FiiO M17 – The Ultimate Seduction

Introduction

FiiO, the now forefront runners in the portable audio industry and they have been known for their innovative mindset that churned out some precious audio products that is certainly welcomed in the audiophile community. The digital audio player department has always been the strong suit of the FiiO team as they are very reliable in their software and most importantly they sounded sublime in their price range. As it has always been a search for audio perfection by the FiiO team, they are placing all their resources and effort in producing one of the best portable digital audio players, thus, the birth of the top of the line portable android based player, the M17. It is jam packed with top shelf parts such as 2 pieces of the flagship DAC chip from Sabre, the ES9038Pro and dual desktop grade THX788+ amplification with a whopping 3000mw output with the supplied 12v power all in a rather small pocketable chassis. It is truly a great invention that certainly makes heads turn all around the audiophile community. Red Ape Headphones Store and FiiO have kindly provided us with a set of this beast of a product in exchange for an honest take on the M17 and we thanked them for this opportunity. How will they perform with those high end specifications? We shall find out.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the FiiO M17 :

• Dual DAC chipset Sabre ES9038Pro flagship-grade DACs.
• THX-AAA 788 Pro Amplifier.
• 140dB SNR
• -122dB THD+N
• Qualcomm 660 SoSoC
• Multiple Headphone output ports: 2.5mm TRRS, 4.4mm TRRS, 6.35mm TRS, and 3.5mm TRS.
• Separate 3.5mm+4.4mm Line-Out ports.
• 99” crisp Full HD IPS panel.
• Battery Capacity: 9200mAh
• Power Supply: 12V DC.
• 0+PD Quick charging.
• Battery/DC power supply switch.
• Qualcomm QCC5124 Bluetooth chipset.
• XMOS XUF208.
• Dual power supplies.
• 2 volume control modes.
• Supercapacitor.
• Dual USB Type C connectors.
• MQA Support.

Just mind boggling spec sheets for a portable audio player.

Retail Price & Where to Get

The FiiO M17 can be purchased at Red Ape – Headphone Store or Official FiiO AliExpres for only RM7,605.00. Purchase Link :

Red Ape – Headphone Store Shopee : https://invol.co/cl93bjg

Red Ape – Headphone Store LAZADA : https://invol.co/cl93bkf

FiiO – Official AliExpress : https://invol.co/cl93bkp

Packaging & Accessories

A generous packaging has almost been a culture for FiiO especially for their higher echelon products and the M17 packaging is indeed more than expected as they came with a stand with a cooling fan in seperate boxes useful for the highest gain with the 12V power brick as it may get hot after long hours of usage. Inside the main box, FiiO has included a brown leather case with a PET screen protector installed with an extra screen protector inside, a SD card tool, an USB C cable, manuals and the 12V switching power supply. It is packaged quite simple but they are complete and ready to use straight out of the box.

As for the cooling fan that FiiO includes in the package, their body is made from aluminium while the fans are made from plastic. They are powered by a USB C cable that is included in the box. They have 2 speed settings and they indeed do cool the M17 down a fair bit as they will get hot with the DC adapter powered on enhanced mode.

Design

The design of the M17 is truly one of a kind and they certainly have the style of FiiO like the hexagon buttons with RGB lighting at the volume knob, a hexagon style backplate similar to the M11Plus and the arrow shaped cooling vents at the sides. They are truly very well made and they feel premium. It is made from a solid block of aluminium and they are heavy on hands weighing at 610 grams but they are still quite pocketable. On the right side we shall find 3 buttons where the top one is the power button and below is the button volume control where users can choose to use the buttons or the wheel knob at the top and also a switch for users to switch to the 12V power unlocking the enhanced over ear headphones gain for a full 3000mw power output. On the left hand side is the forward, next and play button, a multi function button and the hold switch. The cooling vents on both sides of the M17 does have the RGB lighting for file indicator and also can be set to show the battery status as they can get dimmer indicating the battery percentage. Overall, they are certainly very well designed and thought of for a very user friendly usage.

At the bottom of the unit we have 2 USB C ports with 1 port for charging and the USB DAC input or output with USB 3.0, 1 for USB host for external hard drive for a bigger files selection, the 12V DC input and a RCA coaxial input and output.

The audio output of the M17 is located at the top with a 2.5mm balanced, 4.4mm balanced, 6.35mm and a 3.5mm single-ended output.

Under the hood of the M17 is driven by the stable and fast 8 core Snapdragon SD660 that is similar to the M11Plus and they are certainly very reliable with a snappy lag-free experience with Android 10 installed. Battery size on the M17 is humongous with 9200 mAh battery to support the power hungry high end parts in the M17 and they are able to churn out 9 to 10 hours of usage depending on the files and single-ended or balanced output.

They are powered by the high-end TI OPA2211 op-amp with voltage noise as low as 1.1nV@1KHz and THD+N of -136dB results in extremely clean amplification. Their capacitor used is a 470mF DMF supercapacitor to provide a stable power for their power supply and ultra-low noise LT3045 LDO with an ultra-low noise, ultra-high PSRR low-dropout voltage linear regulator featuring Linear Technology’s LDO architecture with an extremely low RMS noise of 0.8μVRMS in the 10Hz-100kHz frequency band for stable, clean power to the DAC chip. FiiO has also implemented the NDK femtosecond crystal oscillator

Provides a high-precision, low-jitter unified clock source for the entire audio circuit. Crazy specifications for all the geeks out there.

The screen is a huge 5.99-inch, 1080*2160 FHD+ 18:9 high-definition incell display that is quite bright and usable even in bright daylight.

Other features include bluetooth 5.0 with flagship QCC5124 chipset, AirPlay support, all to DSD decoding,10 band graphic equaliser, 6 digital filter settings, balance control, USB DAC mode, Pure Music Mode, MQA 8X decoding, and 4 gain settings (enhanced mode only with the 12V DC). It is certainly a do it all portable player.

Gears Used for Comparisons

• FiiO M11Plus LTD

• Hidizs S9 Pro

• Questyle M12

• FiiO KA3

• Audio GD 28.38

• Rudistor RP8

• SMSL SH-9

• Beyerdynamics Xelento

• BQEYZ Autumn

• Blon A8 Prometheus

• Gold Planar GL20

• Smabat M2S Pro

• Blur daBass custom earbud

• Monk SM earbud

• Beyerdynamics T1

• Sennheiser HD800s

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The tone of the M17 is very detailed, clean and has a slight hint of warmness to their sound signature. The clarity that the M17 is able to achieve is simply jaw dropping and they have a rather balanced sound signature that possesses great extension on both ends of the sound spectrum. Being equipped with dual Sabre DAC chips, they do have a clinical sound profile but they do not sound too sterile, in fact they sounded very alluring with a lively sound that is just fun to listen to. The power that the M17 is able to push out is really on a desktop setup level, driving high impedance headphones with ease while also being able to drive high sensitivity in-ears without any hiss or noise.

Soundstage

The soundstage of the M17 is spacious to say the least. They are able to give out a great depth and width with any gears you feed it. Sound placement that the M17 provides has a real holographic feel to it especially with open back headphones and they sounded very accurate. They have a very black background noise and even with the power supply connected, they do not have any noise even with high sensitivity in-ears and they make their sounds very spacious. They really do have a desktop amp level of soundstage and it is quite shocking coming from a portable sized gear.

Separation and Timbre

Seperation on the M17 is again, superb. This device is able to give out a great rendering of the music played without any fuzziness or congestion. Everything sounded clear as day even with fast tracks like EDM or metal music without harshness. Layering is good with music presented with every layer being done without any veil. Timbre sounded natural and accurate with vocals sounded organic while instruments sounded accurate without any distortion.

Drivability

Here is where the M17 truly shows their stripes, their driving power. With 3000mw of power with the DC adapter connected, they are able to unlock the enhanced over ear headphones gain mode for those demanding headphones like planars or low sensitivity headphones. On battery mode their driving power is at 1500mw and they are still enough for most power hungry gears out there. They are able to give a more than sufficient volume while still retaining a dynamic sound for those power hungry gears with ease like a desktop amplifier does. Truly amazing driving capabilities for a pocket sized DAP.

The Bass (Low)

The bass is where I felt is their strongest suit yet. This is a situation where the quality of the bass outweighs the quantity. Bass that the M17 is able to push out is truly pure, clean and very well textured making the bass sound accurately pleasant. They surely do not add any quantity of bass slam but they do make the bass sharper in nature. Details on the bass are upgraded up a level on most of the gears i fed the m17 with with excellent textured bass with great layering. Sub-bass is very well extended giving out a deeper and spacious vibe to the music played. With bassy in-ears or headphones, the M17 is able to smoothen out their bass making them tighter and more precise. Overall, I really do find the M17’s bass response to be excellent though bassheads might not like their bass as the quantity remains almost the same.

The Mids

Midrange on the M17 is a neutral to mildly warm signature with good details and an emotional presentation that is very enjoyable especially with vocals. Thickness in the midrange has a balanced nature where they do not sound thin and not too sterile as well. Clarity in the midrange is great with vocals or instruments sounding very clean and clear but I do feel that their vocal has a distinct lushness to it that makes vocals sound very organically lush. Instruments sounded accurate with great placements and they sounded natural. Resolution in the midrange is also their strong suit where they resolve music in a very high quality manner making music sounds very holographic. Overall, their midrange is balanced very well, suitable for music monitoring as they are a pure midrange where no colouration is added but still able to sound velvety smooth and fun.

The Highs

The high region in the M17 adds some quantity to the gears that u fed it and they have a mild brightness hint to their high range but they do not possess any Sabre DAC hump that might sound peaky or harsh. They do have a high degree of clarity and details are very well presented in a smooth manner with a great sparkling, crisp presentation that is just enjoyable. With their bright nature, some bright sounding gears might sound a little thin in their sound while those warm or balanced gears will sound clean and clear. Hissing and sibilant are virtually non existent as they do have a very silent background suitable for high sensitivity in-ears. Treble is perfectly done with accurate representation of music and instruments sounded organically smooth without excessive coloured sound. Overall, though their high range is on the brighter side, they are surprisingly smooth sounding incurring no fatigue even on a long listening

Comparisons

VS FiiO M11Plus LTD

My go-to DAP is also from FiiO and they are currently discontinued due to the AKM fire in Japan that made their chips highly sought after. They are in the midrange of the FiiO’s lineup and they are meant only for a portable use as they are way smaller than the M17 and also way less driving power than the M17. They cost ⅓ of the asking price of the M17

The High region on M11Plus LTD sounded smoother overall but the M17 has the edge of sounding more detailed and livelier. Clarity on the M17 is better with a better sparkle and crisper tone. The M11Plus LTD sounded a little more polite and suitable for a casual listening.

Midrange on the M11Plus LTD is thicker and more relaxed basing their signature of the AKM chipset. The M17 has the edge by sounding cleaner, clearer and has a transparency that is just sublime. The M17 midrange sounds slightly more forward and the M11Plus LTD sounded warmer.

Bass on the M17 has a neutrality that is just great making bass sound sharper and has a better texture overall. The M11Plus LTD bass sounds more boomy and has a better impact than the sharper, cleaner bass of the M17.

Soundstage on the M17 is wider, deeper and taller especially on the DC power supply

Is the M17 price worth the upgrade? It is a big yes for me but for a more portable setup, I will go for the M11Plus LTD as they are more pocketable.

VS Audio GD 28.38

A desktop all in one DAC/amplifier from China that houses a ES9038Pro chipset with a powerful discrete amplifier module. The M17 has dual ES9038Pro with THX amplification. Can they go head to head?

Bass on both this setup is quite similar with a clean, neutral presentation coupled with superb clarity. Amazingly both sounded very similar but the Audio GD sounded slightly better in their sub-bass reproduction.

Midrange on the Audio GD sounded slightly thicker and had a better dynamic range. The M17 midrange sounded clearer and cleaner with better micro details. Resolution on both are again quite similar but the M17 sounded more intimate here.

High range on the Audio GD has a cleaner high range. Clarity on both is on par but the M17 sounded brighter. On over ear headphones, the Audio GD sounded smoother while the M17 sounded a little on the harsh side.

Soundstage on both is quite similar surprisingly and both sounded wide, deep and tall.

On driving power, on a DC adapter, the M17 can be quite close to the Audio GD with an approximate 80 to 90% of the Audio GD power which is amazing from such a small device versus a big sized desktop setup.

Side by side it is quite surprising that the M17 can go toe to toe with a desktop amp and still hold a place in the portable arena.

Synergy

Beyerdynamic Xelento

Beyerdynamic flagship IEM that houses a single Tesla dynamic driver and pairing them with the M17 is my favourite in-ear pairing of the M17. Bass has been toned down a little making the bass of the Xelento sounded cleaner and more accurate. Bass slam is just perfect on this pairing and they sounded very organic and more balanced. Midrange has been pushed forward slightly making the Xelento sound more balanced overall. Midrange sounded way cleaner and more transparent as well. High range quantity is basically the same but it has a better sparkle and sounded crisper than usual with a smoother tone overall. Soundstage is amazing as they sound wider and deeper than usual. It is an amazing pairing in my opinion and it made the Xelento sing.

Beyerdynamics T1 1st generation.

The legendary headphones from Beyerdynamics and it has a 600 ohms impedance that has a bright signature with great details along with an ultra wide soundstage. With this pairing, I have used the DC adapter with the enhanced over ear headphones gain with more than sufficient power to drive them. Bass on the T1 sounded deeper with better slam but the sub-bass remains the same. Clarity on the bass is simply superb with them sounding crystal clear with a decent authority. Midrange sounded cleaner than usual with micro details more apparent and macro details sounded smoother. Transparency on the T1 remains the same with a better dynamic range. High range seemed a little harsh and slightly peaky at times but they remained clear. Soundstage sounded a little deeper but in their width and height mostly stayed the same. Overall, it is quite impressive for the portable M17 to drive this beast of a headphones with finesse of a desktop setup. They might sound a little harsh on the high range but that is just a pairing problem as they sound better with warm sound based headphones. 

Who Is It For?

For those who want an ultimate sound for a portable device with a desktop level driving power, the M17 is for you. With jammed packed capabilities like streaming or high end bluetooth, they are simply a desktop device that fits in your pocket though they are heavy and big in size, their sound for a portable device is truly sublime and probably the best in their price range. For a desktop device, they manage to hold their place especially on the DC adapter giving twice the power in battery mode and they are capable of driving most of the high impedance, low sensitivity headphones in the market.

Final words

With portable digital audio being more and more advanced these days, FiiO in my opinion has gone the right path with creating an ultimate DAP that bears their name with their great innovative design to be in the mix with top of the line portable DAP. They have simply done a great job with their design and they perform like a flagship does along with a driving power of a desktop setup that is capable of driving most of the headphones in the market is simply mind blowing. They are packed all around with features making them a swiss army knife of audio along with a well complete package that include a stand with fan. Though they are quite pricey, they are simply one of the best sounding portable devices in their price range. Yes they are big and heavy for a portable device but they are still a portable device nonetheless giving out a sound quality that trump most devices in their price range and some pricier. Soundwise they are sublime giving out a flagship clarity and a transparency that is jaw dropping. The high range with some gears might sound a little harsh but other than that, I have zero complaints for their sound reproduction. Amazing job by FiiO showcasing on what they are capable of and the M17 is truly a seducing, alluring device that has certainly caught my heart and ears. Amazing!

I would rate this product a solid 4 and half stars over 5 stars