FiiO is a brand well known for their audio products, everything from really high-end audiophile equipment to all the way down to budget-friendly products. Today we test the FiiO A1 headphone amp that is for the average joe with tight pockets.
Design:
This little amp is really small and really light at only 20g. It is smaller than a cigarette lighter and at least twice the height. You will hardly feel it, in fact, it is easier to forget on the table or at a friend’s place unless of course you use the convenient (included) belt-clip.
In spite of FiiO keeping the cost down, they have managed to fit this little wonder in a sandblasted aluminium alloyed chassis and not plastic as most companies would have gone with. In no way does it look cheap, feel cheap or behave cheap. It’s got style, oomph and is budget-conscious.
Surprisingly the FiiO A1 can drive higher-end headphones till 100 ohms comfortably well (see specifications here). If you want 150 to 300 ohms driveability, you need to look for higher-end FiiO products or even the very capable budget friendly FiiO Q1 portable cum desktop amp.
Performance:
FiiO A1 is a good entry point into better sound from your devices. It does improve the clarity and gives a little better imaging to the sound. We tested with Android Nexus 5 device and Poweramp Music player.
It does a fair job at being neutral while adding a little warmth and smoothness to the sound. What you’ll love is the bass boost feature which adds 3 levels of bass to your liking. I personally was satisfied with Bass level 1 or max 2 in certain tracks, while bass heads might enjoy a further boost to level 3.
Varying Mileage:
The performance of A1 will be limited by the earphones or headphones you use. Most people will not have mid to high-end hardware when starting out with a budget amp, but that’s where you will be able to make out the difference. When tested out with Audio Technica M50 I could make out the subtle difference in clarity and sound staging. However, when testing with el-cheapo earphones around Rs.300, the difference wasn’t noticeable at all except for the bass boosts.
On the downside, I noticed that there was static when no music was playing. I could distinctively hear funny sounds when sending messages or when receiving a call. Also, do note that the clip isn’t super sturdy, it can come off with rough usage.
Battery:
The tiny tot has a tinny-tiny 160 mAh battery rated at 13 hours, you can expect about 10 hrs from this little wonder.
Verdict:
FiiO A1 does what it says and does it all at an excellent price of Rs. 1,899. This kind of quality sound wise and especially build and functionality are great at this price. However, to really enjoy the subtleties and differences in the sound, you’ll need better cans between your ears, otherwise, you are simply paying for more bass boost and certain cool quotient.
What you’ll Love
- Compact design and good build quality
- Boosts volume and Bass significantly
- Improves clarity and imaging
- Neutral sound
- Long battery life
What you won’t like
- Adds static sounds when sending messages and receiving a call
- The clip can come off with some rough usage
Website:- http://fiio.net/en/products/53
Price - Rs. 1,899
By- Nikhil Rastogi
Design:
This little amp is really small and really light at only 20g. It is smaller than a cigarette lighter and at least twice the height. You will hardly feel it, in fact, it is easier to forget on the table or at a friend’s place unless of course you use the convenient (included) belt-clip.
 |
| This is really tiny |
In spite of FiiO keeping the cost down, they have managed to fit this little wonder in a sandblasted aluminium alloyed chassis and not plastic as most companies would have gone with. In no way does it look cheap, feel cheap or behave cheap. It’s got style, oomph and is budget-conscious.
 |
| The finish is good for an amp of this price |
Surprisingly the FiiO A1 can drive higher-end headphones till 100 ohms comfortably well (see specifications here). If you want 150 to 300 ohms driveability, you need to look for higher-end FiiO products or even the very capable budget friendly FiiO Q1 portable cum desktop amp.
 |
| Excellent specs |
Performance:
FiiO A1 is a good entry point into better sound from your devices. It does improve the clarity and gives a little better imaging to the sound. We tested with Android Nexus 5 device and Poweramp Music player.
It does a fair job at being neutral while adding a little warmth and smoothness to the sound. What you’ll love is the bass boost feature which adds 3 levels of bass to your liking. I personally was satisfied with Bass level 1 or max 2 in certain tracks, while bass heads might enjoy a further boost to level 3.
 |
| You will never complain about the bass with this amp |
Varying Mileage:
The performance of A1 will be limited by the earphones or headphones you use. Most people will not have mid to high-end hardware when starting out with a budget amp, but that’s where you will be able to make out the difference. When tested out with Audio Technica M50 I could make out the subtle difference in clarity and sound staging. However, when testing with el-cheapo earphones around Rs.300, the difference wasn’t noticeable at all except for the bass boosts.
 |
| Comes with all cables needed to play music |
On the downside, I noticed that there was static when no music was playing. I could distinctively hear funny sounds when sending messages or when receiving a call. Also, do note that the clip isn’t super sturdy, it can come off with rough usage.
Battery:
The tiny tot has a tinny-tiny 160 mAh battery rated at 13 hours, you can expect about 10 hrs from this little wonder.
Verdict:
FiiO A1 does what it says and does it all at an excellent price of Rs. 1,899. This kind of quality sound wise and especially build and functionality are great at this price. However, to really enjoy the subtleties and differences in the sound, you’ll need better cans between your ears, otherwise, you are simply paying for more bass boost and certain cool quotient.
What you’ll Love
- Compact design and good build quality
- Boosts volume and Bass significantly
- Improves clarity and imaging
- Neutral sound
- Long battery life
What you won’t like
- Adds static sounds when sending messages and receiving a call
- The clip can come off with some rough usage
Website:- http://fiio.net/en/products/53
Price - Rs. 1,899
By- Nikhil Rastogi
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