Sound performance (part 2)
Noise and power
Noise: nothing to worry about, the residual noise is absent. My hypersensitive Onkyo could not spot anything, even with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on. EMI shielding made a great job and I never encountered any parasite or buzz during my listening.
Power: now FiiO offers three different levels of gain for its player. If low is really low and should only be used with IEMs, the mid-level was enough for 90% of my headphones, even cans like the Grado. Obviously, if you want to drive cans like the Audeze or Sennheiser flagship, you better put the gain in high and stick to the balanced output. If not as powerful as the M15, there is clearly enough power for daily use.
Line out/Coax out: If the FiiO M11 Plus ESS kept the classic 3.5mm output, to connect your amp, the player also introduces a new balanced, 4.4mm, line-out. Unfortunately, at the moment, none of my gear support this type of plug, but it’d be pretty interesting to see if this matches the usual XLR line out. I know that iFi Audio offers a complete set with its DAC + AMP signature series, but at the moment, I only have the DAC!
Comparison
Okay, it seems like some of you (and the big L) want more comparison in my review – damn you. So I took a few players out of their box and compared them with the FiiO M11 Plus ESS. Enjoy!
Shanling M6 Pro 21: the M26 Pro 21 is one of my favorite players, packing a lot of features with great sound, now with a Sabre chip to replace the AKM one. Exactly like FiiO does with the M11 Plus ESS, but Shanling did it first! Visually, the M6 is better looking and offers a nicer screen, but sound-wise, it’ll just come down to your personal choice.
Both are exceptionally gifted players and if the M6 Pro 21 is a bit more precise in the upper range section, the M11 Plus ESS seems to offer a tighter low-end. On the long run, if you use a planar headphone, like Audeze or Meze, I’d got for the Shanling. And if you’re more into in-ear and dynamic headphones, go for the FiiO.
Astell&Kern SE180: the SE180 is an amazing player, even if compared to the M11 Plus ESS, it has some caveats. Build quality? Exceptional, as you’d expect from a brand like A&K, but frankly, Shanling isn’t too far today. Sound-wise? As good as it looks, with perfect tonality across the whole range, zero floor noise, and extra-wide dynamic range. It won a Headfonia award for f*ck sake.
Compared to the FiiO M11 Plus ESS, the SE180 offers a crisper sound, with more resolution and a wider/better soundstage. That said, low notes have better impact and definitely more oomph, making the FiiO more adequate for my main genre: electronica/techno. Overall, the SE180 is a better-sounding player, but on day-to-day use, I’d stick to the M11 Plus 100% of the time. For both practical – so much faster – and personal reasons.
iBasso DX240: the DX300 remains, up to this day, my favorite player. It’s bold, fast, and sounds amazing, even with Cirrus-Logic chips instead of Sabre or AKM DAC, and the UI is simply unmatched thanks to its super-fast CPU and copious memory. And yet, the DX240 gets insanely close to that, with a smaller footprint and a lower price.
Inside, you get a Sabre DAC (a very good one) and almost the same circuitry found in the DX300, minus a few high-end options. The sound is great, on par with FiiO’s and Shanling’s contender, and iBasso finally achieved a noise-free output, like the DX300. Compared to the M11 Plus ESS, the iBasso take the edge in the low-end, thanks to a smoother/mellower presentation. Honestly, those two are very close, but contrary to the M6 Pro 21, I’d take the M11 for Planar, and the DX240 for the rest this time.
Pairing
FiiO M11 Plus ESS + FiiO FD5: the new FDx series from FiiO is golden – and it could not be truer for the FiiO FDX – offering a powerful sound with a wide sound stage, packed in a very nice case. And, out of the three (FD3, FD5, FD7) the FD5 is my favorite choice, ticking all the right boxes, at the right price.
Paired with the M11 Plus ESS, the FD5 delivers exceptional dynamic range, even at low volume, and the classic single-ended 3.5mm headphone jack. Push the volume, connect a 4.4mm Pentaconn and the soundstage widens even more. Bass is tight, deep and the level of control is downright amazing, outmatching my beloved AudioSense in this regard. The only drawback? Highs can be a bit to sharp sometimes, almost piercing compared to the previous M11 Plus LTD.
FiiO M11 Plus ESS + Shanling ME800: the new ME800 is the brand top-of-the-line IEM, and sonically, it sure is. Compared to the ME700, the improvements are quite interesting, even if the tuning switches were not of real interest, in my opinion.
Paired with the M11 Plus ESS, the result is – unexpectedly – quite impressive. Lows are damn sharp, thanks to the uncanny fast transients, and my biggest fear happened to be my favorite trait: highs are simply exquisite. And, the ultra-sharpness I feared, became a force, outlining the most subtle details, while enhancing the sound signature of the IEM. A very good combo!
FiiO M11 Plus ESS + BGVP DM8: if the DM8 may not be one of the most popular IEM on the market, I still find it one of the most interesting pieces BGVP ever produced. Build quality is top-notch, the bundle is complete, and the sound is on par with much pricier model.
Paired with the M11 Plus ESS, the sound is mellower than the two previous IEM. If the first bite might seem a bit dull, in the long run the DM8 was much keener to my ears, making them my daily runner with the player. The biggest surprise came from the balanced output though. If on some DAP, going from single-ended to balanced with the BGVP DM8 didn’t make any difference, with the M11 Plus ESS, the difference was day and night! My personal top choice for a sub-$1000 combo.
Conclusion
If you didn’t have the chance to grab an M11 Plus LTD, here’s your chance to redeem. The new FiiO M11 Plus ESS is slightly better, and keeps everything you got in the previous M11 Plus.
Let’s make it simple, like the FiiO M11 Plus LTD before, the M11 Plus ESS is one of the best players you can get in this price range. UI is fast, the sound is superb, and it does almost everything well, either as a DAP or as a source. You can just fill it with your own music, install the music APP of your choice, and you’re on for 10-12h of music. The only shortcoming I could spot would be the sheer size of the player, but albeit that, it’s a new killer from FiiO.
Now the real question is: will there be a FiiO M11 Super/Ultra/over9999? Only time will tell, but seeing how big the M17 is, that leaves a spot for a FiiO M15 MKII. Don’t you think?
So, as expected the FiiO M11 Plus ESS replaces the… Fiio M11 Plus LTD is on our list of recommended DAPs. A sure choice!
Page 1: about FiiO
Page 2: Design, build quality
Page 3: UI, Usage, Bundle
Page 4: Technical specs
Page 5: Sound performance
Page 6: Sound Part 2, Comparison and conclusion
klaus e. werner
Dear Lieven,
many thanks for your in-depth review!
It seems though that there are 1-2 paragraphs missing when your speak about pairings with the ME800 and the DM8 (on page 6).
klaus e. werner
Sorry, *NanoTechnos*, it was still early morning 🙂
Lieven
No worries. Thank you. I have asked him to add the missing part
Ivan
AKM version is the better sounding but we buy what we can buy.
Mennie
Just sold it after 7 days. Lovely for all bit not vocal. Vocal is too dry and harsh and out of stage. Good for EDM/Fun only
stanxl
Hi, I recently got both the M11 and M11 plus ESS. I’m new to modern daps and I’d like your point of view on how you would describe the differences between both days and see if my analysis is correct, biased or wrong.
Thanks !
Leo Silverman
Hi – I’m looking for a portable audio player which doesn’t require a smartphone (I want to change to a dumb phone) and through which I can use download Spotify, SoundCloud and other audio streaming apps. I don’t want a browser of any kind. Does this fit the bill?
Lieven
yes, just make sure to chose a full Android one. I would recommend to look at Fiio and Hiby, they have devices in all price categories.