FiiO JIEZI Dongle DAC& with either 3.5mm or 4.4mm output

The FiiO Jade Audio JIEZI is a tiny USB-C DAC and headphone amplifier that brings a professional DSP with a 10-band parametric EQ to an entry-level price. Shaped like a short adapter cable and weighing about 6g, it decodes PCM up to 384kHz/32-bit and DSD256 and delivers 49mW per channel into 16Ω. Choose the JIEZI A, whose 3.5mm socket supports headset microphones and in-line controls, or the JIEZI B with an unbalanced 4.4mm socket for 4.4mm headphones. Both come in black and gold or black and red, and both are Hi-Res Audio certified.

Small as a mustard seed

JIEZI (芥子) means mustard seed. FiiO named it after the Buddhist parable “Though small as a mustard seed, it contains Mount Sumeru”: just as a tiny seed can hold a towering mountain, this little DAC/amp packs in enough audio technology to open up a vast musical world.

A professional DSP with a 10-band PEQ

Inside is an audiophile-grade DSP chip that brings precise parametric EQ (PEQ), like that found in high-end audio gear, to an entry-level product. In the FiiO Control app on an Android phone, or FiiO’s web interface on a computer, you can adjust ten bands to shape the frequency curve to your taste, save your own tunings and share them with other listeners through the cloud.

Three chips in a tiny body

The JIEZI integrates a high-performance USB chip, a high-sample-rate DAC and ADC, and the DSP. Together they decode PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256, impressive performance at this price. FiiO quotes 49mW per channel into 16Ω and 34mW into 32Ω, a 104dB signal-to-noise ratio, distortion of 0.0034%, a 5.3µV noise floor and an output impedance under 0.5Ω: enough for in-ear monitors and easy-to-drive headphones.

JIEZI A: 3.5mm with calls and in-line controls

The JIEZI A’s 3.5mm socket supports in-line controls and headset microphones, so one dongle handles calls, karaoke, recording and in-game voice chat as well as music; FiiO mentions Huawei phones in particular. On iOS and a very small number of Android devices, system protection may stop in-line controls and calls from working.

JIEZI B: an unbalanced 4.4mm socket

The JIEZI B gives owners of 4.4mm headphones a compact dongle that plugs straight in, without an adapter. It drives them with the same single-ended, common-mode architecture as the JIEZI A rather than a truly balanced circuit, but FiiO says its power output rivals comparable balanced-drive devices.

A golden-hoop design

The JIEZI’s look celebrates Chinese aesthetics: FiiO likens it to the golden-hoop staff of Chinese legend, with gold bands and laser-engraved cloud and fret patterns whose layered, three-dimensional contrast stays crisp and durable. The aluminium-magnesium alloy body has a premium feel and is built to last, and because the cable and body are one piece there are no separate cables to connect.

Quality wiring, inside and out

The cable uses high-purity, palladium-plated oxygen-free copper for low impedance, low signal loss, strong resistance to interference and stable transmission. A double outer jacket of flexible silicone and braiding keeps it supple yet robust.

Works with almost anything

The JIEZI is plug-and-play with Android, iOS, HarmonyOS, Windows, macOS and Linux devices. It needs no driver on Windows 10 or later or on macOS, and on Windows you can install Jade Audio’s USB driver for ASIO playback. It supports both UAC 2.0 and UAC 1.0, so it also works with games consoles such as the Nintendo Switch and PS5.

App and web control

Connect the JIEZI to the FiiO Control app on an Android phone, or to FiiO’s web interface (fiiocontrol.fiio.com) on a computer, to switch between PEQ presets, change the UAC version, fine-tune the volume and update the firmware. Because of iOS permission restrictions, iPhones and other iOS devices can’t connect to the app, but the JIEZI still works on them as a plug-and-play DAC.

Good to know

• Some Android phones need OTG switched on in their settings before the JIEZI will work. On a computer, choose “JadeAudio JIEZI” as the audio output device.
• In exclusive USB audio mode, some devices can’t control the volume, so check the level before you put your headphones on.
• The JIEZI draws its power from your phone or computer, so it uses a little of its battery, and it is normal for it to feel warm in use.
• For a headset to match the JIEZI A, the 3.5mm cable of the Jade Audio JD1 earphones has a microphone and three-button remote.
• Related dongles: the Jade Audio JA11 (3.5mm, with DSP and PEQ), the FiiO KA11 for more power (up to 245mW, 3.5mm) or the FiiO KA13 for a truly balanced 4.4mm output.
• In the box: JIEZI A or JIEZI B and quick start guide.