FiiO UTWS5

This is a long-term review of product that I've owned for over a year. It sounds great and I've really wanted to love it, but I now have to face facts and accept that the only possible conclusion I can reach is that no-one should buy this product.

On paper it looks great. Fresh out of the box it sounds wonderful and works fine. But sooner or later you'll notice a missed call notification on your phone, and then discover that the BT earphones were active even though they're in the case. You'll open the case to put them on before going out only to find that the battery on one earphone has drained overnight and only has a few percent left. You'll clean the charging contacts and pins but find the problems come back in a day or two. You'll send them back for a replacement (I did this twice, and many thanks to the understanding folks at advancedmp3players who were very good about the process), only to find that the replacement suffers the same problems. You'll desperately keep waiting for a firmware upgrade that might fix the problem, only to find that it doesn't.

That's because it suffers a fatal flaw in the design of the charging pins and pads that no firmware will fix. The pads on the earhooks are sited so they sit right next to the skin of your neck and only have a thin nickel plating. Inevitably, they pick up acid and sweat from the skin and begin to corrode. When you put them back in the case this is transferred to the cheap, sticky pogo pins used for charging, and those end up sticking even more. The only solution it to clean the pads and pins metculously with contact cleaner on a regular basis and try to tease out any pins that have got stuck in a depressed condition. If you're prepared to spend half an hour or more cleaning your BT earphones every day then you just might be able to get away with something that works. If you think BT earphones should be convenient, reliable and low-maintenance (you know, like just about every other example you can buy) then you'll end up with a non-functioning product.

Maybe one day Fiio will design a product that isn't doomed to fail because of a stupid design error. But I think I'll be giving their stuff a miss in future.

I feel bad for the people who had to wait on their backorder.
The packaging box:



UTWS5 + Thieaudio v16 Divinity



Presentation and subjective sound description:


This actually isn't compressed sounding fore a Bluetooth solution! But I am using an all-BA iem. Quite a good compromise.

Vocals don't feel forward.

Imaging is actually being staged without compression. There is actually a some sense of depth for a Bluetooth setup.

There might be some extra treble-crisp on the top end in the air tones. But maybe that will go away with settings. Or after some power cycles go by.

Low end is really clean though. The BA bass drivers of my Thieaudio V16 are actually presenting as slammy and don't feel dry either. There is a sense of decay to drum hits.

Codecs: Aptx Adaptive & LDHC.


Fit is pretty comfortable. Though you got to push the module out of the way as you put it on. But is becoming quick and thoughtless to do over time
FIT:



Overall, I am quite satisfied with the results. And find this quite the combo with my all-Ba Thieaudio v16 Divinity iem.

The TWS market. Where do we start? It exploded. The Wireless World has taken over. Yes, we cling on to the cabled IEMs and headphones and hi-fi's we love, but are we still represenatative? Let's face it - we're not. Audio companies of repute have recognised the need to cater for the growing interest in a life without the need of lots of wires. No-one in the audio industry can afford to ignore what is happening. Everyone eants less clutter - less fuss. Therefore, bluetooth is the way to go. And you and I should encourage it. The reason? Because the more hype there is about wireless, the better the technology will get, the more products will be sold, and the cheaper the tech will sell for. Sermon over, let's get down to business.


Many products that are sent to the Subjective offices are now wireless products. This is where the innovation is coming from. This is where the manufacturer can see the market going. This is where we can see your interests are changing - you, the discerning punter. Why shouldn't you deserve proper audio products without wires, without fuss? It can be done. It is no longer the future. It is now.


Which brings us to the TWS market. I have heard some nice TWS products. Even the Galaxy Buds Pro are a decent sounding set of earphones. But, there is alway compromise. No-one is gonna put a $1000 IEM into a tws shell and try and sell it for $1100. No-one would buy it, becaus it won't sound as good as the wired version, and for that type of money, it would HAVE to be hi-fi. Fiio have had a thik about this. They have come up with this. The UTWS5 contains no IEM or earbud. It is the same as those earhooks supplied to guide your cables around the outside of your ear for a better fit. With a very subtle difference. These contain a DAC and a Bluetooth chip. You can put whatever IEM you want in them subject to them conforming with the MMCX or 2 pin standards, that is.


I took my Meze Rai Penta Flagship IEMs out of their cabled prison and gave them freedom. It was utter madness, I know, but I just had to know how they'd perform with the latest TWS (dongle?) Snapping them into place was a cinch. The fit was as good as the cabled variety. Once out of the box, the Fiio's set to work on befriending my smartphone and we were away. This is how we got on....



First up, features. After all, you have this TWS, it's got to be user friendly to make life on the road smoother to be of any benefit, am I right? The UTWS5 has looked at this issue and has come up with some really good solutions to making life just that little bit easier. First of all, it's a breath of fresh air not having to try and find the button on each of the TWS buds to do stuff. When you're on a run, it's too small and fiddly and it often goes wrong. The Fiio has sensibly put a larger button at the bottom of each of the left and right hooks and they work with more success tan any of the other TWS I've used. 1 button accepts a call, on either the left or right side. 1 button will be volume down on the left or up on the right. 1 button will be play on either side. 2 presses of either side is pause. 3 presses releases alexa, bixby or your chosen companion. 3 presses is a little harder to achieve on the gallop than the other stuff, but is doable for the determined. For those of you less energetic, the Fiio Control App is a must. Download that from Google Play etc. and you can change all sorts, from the digital filtering of the dac chip, to the graduated ambient sound options, which let you listen and communicate with the outside World when needed, but immersed in your own when not.


Seconds up, sound quality. Listen, (and I've done lots of this) I was happy with the Rai Penta on the move. There was a good fit. No cable noise, there's no cable. No movement in the ear discerned, there's less to move, of course. The sound stays stable, brings out the rich, organic qualities of the Penta, and really important, makes you WANT to exercise. Think about that, for a second. This is something that you will want to head outside with. We all know the benefits of being outside. We all know the benefits of exercise. We all know the healing power of music. There is more than a good chance that this sort of device will score a hat trick - outside, exercise, joy. What sort of a price would you put on that? Fiio already know the answer. At all good shops this will retail at £99. I'm a fan of Fiio, I think they make good quality products and they consistently surprise me with what they come up with. I am the proud owner of Fiio M11 DAP and hae previously reviewed the M11 Pro and the BTA30. That being said , no money changes hands here; Fiio have kindly supplied Subjective Reviews the UTWS5 in return for an honest opinion.


Conclusions - and I hate to say farewell, but all things must pass. The UTWS5 is the go to for TWS wannabees with good IEMs. This will beat any TWS I've yet tried. No-one comes close to a Rai Penta through AptX; it's that simple. If it get's you off your chair and into the open air, Fiio have won, you've won and I'm a happier person for it.

FiiO UTWS5 TWS BT Amplifier Review​

Introduction:

The UTWS3 was a decent BT Amplifier Module that was available with both MMCX and 2Pin (0.78mm) connector interfaces, which I highly enjoyed with IEM’s like the FH7, FH5 and FH3.

The brand new UTWS5 is the successor of the UTWS3, which comes with some interesting features like the new Qualcomm QCC5141 Bluetooth 5.2 SoC with SBC/AAC/aptX and aptX Adaptive codec support, an independent AK4332 DAC for each channel, IPX4 water resistance, up to 8 hours of playback time with a single charge and many more.







Disclaimer:

I would like to thank FiiO that provided me the UTWS5 TWS BT Amplifier for review purposes. I am not affiliated with FiiO beyond this review and these words reflect my true and unaltered opinions about the product.




Price & Availability:

The actual price for the FiiO UTWS5 True Wireless Amplifier is 129,99 US$. More information’s can be found under the link below;

• FiiO UTWS5 True Wireless BT Amplifier

Package and Accessories:

The UTWS5 came inside a pretty fancy box in black color with a shimmering illustration of the product and some product related brandings on the top.



This box contains the following items/accessories;

• 1x pair of FiiO UTWS5 True Wireless BT Amplifier
• 1x Charging Case
• 1x USB Type-C Charging Cable
• 1x Print Material (User Manual, Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card)

Design, Build Quality, Comfort:

The FiiO UTWS5 shows a very similar design to its predecessor the UTWS3. It’s a True Wireless BT Amplifier for In-Ear Monitors in form of an Ear-hook that is available in the MMCX (Micro Miniature Coaxial) and 2-Pin connector variant that will coming soon. The compact design makes the UTWS5 to an ideal TWS solution On the Go and for longer listening periods.

The adapters that do have a plastic housing do have a pretty robust look and feel same like any FiiO product that I have reviewed before.



On the front of each device is the multifunctional control button that has a form of a circle. Behind the button is a waterproof membrane than gives the UTWS5 a water resistant level of IPX4.



Here is also the FiiO brand logo, but this time in gold color instead of grey that we have seen on the UTWS3.



The rear side of the main body are has L (left device) and R (right device) markings and features a magnetic surface with 3 small connectors in forms of metal dots, which are dedicated to charge the internal battery of the each UTWS5 unit.



The FiiO UTWS5 features two built-in microphones, which are the primary and secondary microphones. The primary microphone that is located at the bottom of the adaptor right under a plastic mesh is responsible to pick up your voice. Here is also a LED status indicator.

The secondary microphone is located at the rear side of the adaptor that is also protected by a plastic mesh. This microphone picks up the ambient noise and features Qualcomm’s cVc noise cancellation technology.



The microphones to have a special type of water resistant sound-permeable cotton isolation that is part of the IPX4 water resistance structure of the UTWS5.



The UTWS5 has a flexible ear hook design with a special type of memory wire inside that is surrounded with soft rubber isolations. Inside the ear hooks are is a high quality cabling which is made of High Purity Monocrystalline Silver Plated Copper wire material.



The UTWS5 is available with an MMCX connector interface, while a 2-Pin variant will be released soon.



The MMCX male connectors on the device do offer a pretty tight and secure connection with almost all IEM’s I have tested with it. Both adaptors do have left and right color indicators near the male connectors in form of a metal that do look very esthetical.









Charging Case & Battery Life:

The FiiO UTWS5 comes with a charging case same like TWS earphones, which is made of plastic material in black color with a smooth surface. The corners are nicely rounded and do give a nice sense of grip. The top of the case has a plane surface with a small FiiO brand logo in gold color.



On the front of the case are 3 LED indicators, the one in the middle shows the charging status of the build in battery that is integrated in to the internal case body. The smaller LED’s do give information about the charging process of the Left and Right adaptors, which is a nice feature.



At the bottom of the case are some technical specifications and industrial certification about the UTWS5.



On the rear surface is the USB Type-C charging port and hinge in dark grey color.



When you open the case you will see the seats for the adaptors. These seats have a magnetic surface to ensure a tight/save connection for the charging process and to avoid any drop out of the monitors. Here are also left and right marking and a small circular pairing button that resets the pairing status when you put both adaptors in to their seats.



The charging case has an 800mAh built-in battery and offers up to 30 hours of additional battery when fully charged. Each UTWS5 adaptor comes with a 60mAh build in battery that offers a continues playback time of about 7-8 hours on a single charge when you use it with the AAC codec. The battery case on the other hand gives you another 30 hours, which is quite decent.

The charging case of the UTWS5 supports wireless charging, which is a nice addition.





Specifications:

• DAC : AK4332
• BT SoC : Qualcomm QCC5141
• Bluetooth Version : BT 5.2
• Transmission distance : approx. 10mt
• BT Codec’s : AAC/SBC/aptX/atpX adaptive
• Sampling Rate Supported : up to 96kHz-24bit
• Frequency response : 10Hz~41kHz (-3dB)
• THD+N : ＜0.002% (1 kHz/32Ω/dbA)
• SNR : ≥109dB (dbA)
• Noise Floor : ＜2μV（dbA）
• Channel Separation : ≥86dB (1 kHz/32Ω)
• Output power 1 : ≥54mW（16Ω / THD+N＜1%)
• Output power 2 : ≥33mW（32Ω /THD+N＜1%)
• Output Impedance : ＜0.4Ω（32Ω）
• Drivability : 16~100Ω
• Battery Life : about 7-8 Hours (with AAC Codec)
• Charging Time : approx 1.5 hours (Adapters), 2 Hours (Charging Case)
• Waterproof Level : IPX4
• Charging Connector Type : USB Type-C
• Total Weight : approx 122grams (Includes Adapters)

Pairing, Navigation, Signal Strength & Call Quality:

The pairing of the FiiO UTWS5 with your source like a Smartphone, Tablet, DAP, etc is pretty easy. You only need to turn on the left and right monitors when you first use them and do some easy steps to pair it with your source that is detailed described in the user manual.

Once you have pair the left and right monitors by the first use the pairing action will be done automatically. You only need to take it out from the charging box/case at the same time. A female voice is announcing the status of your FiiO UTW5 like power on/off or pairing.

You can easily control the UTWS5 with the multifunctional buttons to answer, hang up, play, pause and many more.

Here are some basic button controls;

• Vol+ :tap left unit
• Vol- :tap right unit
• Play : tap 2 times
• Pause :tap once when paused
• Next :Long press right unit
• Prev : Long press left unit

The FiiO UTWS5 offers also a pretty good performance in terms of latency while watching YouTube and movies on Netflix thanks to the atpX adaptive codec that is supported by the new Qualcomm QCC5141 Bluetooth SoC.

The operating distance of the UTWS5 is approx. 10 meters which is also quite stable, while the call quality is on an average level. The call quality is pretty decent when paired with my Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus. The voice transmissions sounded fairly clear.

Amplification:

The UTWS5 shows an audible improvement compared to the UTWS3 in the amplification department. The output power has been increased from 38mW @ 16 ohm (UTWS3) to 53mW and from 23mW @ 32 ohm (UTWS3) to 33mW, which is quite impressive. It can drive the FH9, FD5 and FH3 to pretty loud volume level.






Some Key Features:

AK4332 DAC Chip:

UTWS5 is the first True Wireless Set to feature an independent DAC chip. It is equipped with AKM’s high-performance AK4332 DAC chip that provides better signal decoding with lower distortion and a clean noise-free background. It is supported by a powerful amplifier chip that effectively provides better output thrust than the previous model.





Qualcomm QCC 5141 BT SoC:

FiiO UTWS5 adopts Qualcomm’s latest QCC5141 Bluetooth signal receiver chip. It brings major performance upgrades over the previous generation QCC3020, with better, stable Bluetooth connectivity and support for AptX Voice high-definition voice transmission. It also helps in better high-resolution wireless transmission support.





FiiO Control App:

UTWS5 can be connected using FiiO Control and FiiO Music Application that allows for managing different functions on the units. They also have precise volume adjustment with 32 levels of volume compared to 26 levels on the UTWS3. Moreover, you can adjust the EQ settings, Channel Balance and other Audio options of the device. Even a OTA (Over The Air) FW update is possible that is only supported with Android devices.





Qualcomm TWS+ Dual Transmission Technology:

The TWS+ technology allows your Smartphone to directly connect to each 2 wireless earbuds / IEM’s separately. This is a useful feature for a lower level of latency and more stable connection.







Equipment’s used for this review:

• TWS Adaptors : FiiO UTWS5, FiiO UTWS3
• Paired IEM’s : FiiO FH9, FiiO FD5, FiiO FH3
• Paired Sources : FiiO M11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, Apple iPad Air2

Albums & tracks used for this review:

• Adele – My Little Love (Spotify)
• Randy Crawford – On Day I Will Fly Away (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Mariah Carrey – Without You (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Sarah McLachlan – Angel (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Sertap Erener – Aşk (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Edith Piaf – Non Je Ne Regrette Rien (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Diana Krall – So Wonderful (DSF)
• Aretha Franklin – I Say A Little Payer (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Elton John – Rocket Man ((Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Barry White – Just The Way You Are (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Sting – Englishman in New York – (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• B.B. King – Riding With The King (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Bro Safari, UFO! – Drama (Deezer HiFi)
• Armin Van Buuren – Vini Vici (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Lorde – Royal (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Toutant – Rebirth (Deezer HiFi)
• Gogo Penguin – Raven (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• GoGo Penguin – Fanfares (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• Charly Antolini – Duwadjuwandadu (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• Ferit Odman – Look, Stop & Listen (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• Chopin – Nocturn No. 20 In C-Sharp Minor (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Fazıl Say – Nazım Oratoryosu (Live) (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Vivaldi – Le QuarttroStagioni “The Four Season” (Deezer HiFi)
• Otto Liebert& Luna Negra – The River (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• Photek – The Hiden Camera (Spotify)
• Muse – Hysteria (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Metallica – Sad but True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Opeth – Windowpane (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Rush – Leave That Thing Alone (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Slayer – Angel of Death (Spotify)s
• Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
• Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles (Spotify)

The Sound:

The FiiO UTWS5 is a decent sounding BT DAC/Amplifier Solution that offers mildly warm tonality that is not overdone. This is the general characteristic of almost any devices that do use an AK (Asahi KASEI) DAC. The bass shows a pretty good sense of body, depth and authority for a BT device with all IEM’s I have tested the UTWS5. The midrange sounds pretty clear and lively and detailed, while the treble area is reproduced with a good level of airiness and sparkle.



The FiiO UTWS5 review has been written after a burn-in period of about 50 hours. The sound impressions are mainly based on my pairings with the FiiO FH9 and FD7. My main BT source was the FiiO M11 Pro, beside the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus.





Bass / Midrange / Treble / Soundstage

The UTWS5 pairs extremely well with FiiO’s FH9, FD5 and FH3 universal IEM’s, which I have used during my auditions. The background is surprisingly silent for such a True Wireless BT DAC/AMP adapter.

UTWS5 is able to produce a good sense of subbass depth, rumble and extension for a BT DAC/Amplifier Adapter. The rumbles produced in this area are shown with a good level of authority, especially when I have paired the devices with the flagship Hybrid IEM FH9 of the company. The midbass region on the other hand sounds in general petty impactful and controlled. What I like is the body and depth that is produced without to lead to any unwanted midbass hump and mixings. The general bass presentation of the UTWS5 can be described as fairly deep, controlled and clean with above average level of resolution for a BT DAC/Amplifier Adapter.



The FiiO UTWS5 has a fairly transparent and detailed midrange presentation and shows a mildly warm tonality in this area. The lower midrange region shows an efficient level of body and depth especially when I do listen to the UTWS5 with the FH9 flagship Hybrid and to the FD5 which is a decent sounding Single Dynamic Driver IEM of the company. Male vocals and instruments like cellos or acoustic guitars are reproduced with sufficient amount of body and depth. The upper midrange on the other hand is pretty pronounced but controlled, so that female vocals and instruments like violins and pianos are musical and transparent, without any remarkable harshness and sibilance. The existing upper midrange extension is a bit short, but still pretty sufficient for a BT DAC/Amplifier Adapter.



The FiiO UTWS5 shows a treble presentation that sounds moderately bright, fairly crisp and surprisingly detailed for a BT DAC/Amplifier adapter with all IEM’s I have listened. The transitions from the upper midrange towards the lower treble are do sound in general pretty controlled in moments when instruments do play with high level of distortion. The lower treble area shows decent sense of clarity, especially when I pair the UTWS5 with the FD5 and FH9 IEM’s. When it comes to the upper treble presentation, I can say that the UTWS5 offers a efficient sense of airiness and sparkle when I do listen to instruments such like pianos, violins or to percussion instruments like hi-hats or cymbals.



The UTWS5 offers a moderately expansive soundstage atmosphere that shows conditions for a fairly precise placement of instruments and vocals. The stage shows a good sense of wideness, while the depth is on an average level.







Comparison:

FiiO UTWS5 versus FiiO UTWS3:

Both the UTWS5 and the UTWS3 do look almost identical and there is no change in build quality. One of the most noticeable differences is the output power where the UTWS5 shows a big improvement. However, this doesn’t mean that the UTWS3 was not powerful, while it is a welcome improvement if you have an IEM that need lot of power like the TIN HiFi P2 or Final Audio E5000.



The UTWS5 shows a slightly warmer tonality and a darker/cleaner background, which makes it easier to located instruments in the background. The subbass region of the UTWS5 shows slightly more depth and rumble, while both a pretty equal in terms of control/authority in this area. The midbass region of the UTWS3 is slightly less highlighted and impactful compared to the UTWS5, which has the upper hand in terms of resolution in this area.



The midrange of the UTWS5 shows a bit more warmth and a better sense of musicality compared to the UTWS3 that sounds slightly more neutral I this area. The lower midrange of the UTWS5 shows more body/intensity when listen to vocals and instrument like violas and guitars.

The upper midrange of both devices is nicely emphasized, while the UTWS5 is the winner when it comes to the resolution in this area. The treble region of the UTWS5 shows a better level of clarity and definition, and offers also a better sense of airiness and sparkle.



The UTWS5 has the upper hand in terms of soundstage widens, while the depth of the stage is pretty similar on both devices.







Conclusion:

The FiiO UTWS5 is a decent product in this product category, which offers a great value for your money both in terms of features and when it comes to its general sound capabilities. The UTWS5 is more powerful, has a cleaner/darker background and shows an audible improvement when it comes to the overall sound performance over its predecessor the UTWS3, which was already a great product in this area. In short, highly recommended!







Pros & Cons:

• + Overall Sound Performance
• + Powerful and Clean Output (especially for a TWS adapter)
• + Ergonomics
• + Stabile Connection up to 10meters / Low Latency
• + Battery Life
• + IPX4 Water Resistance
• + APP Control/OTA Update
• + Decent Value for your Money

• - No LDAC support
• - Only available with MMCX interface (2-Pin variant may come soon)

​

Thank you for the Read!​

Fiio UTWS5.

Bluetooth dongles/ adaptors/ arms whatever you call them. These handy devices do a great job at getting our favorite in-ears into the TWS Bluetooth realm. The idea of connecting an arm to a favorite mmcx or 2 pin based earphone so you can use them on the go is a great idea. As much as I am a cable fan and what cables do for your earphones, the convenience of bluetooth has its advantages. I have used several different arms in the past and some are arguably better than others, what Fiio has done with the UTWS5 is quite remarkable for several reasons.

For starters it is the first of its type to actually house a low current AK4332 Dac/amp chip supporting up to 24bit/96Khz audio. This is substantial as it allows the UTWS5 to have adequate power not to mention better sound quality to drive just about any earphone it is attached to. Not to mention clear improvements for SNR ratio and noise floor from their previous UTWS3 and arguably any other type of such devices. The UTWS5 also uses the latest qualcomm QCC5141 chip for bluetooth 5.2 with ACC, SBC, APTX and APTX adaptive connectivity. 10m of bluetooth connectivity also includes a beefy 800mAh battery for the charging dock/case which lasts a reported 30 hours of battery on a single charge. They include a CVC noise cancellation for cleaner calls and is IP4X water resistance. Meaning you can wear these just about everywhere, work out with them. Last but not least the new UTWS5 allows wireless charging, fully charged in 2 hours. All this tech stuff is great but how do they make your earphones sound?

Standardly disclaimers. The UTWS5 was provided by Fiio for the purpose of a review. If you feel the need to make your favorite earphones into a wireless form you can purchase a set here on their aliexpress page. I have been testing out the UTW5S for the past month using a variety of in-ears and use scenarios. My sources for testing are actually 3 sources. The Fiio M15, my Samsung galaxy phone, and my ASUS ROG laptop. Sorry I don’t own any Apple devices though the UTWS5 thread reports plenty of folks getting good results with Iphones you can read here.

We do things and love things due to convenience. If you're like me you have a full-time job, have a family and no matter what your situation is. If you're trying to get a small music session in to relax a bit in your busy schedule, or you need good audio for work itself, sometimes grabbing your earphones for on the go is not as simple as it would seem for optimal sound. What I mean by that is. I have a few friends here at headfi that have clearly told me they would rather grab their phone and go vs being tethered to a device from a phone or use a dedicated audio player and then also have to carry around their phones.

Listening to music out of a standard phone is ok. Nothing groundbreaking but just OK but then if you're finicky about your sound, you have to worry about whether your phone has enough power with good SQ to drive that nice earphone correctly. I know there is a market for small dac/amps nowadays which do a great job at getting you a better sound experience vs your standard phone sound. Fiio has even introduced their first dongle dac/amp the KA3 you can read my take on them here. But then you have to deal with something hanging off your phone or use the awkward band wrapped around that small dac amp to your phone which doesn’t fit right in your pocket. Back in the day folks used a brick of an amp connected to your phone or several at a time to achieve a better sound.


Well here is where something like the UTWS5 makes for not only convenience but even better, transforms your favorite in-ear monitor into something it was not initially made for. Wireless. I know these types of bluetooth arms have been around but none of the ones I have tried can I say are comparable to a dedicated audio player or a higher end dac/amp source out of your phone. They work but the sound quality? Usually not enough power to drive a 50 ohm earphone correctly and then you get obvious hiss using your more sensitive IEMs due to a not so good of a noise floor. You might as well be connected to your phone as the SQ is not all that different from onboard sound. Fiio has addressed these issues with the UTWS5.

This product, my friends, is substantial in what it does. The UTWS5 is the one product that you didn’t know you needed. These things are clearly designed for a full sound experience on the go and wirelessly and when connected to a phone yes they include a mic embedded in the arms for clear vocal calls. How's about taking your higher end IEMs on the go without wires? Now you can throw on your best sounding earphone wirelessly with a great sound quality and enough power to boot. Power rated at 53mW@16 Ohms from the already 38mW@16 Ohms on their UTWS3, the UTWS5 will drive moderately power hungry earphones with plenty of headroom to spare.

Again all this don't matter much if the SQ is not really “better” than your onboard sound right? And that is the great thing about the new UTWS5. Its SQ is equivalent to actually using one of them fandangled portable dac/amps and with enough power to drive moderately hard to drive earphones like the 50 Ohm Mee pinnacle P1.

Ease of use.
The unit I got is a mmcx version and there are two different versions of the UTWS5 you can get. An mmcx and a standard .78mm 2 pin version. Just my opinion but if you own more than your share of IEMs you're actually better off getting the mmcx version and here is why. All you need is an adapter to turn your mmcx into 2 pin which just extends the arms a bit and is clearly usable. The other way around using a 2 pin arm and a mmcx adapter will not work as well as this makes the arms much longer and protrudes more so than the other scenario. Unless you just own 2 pin earphones it is better to get a mmcx and then an adapter to turn the mmcx to 2 pin like so.

Or if you're a purist I suppose the UTWS5 is so good you can get one of each and be good. Worth it if you own flagship earphones for both types of connectors but for frugal folks. A cheap adapter is all you need.


The arms out of the box have some charge so you can pair them right away and give them a go. I noticed you can’t pair multiple devices at once but once you turn off whatever device you're using it will connect to the next one. Once paired the butt end of the arm has a large easy to push circular button that allows for music control; volume adjustment, pause, skip to next track, replay track with a push of a button. The functionality is how you would expect and is very responsive to clicks. I do get the occasional clicks thinking I am turning up volume only to pause the track instead. So the more practice you have with the controls the more responsive it will become. No real issues that I have come across. In testing the range of connectivity, I think 10 Meters is very accurate give or take a meter depending on if you're using it through walls or not.

This is pretty good and adequate as I always have the music source with me at all times anyhow. Leaving your source be it your phone or your music player in my case my Fiio M15. I can shovel my 3 car driveway of snow without any disconnects- actual trial and used that way here. Worked perfectly. When not in use you can just store the arms inside its case which charges the arms fully every time and is ready for use when needed.

Testing the longevity for the arms I let music play for 7hours 30 minutes straight without a break out of my Fiio M15 so the reported 8 hours playback seems very accurate there as well. I can’t see a scenario where I am using these for 8 hours straight, but it is good to have decent play back times when using them. I suppose if you use the included mic for longer conversations, it will lessen that time but it does have good healthy use times. The mic by the way works great. There is a mic on each arm so you can use either one but my vocals come in nice and clear on the other end and I can hear the people I am speaking to just fine. As of writing there is some talk of an ambient mode that will allow for you to hear outside noise when in this mode. Which could come in handy in working environments. Again keep tabs on the thread for latest info and possible firmware upgrades that will allow it.

Pro tip. Regardless of what player software you use for music playback on your phone it is a good idea to install the free Fiio control app from android marketplace as it will allow for some extra controls. You can see battery indicator and switch for battery saving mode, Change button functionality as well as OTA upgrading firmware using the app. You basically need this in order to upgrade the firmware on the UTWS5 anyway. It is good to have extra controls and added functionality only this software provides.

Its sound quality is how I perceive it using a variety of my top in ears including Fiios own monitors. I will have a section at the bottom of how each earphone I tested the UTWS5 with sounds like using the unit. Its base sound characteristics has a slight warmth to the mids and has an excellent foot tapping bass foundation that is surprisingly organic sounding and can also sound neutral with a wider sound presentation dependent greatly on which monitor you use. It has a neutral easy going sound tuning and is one I am familiar with AKM velvet sound. Its treble ranges are more smoother in its delivery than bright and overall the sound signature is balanced well with surprising dynamism and detail across the sound spectrum.

Another surprising aspect of the UTWS5 is that it has a clean noise floor which helps with dynamic perception of your music. Much better than anything of the sort I have tested with. Its sound stage is a moderate/ average for width, height and depth but it helps to have something like Fiios own FH5s or FH9 earphones with a wider stage from the earphones themselves to help with a proper stage perception. You actually get a sound flavoring from the UTWS5 but a good one at that. I want to say it leans more toward an analogue type signature vs being clinical or bright sounding. Its level of details and clean fidelity for a source is surprisingly good.

I have noticed that earphones with some extra brightness or has good treble presence helps balance out the sound tuning of the UTWS5. For example one of my absolute favorite pairings for the UTWS5 is Fiios own FH5S. Which sounds even better than their higher end FH9 or the FD7 on the UTWS5. And it is due to the FH5S actually having a pronounced treble end that brings about a higher end pairing with the UTWS5. I will get into this pairing more so later. For now, yes. The UTWS5 sound signature is musical and dynamic sounding more than analytical or overly neutral and it will clearly be an upgrade from your onboard phone sound.

Pairings: in this section I will post how I hear Fiios own earphones using the UTWS5.

First up the FD3.
Fiios FD3 you can read about here. Is arguably one of the best Fiio bang for buck earphones in the $100 range. It's the little brother to the FD5 in both ability and tuning but for the UTWS5. This pairing brings another flavor to the FD3 presentation. Highly detailed for its music synergy the FD3 shows good stage, clarity and dynamism with decent passive isolation. Best passive isolation is the FA7S as it is a fully closed design. Music sounds not only proper but is very enjoyable with the UTWS5. Its clarity is clearly on point and while the tuning is more of a mild V shaped signature sound leans a touch neutral in tonality and presentation but shows very good impact for bass and is detailed as ever. Very good pairing here. For the cost of a higher end Fiio earphone like the FD5 andt the FH5S. It costs less to get a UTWS5 and a FD3 pro to go with it, with the sonic ability that reaches ever so close to its bigger brother the FD5. This pairing is the one two punch, bang for buck Fiio pairing out of all the IEMs mentioned here.

FD5 you can read my review of them here . OK now we are talking about a bigger, more dynamic pairing with the UTWS5 vs FD3. The semi open bigger brother of the FD3. The FD5 takes this sound pairing to yet another level. One of the best impactful bass performers with this pairing. Having an impactful bass end is crucial to TWS sound as ambient noise drowns out bass of all things. So the more impactful the bass the better it is for on the go listening. Stage is one of the widest for all Fiio earphones and you get that impactful bass one step above the FD3 pairing. There is a slight added warmth to the FD5 tonality when paired with the UTWS5 that is not evident on the FD3 pairing. Some added warmth and depth makes this pairing more musical sounding vs the FD3 pairing. Passive isolation is similar to the FD3 pairing but has a more airy sound presentation. Good news for folks that were a bit treble sensitive using the FD5 included cable. The UTWS5 does not accentuate treble notes, unlike the included cable on the FD5 can do. The FD5 actually sounds better using the UTWS5 vs its stock cable. If you enjoy your FD5. Get yourself a UTWS5 and enjoy that match up.

FH5s you can read my take on them here. Get the pro version if you want one of Fiios best hybrids. As I mentioned the UTWS5 does not enhance treble notes. The match up with the FH5S is substantial. In fact, it is the FH5S that gets my vote as the best earphone pairing of all Fiio earphones on the UTWS5. While both the FH9 and the FD7 sound great using the UTWS5 for some reason it is the FH5S that synergizes extremely well with the UTWS5. Throwing out a wide and deep stage, the best vocals and mids renditions as well as that impactful low hitting bass. The FH5S has that extra bit of 8Khz energy from the treble tuning which elevates the base sound of the UTWS5 with an added sparkle making the FH5S sound simply amazing. I most definitely prefer using the UTWS5 over any of the cable variants on the FH5S.To my surprise the FH5S sounds more balanced using the UTWS5 than any other source I have used it with. The mids sound rich and bold/ with the mid switch forward. Bass especially sub bass is extremely textured and satisfying and again one of the widest stages for earphone pairings on the UTWS5. Truth is all of the recent Fiio line up sounds great on the UTWS5. FH5S gets a plus however with it. Synergy is everything with sound pairings and you get that with the FH5S and the UTWS5.

Finally FA7S you can read about here.. The most neutral pairing of the previously mentioned earphone pairings. For enthusiasts that want maximum detail with a neutral balanced tuning. The FA7S provides the best passive isolation as it is an all BA closed design and if you must have silence when traveling the FA7S is by far Fiios best passive isolating earphones. Beyond that. The pair up with the UTWS5 is fantastic. Being an all BA design using 6 Knowles BAs, technicalities; stage, imaging, instrument separation and detail. The FA7S has great extension on both ends of the spectrum and hence pairs well with the UTWS more analoguish sound signature. The FA7S delivers if you're a detail freak. These are the earphones to pair up with the UTWS5. Here is where the sum of all the parts equals a high end sound. Using the UTWS5 and the FA7S bring out a sound you would never hear with most TWS earphones and for Metal fans this is the ultimate TWS pairing. You get speed that only BAs can provide. Neutral in its tonality and multi BA detail that will become one of your favorites to use on the daily.

In the end
The UTWS5 is very surprising how good these arms are at what it does as these are a clear upgrade from Fiios previous arms the UTWS3. Sure, it isn't perfect but then show me a TWS product that is. I am giving this product a 5 star rating as it is the first to really throw out enough power and SQ to do your favorite earphones justice. A solid up to 8 hours of wireless listening is icing on the cake. This is the wireless product that will have you thinking it sounds just as good as wired. I have seen numerous posts of owners of the UTWS5 that are blown away with how good the arms are on their favorite earphones. This is the type of product you had no idea you needed until you try it out. Its ease of usability is one thing but the sound quality of these arms are undeniable and since it is done by Fiio I bet they are working on future firmware's that enhance their use all for the price of a decent cable. Highly recommended for the in ear enthusiast that own a lot of earphones or want to turn your earphone into wireless. Thanks for taking the time to read.