Like the Q15 and K9 AKM, the FiiO M23 uses the flagship AKM DAC combo - the AK4191EQ+AK4499EX. This is a new design that completely separates the digital and analog parts and also features "DWA ROUTING Technology" to further improve the signal-to-noise ratio. These technologies provide a purer sound background and higher resolution - and thus a relaxed and natural sound.
For the first time in FIIO players, the FiiO M23 has a special switch for switching the desktop mode (D.MODE). When the desktop mode is activated, the FiiO M23 is fully powered by an external power source. The built-in battery is neither charged nor discharged, so the M23 can be used as a desktop device without fear of battery damage. When using the desktop mode continuously, the battery should not be charged above 80%.
The FiiO M23 has two USB Type-C ports, one of which is for power input only (POWER IN). When this dedicated Type-C power port is connected to the fast charger, the Super High Gain mode can be activated for more gain and more output power. In this mode, the output power can reach up to 1000mW+1000mW per channel, making the M23 more suitable to drive high impedance headphones. In this mode, the other Type-C port does not consume power, making it suitable for connecting the M23 to a phone to use as a USB DAC.
The THX AAA 78 headphone amplifiers used in the M11 Plus and M11 Pro have been praised by audiophiles around the world. After several years of continuous design development, we introduce the THX AAA 78+ amplifier architecture in the M23. It enables higher output power with high fidelity, resulting in powerful sound reproduction with extreme precision.
The FiiO M23 features a high-quality audio architecture consisting of DAC, I/V, LPF, voltage amplification and parallel amplification stages. The I/V and LPF stages are handled by 2 low-noise and high-precision OPA1612 operational amplifiers. The voltage amplification is handled by 2 low-noise, high-bandwidth OPA1662 operational amplifiers. Together, these operational amplifiers ensure precise reproduction of audio signals with sufficient output power, so that a wide range of headphones and IEMs can work well with the player, which can be adjusted even better thanks to the four amplification stages.