[NEWS] FiiO Q15: A New Flagship DAC/Amplifier with AKM’s Newest DAC Combination

Introduction:

The FiiO Q15 is a portable DAC/AMP that replaces the Q5 and Q5s, offering desktop-grade performance in a compact and easy-to-carry device. It features a high-end AKM flagship DAC, a high-power amp section, and a five-level gain mode to drive even the most demanding headphones. The Q15 also supports Bluetooth, USB, and Coaxial input options for easy connectivity with a variety of devices.

The Q15 comes with some interesting hardware sepcs like the Flagship AK4499EX+AK4191 DAC Chipset, Desktop & Portable Dual Power Supply Modes, a High-End Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth Chipset, the latest XMOS 16-core XU316 USB Processor, a 1.3” Color IPS Display and many more. It has a 4-way Balanced interface that offers an output power of up to 1600mW, which is quite impressive. The device is equipped with both 3.5mm Single Ended & 4.4mm Balanced outputs, as well as USB Type-C, Coaxial and Bluetooth input.

Technical Specifications:

• Model              : Q15
• DAC                : AKM AK4499EX+AK4191
• Formats          : Up to 32-Bit/768kHz PCM and Native DSD512, Full MQA Decoding
• Amplification   : High AMP section with a five-level gain mode
• USB Interface : XMOS XU316
• Bluetooth SoC : Qualcomm QCC5125
• Bluetooth Ver. : 5.1
• BT Codec’s     : LDAC, aptX HD, aptX LL, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC
• Outputs           : 3.5mm SE & 4.4mm Balanced
• Input                : USB Type-C, Coaxial and Bluetooth input
• Max Output     : up to 1600mw @ 32 Ohm
• SNR                : ≥123dB (A-weighted)
• THD+N            : ≤0.0004% (LO/1kHz/10kΩ)
• IPS Screen      : 1.3 inch IPS Color Display 240×240 Resolution
• Battery            : 5500mAh
• Battery Life      : up to 9 Hours over 3.5mm SE / up to 8 hours over the 4.4mm Balanced Out
• Dimensions     : about 143.5×71.75×21.75mm
• Weight            : approx. 305g

Key Features:

• Flagship AK4499EX+AK4191 DAC Chipset
• Desktop/Portable Dual Power Supply Mode
• Amplification section producing up to 1600mW output power
• 5-Level Gain Modes
• USB, Bluetooth, Coaxial Sound Input
• Global PEQ Function
• High-End Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth Chipset.
• High-Definition Bluetooth Codec Support(LDAC, AptX HD, etc.)
• XMOS 16-core XU316 USB Processor
• Suppoorts 32-Bit/768kHz PCM, Native DSD512, and MQA Full Decoding
• Color IPS Display Screen
• High-Precision Low-Noise Design

Sleek and Elegant Design: A Golden Size Ratio of 18:9:

The Q15 has a sleek and elegant design, with a CNC-machined aluminum alloy body and an AG glass back panel that has a scratch resistant, anti-fingerprint coating. The device has a ratio of 18:9, making it comfortable to use both when being handheld and when bundled with other portable devices, that is called by FiiO as the Golden Size ration.

AKM’s Newest DAC Combination: AK4191EQ+AK4499EX:

The Q15 features AKM’s newest DAC combination the AK4191EQ+AK4499EX. The AK4191EQ is a premium 32-bit stereo digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with VELVET SOUND™ technology, which achieves industry-leading low distortion and low noise characteristics. The AK4499EX is a flagship 32-bit 4-channel switchable current-output DAC, which also adopts the VELVET SOUND™ technology and supports up to 768kHz PCM and 22.4MHz DSD inputs. The Q15 also supports native DSD512 and PCM 768kHz/32bit decoding, ensuring the highest possible fidelity of the original audio signal.

Desktop Mode & Exclusive Phone Mode:

The Q15 features a new desktop mode, sporting a separate Type-C power connector for it. When the Q15 is connected to the PD power adapter, the Q15 will be powered externally completely bypassing the battery, allowing for a desktop-like experience even on the go. When put in Desktop Mode, the Q15 under balanced output is capable of putting out 1600MW in enhanced over-ear headphone mode, which is more than enough to easily drive various IEMs and full-size headphones. The Q15 also supports USB Audio Class 2.0, which means it can be used as a USB DAC when connected to a computer via USB cable, supporting up to 768kHz/32bit PCM and DSD512 decoding.

FiiO Q15 features also an exclusive phone mode. Users can easily switch it on using a standard phone mode switch at the back of the device. In this mode, the FiiO q15 exclusively works on its own battery and doesn’t take any battery power from the connected Smartphone. This provides durable performance and a long-lasting battery on your Smartphone.

XMOS XU316 Processor:

The FiiO Q15 is equipped with the same XMOS XU316 USB Processor that was also used for the flagship model the Q7. The XU316 has 16-cores that are coupled with dual audio clocks in order to archive ultra-low latency. The XU316 USB processor supports PCM 768K, DSD512 and MQA full decoding.

Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth Chipset:

The FiiO Q15 comes with Qualcomm’s latest QCC5125 Bluetooth chipset that supports high-resolution Bluetooth connectivity. It supports High-Res wireless codec’s including LDAC, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive as well as older formats like AAC and SBC.

IPS Display:

The FiiO Q15 comes with a 1.3-inch IPS color display with a pixel density of 240×240, which is the same display that was found on the Q7. This display can be used either vertically (or upside down) and horizontally, and can be configured through the settings menu. The display shows information such as volume, battery level, operating mode, codec, and more. You can also navigate through a settings menu to access more options.

Inside the Box:

Price & Availability:

The MSRP (in the US market) goes to 399.99 USD and will be available on FiiO’s Official AliExpress & Amazon stores.

Thank you for the Read!