FiiO RETRO NANO
Rich, detailed playback and a broad soundstage give the RETRO NANO substance beyond its cassette-inspired charm. Best of High End highlights its immersive, spacious presentation, while ecoustics praises the pocket-ready build and extensive wireless support. With balanced 4.4mm output, LDAC and a replaceable battery, this is an unusually versatile portable DAC/amp for the money.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
88/100
Build Quality
86/100
Features Usability
90/100
Value for Money
91/100
Pros
Rich, detailed and immersive sound with a broad soundstage.
Exceptionally compact and lightweight, with a replaceable rechargeable battery for longer-term practicality.
Extensive Bluetooth codec support, including LDAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD.
Strong value at around $60, combining balanced and single-ended headphone outputs with USB-C connectivity.
Cons
No DSD or MQA support.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 88/100
The available listening coverage describes a rich, detailed and immersive presentation with a broad soundstage. Direct discussion of dynamics, background noise and difficult headphone pairings is limited, but no reviewer reports a meaningful sonic shortcoming.
Transparency Resolution
90/100
Best of High End describes the sound as rich and detailed, saying it reveals subtleties in familiar recordings. Its reported broad soundstage also suggests an open, well-separated presentation rather than a congested one.
Tonal Balance Musicality
90/100
The listening impression is notably positive, characterizing the Retro Nano as immersive and enjoyable across rock, jazz and pop. Review coverage presents its sound as rich rather than sterile, while its EQ options allow some tailoring to listener preference.
Dynamics
86/100
Reviewers do not directly assess transient attack, headroom or macro-dynamic authority. The positive descriptions of an immersive, engaging listen support capable everyday performance, but there is little evidence about demanding material or power-hungry headphones.
Noise Floor
87/100
The supplied reviews do not provide direct listening observations concerning hiss, hum or use with very sensitive IEMs. FiiO specifies a sub-1 µV noise floor for both outputs, but independent reports of background silence are still limited.
Headphone Compatibility
87/100
The 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm outputs, very low stated output impedance, and separate balanced output make the Retro Nano adaptable for portable headphones and IEMs. However, reviewers offer little real-world pairing evidence with demanding planars, high-impedance dynamics, or highly sensitive IEMs.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
86/100
Best of High End calls the device thoughtfully crafted with high-quality materials, while Ecoustics highlights its exceptionally compact 28.3 g form and pocketability. The replaceable 10440 battery is a practical longevity advantage, although long-term durability is not discussed in depth.
Features Usability
90/100
For its small size, the Retro Nano is unusually well equipped with 3.5 mm and balanced 4.4 mm outputs, USB-C DAC functionality, a color status display, microphone support and OTA firmware updates. Bluetooth codec support is extensive, including LDAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, while the display exposes useful codec, battery, volume and EQ information.
Value for Money
91/100
At roughly $60–66, Ecoustics calls the Retro Nano undeniably affordable. Its compact design, replaceable battery, broad Bluetooth support and balanced output give buyers a notably generous feature set at that price.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
No forum mentions found yet
Specifications
- Bluetooth chip
- QCC5125 (CPU+DSP dual-core architecture)
- DAC
- CS43131*2
- Bluetooth version
- 5.1
- Bluetooth codecs
- AAC/SBC/aptX/aptX LL/aptX Adaptive/aptX HD/LDAC
- USB DAC
- Driver-free up to PCM 96k
- Display
- 0.96 inch 80×160 color IPS
- Headphone outputs
- Single-ended 3.5mm + Balanced 4.4mm
- In-line controls
- Supports microphone, volume adjustment, and play/pause controls in CTIA protocol
- Color
- White/Blue
- Dimensions
- About 55.1×37.5×13.7mm
- Weight
- About 28.3g (including battery)
- Power supply parameter
- DC 5V⎓1A
- Battery
- 3.7V rechargeable lithium battery (compatible with similar 10440 batteries), not compatible with AAA (1.5V) batteries
- Charging time
- ≤2 hours
- Battery life
- About 7.5 hours (single battery)
- Output power 1
- L+R≥100mW+100mW (32Ω single-ended, THD+N＜1%)
- Output power 2
- L+R≥220mW+220mW (32Ω balanced, THD+N＜1%) Frequency response: 20Hz~40kHz (-3dB)
- SNR
- ≥128dB (A-weighted)
- Noise floor
- PO＜1μV (A-weighted); BAL＜1μV (A-weighted)
- Output impedance
- ＜0.3Ω (32Ω load)
- THD+N
- ＜0.0018%(1kHz/-4dB@32Ω)
Manufacturer's Description — FiiO
Bluetooth DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Classic tape player look | Dynamic retro UI | Replaceable battery Specially tuned retro sound presets | Bluetooth and wired modes LDAC high-res Bluetooth
*Picture are for reference only.The actual product mayvary.
FIIO’s new sub brand —— SNOWSKY The brand is focused on being youthful, fashionable, unique and fun, while also bringing the traditional FIIO hallmarks of quality and great user experience. RETRO NANO, SNOWSKY’s debut product, is inspired by vintage tape recorders but also packs much modern tech. It is not just an eye-catching Bluetooth DAC and amp - it is a musical device toy that you can explore and relive the music of any era.
Note: Due to the larger memory usage of Android 13, and the JM21 being limited to 3GB of RAM due to cost constraints, it is recommended to only install streaming music apps for optimal user experience. Other apps are not recommended for installation. Additionally, to ensure sound quality and performance, please avoid running multiple apps simultaneously.
Retro revival
Listening to great oldies
A variety of fun UIs, changeable with a single press A dynamic UI that simulates a tape turning, bringing the classics to life; The blurry memories of listening to tapes in the past start to become clearer...
Two classic colors
Truly stylish
Classic white and blue colors can be decorated with personalized stickers for an even more vintage feel; Add your own lanyards and stickers for a stylish appearance that is uniquely yours.
*Includes two sets of stickers randomly; the lanyard should be purchased separately.
Endless power
Unlimited battery life
The replaceable and rechargeable 3.7V lithium battery lasts up to 7.5 hours on a single charge; Out of power? Simply swap for a freshly-charged battery and keep going.
Endless usage even without a battery
The USB port provides independent power, making it easy to activate the device. Just plug and play! Enjoy music in your car without fear of extreme temperatures; connect with speakers without worrying about battery aging or degradation.
*Comes with one randomly FIIO custom high-capacity 3.7V 450mAh lithium battery.
Specially tuned retro sound presets
Sound of past eras
Included are 8 sound presets, including retro-sounding presets that give off the sound of past eras; Supports DIY tuning on the companion app or on the web, allowing you to easily tune to your own musical style!
Bluetooth/wired modes
Easily switch between multiple devices
Simply power it on with a single touch. It supports connections with phones, tablets, computers, and other devices via Bluetooth and a USB Type-C data cable. Double press the multi-function button to easily switch between Bluetooth (BT), computer (PC), and PHONE modes.
Getting to the heart of music Thanks to a great “core”
It is equipped with a Qualcomm QCC5125 that allows support for Bluetooth 5.1 as well as the LDAC/aptX Adaptive/aptX LL audio codecs. 96kHz high-res audio is possible in both Bluetooth and wired modes for noticeably improved sound.
Dual headphone jacks
In-line control support
Besides the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack, the device also sports a 4.4mm headphone jack for even greater compatibility. The 3.5mm jack supports in-line controls of the CTIA protocol, allowing you to easily listen to music, take calls, play games, and other tasks.
*Noise reduction in calls is supported for clearer and more natural voices.
NANO-sized
Mega capable
It features a compact body that you can easily take anywhere; Two high-performance DACs are combined with amps generating up to 220mW of power for an enjoyable listening experience.
Intelligent app connection
Unlocking greater possibilities
It supports being connected to the FIIO CONTROL APP to unlock even more functionality, and also supports OTA updates for even more possibilities.
Unlimited ways to play
Get it all here!
Asynchronous USB DAC
Supports 384kHz/32bit
Turn on car mode to make every journey fresh and exciting.
*Patent no：ZL201710563549.5
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Packing list
①--------------------------------- RETRO NANO*1 ②---------------- Type-C to Type-C data cable*1 ③--------------------------------------- Battery*1 ④------------------------ Battery storage case*1
⑤---------------------------------- ---- Lanyard*1 ⑥------------------------------ Quick start guide*1 ⑦-------------------------------- Warranty card*1 ⑧---------------------------------------- Sticker*2 ⑨---------------------------------- Warning card*1
Buttons and ports labeled
Verified Dealers
Online Dealers
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Authorized dealers for FiiO RETRO NANO
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
- Advanced MP3 Players — online and in-store — Musselburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (website)
- All Elite Audio — online and in-store — Perry Hall, Maryland, United States (website)
- Alpha Audio Pte — online and in-store — Singapore, Singapore (website)
- Apos Audio — online and in-store — Oakland, California, United States (website)
- Audeos — online and in-store — Żywiec, Województwo śląskie (website)
- Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Audio Affair — online and in-store — Deritend, England, United Kingdom (website)
and 59 more verified dealers