The FiiO Q7 has quite a lot in common with the K9 Pro ESS we saw before that has become my go-to source for analytical testing and measurement of headphones and IEMs alike. The K9 Pro ESS costs $850 and is certainly not a device you'd carry anywhere with you. It measures in at ~20 x 22 x 7 cm and weighs 2.75 kg, outputting up to 2.1 W per channel. This newer FiiO Q7 comes in at ~16 x 9 x 3 cm and weighs 620 g with a massive 9200 mAh battery inside (although with an external power supply) and can give you up to 3 W per channel. It also has a more up to date digital control core comprising of a newer XMOS decoder for higher playback rates, an actual screen and associated buttons, and shares a lot of the audio circuitry too, including the flagship class ES9038PRO DAC and an THX AAA 788+ linear amplifier, albeit fewer in number comparatively. I gave the K9 Pro ESS an Editor's Choice award because it had basically every feature I could want and seemingly the FiiO Q7 does it all and more! Surely this also merits the same highest of our awards?

Not so fast! To make the most of the FiiO Q7 the portable aspect is somewhat lost, given the higher power outputs are only in a DC plugged in mode. This is a good thing in my books in that you basically have the option of using the Q7 as a purely portable device off the battery and still have enough power for basically anything you will carry along with it, or use it as a desktop DAC/amp on your desk plugged in for even more ooomph. The main issue is that of heat dissipation whereby you are also recommended to use the provided cooling stand when plugged in and in higher gain modes to where suddenly now you have three items connected (Q7, cooling stand, power supply). It also doesn't handle IEMs as well as the K9 Pro ESS in that I still got some sensitive IEMs to hiss off the Q7 that I did not on the K9 Pro ESS. Higher playback rates are nice, but ultimately I feel the K9 Pro ESS does its job as a purely desktop source better than the Q7 does as a portable source that is having an identity crisis. Either way there is so much to like here that was a very close call as to whether or not I'd give it the Editor's Choice award after all. Ultimately, the pricing plays a role here too as does the niche market this serves, I was only happy enough to give FiiO yet another recommendation the company is racking up from us now for a DAC/amp—for good reasons too, mind you.