Background
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Lately I have been in a quest for ultimate sound quality on portability . I bought quite a lot of portable dac/amp solutions , including different usb dongles , bluetooth dongles , smartphones , and a Chord Mojo Dac/Amp ; and still have some of them . I am audiophile or audio enthusiast ; been training in piano and drums when younger ; have quite demanding ears and can't get along happy with my listenings if there's a weak bass rendition or a lean body or a too light timbral representation of instruments .
Gears Used
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Grado Hp2 for tonal balance/ timbres ( still king of neutraily & naturality , to my ears )
Grado Gs2 for acoustics and similarly some jazz
Sennheiser hd600 for general purpose , pop and classical
Grado Ps1 to test bass reach presence articulation , some pop and some electronic music
Onkyo A800 for rock metal and other mixed / technically dense styles
All have their balanced cable and option.
My preferences for music in not particular order are :
solos and tenchical players instead of ensambles ( bass guitars viola piano etc ),
some orchestra works i.e. Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Wagner ,
and prog / fusion / metal / jazz mixes , both old style and modern , for bands and non-classical related genres .
All music I played is lossless and/or hi-res audio .
Fiio Q5s-TC operations and basic informations
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The unit comes boxed in a very complete package that leaves very little to be desired or cables to be bought after ; a nice pouch and elastic bands for attaching it conveniently to the smartphone when on the go are included .
It is based on the design of his predecessor , the Fiio Q5s with the difference of the new Type-C usb port , a new AM3D THX Amp module ( quite different then the previous AM3E module ) , a new QCC5124 as Bluetooth chip (support for Aptx adaptive format among things ) and only a 4.4mm balanced out instead of overlapping 4.4mm and 2.5mm sockets as present in his previous version ; with it shares an ultra-solid build in attractive design , a steel little volume knob superbly mechanised and encarved micrometrically and functionally into the square design of the unit ; that doesn't get any better for both feel and use ; and buttons that are easily reachable and at hands ; it is well designed , a pleasure to hold in hand and very functional to operate with 1 hand only.
The device switches on instantly after the click when turning the volume knob , then it becomes operational in 2 - 3 seconds.
There is 4 convenient buttons for operations : one for input select on the right side ( input are Usb, line in, optical and coaxial ), and three for bluetooth operations on the left other side.
There are 2 micro-switches on the upper side : one is for low-hi gain select ,
other is for bass boost ; I did not use it very much as for my usage I preferred EQ/HibyMusic MSEB only , anyhow and for the record : the bass boost seems to boost a wide region of bass>sub-bass frq.es ;
positioned aside of the switches there are line-in and line-out sockets.
All is conveniently designed.
Bluetooth pairing is fast , it links in 1 second or even less depending on source you pair with.
Fiio Control App is a bit slower to load and to find the device , it takes 3 - 5 seconds ; it offers decent customizations , with a software on/off switch for battery charge when plugged ; a software on/off switch for the light that signals bitrate processing through different colors ; a standby timeout for the unit ; a decent 12 band equalizer (but no set for parametric equalizer as option) ; an R/L balance level ; 6 audio filters that operate finely , even too finely so , on the timing or frequence of attack and decay when building the audio signal ; an OTA firmware upgrade option and a User Guide ;
and little else.
It took me quite a time to fully explore the versatility use build and performance capablities of the Fiio Q5s-TC Dac/amp . I thought it could take less but it is not a simple unit , a complex packet build instead that does quite many things . To my experience of 3 weeks with it, it does them fast, well and without technical issues.
Sound signature and performance
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First thing to say , I have been extremely pleased in finding the audio grade of fidelity of this unit is quite high / surprising high , moreover then expected .
This Dac/amp is very fast .
If we are speaking of p.r.a.t. / resolution it leaves no thrills to be desired ; it pairs well with fast and ready-to-go cans but better and even better with slower cans when it provides an extra kick in speed for presentation and resolution .
Unbalanced
Since many will use it in balanced operations with just an option for unbalanced , I will just report shortly , the unbalanced out sounds not so far dissimilar from the balanced out .
Same sound signature , the major differences VS the balanced out is bass , dynamics handling and overall definition : these are more loose on unbalanced operation , tonal balance and timbres are less defined ; a side note worth adding is that this option is not unappealing , in fact I enjoyed quite the unbalanced-out when trying it ; the balanced out is superior anywhere or so for technicals but it is not always far better or more enjoyable as the unbalanced can make for a more relaxed listening ; it happened to me .
Balanced
Describing sounds has never been an easy task and when the bar rises describing what is better and why becomes elusive or complicated at times and more of a side search or a personal quest for what is more fitting a personal appeal ; in this regard I will write also a brief comparison with the Chord Mojo which I have used quite regularly last months along with other dongles , the comparison will likely provide some hints.
The balanced out sounds better then the unbalanced out : it is tighter , more defined , both tonally and dynamically better , as expected . It is easy to hear.
The voltage and power at 560mW at 32Ω is adequate to possibly pair a quite wide set of different ohm cans ; many top headphones benefit of high voltage or voltage high enough that can move their drivers dynamically and adequately , or anyhow closer to their full extents . If not present , some of them will sound veiled or with a fog or distant and not so dynamic .
Fiio Q5s-TC is quite good company for them .
There are 6 filters that you can switch in-the-app for slowing a fast character ;
I didnt play too much with them and used the standard filter, which is supposely the fastest one .
The overall presentation is not completely flat but : balanced and/or slightly brightly so at first ; it reveals only after a while some other characters , that are : decently smooth present mids to high-mids to highs frequencies transitions ( as oppsed to recessed mids or V shaped , which it is not ) ; a dry controlled and articulate bass window , that does not add or color any free euphony or warmness yet explores deep ; and well extended present higher frequences array that can engage , even energically , with no hint of digities , zero shrillness and no emphasys , as I already wrote a character of the the Q5s-TC that appears from first is a good balance .
The dynamics -both macro and micro- are interesting , amp section of Q5s-TC is serious about them and deliver the transients , with good p.r.a.t. resolution and expression . The change of volume or pressure for macrodynamics can be very fast at times , the decay too when it's meant , the Fiio unit is quite precise ;it favors speed and attack to decay .
Drums parts are completely intelligible even with pieces that have very high b.p.m. , and when bass is slightly upped or equalized too; when you are listening to drummers that are the most talented in the world and often overdue theirselves , telling if it is a crash that played , or the other , or the ride cymbal inside a fast multi-tempo controlled chaos of a drum solo inside a piece is fast
Details presentation is very well balanced , with a slight tendency for being analitical or analitically bright ; mellow and very detailed tones are preserved on mids and high mids ( i.e. voices and guitars ) but hardly with an upfront position ; the Q5s-TC is quite a fast and rich detail gives when headphones can receive and land the feed , and this quality can be heard in mids too ; but they will not deserve a specially hot or that superlush spotlight for it , they are treated quite unpartially.
The articulation is not only in the bass , the Q5s TC is all-fast and articulate . Details are a lot and never missing . Presentation is rich and hardly lean . The 4.4mm balanced heaphones-out -with the right revealing cable and headphones combination- sounds very revealing and very engaging too. You are overwhelmed with details , in a rich presentation that doesn't disturb you with galares of edgyness . The noise floor at high volume levels is really low or not audible , I had to double check my right channel plug on a song because at a point I thought it wasnt plugged or a bad contact .., no , it was just the beginning of a track that was missing the right channel audio signal ; so when music plays a black silence it really seems to show the record , black silence
Fiio Q5s-TC VS Chord Mojo
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Something many are interested .
I can't say that the Fiio Q5s-TC is completely better ( or worse ) then the Chord Mojo , a lot of factors play big in synergy in medium-high level gears and where one goes well with an headphone, the other goes better with another .
If one wants to judge all factors that goes into portability, build and usability , then there are many things that piles in favor of the Fiio device ;
if we are basing solely on sound quality for giving the award , well.. at least I would be very hard pressed to say the Chord Mojo is clearly better
So , let's try to visit them side by side and better tell differences
-Both units are portable and have a similar price ,
-Both units aim possibly at the top market of pocket-size hiend portable gear
Q5s-TC comes full fledged with anything you can think about from package to inputs & outputs , from wireless to non wireless usability , to form factor and materials , to design and feeling . Apart MQA format ( not sure if a firmware update can add it and pile this other value in it ) .
Chord Mojo is a bit more basic , it does not offer bluetooth or wireless : unless upgraded ; it offers less or far less input-ouput options ; it weights a little less ; in regards to form factor and usability I would leave it to personal appeal , they are quite a different things one from the other and apart of a very good level performance or surprising so for being portables, they do not share so many similarities.
Q5s-TC offers a fast and easy-on-ears sound ; that can be appreciated more and more deep with time too , for technicalities and ranges , without major compromises in its signature ; there's no digities when on Usb Dac bit-perfect use ( that I can hear , anywhere) ; and the performance in his most lossless fashion is very interesting to hear . Bluetooth operation doesn't reach the same cohesivity and continuity , and the bass can sound an inch less organic to the rest ; but it is very good nontheles.
Chord Mojo offers a slower , smoother darker more relaxed warm presentation it is more organic and less layered ( less soundstage ) , takes a little bit more to be measured by ears ; it sounds more analoguish then the Fiio Q5s-TC , it also exposes a good amount of micro detail but more hidden then the Fiio which presents them more evidently, and at times quite exceeds the Chord in this regard.
Q5s-TC plays bass deep and articulate , with little less resolution then the Chord Mojo for textures ; the quality of bass is dry , precise , deep , not meddling at all with mids , can reach a quite decent feel and compression : as to vibrate headphones pads on cheeks ; as well as a thrilling soundcape where it is ambience bass.
Chord Mojo plays a quite more analogue quality of bass , it is more wet and textured too but doesnt feel deeper so. Chord Mojo bass isn't overwhelming at all , it is warm and gripping but a touch more soft in parts where it's harder on the Q5s-TC ; and so less hard-hitting on the Mojo and quite a bit more on the Fiio Q5s-TC , at times.
Q5s-TC mids are good ; they do not sound digital anywhere and they show that slightly mellow half inch upfront smooth behavior for upper-mids transitions to highs , which is good and pleasing .
Chord Mojo have more upfront mids overall more convincing , more transparent , more lifelike ; they are closer and quite much better for emotional drive . Mids are possibly the best things of the Chord Mojo.
Q5s-TC does the highs right , in the way that they are not overfloating or dreamy like in some Shanling DAP or other dongles adding artifical glare or contour to them , and they are not tamed at all. Highs are definitely nice , extended and well separated , they represent quite well what have been recorded and can be energic or leverage a little on stereo effect , which can make for an airier presentation too .
Chord Mojo : the highs must be searched and when found sometimes they can feel tamed or other times too much similar and inglobated into the mids ; for some genres of music they sound hidden or lacking, I see that someone can ask for a little more here.
Instrument separation is great in both unit , the
Fiio Q5s-TC paints the separation more decisely and easily to spot while listening , the
Chord Mojo draws an organic picture in which you first turn your sight to that instrument then (instantly) can separate the different subject/s .
Soundscape or soundstage is a bit better with the
Fiio Q5s-TC. Layering is different because of the organic analoguish presentation of the
Chord Mojo and the more traditional and solid-state like of the Fiio unit. I can't say one is better then the other but they are very different in this regard , the Mojo can play bidimensional at times where I did not have this feeling with the Q5s-TC but then in small ensambles of jazz and voice or classical piano solos i.e. , the feed it gives to ears is way more life-like with an higher sense of transparency - then what Q5s-TC is able to as it delivers a slight quantity more of brightness on instruments and ultimately this can detract from realism .
Chord Mojo is warmer , very transparent , without brightness . This gives an emotional drive , a refined one , not overwhelming but surprising with vocals i.e. ; if it makes any sense : an extra natural color to the music .
The
Fiio Q5s-TC is faster and feels more linear ; gives a dynamically engaging drive and possibly an easier fun ride . Attack and speed are better on the Fiio ; timbre of instruments feels more natural on the Chord and more energic on the Fiio more engaging too ; timbre on the Fiio is very good there's no hint of shrillness , glare or ringings , but Chord unit is closer to excellence for this aspect . It almost disappears with some renditions ( as I said : voices on all ) , where it also shows the slightly emotional and noble precious character. Dynamics/ranges/changes/transients ( both micro and macro ) seem more incisive on the Fiio , they are not worse on the Chord but makes for a more relaxed listening .
I might go on more on how they are different for sound : as they are ; as anticipated if I had to judge for sound quality only it is not clear to me that one is better then the other ; sure it is that they are different things and hold different sound signature .
Conclusions
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The Fiio Q5s-TC is a surprising contender for world-top portable solution as a dac/amp combo . It feels solid , extremely well designed and engineered , functional , with no evident faults that I noticed on both operational use and output ; and some surprising strenghts .
The sound signature is fast , not warm , balanced , very dynamic ; it is leaning towards analitical and towards detail retrieval , rather then natural or organic ; but not lean or thin : politely rich instead and with an extended bass , 100% eq proof , of deep and dry quality that it is easy to appreciate , and that will not save the impact when notched up wtih eq as needed .
The Fiio Q5s-TC will possibly drive a large group of headphones , I tried it with different set of cans and it provided enough power for all of them , failed with none.
Both its wired and wireless performances are definitely high grade and very good, the wired performance is the more hi-end alike and excels notably the bluetooth one in almost all areas i.e. detail nuances and richness , cohesiveness and bass coherence , as expected .
EDIT : after a little more listenings and A/Bing I would dare to say : while the bluetooth performance is good and better or slightly better then other dongles I have ( Qudelix 5k i.e. ) , and very customizable , the performance in wired mode as USB/DAC is definitely on another league .
Hope it can help
problems are :
1. weight/comfort is simply horrible , you hardly can move around with them on
2. lack of bass pressure is something that does not make them first tier for heavy or rhythmic p.r.a.t. genres ( a lot of my music falls there ); bass is nicely neutral and fairly extended , or tight and tight enough , but far from guttural or hitting etc