Short answer
Both are portable amplifiers, $750 against $829.
The FiiO Q7 reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here, the Shanling H7 on 566.
| Specification | FiiO Q7 | Shanling H7 |
|---|---|---|
| Power into 32Ω | 550 mW | 450 mW |
| Power into 150Ω | 123 mW | 96 mW |
| Power into 300Ω | 65 mW | 48 mW |
| Power into 600Ω | 33 mW | 24 mW |
| Output impedance | 1.2 Ω | 1.0 Ω |
| Output noise | 2.8 µV | 1.5 µV |
| Price | $750 | $829 |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 567 | 566 |
| Balanced | FiiO Q7 | Shanling H7 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 4.4mm | 4.4mm (a 6.35mm jack is also fitted; Shanling does not say which of the two single-ended jacks its single-ended figures apply to) |
| Power into 32Ω | 1.5 W | 1.3 W |
| Power into 300Ω | 260 mW | 139 mW derived |
| Output impedance | 2.2 Ω | 1.0 Ω |
| Output noise | 4.5 µV | 1.5 µV |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 567 | 567 |
Through the balanced sockets the two are level on the same test: each reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here. Derived figures are worked out from the loads the maker did publish.
| Load | FiiO Q7 | Shanling H7 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Ω | Published | Published |
| 150 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 300 Ω | Published | Derived |
| 600 Ω | Derived | Derived |
Both makers publish a power rating. FiiO Q7 publishes at 32 Ω and at 300 Ω; Shanling H7 at 32 Ω. The other rows are worked out from those.
So the two columns are not equally firm row by row: at 300 Ω only the FiiO Q7 figure is the maker’s own. On those rows the derived number is the one to doubt first.
1 headphone reaches 100 dB on the FiiO Q7 but not on the Shanling H7 — Symphonium Titan.
23 headphones are left alone by the Shanling H7 under the one-eighth rule but coloured by the FiiO Q7 (64 Audio Ocean, 64 Audio U18s, 64 Audio U6t, 20 more).
14 headphones stay below the audible-hiss threshold on the Shanling H7 but cross it on the FiiO Q7 (64 Audio Fourte, Campfire Audio Andromeda 10, Campfire Audio Andromeda 2023, 11 more).
566 of the 567 models here reach 100 dB on both.
Headroom is at a 100 dB SPL peak.
The widest gap on the list is the Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020: FiiO Q7 has +20 dB of headroom there against +15 dB. 5 dB is about 3.3 times the power, which matters for peaks rather than for how loud the music sits.
Hiss below about 20 dB SPL is inaudible in a quiet room.
| Headphone | Impedance | Needs | FiiO Q7 headroom | Shanling H7 headroom | FiiO Q7 hiss | Shanling H7 hiss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 0.04 mW | +40 dB damping | +35 dB | 23 dB | 18 dB |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 4.0 mW | +20 dB damping | +15 dB | 3 dB | -2 dB |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 0.79 mW | +25 dB | +24 dB | 1 dB | -4 dB |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 0.63 mW | +21 dB | +20 dB | -3 dB | -8 dB |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 7.9 mW | +19 dB | +16 dB | -4 dB | -9 dB |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 1.6 mW | +14 dB | +13 dB | -10 dB | -15 dB |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 6.6 mW | +10 dB | +9 dB | -14 dB | -19 dB |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 50 mW | +8 dB | +7 dB | -16 dB | -21 dB |
The Shanling H7 costs $79 more than the FiiO Q7. Out of the 567 models here, that difference buys 23 more models left alone under the one-eighth rule and 14 more models kept below the audible-hiss threshold.
It does not run one way only: the cheaper FiiO Q7 drives one model to 100 dB that the Shanling H7 does not, which is the part worth checking against your own headphones before paying the difference.
Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.
Each in full: FiiO Q7 and Shanling H7.