SNOWSKY ECHO MINI Review – Back To The Future
The FiiO SNOWSKY ECHO MINI is a retro-inspired, budget-friendly digital audio player with up to 250mW of balanced output power (100mW on 3.5mm) and comes with an incredible low price of just $49.99.
This device pays homage to the foundational era of portable audio, seamlessly blending vintage cassette player aesthetics with contemporary technological advancements. Its compact and lightweight form factor ensures effortless portability, while the inclusion of tactile physical controls provides a satisfyingly engaging user experience.
At its core, the ECHO MINI is equipped with dual CS43131 DAC chips, enabling native DSD256 playback and high-resolution 24-bit/192 kHz audio. Distinguishing itself from many compact DAPs, it offers both 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs, providing versatile connectivity options for a wide array of in-ear monitors (IEMs) and headphones.
Beyond its dedicated audio playback capabilities, the SNOWSKY ECHO MINI integrates modern wireless convenience through Bluetooth 5. This enables seamless audio streaming to Bluetooth headphones and speakers, enhancing its versatility for both wired and wireless audio setups.
Design
The ECHO MINI’s design immediately evokes the classic portable cassette player, a stylistic choice that consistently elicits intrigue. Available in black, cyan, and pink, the review unit in blue showcases a thoughtful color-blocking scheme.
Despite its plastic construction, the device strikes an optimal balance between lightness and substantiality, avoiding any perception of being a low-cost or disposable item. The blue-colored bezel, grey-colored plastic body, and contrasting blue power button contribute to a cohesive and sophisticated retro aesthetic. The blue color of the Echo Mini resembles that of the FiiO JM21.
A 1.99-inch IPS display dominates the front panel, offering commendable viewing angles and clarity, particularly given its size and the user interface’s scaling. Text is sharp and legible, and elements are well-spaced, ensuring intuitive navigation. All primary controls are conveniently located on the top edge for easy access and differentiation.
The right side features the 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs, while the left side accommodates the MicroSD slot, USB-C port, and a lanyard hole (though no lanyard is included). The device’s compact dimensions facilitate comfortable one-handed operation. While its distinctive appearance is a notable feature, the combination of novel form and strong tactile usability creates a truly compelling overall package.
Buttons
The ECHO MINI features a meticulously arranged control scheme, with all buttons positioned on the top of the device for optimal accessibility. From left to right, the layout includes the power button, volume control, play/pause button, menu button, and back button.
The power button performs its standard functions of powering the unit on and off, as well as managing display sleep. The volume control, however, employs a non-pivoted, elongated plastic button with micro switches on either side, requiring presses on the left or right for adjustments.
While functional, a center-pivot rocker design would have offered a more familiar tactile experience. Furthermore, the volume orientation can be counterintuitive, particularly in landscape mode, where pressing the right side decreases the volume and pressing the left side increases it. This inversion persists when the device is oriented with the headphone jack upward in a pocket.
The play/pause button functions as expected and also serves as a confirmation button during menu navigation. The menu button provides quick access to relevant settings, including music settings in “Now Playing” mode and UI settings from the main menu.
The back button facilitates easy navigation through menu layers or a return to the home screen. Overall, the controls are tactile, intuitive, and responsive, though minor refinements to the volume button’s design and orientation could further enhance the user experience.
Battery Life
Equipped with a 1,100 mAh battery, the FiiO SNOWSKY ECHO MINI is rated for up to 15 hours of playback on a single charge. Real-world testing largely corroborated this estimate.
To optimize power consumption, the screen was configured to sleep after 30 seconds, and Bluetooth remained disabled when not actively in use. These settings did not compromise the device’s daily usability. With a music library primarily consisting of FLAC files, the device consistently delivered just under 15 hours of playback, often lasting nearly a whole week without requiring a recharge.
When utilizing Bluetooth with TWS IEMs, battery life averaged 10-12 hours, which remains commendable for a compact DAP. Users can confidently rely on the ECHO MINI for extended daily listening without concerns about power depletion.
Software
The FiiO SNOWSKY ECHO MINI boots up in approximately 10-12 seconds, presenting a home menu with five primary icons: File Browser, Playlist, Music Playing, Music Settings, and System Settings. As the device lacks a touchscreen, navigation is managed via the volume buttons to scroll through options, with the menu button for selection.
For wireless users, a dedicated Bluetooth toggle on the home screen would be a beneficial addition, as currently, enabling Bluetooth requires navigating through two submenu layers. While not a critical flaw, it introduces an unnecessary step for a standard action.
The “Now Playing” screen provides comprehensive details, including battery percentage, filter setting, bitrate, file format, artist name, song title, and album information. However, the absence of a visible volume level is a minor oversight that could hinder quick adjustments. Throughout its usage, the operating system, while minimalist, exhibited no discernible bugs.
During wired usage, the interface proved generally intuitive, with one minor point of friction: adding tracks to the “My Favorites” library. This process cannot be initiated directly from the File Browser. Instead, users must navigate to the Playlist section, select “All Songs,” hover over the desired track, press the menu button, and then choose “Add to Favorites.” This multi-step process feels unnecessarily convoluted.
Compounding this, pressing the menu button while browsing the File Manager presents the option to delete the song, creating an inconsistent navigation scheme where the same button performs entirely different actions depending on the submenu. Conversely, the ability to delete tracks directly from the File Browser is a convenient feature for users who manage large music libraries on an SD card.
The ECHO MINI offers a range of customization options, including adjustable sleep mode and idle timers, backlight settings, screen timeout, and a choice between light and dark modes. The brightness range is ample, with the second dimmest setting proving most comfortable for regular use. The screen timeout can be set from 15 seconds to 3 minutes, and the auto-shutdown timer offers settings ranging from Off to 120 minutes.
Bluetooth
For Bluetooth testing, the ECHO MINI was paired with the FiiO UTWS5. A notable limitation is the device’s exclusive support for the SBC codec; the inclusion of higher-quality codecs such as LDAC or AAC would have been a welcome enhancement. Pairing was swift and seamless, with the ECHO MINI immediately detecting and connecting to UTWS5 upon Bluetooth activation.
However, the Bluetooth audio quality proved to be a significant drawback. Compared to pairing the UTWS5 with an OnePlus 9, the ECHO MINI’s Bluetooth performance exhibited noticeably lower resolution and a sibilant, less refined presentation.
Dynamics felt compressed, bass lacked texture, and high frequencies sounded grainy and metallic. Vocals and mids also lacked depth, resulting in a one-dimensional sound. Given these observations, the ECHO MINI is not recommended for users primarily seeking Bluetooth playback, as a smartphone may offer superior audio quality. Additionally, an unusual quirk observed was the influence of the gain setting on Bluetooth volume, which is atypical for digital signal transmission.
In The Box
Specifications (Full Specs)
- Dimensions: 80 × 54.5 × 14.5 mm
- Display: 1.99-inch IPS color LCD
- Internal Memory: 8 GB
- External Memory: Expandable via microSD card up to 256 GB.
- DAC: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chips
- Formats: DSD, WAV, FLAC, APE, MP3, M4A, OGG
- Power: 100 mW (3.5mm), 250 mW (4.4mm)
- Battery Capacity: 1,100 mAh
- Price: $49.99
Disclaimer: The SNOWSKY ECHO MINI was kindly provided by FiiO for review.
Sound
The FiiO SNOWSKY ECHO MINI delivers a generally neutral sound signature with a subtle hint of warmth. It features controlled bass, a clear midrange, and smooth treble, contributing to an enjoyable and engaging listening experience. While it may not rival the resolution and detail retrieval of higher-end DAPs, the ECHO MINI offers a pleasing sonic profile that will appeal to a broad audience.
Bass
The ECHO MINI exhibits a relatively neutral bass response, with a slight emphasis on the mid-bass rather than the sub-bass. While a decent low-end presence is evident, it does not achieve the deep, resonant rumble found in more bass-centric sources. Sub-bass is present but rolls off earlier than anticipated, diminishing its impact on tracks reliant on profound low frequencies.
Conversely, the mid-bass carries greater weight and warmth, providing satisfying body to instruments such as bass guitars. Despite this, bass texture and layering could benefit from further refinement, as the ECHO MINI occasionally smooths over finer details in bass-heavy recordings.
Mids
The midrange of the ECHO MINI stands out as its most commendable attribute, offering a natural, subtly warm presentation that imbues vocals and string instruments with an organic quality. Male vocals possess a solid presence, with sufficient weight and depth for a full-bodied sound. Female vocals, conversely, exhibit a slight emphasis, rendering them airy and expressive without becoming strident.
Instruments like acoustic guitars and pianos are well-articulated, benefiting from the ECHO MINI’s clean and neutral tuning. A commendable balance is struck between instrument separation and midrange cohesion, ensuring that vocals and background elements remain distinct without sounding disjointed. This makes the ECHO MINI particularly well-suited for acoustic-pop genres.
Treble
The treble on the ECHO MINI is smooth, non-fatiguing, and leans towards a more relaxed presentation. While it may not offer the highest degree of airiness or sparkle, it effectively avoids harshness and sibilance, making it ideal for extended listening sessions.
This tuning approach means that micro-details in the upper frequencies are somewhat subdued compared to higher-end DAPs, making it less suitable for listeners who prioritize extreme resolution and treble shimmer.
Tecnicalities
The FiiO SNOWSKY ECHO MINI provides a serviceable soundstage with decent width but limited depth, making it well-suited for intimate genres but less ideal for large-scale recordings. Imaging is adequate but not exceptionally precise, and while instrument separation is generally good, complex tracks may exhibit some congestion.
Dynamics lean towards a more relaxed and smooth presentation rather than a highly energetic or punchy sound. While this contributes to a fatigue-free and enjoyable listening experience, those seeking a highly dynamic and expansive presentation may find it lacking.
Vs Retro Nano
Both the SNOWSKY ECHO MINI and SNOWSKY RETRO NANO share a similar sound signature, attributable to their shared dual CS43131 DAC implementation. However, subtle differences in their tuning create distinct listening experiences.
The ECHO MINI presents a warmer sound with a thicker and more pronounced mid-bass. This distinction is particularly evident in funk and disco tracks, where basslines gain additional weight, contributing to a fuller and more dynamic musical presence.
The RETRO NANO maintains warmth but features a slightly leaner bass response, resulting in a more neutral sound overall. Male vocals are more emphasized and full-bodied on the ECHO MINI, lending a richer and more natural tone to deeper voices, whereas the RETRO NANO presents vocals in a more balanced and neutral manner.
Treble presentation also differs slightly: the ECHO MINI offers a more relaxed treble, smoothing out harshness in high frequencies while retaining detail, while the RETRO NANO is a touch more energetic, providing a slightly more forward and analytical presentation without being overly sharp.
Sum-Up
FiiO has made a significant entrance with its SNOWSKY sub-brand. Priced at just $50, the FiiO SNOWSKY ECHO MINI is remarkably feature-rich for a dedicated DAP.
While not without minor imperfections, such as the absence of a USB-DAC mode, lack of high-definition Bluetooth codecs, and some control scheme quirks, its affordability and undeniably charming retro aesthetics make the ECHO MINI a compelling option for anyone considering a return to dedicated music players and bringing today’s audio tech into a retro design, back to the future.
UPDATE: With the latest firmware update, the ECHO MINI now supports USB-DAC function.