The FiiO M27 is a portable player at $1799. It delivers 1.8 W into 32Ω and 200 mW into 300Ω, which ranks it 54 of 280 for raw power among the sources in this database.
Measured at 100 dB SPL it has comfortable headroom on 566 of the 567 dynamic and planar headphones catalogued here and enough but not generous on 1. Power is published at 16Ω, 32Ω, 300Ω; the rest of the table is derived from those figures.
The manufacturer publishes 2.6 W into 16Ω, 1.8 W into 32Ω, 200 mW into 300Ω. The rest of the table is worked out from those.
The balanced output is rated separately: 5.0 W into 32Ω through the 4.4mm jack.
Derived rows hold output voltage steady, as an amplifier does (method).
| Load | Power | Status | How it was arrived at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Ω | 2.6 W | Published | the manufacturer publishes this figure at this exact load |
| 32 Ω | 1.8 W | Published | the manufacturer publishes this figure at this exact load |
| 150 Ω | 391 mW | Derived | worked out between two published loads, holding output voltage linear between them |
| 300 Ω | 200 mW | Published | the manufacturer publishes this figure at this exact load |
| 600 Ω | 100 mW | Derived | beyond the published loads, holding output voltage constant — which understates rather than flatters |
Easiest to hardest to drive, with headroom at a 100 dB SPL peak.
| Headphone | Impedance | Sensitivity | Needs | Headroom | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 114.0 dB/mW | 0.04 mW | +46 dB | Comfortable audible hiss |
| 64 Audio U12t | 12.6 Ω | 108.0 dB/mW | 0.16 mW | +41 dB | Comfortable audible hiss |
| Shure SE215 | 17 Ω | 107.0 dB/mW | 0.20 mW | +41 dB | Comfortable audible hiss |
| Moondrop Aria | 32 Ω | 107.1 dB/mW | 0.19 mW | +40 dB | Comfortable audible hiss |
| Audeze LCD-X 2021 | 20 Ω | 103.0 dB/mW | 0.50 mW | +37 dB | Comfortable audible hiss |
| Truthear Hexa | 20.5 Ω | 103.1 dB/mW | 0.49 mW | +37 dB | Comfortable audible hiss |
| Sennheiser IE 200 | 18 Ω | 101.6 dB/mW | 0.69 mW | +35 dB | Comfortable audible hiss |
| Sony MDR-7506 | 63 Ω | 106.0 dB/mW | 0.25 mW | +36 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Meze 99 Classics | 32 Ω | 103.0 dB/mW | 0.50 mW | +36 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Focal Clear MG | 55 Ω | 104.0 dB/mW | 0.40 mW | +34 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Philips SHP9500 | 32 Ω | 101.0 dB | 0.79 mW | +34 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Focal Utopia | 80 Ω | 104.0 dB/mW | 0.40 mW | +33 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Meze Empyrean | 32 Ω | 100.0 dB | 1.0 mW | +33 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 94.0 dB | 4.0 mW | +26 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Etymotic ER2SE | 15 Ω | 96.0 dB/mW | 2.5 mW | +30 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| AKG K371 | 32 Ω | 99.1 dB/mW | 1.2 mW | +32 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Audio-Technica ATH-M50X | 38 Ω | 99.0 dB/mW | 1.3 mW | +31 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X | 48 Ω | 100.0 dB/mW | 1.0 mW | +31 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 101.0 dB/mW | 0.79 mW | +30 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Grado SR80x | 38 Ω | 98.0 dB/mW | 1.6 mW | +30 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Sennheiser HD 560S | 120 Ω | 100.8 dB/mW | 0.83 mW | +28 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| HiFiMAN Edition XS | 18 Ω | 92.0 dB | 6.3 mW | +26 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| HiFiMAN Arya Stealth | 32 Ω | 94.0 dB | 4.0 mW | +27 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Closed | 13 Ω | 90.0 dB/mW | 10 mW | +23 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Audeze LCD-5 | 14 Ω | 90.0 dB/mW | 10 mW | +24 dB | Comfortable faint hiss |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 102.0 dB/mW | 0.63 mW | +26 dB | Comfortable |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 91.0 dB | 7.9 mW | +24 dB | Comfortable |
| HiFiMAN Sundara | 32 Ω | 92.0 dB | 6.3 mW | +25 dB | Comfortable |
| Dan Clark Audio Stealth | 23 Ω | 90.0 dB/mW | 10 mW | +23 dB | Comfortable |
| Fostex T50RP MK3 | 50 Ω | 92.0 dB/mW | 6.3 mW | +23 dB | Comfortable |
| AKG K702 | 62 Ω | 92.9 dB/mW | 5.1 mW | +23 dB | Comfortable |
| ZMF Verite Closed | 300 Ω | 99.0 dB/mW | 1.3 mW | +22 dB | Comfortable |
| Sennheiser HD 650 | 300 Ω | 97.8 dB/mW | 1.7 mW | +21 dB | Comfortable |
| Sennheiser HD 800S | 300 Ω | 96.8 dB/mW | 2.1 mW | +20 dB | Comfortable |
| Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 96.0 dB | 2.5 mW | +20 dB | Comfortable |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 98.0 dB/mW | 1.6 mW | +19 dB | Comfortable |
| ZMF Atrium | 300 Ω | 96.0 dB/mW | 2.5 mW | +19 dB | Comfortable |
| Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC | 50 Ω | 88.0 dB/mW | 16 mW | +19 dB | Comfortable |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 91.8 dB/mW | 6.6 mW | +15 dB | Comfortable |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 83.0 dB | 50 mW | +13 dB | Comfortable |
At 3.9 µV of output noise, here is where that noise lands in the five most revealing in-ears in the database.
This one hisses. With the most sensitive in-ears in the database its own noise lands around 33 dB SPL, which you will hear between tracks and in quiet passages.
| In-ear | Impedance | Sensitivity | Hiss level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simgot EA500 | 16 Ω | 141.0 dB/V | 33 dB SPL |
| Tanchjim EA FORCE | 17 Ω | 137.7 dB/V | 30 dB SPL |
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 134.5 dB/V | 26 dB SPL |
| Campfire Audio Clara | 13.3 Ω | 134.1 dB/V | 26 dB SPL |
| 64 Audio Fourte | 10 Ω | 134.0 dB/V | 26 dB SPL |
At 0.5Ω output impedance, the one-eighth rule says this source suits headphones of 4.0Ω and above. 1 of the 567 models here falls below that. The one model below that line is the Symphonium Titan, and the mismatch tilts the frequency response audibly rather than subtly.
| As published | FiiO M27 |
|---|---|
| DAC | Dual ES9039SPRO (ES9039SPRO x2) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Dragonwing QCS6490 |
| Operating system | Android (version not stated); modes: Android / Pure music / AirPlay / USB DAC / Bluetooth receiving / Coaxial decoding |
| Storage | 256 GB storage (about 241 GB free), 8 GB RAM, dual microSD (TF) up to 4 TB total (2 TB per card, theoretical) |
| Outputs | 3.5 mm + 6.35 mm headphone out, 4.4 mm balanced out, line out on 3.5 mm + 6.35 mm (shared PO), RCA coaxial out, RCA coaxial in |
| Bluetooth | Transmit Bluetooth 5.2: SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX HD/aptX Adaptive/LDAC/LHDC; receive Bluetooth 5.4: SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX Lossless/aptX HD/aptX Adaptive/LDAC |
| Wi-Fi | 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz, DLNA, AirPlay, Wi-Fi song transmission |
| Formats | Local decoding up to 768kHz/32bit, DSD512 (Native); USB audio 768kHz/32bit, DSD512 |
| Screen | 5.99-inch, 1080 x 2160, bezel-less |
| Battery | 9200 mAh |
| Battery life | 9 h (3.5 mm / 6.35 mm headphone output) / 8 h (4.4 mm balanced) |
| Weight | 556 g (black) / 630 g (titanium) |
| Dimensions | About 157.4 x 85.1 x 28 mm |
Copied from the makers’ own pages: fiio.com/m27, fiio.com/m27_parameters. Battery life is the maker’s own test figure.
| Source | Type | Price | Into 300 Ω | Output impedance | Output noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schiit Magni Unity | desktop amplifier | $119 | 415 mW | 0.1 Ω | 1.59 µV |
| Schiit Vali 3 | desktop amplifier | $149 | 400 mW | 0.5 Ω | 2.83 µV |
| Topping L30 II | desktop amplifier | $149 | 560 mW | 0.1 Ω | 0.3 µV |
Of the 280 sources here, 13 do everything the FiiO M27 does as a headphone output: reach 100 dB on every headphone it reaches, stay inside the one-eighth rule wherever it does and stay under the audible-hiss threshold wherever it does. The cheapest of them is the Schiit Magni Unity at $119, against this one’s $1799 — $1680 less, and a desktop amplifier rather than a portable player.
This counts the headphone output only; inputs, converters, the volume control and the build are outside it.
$1799 · 500 mW into 32Ω · 1 Ω out
Compare →$1699 · 550 mW into 32Ω · output Ω not published
Compare →$1599 · 380 mW into 32Ω · 0.34 Ω out
Compare →$1999 · 250 mW into 32Ω · 0.6 Ω out
Compare →$1999 · 225 mW into 32Ω · 1 Ω out
Compare →$1399 · 30 mW into 32Ω · 1 Ω out
Compare →Compared with its closest rivals: vs FiiO JM21 · vs FiiO M11S · vs FiiO M15S · vs FiiO M17 · vs FiiO M21 · vs FiiO M23 · vs FiiO M33 R2R · vs HiBy R8 II · vs iBasso DX340 · vs Lotoo PAW 6000 · vs Shanling M7 · vs Sony NW-WM1AM2.