes first. What is your main protable amp/dac and why ?

[@NoThemeReviews]

@@nicktan4530 I use the Ikko Zerda most of the time. It's pretty neutral, plug-and-play, and drives all of my medium impedance headphones. For more power and options, I use the Monolith THX Portable; for neutral and powerful I use the NX4.

[@nicktan4530]

@@NoThemeReviews So does that means you need both one for hard to drive and for power and the other for more portable low impedence. I have both easy and hard to drive.

[@NoThemeReviews]

No. If you have 150-300 ohm headphones, then just get an amp/dac that provides sufficient power for your most power-hungry headphones. It helps a lot when the device has a gain switch, so you can still use it with more sensitive headphones or IEMs.

[@Zicrixdoesart]

Rolled off vocal sibilance? That's all I needed to hear :)

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

lul, its really a true best monitor it even change sounds to dacs

[@daniellevy7043]

Whats up No Theme? Appreciate the type of reviews you make. Was wondering if you could give me a rec. Unfortunately, I pulled the trigger on a btr5 after watching the hype and didn't read your review until it was too late. what would you rec a basshead that listens mostly to hip hop (IEMs and cans) and wants to feel low frequencies and couldn't care less about accuracy. The lack of EQ on the btr5 ticked me off and now i'm eyeing the hip dac and the qudelix 5k.... Want serious bass boost that doesn't distort... Help!.....

[@NoThemeReviews]

If you want true EQ options, then there's no better alternative than the Earstudio ES100. Its integrated mobile app is the best; you'll get features Fiio, Shanling, and any other company simply cannot match. The ES100's app has a ton of preset EQs, which work quite well, but it also has a meaningful 10-band EQ. If you want a portable BT amp/dac for EQ, this is the only one that meets those requirements. Of course, you could just as easily download the Hiby Music App and use its EQ, but that doesn't help you at all if you're streaming music.

[@daniellevy7043]

@@NoThemeReviews Thanks man, so ES100 EQ beats out the qudelix?

[@NoThemeReviews]

@@daniellevy7043 I can't say what the Qudelix offers, since I have not heard it. All I can say is that from my experience with the BTR5, W3, UP4, and ES100, the ES100 excels in the app/EQ area. The Qudelix's app might be similar to the ES100--and the photos they post on Amazon seem to suggest this. Its reported power output is twice that of the ES100, so that might be a factor as well.

[@daniellevy7043]

@@NoThemeReviews Much appreciated!

[@Hydrasito]

Can this Fiio handle a Sennheiser 58x jubilee well?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yes

[@_._shinonome_._]

Will the q3 be good for an akg k702? I'm on a bit of a budget and I know that fiio is generally reliable so is if ok and if not, will anything else within the £150 range that is better ? Using with a pc btw

[@NoThemeReviews]

I don’t have the 702 and can’t say. However, that headphone is very easy to drive and the Q3 is a fairly neutral amp/Dac so I can’t imagine a reason why the combo wouldn’t be suitable. Within that price range you also have the Topping NX4 and iFi Hip Dac. I can’t say any of these are “better” than the others-they’re all different in some respects and you just have to figure out which one is best for you.

[@andreaaaaaaa574]

Did you know if portable DACs work properly with old iPhones (5, 5s, original 2016 SE), because new smartphones are too big for being uses just for music. Alternatively i would have liked to try a cheap DAP + DAC combo (fiio m7 + mojo) but i believe DAPs worsened the performance of external DACs.

[@NoThemeReviews]

I don't have any older phones to test, so I can't say.

[@pointsofhonesty]

my q3 and q5s works with my iphone se 2016

[@Revolutionized]

Great video. If you want to product to break new ground, you should try the FiiO K9 Pro. The price and qualifications are quite different but since it is a newer product, I think there has been just a few reliable reviews if not never.

[@ssuong5139]

Thanks for the very nice detail review

[@yogibear2584]

I got q3 the bass boost is horrible it boosts pretty much right through to 1k,, especially horrible when your used to ifis boost. The treble for me where q3 shines

[@NoThemeReviews]

It's a bit strange how Fiio implemented the boost. It's as if they purposefully tuned the sub-bass with a roll-off so you could hear the boost.

[@ramyahoo]

Do you have a list of recommend gear at different price points?

[@NoThemeReviews]

Kind of. I made a 2019 Holiday Buying Guide, which somewhat provides recommendations within price brackets. I wasn’t too happy with the result, and this year’s Guide will be much more precise. I should have it uploaded before Thanksgiving.

[@ramyahoo]

@@NoThemeReviews Awesome! Looking forward to it.

[@theodorezurla496]

The ifi hip dac and THX monolith portable are the best imo 👍

[@rickyh527]

Oh thank God, I thought I was going to wait months for your review! I could only get halfway into Zeos' review until I couldn't stomach his "review" any more. I'm glad you've partnered with a vendor to provide you with the latest products that doesn't compromise your unbiased, analytical reviews. I've recently purchased the Sennheiser 599--it was on sale for $130. My question is; I currently use them with my Galaxy Note 8, it seems to provide enough power where they're loud enough at max volume, but I'm not sure if I'm missing out on the headphone's potential or if said "potential" is hype-driven echo-chamber placebo. I know what the graphs say, but will that translate to anything real world? If so, how does it compare to anything similar or less? I'm not looking to break the bank, but for a noticeable, enjoyable improvement and experience, I can see $150 being a worthwhile purchase. For reference, I was looking at the Topping NX4 and the like. Thanks again!

[@NoThemeReviews]

It's a pointless endeavor to look for proper specs for smartphones. I couldn't find any headphone output specs for the Note 8. I don't have that phone, and can't definitively say whether I think it performs well with the 599. But, there are some general points that may be helpful. First, smartphones have bottom-barrel headphone amplifiers, and are designed to work with bottom-barrel earphones. Remember, manufacturers used to include cheap earbuds in the package (not any more of course). Second, normal impedance headphones will probably get "loud enough" on smartphones. Third, "loud enough" does not mean the headphones are getting sufficient power/current/voltage for peak performance. My opinion is that a dedicated headphone amplifier is always a good investment as an addition to your mobile device. Although I hate dongle life, products like the Ikko Zerda do provide an upgrade in dac and amp compared to the stock components in typical smartphones. Bottom line: if you're happy with your music on the 599/Note 8, then there's really no need to spend more money. If you are unhappy, or you want to try an alternative dac/amp to what's included in the phone, then I can recommend a couple of budget-friendly options: Ikko Zerda, Monolith USB Dac, iFi Hip Dac, Topping NX4. The Zerda comes in a Apple Lightning and USB-C variety. It's plug-and-play on computers and mobile devices. You may have to configure audio output in Android through the Developer's menu. The Zerda is close to neutral, but adds a bit of smoothness to the mids, a slight treble roll-off. It is built very well and renders high resolution audio. The Monolith is analogous to the Audioquest Cobalt, but a whole lot cheaper. The Monolith does not render MQA and has an all-plastic build; there are a number of QC complaints, but I personally have not experienced any faults. The Monolith is neutral; it has volume buttons on the side, which can be helpful with some mobile applications. The Hip Dac is a warm-sounding unit; it has an excellent bass boost feature that does not bloat the sound. It has balanced output along with 3.5mm. It does MQA. It's a great product, but does not drive high impedance headphones particularly well. The NX4 is neutral. It's been a staple in the audiophile community because of its build and sound quality. It drives high impedance headphones slightly better than the Hip Dac. Of course, there are many other options, but these four are the ones I think bring most value for money.

[@rickyh527]

@@NoThemeReviews Thank you for your response, it was greatly helpful! I completely agree with your recommendations and ultimately will go for the Topping NX4. Over the last week or so, I started off with various budget-friendly options, using your past videos and measured-data websites to help narrow down my choice. It was actually last night where I decided the Topping NX4 to be the best option and after your reply to my inquiry, it has solidified my choice. If you have an Amazon link vendor-equivalent link to the NX4, I'd be more than happy to support you in that manner! Thank you very much for the time you took to reply to my questions and as someone who has found your channel two weeks ago, I'm glad your content exists to cut through the rest. There is no doubt in my mind, given the effort you put in your reviews, you will certainly "blow up", as it were.

[@NoThemeReviews]

@@rickyh527 No problem. If you want to support my channel, you can use the following Amazon link for the NX4. amzn.to/3mM3p47

[@ValerieFire]

Great review

[@kuma-bw1we]

looks like a good product for sure.. ^^ nice one!

[@JefferyQuinoa]

“if your done paying jeff bezos more money” legit the best argument you could have made

[@the14u36]

Just got mine 5 mins volume striped anyone else have this issue

[@joelmcghee5265]

im not a photographer but auto focus might be needed bc when opening the devise on your table it is blury and hard to see. Nice video. :)

[@twraia]

Are you planning to make a video about the Andromeda?

[@NoThemeReviews]

I already did; I compared it to the Tin Hifi IEMs

[@twraia]

@@NoThemeReviews found & watched it, thanks mate, you’ve saved me $1100 dollars!

[@mrfrosty3]

I was considering buying this but when I heard about the power switch nonsense it really pissed me off. I know it sounds a bit extreme but I see their decision to override the user's decision as a serious disregard for their customer. That was one of a few reasons for my decision to buy the HipDac and I'm not exactly overjoyed with that.

[@HomeStudioBasics]

Lol High res placebo lol.

[@kuma-bw1we]

I had a fight with Audeze fanboy today.. I said M1570 is as good as LCD-2 , then I link your video to let him watch, but he refused to watch it.. and insist that Audeze is better..... he said I shouldn't buy clones , cuz original always better...... than he linked the mobius to me ...........HLEPPPPPPPPPPP

[@NoThemeReviews]

You chose to argue with an idiot. You can’t win such arguments. You’ve got two options: don’t engage with fanboys; they pleasure each other and there’s no point in jumping in the middle. Second, you can ignore what they say and keep repeating your position for everyone else; that pisses them off and they quickly show how incompetent they are. I’ve tried to show people that audio is no mystery, and that people should use critical thinking. That’s all you can do. Give rational people info and let them make their decisions. Fanboys as a matter of fact are not rational. So why waste time on them when you can talk to reasonable people-who vastly outnumber the self-pleasuring fanbabies?

[@kuma-bw1we]

@@NoThemeReviews he said he has been a audiophile since a long time, he own and sold many cans, and go to canjam, he eventually settle down on LCD-2C, he refused to watch any of your videos even when I linked it. ........ ..he said he has "golden ears" , he said m1570 can never be as good as LCD-2 and original always better. He thinks my M1070 is overpriced, it's funny because his LCD-2C is $800 USD. He tells me to buy LCD-2C, even though I already owned M1070.

[@NoThemeReviews]

He’s full of shit. No point in talking to people as stubborn and illogical as he seems to be. He’s blissfully ignorant of the fact that Audeze is taking advantage of his stupidity. So be it.

[@kuma-bw1we]

@@NoThemeReviews he said he has "golden ears", what does that even mean?

[@NoThemeReviews]

I don't know what HE specifically means, but generally "golden ears" is a term that certain audiophiles use to say they have superior hearing from everyone else. Often they claim they can hear frequencies and subtilties that are scientifically impossible to discern. Other times, more reasonable in their group, will say that "golden ears" to them means they have "trained" themselves to better understand how equipment and instruments sound. There is some truth to that. But anyone who claims their opinion means a lot more because of "golden ears" is full of shit.

[@os666-bo1zr]

Fiio q3 is over priced