[Micha111]

@FiiO
will there be a screen protector available?

 

[Elbonja]

I said devices, not M15...

It's been three years since the first-generation M15 release

 

[EdgeDC]

I said devices, not M15...

FiiO makes a LOT of different devices for different target markets. They all need a refresh from time to time… so, yeah - it works out to a lot of new releases, since their product range is so diverse.

 

[Micha111]

@Erolo
After first two hours of listening it becomes warmer than my M11+ ESS. But i am holding it more often in my hands than normal. Most time my player is laying next to me and can cool down .
For comparison, my M11+ LTD was getting hotter than the M15s and my M11+ ESS was always cool, when laying next to me.
The M15s runs at medium gain and between 40-45 loudness with my Fiio FDX.

 

[gTunes]

After first two hours of listening it becomes warmer than my M11+ ESS

Do you have thoughts on the M11+ ESS vs. the M15S?

I'd be interested in hearing what you think about the size/weight with respect to portability and pocketability differences as well as anything else you've observed about sound quality, screen, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Dixter]

@FiiO looking at the specs the DAP looks very promising... what other companies DAP would you say you targeted as to the competition on the M15s...

@Erolo
After first two hours of listening it becomes warmer than my M11+ ESS. But i am holding it more often in my hands than normal. Most time my player is laying next to me and can cool down .
For comparison, my M11+ LTD was getting hotter than the M15s and my M11+ ESS was always cool, when laying next to me.
The M15s runs at medium gain and between 40-45 loudness with my Fiio FDX.

@Micha111 how does the M15s sound compared to the M11 units... is the upgrade worth it or not ??

 

[Micha111]

On the picture you can see the difference in size. Although the M15s is clearly bigger its easy to hold and fits also in my pocket, comparable to the smaller M11+. This results because of the round frame left and right. It makes is very comfortable to hold and i the positioning of buttons fits better for me.
But for a really pocketable device i can't recommend it, neither the M11+ is. The much smaller M11 was pocketable for me.
Also a missing screen protector will surely result in micro scratches when wearing it in jeans pockets, like it's the case with smartphones.

The screen could be brighter but colors are better and much more equal compared to my M11+. There white colors are yellowish on the corners and left and right, also seen on some more units in the M11+ thread. My M15s screen is nearly perfect.

I don't like the volume knob, already switched to volume control via buttons. The knob looks and feels nice from touch and material, but the feeling by moving it, isn't mine. Turning it is gapless and it's not easy to move it so a little bit, to change volume by just +-1 point. I would have liked some sort of haptic feedback. I've read that it's the same volume knob like in the M17 technically? I don't have had the M17, but i really don't like it.

Also a little disappointing is the much lower battery capacity versus its predessor although the device's size has increased.

The new design of the leather case (the closure on the back) makes it very thick at this point. It is secured now, but my previous devices never came out of its leather cases easily.

But what i can say to sound quality by now is an amazing step forward, compared to my M11+ ESS. I didn't have expected this before.
I think it gets everything out of my FDX what the M11+ wasn't able to.
I can feel the FDX by much more sounds in my ears and it seems more open and i found them perfectly even before. The heights are so detailed now and so on...

I am not so experienced in describing such things, must hear it longer and find more words to describe further.
But man, this combo is so much fun and joy hearing to my music again and again.

P.S. Did i mention, the M15s is really in the need of a proper screen protector

 

[gTunes]

On the picture you can see the difference in size. Although the M15s is clearly bigger its easy to hold and fits also in my pocket, comparable to the smaller M11+. This results because of the round frame left and right. It makes is very comfortable to hold and i the positioning of buttons fits better for me.

Thanks very much for sharing this. It's exactly the kind of information and opinion I was hoping for.

It's too bad you don't like the volume knob - in theory, that should be a big advantage of the M15S over the M11+. I had an M17 for a while but, for different reasons, also switched to using buttons. I understand the appeal of an analog potentiometer as a volume control but I use Roon and using the volume knob on the M17 and M15S requires running in a mode that doesn't allow Roon to control the volume.

P.S. The M15s is in the need of a screen protector

Are you sure that a screen protector isn't pre-installed? Screen protectors are pre-installed on the M17 and M11+ (possibly other models). I'd be surprised if they weren't pre-installed on the M15S.

Thanks again for the information and hope you continue to enjoy it!

 

[Dixter]

On the picture you can see the difference in size. Although the M15s is clearly bigger its easy to hold and fits also in my pocket, comparable to the smaller M11+. This results because of the round frame left and right. It makes is very comfortable to hold and i the positioning of buttons fits better for me.
But for a really pocketable device i can't recommend it, neither the M11+ is. The much smaller M11 was pocketable for me.
Also a missing screen protector will surely result in micro scratches when wearing it in jeans pockets, like it's the case with smartphones.


The screen could be brighter but colors are better and much more equal compared to my M11+. There white colors are yellowish on the corners and left and right, also seen on some more units in the M11+ thread. My M15s screen is nearly perfect.

I don't like the volume knob, already switched to volume control via buttons. The knob looks and feels nice from touch and material, but the feeling by moving it, isn't mine. Turning it is gapless and it's not easy to move it so a little bit, to change volume by just +-1 point. I would have liked some sort of haptic feedback. I've read that it's the same volume knob like in the M17 technically? I don't have had the M17, but i really don't like it.

Also a little disappointing is the much lower battery capacity versus its predessor although the device's size has increased.

The new design of the leather case (the closure on the back) makes it very thick at this point. It is secured now, but my previous devices never came out of its leather cases easily.

But what i can say to sound quality by now is an amazing step forward, compared to my M11+ ESS. I didn't have expected this before.
I think it gets everything out of my FDX what the M11+ wasn't able to.
I can feel the FDX by much more sounds in my ears and it seems more open and i found them perfectly even before. The heights are so detailed now and so on...

I am not so experienced in describing such things, must hear it longer and find more words to describe further.
But man, this combo is so much fun and joy hearing to my music again and again.

P.S. Did i mention, the M15s is really in the need of a proper screen protector

@Micha111 thank you for sharing your impressions.. I think your doing well with the descriptions.... I have a M11 PRO SS and I like it well but the fact that it does not support Apple Music bothers me and I want to update for the new Apple Music that has the classical music... they are supposed to release a android version too... I normally mate my M11Pro SS with the ifi Diablo for higher power and such... I'm hoping the M15s is the proper upgrade as the M17 is just a little too large for me... also my biggiest issue is paying this kind of money for a portable that does not have a user replaceable battery.... a user replaceable battery should not be hard to implement at this price point... and we have batteries that would be easy to swap out like a flash light... anyway, it is what it is... if it sounds better than the M11 and supports the Apple Music I may have to get one... it seem fiio has really just made a scaled down M17 to me anyway... look forward to more of your impressions

 

[JamesFiiO]

It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it makes me think of the amount of research and dedication to put into it(Not to mention longevity of their products). I've had a couple of Dac/Amps from FiiO and my intention is not to talk ill of the brand, but most of the time I tend to look for products coming from brands that take a bit more time to investigate and evaluate all chances of improvement.

That being said, I could definitely get this DAP if it fits my needs.

c
It took us more than 2 years in M15S, btw, we maybe the biggest Chinese company in this field and own more than 100 engineers , and most Chines hifi brands just have very few staff, and most of them, the boss also the chief engineer.

 

[Erolo]

@FiiO
Can you confirm if a screen protector is pre-installed or not. It would be an odd austerity measure if there wasn't one.

 

[Micha111]

@Erolo
there is no screen protector pre installed definitely. Like it was with the M15. But the M15 came with a separate screen protector in the box. The screen protector was smaller than the display, due to the rounded display corners.

 

[gTunes]

@Erolo
there is no screen protector pre installed definitely. Like it was with the M15. But the M15 came with a separate screen protector in the box. The screen protector was smaller than the display, due to the rounded display corners.

I expected you to be wrong about this because the M11 Pro comes with pre-installed front and back screen protectors as well as an extra in the box. But you are correct - there is no pre-installed screen protector.

From the FiiO page linked below. This is really too bad.

https://www.fiio.com/newsinfo/825444.html

 

[Erolo]

@Micha111
When the M15S is connected to USB power, the battery is bypassed, similar to DC mode on the M17. Are all gain stages still available under USB power supply or only ultra high gain?
How is the heat development under USB power supply. Is it getting much warmer?
M11S users often complain that the first few seconds of the song are cut off. Did you notice that with the M15S too?
Thanks very much!

 

[Audiowood]

@FiiO looking at the specs the DAP looks very promising... what other companies DAP would you say you targeted as to the competition on the M15s...

For me, I am looking to compare between DX240 and Shanling M7. Both with Same Dac, diff amp and power.