Retro Nano is perfect for those who love modern tech wrapped in classic design

The Snowsky Retro Nano is a delightful fusion of vintage design and modern audio technology. As a Bluetooth DAC/amp, it boasts some great features such as dual CS43131 DAC chips, excellent Bluetooth codec support, and a replaceable battery design.

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Note: I’d like to thank FiiO for providing the Snowsky Retro Nano for this review. Priced at just $59.99 - you check out more details on the Retro Nano product page here

Snowsky is a sub-brand of FiiO and as well as the Retro Nano other Snowsky products like the Echo Mini Player and the Wind on-ear headphones all share a very distinctive retro cool style.

So with its quirky retro tape player aesthetic, the Retro Nano feels like a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but for me what makes it a very pragmatic device is what is under the hood, it’s packed with modern features like PEQ filters, dual headphone jacks, and USB DAC mode all at an excellent price, in fact you will see later in this review, that the Retro Nano shares much of its internal hardware with the recently released FiiO BTR13.

Let’s dive into the details of this charming little DAC/amp.

Unboxing

The Snowsky Retro Nano comes with some cute packaging: IMG_4001.jpg

On the back: IMG_4002.jpg Opening up the box: IMG_4003.jpg

Mine came with an extra package with some stickers and a nice lanyard: IMG_4004.jpg

So this is everything you’ll find: IMG_4005.jpg

The packaging emphasizes the retro design theme, setting the stage for what’s inside.

Design and Build Quality

The Retro Nano is undeniably eye-catching with its retro tape player design: front.jpg

The colorful 0.96-inch display shows a retro-style animation of a tape playback, adding to its nostalgic charm:

But around the edges you get a hint that this device has a very modern internals. So on one end you get both a 4.4mm balanced and a 3.5mm single-end jacks: IMG_4007.jpg

On the other end you get an usb-c connection for both charging and when you use it as a usb-c DAC: IMG_4008.jpg

And then on top you get what looks like classic cassette controls but these buttons can control both the volume and the various navigation menu options. The Power slider while obvious in bluetooth mode, works a little strangely when running the device as a usb-c DAC in PC or Mobile ‘battery’ saving mode:

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Here is a helpful guide to the various button and connectors: button-controls.png

Its squarish form factor, physical buttons, and dynamic UI simulate the experience of using a classic cassette player.

Here is a little video of different ‘home screens’ you can toggle between:

As well as the screen the other very cool feature that I would love to see in more portable DAC amps is the fully replaceable and rechargeable battery: battery-open.jpg

Note: This battery might look like a ’normal’ AAA battery, but it is actually the slightly harder to come by 10440 variant - though a quick search on Amazon reveals you can buy a 4-pack for $9.99 so this really is a fantastic option both for the environment and for long term usage.

Features

Internally the Snowsky Retro Nano packs a surprising amount of features for its price:

  1. Advanced Bluetooth Connectivity:

    • Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth V5.1 chipset.
    • High-resolution codec support: LDAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, AAC, SBC.
    • Stable and lag-free connections with a range of up to 12 meters. Note: The bluetooth is only version 5.1 so not the latest version of bluetooth.
  2. Powerful Audio Section:

    • Dual CS43131 DAC chips for high-fidelity audio processing.
    • Powerful output: 220mW.
  3. PEQ Sound Presets:

    • Configurable using the FiiO Control app on Android and iOS.
    • Includes specially tuned retro sound presets.

For those you really follow specifications the Bluetooth codec support, DAC chips, PEQ capabilities and even some aspects of the menu system are exactly the same as the recently launched FiiO BTR13. The BTR13 is more compact device though and has slightly better battery life, but with the Retro Nano you can always bring a spare battery with you. It has the bigger screen, and currently it is the cheaper device.

Operating Modes

Similar to the BTR13 there are 3 operating modes with the Retro Nano, bluetooth is self-evident but Phone mode is interesting as it sets up the Nano in USB-DAC mode but crucially doesn’t use the battery on your Smartphone while PC mode does pull from your PC while also operating as a usb-DAC and also charging up the battery within the Retro Nano.

On screen Menus:

Here is a short video showing you the various menu options available directly via the app:

FiiO Control ‘Companion’ Application

One thing I really like about recent FiiO (and now also Snowsky) DAC amps is you get access to use the FiiO Control Application to configure various aspects of the device and for me crucially configure the various PEQ filters.

Because this device works both via Bluetooth and via USB you can also use the IOS version of the FiiO Control app which typically doesn’t work with usb-c only devices.

So here are a few of the screens, here is the home screen: IMG_4011 Large.jpeg

You can check the versions and trigger an upgrade if required: IMG_4016 Large.jpeg

You can pair easily from within the app: IMG_4010 Large.jpeg

Clicking, the Audio tab has various options to control the sound, including some harmonic distortion compensation:

IMG_4017 Large.jpeg IMG_4018 Large.jpeg

You can control the bluetooth codecs used - though within IOS it will still just be AAC: IMG_4019 Large.jpeg

But the EQ capabilities are one of the key features of this device in my opinion.

EQ Presets menu - with 3 custom EQ ‘slots’ (that can be switched too via the menu on the Retro Nano screen): IMG_4013 Large.jpeg

You can also rename a Custom PEQ Preset to a Device name: IMG_4014 Large.jpeg

Editing a PEQ is super easy: IMG_4012 Large.jpeg

And you get complete control over the values for each PEQ filter: IMG_4015 Large.jpeg

The same functionality can also be configured via the FiiO Control Web app here from any Chrome desktop browser, though currently there are a few bugs controlling the Retro Nano via this mechanism.

Sound Impressions

The Retro Nano offers impressive sound quality for its price, driven by its dual CS43131 DAC chips it delivers a very clean neutral sound signature. But of course the beauty of having those EQ presets above is you can choose your own sound signature.

Bass

The bass is tight and punchy, with a well-controlled sub-bass that doesn’t overpower the midrange. It’s satisfying for bass-heavy genres without becoming bloated. Perfectly linear right down to 20hz.

Midrange

The midrange is natural and clean, with excellent vocal clarity. Instruments have good separation and detail, making the Nano a joy for acoustic and vocal-heavy tracks.

Treble

The treble is clean and airy, adding sparkle to the overall sound signature without becoming harsh or fatiguing.

Specifications and Measurements

Specification Details
Model Retro Nano
DAC CS43131 ×2
Bluetooth Chip QCC5125
Color Options Blue, White
Volume Control Physical buttons
Weight 28.3g (with battery)
Dimensions 55.1 × 37.5 × 13.7mm
Driver-Free Mode Supported
USB Dongle Mode Supported (with switch to Phone mode with no power draw)
Microphone Built-in omnidirectional mic, supports in-line CTIA mic
Channel Balance <0.2dB
Gain Settings Low/High
Deep Standby Mode Auto-standby after 5 min of inactivity
Status Indicator Displays codec, charging, battery, volume, sample rate, EQ, and menu
Bluetooth Codec Indicator Blue: SBC, Cyan: AAC, Purple: aptX/aptX LL, Yellow: aptX HD, White: LDAC, Green: aptX Adaptive
Bluetooth Reception (5.1) SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, LDAC
Display 0.96-inch TFT (80 × 160)
Firmware Upgrade OTA via FIIO Control
Adaptive Impedance PO: 8 ~ 150Ω, BAL: 8 ~ 350Ω
Max Sampling Rate PCM: Up to 96kHz/16bit
Battery Replaceable 3.7V 10440 lithium battery

So some of the key specifications here are that you get support over the balanced connection for up to 350Ω devices covering a significant amount of typically harder to drive headphones.

Delving into the audio power specifications:

Audio Performance (3.5mm SE Output)

Specification Details
Output Power (16Ω) ≥120mW + 120mW (THD+N <1%)
Output Power (32Ω) ≥100mW + 100mW (THD+N <1%)
Output Power (300Ω) ≥10mW + 10mW (THD+N <1%)
THD+N <0.0018% (1kHz/-4dB @32Ω)
SNR ≥125dB (A-weighted)
Crosstalk ≥75dB
Output Impedance <0.3Ω
Output Amplitude 1.75Vrms
Noise Floor <1uV (A-weighted)
Frequency Response 20Hz ~ 40kHz: attenuation <3dB, 20Hz~20kHz: attenuation <0.1dB
Peak Output Voltage 5Vpp

So 100w into 32Ω is good in this price range and will power most IEM’s easily in low gain especially with such a very low output impedance.

Audio Performance (4.4mm Balanced Output)

Specification Details
Output Power (16Ω) ≥130mW + 130mW (THD+N <1%)
Output Power (32Ω) ≥220mW + 220mW (THD+N <1%)
Output Power (300Ω) ≥55mW + 55mW (THD+N <1%)
THD+N <0.0018% (1kHz/-6dB @32Ω)
SNR ≥128dB (A-weighted)
Crosstalk ≥124dB
Output Impedance <0.3Ω
Output Amplitude 2.7Vrms
Noise Floor <1uV (A-weighted)
Frequency Response 20Hz ~ 40kHz: attenuation <3dB, 20Hz~20kHz: attenuation <0.1dB
Peak Output Voltage 7.5Vpp

The 220mW output ensures compatibility with almost all IEMs and a large number of the most common headphones, while the balanced output provides that extra headroom you should always have in reserve, especially if you like to listen to well recorded music with large dynamic range.

But for comparison, say the FiiO KA17 can reach 650mW per channel with its “Desktop Mode” super high gain mode, but it will cost 3 times the price of Retro Nano.

Some Measurements

Note: These are from FiiO own Audio Precision published results and are slightly different from the rated values in the table above, nut they are all still excellent in this price range.

First the 3.5mm singled ended result: 10351215.jpg

And the 4.4mm balanced gets a similar THD+N / Sinad score: 10351083.jpg

Since arguable any SINAD score over 80dB in inaudible as far as noise with this score of 97dB you can be comfort that this is a well engineered DAC Amp, though this is understandable not at the level of measurements you get in much more expensive DAC Amps. So for example, the KA17 I mentioned above can reach 108db SINAD.

And as far as linearity, it is as I mentioned earlier completely neutral to well beyond 30Khz: 10351228.jpg

Rating

The Snowsky Retro Nano earns a 5-star rating for its affordable price, excellent sound quality, and unique retro design. The replaceable battery ensures longevity, and the internal DAC chips and the relatively powerful 4.4mm balanced output delivers great performance. Inside there is excellent Bluetooth codec support and the built-in PEQ filters make it an incredible pragmatic device.

While the single-ended dongles is a little limited, the web app is currently a little buggy and some people will feel it looks a bit too ‘gimmicky’ with its fake cassette tape animations, but if you look under the hood, this a feature-packed and highly versatile Bluetooth DAC/amp.

Conclusion

The Snowsky Retro Nano is a unique and feature-rich device that combines retro design with modern audio technology. At just $59.99, it offers great sound quality, powerful output, and a replaceable battery, making it an incredible value for budget-conscious audiophiles.

Whether you’re looking for a quirky and stylish DAC/amp or a high-performing Bluetooth receiver, the Retro Nano is an excellent choice. While the web app for PEQ configuration needs improvement, the FiiO Control app ensures full functionality.

For its price and features, the Retro Nano is an absolute steal!