[pointlineplane]

I got my Fiio Q3 MQA today and plugged my Hifiman Arya Stealth Magnets Version into the 4.4mm balanced output. The Q3 MQA produces a sound that’s full-bodied but also delicate with the Arya. To my ears, it is a better sound than what I was getting from the 2.5mm balanced output of my Qudelix 5k with the Arya. Also, I like having a physical volume knob. Overall, I am happy with my new acquisition.

 

[originalsnuffy]

It took a few resets, but I have the unit performing well now. My key challenge now is to find some good software for the iphone that can handle DSD output and provide good playlist or queue management. I have been spoiled with DAP units.

I mainly use HiBy iphone music app for DSD playback using the DoP option and also FLAC. Its difficult for me to figure out a good way to create a set of albums or tracks for playback in order. In my case, I would like some night music that plays in a certain order. I have a mix of DSD (SACD ISO) and FLAC albums. Certain albums just seem to repeat.

The good news is that the unit sounds very nice. I really like the AKM sound. I grew up on the X3 and X3II (along with some early DAC amp units from FIIO) but have not owned FIIO devices in a while. So it feels like coming home in a way. I seem to cycle through vendors; Sony Walkmen and Discmen to FIIO devices then to Shanling for a few, Cayin for one (still like and have my N5II), HiBy for three devices, and now back to FIIO.

The volume knob is woderful to have at my disposal. I tried two other dongles that rely on the volume on the phone itself and that is inconvenient. It is a bit too easy to accidentally increase or decrease the volume with pocket use. Is there some kind of a hold option?

 

[Gotenokaru]

Does this dac work on Ps5?

 

[JohnnyOps]

Hi @FiiO I am having an issue with my new Q3. First off, I should say that I love the device through my iphone / lightning connector. Works perfectly, powerful, great. Wonderful synergy with the 7Hz Timeless and Moondrop Kato.

But... when I try to connect it to my Macbook Air M2 (running Ventura) with the provided USB-C/USB-C cable, I end up with all kinds of hanging behavior. It shows up occasionally in System Settings Audio, but then the blue light on the front of the Q3 goes from solid to blinking, and then the Audio part of System Settings freezes / is no longer accessible. I tried running Roon on my Macbook and I could see the Q3 as a zone, which I enabled. But when I tried to play to it, no luck - each song just sits at 0:00 for a second or two and then it goes on to the next. Each time the song skips you hear a very very quiet clicking noise through the headphones attached to the Q3 (same subtle noise as you hear when you first plug it into the iPhone).

I quit Roon, restarted the Macbook with the Fiio connected, tried running the Audio Midi Setup, and it just hangs - no luck. But then I restart again without the Fiio connected, run Audio Midi Setup, then connect the Q3 and it shows up. So then I can select the highest bitrate and I can play from Qobuz or Tidal apps and all is fine to play that way. But I really want to be able to run Roon, so then I try to run Roon. And it works fine. Same lovely sound as out of my iphone. Aha! But what did I do to make it work correctly?

And then I reboot my Macbook and try again a couple hours later, and I end up in the same mode again where neither Settings / Audio nor Audio Midi Setup are available - they both hang.

So is there a recipe for making this work reliably? Am I doing things in the wrong order? I don't mind having to do things carefully, but I can't figure out what's going on.

Thanks,
John

Edit: i was running fine for a couple hours, and then it got into the bad state again. Turned off the Q3 while connected to the Mac in order to go get something to eat, then came back and turned it on, and the light turned slow flashing blue, and everything stopped responding - Roon, System Settings / Audio, Midi settings. So no idea what happened to get it into a bad state, but I have to restart and see if I can make it work all over again.

Edit 2: so I know this works repeatably, but it's no fun. Disconnect, turn off Q3, restart Mac, run Midi Settings, connect Q3, turn on Q3, select Q3, then run Roon or Qobuz or Tidal and all is fine. But when I turn it on again, same bad state.

Edit 3: Ok, seems like if I keep running Midi Audio Settings in the background, all stays well. Every time I turn the Q3 off and on, or disconnect it and connect it, or both, I have to reselect it in Midi Audio Settings. And if it isn't running before I reconnect / turn on the Q3, then all the audio settings get messed up and things start hanging. Is this as expected?

 

[FiiO]

Hi @FiiO I am having an issue with my new Q3. First off, I should say that I love the device through my iphone / lightning connector. Works perfectly, powerful, great. Wonderful synergy with the 7Hz Timeless and Moondrop Kato.

But... when I try to connect it to my Macbook Air M2 (running Ventura) with the provided USB-C/USB-C cable, I end up with all kinds of hanging behavior. It shows up occasionally in System Settings Audio, but then the blue light on the front of the Q3 goes from solid to blinking, and then the Audio part of System Settings freezes / is no longer accessible. I tried running Roon on my Macbook and I could see the Q3 as a zone, which I enabled. But when I tried to play to it, no luck - each song just sits at 0:00 for a second or two and then it goes on to the next. Each time the song skips you hear a very very quiet clicking noise through the headphones attached to the Q3 (same subtle noise as you hear when you first plug it into the iPhone).

I quit Roon, restarted the Macbook with the Fiio connected, tried running the Audio Midi Setup, and it just hangs - no luck. But then I restart again without the Fiio connected, run Audio Midi Setup, then connect the Q3 and it shows up. So then I can select the highest bitrate and I can play from Qobuz or Tidal apps and all is fine to play that way. But I really want to be able to run Roon, so then I try to run Roon. And it works fine. Same lovely sound as out of my iphone. Aha! But what did I do to make it work correctly?

And then I reboot my Macbook and try again a couple hours later, and I end up in the same mode again where neither Settings / Audio nor Audio Midi Setup are available - they both hang.

So is there a recipe for making this work reliably? Am I doing things in the wrong order? I don't mind having to do things carefully, but I can't figure out what's going on.

Thanks,
John

Edit: i was running fine for a couple hours, and then it got into the bad state again. Turned off the Q3 while connected to the Mac in order to go get something to eat, then came back and turned it on, and the light turned slow flashing blue, and everything stopped responding - Roon, System Settings / Audio, Midi settings. So no idea what happened to get it into a bad state, but I have to restart and see if I can make it work all over again.

Edit 2: so I know this works repeatably, but it's no fun. Disconnect, turn off Q3, restart Mac, run Midi Settings, connect Q3, turn on Q3, select Q3, then run Roon or Qobuz or Tidal and all is fine. But when I turn it on again, same bad state.

Edit 3: Ok, seems like if I keep running Midi Audio Settings in the background, all stays well. Every time I turn the Q3 off and on, or disconnect it and connect it, or both, I have to reselect it in Midi Audio Settings. And if it isn't running before I reconnect / turn on the Q3, then all the audio settings get messed up and things start hanging. Is this as expected?

Dear friend,
Does the issue only happen when running the Roon app?
And you could try to reset the Q3 then reconnect again for check:
Long press the GAIN button for 15 seconds until the RGB light (at the volume knob) goes out for 0.5s. The reset is completed.

Best regards

 

[JohnnyOps]

Dear friend,
Does the issue only happen when running the Roon app?
And you could try to reset the Q3 then reconnect again for check:
Long press the GAIN button for 15 seconds until the RGB light (at the volume knob) goes out for 0.5s. The reset is completed.

Best regards

Thanks for the reply. I’ve figured out what is going on. It’s not Q3-only (it also happens with my Gungnir MB when connected to the Mac). And it’s not just Roon, but can happen with or without an audio app, that just makes the issue apparent. The issue is with a macOS daemon called coreaudiod.

This is the most detailed write up I have seen, everything in it seems to be true. I haven’t yet experimented with deleting the Zoom plug in as described in it. There are a lot of other write ups on forums.

https://megamorf.gitlab.io/2020/04/24/dealing-with-macos-audio-issues/

 

[GeorgeJetson]

Has the issue with iPhone EMI noise in the OG Q3 been addressed?

Also, has anyone done a h-t-h with the old version? The downgraded specs on DSD, PCM sample rate, and frequency response with the new chipsets is of concern, but does it really make any difference in real world listening?

 

[Ieonasj]

Dear friend,
Does the issue only happen when running the Roon app?
And you could try to reset the Q3 then reconnect again for check:
Long press the GAIN button for 15 seconds until the RGB light (at the volume knob) goes out for 0.5s. The reset is completed.

Best regards

can fiio q3 mqa run only via connected to laptop headphone output or via usb-c connected too? sound quality via usb-c or aux is same?

 

[Dust by Monday]

Just got my Q3 MQA version and there's no bag with mine. Also, should I be using high gain or low gain with my HD 660s? High gain obviously gives me slightly more volume and I can't tell if there's any distortion, but I just wanted to check.

 

[Ieonasj]

Just got my Q3 MQA version and there's no bag with mine. Also, should I be using high gain or low gain with my HD 660s? High gain obviously gives me slightly more volume and I can't tell if there's any distortion, but I just wanted to check.

i think it is poor performer as use only one old dac chip ak4452 and simply amplifier chip. distortion is big,i tbhink 1%,best for IEMs

 

[Dust by Monday]

i think it is poor performer as use only one old dac chip ak4452 and simply amplifier chip. distortion is big,i tbhink 1%,best for IEMs

I don't perceive any distortion in my HD 660s. I've just left it on high gain. Sounds really clean to me.

 

[Ieonasj]

I don't perceive any distortion in my HD 660s. I've just left it on high gain. Sounds really clean to me.

i ll try on my audeze lcd-2 closed back soon

 

[FiiO]

can fiio q3 mqa run only via connected to laptop headphone output or via usb-c connected too? sound quality via usb-c or aux is same?

Dear friend,

The Q3 MQA could support line in and USB in. For connecting to laptop, the USB connection may be better. And due to individual preferences, you could read the professional reviews and comparisons, as well as try out by yourself.

Best regards

 

[Ieonasj]

I don't perceive any distortion in my HD 660s. I've just left it on high gain. Sounds really clean to me.

what sensitive is your HD660 ?

 

[Dust by Monday]

what sensitive is your HD660 ?

150ohm, 104db/mW sensitivity