I've been on the market for a nice MP3/FLAC player since my beloved Sansa Clip+ with Rockbox firmware gave up the ghost. I had read some good reviews of the M3, so I took the gamble.

When I unpack it, I hold a feather-light sturdy little device in my hands, not bigger than a box of matches, which looks very professionally made.

"Built for music and happy", is what greets me when I boot up the M3, which gives me good hope. 'Built by music freaks', it makes me think. The screen looks usable enough, not beautiful, but usable. The buttons feel workable enough, if a little wobbly and maybe I need to press twice every now and again to make it actually register, but really, as long as they work, I'm really quite OK with them, especially considering the affordable price.

I load up my new 64 GB card half-full with music. I insert the card into the shiny M3. It immediately starts scanning, which is what I want, so, excellent. I navigate the menu; not one option is labeled with text, so it takes some guess-work to get where you need to go. The Asian serif font is not great for the small screen, but still, it works, so it's really OK.

This is where the disappointment starts. The labels in the artist and album lists are truncated at seemingly random places. "Aphex Twi", "Boards o", ... I know what is what, but it really doesn't fill me with happy. What's worse, way worse, is that the list isn't sorted alphabetically, but according to the order in which it was found on disk. This does make it very difficult to find what you want, especially with 64 GB of music.

For some artists, it filed only 3 of the artist's 10 albums under the artist's name, so often times, you'll have to rely on the folder structure, because the album just wasn't indexed at all.

Time to play some music. The sound is really good, even on my cheap Sennheiser MX270 earbuds. I couldn't wish for more, again, especially considering the reasonable price. I'm sure it will sound amazing on better head gear. Although, I find out it doesn't respect the track numbers. It starts at track 3, then track 5, then track 1, and so on. It's random. At this point, regardless of the technical sound quality, this severely reduces the musical quality. Many albums are meant to be enjoyed in one particular order, this is why we record the track number as metadata into the digital audio file.

This is really where I've given up on this promising device...

Sound-wise, considering the reasonable price, this is an excellent music player, but as of firmware version 1.17, it just isn't, because it really needs some usability and outright bug fixes.

FiiO M3 Portable Music Player Review - Expatinjapan

 Head Pie 

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FiiO M3​

-A simple review for a simple player by expatinjapan.​

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I was chatting with the people from FiiO as I was republishing their article on the history of FiiO
http://headpie.blogspot.jp/2016/01/fiios-foundations-brief-history-of-fiio.html
(FiiO is currently finishing writing the article covering the period 2011-2016).
My greedy self was murmuring in my brain `request a FiiO X7 for review! Do it` - but my heart told me to request the FiiO M3 and EX1 earphones.
 

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FiiO EX1 earphones.​

Why?

Well I thought of people looking for an entry level and affordable set up, or something they could use at the gym or exercising. An everymans set up or rig so to speak.
Forums and Facebook are full of TOTL rigs, DAP, IEMs and the like these days, where is something for the little guy I thought. Thats when I decided to request the two items as a possible set (To come later).

FiiO graciously acquiesced.

I think most people are familiar with FiiO and their ascent from the little guy to a major player on the portable audio scene. From the early days of affordable portable amps, to dac/amps and then on to cables and eventually entering the world of DAPs they now seem to have produced one for everyones price point with the arrival of the M3.

Build.
The Fiio M3 is the smallest in size within the range of FiiO players. It is very lightweight and fits well within the palm of ones hand or slipped into a pocket of meagre size.
I am sure it has been build robust enough to last, but due to its size and casing of plastic one would not stomp ones foot upon it of course.
The screen brightness could do with some tweaking to enable more steps to allow it to be more brighter.
Packaging is beautiful as usual with FiiO.
 

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Sound.
Is this what most people care about? Usually. One has to take many things into account whilst summarizing the sound. comparing it to other devices, using several varying ear/headphones, different genres of music and always checking the volume.
Also price point, does it fit well within its price point? does it underperform or over perform?
Measurements also have their place, unfortunately as of yet we at Head Pie are not that advanced and with have to reply on our poor brains and ears.

In short the M3 performs well within its price point as I keep mentioning.
 I would describe it as being on the warm side, sound wise.  It plays music with a fairly smooth finish, probably due to the M3 not having an extended treble or extreme detail of more expensive players.
Is it listenable? pleasurable, good enough? I would say yes.

Fiio M3 with the ATH-ESW11. Volume at 36.
Listening to:
Mazzy Star -`Fade into you`. The sound is rich, warm and lush. Vocals are creamy and not too forward of the music.
The Cardigans- `Erase and rewind`. The bass hits hard enough and full, no flabbiness.
Soundstage is acceptable. enough treble to please.
Rammstein -`Du hast`. Rough and ready. Lacking some of the polish on more pricey Daps,..a bit congested at times. but that is to be expected. Still and enjoyment to listen to.
Peter, Bjorn and John -`Young Folks`. A good track for checking treble and mens and womens vocals. fairly smooth and rounded.
Morrissey -`Every day is like Sunday`. Bass a bit flat, vocals very Morrissey, music has a nice dynamism to it.

Although of course not in the same league as mid or high end players, and not wanting to shoot it down or hype it up. The FiiO M3 player is a great purchase. It has a musicality to it. Track playback whilst not being perfect to the original, less soundstage and dynamics etc ...it does perform very well within the under $100 section.

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Features.
The FiiO M3 being the youngest sibling within the family of FiiO players has perhaps a more minimalistic UI, admittedly I did spend time trying to use it as a touch screen device until I finally saw my error and realized that everything is button operated.
My bad.
Once one gets started it is a fairly easy UI to use.
Loading music is simple as a drag and drop process.
Updating the software is also hassle free.

Memory: 8GB built in.
Supports memory cards of up to 64GB. (It has been reported that 128GB cards work).
Output power: 50mW into 16ohms.
DAC: CL42L51 Cirrus logic.
Battery life: 24 hours.
Output impedance 0.4 ohms.
Five band Equalizer.
Up to 24/96 support.
Measurements posted online show a fairly flat response and well balanced on the L/R channels.
 

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The FiiO M3 comes with some earbuds and a USB charge/ data transfer cable, a manual in several languages, lanyard and extra screen protectors.

Value.
FiiOs M3 player is a gift within its price point. One definitely can`t complain at the price.
It delivers what it says it will and makes no claim to be anything other than a simple budget player.
Generally priced at around US$55.

Overall.
The FiiO M3 is a great choice for many types of users, the light traveler, the gym goer or jogger, the commuter desiring a lightweight option and of course the budget conscious shopper.
Adding music and upgrading the Firmware is simple and hassle free.
The UI doesnt take much time at all to master, whilst not Apple grade is easy enough to get the hang of within a short period of time.
Sound whilst not in the high end range as can be expected at the price, the actual experience is well within acceptable realms.

 

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Build:well designed, fairly seamless and robust.​

Sound: Quite acceptable and listenable within its price point.​

Features: Simple yet functional UI with many useful and needed options.​

Value: One can`t complain at $55 for what you get with the magnificent M3.​

Overall: It ticks all the right boxes for a product at this price.​

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Thank you again to FiiO for supplying Head Pie with the M3 for review.​

-expatinjapan.​

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Fiio M3 latest firmware.
FiiO are well known for rolling out regular updates to fix any shortcomings or bugs on their players.


Official firmware version FW1.7 for the M3 is now available!
Download link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/apvzvbcr7v8v2ij/M3%20FW1.7.zip
After downloading the file, please expand (unZIP) the zip archive and read "Instructions for updating the M3's firmware" contained within.
The following changes and improvements were made to FW1.7 compared to FW1.5:
1. Added a new UI theme (theme 2);
2. Added options to clear the "favorites", "Playlist1" and "Playlist2" playlists, and to delete individual songs from each playlist;
3. Added "Screen off button response" option in System Settings, to customize the response to the front 6 buttons when screen is off:
a) Direct action (default)--pressing one of the front buttons performs the action of the button directly without turning on the screen;
b) Screen wakeup only--turns on the screen without performing the action of the button (until a second press);
c) Wake+action--turns on the screen at the same time as performing the action of the button;
4. Language selection screen now appears immediately after firmware update / factory reset, before the library scan;
5. Fixed issues with playing certain mp3 files;
6. Fixed issue where switching from an APE High-compression encoded track to other tracks could cause noise to be emitted;
7. Fixed issue where if the M3 is turned off and then plugged in for charging, it turns itself back on when unplugged;
8. Fixed issue where battery icon does not stay lit onscreen even when screen timeout is set to ON (no timeout);
9. Fixed issue where the Hold button does not prevent button response under certain situations;
10. Corrected certain dialog language and fixed other miscellaneous bugs.
 

**Disclaimer: I received the M3 from FiiO in return for my honest review**

 
I have been watching FiiO's product line-up for quite some time.  I've played with the X1 DAP owned by a friend and have been eager to get into FiiO ownership as they seem to offer audiophile quality audio products at a great value.  When I was offered an M3 in exchange for an honest review, I jumped at the chance.
 
The M3 DAP represents FiiO's new entry-level line-up and was released in 4th quarter 2015.  With an MSRP of $55 USD, it places itself to be very accessible to those who have been playing their music on PC or a Smartphone and are interested in an audiophile listening experience without wanting to break the bank.   As some other reviews here have stated, in order to do this they need to excel in audio quality while being easy to use and no trouble to carry.   Here’s my take on how they achieve these points. 
 
 
 
What’s In The Box?
 
Within in the box from FiiO you’ll receive:
 

1. The M3 Player:
   1. About the size of a cigarette lighter and just as light (honestly this thing is so light I forget it is in my pocket).  It has a 2” TFT display sporting a 320x240 resolution which is more than sufficient for browsing through your music and displaying album art where present.
   2. I received the M3 with Firmware 1.5 onboard, which I immediately updated to 1.7 (very simple to do with instructions on FiiO’s site)
2. Neck Lanyard
3. Micro-USB Cable
4. 2 Screen Protectors (one has already been applied to the device out-of-box, which is great)
5. White Earbuds
   1. These earbuds exceeded my expectations.  They easily compete with iPhone earbuds and allow you to get started using your M3 right out of the box.  Obviously most of us will quickly swap in a more serious pair of earphones however I still use these more often than I expected when I need a quick pair or don’t want to fuss with IEMs or larger headphones.
6. Reference Manual (complete manual is available in PDF form online)

 
I feel FiiO could have included a silicone sleeve/case for the M3, just for some added protection when on-the-go.  Overall I’m very happy with the included accessories in the box.  I added one of my own wrist straps instead of using the neck lanyard, I find it easier to grab and pull out of my pocket with the wrist strap.
 
It looks like an arm band accessory is available or on the way from FiiO and is pictured on their website.  I can see this being a popular tool for using the M3 while running or at the gym but I’ve personally had no issues just slipping it into a pocket.
 

 
 
Hardware Impressions
 
The M3 has a plastic shell with square edges.  It fits very well in the hand and is insanely light coming in at 40 grams (without MicroSD card).  The 2” TFT screen does the job, but sometimes washes out when in direct sunlight.  There’s absolutely no issue using it at my desk or on public transit, however when I’m walking outside at mid-day I often have issues reading the display.   You can adjust the brightness but even at max you’re going to be shielding it from the light if trying to read through menus in the sun.
 
The unit features a 6-way rocker panel in the front with a satisfying “click” for each position.  There is a lock switch on the side to ensure that keypresses in your pocket don’t cause an undesired track or volume adjustment.   On the bottom of the M3 is a Micro-USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack and an exposed MicroSD slot (no cover).   I don’t see the lack of cover as a bad thing, however I would be careful using it in very dusty areas for this reason.
 
Battery life is about 18-24 hours of use.  I tend to charge my devices nightly and haven't had any issues with this getting low or dying on me.  
 
Overall: It feels very well constructed, nothing creaks or moves in a way it shouldn’t.   It feels almost like a toy since it is so light, but those impressions melt away as soon as you hear the audio quality this entry level unit pumps out.
 

 
 
Audio Impressions
 
To be honest, I’m rather new to audiophile DAPs (Digital Audio Players).  I have used a friend’s FiiO X1 in the past, and tried out the Sandisk Clip+ but prior to receiving the M3 I was doing most of my listening on smartphones or PC (though I do have a small portable amp, the Topping NX1).    I was quite surprised and blown away after my first listen of the FiiO M3.  I was hearing new nuances in my music that I’ve been listening to for months that got lost in translation on the other devices I was using for music listening.   
 
The M3 has absolutely no issues powering my Gemini HSR-1000 over-the-ear headphones (60 ohm), and does equally well with my TTPOD T1-E IEMs (12 ohm) and my Xiaomi Piston 3s (32 ohm). I also gave my Koss PortaPros (60 ohm) a try and was impressed how clean everything sounded. As I previously mentioned, the in-box FiiO earbuds are also a pleasure to listen with and do a very solid job but leave me desiring a little more.  I quickly hopped over to my HSR-1000’s and I can’t get over the quality and crisp instrument separation that the M3 provides.  I haven’t needed to use my amp for any of the above headphones where I previously did need them for listening on smartphones.  It’s a relief not needing to carry around my amp (albeit a tiny one) everywhere I go.
 
There is a 5 band EQ available on the device (62Hz, 250Hz, 1kHz, 6kHz, 16kHz), but I’ve found for my headphones I prefer to leave it turned off 90% of the time.  There’s a couple tracks where I’ll try out one of the presets or fiddle with the custom 5 band sliders, but overall I feel the M3 provides a solid experience with the EQ disabled.   The tone of the music feels very similar to the FiiO X1, being slightly warm but very clear with great instrument separation.  (I’ve been listening to Electronica, Dubstep, Rock, Classical and Jazz).
 
Overall: I am very impressed with the audio quality offered from this $55 MSRP device.   I would have no issues recommending this unit to friends or family that are looking to get their feet wet in the audiophile world and are looking for consistent quality listening from their digital music library.
 

 
 
UI / User Experience Impressions
 
This is the only area where I might be a little more critical of the M3.  After using it every day for a week, I have run into a few quirks with the UI.  In every instance I’ve found I was doing something wrong, or there was a workaround required.  Once you get used to how it works, it does what it is designed to do and plays audio beautifully.
 
Here’s a brief list of the unusual behavior I ran into:
 

1. Track order can sometimes be out of expected order if there are spaces in the filename before the digits.  I reported this to FiiO and they are looking into it.
2. Songs I loaded onto a MicroSD weren’t added to the Media Library and weren’t listed with the other Albums/Songs but could be played directly through the Folder Browse section.   I fixed this by formatting the card with the M3 and then re-transferring my audio files via USB cable (instead of directly on PC with a MicroSD reader).
3. Albums of FLACs have their album name cut off mid-screen when browsing the media library, but appear full length once you’re listening to audio.   Again, I reported this to FiiO and am awaiting feedback.  This doesn’t impact MP3s or other formats from what I can tell.
4. You can’t create a playlist on PC and transfer it to the device.  There are 3 playlists available on the M3 which you can add tracks to from the device itself.  If you want more playlists you can make a folder on the device and make a copy of your audio files in there and play the folder through the Folder Browse section.  Wastes a little space having files exist on the device twice, but it does the job.

 
Overall: The above interaction quirks are evidence of a company new to the UI game.  Some of these issues are likely due to translation, and some of them just due to inexperience with easy to use portable devices.  At the end of the day, none of them impacted my enjoyment of the device, and I don’t feel that any of them get in the way of this being a great entry-level DAP.  It does what it needs to do, and once you get used to the device it works very well.
 

 
 
Final Thoughts
 
The FiiO M3 is a great entry-level audiophile DAP.  For an MSRP of $55 USD you can’t beat the features and audio quality you get with this device.  I would gladly recommend it to friends and others looking to get into the world of audiophile quality audio without spending too much on their initial purchase.   Of course there are better players both in terms of professional build materials and more UI features, but none of that seems necessary at this level or price point.   
 
The M3 gets the job done and does it well.  It’s a great little unit for listening on public transit, while reading on the couch or while at the gym or out for a bike ride.  I’m looking forward to continuing to use this device in my day-to-day listening moments in the weeks to come.
 
I’m rating this 4.5/5 stars as it offers exceptional value for the audio quality offered.  I don’t feel the UI quirks I ran into impact the bottom line as all are easy to work around or live with.  The solid build quality, great listening experience, light weight and small footprint of this product makes it a very solid addition to my listening equipment and one I take with me everywhere!