FiiO M21, Qualcomm Snapdragon 680, FiiO Android portable music player is available!

[fish1050]

I was curious about the reasons why you found the sound of the M11S superior to the JM21. I had the FiiO M11S for about two years, and my conclusion was that the tonal balance of this DAP is poor, as it artificially boosts the mid-bass and treble. I found the JM21 to have a more balanced sound. I even published a comparison between the JM21 and the M11S in the JM21 thread (link here).

Keep in mind it was a 45 minute demo with my headphones. I found the M11S to have a better soundstage in all dimensions, and it seem to bring out more details and I found the sound to be smoother and more layered. I did find the M11S treble to be a little to hot but the midrange was warmer which I prefer and I found the bass to be deeper and tighter than the JM21. The best way I could sum it up it is seems to have a more mature sound overall than the JM21. Don't get me wrong the JM21 sounds really good for a budget DAP but to me it seem to be lacking in the subtleties the M11S offered. The M11s to my ears sounded closer to my Sony A55 with the WM1Z custom firmware which is really what DAP's I demo will be compared to.

 

[Vitor Valeri]

Keep in mind it was a 45 minute demo with my headphones. I found the M11S to have a better soundstage in all dimensions, and it seem to bring out more details and I found the sound to be smoother and more layered. I did find the M11S treble to be a little to hot but the midrange was warmer which I prefer and I found the bass to be deeper and tighter than the JM21. The best way I could sum it up it is seems to have a more mature sound overall than the JM21. Don't get me wrong the JM21 sounds really good for a budget DAP but to me it seem to be lacking in the subtleties the M11S offered. The M11s to my ears sounded closer to my Sony A55 with the WM1Z custom firmware which is really what DAP's I demo will be compared to.

I think you're confusing soundstage with fuller bass and recessed mids . You must have found it smooth due to the overly fat bass. I didn't find the M11S' bass to be any deeper at all but rather uncontrolled. If you know how to use the JM21 gain according to the sensitivity and impedance of the earphones, you will notice this aspect. Most of the time, low gain is enough for IEMs while high gain is for high impedance headphones. The M11S's mids are recessed and the highs are more extended than normal. I'm currently also using the Sony NW-ZX707, which has a more "mature" sound. The M11S and JM21 are still simple, entry-level DAPs, nothing extraordinary. If you want something different, get a FiiO M23, a iBasso DX180, a Sony NW-ZX707 or something higher up.

 

[WianFiiO]

At this point we don't know about the amp chips and the max power has reportedly increased to 900 mW from 700 mW. Without knowing about the amps and improvements to the audio circuitry you can't judge what improvements there might be in sound quality. Fiio reported that the circuitry design will be more advanced in the M21. As for only 2.5 hours more battery life with the 4000 mAH battery. You have to take into account the additional power output likely pointing to better more powerful amp chips and the quad DAC vs dual DAC chips as well.

From the pictures the body is likely milled from a solid aluminum block like the other Fiio M series DAP's and standard for most DAP's produced today. This also helps to account for the increase in weight. If the body was all plastic it would weigh alot less and it is definitely not two pieces like the JM21. I for one having demoed the JM21 would be more confident in a solid one piece body with the M21.

For comparison the R4 weighs 231 grams and the dimensions are 129 x 68.3 x 18.5 vs 120.7 x 68 x 13 for the JM21. So bigger and heavier than both the JM21 and the M21 assuming height and width are the same for both. You might be looking at 120.7 x 68 x 18.5 for the M21 since it looks to be no thicker than the R4. If I was deciding between the R4 and the JM21 which alot of people seem to be doing, I would be alot more concerned about a size and weight difference.

If you can live with the increase in thickness and weight which I can, I feel the extra 1 GB or RAM, 32 GB more internal storage, likely solid aluminum body, increase in maximum power output and yes the true desktop mode make it worth the extra cost. Until we know about the final components and we get real world reviews on sound there is not point in speculating about it. I was able to compare the JM21 to the M11S and it is a definite improvement in sound over the JM21. I am willing to bet the circuitry in the M21 and sound quality is closer to the M11S than the JM21 since the JM21 is from their budget DAP line and the M21 is part of Fiio's more premium DAP lineup. If the M21 is a replacement for the M11 series it should sound at least as good if not better than the DAP it is replacing.

Edit: The M21 is not intended to be a JM21 Plus or even Ultra, basically the JM21 with a few upgrades. This is an M series DAP so I think we need to look at the other M series DAP's if you want to figure out what to expect. If the assumption is the M21 is replacing the M11 series then it should be closer to the M11 than the JM21. Hence the aluminum block body vs the hybrid plastic/aluminum JM21. The desktop mode is a feature taken from the much more expensive M23 as an example and a feature not found on the M11S. So a feature that has been passed down to the much cheaper M21. To me features like this being added to a DAP at this price point is just one reason why the M21 should be a great DAP to own.

Hi, the dimensions of M21 is about 121*68*17mm.

 

[fish1050]

I think you're confusing soundstage with fuller bass and recessed mids . You must have found it smooth due to the overly fat bass. I didn't find the M11S' bass to be any deeper at all but rather uncontrolled. If you know how to use the JM21 gain according to the sensitivity and impedance of the earphones, you will notice this aspect. Most of the time, low gain is enough for IEMs while high gain is for high impedance headphones. The M11S's mids are recessed and the highs are more extended than normal. I'm currently also using the Sony NW-ZX707, which has a more "mature" sound. The M11S and JM21 are still simple, entry-level DAPs, nothing extraordinary. If you want something different, get a FiiO M23, a iBasso DX180, a Sony NW-ZX707 or something higher up.

With all do respect please don't tell me what I hear and don't hear. I have been listening to audio gear for over 40 years including some very high end gear that I sold for many years so I understand headphone sensitivity and impedance very well. People hear differently and headphones make a bigger difference in what you hear than the DAP. I listenend to both DAP's with my go to NAD Viso HP50's and I don't use iem's, I simply preferred what I heard from the M11S. Some reviews I have read that compare the M11S to the JM21 also give the nod to the M11S for overall sound.

All of the DAP's you mentioned are more than I want to spend as they are very expensive in Canada. I have never spent more than $350 on a DAP because of the battery. Part of why I am looking at the M21 is the ability to turn off the battery in desktop mode. Based on reviews of the M23 and desktop mode it offers the purest listening experience and will extend the life of the battery. I looked at the DX180 because of the replaceable battery but again it is alot more than I want to spend. From what I have researched Fiio DAP's seem to be better with their software than iBasso and I want to use the Pure Music mode on the M21 and thus the Fiio app. I have heard the software on the iBasso DX180, ie the Mango player isn't very good and it does not offer Pure Music mode, another reason I won't consider it since I want the simplest user experience possible short of owning a non-android DAP. The M5 Ultra another very good sounding non-android DAP but again out of my price range and it has the 20,000 track library limit and poor handling of special characters.

I have spent several months researching litterally every DAP in my price range and some out of my price range. This includes Fiio, Hiby, Cayin, Shanling, Sony, iBasso and Activo, the M21 has come the closest to offering me everything I want in a DAP at least on paper to this point. We also now have the final dimensions of the M21 and the only difference between it and the JM21 is the M21 thickness is 17 mm vs 13 mm. Not even worth considering as an issue.

Even if the JM21 and the M21 sounded exactly the same I would still opt for the M21 because of the extras it offers. I don't like the plastic/aluminum body as it feels flimsy to me and I would be paranoid about dropping it as someone my age is prone to do. The buttons on the unit I demoed were a little iffy sometimes not registering presses.

I will of course wait for some reviews user posts on the M21 to make sure it has no issues when it is released.

 

[Vitor Valeri]

With all do respect please don't tell me what I hear and don't hear. I have been listening to audio gear for over 40 years including some very high end gear that I sold for many years so I understand headphone sensitivity and impedance very well. People hear differently and headphones make a bigger difference in what you hear than the DAP. I listenend to both DAP's with my go to NAD Viso HP50's and I don't use iem's, I simply preferred what I heard from the M11S. Some reviews I have read that compare the M11S to the JM21 also give the nod to the M11S for overall sound.

All of the DAP's you mentioned are more than I want to spend as they are very expensive in Canada. I have never spent more than $350 on a DAP because of the battery. Part of why I am looking at the M21 is the ability to turn off the battery in desktop mode. Based on reviews of the M23 and desktop mode it offers the purest listening experience and will extend the life of the battery. I looked at the DX180 because of the replaceable battery but again it is alot more than I want to spend. From what I have researched Fiio DAP's seem to be better with their software than iBasso and I want to use the Pure Music mode on the M21 and thus the Fiio app. I have heard the software on the iBasso DX180, ie the Mango player isn't very good and it does not offer Pure Music mode, another reason I won't consider it since I want the simplest user experience possible short of owning a non-android DAP. The M5 Ultra another very good sounding non-android DAP but again out of my price range and it has the 20,000 track library limit and poor handling of special characters.

I have spent several months researching litterally every DAP in my price range and some out of my price range. This includes Fiio, Hiby, Cayin, Shanling, Sony, iBasso and Activo, the M21 has come the closest to offering me everything I want in a DAP at least on paper to this point. We also now have the final dimensions of the M21 and the only difference between it and the JM21 is the M21 thickness is 17 mm vs 13 mm. Not even worth considering as an issue.

Even if the JM21 and the M21 sounded exactly the same I would still opt for the M21 because of the extras it offers. I don't like the plastic/aluminum body as it feels flimsy to me and I would be paranoid about dropping it as someone my age is prone to do. The buttons on the unit I demoed were a little iffy sometimes not registering presses.

I will of course wait for some reviews user posts on the M21 to make sure it has no issues when it is released.

I'm sorry for judging your perception of sound. I believe I exaggerated in the way I expressed my thoughts. Your connection with audio is impressive, and I believe you understand that it takes a longer time to fully grasp the influences of an audio device on the sound. My perceptions were as I mentioned above, and most of the reviews I’ve seen comparing the JM21 and the M11S came from people who spent little time with both (in some cases, just weeks). In any case, I found the NAD Viso HP50 interesting—I wasn’t familiar with these headphones.

When I use the DAP on its own, I only plug in IEMs because I can’t get a satisfying sound with my over-ear headphones. When I want to listen to my over-ears, I connect the DAP via USB to my Topping D70S DAC, which is connected to my Woo Audio WA3 amplifier. The result is surprisingly better by a good margin compared to connecting an over-ear directly to the M11S or the JM21.

I’ve owned more expensive DAPs before, such as the FiiO X7 Mark II. However, I realized that it wasn’t really worth it for me, so I decided to invest less and got the M11S after the X7. However, I was dissatisfied with the size and weight of the M11S. When the JM21 was released, I didn’t think twice and bought it. I spent about a month with both the M11S and the JM21 and ultimately decided to sell the M11S (which I used for two years).

Researching is not the same as actually owning and using a device for months or years. You know that. But anyway, I just wanted to share my impressions with you.

 

[Noveyro]

Can you please inform if M21 will support system wide peq?

 

[Vitor Valeri]

FiiO M21 specifications revealed so far:

• Screen size: 4,7"
• Screen resolution: 750x1334
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 680
• RAM Memory: 4GB
• Internal storage: 64GB
• DAC: 4x CS43198
• Power output: at balanced output exceeds 900mW
• Battery: 4000mAh / Up to 15 hours
• Weight: About 193g
• Dimensions: 121 x 68 x 17mm
• Desktop mode feature
• Expected launch: end of april 2025, with a highly competitive price, similar to JM21

Dimensions and weight comparison between FiiO DAPs:

• FiiO M11S: 125.2 x 74 x 18.5mm - 271g
• FiiO M21: 121 x 68 x 17mm - 193g
• FiiO JM21: 120.7 x 68 x 13mm - 156g

 

[rfs830]

Can you please inform if M21 will support system wide peq?

They said they are working on it for the jm21 so I would hope they can get it working on the m21. If not there are other apps that can do it for you as well.

 

[fish1050]

I'm sorry for judging your perception of sound. I believe I exaggerated in the way I expressed my thoughts. Your connection with audio is impressive, and I believe you understand that it takes a longer time to fully grasp the influences of an audio device on the sound. My perceptions were as I mentioned above, and most of the reviews I’ve seen comparing the JM21 and the M11S came from people who spent little time with both (in some cases, just weeks). In any case, I found the NAD Viso HP50 interesting—I wasn’t familiar with these headphones.

When I use the DAP on its own, I only plug in IEMs because I can’t get a satisfying sound with my over-ear headphones. When I want to listen to my over-ears, I connect the DAP via USB to my Topping D70S DAC, which is connected to my Woo Audio WA3 amplifier. The result is surprisingly better by a good margin compared to connecting an over-ear directly to the M11S or the JM21.

I’ve owned more expensive DAPs before, such as the FiiO X7 Mark II. However, I realized that it wasn’t really worth it for me, so I decided to invest less and got the M11S after the X7. However, I was dissatisfied with the size and weight of the M11S. When the JM21 was released, I didn’t think twice and bought it. I spent about a month with both the M11S and the JM21 and ultimately decided to sell the M11S (which I used for two years).

Researching is not the same as actually owning and using a device for months or years. You know that. But anyway, I just wanted to share my impressions with you.

It's cool, I too sometimes get overzealous voicing my opinions so all good. As much as I liked the sound of the M11S and at the deeply discounted prices you can find it at now I was briefly considering it. But as you say the M11S like all of the current Fiio DAP's it is to big and heavy to be portable. Glad to see Fiio has decided to go back to releasing more compact and lighter DAP's. I wouldn't mind if Hiby released at least a relatively compact android DAP. Not a fan of the boat anchor DAP's they have been releasing, to big and bulky and not really portable.

I am strictly a headphone guy, I have tried a few iem's over the years. But I find them uncomfortable (hard to find the right sized tips) and I am prone to getting ear infections so I stay away from them. I carry my DAP's and headphones in a shoulder bag and that works for me. I do get stared at sometimes as my HP50's are a little odd looking but they are super comfortable and sound great. I also bought them because they are made by a Canadian company (I like buying Canadian when I can) and more recently grabbed a pair of more portable HP30's for on the go. They sound quite a bit different but still very good for on-ear headphones.

 

[rlw6534]

It's cool, I too sometimes get overzealous voicing my opinions so all good. As much as I liked the sound of the M11S and at the deeply discounted prices you can find it at now I was briefly considering it. But as you say the M11S like all of the current Fiio DAP's it is to big and heavy to be portable. Glad to see Fiio has decided to go back to releasing more compact and lighter DAP's. I wouldn't mind if Hiby released at least a relatively compact android DAP. Not a fan of the boat anchor DAP's they have been releasing, to big and bulky and not really portable.

I am strictly a headphone guy, I have tried a few iem's over the years. But I find them uncomfortable (hard to find the right sized tips) and I am prone to getting ear infections so I stay away from them. I carry my DAP's and headphones in a shoulder bag and that works for me. I do get stared at sometimes as my HP50's are a little odd looking but they are super comfortable and sound great. I also bought them because they are made by a Canadian company (I like buying Canadian when I can) and more recently grabbed a pair of more portable HP30's for on the go. They sound quite a bit different but still very good for on-ear headphones.

Bring back the Hiby R5, with updated hardware and software...

 

[Safeinthemountains]

Bring back the Hiby R5, with updated hardware and software...

I agree with you both ; the original R5 has a nice form factor, and a very good battery life, even if some people had defective batteries...
I still have it. The Gen2 is nice as well, with an even better battery life, but it starts to be bulky, even if it is one of the most compact by 2024 standards.

both R5 are a bit sluggish but only with crappy apps like "Deezer", which takes about 30 sec to startup, and sometimes 5 to 10 seconds to take action after you select a track
The other issue on R5 is weak Wifi reception, whereas the R5G2 is perfect in this area.
I just got my hands on a R4, which is still a very nice DAP, especially for the price, but reaaaaally bulky, and you start with a battery life of about ~10hours.

(I got the occasion to test the R6 from a friend before he sold it; it's way too big/heavy for me, and I really don't like the ergonomics of this volume wheel; you can only change volume by increments of ~3steps for one move, it is making me nervous )

Hiby's actual OS is Android12, and the R5G2 is about 3 years old, so I expect a new R5 with more recent OS, better battery life than R4 in the upcoming months...
350$/€ would be a fair price. I don't know if I can hear a difference between Class A and Economy mode (ES9219's internal headphone amps), so I can live without Class A, in favor of a "good" battery life, closer to 20 hours.

 

[WianFiiO]

Since the M21 cassette case design was exposed, it has been recognized by many users. In order to give everyone a better user experience, we designed different styles at once, which do you prefer?

Local Play Mode
Theme 1
Use the song cover as the background to provide an immersive listening experience

Theme 2
Blur the song cover as the background, add the song name, artist, and file information

Theme 3
The tape waistband changes color according to the quality of the song, and adds the song name, artist, sampling rate, and the machine power and volume display

Other Work Modes
Classic style, and display different information according to different working modes.

 

[Safeinthemountains]

Hi, I'm not so interested by the retro aspect of this dap/case bundle, even if I used many generations of Walkman during the 90's . But I guess the best would be to let the choice up to the user within the OS. All of these proposals are nice, each their own way

 

[BeelzAlBob]

Since the M21 cassette case design was exposed, it has been recognized by many users. In order to give everyone a better user experience, we designed different styles at once, which do you prefer?

Local Play Mode
Theme 1
Use the song cover as the background to provide an immersive listening experience

Theme 2
Blur the song cover as the background, add the song name, artist, and file information

Theme 3
The tape waistband changes color according to the quality of the song, and adds the song name, artist, sampling rate, and the machine power and volume display


Other Work Modes
Classic style, and display different information according to different working modes.

These are all great and would love to switch between them depending on mood. Favorites are Themes 2 and 3.

 

[Vitor Valeri]

More photos of the FiiO M21: