The NM25 Ossuary Silver Edition sounds identical to the NM25, but features a silver faceplate.
It’s priced around $300, about $100 more than the standard NM25 ($200).
It appears to be a limited edition release with restricted quantities.
I have been using Snowsky Melody for a few months now. During this time, I have used Melody with different IEMs and some headphones while also trying out its parametric EQ and software features.
This review focuses not only on the sound, but also on how it performs in real world use over a longer period. Long story short, Snowsky Melody is not a perfect DAC dongle. It has its own positives and negatives.
Let’s start with my favourite part, the negatives:
FiiO Control (Android & Windows)
“Melody has one of the best software implementations of any DAC dongle, when it works as intended.”
Yes, when it works. It’s easier to explain by splitting this into good and bad.
The Good
The Bad
As you can see, the bad side is longer than the good. But most of these issues feel software related and could be fixed with updates. If that happens, this could easily become the default budget dongle recommendation.
Unlike many other dongles, Melody covers all the basics in terms of software and even includes several useful features. The only problem is that these features need to work seamlessly all the time.
Despite everything, FiiO is still adding new features like AutoEQ to the FiiO Control, which is great to see. I just hope they iron out these issues in future updates.
Build and Design
Melody features a solid metal body with a wooden layer around it. The matte gold metal part complements well with the grainy wooden finish, giving it a smooth and pleasing look.
Despite the build, Melody is surprisingly lightweight. This makes it easier to use without needing a holster. As the cable is stiff enough to prevent the dongle from dangling while using the phone. The cable is braided and matches the overall aesthetics of the dongle as well.
To be honest, I have only seen Melody naked for a few minutes, as I ended up putting the leather case on it. Once you put it on, it’s quite hard to remove without feeling like you might tear it apart, it’s that tight!
I actually prefer using Melody with the leather case, as the case itself is of high quality and makes it look and feel more premium in hand. However, the case makes it harder to press the volume buttons, as it makes the buttons less clicky. I don’t really use volume buttons on a dongle anyway, so it is not a deal breaker for me.
Without the case, the buttons are quite clicky and tactile, maybe not the most premium feeling ones out there, but still decent. There is an LED indicator between volume buttons, which thankfully can be disabled in the app.
One thing I always check with DAC dongles is how satisfying it feels to insert and pull out the 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs. Unfortunately, Melody is one of the worst in this regard, as the internals of the jack are made of cheap feeling plastic, giving a cheap and unsatisfying experience, whenever you pull out and insert in.
Overall, Melody is a well built dongle, the attention to detail FiiO has put into this budget DAC dongle is commendable.
Specs & Drivability
The CS43131 DAC chipset needs no introduction, as it has been a well known name in the dongle market for quite some time.
Melody delivers more than enough power to drive all the IEMs in my collection without any issues, both through the 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs. It can also power my fairly easy to drive Sennheiser HD 560S, even with heavy EQ applied when connected to my phone.
However, when using EQ on a phone, it does struggle a bit with these headphones, which I’ll explain in more detail in the EQ section. I have never noticed it getting warm or hot during extended use, possibly because I am using it with the leather case on.
Parametric Equalizer
Once again, Melody covers all the basics and even goes a step further when it comes to parametric EQ. It is pretty easy to create EQ presets within the limitations set by the dongle. I recommend using Hangout Squig Link to push EQs to the dongle rather than manually entering the values, it works without any issues.
There have been reports about the shelf filters being slightly inaccurate in their Q factor. Personally, I mostly use peak filters for my EQs and I haven’t faced any accuracy issues with them.
Another point to note is with how FiiO implemented the preamp. At 0 dB on the slider, the actual preamp is already at -12 dB. It seems this was done to reduce the risk of clipping. While this may not be a problem with most IEMs, it can become a deal breaker with headphones due to the significant drop in overall volume.
One thing I really like about FiiO’s EQ implementation is that you can hear changes in real time while adjusting filters. It’s smooth for the most part, but occasionally there’s a slight glitch sound when switching presets. Because of that, I recommend not playing music while changing EQ profiles.
In terms of usability, I strongly recommend using the FiiO Control web version over the mobile app, mainly due to the issues mentioned earlier. It is simply easier and cleaner to create or edit EQs there.
But only the mobile app has access to other settings of the dongle like volume steps, channel balance, amp modes etc, which the website doesn't have access to. I recommend using the mobile app mainly to switch between presets, adjust these settings or upload EQs to the cloud, as it seems more reliable than the PC version for those tasks.
The latest update to the app brought AutoEQ, which seems to include features similar to those found on the AutoEQ website. I appreciate FiiO for continuing to add new features through updates, even though I personally prefer using squig links or REW when creating my EQs.
Sound
I have to say that whatever I mention in this sound section is highly subjective and somewhat an “over-exaggerated” take, as the differences between DACs are quite minute at best.
With that said, I didn’t notice Snowsky Melody coloring the sound in any particular way. It sounds neutral, as it should and it can drive any IEM I have without issues.
However, when compared to Luna, I can hear a slight step down in subjective areas. Melody feels a bit more smoothed over and slightly less detailed, with notes sounding a little blunted in comparison. I know this is not a fair comparison, as Melody is going up against a much more expensive dongle.
Despite that, I don’t think this is a deal breaker. If I stop comparing and just listen to music normally, I don’t really miss the extra detail I get from Luna. Most DAC dongles sound very good these days, unless something is actually broken.
Conclusion
Despite all the nitpicks and complaints I mentioned above, Melody is still a strong contender in the $40 price bracket. Its software features (even with the current issues) is a clear differentiator in this segment and a good enough reason to pick it over the competitors.
Feature wise, it is already ahead of most dongles at this price. FiiO continues to add more features through updates, building on what was already a solid foundation. That said, I would still prefer they focus on refining the basics and fixing the issues mentioned earlier, because stability and proper execution of basic features matter more than simply adding new ones.
If FiiO can improve the stability of FiiO Control and fix the issues discussed earlier, Snowsky Melody could easily become the “default sub $50 DAC dongle.”