FiiO M11 Pro Review

USB-C and SD Card

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The FiiO M11 Pro uses a USB Type-C port. It’s the best option available yet, with a reversible design, fast data transfer, and Quickcharge to fill the 3800mAh battery. Yes, that’s a lot of juice, but you need a lot of power to feed those amps.

The USB port works as an entry and a gateway: you can either plug the M11 Pro to your computer and use it as a DAC, or connect a DAC and use the M11 Pro as a source. A cool option we are seeing more and more on DAP, and one I use much more than I expected with my actual setup.

Sadly, to fit the new THX-AAA circuit, FiiO had to remove one of the two SD slots… So if you have lots of tracks, you may need to invest in a bigger card. Still, FiiO doubled the internal memory size, reaching the 64Gb barrier, like the AK Norma SR15, or the Hiby R6.

Warning : the FiiO M11 Pro is a bit more complicated to connect to your computer than usual.

On PC, you’ll have to connect it once, via USB, copy/paste the driver’s folder on your computer and install it. Then the FiiO M11 Pro will be visible and usable from your usual explorer.
On Apple computers, you’ll have to use Android File Transfer. It’s available directly from the FiiO website or from iRiver.

Streaming / DNLA / AirPlay / FiiO Link

The FiiO M11 Pro doesn’t support google play store but supports streaming applications. All it takes is a wifi connection and you can directly install them from the FiiO Marketplace or APK Pure. As of today, you’ll find all the major applications : Tidal, Deezer, Apple Music, Spotify, Qobuz, Moov, KKbox or NetEase Music.

FiiO Link is another addition to the M11 Pro, with bluetooth pairing you can control your player directly through your phone. It works well and somehow gives the same seamless experience than the Hiby link on Hiby and Cayin players. The only catch is that it’s only available for Android, and I doubt an Apple version will come any time soon.

AirPlay works pretty well, as soon as the player will be hooked to your wifi system, it’ll be instantly visible in your AirPlay list. So, if you have an iPhone/iPad/iMac/Macbook this is a simple way to stream all your contents onto the FiiO M11 Pro.

DNLA works the same way, but you can even access your distant drives from the FiiO Music app. Or any compatible app, like HiBy music or Audio Player Pro.

Battery Life and Charging

The FiiO M11 Pro battery is bigger. Rated at 4370mAh, that’s 570mAh more than the one you found in the classic M11.

FiiO is still advertising 13h of continuous playback and 55 days of deep sleep. In real-life usage I was more around 11h, wifi and bluetooth always on, which are … the same numbers I had for the FiiO M11.

The M11 Pro will handle a full day of listening without too much hassle. And if you have a USB-PD charger or even a classic USB quickcharger near you, you’ll be able to charge the player in no time. Like 1% every minute!

Bluetooth

The FiiO M11 dit it all, bluetooth speaking, and so does the M11 Pro. SBC, aptX, apt-X HD, LDAC, LHCD/HWA, you name it, it’s supported.

The Hi-Res Audio Wireless Certified logo is well endowed at the back of the player, with the Hi-Res Audio logo and a stealthier THX-AAA logo.

Basically, with a compatible headphone or receiver, you’ll always get the best quality available. This is not always the case with FiiO players (ahem FiiO M5) Of course, if you have a TOTL IEM or a massive can, a wired connection will always be the best one.

Another good news, like the Shanling M2X and FiiO M6, the M11 Pro supports duplex Bluetooth. You can use the player as a Bluetooth receiver with a smartphone, computer or any Bluetooth emitter. If you have AirPlay available, or DNLA, prefer a wifi connection, but bluetooth is still much easier to connect.

The longest battery life is obtained through Bluetooth use, so don’t stress out and use it as much as you can. Even more, if you have an LDAC headphone or an apt-X HD one.

Everyday carry

If the FiiO M11 was already a bit bulky, the M11 Pro is even thicker than its sibling.

To be fair, it’s only thicker by a mere 1.5mm, and heavier by a few grams. If the M11 was too big for you, the FiiO M11 pro will be too. But, if the M11 size was not an issue for you, you’ll be happy to know that the pro version will fit the exact same pocket.

It’s still a supersized smartphone, or one with a big big battery attached. It’s not impossible to carry – we’ve seen so much more – but I would be lying if I said it’s an easy player to carry. Luckily, it looks like more and more brands offer compatible pouches and bags for us, concerned audiophiles.

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