DISCLAIMER
Although FiiO provided this unit to test it on the international review tour they have organized, the review I present here shows just my opinion as objectively as possible, without any bias nor other interests beyond my personal beliefs and overall impressions that I had with the device.
Although FiiO provided this unit to test it on the international review tour they have organized, the review I present here shows just my opinion as objectively as possible, without any bias nor other interests beyond my personal beliefs and overall impressions that I had with the device.
Introduction
When FiiO announced this DAP, it immediately caught my attention along with other recent contenders like the HiBy R3 or the Shanling M0, as I was looking for something around the $200ish range that offered the best bang for my buck.
At the time that FiiO organized the international tour and saw that I could be eligible (this was a few months ago, July to be exact), I didn't hesitate to sign up to give the M7 a try and see if it met my expectations. Unfortunately, due to the delay to have it in my hands (because of other participants, added to the need I had for a dedicated music player), I ended up buying an xDuoo X20 that I got at a very good price in an offer, same that I now use as my personal DAP.
On the bright side, now I have a starting point to assess the good and bad that this new M7 offers, in a more objective and contrasted way, instead of reviewing it as if it were the first DAP I've ever tested.
Package & accesories
I'm not going to evaluate the quality of packaging in depth, mainly because this is a unit for an international tour and therefore the box is considerably damaged and not very pleasant to see (it has gone through other hands), but you can see it in detail in other reviews, like this or this one.
Be that as it may, the package qualifies as correct for the price, including the DAP with a pre-applied tempered glass screen protector, a USB-A to USB-C cable and a silicone case.
Additionally, I received another small box with the Type-C to microUSB adapter, which I haven't tried since I no longer have a phone with microUSB input or an external portable amplifier (such as the Q1 Mark II or the Q5 recommended by FiiO).
Hardware & design
The M7 I received was in an elegant and well finished black color, but you can also get it in silver, red or blue. The construction consists on a block entirely made of aluminum (except for the small bluetooth receiver on the back and the screen on the front), with solid buttons and excellent touch, providing a very satisfactory feedback.
The design, although subjective, I think is safe to say that it's attractive at least, with a perfect size and sleek angular forms, looking for a minimalist approach. However, in terms of ergonomics I have to say that this is a negative point, since the comfort when holding it with those square and sharp corners is far from comfy, even with the silicone case on.
Below we find the always well received USB-C (believe me, I have ruled out the purchase of many modern products only for the absence of USB-C, it seems to me that in 2018 there is no excuse to continue using microUSB), so THANKS for using common sense here, FiiO.
In the upper part we find the power button, also made of aluminum with a red ring around it and a LED that lights up in a not-so-nice blue tone when the DAP is turned on (I would have preferred white, or at least have the option to change the color or deactivate it). It also serves to see the status of the battery charge in a glance when you are charging it.
We find the 3.5 mm jack too, which also makes the line output function works when we select it in the settings menu.
We find the 3.5 mm jack too, which also makes the line output function works when we select it in the settings menu.
On the left side we find the pause, forward and rewind buttons, as well as the volume adjustment wheel, which seems to be one of the crown jewels of the player, offering an excellent clicky feel when we rotate it, with an ideal travel and solid arrangement, just like the rest of the buttons.
Finally, on the right side we find the microSD card slot (up to 512 GB). There is not much more to see on this side.
Features & user experience
The FiiO M7 comes with a highly customized layer of Android on top of what appears to be version 7.0, which is quite direct and pleasing to the eye, with gestures that facilitate navigation and almost all functions related to the music playback and connectivity that someone may need in this price range (or at least all that I need, for sure) in a very minimalist and practical way. Compared to the xDuoo X20 in this regard, the difference is overwhelming, the FiiO looks perfectly like a 2018 device while the xDuoo looks more like a decade ago.
It also has a FM radio that works very well and is a pretty useful addition for a device of this nature (which for some reason most manufacturers forget), as well as a gallery app to see the covers of the albums we have stored or the clock function (my xDuoo X20 doesn't even have clock with the original firmware).
With regard to connectivity, it has BT 4.2 for broadcast and reception (with the latest firmware), support for a large number of codecs, including aptX-HD, LDAC and even HWA (also with the latest firmware). It does not have Wi-Fi though, but it seems a perfectly acceptable concession for me, especially since I'm not interested in using streaming services in a device like this (even though it could undoubtedly have been useful for local area connections or to receive OTA updates).
USB DAC works like a charm too, instantly recognized by Windows 10 with no need for additional drivers, just plug&play.
Unfortunately, the good work in the software and connectivity department is overshadowed with performance issues, even with the latest firmware (v1.0.4) installed. The lags happen more often than I would like when scrolling, in the gallery, browsing through the music folders and even while skipping songs... I have no doubts about the processing capacity of the Exynos 7270 or the FiiO software team, but I think there is some hardware bottleneck in the M7 that makes it impossible to offer a completely fluid experience (maybe RAM quantity, I don't know). Performance-wise, even my X20 feels snappier and more responsive with its prehistoric non-tactile navigation and poor sofware support from xDuoo, so I really hope that this has been addressed with the M9 or miraculously corrected with future software updates, FiiO!
Do not get me wrong, the M7 is a great player and it's perfectly usable, but that sense of lag and inconsistent performance is still clear compared to a modern mobile phone (even a low-end one). I think it's something that DAP manufacturers should take note of, particularly with Android-based tactile DAPs, so please take note of this, FiiO.
Audio quality
Features & user experience
The FiiO M7 comes with a highly customized layer of Android on top of what appears to be version 7.0, which is quite direct and pleasing to the eye, with gestures that facilitate navigation and almost all functions related to the music playback and connectivity that someone may need in this price range (or at least all that I need, for sure) in a very minimalist and practical way. Compared to the xDuoo X20 in this regard, the difference is overwhelming, the FiiO looks perfectly like a 2018 device while the xDuoo looks more like a decade ago.
It also has a FM radio that works very well and is a pretty useful addition for a device of this nature (which for some reason most manufacturers forget), as well as a gallery app to see the covers of the albums we have stored or the clock function (my xDuoo X20 doesn't even have clock with the original firmware).
With regard to connectivity, it has BT 4.2 for broadcast and reception (with the latest firmware), support for a large number of codecs, including aptX-HD, LDAC and even HWA (also with the latest firmware). It does not have Wi-Fi though, but it seems a perfectly acceptable concession for me, especially since I'm not interested in using streaming services in a device like this (even though it could undoubtedly have been useful for local area connections or to receive OTA updates).
USB DAC works like a charm too, instantly recognized by Windows 10 with no need for additional drivers, just plug&play.
Unfortunately, the good work in the software and connectivity department is overshadowed with performance issues, even with the latest firmware (v1.0.4) installed. The lags happen more often than I would like when scrolling, in the gallery, browsing through the music folders and even while skipping songs... I have no doubts about the processing capacity of the Exynos 7270 or the FiiO software team, but I think there is some hardware bottleneck in the M7 that makes it impossible to offer a completely fluid experience (maybe RAM quantity, I don't know). Performance-wise, even my X20 feels snappier and more responsive with its prehistoric non-tactile navigation and poor sofware support from xDuoo, so I really hope that this has been addressed with the M9 or miraculously corrected with future software updates, FiiO!
Do not get me wrong, the M7 is a great player and it's perfectly usable, but that sense of lag and inconsistent performance is still clear compared to a modern mobile phone (even a low-end one). I think it's something that DAP manufacturers should take note of, particularly with Android-based tactile DAPs, so please take note of this, FiiO.
Audio quality
I would like to remind you that this is an objectivist review, written by someone who doesn't believe in "wow so amazing" sound differences between devices with characteristics that exceed our listening capacity (something that I've been able to contrast thanks to blind controlled tests in the past), so please don't expect tons of subjectivist poetry.
For me, the reasons that justify the purchase of a DAP lie in the ability to carry a huge amount of local music thanks to the storage expandability (which fewer and fewer mobile phone manufacturers offer today), a greater power in its amplification stage than any phone on the market, additional features such as USB DAC functionality, BT transmission, great battery life, dedicated buttons for music playback, low output impedance, gapless playing, etc.
That said, the audio quality of the FiiO M7 is excellent, with a flat frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz (as marked by the manufacturer's specifications), so no coloration, magical enhancements, sweet musicality or terminology alike... Only the music doing its job and the M7 projecting it with solvency while offering enough power to drive my Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee and let's not say my Massdrop Plus (which is what I've at home for now).
Speaking of which, output power is rated at ≥40mW@32 ohms (THD+N＜1%), but even with the 150 ohms of the Jubilees, I find myself never going to the max 60 steps of volume that the M7 brings, so think twice before underestimating the M7 by its power figures.
Compared to my xDuoo X20, at the same volume, both sound just as good to me, with the power difference in favor of the xDuoo, which provides a bigger headroom thanks to the output power it offers (overkill in my opinion, I don't even use the balanced output). Of course, your mileage may vary if you use headphones with high impedances and low sensitivities, but I don't think you get a M7 to drive an HiFiMAN HE6 anyway. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Both DAPs offer very low output impedance values, which allows perfect compatibility with low impedance IEMs like my Massdrop Plus. The xDuoo X20 has 0.1 ohm of output impedance at its normal output, but compared to the 2 ohms that FiiO indicates for the M7, I haven't noticed any major differences between the two, so big kudos here for FiiO.
As far as music formats goes, the M7 can handle with everything PCM up to 24bit/192kHz and DSD up to 5.6 MHz (DSD128), which is fine if you have music in those esoteric formats. For what it's worth. I have some samples in DSD128 and the M7 plays them without hesitate.
Conclusions
Despite being the first contact I have with a FiiO product, I think they have done a remarkable job with the M7 in general terms. In the absence of trying other alternatives similary priced (such as the HiBy R3), I consider that the package offered here is quite complete and not very easy to overcome across the board.
For $200 you get a pretty small DAP with excellent build quality, great music playback controls, very good battery life, modern and easy-to-use interface, many useful functions (thanks for the FM radio!), enough power for portable purposes, compatibility with most of the formats that you can have in your music library and of course, a well established reputation by FiiO support team with regular updates.
Needless to say, it is not perfect, I think that both the form factor in ergonomic terms and some inconsistencies here and there with the performance penalize it the most... But hey, it's not that bad either, is it?
I hope you guys found this a little useful for your purchase decisions and not too annoying to read!
Despite being the first contact I have with a FiiO product, I think they have done a remarkable job with the M7 in general terms. In the absence of trying other alternatives similary priced (such as the HiBy R3), I consider that the package offered here is quite complete and not very easy to overcome across the board.
For $200 you get a pretty small DAP with excellent build quality, great music playback controls, very good battery life, modern and easy-to-use interface, many useful functions (thanks for the FM radio!), enough power for portable purposes, compatibility with most of the formats that you can have in your music library and of course, a well established reputation by FiiO support team with regular updates.
Needless to say, it is not perfect, I think that both the form factor in ergonomic terms and some inconsistencies here and there with the performance penalize it the most... But hey, it's not that bad either, is it?
I hope you guys found this a little useful for your purchase decisions and not too annoying to read!
Many thanks to FiiO again for having provided me with this unit for testing and review.
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(Bonus) Comparison pics with the xDuoo X20
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(Bonus) Comparison pics with the xDuoo X20
