CONCLUSION

   FiiO shipped the M11 over to us almost a month ago and we’ve been using ever since with very impressive results. Unfortunately we don’t have a previous flagship model by FiiO to compare it to (and we never got the M9 model so we could at least compare it with a closer model than the M7) but it easily surpassed all 3 models we have here in audio detail and clarity (mids/highs), even though we have to admit that we were expecting slightly higher bass levels. The same applies for the unit’s volume levels (whether you use it as a music player or a USB DAC) which although impressive we wouldn’t had said no to just a tad more. Audio aside one of the strongest selling points of the M11 is its 5.15-inch bezel-less IPS screen which offers very smooth movement and vivid colors even though it sits behind a 7H tempered glass screen protector. Personally, I’ve always hoped to see a 6+ inch music player by FiiO one day (one which I could also use with the music player of my car) and although the M11 doesn’t deliver on that it does come really close. Using a customized version of the Android V7.0 proved to be a good choice since we came across in issues whatsoever with the latest firmware update (no doubt the hexa-core CPU and the 3GB LPDDR3 RAM also helped). Of course, our sample came with just 2 pre-installed apps so that may not be the exact same case with variants that come ready with several pre-installed apps (some people have reported on receiving such variants online). We’ve also read reports that one of the two micro SD card slots is not functioning properly but we used two 256GB cards without any issues during our tests (we don’t have 2TB micro SD cards here however so we can’t comment on issues with such high capacity models). As for battery life FiiO reports up to 13 hours of continuous use but during our tests we had a really hard time passing the 11th hour mark. This however is very dependent not only on brightness and volume levels but also the type of codec you are using (still 11 hours of continuous use is not to laugh at, not with a 5.15-inch screen).

   The M11 is currently the top of the line model in the M series of Hi-Res Audio Players by FiiO and that alone means that it carries a higher price tag than any other model before it (M9 included). So currently the M11 retails for USD449.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 505Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) a price tag which although set somewhat high it’s actually fair compared not only to what you’re getting but also compared to what the competition offers at around the same price point. With that out of the way the M11 may not be what we’d call a product for the masses but that’s not its target audience, it’s target audience is very demanding consumers (audiophiles even) looking for a Hi-Res audio player with an impressive list of features and a massive (for its price category) screen and since it delivers as it should (and based on its specifications is also currently the best in its price range) it certainly deserves our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Excellent Build Quality (Metallic CNC Casing)
- Impressive Audio Performance
- Supported Bluetooth Codecs (LDAC/LHDC-HWA/aptX/aptX HD/SBC)
- 5.15 Inch IPS Screen
- Hexa Core Samsung Exynos 7872 CPU
- 3GB LPDDR3 RAM
- 2.5/3.5/4.4mm Audio Outputs
- 32GB Onboard Storage
- Supported Audio Formats (DSD/ISO/DSF/DFF/DST/DXD/APE/Apple Lossless/AIFF/FLAC/WAV/WMA/MP3/OGG/AAC)
- 3800mAh Rechargeable Battery (Up To 13 Hours Of Playback)
- Dual Micro SD Card Slots (Up To 2TB Each / 4TB Total)
- 7H Tempered Glass Screen Cover & TPU Case
- Customized Android v7.0 OS
- Product Support (2 Firmware Updates In 1 Month)

CONS

- Price (For Some)