The FiiO M23 doesn’t just play music—it curates a mood. Nestled in the quiet geometry of a workspace, its dark chassis catches the lamplight like a vinyl sleeve pulled from a shelf with intention. This isn’t a device you scroll past; it’s one you reach for when the room demands resonance. With AKM’s flagship AK4191EQ + AK4499EX DAC pairing, the M23 renders sound not as data, but as presence—fragile, resolute, and unmistakably human. Chet Baker’s trumpet doesn’t stream; it lingers.
Powered by Snapdragon 660 and running Android 10 with global SRC bypass, the M23 invites lossless fidelity into your daily rhythm. Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music—all accessible, all uncompromised. But it’s the desktop mode that shifts the narrative: a portable player that dares to sound like a studio rig. Whether paired with 4.4mm balanced headphones or a single-ended 3.5mm classic, the M23 adapts without apology. It’s not just a music player—it’s a tonal mirror, reflecting the listener’s intent with quiet precision.
Living With the M23: A Sonic Ritual
The FiiO M23 doesn’t demand attention—it earns it. From the moment it powers on, the interface feels deliberate. Android 10 glides without friction, and the global SRC bypass ensures that every stream—whether from Apple Music, Tidal, or Amazon Music—arrives unaltered. There’s no second-guessing the fidelity. You tap play, and the room shifts. The player doesn’t just deliver sound; it sets a tone.
In desktop mode, the M23 transforms. It’s no longer just portable—it’s a studio-grade anchor. The output power ramps up, driving high-impedance headphones with ease, while the battery efficiency subtly shifts to accommodate longer, more immersive sessions. You begin to notice the quiet between notes, the texture in a whisper, the way Chet Baker’s trumpet curls around silence. It’s not background listening—it’s foreground living.
The tactile experience is equally refined. The volume wheel has just enough resistance to feel intentional. The 4.4mm and 3.5mm ports are spaced with care, inviting experimentation without clutter. Even the weight of the device feels curated—substantial, but not burdensome. It’s the kind of player you place on your desk with purpose, knowing it will stay there until the last note fades.
🎥 For a beautifully paced walkthrough of this experience, Fiio M23 Review: Elevating Your Portable Audio Experience captures the essence of living with the M23. It highlights the player’s sonic strengths, interface fluidity, and the quiet confidence it brings to any listening ritual.
📋 FiiO M23 Specification Sheet
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| DAC Chipset | AKM AK4191EQ + AK4499EX (flagship combo with DWA Routing Technology) |
| Amplifier Architecture | THX AAA 78+ (4-way fully balanced) |
| CPU & OS | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, Android 10 |
| RAM & Storage | 4GB LPDDR5 RAM, 64GB internal (approx. 46GB usable) + microSD slot |
| Display | 5.49″ IPS touchscreen, 720×1140 resolution, 18:9 aspect ratio |
| Battery | 5500mAh, dual-mode fast charging, up to 10.5 hours playback |
| Charging Ports | Dual USB-C (one for power only, one for data/audio) |
| Desktop Mode | Patented D.MODE switch; bypasses battery for external power use |
| Output Power | Up to 1000mW @ 32Ω, 240mW @ 300Ω (Super High Gain Mode) |
| Headphone Outputs | 3.5mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced |
| Wireless Support | Bluetooth 5.0: SBC, AAC (receive only), aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, LHDC/HWA |
| USB DAC Functionality | Supports external USB audio via OTG |
| Audio Formats | PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 native; ALL TO DSD & PEQ supported |
| Dimensions | 136.5 × 75.7 × 18.1 mm |
| Weight | 299g (Deep Blue), 392.3g (Stainless Steel) |
Expanded Feature Set: Tailored for the Curious Listener
The FiiO M23 isn’t just a player—it’s a modular listening environment. With Roon Ready 1 certification, it integrates seamlessly into high-end home setups, allowing you to stream from your server with full metadata and multi-room support. Whether you’re in Android mode installing your favorite apps or switching to Pure Music mode for distraction-free playback, the M23 adapts to your intent.
Bluetooth 5.0 support includes LDAC, LHDC, aptX HD, and AAC, ensuring high-resolution wireless transmission whether you’re pairing with IEMs or studio monitors. AirPlay adds another layer of convenience, letting you stream directly from Apple devices with minimal setup. And when tethered via USB, the M23 becomes a USB DAC, elevating your laptop or desktop audio with its flagship AKM decoding and THX amplification.
But what truly sets the M23 apart is its global PEQ and ALL TO DSD functionality. The 10-band parametric EQ allows precise tuning across all modes, with adjustable Q values and gain per band. Meanwhile, ALL TO DSD transforms any format into smooth, analog-like playback, letting you experience the warmth and texture of DSD even from compressed sources. It’s not just about fidelity—it’s about flavor.
One Device, Many Lives: The M23 as a Budget-Conscious Powerhouse
In the realm of hi-fi, the FiiO M23 performs a quiet revolution. It consolidates what would traditionally be four or five separate components into one thoughtful, pocketable unit. You’re getting THX-balanced amplification, AKM flagship DAC decoding, full Android access, lossless streaming, USB DAC functionality, and Roon endpoint capabilities—all with global EQ and ALL TO DSD features baked in. There’s no need to toggle between gear or invest in multiple setups to chase sonic clarity. The M23 brings it all together.
Where it saves money isn’t just in what it includes—it’s in what you no longer need. No external DAC for your laptop, no separate Bluetooth receiver, no compromise player for Roon or AirPlay setups. It bridges the portable and the professional with elegance, letting you stream high-resolution audio over Wi-Fi from Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon, or your local library, all without downgrading signal integrity. The room, the headphones, the music—they all shift toward fidelity, without shifting your budget.
The result is a kind of sonic minimalism that doesn’t feel minimal at all. You’re paying for one device, and living with ten capabilities. For anyone curating an LPMP setup or refining their listening rituals, the M23 stands as a testament to intentional design—saving not just money, but space, complexity, and even decision fatigue. This isn’t about compromise—it’s about convergence.
Take the Leap Into Sonic Clarity
If you’ve been curating your sound or chasing hi-fi clarity in fragments, the FiiO M23 offers a moment of convergence. It doesn’t ask for compromise—it invites you to consolidate, refine, and commit. Whether you’re streaming lossless audio, shaping your tonal signature with PEQ, or simply letting one jazz note linger longer than expected, the M23 turns listening into a ritual worth showing up for. If you’re ready to stop experimenting and start living with your music—this might be the day to make the switch.
- What Does “Roon Ready” Mean?
A device labeled Roon Ready has been certified by Roon Labs to work seamlessly with the Roon music management platform. This means it supports RAAT (Roon Advanced Audio Transport), Roon’s proprietary streaming protocol, allowing for bit-perfect playback of high-resolution audio over your home network. Roon Ready devices require zero configuration, offer multi-room synchronization, and ensure the highest possible sound quality—whether you’re streaming from Tidal, Qobuz, or your own local library.
In short, it’s like giving your music a concierge: metadata-rich, beautifully organized, and routed to your gear with precision.