FiiO SP5 Active Desktop Speakers with XLR Balanced Input
OverviewRunning a modest pair of near-field speakers at real listening volume in a living room or open-concept space usually means turning the gain up until the amplifier runs out of headroom, with the bass thinning out long before the room actually gets loud.The FiiO SP5 is FiiO's flagship active desktop speaker, built around a 5.25-inch composite fiber woofer and a 1-inch composite silk dome tweeter in each speaker, driven by two Texas Instruments TPA3116D2 Class D amplifiers and an independent 120W switching power supply per speaker for a four-way power output of 60W+20W per channel. Two ES9068AS DAC chips process the signal before it reaches the amplifiers, whether the source comes in over Bluetooth, a balanced XLR connection, or a standard RCA line.Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC and aptX Adaptive brings Hi-Res Wireless Audio certification to a wireless connection, while a low-noise NJW1195A electronic volume control, two-stage bass and treble adjustment, and a 10-band parametric EQ in the FiiO Control app give the SP5 more room to fine-tune than a typical desktop speaker offers.Simcoe Audio Video InsightThe XLR balanced input is the detail worth pointing out here — it's an uncommon inclusion on an active desktop speaker at this size, and it lets the SP5 connect directly to a mixer, audio interface, or balanced preamp output without picking up the noise a long unbalanced RCA run can introduce. The rear channel switch also means either speaker can be set to receive the left or right channel, which helps when the source or amplifier needs to sit on a specific side of a desk or shelf.More InfoWhy the FiiO SP5 Stands Out Aviation-Grade Cast Aluminum Cabinet Each cabinet is die-cast from aluminum alloy at 650°C into a curved, anti-standing-wave shape with diffuser-style ribbing, built to keep internal resonance down compared to a standard MDF enclosure. 120W Independent Power Supply Per Speaker Each speaker gets its own dedicated 120W switching power supply rather than splitting one shared supply between the pair, supporting a combined four-way output of 60W to each woofer and 20W to each tweeter. Dual ES9068AS DAC Chips Two ES9068AS DAC chips handle the digital-to-analog conversion, the same chip FiiO uses across several of its reference desktop DACs. XLR Balanced Input A 3-pin XLR input that also accepts a 6.35mm TRS cable gives the SP5 a balanced connection option that's uncommon on a desktop speaker of this size. LDAC Hi-Res Bluetooth 5.1 Bluetooth 5.1 supports SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, LDAC, and aptX Adaptive at up to 990kbps, and carries Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Wireless Audio certification. 10-Band Parametric EQ The FiiO Control app adds a 10-band parametric EQ on top of the SP5's physical bass, treble, and low-frequency extension switches, for finer tuning than the knobs alone allow. Buyer's GuideWho It's For The Desk-to-Room Listener: wants desktop-speaker convenience with enough power to fill a larger living room or open-concept space, not just a near-field desk setup. The Balanced-Input User: running a mixer, audio interface, or studio-style source and wants a true XLR balanced connection instead of converting down to RCA. The Detail-Oriented Listener: wants a 10-band parametric EQ and a precise electronic volume control rather than a basic bass/treble dial. How It ComparesThe SP5 sits above the FiiO SA1 in FiiO's active speaker lineup. Where the SA1 uses a 3.5-inch woofer and 20W+5W per channel from two TPA3118 amplifiers, the SP5 steps up to a 5.25-inch woofer and 60W+20W per channel from two TPA3116D2 amplifiers, plus a 3-pin XLR balanced input the SA1 doesn't have. Both share dual ES9068AS DACs and Bluetooth with LDAC support, but the SP5 trades the SA1's built-in phono preamp and smaller footprint for more power and a balanced connection aimed at bigger rooms.