Hey Zeos so will the FiiO Q3 outperform the ESS Sabre DAC/Amps in some laptops nowadays specifically gaming ones. I guess the uh... Ones without say ultrabooks or just laptops that don't have a dedicated dac/amp would need something like this.
I bought it for the exact same reason, I would have it on my desktop most of the time but it would be nice to take with me where ever I go. Its also an upgrade over my fiio k1
Well Zeos, the Q3 puts out 160mw at 32ohms, where the BTR5 only puts out 80. Also has a bigger battery, and I think it has a better form factor for being attached to the back of large phones like my Oneplus 7 pro. Also, bluetooth still has drawbacks. It still drains battery of both devices and will never be perfect audio quality. Bluetooth pairing can be annoying... That's just my $0.02.
My reason for Q3/HipDac: I am an iPhone/iPad user. Apple does not provide any high bandwidth bluetooth codec, so for the best quality I have to go the cable-way.
Portable amps like this are actually pretty awesome. I strapped my ifi Hip Dac to the back of my 200$ Xiaomi phone by velcro taping it to the back of the case and plug it with a short flat usb cable. Literally just created a *thiccboi* DAP but it's far more useful when u need it to.
Yup, with velcro it's great. I've permanently glued velcros on the back side of my Oneplus and hid them under silicone case. And on hipdac I have two elastic stripes with velcro sewed onto them. When I want to connect hipdac to it, I just remove silicone case and stick it on the back.
Because I don’t want Bluetooth. I want wired connection and once you start comparing the btr5 (wired) to the q3, the q3 wins. Analog volume knob, THX AAA, bigger battery, bass boost etc. The q3 is as portable as your phone so it’s still as convient as btr5.
My Q1MKII died but based on this I'll stick with my BTR5 for now. Abandoning hard-to-drive cans was the best thing I've ever done - cuts right down on the mania for more powerful amps - but I salute Fiio for what they've done at every pricepoint.
I want the FiiO Q3 for an iPod Classic running Rockbox and playing FLAC. I figure it will sound good but I’m also just learning about this stuff. Love your videos. Keep up the great work!
Q3 and Ifi Hip Dacs are aimed towards the Laptop users like me where it is easy to switch location and travel with it without adding much bulk. Honestly the only reason i am not taking the BTR5 over this is because from what i have heard in the reviews, BTR5 gets a bit harsher when plugged in through the usb and and Btr5 doesn't have enough battery to last entire day usage with only Bluetooth. And power output is also a thing to consider if you switch to a full size headphone for your laptop
I find the Hip Dac battery doesn't lat any longer than the BTR5 to be honest.... and I love both of them. But for desk only I would use the Zen Dac (Hip Dac is sort of in the middle and is perfect for your scenario) But for purely on the go using my Moto G7 Plus phone I go for the BTR5!
I want the Q3 specifically, because I just bought the HD 660 S (based on your praise) with a fuckton of saved Target gift cards lol I do not own a a DAC or amp at all and I need something that: 1) Plugs into my computer (primary use) 2) Plugs into my phone (wire won't bother me, and it'll be a once-in-a-while type deal) 3) Has 4.4 balanced (because that's what the 660 S comes with
Got the Q1 MKII. Got it mostly because I'm a poor student who doesn't have money to get more than one DAC AMP. So getting one that works on all my devices felt nice, since I'm going to school to study with my laptop a lot, and also travel to my hometown and back sometimes. Basically, bang for buck that I can use everywhere felt nice.
@Edelstein Pelikan Ah sweet, what impedance do you have on those? I was thinking of getting some nice reference headphones like those somewhere down the line. Was kinda worried about what the little thing can realistically drive
@@TarekMidani jogg haha I'm a fat lazy kid. I mean I have the plus just cuz I like power. I use it for my laptop and phone while I'm in the bed. If I ever had to jogg id use some sort of small dap and fiio fh3 (a fucking steal I'm in love with em only the cable is kinda ahh)
I'm interested in the Q3 as an iPad Pro dac/amp, since I just don't wanna be attached to a desk setup at all times but don't need ultra-portability. I just want to bum around the house with it.
Yeah the Q3 lacks the Bluetooth functionality but I found the output to have a super clean background. So people who are not looking for BT, Q3 might be a better choice. Amazing detailed review like always!!
I used to employ a separate DAC to my phone, and whilst the audio was of great quality, it was, and still is, a fiddly pain-in-the-neck. On the go, most people just use a decent, noise-cancelling pair of cans, these days. I believe this amp belongs in the past.
I chose hip dac over btr5 because: 4.4 seems more sturdy than 2.5 and recently seems to be the norm for balanced portable form Xbass obviously And extra power might come in handy during headphone upgrades (I got p1 as my first iem so the extra power and bass boost both came in handy) And seems like I love touching knobs. 😂 It's mostly about synergy in my opinion. 😁
My first thought was “that would be nice for my sim racing rig” because it’s nice and small and would tuck out of the way. But the iFi Zen Dac I have now is cheaper, has more features and has a decent sized knob that I can use with gloves on.
The volume knob on the Zen Dac is a fantastic piece of kit, while the Fiio volume knob is just plain laughable. Stick with what you have for gloves mate, no questions.
Zeos: I have the hip dac currently because of burr brown chip that sounds better for Orchestral music and the headphones I use are 250 ohm needing more gain/power than the BTR5 can put out. Just my thoughts. It's about Sound and Powa..
I have both..... and I totally get what you are saying.... As a a purely portable device though the BTR5 is really special. But on a desk or say on a train journey of flight the Hip Dac is brilliant (but if you have the cash... the Graham Slee Bitzie USB Dac/Headphone Ampifier and Lautus USB cable are just amazing)
the purpose for me is two PCs :) so I'm cozy at home. I got a PC that I use during the day for work and another for play. they share (one at a time) a USB hub in which I got a lot of peripherals and a FiiO Q1 which sends nice audio to headphones (ATH AD2000X you recommended). so when I switch PCs I don't have to also switch the audio cables, just the one USB and the monitor. that's my use case ;)
I also had my Hip Dac connected to my M11!!! I thought I preferred it, then I spent an hour A/B'ing them and determined that the M11 actually provided a better, cleaner, wider sound through the 6XX that are permanently connected :P
I think the appeal of these portable DAC amps is convenience and affordability aspect. For many people this is their only amp and living in a small apartment or student accommodation, something like this is perfect
I'm in this boat. I'm looking for a quality dac and reasonably powerful amp to move between my cell phone and my pc. Mostly for music on the go and video games.
For iPhone users, which uses only AAC codec for Bluetooth, Q3 makes sense considering Apple Music is adding option of loseless streaming next month for no extra cost. I have Btr5 I use over Bluetooth, I thought there’s no benefit of using wired DAC as Apple Music is streaming AAC anyways, but now wiring even Btr5 suddenly make sense, and I’m seriously considering Q3. Do you think Q3 is an upgrade over wired Btr5?
I bought one because although my BTR5 is awesome, I wanted a portable DAC for my laptop to take with me to the office and have the ability to move it around at home. Although the BTR5 can do this, the higher power output of the Q3 is sometimes handy, plus it does have a 4.4mm port whereas the BTR5 does not. I do really like both devices though and highly recommend them as well.
I'm really curious to hear your thoughts on the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and how you think it stacks up to something like the BTR5 or the Q3 from a sound quality perspective
I can tell you that it stacks up pretty well. I actually feel that the Dragonfly has a little more power, honestly, but then you just flip the gain switch on the Fiio.
"Honda Civic trunk shake sorta low-end." That shit got me. Thats me in 1999 with my Alpine cva1005, Playstation and vcr. Along with my Polk Audio Dx components and three ways in the back deck. Kicker Solobaric subs (round ones) pushed by Mtx amps all the way around. Dynamat throughout the car and it sill rattled! I had to put a damn upgraded alternater and Monster cap in. Those were the days working at Circuit City as an 18 year old. It was the first signs of being into audio more so than the average person. No car system these days but my hobby is in headphones and the rabbit hole that entails with dacs and amps and, and, and... You brought back great memories with that one line. Thanks!
I'll be honest, I only use my MKII as a balanced out thing with a convenient volume control and one of my dragonflies lined in, turns my phone into a bit of a brick but it's a nice brick! Mind you, the btr5 is @king good.
I own (and love) a BTR5 and I'm buying it. Here's why: 1) Battery life. I charge the BTR basically every day. More than 3x battery 2) Power. BTR is phenomenal for IEMs but lacks power for some of my headphones. 50+% more power. HipDAC seems cool but most reviews and many users state that the battery sucks.
Just ordered Q3 for Macbook Air & Focal Elegia. Computer has two usb-c and a 3.5mm, no other connections, so this makes good sense over JDS Atom stack, which I really wanted. The usb-c choice opens up some options for my itx build as well, with my next chassis having a frontside and my current mobo with a TB3 that I'm assuming will output to this. Edit: just recieved the Q3 and only have FD1 iems with me at the moment, I don't hear any hiss as some reviewers had reported. Using 3.5mm output atm. Included usbc cable has directional arrows. Good accessories including any connection you'd need and a neoprene carry bag, plus a nonslip pad for your desktop and some rubber rings.
I'd prefer q3 because : - full compaitable Ipad Pro and Iphone - decent power for driving Sennheiser Hd 600 & 650 - Clean Sound - Less Cable than this combo Amp + Dac + Power Cables + Rca Cable I just sat front of Ipad and just connect to it and enjoy music with Hd series headphones - type c connector and charging mode - akm dac chip
Zeos, to answer your question why: I bought the FIIO Q1 MARK II bc I wanted something slim & capable for my desk to use with my pc. I`m happy so far, the only issue presenting itself is that after a year of use the battery is swelling up.
Hi, may I ask more about the battery issue since I’m considering buying one: 1. Do you mainly use the Q1 plugged in PC? 2. How bad is the battery swelling and what is the current battery life of the Q1? I’m seeing that the Q3 has a “charge” switch - meaning you can turn off charging. I think this would prevent swelling, especially for those who mainly use the dac/amp with pc.
@@zZBlitzZz 1)Yes 2)well the swelling is so bad that the aluminium housing is bend. But this occured after several months of having it always plugged in & should be covered by warranty. Old battery life was long enough to cover 17h flight. Now its about 8 hours. - the switch you mention on tthe Q3 sounds like a really nice feature to have! hope this helps
I once used a Q1 Mk1 as a desktop DAC-amp, laughable as that may be. But when you're on the sort of budget I was back then, and the limited selection for sub-$200 DACs and Amps that were available where I live (you Americans don't know how good you have it to have small audio companies right at your doorstep), Fiio pushing out a product like this still gave me a way into audio (I was considering the E10K, but that was sold out and it took months after I bought the Q1 for it to even come back in stock here. Again, you Americans don't know how good you have it). In the first place, Fiio was never a mainstream company selling mainstream products. The whole company and their products are catering to a niche. There are people out there who really would prefer to not leave any performance at the table when going mobile or laptop, and I'm guessing for Fiio that's enough of a market to make something for that niche. It's NEVER good to take away choices, and it's great that Fiio still gives us that choice and with THX tech for that matter.
I want it because I work and want something better portable and that sounds better 2) its a good entry point into 4.4 cuz im wanting to get the hiby R5 3) I really like physical volume knobs but I am thinking about the BTR5 for like when I go running on the treadmill or something itd be handy rather than yanking on the cables and stuff
I decided first on Hip Dac 2, and in enjoyed it WHEN IT WORKED. It was very inconsistent actually connecting to a source. Secondly - I HATED the clunky cable situation with that silly recessed male USB input. So I sent it back. I just ordered the Q3. I want something that is portable that I can take to coffee shops, my office, use in other rooms of the house when I'm not at my desk with my desktop setup. This has power for my more power hungry headphones, doesn't use my phone battery, and fits in my Focal Elegia case. When I'm walking around and want to listen to wired headphones I just use the apple dongle. IT is pretty great actually.
I bought/use my hip dac for saving space while traveling for work. I want to take one dac/amp for use with my phone/tablet/laptop and one set of headphones. The two primary issues I face are getting enough power and having a setup that is good for critical listening AND fun/casual listening. The hip dac's power output and bass boost lets me pick any headphone with a relatively neutral sound signature and I'm good to go.
I have my Q1 Mkii hooked up to my M3 Pro. The M3 has a solid DAC, but no amplification so I line out into my M3 Pro and i run it balanced and it sounds great now.
I bought these for my phone, unfortunately fiio has q5s sold out it in india which I wanted to buy (might buy them in the future). I didn't choose the btr 5 since it had the same DAC as my LG V30+ phone, wanted to check how the akm dac's sound. My assessment, ESS sabre DAC in my LG V30+ is still better provided you can trick the phone into thinking you have a high impedance headphone. The bass boost in Q3 is not that much actually, the Q3 sound extremely neutral as a result they might sound boring in some tracks.
I am currently saving up for my first set of planars. I will want a quality dac and a reasonably powerful amp to drive them. I am looking at the q3 as a nice intro that'll let me dip my toes into planars and allow me to upgrade my equipment as I can afford it. I am looking into a device like this so I can move it from my pc to my cellphone and maybe to my xbox. It will probably sit at my pc 66% of the time and taken to work for breaktime listening. I plan on using it mostly for music, video games, and movies. I currently use a set of fiio utws1 with my cellphone. I can not afford to buy a nice stack for my pc and a separate dac amp for my cellphone. At least not for a bit.
I bought HipDac over BTR5 and tbh as a new guy on this audiophiliac world, and still a student, I want the highest quality amp/dac my budget can over, but there's a thing for a knob/potentiometer that I yearn so much everytime I see amp/dac review. I want to twist and feel the knob everytime I set up the volume. Yes btr5 is just as good, more feature, smaller, more convenient, but no knob and in my head I would totally regret passing Q3 or HipDac to feed my laziness and inconvenience over a chunky cable.
I use my Q1 mark ii stacked with a Fiio M6 as my portable solution (the m6 has spotify) and I do consistently use it on my laptop. I'm in university so the bigger unit is easier to keep track of and is sturdier (it's been dropped once or twice)
Okay Zeos I’ll try to make a reasonable use case for buying the Q3... IF you use an iPod Touch as your DAP, the dimensions of the new Q3 are perfect for creating a lightweight and tiny portable “stack.” An excellent pairing using your beloved Blu Tack (or double sided tape) to secure them together. For those who are deeply into the Apple ecosystem you don’t care about Bluetooth too much as you are limited to the AAC codec. This makes the BTR5 less attractive. Why would anyone want to use an iPod Touch? Well, it’s easy to download hi rez content from Tidal and Qobuz for offline playback for one, eliminating the need to use micro SD cards if the majority of your content is obtained via streaming. You also gain access to any music streaming app or music player app you can think of. You don’t have to complain about your DAPs operating system, as iOS receives regular updates. It has WiFi and AirPlay capability allowing you to receive better quality sound than Bluetooth. It can also be used as a Roon endpoint, which when combined with the capability of the Q3 allows you to listen to your whole music library in the best quality while remaining portable within your home. I currently use a Q5S (along with my iPod Touch) for all of the above, but for what looks to be an even better product for its compatible form factor with the iPod Touch, the FiiO Q3 looks ideal.
I just bought one because I have headphones like HD600 which BTR3K cannot properly power, and I also want my DAC/AMP to dont take too much space, yet I also travel occasionally with my laptop so I don't use or bottleneck anything. Plus it's nice to have nice things.
1 reason to go with the Q3 over BTR5 is if you have an iPhone, as I've just realised. iPhone only supports AAC bluetooth, so you'd have to use the BTR5 with a CCK cable.
I have xDuoo XD05 plus, and I have BTR5. I connect my BTR5 headphone out to aux in on my xDuoo XD05 plus. Boom! Bluetooth connection from best of both world 😎
@zreview I used ka3 which can be similar to btr5 , couldn't use it with my phone at high volume with lcd 2 . works perfectly with Macbook since Mac can push more power through usb c. q3 will help here since it has its own battery. as far as btr5 is concerned , it may be not be able to drive my hd 650 , lcd 2c as compared to q3. also 4.4 mm is big plus. I also don't like switching to bluetooth between Mac and my iPhone , physical connection is more easy and satisfying.
I have the Q1 Mark ii and this is why. I am a student and thus have a small budget, I was gifted a pair old slightly beat-up JBL's for which I found an old integrated amp for (around 60$). Unfortunately these have to stay at my parents as I study far away from home. I then bought myself a pair of HD 6XX to watch movies on my laptop/enjoy good music when at uni, Knowing the 6XX need to be powered and needing a DAC to connect my laptop the JBL's I decided to buy the Q1 instead of buying something like a Schit Modi for the JBL's and then another DAC/AMP for the 6XX saving a bit of money. That being said I don't think I'll be upgrading from the Mark ii to the Q3, just not enough of an improvement to make the jump.
I use the hip dac with my phone velcrod to it. Love the bass boost. I use it at work in the morning with several different iems. I use tidal so mqa is nice to have. I'm on my feet all day. Everyone is still going to work in south Carolina. I also use it at home balanced with the 6xx and can walk around in the yard or wood with it.
I choose this for desktop because I use IEMs only and it has balanced outputs and only one USB C cable will do it no power input less clutter. I could get a D30 or a Tube amp like Xduoo MT601/602 but this seems the best bet. I will get MT601 /602 to show off tube glow to the chicas because I got quite a few 12A tubes & JAN 5654W. This though will be perfect because IEM is what I mostly use. No hiss.
I bought a ifi nano black because I wanted better sound quality, a line out, and power on the go. I have the Tin P1 and my phone as is didn't have the power to properly drive them. Also I don't trust the quality of bluetooth, my phone seems to be locked at AAC. Also 900kbps is a far cry from 2116kbps for 24bit wav.
I'm looking at the Q3 because of AK chip and THX on the cheap. I want to hear, the AK Chip and THX AAA, those two things without spending hundreds and that not so tiny device is the easiest most inexpensive way for me to do so. I can do it in comfort of at home right at my desk with my computer feeding it both signal and power. So it's basically a mini combo unit for my use case.
I have a FIIO E18 and use it with Velcro on the lid of my laptop; out of the way (behind the screen), great sound. I have also used it with rubber bands on the phone, but these days i use super small DAC "on the wire" for that use.
I'm interested in dac amps like the q3 because i usually listen music on my phone and when i use my PC i can use It there too,and if i travel(not now bc covid) i can take It with me with some headphones and have a Great time,i'm interested in the q3 bc i can only have 1 dac amp and It can do everything i need
Why I got it? I can plug it to my phone I can plug it to my PC I can plug it to my Mac to edit audio It's a Swiss Army Knife that actually works wonders!
I already have the BTR5 but i needed a bit more power and battery so i also got the Xduoo Xp-2Pro which has the same output power. I was told to wait for the Q3..i am glad i didn't.
I have the BTR5 and mainly use it wired as I hate having to charge things as I'm just far too forgetful for that. Plus to run LDAC at 900Kbps locked I get really bad connectivity so it's basically like listening to mka files instead of flac and while there are many songs you won't notice the difference, those songs I do notice totally bother me as I know what it should sound like.
I have it, I use it mostly for my desktop, since I didn't have a balanced ampdac. But I also wanted to be able to detach it and go to take a shit or lay on the sofa with it. There's no way I'm bringing this outside, but I have a Surface, it's really nice to have a nice amp on the go if I need it. But yeah, for me, it's 90% a desktop amp dac.
The physical form of the Q3 was made intended to be strapped on a phone. The hip dac is too wide so it won’t be a clean setup. Weirdly same goes to btr5 or qudelix, it won’t be a nice setup if strapped to a phone. Q3 obviously having bigger battery than the small dongle. Bluetooth is another thing, isn’t the sound still compressed compared to wired? Furthermore, to benefit from a dac it has to be input via usb. Audio from bluetooth has already been processed from the source, not analog anymore.. commenting here few years later from this video because I’m looking for such thing, found an old iphone in my drawer that i want to make it a dedicated portable dap
I'm sorry a little confused. I thought Bluetooth doesn't have enough bandwidth for Lossless or Hi-Res Lossless Music. This is why we need wires and DAC; hello Apple Music. Even Apple which is going wireless everything requires a wire. Or did I miss understand?
Its perfect for me: I use it on the laptop at home, and bring it at work for my shitty iPod, turned into a spotify data streamer :) (My job is boring and almost require headphones - everyone uses headphones). Because it's like 8 hours of music per day, a good battery is also a big plus. Also, I only have wired headphones. No particular reason, I just own the headphones I like most.
I think I will get a Q3 at one point for use on my laptop at work as soon as working from home is not the thing anymore. As I have many 2.5 balanced cables the Q3 would be perfect for that purpose, but I still have the option to switch to pentacon later.
I think for me I want something that I don't feel like I'm misusing as a DAC/AMP at home or on the go. I'm most likely going to primarily use it at home but going out on road trips, it feels like something that is a nice happy medium between a nice, beefy desktop dac amp and something small that can be taken around portably. Bluetooth is a little bit of a bummer but I'm fine with using it wired.
@@sneakysnail9225 Thank you! I wasn't sure because Kph30i are relatively easy to drive so I wasn't sure what difference it would make but now I think I'll do it.
Is Bluetooth LDAC that good? I can see one advantage to the Q3. It's imi or whatever. So it can hook up to an iphone. You can't from what I understand with the btr5. And for me the advantage of Bluetooth is no more wires. But you still have a wire between the btr5 and headphones. That's the annoying cable. Not the one joining your phone to Dac in your pocket
I hear what youre saying, and if you really need the desk space, then absolutely. However, I have both a schiit stack and the Q3, and I hate using the Q3 on my desk. It's too light to really use on a desk without velcro or adhesive. It slides around with the cable and its pretty annoying.
I once had no other choice but to use a Q1 as a desktop DAC-Amp, mostly 'cause of availability issues rather than desk space. It was a nice, convnenient, and reliable gateway to audio, and could easily do headphones while lined-out to my speakers. I wouldn't look back to doing that sort of setup again for myself, but I totally understand people who start out this way and even stick with it.
Holy fucking shit I never even thought about the possibility of using electric motors and software to emulate the powerband of any gasoline engine of any configuration
The only reason I can think of is very niche. I saw a video a couple days ago explaining how companies are using Bluetooth against people and at some point they will have bluetooth scanners in stores and hotels that can track you. So, people might want to have a device that lacks bluetooth. But, even then you should just be able to turn bluetooth off on your phone and just plug in a btr5 via wire and be good. But yea like Zeos said it could work as a good dac/amp for a laptop and it is only 150 and you get 32 bit...THX ak4462 dac. I mean I would say arguable it competes with my Schiit hel and that does not have anything bluetooth. But, no one would complain because it is not marketed as a phone dac/amp and that was 200 dollars. But, this also lacks a mic in...which I know with the btr3k you can actually use a 4 pole connector and get a mic in. So, if they gave it a mic in at 150 and marketed it as a laptop dac/amp. Then it would work and no one would complain.
I had considered getting rid of the Hip DAC as I also have the xDSD. BUT, recently I've purchased the P1 and the Hip DAC's gain is the only thing that gives it the power it needs.
@@cyclonasaurusrex1525 when I first got it I tried it with a few amp/DACs Dragonfly Cobalt, Spectra X, xDSD and a couple older ones ALL left the P1 short on power. I generally don't listen loud but could really mad if volume settings. The Hip DAC (with the gain setting on) make the P1 fanatic. That's as fantastic as the P1s can get, as long as you don't need any subbass
I use mine with my media player (Sony something something) I need a 4.4 jack and my Sony think is missing it. So this device is awesome. Also I use it with my MacBook for the same reson. So I can use my 4.4 headphones.
Well with Iphone I agree the AAC is good but it is not LDAC so in carantine I rather sit down with Q3 still better... of course if you have desk top set up...irrelevant...if you don't at home, I rather listen Q3, walking outside I don't mind AAC...
I did got the hip-dac for 2 months and it is so bad to use, that I am currently seriously considering a BTR5. Usage got better after I replaced the blue cable with a long one, but even then i look stupid. The only time it works, is when I lay in bed and connect the hip-dac to my base-x A100 and put on my DT880
So, I am interested in this product because when I'm sitting in the recliner with my Anandas I wanna wire up to my phone or my tablet, which both newer Samsung things, don't have a headphone jack. I don't need Bluetooth, I'm just sitting there. I also prefer an analog volume because I like to make subtle tweeks in volume as I'm listening to the details without clicking the button which makes rather large jumps in volume. I like to ride the volume knob when the song gets quieter and then smoothly go back down when it gets louder. I need something with power to make those headphones sing! If I want to Bluetooth I'll use different headphones that are specifically for that. I don't want a f'n wire hanging down when I'm roaming about. How is using the BTR5 any different than using the headphones wired into your phone in your pocket, aside from the added power? I actually ask the opposite question and wonder why anyone would use bluetooth when you still need a wire dangling there? Right now I use a mighty, cheap little dongle DAC and a portable analog headphone amp for the very purpose I described, but I'd like to get a DAC that has a little more oomph, that is portable, & has a balanced output; but then can also be hooked up to my laptop and used as a desktop amp/DAC with a very small footprint and doesn't require external power. The fact that it has THX is gravy, too. So, I'm the sorta fella they made this for. As always, I appreciate your brutally honest reviews, Z! I'm gonna pick this up.
I bought my Q3 to use at work with my docked laptop. Don't need bluetooth at the office but having the tactility of a volume knob is better for me. The Q3 replaced a K3 which replaced a Hip Dac (Hip Dac also requires two cables to run with a laptop - power and data cannot share a cable). I do prefer the sound of the Q3 to both K3 and Hip Dac; I also completely agree, iFi absolutely nailed the bass boost while Fiio's is nearly useless; but the iFi just feels claustrophobic compared to both Fiios.
I'm looking at a q3 because I don't really have any audio equipment. But I want to buy some 600 series sennheisers or something similar. Something that may be difficult to drive. I thought m11 pro was the easiest route but seems like I could just buy a q3 and plug some hd605s into it and play from my phone. Can also plug my turntable straight into this.
Love my BTR5 but not loving the Bluetooth distance range to my Pixel XL hope it improves in the future with an update or something and I do use the OTG cable to my laptop from time to time.
![[안방1열 풀캠4K] 베이비몬스터 'DRIP' (BABYMONSTER FullCam)│@SBS Inkigayo 241110](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AQ4RIghEvUs/mqdefault.jpg)
Want to Support this Channel ? Click Below
⚔️www.SubscribeStar.com/Zeos -- Subscribe Star
🥇www.Patreon.com/Zeos -- Check out the Patreon
Where did you buy the Laffey pillow above the speakers?
Hey Zeos so will the FiiO Q3 outperform the ESS Sabre DAC/Amps in some laptops nowadays specifically gaming ones. I guess the uh... Ones without say ultrabooks or just laptops that don't have a dedicated dac/amp would need something like this.
Any suggestions for a balanced cable for the V-Moda m100 master
I don't wanna buy any of these, I just wanna hear your sweet voice Zeos
Dude, do you even know who BRUCE MCLAREN IS? Doubtful... HIGHLY DOUBTFUL...
something like this, i would use as a desktop amp that i could take with me anywhere. bluetooth is convenient, but wired will always be more reliable.
I bought it for the exact same reason, I would have it on my desktop most of the time but it would be nice to take with me where ever I go. Its also an upgrade over my fiio k1
I have a q1mii and use it at work on the desktop and then can take it with me. Love it. Might get this one just to get a little more power eventually.
Well Zeos, the Q3 puts out 160mw at 32ohms, where the BTR5 only puts out 80. Also has a bigger battery, and I think it has a better form factor for being attached to the back of large phones like my Oneplus 7 pro. Also, bluetooth still has drawbacks. It still drains battery of both devices and will never be perfect audio quality. Bluetooth pairing can be annoying... That's just my $0.02.
In this economy it’s advised you don’t give your “$0.02” worth. Not worth the capital and cheapens all other thought.
My reason for Q3/HipDac: I am an iPhone/iPad user. Apple does not provide any high bandwidth bluetooth codec, so for the best quality I have to go the cable-way.
AAC is excellent, a very close 2nd to LDAC & much better than even aptx hd imo.
Portable amps like this are actually pretty awesome. I strapped my ifi Hip Dac to the back of my 200$ Xiaomi phone by velcro taping it to the back of the case and plug it with a short flat usb cable. Literally just created a *thiccboi* DAP but it's far more useful when u need it to.
Yup, with velcro it's great. I've permanently glued velcros on the back side of my Oneplus and hid them under silicone case. And on hipdac I have two elastic stripes with velcro sewed onto them. When I want to connect hipdac to it, I just remove silicone case and stick it on the back.
Lol dude so do i, ifi hip dac with xiaomi phone 😄
Does hip dac discharge your phone? I have xiaomi too
@@yevheniirazin7474 no it doesn't
Because I don’t want Bluetooth. I want wired connection and once you start comparing the btr5 (wired) to the q3, the q3 wins. Analog volume knob, THX AAA, bigger battery, bass boost etc. The q3 is as portable as your phone so it’s still as convient as btr5.
Yes
My Q1MKII died but based on this I'll stick with my BTR5 for now. Abandoning hard-to-drive cans was the best thing I've ever done - cuts right down on the mania for more powerful amps - but I salute Fiio for what they've done at every pricepoint.
I want the FiiO Q3 for an iPod Classic running Rockbox and playing FLAC. I figure it will sound good but I’m also just learning about this stuff.
Love your videos. Keep up the great work!
Q3 and Ifi Hip Dacs are aimed towards the Laptop users like me where it is easy to switch location and travel with it without adding much bulk. Honestly the only reason i am not taking the BTR5 over this is because from what i have heard in the reviews, BTR5 gets a bit harsher when plugged in through the usb and and Btr5 doesn't have enough battery to last entire day usage with only Bluetooth. And power output is also a thing to consider if you switch to a full size headphone for your laptop
I find the Hip Dac battery doesn't lat any longer than the BTR5 to be honest.... and I love both of them. But for desk only I would use the Zen Dac (Hip Dac is sort of in the middle and is perfect for your scenario) But for purely on the go using my Moto G7 Plus phone I go for the BTR5!
I quit listening to DAC reviews and just started listening to more music.
There!
I want the Q3 specifically, because I just bought the HD 660 S (based on your praise) with a fuckton of saved Target gift cards lol
I do not own a a DAC or amp at all and I need something that:
1) Plugs into my computer (primary use)
2) Plugs into my phone (wire won't bother me, and it'll be a once-in-a-while type deal)
3) Has 4.4 balanced (because that's what the 660 S comes with
Got the Q1 MKII. Got it mostly because I'm a poor student who doesn't have money to get more than one DAC AMP. So getting one that works on all my devices felt nice, since I'm going to school to study with my laptop a lot, and also travel to my hometown and back sometimes.
Basically, bang for buck that I can use everywhere felt nice.
BTR 5 is just as affordable
@@GadgetFox No analog volume on the BTR5.
@@GadgetFox I also don't have bluetooth on my desktop, nor do I wanna get it. Bluetooth works a bit crap on Linux as well
@Edelstein Pelikan Ah sweet, what impedance do you have on those? I was thinking of getting some nice reference headphones like those somewhere down the line. Was kinda worried about what the little thing can realistically drive
@Edelstein Pelikan Alright! Thanks for the advice :]
I must confess that I am *that guy* with a Xduoo XD-05 strapped to my phone. Or I mean I have my phone strapped to the Xduoo...
SameSame!
You sir, are a gosh darn champion 🏆
I both the module and keep them both in difrent pockets
but that thing is way bigger. I don't imagine how big your pocket would be while you're jogging lol
@@TarekMidani jogg haha I'm a fat lazy kid. I mean I have the plus just cuz I like power. I use it for my laptop and phone while I'm in the bed. If I ever had to jogg id use some sort of small dap and fiio fh3 (a fucking steal I'm in love with em only the cable is kinda ahh)
I'm interested in the Q3 as an iPad Pro dac/amp, since I just don't wanna be attached to a desk setup at all times but don't need ultra-portability. I just want to bum around the house with it.
Use speakers. Then walk as much as you like
@@YamilLlanos mum is sleeping in another room. what to do, master?
Best way to sum up the year "It's 2020 where the f*uck are you going ?" Thank you Zeos!
i love your reviews, they make me laugh a lot while being quite informative
Yeah the Q3 lacks the Bluetooth functionality but I found the output to have a super clean background. So people who are not looking for BT, Q3 might be a better choice.
Amazing detailed review like always!!
Very true! To me, BT lacks the bandwidth needed for the FLACs I currently have and I heard/listen to, even with LDAC.
I used to employ a separate DAC to my phone, and whilst the audio was of great quality, it was, and still is, a fiddly pain-in-the-neck. On the go, most people just use a decent, noise-cancelling pair of cans, these days. I believe this amp belongs in the past.
I chose hip dac over btr5 because:
4.4 seems more sturdy than 2.5 and recently seems to be the norm for balanced portable form
Xbass obviously
And extra power might come in handy during headphone upgrades (I got p1 as my first iem so the extra power and bass boost both came in handy)
And seems like I love touching knobs. 😂
It's mostly about synergy in my opinion. 😁
I have the BTR5 and the Hip Dac...... And this is spot on... With my phone I seem to be using the BTR5 almost exclusively...
I'm internally fighting between these two. Running balanced hd560s, what would you suggest if I don't plan on using the Bluetooth
My first thought was “that would be nice for my sim racing rig” because it’s nice and small and would tuck out of the way. But the iFi Zen Dac I have now is cheaper, has more features and has a decent sized knob that I can use with gloves on.
The volume knob on the Zen Dac is a fantastic piece of kit, while the Fiio volume knob is just plain laughable. Stick with what you have for gloves mate, no questions.
Zeos: I have the hip dac currently because of burr brown chip that sounds better for Orchestral music and the headphones I use are 250 ohm needing more gain/power than the BTR5 can put out.
Just my thoughts. It's about Sound and Powa..
I have both..... and I totally get what you are saying.... As a a purely portable device though the BTR5 is really special. But on a desk or say on a train journey of flight the Hip Dac is brilliant (but if you have the cash... the Graham Slee Bitzie USB Dac/Headphone Ampifier and Lautus USB cable are just amazing)
that Graham Slee Bitzie DAC looks ugly as hell man
the purpose for me is two PCs :)
so I'm cozy at home. I got a PC that I use during the day for work and another for play. they share (one at a time) a USB hub in which I got a lot of peripherals and a FiiO Q1 which sends nice audio to headphones (ATH AD2000X you recommended). so when I switch PCs I don't have to also switch the audio cables, just the one USB and the monitor. that's my use case ;)
I have the Hip Dac connected to my M11 because I like the way it sounds more than the M11 and I just use the M11 as the source for all my music.
I also had my Hip Dac connected to my M11!!! I thought I preferred it, then I spent an hour A/B'ing them and determined that the M11 actually provided a better, cleaner, wider sound through the 6XX that are permanently connected :P
I think the appeal of these portable DAC amps is convenience and affordability aspect. For many people this is their only amp and living in a small apartment or student accommodation, something like this is perfect
I'm in this boat.
I'm looking for a quality dac and reasonably powerful amp to move between my cell phone and my pc. Mostly for music on the go and video games.
For iPhone users, which uses only AAC codec for Bluetooth, Q3 makes sense considering Apple Music is adding option of loseless streaming next month for no extra cost. I have Btr5 I use over Bluetooth, I thought there’s no benefit of using wired DAC as Apple Music is streaming AAC anyways, but now wiring even Btr5 suddenly make sense, and I’m seriously considering Q3. Do you think Q3 is an upgrade over wired Btr5?
Wait what!??
I bought one because although my BTR5 is awesome, I wanted a portable DAC for my laptop to take with me to the office and have the ability to move it around at home. Although the BTR5 can do this, the higher power output of the Q3 is sometimes handy, plus it does have a 4.4mm port whereas the BTR5 does not. I do really like both devices though and highly recommend them as well.
Thank you for the new lighting over your desk!
Bought it this weekend , use it with my phone while at work rather than listening to the radio 👍
Sat at desk all day
I'm really curious to hear your thoughts on the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and how you think it stacks up to something like the BTR5 or the Q3 from a sound quality perspective
Will never happen. As NO BLUETOOTH. 😂
I can tell you that it stacks up pretty well. I actually feel that the Dragonfly has a little more power, honestly, but then you just flip the gain switch on the Fiio.
"Honda Civic trunk shake sorta low-end."
That shit got me. Thats me in 1999 with my Alpine cva1005, Playstation and vcr. Along with my Polk Audio Dx components and three ways in the back deck. Kicker Solobaric subs (round ones) pushed by Mtx amps all the way around. Dynamat throughout the car and it sill rattled! I had to put a damn upgraded alternater and Monster cap in. Those were the days working at Circuit City as an 18 year old. It was the first signs of being into audio more so than the average person. No car system these days but my hobby is in headphones and the rabbit hole that entails with dacs and amps and, and, and...
You brought back great memories with that one line. Thanks!
I'll be honest, I only use my MKII as a balanced out thing with a convenient volume control and one of my dragonflies lined in, turns my phone into a bit of a brick but it's a nice brick!
Mind you, the btr5 is @king good.
I own (and love) a BTR5 and I'm buying it. Here's why:
1) Battery life. I charge the BTR basically every day. More than 3x battery
2) Power. BTR is phenomenal for IEMs but lacks power for some of my headphones. 50+% more power.
HipDAC seems cool but most reviews and many users state that the battery sucks.
thanks u answered my question, I'm happy with my BTR5.
Just ordered Q3 for Macbook Air & Focal Elegia. Computer has two usb-c and a 3.5mm, no other connections, so this makes good sense over JDS Atom stack, which I really wanted. The usb-c choice opens up some options for my itx build as well, with my next chassis having a frontside and my current mobo with a TB3 that I'm assuming will output to this.
Edit: just recieved the Q3 and only have FD1 iems with me at the moment, I don't hear any hiss as some reviewers had reported. Using 3.5mm output atm. Included usbc cable has directional arrows. Good accessories including any connection you'd need and a neoprene carry bag, plus a nonslip pad for your desktop and some rubber rings.
I'd prefer q3 because :
- full compaitable Ipad Pro and Iphone
- decent power for driving Sennheiser Hd 600 & 650
- Clean Sound
- Less Cable than this combo Amp + Dac + Power Cables + Rca Cable
I just sat front of Ipad and just connect to it and enjoy music with Hd series headphones
- type c connector and charging mode
- akm dac chip
Zeos, to answer your question why: I bought the FIIO Q1 MARK II bc I wanted something slim & capable for my desk to use with my pc. I`m happy so far, the only issue presenting itself is that after a year of use the battery is swelling up.
Hi, may I ask more about the battery issue since I’m considering buying one:
1. Do you mainly use the Q1 plugged in PC?
2. How bad is the battery swelling and what is the current battery life of the Q1?
I’m seeing that the Q3 has a “charge” switch - meaning you can turn off charging. I think this would prevent swelling, especially for those who mainly use the dac/amp with pc.
@@zZBlitzZz 1)Yes 2)well the swelling is so bad that the aluminium housing is bend. But this occured after several months of having it always plugged in & should be covered by warranty. Old battery life was long enough to cover 17h flight. Now its about 8 hours. - the switch you mention on tthe Q3 sounds like a really nice feature to have! hope this helps
TIL i shouldn't have had my dac plugged in and on for 2 and a half years straight...
I once used a Q1 Mk1 as a desktop DAC-amp, laughable as that may be. But when you're on the sort of budget I was back then, and the limited selection for sub-$200 DACs and Amps that were available where I live (you Americans don't know how good you have it to have small audio companies right at your doorstep), Fiio pushing out a product like this still gave me a way into audio (I was considering the E10K, but that was sold out and it took months after I bought the Q1 for it to even come back in stock here. Again, you Americans don't know how good you have it). In the first place, Fiio was never a mainstream company selling mainstream products. The whole company and their products are catering to a niche. There are people out there who really would prefer to not leave any performance at the table when going mobile or laptop, and I'm guessing for Fiio that's enough of a market to make something for that niche. It's NEVER good to take away choices, and it's great that Fiio still gives us that choice and with THX tech for that matter.
I want it because I work and want something better portable and that sounds better 2) its a good entry point into 4.4 cuz im wanting to get the hiby R5 3) I really like physical volume knobs but I am thinking about the BTR5 for like when I go running on the treadmill or something itd be handy rather than yanking on the cables and stuff
I decided first on Hip Dac 2, and in enjoyed it WHEN IT WORKED. It was very inconsistent actually connecting to a source. Secondly - I HATED the clunky cable situation with that silly recessed male USB input. So I sent it back. I just ordered the Q3. I want something that is portable that I can take to coffee shops, my office, use in other rooms of the house when I'm not at my desk with my desktop setup. This has power for my more power hungry headphones, doesn't use my phone battery, and fits in my Focal Elegia case. When I'm walking around and want to listen to wired headphones I just use the apple dongle. IT is pretty great actually.
I bought/use my hip dac for saving space while traveling for work. I want to take one dac/amp for use with my phone/tablet/laptop and one set of headphones. The two primary issues I face are getting enough power and having a setup that is good for critical listening AND fun/casual listening. The hip dac's power output and bass boost lets me pick any headphone with a relatively neutral sound signature and I'm good to go.
I have my Q1 Mkii hooked up to my M3 Pro. The M3 has a solid DAC, but no amplification so I line out into my M3 Pro and i run it balanced and it sounds great now.
I bought these for my phone, unfortunately fiio has q5s sold out it in india which I wanted to buy (might buy them in the future). I didn't choose the btr 5 since it had the same DAC as my LG V30+ phone, wanted to check how the akm dac's sound. My assessment, ESS sabre DAC in my LG V30+ is still better provided you can trick the phone into thinking you have a high impedance headphone. The bass boost in Q3 is not that much actually, the Q3 sound extremely neutral as a result they might sound boring in some tracks.
I am currently saving up for my first set of planars. I will want a quality dac and a reasonably powerful amp to drive them. I am looking at the q3 as a nice intro that'll let me dip my toes into planars and allow me to upgrade my equipment as I can afford it.
I am looking into a device like this so I can move it from my pc to my cellphone and maybe to my xbox. It will probably sit at my pc 66% of the time and taken to work for breaktime listening. I plan on using it mostly for music, video games, and movies.
I currently use a set of fiio utws1 with my cellphone. I can not afford to buy a nice stack for my pc and a separate dac amp for my cellphone. At least not for a bit.
HipDAC and similar devices are still selling well, so obviously there is a market for this.
Thank you so much for your video. Very informative video. Thumbs up!
I bought HipDac over BTR5 and tbh as a new guy on this audiophiliac world, and still a student, I want the highest quality amp/dac my budget can over, but there's a thing for a knob/potentiometer that I yearn so much everytime I see amp/dac review. I want to twist and feel the knob everytime I set up the volume. Yes btr5 is just as good, more feature, smaller, more convenient, but no knob and in my head I would totally regret passing Q3 or HipDac to feed my laziness and inconvenience over a chunky cable.
I use my Q1 mark ii stacked with a Fiio M6 as my portable solution (the m6 has spotify) and I do consistently use it on my laptop.
I'm in university so the bigger unit is easier to keep track of and is sturdier (it's been dropped once or twice)
Okay Zeos I’ll try to make a reasonable use case for buying the Q3... IF you use an iPod Touch as your DAP, the dimensions of the new Q3 are perfect for creating a lightweight and tiny portable “stack.” An excellent pairing using your beloved Blu Tack (or double sided tape) to secure them together.
For those who are deeply into the Apple ecosystem you don’t care about Bluetooth too much as you are limited to the AAC codec. This makes the BTR5 less attractive.
Why would anyone want to use an iPod Touch?
Well, it’s easy to download hi rez content from Tidal and Qobuz for offline playback for one, eliminating the need to use micro SD cards if the majority of your content is obtained via streaming. You also gain access to any music streaming app or music player app you can think of.
You don’t have to complain about your DAPs operating system, as iOS receives regular updates.
It has WiFi and AirPlay capability allowing you to receive better quality sound than Bluetooth.
It can also be used as a Roon endpoint, which when combined with the capability of the Q3 allows you to listen to your whole music library in the best quality while remaining portable within your home.
I currently use a Q5S (along with my iPod Touch) for all of the above, but for what looks to be an even better product for its compatible form factor with the iPod Touch, the FiiO Q3 looks ideal.
I just bought one because I have headphones like HD600 which BTR3K cannot properly power, and I also want my DAC/AMP to dont take too much space, yet I also travel occasionally with my laptop so I don't use or bottleneck anything. Plus it's nice to have nice things.
1 reason to go with the Q3 over BTR5 is if you have an iPhone, as I've just realised. iPhone only supports AAC bluetooth, so you'd have to use the BTR5 with a CCK cable.
don't you need a CCK with the fiio q3 too?
@@TLS_RECORDS no, you don't. q3 has a lot of cables included, it's the best shit out there
To add I guess never forget how everything begins what started first but everyone's moving away from where it all started and soon won't really exist.
the only benefits of choosing the Q3 over the btr5 is 4.4 and a volume knob, but it is the size of a hipdac and doesn't have Bluetooth sooooo.....
Have you tried them both to see if the 4.4 balanced Q3 sounds much better than the BTR5 unbalanced over Bluetooth?
Q3 looks like the best option and can use it to give some battery juice. Bluetooth sound is like a step down into the land of AM.
I have xDuoo XD05 plus, and I have BTR5.
I connect my BTR5 headphone out to aux in on my xDuoo XD05 plus. Boom! Bluetooth connection from best of both world 😎
@zreview I used ka3 which can be similar to btr5 , couldn't use it with my phone at high volume with lcd 2 . works perfectly with Macbook since Mac can push more power through usb c. q3 will help here since it has its own battery. as far as btr5 is concerned , it may be not be able to drive my hd 650 , lcd 2c as compared to q3. also 4.4 mm is big plus. I also don't like switching to bluetooth between Mac and my iPhone , physical connection is more easy and satisfying.
I picked up the Q3 for laptop use. I spend half my time traveling and wanted something neutral and small enough to keep in my headphone case.
i think it can be wired
I have the Q1 Mark ii and this is why.
I am a student and thus have a small budget, I was gifted a pair old slightly beat-up JBL's for which I found an old integrated amp for (around 60$). Unfortunately these have to stay at my parents as I study far away from home. I then bought myself a pair of HD 6XX to watch movies on my laptop/enjoy good music when at uni, Knowing the 6XX need to be powered and needing a DAC to connect my laptop the JBL's I decided to buy the Q1 instead of buying something like a Schit Modi for the JBL's and then another DAC/AMP for the 6XX saving a bit of money.
That being said I don't think I'll be upgrading from the Mark ii to the Q3, just not enough of an improvement to make the jump.
I use the hip dac with my phone velcrod to it. Love the bass boost. I use it at work in the morning with several different iems. I use tidal so mqa is nice to have. I'm on my feet all day. Everyone is still going to work in south Carolina. I also use it at home balanced with the 6xx and can walk around in the yard or wood with it.
What's your honest opinion on the hip dac..im so close to buying it but I keep tryin to find something thats better.
I choose this for desktop because I use IEMs only and it has balanced outputs and only one USB C cable will do it no power input less clutter. I could get a D30 or a Tube amp like Xduoo MT601/602 but this seems the best bet. I will get MT601 /602 to show off tube glow to the chicas because I got quite a few 12A tubes & JAN 5654W. This though will be perfect because IEM is what I mostly use. No hiss.
I've got a Q1, I'ma use it on the airplane or roadtrips. Otherwise I'm using it on my work computer for a DAC/amp
I bought a ifi nano black because I wanted better sound quality, a line out, and power on the go. I have the Tin P1 and my phone as is didn't have the power to properly drive them. Also I don't trust the quality of bluetooth, my phone seems to be locked at AAC. Also 900kbps is a far cry from 2116kbps for 24bit wav.
I got the Q1 for my old school ipod I refuse to retire because I paid so much for it (it's the 160GB with NO Bluetooth) I use it on my dog walks.
I'm looking at the Q3 because of AK chip and THX on the cheap. I want to hear, the AK Chip and THX AAA, those two things without spending hundreds and that not so tiny device is the easiest most inexpensive way for me to do so. I can do it in comfort of at home right at my desk with my computer feeding it both signal and power. So it's basically a mini combo unit for my use case.
I have a FIIO E18 and use it with Velcro on the lid of my laptop; out of the way (behind the screen), great sound.
I have also used it with rubber bands on the phone, but these days i use super small DAC "on the wire" for that use.
I'm interested in dac amps like the q3 because i usually listen music on my phone and when i use my PC i can use It there too,and if i travel(not now bc covid) i can take It with me with some headphones and have a Great time,i'm interested in the q3 bc i can only have 1 dac amp and It can do everything i need
I want a Q3 or Hip Dac to power my LCD2Cs on my VR headset, and turn my neck into a tree trunk.
Why I got it?
I can plug it to my phone
I can plug it to my PC
I can plug it to my Mac to edit audio
It's a Swiss Army Knife that actually works wonders!
I already have the BTR5 but i needed a bit more power and battery so i also got the Xduoo Xp-2Pro which has the same output power. I was told to wait for the Q3..i am glad i didn't.
If you have an Iphone, there is no LDAC, so wired is good option
Well, thank goodness I went with the Q3 lol
I have the BTR5 and mainly use it wired as I hate having to charge things as I'm just far too forgetful for that. Plus to run LDAC at 900Kbps locked I get really bad connectivity so it's basically like listening to mka files instead of flac and while there are many songs you won't notice the difference, those songs I do notice totally bother me as I know what it should sound like.
I have it, I use it mostly for my desktop, since I didn't have a balanced ampdac. But I also wanted to be able to detach it and go to take a shit or lay on the sofa with it.
There's no way I'm bringing this outside, but I have a Surface, it's really nice to have a nice amp on the go if I need it.
But yeah, for me, it's 90% a desktop amp dac.
The physical form of the Q3 was made intended to be strapped on a phone. The hip dac is too wide so it won’t be a clean setup. Weirdly same goes to btr5 or qudelix, it won’t be a nice setup if strapped to a phone. Q3 obviously having bigger battery than the small dongle. Bluetooth is another thing, isn’t the sound still compressed compared to wired? Furthermore, to benefit from a dac it has to be input via usb. Audio from bluetooth has already been processed from the source, not analog anymore.. commenting here few years later from this video because I’m looking for such thing, found an old iphone in my drawer that i want to make it a dedicated portable dap
love how my old s7 edge can run my E10K even with its battery being on its last breath but I try running it on my S10 and it goes NOPE
The S7 series was the last good featured phone Samsung made.
I regret going from S7 to S10.
What a shit phone in comparison.
S7 trumps it hard
@@SpaniardNL literally the only thing the 7 has over the 10 is power over usb... lol
I'm sorry a little confused. I thought Bluetooth doesn't have enough bandwidth for Lossless or Hi-Res Lossless Music. This is why we need wires and DAC; hello Apple Music. Even Apple which is going wireless everything requires a wire. Or did I miss understand?
Its perfect for me: I use it on the laptop at home, and bring it at work for my shitty iPod, turned into a spotify data streamer :) (My job is boring and almost require headphones - everyone uses headphones). Because it's like 8 hours of music per day, a good battery is also a big plus.
Also, I only have wired headphones. No particular reason, I just own the headphones I like most.
I have been successful in buying things that this guy doesn't like so much. thanks guy...
I think I will get a Q3 at one point for use on my laptop at work as soon as working from home is not the thing anymore.
As I have many 2.5 balanced cables the Q3 would be perfect for that purpose, but I still have the option to switch to pentacon later.
I think for me I want something that I don't feel like I'm misusing as a DAC/AMP at home or on the go. I'm most likely going to primarily use it at home but going out on road trips, it feels like something that is a nice happy medium between a nice, beefy desktop dac amp and something small that can be taken around portably. Bluetooth is a little bit of a bummer but I'm fine with using it wired.
Thinking about getting the BTR5 for my KPH30i.
Yes! Do it! I have the exact combo and it's amazing! Especially if you plan on getting more headphones
@@sneakysnail9225 Thank you! I wasn't sure because Kph30i are relatively easy to drive so I wasn't sure what difference it would make but now I think I'll do it.
Thanks for all the videos. How does this compare to the monolith portable that you reviewed?
Is Bluetooth LDAC that good? I can see one advantage to the Q3. It's imi or whatever. So it can hook up to an iphone. You can't from what I understand with the btr5.
And for me the advantage of Bluetooth is no more wires. But you still have a wire between the btr5 and headphones. That's the annoying cable. Not the one joining your phone to Dac in your pocket
I considered this form factor to use with my phone, but only until I learned that the BTR5 and Qudelix 5K existed
i think to me its to replace the concept of a bulky desktop amp
I hear what youre saying, and if you really need the desk space, then absolutely. However, I have both a schiit stack and the Q3, and I hate using the Q3 on my desk. It's too light to really use on a desk without velcro or adhesive. It slides around with the cable and its pretty annoying.
I once had no other choice but to use a Q1 as a desktop DAC-Amp, mostly 'cause of availability issues rather than desk space. It was a nice, convnenient, and reliable gateway to audio, and could easily do headphones while lined-out to my speakers. I wouldn't look back to doing that sort of setup again for myself, but I totally understand people who start out this way and even stick with it.
good for home sound system
I would pick the Q3 for the analog volume knob.
Holy fucking shit I never even thought about the possibility of using electric motors and software to emulate the powerband of any gasoline engine of any configuration
The only reason I can think of is very niche. I saw a video a couple days ago explaining how companies are using Bluetooth against people and at some point they will have bluetooth scanners in stores and hotels that can track you. So, people might want to have a device that lacks bluetooth. But, even then you should just be able to turn bluetooth off on your phone and just plug in a btr5 via wire and be good.
But yea like Zeos said it could work as a good dac/amp for a laptop and it is only 150 and you get 32 bit...THX ak4462 dac. I mean I would say arguable it competes with my Schiit hel and that does not have anything bluetooth. But, no one would complain because it is not marketed as a phone dac/amp and that was 200 dollars. But, this also lacks a mic in...which I know with the btr3k you can actually use a 4 pole connector and get a mic in. So, if they gave it a mic in at 150 and marketed it as a laptop dac/amp. Then it would work and no one would complain.
I have a Q1MKII and I only use it with my laptop... when I am at work.
I had considered getting rid of the Hip DAC as I also have the xDSD. BUT, recently I've purchased the P1 and the Hip DAC's gain is the only thing that gives it the power it needs.
So the Hip Dac powers the P1 well? I’ve been holding off buying the P1 because of the power required, but I have the Hip Dac.
@@cyclonasaurusrex1525 when I first got it I tried it with a few amp/DACs Dragonfly Cobalt, Spectra X, xDSD and a couple older ones ALL left the P1 short on power. I generally don't listen loud but could really mad if volume settings. The Hip DAC (with the gain setting on) make the P1 fanatic. That's as fantastic as the P1s can get, as long as you don't need any subbass
@@jdm-uk-yank Thanks!
I use mine with my media player (Sony something something) I need a 4.4 jack and my Sony think is missing it. So this device is awesome. Also I use it with my MacBook for the same reson. So I can use my 4.4 headphones.
I have both the BTR3 and the BTR5 and both are great. I am still curious to see if FIIO introduces a replacement for the Q5S.
Well with Iphone I agree the AAC is good but it is not LDAC so in carantine I rather sit down with Q3 still better... of course if you have desk top set up...irrelevant...if you don't at home, I rather listen Q3, walking outside I don't mind AAC...
28:45 "This video's over." _Proceeds to blather for another 6 minutes._
I did got the hip-dac for 2 months and it is so bad to use, that I am currently seriously considering a BTR5. Usage got better after I replaced the blue cable with a long one, but even then i look stupid. The only time it works, is when I lay in bed and connect the hip-dac to my base-x A100 and put on my DT880
So, I am interested in this product because when I'm sitting in the recliner with my Anandas I wanna wire up to my phone or my tablet, which both newer Samsung things, don't have a headphone jack. I don't need Bluetooth, I'm just sitting there. I also prefer an analog volume because I like to make subtle tweeks in volume as I'm listening to the details without clicking the button which makes rather large jumps in volume. I like to ride the volume knob when the song gets quieter and then smoothly go back down when it gets louder. I need something with power to make those headphones sing! If I want to Bluetooth I'll use different headphones that are specifically for that. I don't want a f'n wire hanging down when I'm roaming about. How is using the BTR5 any different than using the headphones wired into your phone in your pocket, aside from the added power? I actually ask the opposite question and wonder why anyone would use bluetooth when you still need a wire dangling there? Right now I use a mighty, cheap little dongle DAC and a portable analog headphone amp for the very purpose I described, but I'd like to get a DAC that has a little more oomph, that is portable, & has a balanced output; but then can also be hooked up to my laptop and used as a desktop amp/DAC with a very small footprint and doesn't require external power. The fact that it has THX is gravy, too. So, I'm the sorta fella they made this for. As always, I appreciate your brutally honest reviews, Z! I'm gonna pick this up.
I bought my Q3 to use at work with my docked laptop. Don't need bluetooth at the office but having the tactility of a volume knob is better for me. The Q3 replaced a K3 which replaced a Hip Dac (Hip Dac also requires two cables to run with a laptop - power and data cannot share a cable). I do prefer the sound of the Q3 to both K3 and Hip Dac; I also completely agree, iFi absolutely nailed the bass boost while Fiio's is nearly useless; but the iFi just feels claustrophobic compared to both Fiios.
I'm looking at a q3 because I don't really have any audio equipment. But I want to buy some 600 series sennheisers or something similar. Something that may be difficult to drive. I thought m11 pro was the easiest route but seems like I could just buy a q3 and plug some hd605s into it and play from my phone. Can also plug my turntable straight into this.
I bought the Q3! Take that Zeos!!!!
Love my BTR5 but not loving the Bluetooth distance range to my Pixel XL hope it improves in the future with an update or something and I do use the OTG cable to my laptop from time to time.