1. User manual, download link of M27, Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About FIIO M27

修改于星期二, 十一月 18 在 10:50 AM

User manual download link: Click here

USB DAC driver download link: Click here

FIIO Control download link: Click here

Firmware download link: Click here

Q1. What’s the function of the Desktop mode in M27?

The definition of Desktop Mode:

When D.mode switched turned on with USB inserted, the desktop mode icon will appear on the M27 screen. At this time, the M27 is powered directly from the USB port, without charging the M27 battery or consuming battery power.

If the USB power supply is insufficient, the battery will be required to supply additional power.

How to enable the D.MODE (Desktop Mode) on the M27?

1.Insert USB to POWER IN or USB 3.0 port

2.Switch the D.MODE switch at the bottom of M27 to ON to enable the Desktop mode on M27.

Q2. What is the difference between the M27’s Super High Gain Mode and Ultra High Gain Mode? Which power supply supports Ultra High Gain Mode?

Super High Gain Mode and Ultra High Gain Mode:

Connect a fast-charging charger to the POWER IN or USB 3.0 port and turn on the D.MODE switch to activate Ultra High Gain Mode. This allows the M27 to achieve a higher power output.

Taking the 4.4mm balanced port as an example, the Ultra High Gain Mode delivers a maximum output of 5000mW @32Ω, with a voltage swing increased to 44Vpp, which is sufficient to drive most over-ear headphones well.

Super High Gain mode can be activated using battery power alone. Although its power and voltage swing are about half that of the Ultra High Gain Mode, it is still powerful enough to drive over-ear headphones.

Which fast charging charger could enable Super High Gain mode Mode?

1.Use the POWER IN / USB 3.0 port to connect a power adapter or power bank that supports the PD 2.0 or PD 3.0 protocol. Compatible specifications include 9V/3A, 12V/1.7A, or higher.

2.Using an external 12V power supply (such as the FiiO PL50) requires a DC to TYPE-C adapter (currently supports charging; support for activating Ultra High Gain Mode will be added in a future firmware update).

Effect of Power Supply on Sound Quality:

When the player is powered by an external source, the sound quality is influenced by the power supply’s quality. Generally, the ranking of sound quality from lowest to highest is: Fast Charging Adapter < Power Bank < Linear Power Supply.

Q3. What is the included cooling stand DK1 PLUS used for? Is the stand required to enable Ultra High Gain Mode?

The included cooling stand DK1 PLUS dock offers the following functions:

1.When connected to an external power source, it activates a fan to cool the M27, helping to maintain more stable performance.

2.It features support brackets that accommodate both vertical and horizontal orientations of the M27 for effective heat dissipation.

3.When the M27 is connected to the dock via TYPE-C, the player could be charged. Additionally, the other two USB HOST ports in the DK1 PLUS can output USB AUDIO to connect to external DAC/amps.

Note: It is recommended to connect the M27 to the DK1 PLUS via the middle USB 3.0 port. To ensure a proper connection for charging and Ultra High Gain Mode, remember to remove the optical/coaxial dust plugs from the bottom of the M27 first.

The dock is not required to use Ultra High Gain Mode.

While the DK1 PLUS can facilitate this mode with a fast charging adapter for M27, the M27 can also enter Ultra High Gain Mode directly when connected to a fast-charging adapter directly.

Q4. What are the differences between the Aluminum Alloy and Titanium Alloy versions? Are there any differences in sound quality?

The two versions are identical in system configuration, audio components, and internal materials; the only difference lies in the shell material. Consequently, their overall sound performance is very similar and both are excellent. Any subtle differences that may exist are attributed to the different electrical conductivity of titanium alloy versus aluminum alloy.

Differences in surface treatment:

1.The Aluminum Alloy body uses a conventional anodizing coloring process, which offers strong black adhesion, is scratch-resistant, and less prone to discoloration.

2.The Titanium Alloy, being denser, undergoes polishing and grinding followed by PVD (Vacuum Plating) for protection. Although it includes an anti-fingerprint coating, fingerprints may still be noticeable and can be wiped off with the included cleaning cloth.

Q5. What is the sound tuning style of the M27?

As a reference-grade player, its sound tuning aims for a neutral and robust character without imposing a strongly personalized sonic signature. This approach ensures the product can meet the needs of pairing it with various headphones.

Building on this foundation, the M27 offers improved richness compared to the M17, avoiding a sole focus on high resolution at the expense of listenability. This can be understood from several aspects:

1.Use of top-tier digital audio components and a ultra-large power reserves system: crystal oscillators,high-capacity FPGA,40W power system for ensuring sound accuracy

2.The ES9039SPRO DACs utilize a new hyperstream technology, offering better sound density and thickness than the previous generation.

3.Extensive use of high-quality op-amps, film capacitors, and ELNA audio-grade electrolytic capacitors for tuning, resulting in balanced frequency response and natural transitions.

4.Multi-stage hardware gain and power supply regulation prevent over-driving sensitive IEMs while providing ample power for over-ear headphones.

Q6. How is the heat dissipation on the M27? Could it cause lag?

The M27 incorporates desktop-level design and components, leading to relatively higher power consumption and perceptibly more heat than ordinary players, despite scientific thermal design. However, under normal listening conditions, the casing should only feel warm, not hot.

Furthermore, the internals use extensive heat-spreading materials and copper blocks for rapid heat conduction away from critical components. This effective thermal management ensures that the processor and amplifier temperatures are well controlled and will not cause system lag.

Q7. The M27’s leather case has an added heat dissipation film. Does it need replacement over time?

The included leather case has a large heat dissipation film on the backplate. This design allows heat to dissipate even when the case is on, preventing a temperature rise due to the case wrapping the device.

This film is made of a sucool gel material that cools by exchanging heat with water vapor in the air. It is a reusable material with a long functional life, so you almost never need to worry about replacing it. It can be replaced along with the case itself only if the case wears out severely.

Q8. How to upgrade the system firmware of M27? Can users choose different versions?

FiiO provides ongoing firmware maintenance for its players. The most convenient method is OTA upgrade via Wi-Fi.

The initial release version is 1.0.0, and version 1.0.1 has started rolling out. All official firmware versions are announced on FiiO’s forum, and users can freely upgrade or downgrade (i.e., are not forced to use the latest version). Users can download and install their preferred version.

Q9. At what sampling rate does the PEQ on the M27 cause SRC?

Thanks to the powerful QCS6490 processor, the M27 not only supports a 31-band PEQ but also raises the direct processing sample rate of the PEQ to 384 kHz. Therefore, SRC does not occur when the PEQ is enabled for music files with sampling rates ≤384 kHz.

Q10. Can the M27 be used in a car with the car audio system?

Yes. The M27 supports line output as well as coaxial and optical output. If your car has an AUX input or coaxial/optical input ports, you can connect the M27 using the corresponding output port.

Q11.The function instruction for the three USB ports of the M27

	USB 3.0	USB HOST	POWER IN
charging/power supply	√	×	√
USB Audio：USB output to external decoder	√	√	×
USB OTG：Connect to U disk/hard disk/keyboard etc.	√	√	×
USB DAC decoding	√	×	×
Connect to computer for data transmission	√	×	×
Connect to DK1 Plus stand	√	Not recommended	Not recommended

Q12. Is the potentiometer on the M27 digital or analog?

The volume is controlled by a digital potentiometer. Digital volume control is now mainstream. Since the internal bit depth of the DAC is 32-bit, using 16-bit audio formats is avoided. This eliminates concerns about dynamic compression or loss of precision that could be associated with digital volume control.

Q13. What kind of TF card should I use?

A reputable, major-brand TF card is sufficient. Playing music files does not demand the high sustained transfer speeds required for video or photo recording.

Q14. There are two ‘click’ sound when playback starts or after pausing for 2 minutes.

These clicks are the sound of the internal relays operating. When playback starts, it triggers the relays to engage, producing the clicking sounds. This is a normal phenomenon.