[davidmolliere]

I have the same question, and maybe a comparison between the two

There has been some feedback from several DX300 Max owners, look a few pages back, in fact that's what triggered my buying the M17

 

[immortalsoul]

There has been some feedback from several DX300 Max owners, look a few pages back, in fact that's what triggered my buying the M17

The more options, the better is for the people that are trying to decide. From your opinion I am ready to buy it myself, now all I need is a deal as good as the one you got

 

[davidmolliere]

Let me share @Deezel177 excellent write up of M17

FiiO M17

This is one I teased earlier on the VE thread, and, by incredible happenstance, I genuinely was sitting down to listen to it as @davidmolliere started talking about it.

To speak briefly about the user experience, it is definitely a desktop player. Though more portable than the Sony one, I can’t feasibly see someone carrying this on their person while out and about. The UI is okay, I’d say. It doesn’t have the sleekness of AK or Cayin, but it’s functional enough. I had a couple issues with how hard I had to press the touch screen to register an input, but it could’ve also been because I was used to the sensitivity of my other DAPs too.

Now, sound-wise, the FiiO M17 has a big, boisterous, meaty sound. If Cayin’s R01 is slightly brighter or clearer, I’d say this one is its warmer big brother with the R2R qualities on steroids. I found the R01’s trademark trait to be this encompassing bigness and drive to the midrange, but without them getting too saturated or intimate. It’s similar to what Effect Audio’s EVO 10 does to the mids. The M17 does the same, but extends it to the low-end as well. There’s a gutsiness to it, and, if the track calls for it, it blooms gorgeously; like biting into liquid-caramel-filled candy.

Now, it worked better on some tracks than others. On tracks like Michael Bublé’s Me and Mrs. Jones, Billie Eilish’s bad guy or Adele’s My Little Love, which hold a fairly constant, comfortable pace, that bulbousness and depth work beautifully. Each instrument is amplified and made more substantial. Where it didn’t work as well for me was on material that had quick, subtle shifts like Michael Bublé’s It Had Better Be Tonight. The added size and oomph made instruments less light-on-their-feet, and it made louder bits (like when the horn section crescendoes) a bit overwhelming as well; like a barrage.

Another quality I found a bit lacking was the treble. Compared to the three-dimensional, beefy mids and lows, the treble was much flatter by comparison. It didn’t have the tactility, depth or substance of the rest of the mix. It was a top-end that tizz’ed, sizzled and left, pretty much. This left ride cymbals, hi-hat work, chimes and strings a bit dull whenever their parts came in.

But, all in all, if you want a desktop player that emphasises the physicality and “virtual movement” of instruments (like when I described images as almost moving towards you on the EXT), then the FiiO M17 could definitely be a winner. Its stage isn’t the roomiest in the world, because of how big its instruments are, even though it wraps the head very nicely. And, I think its treble falls short in quality (not quantity), compared to the mids and lows. But, if you like what the EXT, the EVO 10 and R2Rs in general have to offer, this one should be on your radar.

 

[viffer]

I am not sure I agree with him, nor his choice of music to assess the capabilities of the M17.
If you want to asses stage and instrument placement then Jennifer warner’s Bird on a Wire is the track you want, I use it frequently to set up domestic speaker systems. Below you can find the lay out of instruments and vocals in the soundstage.

For instrument sound accuracy and separationI use Bette Midler Miss Otis Regrets.
And for controlled bass and deep lows assessment, I use the track Tiger by Paula Cole.
These three track are almost flawless in the way the were recorded and the sound engineering is as good as it gets.
Together they should give you a pretty good idea of what the system your are testing is capable off.

 

[The French]

@viffer I don't hear the cracking noise as far as I am concerned but I don't listen that loud

So... I have tested the desktop mode and... oh my god it's even better even with the default power adapter... dynamic range is further improved!
Not sure I even need the iFi Audio Power Elite but we'll see... now noise that I can hear AT ALL it's pitch black... maybe better current will yield better result yet?
Wondering...

Anyway, I am a very happy camper and honestly I am still in shock at how good the M17 sounds... wow

How hot is the M17 when plugged to the DC ?
Needs the ventilated stand ?

 

[Sven2015]

Does an upgrade from Hiby R6 2020 to M17 make sense? In my mind an upgrade from R6 2020 to M11 plus not....same proc. same performance....

I like the design of M11 plus and M17 but not the issues reg. all FiiO models.....

 

[davidmolliere]

How hot is the M17 when plugged to the DC ?
Needs the ventilated stand ?

I only tried it with the fan so I can’t really say how much it heats up

Does an upgrade from Hiby R6 2020 to M17 make sense? In my mind an upgrade from R6 2020 to M11 plus not....same proc. same performance....

I like the design of M11 plus and M17 but not the issues reg. all FiiO models.....

I owned R6 2020 for several months, M17 is a huge upgrade and a different signature, if you have R6 a natural upgrade with identical form factor is RS6

 

[viffer]

Does an upgrade from Hiby R6 2020 to M17 make sense? In my mind an upgrade from R6 2020 to M11 plus not....same proc. same performance....

I like the design of M11 plus and M17 but not the issues reg. all FiiO models.....

Assuming you want to upgrade because you are not happy with what the R6 provides you with, upgrading to something similar is not going to satisfy you.
Ask your self what it is that you want from your equipment, what sound signature you like best and then, search for a DAP and headphones that closely matches that choice.
If on the other hand you are happy with what the R6 is giving you, why do you feel the need to upgrade?

 

[Sven2015]

I don't know. It's a feeling to get a "final device" for home. I use my R6 2020 mobile with BT headphones, but I'm searching a device for home to use it with my wired headphones.

 

[viffer]

I don't know. It's a feeling to get a "final device" for home. I use my R6 2020 mobile with BT headphones, but I'm searching a device for home to use it with my wired headphones.

Then it is not an upgrade and like me, it is a device you need to fulfil a particular need. I already have the X45pro which uses the same dual ES9038pro and so, I knew more less what I would get form the M17. But, and it is a big but, had the DAC chips been different, I would not have gone into it blind and without testing first.
I’ll advise you to do some testing before you depart with your hard earned money. Have fun and happy hunting

 

[davidmolliere]

I am not sure I agree with him, nor his choice of music to assess the capabilities of the M17.
If you want to asses stage and instrument placement then Jennifer warner’s Bird on a Wire is the track you want, I use it frequently to set up domestic speaker systems. Below you can find the lay out of instruments and vocals in the soundstage.

For instrument sound accuracy and separationI use Bette Midler Miss Otis Regrets.
And for controlled bass and deep lows assessment, I use the track Tiger by Paula Cole.
These three track are almost flawless in the way the were recorded and the sound engineering is as good as it gets.
Together they should give you a pretty good idea of what the system your are testing is capable off.

Thanks for the reference I’ll try that track and report

 

[zen87192]

Yup... Dua Lipa... 'Pretty Please' on her Future Nostalgia Album. Play through Amazon, Tidal or whichever... though the M17 on DC connection.. Enhanced Headphone Mode... Sublime... Then try Harry Stiles... 'Adore You' on his Fine Line Album... Listen to that Sub Bass!! As for his track 'She' off the same Album.. Wow! This album is a weirdly recorded album.. very bass heavy which can sound a 'mish mash' on certain DAP's. The M17 disects it and delivers it in a great controlled manner. BUT... then switch over to SD Card and via Neutron Player OS and Wow!

 

[viffer]

Yup... Dua Lipa... Pretty Please on her Future Nostalgia Album. Play through Amazon, Tidal or whichever... though the M17 on DC connection.. Enhanced Headphone Mode... Sublime... Then try Harry Stiles... Adore You on his Fine Line Album... Listen to that Sub Bass!! As for his track 'She' off the same Album.. Wow! This album is a weirdly recorded album.. very bass heavy which can sound a 'mish mash' on certain DAP's. The M17 disects it and delivers it in a great controlled manner. BUT... then switch over to SD Card and via Neutron Player OS and Wow!

Nice choices, thanks for the heads up. Artistes and tracks that because of my old age and although I have heard of them, I never took the time to listen to. Shame on me ‘cos they are pretty good. And you are right, the M17 handles those heavy sub bass tracks with ample panache!

 

[zen87192]

Ooooo... then there's Diana Krall.. 'A Night in Paris'... She's here... right in front of me... singing and playing her Piano.... there's a guy on my left playing a Hi-Hat and Rim Slap and a Guitarist on my right.. amazing!

 

[zen87192]

I must say... after a few hours of varied music on the M17 via DC it started to get quite warm. I turned on the Fan built into the stand and was most impressed. After about 15 minutes the unit was running at a much lower temperature and the air surrounding and going through the case was very cool. The supplied case, although loose fitting, I believe is supposed to be like that so the air can circulate around, within and through the case to cool down the M17. It works! It's very effective. Spent the evening playing from my Micron SD Card everything from Pop, Jazz, Classical and Soundtracks. Highlight of the evening for me was through UM Mest MK2 IEM's.... 'Man of Steel' Soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. Marvellous!