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Theo Nicolakisįiio also sent me its AM5 amp module ($99) for this evaluation. The player comes with Fiio’s AM3 amplifier module, which delivers both 3.5mm unbalanced and 2.5mm balanced output options. You can swap out the amp section for various alternatives. The bottom part of the Fiio X7 Mark II houses its amplification section. Finding a T5 Torx screwdriver in the box will leave many puzzled: It’s there in the event you decide to take advantage of one of the X7 Mark II’s signature features: A swappable amplifier module. The package includes a micro-USB charging cable and coax S/PDIF 3.5mm adapter to use with the line-out feature and external systems. The line out comes with a 3.5mm coax digital adapter and can output Toslink optical and analog. It was nice to get two included in the box. Most manufacturers charge extra for cases. The silicone case provides a superior grip, while the leather case sports a more refined look. You have your choice of a black leather case with red stitched accents or one made of clear silicone.
Included accessoriesįiio includes several accessories with the Mark II. A Fiio spokesperson said the company is looking into Sony’s competing high-resolution wireless streaming codec, LDAC however, there are no immediate implementation plans at this point. Unfortunately, aptX HD, which can stream up to 24-bit/48kHz audio, is not supported. AptX promises to deliver near-CD quality wireless streaming over Bluetooth.
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The player also supports Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX. The Fiio’s onboard dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter had no problem connecting to my Wi-Fi network. There are two microSD card trays, each of which can accommodate up to 256GB cards. Unsurprisingly, looking at the Andriod OS’ granular energy usage statistics, the player’s display consumed more energy than any other activity I performed during the review period. Jacking up the screen brightness became a major variable. The high-resolution DAP’s internal 3,800mAH Li-polymer battery is rated to provide about 8 hours in mixed use.
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This digital-to-analog converter boasts a super-high 129dB signal-to-noise ratio and total harmonic distortion plus noise of -120dB. The heart of the Fiio X7 Mark II, however, is the popular and powerful ESS ES9028PRO DAC, which is used for both the left and right channels. Under the Fiio’s all-aluminum hood you’ll find a quad-core Rockchip RK3188, which is based on an ARM Cortex A9 system-on-chip (SoC).
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No Android File Transfer app was required. Simply select the X7 Mark II and you can bypass your computer’s lesser DAC and amplifier stages. The Fiio’s USB storage mode allowed me to mount the high-resolution DAP as an external USB device to my Mac.
The X7 Mark II can function as a USB DAC when connected to a computer, too. The line out can output Toslink optical with an optional 3.5mm optical adapter (not included). It’s basically a music server in your pocket. With built-in analog and digital options, you can use the Fiio player with pretty much any standalone entry-level or high-end sound system. The Fiio’s 3.5mm line out supports three different modes: analog, Toslink optical, and coax digital (there’s a 3.5mm coax digital adapter in the box, but you’ll need to purchase a Toslink 3.5mm optical adapter separately if you want one). Many high-res DAP’s don’t support a headphone’s inline remote at all. The Fiio even provides you with the option of enabling/disabling headphone inline remote control support. The system and status menu is customized with several player-specific options, such as high- or low-gain settings, seven lowpass filter options, line out, and storage/DAC mode. The Mark II has a few cool interface options like this analog-styled VU power meter. You enable/disable the mode options by swiping down to expose the system and status menu.
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No changes take place to the hardware or software to enhance music quality. When switched to the latter, it completely locks the player into the Fiio Music App. For example, the player can toggle between “Android Mode” and “Pure Music Mode.” When switched to the former, the player acts as a standard Android device. Custom featuresįiio customized the player with specific tie-ins to its own music app.
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The Fiio X7 Mark II let’s you take full advantage of your investments in high-end server or whole-home streaming solutions. I also successfully streamed music to all my DTS Play-Fi devices. I connected the Mark II to my Roon Music Server and was able to stream music from the server to the X7 Mark II as well as use the Mark II as a Roon remote. For example, I downloaded the Roon client, Tidal music-streaming app, and the DTS Play-Fi app. The Google Play store’s other apps allow for further expansion and integration into your environment.