Hi-Fi World – September 2019

http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk SEPTEMBER 201 9 HI-FI WORLD 79

REVIEW

background synth pushing through
strongly.
If anything the M11 is on the soft
side; even with tracks like Fleetwood
Mac’s Dreams (24/96) I preferred
the Sharp filter to the softer Super-
Slow filter options just to inject a
little more sparkle – even though
this track has emphasised treble
through high resolution DACs like
Audiolab’s M-DAC+ that I use as a
reference. Yet M11 delivers a sense of

atmospheric insight with no hash to

flatten perspectives and it was here

that FiiO’s always-impressive audio

engineering showed through.

This translated well to classical

music, choir sounding expansive with

Mahler’s Symphony No8 from the

Chicago Symphony Orchestra (24/96),

kettle drum strikes having plenty of

weight, whilst horns and strings came

over as slickly smooth.

CONCLUSION

The M11 is a large and complex

player that I found challenging to use.

Its USB 3/C socket software stack

was not Mac friendly or intelligent; life

was easier interfacing with a Windows

10 PC.

The operating system’s user

interface was complex and time

consuming, as was that of the music

player app; the microSD card slots

were an operation too far.

Yet sound quality was superb

in its own way and of course you

can stream from ‘net music servers

• something simpler players cannot
  do.
  If you want it all in latest form
  the M11 is impressive, but it isn’t for
  those who prefer simplicity.

Frequency response of the FIIO M11

(Sharp filter) reached 71kHz (-1dB) at

192kHz sample rate, rolling off steeply

at 96kHz, the upper theoretical limit (see

HR). The Super-Slow filter gave -3dB

attenuation at 71kHz, not affecting audio

up to 20kHz, and nor did the other filters

so their audible impact will be slight,

likely imperceptible with hi-res.

With CD (44.1kHz sample rate) the

Sharp filter gave usual 21kHz bandwidth,

whilst Super-Slow filter rolled off upper

treble to -2dB at 20kHz and will soften

the sound (see SS). It isn't brickwall

either - unusual.

Distortion at peak output (0dB FS)

measured 0.002% and at -60dB with

24bit a very low 0.012%. With both low

distortion and noise EIAJ Dynamic Range

measured a very high 120dB – up with

the very best.

The M11 provides superb measured

performance, equivalent to top quality hi-

fi DACs and above most portable players.

Class leading. NK

Frequency response (24/192)

4Hz-71kHz

Distortion (-60dB) 0.012%

Separation 94dB

Dynamic range (EIAJ) 120dB

Noise -118B

Output 2.6V

MEASURED PERFORMANCE

FREQUENCY RESPONSE HR

DISTORTION

FiiO M11 £449

EXCELLENT - extremely

capable.

VERDICT

A technologically sophis-

ticated player with great

sound, but difficult to use.

FOR

• warm smooth sound


• ‘net music streaming


• massive file capacity

AGAINST

• complex user interface


• poor with USB 2 on Mac


• large

Advanced MP3 players

+44 (0)343 289 6880

http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk

Album artworks look crisp

and clear on the scrolling

display.

The Audio menu in basic
Settings where USB can be
set to DAC or Storage.

A colourful graphic equaliser
option with informative
response graph.

FREQUENCY RESPONSE SS