Golden Ears: Fiio M15S Digital Audio Player Review

mmorpg.com:

In the world of smartphones, you might think dedicated digital audio players (DAPs) were a thing of the past. But while the iPod might be a thing of the past, DAPs have been quietly becoming a favorite accessory of dedicated audio enthusiasts. Today, we’re looking at one of the most impressive players that’s come across our desk, the Fiio M15S. Featuring an incredible 1200 watts of power, Android 10, multiple output options, and the ability to connect to a PC to transform into a fully self-enclosed audio system, it’s the kind of all-in-one solution that can elevate your listening anywhere you go. 

At $999, it’s the perfect Golden Ears product. In this semi-regular column, we take a close look at the world of high-end audio. The prices and product scale up to incredible levels and make big promises — but what do you actually get for that higher cost of entry? That’s exactly what we’re here to find out. 

Current Price: $999 ( Amazon ) 

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The Fiio M15S is a desktop-class digital audio player designed to be a complete listening solution whether you’re on the go or enjoying music at your desk. On its own, it’s a portable smart device complete with Android 10, the Google Play Store, and a powerful enough processor and memory combination to run the latest music apps without lag. Plugged into a PC over USB Type-C, it becomes an external soundcard, a portable DAC/amp hybrid that can elevate your entire listening experience. 

While the M15S has a lot going for it, which I’ll break down throughout this article, one of its most defining features is its tremendous power output. Over its balanced connection, it delivers up to 1200 watts of power output, which is sufficient to drive just about any headphone you