[FiiO M15S] Pocket Desktop-Level Player Discussion & Impressions Thread
Oct 18, 2023 at 11:13 PM Post #601 of 998
Does FIIO M15s have a click or pop for a split second at the start of each song in Tidal, especially when there are different samples of subsequent songs?
Have any of you connected M15s to an external amplifier, e.g. A&K PA10 class-A via balanced port 4.4 mm ?
What about the delayed sound when the M15s is connected via USB to the laptop - the image and sound are not synchronized, the last firmware update improved it?

Tidal pop/click - none

Ext amp connection - yes

I don't remember the M15S having a firmware update ever, and I had my unit since release (although I might have forgotten). I have made a few suggestions regarding the next firmware, but nothing after that from FiiO
 
Oct 19, 2023 at 11:11 AM Post #603 of 998
I will report on Saturday as i ordered the m15s and currently using the Gryphon paired with the u12t.
I have a feeling that the m15s will go back because it doesn't have these fantastic features like XBass and XSpace which are analog and work better than a typical EQ to my ears.
With these options ON, the u12t, even via BT sound like crazy. The soundstage is on the same level as on the Arya paired with a desktop amp and the bass hits way deeper.
When going via USB everything gets even better lol. The quality and fun factor of this combo is out of this world.
I ordered the M15s, and will sent it back too.... for me it was a big dissapointment, I don't say it is bad sounding but I mis the stage and sparkle I have from the Gryphon. I don't know what the M15s does, but is seems like everything has a soft filter over it, just the moment you want to hear that air in the music like Melody Gardot sometimes has in some tracks. On the Gryphon you hear it (without any options like xbass or xspace enabled).

I can agree the low end, is a little more tight on the M15S, for the rest the gryphon sounds better to me. So have to look further, would love a all in one without annoying cables. Now I have to take my Samsung s23 for usb Audio player pro and local files, when I want to go streaming like qobuz I have to go to my Iphone again. quite annoying. (I think bit perfect with streaming is not as easy on the android versus ios apple

Does anyone know which dac is at least as good as the xdsd gryphon, so stage and air in the treble, but tight bass too?

Maybe I listen to different genres, I don't know but I expected more, because every review says it is A-M-AZING, ofcourse not bad, but if I pay 1100 euro I at least expect it to be way better than a 599 euro xdsd gryphon, and it wasn't
 
Oct 19, 2023 at 1:08 PM Post #604 of 998
I ordered the M15s, and will sent it back too.... for me it was a big dissapointment, I don't say it is bad sounding but I mis the stage and sparkle I have from the Gryphon. I don't know what the M15s does, but is seems like everything has a soft filter over it, just the moment you want to hear that air in the music like Melody Gardot sometimes has in some tracks. On the Gryphon you hear it (without any options like xbass or xspace enabled).

I can agree the low end, is a little more tight on the M15S, for the rest the gryphon sounds better to me. So have to look further, would love a all in one without annoying cables. Now I have to take my Samsung s23 for usb Audio player pro and local files, when I want to go streaming like qobuz I have to go to my Iphone again. quite annoying. (I think bit perfect with streaming is not as easy on the android versus ios apple

Does anyone know which dac is at least as good as the xdsd gryphon, so stage and air in the treble, but tight bass too?

Maybe I listen to different genres, I don't know but I expected more, because every review says it is A-M-AZING, ofcourse not bad, but if I pay 1100 euro I at least expect it to be way better than a 599 euro xdsd gryphon, and it wasn't
I purchased a used AK SP1000. This is on a completely different level. I compared it to the M15s just before sending the Fiio and the M15s sounded less dynamic and vivid, bit shallower and had slightly paperish timbre. The M15s is a great dap, dont get me wrong but when A/B with a TOTL dap, even the older one, its not as natural, deep, spacious and realistic.
 
Oct 19, 2023 at 2:39 PM Post #605 of 998
Tidal pop/click - none

Ext amp connection - yes

I don't remember the M15S having a firmware update ever, and I had my unit since release (although I might have forgotten). I have made a few suggestions regarding the next firmware, but nothing after that from FiiO
Is there a delay in the sound of a movie when playing from a USB computer with Win11 or not?
How does it sound after connecting an external PA10 amplifier?
 
Oct 19, 2023 at 4:34 PM Post #607 of 998
Hot new "Forceful Impact".
Astell & Kern KANN ULTRA enters the stage - a competitor to FIIO M15s
at a similar price and equally high amplification and newer 2x ESS ES9039MPRO chips and an 8-core processor.
 
Oct 20, 2023 at 12:21 AM Post #608 of 998
Is there a delay in the sound of a movie when playing from a USB computer with Win11 or not?
How does it sound after connecting an external PA10 amplifier?

I use another DAP for external DAC in my PC, never tried it with the M15S, that's why I didn't answer that question directly.

I don't own a PA10, so I can't answer that question exactly. (You did say "for example") I have connected to a C9, Gryphon (when I had it) via 4.4mm and other various portable and external amps using 3.5mm.
 
Last edited:
Oct 20, 2023 at 6:42 AM Post #609 of 998
Hot new "Forceful Impact".
Astell & Kern KANN ULTRA enters the stage - a competitor to FIIO M15s
at a similar price and equally high amplification and newer 2x ESS ES9039MPRO chips and an 8-core processor.
Not a real competitor at $1599 (no doubt a decent player when it comes out, but certainly not at the same price level)
 
Oct 20, 2023 at 8:07 AM Post #610 of 998
Haven’t sent it back yet, altough changes are big. Noticed another thing. Does the M15S don’t play .dsf files? I tried a few albums and al of them only gave static noise on the fiio music app. I tried usb player pro, but than one keeps converting.

When I use usb player pro with a xdsd gryphon on a android phone, I get native DSD.

Am I missing something?
 
Oct 20, 2023 at 9:05 AM Post #611 of 998
Haven’t sent it back yet, altough changes are big. Noticed another thing. Does the M15S don’t play .dsf files? I tried a few albums and al of them only gave static noise on the fiio music app. I tried usb player pro, but than one keeps converting.

When I use usb player pro with a xdsd gryphon on a android phone, I get native DSD.

Am I missing something?
It plays dsf Files without any problem also it plays SACD iso files. You should have had another problem.
 
Oct 20, 2023 at 10:11 AM Post #612 of 998
It plays dsf Files without any problem also it plays SACD iso files. You should have had another problem.
Does ifi music only play local dsd files? Because I try to play them through dlna share.

This works without issue on usb player pro (through dlna share)? But then it converts to pcm instead of dsd native. Like I am used to with xdsd gryphon with a android phone and usb player pro.

Have to test it with local files.
 
Last edited:
Oct 20, 2023 at 10:21 AM Post #613 of 998
Does ifi music only play local dsd files? Because I try to play them through dlna share.

This works without issue on usb player pro (through dlna share)?

Have to test it with local files.
Have tried to play it with a network share, works too. In this case sacd isos do no work, but no problem with single dsd files.

and because of it works with Roon with dsd files, there is no reason that it should not work.
 
Last edited:
Oct 21, 2023 at 6:10 PM Post #615 of 998
Hey guys I’m searching for an Dac/Amp or Dap to drive drive my HEKV3.
I have read different reviews and I’m more confused then before.. I’m debating on getting the Gryphon, the H7, the Q7 or a Dap like the M15S or the HiBy RS6.
My use case is listening to music (Apple Music, Spotify), watching movies on Apple TV via Bluetooth and to play some games on my PS5 and Computer.
My budget is quite flexible, my goal is to calm the treble, and to improve the sound quality of my headphone (currently using Ifi Go Bar)

Do you have any recommendations?
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top