FiiO M11 Plus ESS Review

Sound performance

Ok, so is the new FiiO M11 Plus better than the old one? As you’d expect, the answer isn’t a clear yes, but not a definitive no.

Don’t get me wrong, sound-wise, the FiiO M11 Plus ESS – like its predecessor –  is one of the best players in this price range. Deep bass, smooth mids, exceptional layering with a holographic soundstage that completely immerse you once you wear your headphone. But… it’s not MASSIVELY better than before. It’s mostly a different tuning as if you were to get a different version of your limited edition supercar: same power, same design, but a slight variation when you really push it.

As usual, I began my listening session with The Spoils from Massive Attack, one of my favorite tracks, followed by The Chain from Fleetwood Mac, an all-time classic. 

And, like the previous M11 Plus, you get… typical FiiO sound with gorgeous lows, vibrant voices, and clear highs. That said, the more I got accustomed to this new player, the more I heard how hard-hitting those same highs could get on my usual techno tracklist. It’s not painful or ear-piercing, but it can get damn close, notably if you choose sensible IEMs as I did. 

Head to head against the Shanling M6 Pro 21, those are two very different animals, even if both share an ESS core. The lows are gorgeous, with just the right amount of “oomph”. Even more with the Audeze which, thanks to the super-wide membrane, exerts an almost deafening sound pressure. It goes deep, and the dynamic range seems absolutely insane compared to the total sum of elements you hold in your hand. In that regard, I think that FiiO did the right choice keeping the THX-AA chips as they give, in my opinion, the best bass from any player in this price reach.

And if FiiO added a third level of gain (mid) to fit a portable headset that needs a bit more power than IEM, like the Meze 99 Classics or the good old Sennheiser HD25-II, I mostly switched between low and high.  That said, I couldn’t reach the same level of resolution, found on the Shanling M6 Pro 21, but found the whole experience more impactful.

But, the biggest difference comes for the soundstage, and by quite a wide margin! Whether balanced or unbalanced, it’s immediately audible. And if that alone doesn’t justify a change for the one of you that got the previous M11 Plus LTD, it’s still an improvement. Paired with my usual Onkyo IEM, I was surprised to hear details I could spot on the Astell&Kern SE180, but not the good-but-faithful FiiO M15!

Every tone, every nuance, every breath were palpable as if you were in the same studio. And this work on every headphone: the Sennheiser, Audeze, and obviously FiiO’s own IEM, all gave various levels of definition, but the same breathtaking experience. And, if the M11 Plus LTD was already difficult to hear with bad recordings, the new M11 Plus ESS is even less tolerant. Blissful if you have Qobuz/Apple Music, a pain if you have Spotify…

On Ocean – Mahogany Sessions from Alice Phoebe Lou, a deliciously soft track, each layer just add up the right way: the voice, the kicks, the bells, everything blends together to ensure a true, audiophile, sensation. 

All in all, a great experience once again, but you expected that, didn’t you?

Tonality

Highs : ultra sharp. The FiiO M11 Plus LTD presentation was already precise, but the M11 Plus ESS goes even further – it’s time to hold on the brake, people. There’s no room for error and if you still have some MP3 files or bad records, it’s time to ditch them for good, if not the M11 will do it for. It sounds TOTL, and you’ll hear every micro-detail but as you’d expect from previous reading, it’s easy to feel overcome by the sound. Fortunately, paired with the right headphone/earphone (Audeze LCD-X / AudioSense DT600) the end-result is absolutely brillant.

Track : Poly – Thylacine

Mids : excellent layering and dynamic. Voices have always been good on FiiO players, and the M11 Plus ESS is no exception. This is especially true with big cans, as the sound pressure delivers superb vocals, when the track is well recorded. I was especially surprised by how well it sounded, paired with my LCD-X, even compared to the old M11 Plus LTD. I’ve tried a few of my favorites acoustic tracks and male voice were even more realistic. Impreesive job!

Track : Wanderer – Mogli

Lows : as good as before – which means awesome. The THX-AAA amps always nailed this part, and the M11 Plus ESS did the exact same job, the M11 Plus LTD did:  whatever the track, the player was able to reach the deepest note, with ease. You never have to raise the volume, but if you do the bass will remain strong and steady, with no dragging sound. It’s the  – onece again – the BEST bass you can get in this price range.

Tracks : Way down we go – Kaleo

The article continues on Page Six after the click here

Page 1: about FiiO

Page 2: Design, build quality

Page 3: UI, Usage, Bundle

Page 6: Sound Part 2, Comparison and conclusion