[Gymboy]

I agree with both opinions. I found M17 a bit too bright for my taste, missing a little weight to note. I would describe its sound signature as being dynamic, engaging, energetic, a bit on the brighter and neutral side, not warmish, velvet or analogue sounding at least with my headphones. Never listened with iems. So could be different impressions. I love to listen M17 with energetic metal, rock tracks, but I prefer my desktop unit when listening to more relaxing vocal music like Norah Jones, Adele or classic, opera...vocals sound not as full and sometimes a bit ear piercing with M17...

I still wonder if burn-in really makes sense for changing sound signature just to be a bit softer and fuller sounding...

After M15 which was bright with occasional C and S's, M17 sounds to me more natural, less intense and gives more room the instruments, details are also better. Everything is being driven 300km/h ...

 

[vonBaron]

I agree with both opinions. I found M17 a bit too bright for my taste, missing a little weight to note. I would describe its sound signature as being dynamic, engaging, energetic, a bit on the brighter and neutral side, not warmish, velvet or analogue sounding at least with my headphones. Never listened with iems. So could be different impressions. I love to listen M17 with energetic metal, rock tracks, but I prefer my desktop unit when listening to more relaxing vocal music like Norah Jones, Adele or classic, opera...vocals sound not as full and sometimes a bit ear piercing with M17...

I still wonder if burn-in really makes sense for changing sound signature just to be a bit softer and fuller sounding...

Try Astell CA1000 if you want more body and weight also i find it better sounding for battery than M17.

 

[ljnew]

Dear friend,

1. Do you mean that you would like to use the over-ear headphone mode in BAT mode? Sorry it is not supported.
2. We have one-year warranty for our products. If your product has hardware issue, you could try to contact your seller or distributor for help first. If he fails to help, please contact support@fiio.com with the receipt attached.

Best regards

I purchased it on here Amazon. I'm guessing they won't help after the 30 day return window?

After a month of burn in I didn't notice a change with the sound signature.

For over-ear headphones, I still found it to pair best with warmer sounding headphones.

LCD 5: By default, its tuning out of the box was "mature". The LCD 5 has a neutral tuning out of the box with a reduced bass quantity compared to the LCD 4. Vocal trance, classical, live music sounded best on it for me as I could pick out the micro details. The M17 on enhansed over ear helped boost the LCD5s deep sound stage and resolution. Nothing sounded terrible with it but it didn't engage me as much as the Empyrians did.

Meze Empyrian Elites: While testing vocal tracks I knew very well with the M17, it sounded smooth and velvety. Everything sounded "right". It gave it a bit more clarity while keeping it musical and lush. Genres I liked best on it were hip hop, Kpop, metalcore. Testing it with the M11LTD, I found it a touch too warm. The difference I am talking about here is 10%.

My opinion is that it pairs best with warm iem and or headphones too. They bring out the absolute best in some of my bass head iem. Again, this is my second day only tested like 5 songs..

But neutral reference iem can be too piercing and I wouldn't use it for those. Sony warm signature seems to pair alot better with the neutrals but less detail of course.

 

[ljnew]

Try Astell CA1000 if you want more body and weight also i find it better sounding for battery than M17.

I wish it was portable. It's form factor makes it a deal breaker for me, otherwise it would be a no Brainer.
AK sounds awesome, but they just can't seem to get it together when it comes to ui or user experience. Yet...

 

[hardpike]

Spectacular sounding guys....
Edit: and the M17 is "very Batman" looking

 

[NYanakiev]

@JamesFiiO @FiiO things seem a little quiet on the software update front?

What is going on with the Roon Ready certification, which you were supposed to be working on?

 

[scottm18]

AK sounds awesome, but they just can't seem to get it together when it comes to ui or user experience. Yet...

AK's continual refusal to support the increasingly popular ISO format is a deal- breaker for me. They are now I believe the only holdouts I can think of. Considering I have all my original 2ch/Mch SACDs from back in the day meticulously backed up in this format...there's no way in &#$@ I'm redoing them for playback.

Ironically, Fiio for the longest time was also included in this infamy....but they finally gave in a few years back and now they're the top dogs in my book.

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[scottm18]

So anyway...I'm right on the verge of buying the M17 as I have a lengthy surgery recovery coming up and this would certainly come in handy. Let's face it, it's pretty much the stellar Oppo 205 shrunk into a transportable chassis.

It would appear to me that Apos Audio may be the best place to buy this in the US. First and foremost, there's no tax (outside CA) unlike almost everywhere else--including Amazon now. They also offer an extended return policy with no restocking fee so your only return cost would be the cost of shipping this (admittedly heavy) bad boy back.

Has anyone in the US used them and agree with my assessment?

 

[bflat]

So anyway...I'm right on the verge of buying the M17 as I have a lengthy surgery recovery coming up and this would certainly come in handy. Let's face it, it's pretty much the stellar Oppo 205 shrunk into a transportable chassis.

It would appear to me that Apos Audio may be the best place to buy this in the US. First and foremost, there's no tax (outside CA) unlike almost everywhere else--including Amazon now. They also offer an extended return policy with no restocking fee so your only return cost would be the cost of shipping this (admittedly heavy) bad boy back.

Has anyone in the US used them and agree with my assessment?

No experience with Apos but I would verify stock from anyone selling. You don't want $1800 hold on your credit card line only to find out they don't have stock.

 

[Auricon]

So anyway...I'm right on the verge of buying the M17 as I have a lengthy surgery recovery coming up and this would certainly come in handy. Let's face it, it's pretty much the stellar Oppo 205 shrunk into a transportable chassis.

It would appear to me that Apos Audio may be the best place to buy this in the US. First and foremost, there's no tax (outside CA) unlike almost everywhere else--including Amazon now. They also offer an extended return policy with no restocking fee so your only return cost would be the cost of shipping this (admittedly heavy) bad boy back.

Has anyone in the US used them and agree with my assessment?

That was my assessment leading to purchasing my M17 through Apos. Normally I would go Amazon but saving tax was a nice

 

[MaceHane2]

Guys I'm in the market for a new pair of over ear headphones, currently looking at hifiman sundara focal elegia and beyerdymamic DT 1990 anyone have any experience with any of these with the M17 and are there any others to be considered within a £600 budget ?

Hi

Of the three you mention, I own the 1990. I have a few too many headphones and have been slowly working my way through them with my M17. I’ve tried ten or twelve so far and only one sounded, shall we say a little unpleasant and that was my T90 Jubilee and almost miraculously, once I had the ifi elite power supply in situ, that also sounded really, really good.
My 1990 sounds fantastic and kept me listening longer than some others. And as long as one is okay with its signature then it is a great option. Substantially more airy and detailed than others, but perhaps a little lacking in body for some. If I want that I’ll plug in any number of others but sometimes I want something on the lighter side.
I have several Hifiman headphones but none recent than the 400i so I have not heard the Sundara.
Again, I own a lot of sub £600 cans but none released in the last couple of years or so. I’ve always loved my Sony MDR-Z7 and it sounds great with the M17, so I have a feeling that the mk2 will be a great-sounding headphone. I’ve had to stop buying any more cans as I have so many. with all sorts of signatures, and cannot justify buying more.
So, yes, I can recommend the 1990 (the amount of hate it gets in some quarters (just like the T90) has always puzzled me) and as a completely different (sound signature, closed vs. open …) option I am sure the Z7mk2 would be cool too.
Sorry I can’t give you any other more current alternatives, but I’ve finally learned to be content with all of my older cans and not continually feel the urge to get new cans as they appear.
Be well.

 

[alan_g]

Hi

Of the three you mention, I own the 1990. I have a few too many headphones and have been slowly working my way through them with my M17. I’ve tried ten or twelve so far and only one sounded, shall we say a little unpleasant and that was my T90 Jubilee and almost miraculously, once I had the ifi elite power supply in situ, that also sounded really, really good.
My 1990 sounds fantastic and kept me listening longer than some others. And as long as one is okay with its signature then it is a great option. Substantially more airy and detailed than others, but perhaps a little lacking in body for some. If I want that I’ll plug in any number of others but sometimes I want something on the lighter side.
I have several Hifiman headphones but none recent than the 400i so I have not heard the Sundara.
Again, I own a lot of sub £600 cans but none released in the last couple of years or so. I’ve always loved my Sony MDR-Z7 and it sounds great with the M17, so I have a feeling that the mk2 will be a great-sounding headphone. I’ve had to stop buying any more cans as I have so many. with all sorts of signatures, and cannot justify buying more.
So, yes, I can recommend the 1990 (the amount of hate it gets in some quarters (just like the T90) has always puzzled me) and as a completely different (sound signature, closed vs. open …) option I am sure the Z7mk2 would be cool too.
Sorry I can’t give you any other more current alternatives, but I’ve finally learned to be content with all of my older cans and not continually feel the urge to get new cans as they appear.
Be well.

I appreciate your input thanks

 

[Gymboy]

Definitely Campfire Cascade for recommendation, strongest sub bass I have heard, huge amount of bass, fenomenal bass texture and for that amount of low end good amount of details and stage is above average for closed back, I would say on par with average open back. Over Litz 4.4mm silver to M17, match from heaven.

 

[ljnew]

So anyway...I'm right on the verge of buying the M17 as I have a lengthy surgery recovery coming up and this would certainly come in handy. Let's face it, it's pretty much the stellar Oppo 205 shrunk into a transportable chassis.

It would appear to me that Apos Audio may be the best place to buy this in the US. First and foremost, there's no tax (outside CA) unlike almost everywhere else--including Amazon now. They also offer an extended return policy with no restocking fee so your only return cost would be the cost of shipping this (admittedly heavy) bad boy back.

Has anyone in the US used them and agree with my assessment?

Yes I was looking for a place with no tax. Extended returns are always good too.

 

[ljnew]

That was my assessment leading to purchasing my M17 through Apos. Normally I would go Amazon but saving tax was a nice

That's about $200 off. I might return and buy from them or somewhere similar. That's alot of money.