Sounds good at the right price
Smartphones are great for email, the web, messaging and snapping photos but most of them these days have a decent built-in music player feature. I consistently encounter a problem using my smartphones for music though. The small amplifiers in phones don’t do justice to the often pricey headphones many of us upgrade to for music listening.
The solution is to add an amplifier that sits between your smartphone and headphones. Chinese maker Fiio make a variety of amps, including the tiny A1. Unpacking the A1 reveals how small it is. It is just over an inch and a half long.
OVERALL, THE TINY A1 AMP’S A LITTLE WONDER
With its clip attached, it weighs under an ounce, making it almost unnoticeable. On the lower side of the aluminium case is a micro USB port for charging and a 3.5mm socket where you can plug your smartphone in. On the top side, are the power and volume buttons as well as a 3.5mm socket where you plug your headphones in. The A1 arrives with short and long 3.5mm cables. You’re likely to use the short one if you’re connecting headphones to a smartphone, whereas the longer one is useful if you’re listening via a PC or laptop. The A1 took more than an hour to charge but, as it’s micro-USB, you can easily charge on the go via other devices. Fiio claim the device has up to 13 hours battery life.
Once I was charged up I connected my smart phone and plugged in a pair of over-ear Sennheiser headphones to test. The little amp certainly improved the sound of my music, though not spectacularly. Then I notched up the volume a little and turned on the first of three built-in boost settings and... BOOM. That, made a difference.
Getting the most out of your headphones isn’t just about volume, and this gadget does a tremendous job of improving what’s called the soundstage. With the A1 bass boost the music seems more separated and warmer. The other two boost settings felt a little much for me, but if you like your music to rumble you may find them useful.
The A1’s small belt clip is a little flimsy and Fiio pack a spare, so losing them probably isn’t a rarity. Also, I think an auto-off function would be a nice addition.
Overall, this is a little wonder. For years, I’ve felt that the posh, expensive headphones I get to test should sound better when used with a smartphone. The technical explanation is that the Ohm rating of smartphones and high-end headphones is often mismatched.
This clever gadget closes that gap with style and great sound. It’s price tag is equally pleasing.