FiiO M23 Hi-Res music player with Android and 5.5-inch touchscreen

The successor to the widely acclaimed Fiio M11 Plus has arrived, promising an enhanced audio experience beyond its predecessor. Powered by Android, the FiiO M23 is not only the best Hi-Fi MP3 player but also supports all popular streaming apps. Additionally, it features Bluetooth aptX HD and Sony LDAC for superior wireless audio quality.

The brand new FiiO M23 features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC from 2017, as well as a 5.5-inch touchscreen with a modest resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels. It retains 4GB of RAM, and while the built-in flash memory is a moderate 64GB, users can expand it up to 2TB with a microSD memory card.

FiiO has decided to continue using Android 10, the 2019 operating system, which is gradually nearing a point where it might no longer support some apps. However, the FiiO M23 prioritizes audio quality, incorporating an AKM AK419EQ and an AKM AK4499EX DAC. This enables the player to decode both DSD256 and PCM files up to 32-bit at 384 kHz.

Two THX AAA-78+ amplifiers support a “Super High Gain” mode, achieving 1,000 mW at 32 ohms. Even at a 300 ohm impedance, they provide a power output of 236 mW. However, this mode is only available when powering the Android Hi-Res music player through a USB-C connection; when on the move, users have the options of “Low”, “Medium” and “High” to match the output to their headphones’ requirements.

FiiO M23 price and release date

The FiiO M23, priced at $699.99, is now listed on Amazon; however, its release date has not been revealed. Notably, this positions the new high-fidelity MP3 player in a similar price range as its predecessor, the FiiO M11 Plus.

The FiiO M23 accommodates headphones through a 3.5 mm jack or a balanced 4.4 mm port. It also features support for Bluetooth aptX HD and LDAC, serving as both a transmitter and a receiver. The 5,500 mAh battery provides 10.5 hours of playback, one hour less than the previous model.