The FiiO UTWS5 2025 was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the FiiO UTWS5 2025 is $159 and you can buy it from here.
FiiO UTWS5 2025
FiiO’s UTWS line of products are true wireless Bluetooth DAC/amp adapters with an ear hook shape where you can plug your favorite earphones with MMCX or 2-pin connectors. There are two models currently available, the UTWS3 and the UTWS5 2025.
The UTWS5 2025 is a revised version of the UTWS5 that was released a few years ago. The UTWS5 2025 utilizes an independent AK4332 chip that combines a D/A converter with a headphone amplifier that has lower noise floor, higher SNR and higher power output compared to the UTWS3.
Technical highlights
Each earpiece of the UTWS5 2025 is equipped with a QCC5141 TWS Bluetooth 5.2 chip by Qualcomm that supports LDAC, LHDC and aptX Adaptive high definition codecs. The audio signals are then sent to the AK4332 chip for D/A conversation and amplification.
The embedded amplifier of the AK4332 chip can provide 54mW/16Ω of power output per earpiece, far surpassing the 32mW limit of the QCC5141 chip, thus the UTWS5 2025 can drive more difficult loads.
Each earpiece is also equipped with two microphones that support the aptXVoice 32kHz, ultra wideband clear voice technology for crystal clear phone calls. The UTWS5 2025 can be connected to two devices simultaneously.
Differences between the UTWS5 2025 and the UTWS5
The key differences between the UTWS5 2025 and the first generation UTWS5 have to do with the overall functionality of the product and not the internal circuit or audio functions.
In the UTWS5 2025 model the charging pins of each earpiece have been removed and substituted with an internal miniature wireless charging coil. This wireless charging system completely solves the problem of oxidation of the traditional charging contacts and allows the product to have better IPX4 rated water and sweat resistance. Now you can use the UTWS5 2025 without the fear of sweat or moisture entering the device and corroding the contact pins, substantially prolonging its service life.
Battery duration
The charging case no longer supports wireless charging and is charged through the USB type-C port. Battery capacity has been increased from the 800mAh of the legacy model to 1350mAh. Each earpiece can last about 8 hours per charge and receive 2 to 3 extra charges for a total battery life of about 20 hours. The earpieces need about 1.5 hours to get a full charge and the case 2 hours.
Design, build quality and wearing experience
The earpieces of the FiiO UTWS5 2025 have a hook shape that allows them to wrap behind the ear just like hearing aids. They are available in 2-pin and MMCX versions to choose from and plug your favorite earphones to make them wireless. However, it would be great if the 2025 model featured interchangeable connectors, just like Effect Audio’s ConX system, or if it included adapters. That would make it a killer product suitable for all the earphones of someone’s collection.
The upper end of each earpiece is soft to bend and is embedded with memory titanium alloy steel wire that retains its shape to adjust to various ear sizes. The length of the hook is long enough but if you have too big ears there is a chance that the main body of each earpiece will stand upwards instead of sitting exactly behind the ear.
Each earpiece weighs 8g and is made from hard plastic that is finished with a skin friendly nano-coating that has anti-slip properties. The earpieces are slim and lightweight, they fit behind the ear with ease and feel comfortable without causing irritation or pressing against the ear. They also do a good job stabilizing the earphones so you can use them during active sports.
The charging case
The case weighs about 125.5g with the earpieces inside so it is lightweight enough to carry it in your bag while it is very well made from aluminum alloy in a smooth black finish.
It is equipped with three indicator LEDs that display the charging status of the case itself and each earpiece. You can press the small button inside the case to check the battery level or enter Bluetooth pairing mode and do a hard reset. The interior compartment of the case is made from hard plastic and has plenty of space to accommodate bulky earphones except some really big ones.
User experience
The earpieces will automatically enter Bluetooth pairing mode as long as you pull them out of the charging case. Bluetooth connection establishes pretty fast and is stable without disconnections or any kind of audible interference. You can use the FiiO Control application to make various adjustments and update to the latest firmware. The UTWS5 2025 supports 32 levels of precise volume adjustment that is independent from the host device.
Each earpiece is equipped with a rounded physical button that is large enough to press it with your finger. The button action is soft so it will not mess the fit of the earpiece or make it move when you press it. You can use various tap combinations to control music playback, adjust the volume and answer/reject calls. Learning curve is very short, the UTWS5 2025 is easy and simple to use. The sequence of the tapping actions can be customized through the FiiO Control application. Each earpiece is also equipped with a tiny status LED that is not very visible at the place that is positioned.
Call quality was reported as good at least when the surroundings weren’t very noisy. There is also a transparency mode to try. I haven’t tested latency with games or movie watching but the UTWS5 2025 performed very well with YouTube content.
PEQ and FiiO Control application
The QCC5141 chip has an embedded Kalimba DSP engine that supports a 10-band, user customizable PEQ which is accessible through the FiiO Control application. The equalizer has 7 presets to choose from or you can make and save your own adjustments, while it is also possible to import and export curves.
The FiiO control application also allows the user to select Bluetooth codecs, adjust channel balance, enable low latency gaming mode, select low pass filter, configure the tap actions of the buttons, perform firmware updates etc.
Listening impressions
With 54mW at 16Ω and 33mW at 32Ω of power output per earpiece, your best bet is to use easy to drive earphones in order to enjoy louder listening volumes with plenty of headroom without making the amplifier clip. The FiiO FD15 and the Drop + Campfire Audio Darkstar proved good partners with the FiiO UTWS5 2025.
The overall sonic signature is neutral and transparent, the UTWS5 doesn’t impose any sound coloration or a character of its own. The sound is clean and clear with good definition and separation. There is not much loss of fidelity and audio quality, considering that it is a Bluetooth receiver with a lossy decoding principle.
The treble is airy and energetic with adequate brilliance and detail retrieval, while it never sounds clinical or bright. The mid-range stands present and articulate with a rather natural timbre and nice harmonic saturation. The FiiO UTWS5 2025 might not be the most organic and lush sounding DAC but it isn’t particularly thin, dry or artificial either.
With easy to drive earphones it can produce weighty bass that is fast, tight and controlled with strong punch for such a modest power output. The soundstage is also open and spacious with surprisingly good imaging, the UTWS5 will not make the earphones sound congested or lose composure.
The overall sonic performance of the FiiO UTWS5 2025 is exceptionally good for a Bluetooth wireless device of this size and can be easily be compared with entry level DAC dongles, given that you use one of the high definition codecs and preferably the LDAC. The UTWS5 2025 also surpasses the UTWS3 in every single regard and is a worthy upgrade.
In the end
The FiiO UTWS5 2025 gets the job well done. It has an ergonomic design, it is comfortable and easy to use, it has a stable Bluetooth connection, it supports a user configurable PEQ and it sounds really good.
Much improved over its predecessor, the 2025 model has solved the problem of the charging pins’ corrosion and now comes with a full IPX4 water resistance rating. A simple and cost effective way to cut the cable of your favorite earphones and enjoy them wirelessly without much added bulk or audio quality takeaways.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ Neutral and transparent sound signature
+ Excellent sonic performance for a Bluetooth product of this size
+ High resolution Bluetooth codecs
+ Easy to use with plenty of configuration options
+ User customizable PEQ
+ Simple and cost effective way to make your favorite earphones wireless
+ The 2025 model has better IPX4 rating and wireless charging
+ Very well made and durable
+ Lightweight and slim design
+ Good battery duration
- Only suitable for easy to drive earphones
- No interchangeable connectors or adapters
- No audio circuit improvements over the legacy model
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