Remarks after a week listening etc.
First where I come from: Pioneer XDP-100R, using Shure KSE1200 (IEM portable electrostats), Sennheiser HD598 (over ear), Sennheiser Momentum (true wireless IEM).
Soundwise I am not overwhelmed, alas. This is not a big leap forward from the Pioneer, a DAP with several weak points, but not the audio. That was fine. I was hoping for more after 4 years of tech progress, double DACs, balanced output, positive reviews (factory sponsored and/or genuine, hard to tell these days) etc. Not the fault of Fiio of course, these high expectations of mine. The bottom line is: the Fiio sounds only just as good as the Pioneer. I had hoped for more. Other elements are improvements though.
Biggest let down, and this
is the fault of Fiio, is the poor software of the Music App, functions that I didn't get to work at all (playlists, wifi transfer, air play, dlna) or not as one would expect (search, tag edit, eq, touch screen). The lack of a manual, referred to in the quick guide but absent on the Fiio site, is sad. Why should I first pay 500 euros for a device are then be obliged to figured out myself how everything works? UPDATE: Meanwhile, the complete manual has shown up on the new Fiio site
http://user-guide.fiio.net/M1_Complete_User_Manual-V1.2-EN.pdf. Better later than never.
I would not have bought the M11 were it not for the 2 micro SD slots, as in the Pioneer. They work as you might expect, I have 2 of 400 gb.
The fact that my favourite app Poweramp implemented HiRes for the M11, only weeks before the start of the sale, has won me over. So I can now ignore the Fiio Music App and enjoy Poweramp with a much better User Interface. And the sound is just as good and more adaptable (better eq).
I really don't like to come across language that I cannot read. Chinese characters in this case. The same on the Fiio website where some pages are unreadable because of this. Maybe this is due to the migration from Fiio.net to Fiio.com but it all makes a rather amateurish impression.
In spite of everything and since I am not condemned to using the Fiio Music App I don’t regret buying and keeping the M11. Here is why:
Like with the Pioneer I am happy with the sound of the M11, even if I don't hear an improvement over the Pioneer. I have to add that my appreciation is probably largely due to the astounding KSE1200. With the HD598 the sound is just very reasonable. The balanced cable I especially bought for the M11-HD598 gives more power to these big cans but I don’t hear a difference in sound quality. I could have saved myself the 33 dollar.
I like the screen, size and quality and the form factor, though I would have preferred the buttons and the volume wheel on the other side. And a screen protector on the front would have been nice.
The Bluetooth codec that I use, aptx HD, works flawlessly (transmitting; have not tried receiving). The sound is good and there are no drop outs, other than with the Pioneer.
Everything works faster than I was used to, including handling the sd card contents on the pc.
Battery life as far as I witnessed so far is good.
If I might make one wish it would be one touch wake up. Just as when the DAP is docked and/or charging and the screensaver is on while music is playing: you tap once and you are in. Much better than the double tapping that one has to do when not docked and/or charging. This double tapping is cumbersome and annoying.
And why not the dimmed album art as a screensaver?
To top it of, would it be difficult to introduce of few gestures on the same sleeping/dimmed screen that you see when charging, to avoid first waking it up? And to avoid targeting your finger to a small spot on the screen in order to go to the next song. The physical buttons are practical in some cases, but often not. You also have to lead you finger to them and manage pushing one without sliding the device off the table, unless you use both hands. A gesture anywhere on the big screen surface would be a much better way.
One such gesture: Adjusting the volume: tap and hold and sliding up or down. At present, with sudden increases in the volume when a new number starts playing for instance, it takes me too much time to locate the wheel and turn it quickly enough to lower the volume sufficiently.
Another gesture would be: next. By swiping. The same as when the screen is on. Again, I am talking about the dimmed/sleeping screen, while the music is playing. So, swipe the sleeping screen from right to left as usual, to go to the next song, without waking it up.
If you want to do more than just adjust the volume or go to the next song: just tap to change the dimmed album art into the regular screen, as is the case presently when you are listening while charging. Next and volume up or down are fonctions used countless times when one listens to music. They should be ultra simple/easy to manage.
These gestures should be optional, on or off. Don’t activateit if you don’t like it. But imagine how much easier it would be. And in the evening you avoid the screen unnecessarily lightening up when you lie in bed or you are sitting at the candle lit diner table inconspicuoulsy sending your lounge music via Bluetooth your the sound system.
Finally, to those who call this device cheap for what it offers (not always delivers in my view): I think 500 euro is still a lot of money. I'll stick to this machine for the foreseeable future and learn to be happy with it.
