Fioy M11 Plus ESS Review

In the world of high-end audio, it’s all about the chase. Enthusiasts lust after audio purity, hearing every tiny detail in its purest form, eliminating all sources of distortion or interference. It’s about high-quality components, premium DACs and amps, and being able to play back lossless music files with the utmost clarity. We’ve seen high-end amps and DACs, both portable and made for your desktop, but in this edition of Golden Ears, we’re diving into new territory: the digital audio player.

• Specifications
• Fiio M11 Plus ESS - More Than an MP3 Player
• Fiio M11 Plus ESS - Build Quality, Features, and Use Impressions
• Fiio M11 Plus ESS - Sound Quality
• Pensamentos finais

Today, we’re looking at the Fiio M11 Plus ESS digital audio player. Retailing for $699 as of this writing, it’s an impeccably designed product, inside and out — as you would expect at that price. What do you get for that hefty investment? Two high-resolution ESS ES9068AS DACs, powerful THX AAA-78 amps, balanced and single-ended output, Android 10 for instant compatibility with streaming apps (including full Tidal MQA decoding), a big high-detail 5.5-inch screen, DSD support, Bluetooth with LDAC, external storage support, intricate engineering developed entirely for audio purity, a fast Snapdragon 660 processor, and more.

In fact, this little device is much closer to a modern smartphone and the iPods of yesterday, but with a focus on audio-first, it’s one of the premiere audio devices for users who want to take high-res audio on the go. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at what all of those bullet points actually mean and whether it’s worth the hefty investment.

Specifications

Current Price: $699 (Amazon)

Fiio M11 Plus ESS - More Than an MP3 Player

The Fiio M11 Plus ESS is a digital audio player, or DAP, but this is far more than the iPod Touches of days past. Looking at the price tag ($699 for this unit), it can be a little breathtaking if you’re living outside the world of audio enthusiasts, so this article is intended to take you behind the curtain into what the M11 Plus is and why it (and its predecessors) have become one of the most popular choices for dedicated listeners today. While most of the world has shifted to listening on smart devices, why might you choose a dedicated digital audio player in 2022.

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Vamos começar com o básico. The M11 Plus is a smartphone-sized device, but instead of having radios for calls and texts, it features dedicated, high-end audio components. It features two premium ESS ES9068AS DACs, and two THX AAA-78 amplifiers, both sets combining to deliver audio quality that’s on par with dedicated desktop audio setups but is small enough to be slipped into a pocket — and, in fact, you can connect it to a computer to become that desktop setup. It features a big 5.5-inch HD screen that’s flanked by dedicated track controls on the right and volume and power on the left. It supports single-ended and balanced and high-resolution (aptX HD, LDAC) connections and has enough power to drive everything from small IEMs to full-size over-ear headphones that require a lot of power. It can play local files or stream through all of the leading services thanks to its Android 10 operating system. It also has a 6000mAh battery and quick charging, so you can listen through an entire day before needing to recharge.

Even though it seems expensive, the fact is that in the world that M11 Plus competes in, this combination of features actually makes it an excellent value. The world of digital audio players is often one of trade-offs unless you’re willing to spend a thousand dollars or more. Many DAPs allow you to connect a balanced set of headphones, but they’ll limit you to playing local files only. Others allow you to stream from Spotify and Tidal, but limit the power output. Most, even on the expensive end, also use outdated versions of Android and weak hardware. While a DAP doesn’t need the latest Snapdragon chipset, the combination of aging hardware and outdated Android versions even on new products raises the real risk of performance feeling sluggish or streaming apps not longer that version sooner than later. The M11 Plus ESS side-steps all of that.

The reason it and its predecessor, the original M11, is so popular is because it’s an incredibly well-rounded option that covers virtually all of the bases the average listener might want in a digital audio player. It’s a platform for outstanding sound quality, whether you’re listening on efficient IEMs or demanding planar over-ears. In fact, as this is being written, I’m listening to a pair of Dan Clark Audio AEON Open planar magnetic headphones, which require a good amount of power to drive and the M11 isn’t even breaking a sweat.

So why might you choose the M11 Plus when most of us carry smartphones? The most obvious is that you want a dedicated Hi-Fi system that can go anywhere with you. A simple dongle DAC isn’t going to have the drive of a dedicated DAP and a separate DAC/amp like the iFi Gryphon, while amazing, doesn’t offer the same array of features and capabilities; the M11 Plus is essentially a phoneless-smartphone, after all. If your phone has a headphone jack, it’s probably not very good, and the M11 Plus is going to open up a whole new world of sound quality.

But I think there’s a bigger reason. I’d like to return to the point about this device being a platform. This is a device you choose when you don’t want to leave performance on the table no matter what you throw at it. If you’re considering it, there’s a good chance you’re already fairly deep in the audio hobby and want something that can push your headphones to their potential and give you a baseline to compare different sets and really see what they have to offer. When you look at the features and see that competing DAPs typically cost even more, it’s easy to see why it’s become so popular.

Fiio M11 Plus ESS - Build Quality, Features, and Use Impressions

The M11 Plus ESS feels exceptionally premium. Even though its screen is a similar size to a medium-sized smartphone, it’s quite a bit thicker to accommodate the heat-generating components inside. Typically, thickness would be a con, but it’s completely standard for DAPs, and I appreciate the sturdy “brick” feeling of the M11 Plus. It’s not something you’ll want to drop, however, as Fiio has outfitted it with a full glass back with a striking polygon pattern.

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There is an excellent attention to detail throughout this device. The back is only one example, but it’s truly a remarkable example of industrial design with complementary angles and material shifts. The buttons all follow a hexagon pattern, which helps to unify the design. On the right side are play/pause, track forward, and track back buttons. A hold switch flanks these, locking the inputs when clicked. On the opposite site is the power button, a programmable multifunction button, and the volume control. The volume control is patterned in carbon fiber and can be controlled by sliding your finger up and down or clicking either side.

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Fiio also includes a tempered glass screen protector (pre-installed) and a leather case in the box for added protection.

Despite the similarity to a smartphone, the whole design of the M11 Plus revolves around the listening experience. Swiping down from the top reveals the usual Android control panel, but expand it and you’ll find the shortcuts include an array of custom options. You can tap the Gain Mode to cycle between low, medium, and high for different kinds of headphones, swap from headphone output to line out if you just want to use the M11 as a source for dedicated speakers, swap the function of the volume pad (enable or disable touch and control when it deactivates so you don’t tap it in your pocket), or convert all of the audio to DSD. Dig into the menu’s further and you’ll find more advanced options. This includes an EQ, but I was surprised to find this was just the standard Android EQ which just isn’t very good.

When it comes to actual listening, the M11 Plus supports everything you would hope for. For local files, it has you covered with everything from WAV to MP3 to DSD256 and FLAC. For online streaming, it can decode MQA files, so you can enjoy Tidals highest quality Master tracks.

Performance is also very snappy and satisfying to use. It doesn’t use the latest chipset, but instead opts for a Snapdragon 660, which is a couple generations old. A DAP doesn’t have the same demands as a smartphone, however, and this is sufficient to run Android and any apps you would like except for demanding games without lag. And yes, you can use the M11 to browse the web, chat on Discord, or watch YouTube, as well as download any other apps you might like.

Finally, we have battery life. Fiio has equipped it with a 6000mAh battery, but with such a big screen and high power output, that goes quicker than you might expect. It’s officially rated for 11.5 hours of listening, but depending on your gain, brightness, and what else you’re doing when you’re listening, that could vary quite a bit. It’s been consistently enough to get me through an 8 hour work day, but I’m often finishing the day at about 20% battery, so you should plan on charging nightly.

Fiio M11 Plus ESS - Sound Quality

Tudo isso seria para nada se o M11 Plus não parecia ótimo, e felizmente faz. O ESS no nome indica o uso de fichas do ESS Saber DAC sendo usadas. Esta é na verdade a segunda versão deste DAP como o original, o M11 Plus Ltd, usava chips AKM, mas devido ao fogo AKM, esse modelo foi substituído pela versão que estamos testando hoje. Enquanto essa versão foi altamente procurada devido à sua quantidade limitada, a ESS é válida de uma maneira importante.

O M11 mais ESS usa dois chips separados ES9068AS. Isso permite que cada canal tenha seu próprio DAC, melhorando a separação do canal e reduzindo a distorção de fase, aumentando a clareza. Esses chips são capazes de reproduzir áudio até 32 bits e a uma taxa de amostragem de 384KHz e têm excelentes especificações para baixa distorção e ruído. A resposta de frequência também é incrivelmente expansiva em 5Hz-90khz, que vai parecer bem com qualquer fone de ouvido que você se importaria de emparelhar com ele; Não haverá qualquer limitação antinatural porque o M11 não pode coincidir com a capacidade do fone de ouvido que você está ouvindo.

Emparelhado com cada um deles são dois amplificadores THX AAA-78. Os amplificadores AAA (Audio Audio Audomatic) da THX são estimados por seu design excepcionalmente tranquilo e livre de distorções. Eles usam correção de erros de avanço e enfatizam som completamente neutro. Isso significa que o amplificador não vai colorir seus fones de ouvido para torná-los quentes ou luminosos e não apresentará nenhum ruído adicional, mesmo que sejam bastante poderosos. O M11 Plus não é a unidade mais poderosa que você pode comprar pelo dinheiro, mas ainda é respeitável a 206MW de potência de saída em 32 ohms em um único final e 588mw sobre equilibrado. Com base nessas especificações, fica claro que a unidade foi otimizada para conexões balanceadas, mas ainda soa muito bem em excesso.

A combinação desses recursos leva a uma excelente experiência de audição. Os DACs do ESS não colorem muito o som, então você é capaz de ouvir exatamente o que seus fones de ouvido têm para oferecer. O que eles fornecem é excelente faixa dinâmica, imagem e um piso de baixo ruído que permite ouvir maiores detalhes em suas faixas e jogos.

Eu pude viver com o M11 mais por várias semanas antes de publicar esta revisão e foi capaz de ouvir uma ampla gama de tipos de música e até mesmo usá-lo como um suoundcard externo no meu PC para jogos. A camada no dispositivo é excelente. Você pode ouvir claramente cada elemento no que você está ouvindo, mesmo que esteja jogando em silêncio no fundo. Coisas que poderiam se perder por baixo de fontes mais altas, como guitarras ou mansinas, passam claramente aqui para melhorar o que você está ouvindo. Isso também é verdade em filmes e jogos, aumentando seu senso de realismo e imersão. É o mesmo tipo de efeito que você obtém de um DAC externo de alta qualidade como o Gryphon, mas é mais limpo aqui.

SoundStage e Imaging também são ótimos com o M11. O maior impacto sobre esses elementos serão os fones de ouvido que você está ouvindo, mas como outros elementos desse Dap, não vai ficar no caminho e limitar seus fones de ouvido de qualquer forma. Os aumentos sutis para a clareza também podem melhorar o efeito, porém, é sutil - o tipo exato de qualidade, no entanto, que os audiófilos tendem a ouvir.

Pensamentos finais

O FIIO M11 Plus ESS é um excelente dispositivo para entusiastas de áudio. Essa é uma ressalva importante e um FIIO sabe bem: o mercado para esse tipo de dispositivo é realmente limitado a entusiastas de áudio que ainda querem a magia de um reprodutor de áudio dedicado em vez de dacs acessórios e amplificadores. Como resultado, você tem um dispositivo que é de uma vez finamente sintonizado para o mercado que ele serve e custa abordar a menor participação de mercado. Apesar disso, a M11 consegue ser com preços razoáveis ​​contra outros dispositivos de seu tipo, por isso, sim, é caro, também parece um grande valor em comparação com produtos concorrentes.

Tudo, desde seus componentes internos e excelente experiência de escuta, a seu design lindo e qualidade de construção estelar, combinam-se para tornar isso uma peça de engrenagem verdadeiramente excelente. É explicitamente para audiófilos, ter certeza, mas se você se considera um entre a dobra, é difícil pensar em uma melhor opção a esse preço.

O produto descrito neste artigo foi fornecido pelo fabricante para fins de avaliação.