FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano is Here - The OG Walkman was a Thing of the Past!

24 Jan by Marcus Schmahl |

4,3 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes

The Walkman was a Thing of the Past - FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano is Here! · Source: FiiO

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The FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano looks like a Walkman, but in miniature. And even though the manufacturer already has real cassette players in its range, this one has a DAC and a headphone amplifier. They often look boring and very technical, but the Snowsky Retro Nano has a slightly playful retro look.

FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano is NOT a Walkman, but a DAC & Headphone Amp

Now you already know that the FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano is not a Walkman, but it is even less a small music player. In other words, this small device cannot be used on its own.

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The DAC and “Bluetooth Amp” only work in conjunction with a computer/laptop, mobile phone or other smart device such as a tablet. In combination, the small gadget promises high quality sound. The small device is connected via USB-C and Bluetooth is also supported with the codecs LDAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX LL, SBC and AAC.

When the FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano is connected via USB-C or paired via Bluetooth, the device offers a walkman-style operation for playing songs, with the small 0.06-inch display showing additional matching animations.

In addition to a Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth chipset, CS43131 DAC chips are also included. The headphone output is available in the form of a mini-jack and a 6.35 mm jack, and the output power should be sufficient for a wide range of headphones. Of course, the volume can be adjusted on the unit itself.

Mini-jack or 6.35 mm jack for headphone connection · Source: FiiO

The FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano is powered by a replaceable and rechargeable 3.7V lithium battery, which can also be charged via the USB port. The battery life is about 7.5 hours.

As fancy as the small (Bluetooth) DAC and headphone amplifier is, the question remains: do you need it? If you’re listening to music with today’s wireless headphones, you’ll probably do without it and just use your smartphone or tablet. So the FiiO Snowsky Retro Nano is primarily for people who are looking for a high-quality, small DAC, or who use headphones that could benefit from a better preamp.