Review: Fiio Q1 – The Entry DAC/AMP

Sound

I remember the time when most Fiio units had a really warm sound, lately however with the X3SG and X5SG just to name two, the Fiio sound signature has moved to the more neutral side. That’s exactly where the Q1 is situated as well: not neutral or warm but somewhere in between, leaning a little to the warmer side. With the Q1 there’s also a difference whether you’re using it as a DAC, a DAC/AMP or an amplifier only but more on that in a bit. General impressions are when using the Q1 as a DAC/AAMP combo, as most people will be using it like that.

I called the E17K’s a good all-round starter. The Q1 costs you a little over half of the E17K and logically its performance isn’t up to the same level. Sound stage wise the Q1 of course isn’t the widest sounding when comparing it to top of the range portable amps like the Duet and Vorzuge. Q1’s sound stage width and depth is good for the price level but you will get a more in your head kind of sound with less space between the instruments. Music is fairly concentrated and what’s missing most compared to the higher end gear as well is layering and clarity. The overall balance of the amplifier is as good as it gets in this price range. Fiio’s black background is present in the Q1 as well.

Q1’s speed is certainly not slow but with the bass boost turned on, its bass can get on the slower side. Q1 is very pleasant to listen to with an easygoing presentation of whatever you are playing but it will never be the most resolving and dynamic sounding amp/DAC. At this price level you can of course expect only this much, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all.

Personally I most of the time (except when I was listening to bad recorded 90’s retro techno) turned off the bass boost. If you are using a headphone that already has an emphasis on bass the Q1 with BB turned on might make bass go overboard (+5dB). I most of the time found the Q1 without bass boost delivering the best balanced sound. But some people always want more bass. Bass without BB is fairly tight and fast and has good body that is perfectly in line with the mids section. I wouldn’t call it a layered bass and it doesn’t reach to the sub regions but it’s engaging to say the least. Turn on the boost and the bass will get a more prominent role and unfortunately, a looser presentation. Depending on the music you’re listening to and the head/earphone in use, bass might even take over the mids as it will increase in body and get looser.

The mids section has good body and sounds very natural and realistic but you mostly will get musicality over detail, layering, space and clarity. At this price range, again, this is rather normal. Its treble is just clear and extended enough to make to overall experience musical. Again detail and layering aren’t what you should be looking for. With the bass boost turned on, treble for me could have been more crispy and forward but treble will always be very gentle and soft on with the Q1.

AMP – AMP/DAC – DAC

For only $60 you get a device you can use in 3 different ways and that’s a lot of value for money (as we’re used to with Fiio). I found the Q1 doesn’t necessarily sound the same in these different configurations though and it seems to me the DAC part is holding the unit back. Using it in amplifier only mode with a good DAC or the Luxury & Precision L5PRO in my case, will make your music sound a whole lot more clear and detail with an more airy presentation. I in example preferred using the Audioquest Nighthawk in amplifier mode, in combined mode it just sounded a bit dark/warm and sometimes even muffled, especially with the BB turned on.

The DAC only part, when used with the Meier Corda Quickstep, sounding dark and warm and the Quickstep was clearly not getting the detail out of the music, something it normally does really well. The Audioquest Jitterbug did clear up the sound from the DAC a little bit but I was surprised at the background noise I got when using the Q1 as a DAC only, and that was even with the Audioquest Jitterbug in between. As I can’t hear that when I’m using it as an AMP/DAC, I have a feeling the Line Out of the Q1 is to blame.

Comparisons

I find Fiio’s E10(K) to have more detail, clarity and depth. And it sound even more musical with far better layering. Do note the older E10 has a warmer signature than the newer E10K/Q1. I know the E10K isn’t as portable as the Q1 one is but the sound quality is significantly better. I still think the E10(K) is one of the best units Fiio ever made.

Fiio’s E17K has even more detail and sounds a lot more spacious, dynamic and realistic. Of course it costs quite a bit more but don’t forget it can do 32/96 and DSD also. The E17K to me still is the best performing amp/dac combo in Fiio’s product line-up.

On the whole other side of “budget” you will find amp/DAC units from Cypher Labs such as the Picollo DAC in example. While the Q1 also has a more analogue kind of sound to it just like the Pdac, the latter takes everything to another level.

Fiio’s old E07K offers a dual headphone out and sounds very clear and smooth with the Wolfson chip inside. While the E07K sounds good and very musical (I love its presentation), the E17K beats it in technicalities. The Q1 doesn’t really beat it though.

Recommendation & Conclusion

The Q1 is a nice starter unit with good body where musicality is its unique selling point. Q1 isn’t the most resolving, dynamic, detailed or clear amp but it is a starter amp that will most likely improve your onboard sound and that will show you what higher end units are capable of.

The Q1 has more than enough power to drive your ear- and headphones but. The Q1 performs well for its price, that’s a given fact, but overall it’s missing detail and depth. What distinguishes it from the mid-fi and high-fi models is a more unrefined and less resolving sound (especially when using it as a combo) but there’s no shame in that.

If you do have a little more budget I do advise you to check out the E17K and especially the E10K, but that last one isn’t portable. Both these units to me sound remarkably better. At the Q1 only costs $69.99 and in return you get a very versatile unit that is hard to beat value wise.