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INTRODUCTION
With the advent of the new Apple iPhone 7 and later models, they have slowly but surely been removing the 3.5mm audio socket, and forcibly moving people to use either Blue-tooth, or earphones / headphones which can be used straight from the lightning socket. This of course requires an adaptor or rewiring. FiiO saw this as an opportunity, and this year released the i1 – an Apple certified micro DAC/amp with lightning port.
So let’s put this $40 device through its paces and see how it performs and if it is worth considering.
ABOUT FiiO
By now, most Head-Fi members should know about the FiiO Electronics Company. If you don’t, here’s a very short summary.
FiiO was first founded in 2007. Their first offerings were some extremely low cost portable amplifiers – which were sometimes critiqued by some seasoned Head-Fiers as being low budget “toys”. But FiiO has spent a lot of time with the community here, and continued to listen to their potential buyers, adopt our ideas, and grow their product range. Today, their range includes DAPs, portable amps, portable dac/amps, desktop dac/amps, earphones, cables and other accessories.
FiiO’s products have followed a very simple formula since 2007 – affordable, stylish, well built, functional, measuring well, and most importantly sounding good.
DISCLAIMER
The FiiO i1 iOS lightning portable amplifier and DAC that I’m reviewing today is supplied by FiiO completely free of charge, and is done so for the purpose of providing a review. I don't receive any payment or incentive to provide the review – but I do get to keep the sample.
I have now had the i1 for about 3 months, but I don't really use it regularly (mainly because I have an iPhone SE which still has the 3.5mm socket). The retail price at time of review is USD 40.
PREAMBLE - 'ABOUT ME'. (or a base-line for interpreting my thoughts and bias)
I'm a 50 year old music lover. I don't say audiophile – I just love my music. Over the last couple of years, I have slowly changed from cheaper listening set-ups to my current set-up. I vary my listening from portables (mostly now from the FiiO X5iii, X7ii and iPhone SE) to my desk-top's set-up (PC > USB > iFi iDSD). My main full sized headphones at the time of writing are the Sennheiser HD800S, Sennheiser HD600 & HD630VB, MS Pro and AKG K553. Most of my portable listening is done with IEMs, and lately it has mainly been with my personally owned Jays q-Jays, Alclair Curve2, and LZ Big Dipper. A full list of the gear I have owned (past and present – although needs updating) is listed in my Head-Fi profile.
I have very eclectic music tastes listening to a variety from classical/opera and jazz, to grunge and general rock. I listen to a lot of blues, jazz, folk music, classic rock, indie and alternative rock. I am particularly fond of female vocals. I generally tend toward cans that are relatively neutral/balanced, but I do have a fondness for clarity, and suspect I might have slight ‘treble-head’ preferences. I am not treble sensitive (at all), and in the past have really enjoyed headphones like the K701, SR325i, and of course the T1 and DT880. I have a specific sensitivity to the 2-3 kHz frequency area (most humans do) but my sensitivity is particularly strong, and I tend to like a relatively flat mid-range with slight elevation in the upper-mids around this area.
I have extensively tested myself (ABX) and I find aac256 or higher to be completely transparent. I do use exclusively red-book 16/44.1 if space is not an issue. All of my music is legally purchased (mostly CD – the rest FLAC purchased on-line). I tend to be sceptical about audiophile ‘claims’, don’t generally believe in burn-in, have never heard a difference with different cables (unless impedance related etc), and would rather test myself blind on perceived differences. I am not a ‘golden eared listener’. I suffer from mild tinnitus, and at 50, my hearing is less than perfect (it only extends to around 14 kHz nowadays). My usual listening level is around 65-75 dB.
I have very eclectic music tastes listening to a variety from classical/opera and jazz, to grunge and general rock. I listen to a lot of blues, jazz, folk music, classic rock, indie and alternative rock. I am particularly fond of female vocals. I generally tend toward cans that are relatively neutral/balanced, but I do have a fondness for clarity, and suspect I might have slight ‘treble-head’ preferences. I am not treble sensitive (at all), and in the past have really enjoyed headphones like the K701, SR325i, and of course the T1 and DT880. I have a specific sensitivity to the 2-3 kHz frequency area (most humans do) but my sensitivity is particularly strong, and I tend to like a relatively flat mid-range with slight elevation in the upper-mids around this area.
I have extensively tested myself (ABX) and I find aac256 or higher to be completely transparent. I do use exclusively red-book 16/44.1 if space is not an issue. All of my music is legally purchased (mostly CD – the rest FLAC purchased on-line). I tend to be sceptical about audiophile ‘claims’, don’t generally believe in burn-in, have never heard a difference with different cables (unless impedance related etc), and would rather test myself blind on perceived differences. I am not a ‘golden eared listener’. I suffer from mild tinnitus, and at 50, my hearing is less than perfect (it only extends to around 14 kHz nowadays). My usual listening level is around 65-75 dB.
For the purposes of this review - I used the i1 with my iPad Mini and iPhone SE.
This is a purely subjective review - my gear, my ears, and my experience. Please take it all with a grain of salt - especially if it does not match your own experience.
THE REVIEW
PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES
The i1 arrived in a small 90 x140 x 35mm retail box consisting of a printed sleeve over an inner box. On the front is a picture of the i1, and on the back is some information and specifications.
Included in the package is the i1, a warranty document, quick start guide and shirt clip.
Retail packaging | Inside the box | Full package |
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
For this section I've included comparative data on FiiO's K1 ultra-portable which currently retails for ~USD 40.00 and would be an alternative (using a camera connection kit).
DEVICE | FIIO i1 | FIIO K1 |
Approx price USD | ~ USD 40 | ~ USD 40 |
DAC Chip | NAU88L25 (integrated) | TI PCM 5102 |
Amp Chip | NAU88L25 (integrated) | TPA61332A |
Highest Res Support (DAC) | Up to 24/48, but fw may allow 24/192 | 96/24 PCM |
Output Impedance H/O | <1.0 ohm | <1.0 ohm |
Max Output Power @ 16 ohm | 30mW | 75mW |
Max Output Power @ 32 ohm | 15 mW | 35 mW |
SNR (DAC) | >105 dB | >100 dB |
THD+N (DAC) | 0.003% at 1 kHz | 0.01% at 1 kHz |
Frequency Response | 20 Hz-20 kHz | 20 Hz-20 kHz |
Weight | 11.5g | 11g |
BUILD / DESIGN / FEATURES
The i1 consists of an MFI standard lightning plug (which has been certified by Apple), connected to an 80cm cable, and ending with an ~45mm metallic tube (approx 9mm diameter). The tube is a lightweight metal alloy and houses the electronics, a microphone, volume and playback controls, and also the 3.5mm audio socket.
The control on the module is via a simple pushable rocker switch. Up or down to change volume, press the middle to play/pause, double click to go forward, triple click to go back, press and hold to activate Siri.
The controls all work seamlessly with iOS – both with my iPhone SE and iPad Mini. The microphone seems to be relatively clear. I've taken a couple of calls with it, and as long as I have the main body relatively close to my mouth it seems to work well.
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Headphone out and controls | Mic and lightning cable |
“The NAU88L25 is an ultra-low power high performance audio codec designed for headphone or headset application in smart-phone, tablet PC, Chromebooks, laptop, game controller, Blue-tooth headphones and other portable devices. It includes one I2S/PCM interface, one high quality stereo DACs, one mono ADC, a Class G stereo headphone amplifier, and industry leading advanced headset features.”
The only real issue I've had with the overall design is that the lightning jack is a little wider than my iPhone SE case, and I have to actually stretch the case over it to secure a fit and valid connection. Otherwise, for a $40 device it seems pretty well built.
HEAT AND POWER
The i1 doesn't seem to heat up at all, and is reasonably cool to the touch even after a few hours playing. I'm guessing this is because of the very low power input from the source, and also output from the amplifier.
In terms of power output, the specs say that it'll put the following output into these loads:
Into 16 ohms = 30 mW
Into 32 ohms = 14 mW
FiiO suggests headphones with impedance up to 32 ohms max – mainly due to the relatively weak amplification. My first step (using my trusty SPL meter and FiiO's new F9 Pro IEMs) was to measure maximum volume from both the i1 and also the iPhone's headphone out. The reading on the meter was exactly the same, so I can state reasonably confidently that for a 28 ohm load, there is no actual volume gain, but no gain loss either ( a good thing IMO). So this means that any headphones or IEMs you currently drive with your iPhone will be A-OK with the i1. Conversely, any that are normally beyond the phone's power output aren't going to be helped by the use of the i1.
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Testing the power output | FiiO Frequency Chart |
I also tried my HD630VB and MS Pro's and with these relatively easy to drive headphones, there were no issues with volume or perceived dynamics. Of course you lose the HD630VBs on-headset volume and playback controls – but that was expected.
SONIC PERFORMANCE
I'm not really going to go to much into this section. FiiO has a very good measurement set-up, and they are very proactive in supplying meaningful measurements on audio performance. They have graphed the i1 output under load (they didn't mention the actual load they used – but normally they'll use a 16 ohm or 32 ohm load with a signal at just under full volume (in this case at -5 dB). The resultant frequency graph was extremely linear with the smallest bit of movement in the upper registers (a fraction of a dB and unlikely to be audible).
So I once again volume matched and set about comparing, or A/Bing the 3.5mm headphone out from the i1 vs the 3.5mm headphone out from the iPhone SE. For this I used my Alclair Curve (being one of the most neutral monitors I own).
After a couple of hours going back and forth with a variety of music, I honestly can't say that I noticed any difference at all between the two outputs. Both are very linear, very clean and very clear. Is this a bad thing? No – the iPhone SE is the best sounding iDevice I've owned, and for the i1 to achieve this is a pretty good endorsement.
OTHER ERRATA
The FiiO App
When you first plug the i1, you'll get a little pop-up asking if you want to install the FiiO app from the App Store. Definitely do it. The app doesn't appear to do a lot (it gives instructions for use), but the real purpose is so that FiiO can deliver firmware upgrades to the i1 unit.
FiiO – small idea for the app in future (and to add value) – how about a decent EQ feature, or maybe some pre-set room DSPs? Just a thought.
Cables & Real World Use
Use of the provided clip is pretty much compulsory unless you have a very short earphone cable (if using with an iPhone), and at the moment its probably the one drawback with this device (combined with a normal earphone, the cables are just too long). Don't get me wrong – you need the 80cm length with the i1 so you can have your phone in your pocket and wear any set of IEMs. But the issue becomes the added length of your IEM cable. You can manage this by either tying or looping it inside your clothes, but there should be an easier way. FiiO have thought of this and come up with the RC-MMCX1s – an MMCX short cable at 60 cm length. The issue of course – its not short enough. Wearing the shorter cable + i1 means the control unit and mic is down around my belly-button. Not ideal for voice calls! The ideal size is a cable with the jack pretty much combined with the y-split. This then leaves the control unit of the i1 just below your chin, and becomes an ideal cable for use on the go. Then when you want to go to iPad use (or iPhone on a desk), simply use your longer cable.
Too long even with FiiO’s short cable | Plug and play with iOS is brilliant |
Power draw
Because it doesn't have its own battery / power source, this is always going to be somewhat of an issue with a device designed to be used portably. With the i1, my testing seemed to indicate that for both the iPhone and iPad the i1 is drawing so little power that you're not going to really notice any faster loss of battery life. Realistically its going to be no more than the internals of the iPhone or iPad.
OTHER OPTIONS / SIMPLE COMPARISONS
I thought at this stage it would be a good idea to try and compare the i1 with some alternatives. My prerequisite was that the comparable units should ultra-portable DAC/amp devices which would work with my iPhone, and iPad – so I’ve listed and compared 2 simple alternatives – the FiiO K1 and the Cozoy Takt Pro.
For testing I’ve used my iPhone SE, headphone out of the device in question, and my Alclair Curve to evaluate. All devices were volume matched with my SPL meter at 1 kHz with a constant test tone.
The K1 is an ultra portable USB DAC/amp, and can be used with a camera connection kit. It has low power draw, a slightly higher gain (1.2 dB), but can also be used with your lap-top. Ideally you'd simply have it permanently attached to the rear of your iPhone case.
What you miss though is the mic and more importantly the controls – which are the real draw-card for me with the i1.
In terms of sound, both of these devices are very similar, with the K1 perhaps having the slightest hint of warmth to its sonic signature. Both are roughly on par as far as quality goes. So the K1 is definitely an option as an alternative – although for my preferences (with the correct length cable), I'd still prefer the i1.
i1 (~USD 40) vs Cozoy Takt Pro (~USD 289)
This is not a fair comparison – but it is a viable option, and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. There is a big price difference, but the Takt Pro has a few more features up its sleeves. The Takt Pro comes with good accessories (cable choices), and has the better connectivity options with Android and iOS (again you never have to jump through hoops - it just connects). The Takt Pro has resolution capability up to 32/384 and also DSD. It can also be used with Win 10 devices (plug and play). The best part about it though is that it has controls on the device (volume and play/pause).
The Takt Pro is more power hungry – and seems to draw around 15% more power from the iPhone (I've yet to measure conclusively), but it outputs enough voltage and gain to drive an HD600 – not as good as a really good amplifier, but enough to deliver the sort of performance where you can still get lost in the music.
Sonically the two are quite different. The Takt Pro has more richness and depth to its tonality, and definitely seems to have more overall resolution (ability to really bring out high level detail). The i1 is still very good, but the Takt Pro does seem to take things to a higher level, and enough that I'm quite blown away at how good this tiny device sounds.
Again it is a good option – it just depends on how much ultra-portability is worth to you, and whether it is purely for music playback, or if you also need the mic.
VALUE
This one is probably an easier one to call than most. The i1 delivers exceptional value for a budget audio device. It sounds better than just “decent” and the addition of controls and a microphone gives it genuine versatility. Once someone supplies some really short cables (hint, hint FiiO), the i1 will be an almost perfect replacement for I-device jacks.
FIIO i1 – SUMMARY
The i1 is a really good device, and the only reason I don't really use it (at the moment) is because my iPhone SE still have a 3.5mm audio jack, and I can't really be bothered with the cable management.
But if you look at what it does – decently good sound, instant and seamless connection, virtually no battery drain, and providing iOS controls and a mic – it doesn't take a genius to realise how handy this device can be.
Of course it is somewhat limited by its amplification stage, and cable management can be a bit of a hassle. If you need to drive headphones needing more power, my advice is to look at an ultra-portable device like the Takt Pro. But if you're just using ear-buds or IEMs, and have an iPhone 7 or higher (and want your jack back), I can definitely recommend the FiiO i1.
I just want to close with thanking Sunny and the team at FiiO for arranging the review sample.