[Story]The Story of FiiO M17-From FiiO James

[FiiO]

Chapter 8 Talk about driven capacity from the perspective of enhanced over-ear headphone mode

After the M17 went on the market, a very popular feature is the 5 gain levels. When under DC mode, the enhanced over-ear headphone mode gain can be unlocked to provide up to 3000 mW/channel output power.

Remember that when we were planning the M17, we aimed at desktop-like performance. However, we were not satisfied with just being close to desktop grade. We expected it to have excellent performance and driven capacity even when compared with most desktop devices, so as to make it a portable desktop-class player.

Of course, power consumption and battery life are always a contradiction that is hard to balance. For this reason, our solution is to give priority to ensuring basic battery life under the battery power supply, so the output power is not at the highest. But even so, the driven capacity of the M17 is second to none among portable music players on the market.

For indoor use, when plugging a DC power supply, the output power of the M17 will be totally called up, reaching up to 3000mW+3000mW. With the support of the included cooling fan stand, it runs the most excellent performance that can even compete with that of most desktop DAC/Amps.

At this time, some of you may question whether it is necessary to support such a high output power just for driving earbuds?

First of all, the M17 can not only be used to drive earbuds. The product introduction has written that other than the size, the M17 is designed based on a desktop device in features, connectors, configurations, driven capacity and internals. Therefore, it is convenient to use the M17 to drive ordinary over-ear headphones, such as the HD800/800S, Utopia, T1, and most of HIFIMAN's open earbuds. Other than some special headphones with over 600Ω impedance, the M17 is totally able to drive 300/600Ω headphones to the fullest level.

Secondly, even though earbuds have lower power needs, about several mW in normal situations, we know that it is quite barren and uncompetitive in the audio market segment for audiophiles,

What audiophiles are looking for is not just loudness and normal listening experiences, but constantly pursuing the limits and even going beyond them. With the support of high enough driven capacity, the M17 is capable of handling ordinary earbuds without effort, controlling the earbuds' diaphragm and catching more dynamics and details when listening to music.

If you don't believe it, you must go to the physical store to experience it yourself, and see how different it is for different front ends driving the same earbuds.

--END---

 

[whitedragem]

love that it has a ‘battery switch’ to engage the battery/‘force mains’

I see many threads, on headfi and elsewhere, littered with fears about battery maintenance for their respective devices, and caution towards purchasing of models that may not have a servicable battery. The biggest user gripe is solved with a switch that allows a user control over where the amplfier power comes from (wall/battery)....

This combined with the vehicle mode that turns off charging, means I won’t have to constantly unplug the device to protect the battery.
(FiiO has an option that can turn off constant charging using ‘vehicle mode’)

Charging and ‘DSD convert’ seem to be biggest heat hitters for the range (and headphone amp, naturally) , and I would wish for this Battery Saving feature (as a physical switch!) for my desktop rig. So as to give me the freedom of choosing ‘when does my device runs hot’.

I like being able to control when my kit is running warm (ie charging unit after I am done listening to them..), due to battery maintenance and ‘health’. I usually avoid ‘Quickcharge’ features, but due to having the nicely designed custom case, with the heat vent, for a M11+; I nabbed some vital volts using QuickCharge ++ before scooting down the driveway yesterday. (and had my days entertainment from a device on ‘less than 5%’ not even half an hour earlier).


Certainly these M17s are ‘MacGuyvers’; poised to have all the features, and in that regard they are a true ULTIMATE MacGuyver product.

This is great for consumers, but makes reviewers jobs ‘super hard’ (and finding thorough reviews that reveal much/many of the cool facets and hidden nuances)- very elongated write-ups, as each of the facets deserve talking about-such as ‘bluetooth transmit’, but also ‘bluetooth receive’, being worthy of seperate discussion, as just one example.

and then every ‘lifestyle’ reviewer can hold different weighings for scores regarding sound quality over physical substance, whether features and value for money matter most, with little regard for ultimate sound quality will often have a product like this be passed up in a ‘group test’ as it is the outlier in price , and ‘what value’ is the sound quality aspect...
Often given affectionate praise in such a group test; but ‘not justifiable’ by price vs some supermarket brand bit that includes everything AND the kitchen sink.

So these devices can miss their true praise or be passed over blindly by consumers who never knew that ‘just such a feature’ was within their grasp..

As an audiofool who loves using MacGuyver products, full sized jack connections (like the “COAX in/out” as seen here on the M17), I LOVE THIS PART, these sorts of audio units (MacGuyver ‘tools’) stay around for many years, often becoming decades,perhaps beingrelegated to ‘toolbox’ status down the track. Trusty reliable parts that don’t catch users out for need of some dongle to make some setup ‘just work’.

Not long ago (pre ‘face masks’ for everyone), I used a Fiio X5(version III) which had a matching dock. The K5 (original) dock really bolstered the sound output and opened the stereo stage dramatically when feeding into the home hifi rig. This was an unexpected boon of ‘more power’/‘wall power’ class devices.

Whilst I’ve often reflected that I’d want wireless charging for the M11+ (cause transporting over USB cable will drain the player of juice over a few days...) the M17 and its many jacks make it ‘ultimate’ in my eyes. (USB charge seperate to audio stream..?) - I really dig this feature on the devices that have it... (yay FiiO)..

The boon of a modern android OS isn’t anything I consider myself as needing, but like many things, often proves of worth at times unexpected. (better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it..)
I haven’t taken my M11+ on the net yet (although I have controlled it from my phone, using the M11 as a transport into the hifi). Although I do like that I can run ‘full fat’ android programs and ‘do everything’ “modern”. The ‘cut down’/modified Android mode is perfect for being a modern ‘front end’. The speed /usability of these players is really why they make great hubs, central to audio in any given environment.

Once we start using MacGuyver products we often reflect back and wonder: ”how did I ever survive before..”

This looks like the full package ‘ultimate’ edition.
Nice one FiiO!!

I have bought so many products that ‘do everything’ and always lamented that they didn’t have ‘ultimate sound quality’. Having one built for ultimate sound quality gives the market something fresh that will be a family workhorse or deluxe business tool (hotels and planes, right?!) and be doing many things in various ways for a long while to come.
The M17 looks like a sound purchase. Any owner will be safe in the knowledge that they can do ‘not only everything’, but perfectly enjoyably so, too....

The idea of a docked M17 is really one of those audio niceties that makes being apart of this craft (the audience that feeds on it) really satisfying.

 

[whitedragem]

Given I am in a ‘pitch black’ room using an iPad with a backlit logitech keyboard... and listening to a rig that could have been made much simpler if the M17 was in house.
‘cheers to you’, Sir ‘one box to rule them all‘.

mucking around with in camera jpeg conversion to make this shot ‘fun’. (remember, ’pitch black’ room, and this is a handheld shot..)
An M17 would feature more power capability, increased battery life, and less much less cables and dongles. The vastly bigger range of gain control options on the M17 would also trounce my present piles’ poor point; IEMs...

 

[Max spl]

@FiiO u Talked many times about Innovation and New products , new functions, output power etc .
Most important is to see and read what the costumers want , thing that Nobody does.

1 ) many costumers the only thing they need is something to drive only iems ,sensitive iems ( lots of power at 16 ohms with extreme low impedance 0.1 ohm ) with lowest noise possible.

2) to have system wide equalizers, system wide visualizers , bass boosters , Dolby atmos, bit perfect on - off options , everything system wide !

3) lightweight device, new android firmware.

4) No pure music mode , only android mode.

Something that is made for streaming services.

Something that is fun , not Audiophile only!

Some already bought the m17 and they sold it again because it doesn't do something more than other players !

But why to hear me ? Who am I ?
Anyway Regards

 

[FiiO]

@FiiO u Talked many times about Innovation and New products , new functions, output power etc .
Most important is to see and read what the costumers want , thing that Nobody does.

1 ) many costumers the only thing they need is something to drive only iems ,sensitive iems ( lots of power at 16 ohms with extreme low impedance 0.1 ohm ) with lowest noise possible.

2) to have system wide equalizers, system wide visualizers , bass boosters , Dolby atmos, bit perfect on - off options , everything system wide !

3) lightweight device, new android firmware.

4) No pure music mode , only android mode.

Something that is made for streaming services.

Something that is fun , not Audiophile only!

Some already bought the m17 and they sold it again because it doesn't do something more than other players !

But why to hear me ? Who am I ?
Anyway Regards

Thanks for the feedback. We will also report your feedback to the product manger.

Best regards

 

[Onik]

When is the release date in uk for M17?

 

[FiiO]

When is the release date in uk for M17?

Dear friend,

We have arranged sending the M17 to a seller in UK(Advanced MP3:https://www.fiio.com/newsinfo/47050.html) last Saturday. Hope the seller could receive it soon. And you may contact the seller for more information.

Best regards

 

[darkarth]

It's kinda random off-topic but since you talked a bit about the future, I would like to see mobile audio players that are small enough for being mobile in the actual sense like suitable for pant pocket but with an output power that could drive a 300-600 Ohm headphone on single ended output.

The Lotoo Paw Gold 2017 player proofed that this is possible. It didn't have an android system or touch display. So it didn't need a huge battery. But talking of being innovative. I think someone should finally bring that loudness to the mobiles again before we go back to ghetto blasters.

 

[FiiO]

Thanks for the kind feedback.

Best regards

 

[Onik]

Chapter 4 The process of designing the M17 leather case, and relevant answers about some suggestions from our users

The design of the M17's leather case was a challenge. In this chapter, I would like to introduce our design process and some eliminated solutions.
The first challenge came from its mech-style appearance. There are many diagonal planes on the body of the M17 while the leather material is rather soft than the body of the M17. Therefore, a lot of just-needed materials need to be pressed to ensure the case is not too thick. Otherwise, it will affect the grip comfort and operation. The other challenge was that the 6 sides of the case have functional requirements of buttons, connectors, volume knob and heat dissipation. Also, it needs to protect the whole M17 comprehensively.
1. Design and manufacture of the M17 leather case
The design of the M17 leather case is the same as that of the M17. It also includes a large number of hexagonal elements on the hollow at the knob, the press button, and the stainless steel heat dissipation grille on the back. Even if the entire leather case protects the M17 strictly, we can still sense it.

Let me share with you the interior design and production process of the leather case, and then talk about why we would finalized it. In order to maintain a soft touch while strengthening the back cover with stainless steel grilles, the leather material should be processed as thin as possible. First, we tailed an expanded view of the M17, as well as openings of every connector and port out of a whole piece of cattle hide.

After finishing the cutting of the case, the next step was to hot-pressed the buttons with copper-formed mold. So did the FiiO logo.

To make the case a mech style, we pasted a manganese steel sheet that has already been molded to every side of the case. This key step not only achieves a mech styling, but also makes it more resistant to fall.

Finally, through the hand-made process by craftsmen, the final case fits perfectly with the M17.
From the expanded view of the case above, you may be curious why we did not fill in the button positions on the leather case? The picture below well explains it. If the buttons were protruding from the leather case, then the M17 cannot be pushed into the case.

2. Other schemes
Before choosing the above schemes, we had discussed several other schemes.
(1) A design with full openings on the side
Since leather is soft, it will be easily deformed with over-long openings when cutting it, and the subsequent processes will be more difficult. The leather can be better shaped with the help of manganese steel or other hard materials. Over-long opening edges will be easy to flange and warp, and will affect the grip comfort during using. In addition, the larger the opening, the weaker the protection when the device falls down.

(2) A design with semi-openings on the side
It will also be easy to flange and warp with semi-openings on the side. In addition, it will cause another problem, i.e. the leather between buttons will be very narrow and weak to fracture.

(3) Partial openings of the button
This design also has narrow links between buttons. And FiiO is an international brand, so we have to meet most users' needs by making the opening size fit as many users as possible around the world.

Where can I buy your original leather case for M17? I'm from

 

[FiiO]

Where can I buy your original leather case for M17? I'm from

Dear Onik,

Do you need an extra lether case for the M17?
If yes, pls open this Aliexpress link: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004279948615.html, then to input " 50" in the option of Quantity and click "Buy now" to complete the payment. After receiving your payment, we will arrange to send the item to you as soon as possible.
Kindly remember to leave a message of the item you need, for example 'M17 leather case,' along with the payment, then I can handle it effectively.

Thanks for your cooperation in advanced.

Best regards

 

[Dixter]

@FiiO ... can I suggest a future requirement.... for DAPs that cost quite a bit of money they should have the option for user replaceable batteries.... I'd hate to buy a DAP for $2K and when the battery goes bad it wont work again...

 

[FiiO]

@FiiO ... can I suggest a future requirement.... for DAPs that cost quite a bit of money they should have the option for user replaceable batteries.... I'd hate to buy a DAP for $2K and when the battery goes bad it wont work again...

Dear Dixter,

Thanks for the feedback.
We will report to the product manager for assessing about that.

Best regards