INTRODUCTION

   Popularity of Hi-Res (high resolution) music players has reached new heights, not only because of their internal dedicated DACs and processors which result in much higher audio clarity/precision (always compared to low/mid-end smartphones) but also due to their long battery lives and, in most cases, their very compact enclosures. Seriously, if we exclude the rather short period just over a decade ago when people would buy low-cost MP3/MP4 players (well to be fair smartphones weren't really used for that back then) there's never been such interest in this market ever before (even more impressive however are the sales numbers of high/ultra-high end music players). FiiO has been steadily leading the Hi-Res music player market for many years now and today with us we have one of their latest entry-level models, the M5.

   FiiO was established in 2007 and has experience in researching and developing countless portable music products of different types, and sell FiiO-branded products through sales agents worldwide. The brand name FiiO is composed of Fi(fidelity from HiFi) and iO(number 1&0), representing the real feeling and convenient life that digital brings to life. Meanwhile, the Chinese “飞傲” is the transliteration of FiiO, indicating the positive and innovative spirit as thriving as spring. FiiO is focused on product quality, adheres strictly to ISO9001 standards in quality management and works hard to attain the lowest repair-related product returns rate.

   Even though just like with the M3K model (review here) the M5 (currently available in black, blue, red, silver and titanium colors) is based on the low-power X1000E dedicated IoT Processor by Ingenic (MIPS-Based XBurst cores clocked at 1GHz with 64MB LPDDR) which also allows it to be used as a USB DAC (digital output and converter to analog by external circuit) with support for audio sample rates of up to 384KHz32bit/DSD128 this time over FiiO paired it with the AK4377 advanced DAC by ASAHI KASEI MICRODEVICES (32-bit with built-in VELVET sound technology headphone amplifier) which supports a maximum sampling frequency/resolution of 768kHz/32-bit (PCM input) with an SNR of 128dB and -109dB distortion (THD+N). The M5 also features an 1.54-inch IPS TFT screen (240x240p / 220.4 PPI / 262k colors) protected by a 2.5D tempered glass, CNC machined aluminum body, the CSR8675 bluetooth v5.0 receiver/transmitter by Qualcomm (makes use of their Kalimba DSP and supports playback of aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, SBC and ACC codecs - Qualcomm states that this is a v5.0 chip whereas FiiO states this is an v4.2 chip), dual cVc noise-cancelling microphones (for voice calls and sound recording), high-precision pedometer/step counter and a 3.7V 550mAh lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery which can keep it powered for up to 10.5 hours (13.5 hours when using bluetooth). As expected, the M5 supports most current audio formats (MP3/OGG/AAC/WMA/WAV/FLAC/APE/AIFF/M4A/ALAC/ISO/DSD/CUE) and can be equipped with micro SD cards of up to 2TB in capacity.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

We received the M5 inside a small box that has a product picture at the front along with the Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless logo, company logo and some of the main product features.

Two barcodes, the dimensions of the product, product authenticity sticker and a copyright notice are all printed at the rear of the box.

Just like every other music player by FiiO to date the M5 arrived wrapped inside a synthetic cover and placed in a piece of foam.

Along with the M5 you're also getting a USB 2.0 type-C charging/data cable, transparent shirt clip, PET screen protector, open source notes paper, warranty card paper, bluetooth notes paper and the quick start guide.

THE M5

The 38g heavy M5 is a very compact Hi-Res Music Player that measures just 45.3mm in length, 42mm in width and 13.97mm in height.

As usual we placed the M5 right next to all the other music players we have here by FiiO (from left to right we have the M11/M7/M6/M3k models) to do a size comparison.

FiiO has equipped the M5 with a 1.54-inch IPS TFT screen (single touch) which is large enough for most functions.

Both the microSD card slot and the USB type-C port are placed at the front of the player.

On the other end we find the 3.5mm output, the volume up/down buttons, the two microphones and the power on/off button (can also be used to wake up the device, play/pause tracks and answer/end calls).

At the base of the M5 we find several certifications right beneath yet another piece of 2.5D tempered glass.

To test the M5 by FiiO we used primary the Carbon earphones by Periodic Audio (we also used the Falcon-C by DUNU and the Triple Driver Over-Ear by 1MORE) along with several silicone ear tips by SpinFit.

USING THE M5

The 262k color TFT screen of the M5 may not be the most impressive we've seen to date but it gets the job done.

M5 has a total of 7 main tabs (now playing, category, step counter, recording, settings, bluetooth receiver and browse files).

From the now playing tab you can start playback of the songs stored in the microSD card (there are two screens here, one which has the next/previous track commands and one from where you can jump to specific parts of the track).

By clicking on the equalizer icon (lower right corner) you can also pick one of the 7 available presets (8 if you include the off one).

The category tab allows you to navigate through all stored tracks by artist, album, genre, favourites and playlists.

Using the step counter proved quite useful and based on our tests it's also accurate (did miss a couple of steps every 200 or so but that's not a big deal).

A recording function can come very handy at times so i was glad to see that FiiO added it to the M5.

As expected from the settings menu you can adjust everything regarding the audio, screen and output (among other things).

CONCLUSION

   As with past music players we tested the M5 for roughly a month by using a wide range of uncompressed FLAC tracks and even though the end result wasn't quite as impressive as with the M7 and M11 models (in terms of volume levels the M6 is also stronger) we do think that the M5 makes clear that size doesn't really matter that much when it comes to audio quality. Of course, it all comes down to the earphones (IEMs) one will use with the M5 and due to its power output, we'd recommend more sensitive models. That being said the clarity, accuracy and soundstage gap between the M5 and the M7/11 models really stands out when using high-end IEMs as the Carbon by Periodic Audio or the Falcon-C by DUNU and so for very demanding users (and audiophiles) the tiny M5 might just not cut it. That being said audio performance is one step over the M3K model and one step beneath the M6 model, battery life is actually very good for its size (just over 9 hours with earphones and 11 hours when using bluetooth), its compact size is certainly extremely convenient and the USB DAC function is always nice to have. The dual microphones also work extremely well so do keep that in mind if you'd also like to use the M5 for calls or recordings. As for micro SD card compatibility we successfully used up to a 512GB model (largest one we have here currently) but there should be no issues either with the stated maximum supported capacity of 2TB.

   With a current price tag set at USD99.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and at 95Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) the M5 Hi-Resolution music player by FiiO is extremely well priced, for what you’re getting that is. Yes, its audio performance is that much higher compared to the M3K model and it does feature a much smaller battery but at the same time it’s far more compact and features both bluetooth connectivity and a pedometer which is why it also gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (CNC Machined Aluminum Housing / 2.5D Tempered Glass Covers)
- Overall Audio Performance
- 1.54 Inch IPS Screen
- USB DAC Function
- Bluetooth (aptX / aptX HD / SBC / AAC / LDAC)
- Supported Audio Formats (MP3/OGG/AAC/WMA/WAV/FLAC/APE/AIFF/M4A/ALAC/ISO/DSD/CUE)
- Built In Pedometer
- Supports Micro SD Cards Up To 2TB In Capacity
- Available Colors (Blue / Red / Silver / Black / Titanium)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Overall Battery Life (Compared To Larger Models)
- Available Features (Compared To Higher End Models)