🎧 Enhanced Fiio M11plus ESS Hi-Fi Player - 2022 Version Review

The FiiO M11 Plus is an upgraded limited version of the M11 Pro with up to 4GB of RAM. Instead of the Exynos 7872 processor, a more efficient eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chip is used here, and the same pair of AK4497EQ chips is used as DACs. The THX AAA-78 balanced amplifier module guarantees pure sound with negligible distortion. The incoming digital signal is processed by a 4th generation FPGA, using phase-locked loop technology and two Japanese NDK clock generators. Thanks to this system, called DAPS, it is possible to ensure accurate synchronization and minimize jitter. The player received a new OS - optimized Android 10. Each modular section of the player''s circuitry is covered by a shielding cover, i.e. the analog and digital circuits are isolated from each other. The covers serve as heat sinks and at the same time protect the sections from mutual influence on each other and from external interference. The various circuits of the circuit, including the low-pass circuit, have separate independent power supplies. Much attention is paid to the normalization of the temperature regime of the FiiO M11 Plus: cooling radiators are installed, silica gel and graphene are used. The device supports PCM up to 32bit/384kHz, DSD128 (in USB-DAC mode) and can work with MQA in 8x mode. On board there is a third-generation All to DSD technology (“everything in DSD”), which allows you to convert PCM tracks to DSD format (2.8 MHz). The Bluetooth module (5.0) makes it possible to broadcast audio in SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX-HD and LDAC, while SBC, AAC and LDAC are available in receive mode. The model is equipped with 2-band Wi-Fi and supports AirPlay and DLNA protocols. The battery capacity has increased to 6000 mAh. The continuous operation time is now 11.5 hours, and the player can be in standby mode for up to 41 days. QC 4.0 technology and USB PD help to fully charge the battery within three hours. The FiiO M11 Plus features a familiar design twist with new honeycomb hexagonal elements and a faceted diamond textured back. The model has a new 5.5” frameless screen with an aspect ratio of 18:9, and a touch / button panel on the side of the case is used to control the volume. The player can also be controlled using smartphones thanks to FiiO Link or via a Bluetooth remote control. The model has the following headphone jacks: balanced 2.5 mm and 4.4 mm, the last of which is combined with a balanced line output, the usual 3.5 mm, combined with a line and coaxial S/PDIF output. The USB-C port is for charging and transferring files. By connecting the player to a computer via USB-C, it can be used as a USB DAC.