FiiO JM21 DAP Review – Audio Gear Of The Year
FiiO has been quite active with its new releases. Recently they introduced their latest flagship portable Bluetooth USB DAC/AMP, the FiiO BTR17, and now they are back again with a new portable product launch. This time, FiiO has introduced a brand new digital audio player, presenting the all-new FiiO JM21. Boasting an ultra-thin design with a thickness of just 13mm and lightweight aesthetics of just 156 grams.
As for audio circuitry, the JM21 brings together a premium dual DAC setup housing dual CS43198 DAC chips. This Dual DAC arrangement is combined with dual independent OPAMPs, a new eight-core Snapdragon 680SoC, a fully balanced audio design, etc.
FiiO JM21 probably has the coolest design in the budget digital audio player category. The player features an ultra-thin design with a thickness of just 13mm. FiiO has crafted the JM21 in a cool and elegant form factor which is both, easy to carry as well as handy to use. It has lightweight aesthetics as the player weighs just 156 grams, a perfect companion for your everyday hustle.
FiiO has equipped the JM21 with a high-fidelity audio architecture featuring dual CS43198 DAC chips. With two SGM8262 OPAMPs, the dual CS43198 DAC setup achieves crisp high-resolution audio signal processing with high SNR, DNR, and ultra-low distortion characteristics. The Dual DAC and dual independent OPAMPs create a fully balanced audio circuitry.
FiiO JM21 is a compact yet powerful device. It packs a strong amp section that has a rated output thrust of 700mW per channel at 32Ω impedance load. The JM21 has a three-level gain adjustment that allows for easy pairing with low-power requiring highly sensitive as well as high-power requiring low-sensitivity IEMs and Headphones. It has 3.5mm and 4.4mm headphone outputs.
The player also has SPDIF as well as LineOut support as well. Experience next-level audio performance with the FiiO JM21. FiiO has carefully designed the JM21 with an advanced eight-core snapdragon 680 SoC chipset. It offers a silky smooth user interface with a customized Android 13 OS. The JM21 supports a wide array of streaming and media applications that are easily downloadable through the Google Play Store.
FiiO has designed the JM21 with a shielded power supply design. Both the Analog and Digital circuits are separately shielded to isolate them from each other promising pure and refined sound processing. FiiO JM21 incorporates the brand’s proprietary DAPS Digital Audio Purification System. It bypasses the Android SRC and ensures top-quality audio processing on all the applications on the device.
FiiO JM21 ensures you full-day music enjoyment with its long-lasting battery life. The portable audio player promises an outstanding battery life of up to 12.5 hours with a full charge. You can enjoy music for hours without worrying about the battery running out. FiiO JM21 promises an outstanding music listening experience for its users with a handy ultra-thin design. You can grab this stunning portable audio player for just $170.
Specs (Full Specs)
- Name/Model: JM21
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 680
- DAC: CS43198 x 2
- Amplifier: SGM8262*2
- Android Mode / Pure Music Mode / USB DAC Mode / Bluetooth Reception Mode
- Weight: Approx 156g
- Dimensions: 120.7 x 68 x 13 mm
- 4.7-inch bezel-less display (750 x 1334)
- ROM/Usable Storage: 32G ROM/22G Usable ROM
- RAM: 3 GB
- Adaptive impedance – Power: 8 ~ 150 Ω
- microSD card expansion: supports up to 2TB
- Balance: 8~350Ω
- Channel balance: L20~R20 (0.5 dB per level)
- Headphone output: Standard 3.5mm port
- Balanced headphone output: 4.4mm standard port
- Coaxial output: Standard 3.5mm port (shared PO)
- Line Out: Shared 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports
- Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz/5GHz, support DLNA, AirPlay, WiFi song transfer, etc.
- Bluetooth Streaming (5.0): AAC/SBC/aptX/aptX HD/LDAC/LHDC
- Bluetooth reception (5.0): SBC/AAC/LDAC
- FiiO Link: Supported
- Supports update via local storage + microSD card + OTA
- Operation method: Support gesture, two-button and three-button operations.
- USB DAC: up to 384kHz/32bit; DSD256 (native)
- Local decoding: up to 384kHz/32-bit; DSD256 (native)
- USB Audio: 768kHz/32bit; DSD512 (DoP/D2P/native compatible)
- Coaxial output: up to 384 kHz/24 bit; DSD128 (D2P/DOP)
- Power supply: Support 5V/≥2A
- Charging time: Approx. 2h (5V 2A charger)
- 3.5mm headphone output battery: 12.5 h
- Battery 4.4mm balanced headphone output: 9.5 h
Unboxing
- 1 x FiiO JM21
- 1 x PET Film Screen Protector (Pre-installed)
- 1 x Clear Case
- 1 x USB Cable
- 1 x Quick Start Guide
- 1 x Warranty Card
Android 13 UI – Audio Settings
FiiO Music App
Sound
The FiiO JM21 sounds musical and natural. The delivery is neutral but going to the warmer side. The same goes for the amount of body, it’s natural but depending on the earphone used, can go to the heavier side. There’s always a good, fun amount of body, and it never feels out of order. FiiO JM21 sounds musical no matter what you’re listening to.
The FiiO JM21 sounded very dynamic with all of the IEMs I connected to it. The energy level is also a pleasure to the ear depending on the earphone used. The FiiO JM21 is a DAP that makes everything sound effortless, even with the most complex music and passages. As such it’s very pleasant to listen to, one that is easy on the ears. But it’s more than that, as it has an equally good technical strength. The resolution, clarity, separation, precision, decay, speed, layering, extension, and sound stage are all very good.
I do like the FiiO JM21’s clean and black background combined with its spacious and airy, yet natural presentation. The stage positioning and layering are a pleasure to the ear, especially with IEMs like the FiiO FH19.
The bass presentation is overall good. It is tight, easy to listen to and it shows up with plenty of authority when needed. Technically, bass also performs well with excellent speed, clarity, precision, and depth.
The FiiO JM21 shines in the mids and you get a natural and very musical presentation with plenty of airy and excellent precision, depth, layering, and separation. The mids sound dynamic, natural, and spacious, and with the realistic positioned vocals that are not too energetic, the mids are soft and easy on the ear.
Vocals and treble are always nicely energetic and vivid, but they never refrain from being natural. The technical level of the section is at its very best, but it’s never overly energetic. The vocals and higher frequencies are always dynamic, and vivid.
The FiiO JM21 has this unique ability to not only enhance the staging quality and imaging complexity of whatever earphone I throw at it but also deliver it in a very natural and agreeable tone.
Tonally, it is reminiscent of the FiiO KA15 dongle DAC in a way with that solid note body, and great harmonic balance, but it sounds slightly more precise in its delivery. Especially for complex imaging passages.
The FiiO JM21 also does not push vocals as far forward nor give them as much exuberance and presence so I would say, comparatively speaking, the term “neutral to natural” is the more apt description of the FiiO JM21’s general tone.
The background is beautifully black with some excellent dynamic range. Combined with a tonal balance that seems so evenly weighted, neither too warm nor too bright, your ear is never unnaturally distracted to one end or another unless the dynamics of the audio passage or the general tone of the IEM demands it.
vs HiBy R4
The HiBy R4 differs by using four ES9018C2M DAC chips whereas the FiiO JM21 uses dual CS43198 DAC chips. The HiB R4 sounds a bit drier compared to the FiiO JM21, with JM21 providing better dynamics and a more pleasing timbre.
Another difference from the HiB R4 is the midrange presentation, particularly vocal imaging. The HiB R4 vocal positioning is further forward and more vibrant in its delivery whereas the FiiO JM21 is a shade more conservative in positioning but at the same time offers more space and separation around them and accompanying instruments.
FiiO JM21 also sounds more three-dimensional and you feel the sound around you. You’re more immersed by the sound, whereas the HiB R4 is flatter. Both DAPs have a neutral tuning, but the FiiO JM21 sounds fuller, more dynamic, layered, and musical to me.
Sum-Up
The $170 asking price for the JM21 is insane. I was wondering what FiiO’s response to the very successful HiBy R4 ($249) will be. But I wasn’t expecting this kind of a strong contender, because the JM21 beats the R4 in every aspect you can think of, except maybe for design which is a matter of taste to like or not.
FiiO did it again. Another price/performance champion this time in the digital audio player division which other brands will have a hard time beating. The JM21 will probably be the most selling audio gear of this year. Very good job.