Connect via a wired cable or Bluetooth to stream from your phone to the xCAN and take your headphones to the max! The only thing missing so far has been analog line-in. At an affordable $299, the xCAN Bluetooth amp won’t break your bank. I’ve been able to check all of the available inputs, and so far they have worked flawlessly. We thank FiiO for this opportunity. FiiO Q5S VS FiiO Q5. What can I say – they make fairly priced gear and they’re always eager to send new toys for review. Disclaimer: The FiiO Q5 sent to us is a sample in exchange for our honest opinion. The xCAN is USB-C whereas the Q5s is micro-USB and can take a balanced and unbalanced line-in compared to just a line-out for the Q5s. As for my comment on the xCAN not being a DAC, sure, it does have an ESS Sabre chip, but that is for Bluetooth as is has to produce the audio somehow, but that does not make the device a "DAC", at least in the purist sense. Disclaimer: The FiiO Q5s sent to us is a sample in exchange for our honest opinion. It retails for $349.99. To learn more about FiiO reviews on Headfonics you can click here. As I make my way past the lines of fans and personal admirers outside the MajorHiFi Review Offices, I think about the review I’ll be writing today. In any case, I’ve been both intrigued and puzzled by these two little units for the past couple months, partially why I’ve not posted much content recently. From the first beats it was clear that Q5S has more power under its belt, I need to raise the volume by about 10% to have the same sound pressure level (SPL). If the IFI feels like a toy, the Q5 seems a lot more sturdy with its sharp edges and geometrical design. Q5 vs Micro iDSD BL Ok, let’s just jump straight to the big boy – the iDSD Black Label. In truth, you can hook the both of these up together to create a system with the Q5s as your DAC and the xCAN as your amp.

The FiiO Q5 is the company’s flagship portable Bluetooth DAC/Amp using FiiO’s latest interchangeable amp module system. To learn more about FiiO reviews on Headfonics you can click here. It also has analogue connections which have an incredible 18 hours of battery life.

A couple of months later iFi announced the xCAN as their new portable amp. To learn more about FiiO reviews on Headfonics you can click here. After introduced the BTR1 and μBTR to the market, FiiO now brings forward the even mightier BTR3.FiiO- … xCan doesn't have a good DAC, xDSD is better. The Fiio Q5s is the successor to the original Q5, and the more brolic sibling of the Q1 Mark II. The modular amp design has also made a return and the Q5s is completely backwards compatible with all previous amp modules. Turbocharge your headphones. This being said, I think that compared to xCan, the xCan has WAY more driving power, more control and more punch / impact sonically. The Q5s features new DAC AKM4493 DAC Chips, more inputs, more BT codecs, and a different stock amp module than it's predecessor. FiiO Q5 vs iFi iDSD Nano BL - Here, the comparison is interesting to show what we meant earlier by convenience when it comes to FiiO Q5. With mobile devices removing 3.5mm headphone jacks, the Bluetooth amplifier fits a current need. Headphone(s) / earphone(s) you possess: Sony MDR-1A Trinityaudioengineering Atlas and Icarus III Custom Art FIBAE 3 (Hopefully soon!) The Q5 might have somewhat of a leg up on the iFi in terms of features and styling, what it can’t do is compete with it in terms of raw sound quality or power. (We keep our fingers crossed the AMA3 is the best-sounding of the amps, because it’s the only one we have to … The FiiO Q5s is a revision of the original Q5 portable Bluetooth DAC/Amp using FiiO’s latest interchangeable AM3E amp module. At risk of seeming like a bit of an overzealous fan of iFi, I’ve got yet another product review. The xCAN is our latest portable headphone amplifier that gives any smart device the amplification boost they lack. FiiO Q5 vs iFi iDSD Nano BL - Here, the comparison is interesting to show what we meant earlier by convenience when it comes to FiiO Q5. This just arrived yesterday.

The aluminium is thick and compared to the IFI audio xDSD, there is a big difference handling it.
Please check it out for some technical ramifications on the subject. I can also try any of the stock Samsung or Apple headphones, which I got from various smartphones Any DAP(s) / … But to answer your question I'd go with iFi Micro iDSD BL if you don't have a problem with big size.