Fiio M23: Good sound, good build quality, like desktop mode | Walkthrough

IEMs:
Fiio JD7, FH3
Thieaudio Hype 4
Ziigaat Doscinco
Ziigaat Cincotres

The Fiio M23 (£649) sounds pretty much the same as the Hiby R6 Pro II (£600) and the Sony NW-WM1AM2 (£1300).
I don't like the design of the volume button/slider and I don't like the placement of the Headphone outputs/inputs at the top of the device. The screen is quite dim on full brightness. The device is still on Android 10 and I think Fiio shouldn't have released the M23 until the update to Android 12 was available/imminent. The battery life is barely 10 hours (tested), which is poor.

The pros: Sounds good with dense, weighty bass & very good imaging, staging, separation, layering. It sounds as good as the £1300 Sony NW-WM1AM2. Desktop mode is very useful and will extend the lifespan of the device. I think all DAPs in this price range of similar size and specs should have a desktop mode. The build quality and design is excellent, with the exception of the plastic fragile feeling cheap volume slider/button. It comes with a nice case.

Retailer:
https://www.otic-audio.co.uk/