The Hybrid Conch

Introduction

What more can be said about the portable audio scene about FiiO? A hardworking, enthusiastic and industrious company is what I would say about them. They are certainly one of my favourite audio companies as they are truly serious in improving themselves and the audio scene for us to enjoy, proven by their track record. We have previously reviewed the new conch design budget FD11 IEM and I am truly impressed by their build, sound and design all at a very reachable price for users out there. With this bionic conch design success, FiiO has now decided to release a new iteration of the same conch design in a setup with their new entry hybrid, the FH11, that is equipped with the same dynamic driver as the FD11 and a custom balanced armature.

Red Ape headphones store has kindly provided us with a sample for this FH11 and my hopes are high on this product. Do check them out as they are the official FiiO distributor here in Malaysia. Will they improve the already great sound of the FD11? We shall find out here.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the FiiO FH11;

• Driver: 10mm triple cavity carbon based diaphragm with N52 magnets + 1 custom high range balanced armature
• Shell: Liquid die-cast zinc alloy with C type acoustic flute
• Cable: 4 core OFC 120 cores each, 0.78mm to 3.5mm(angled)
• Eartips : 6 pairs FiiO silicone eartips (3 x balanced, 3 x bass)
• Frequency Range: 20hz – 40khz
• Impedance: 24 ohms @ 1hz
• Sensitivity: 111dB/mW

Retail Price & Where to Get

The FiiO FH11 can be purchased from Red Ape Headphones Store as they are an official FiiO distributor here in Malaysia.

Shopee : https://invl.io/cljup3q

Packaging & Accessories

The FH11 is packaged similarly with the FD11 as they are packaged in a budget style with no case or pouch. They came in a shiny futuristic box that houses the cable, the IEM, paperworks and the eartips. The eartips now comes with 2 types of tips that consist of a bass version and balanced version in 3 sizes each which is a great addition. Still a little basic as they haven’t included a case, but given their low price with a superb build quality, I am fine with that.

Design

The design that FiiO calls the bionic conch is a solid, hefty and beautiful shell that is an inspiration taken from a conch that houses a ‘C’ type flute bass tube to enhance the bass response. It is still a little heavy but not too heavy that it might be uncomfortable partly due to their triangular design that fits snugly. Very well designed shell and they are not prone to micro scratches. No driver flex here similar to the FD11 which is great as they are very well vented with a vent near the eartips and the bottom back.

The body design remains the same with their hexagonal faceplater except for a darker hue of metal to tell them apart. The Fh11 is fitted with a dual cavity 10mm carbon based dynamic driver that is quite similar to the FD11 and a custom high range balanced armature right at the nozzle behind the metal mesh.

Cable included is a high quality, gold plated 4 core OFC cable with FiiO’s 0.78mm circular recessed cable in a red, black and blue coloured theme. Users might have some problems with cable rolling but some modification can be done with 3rd party cables. FiiO has also released a MMCX adapter to fit their 2 pin design along with upgrade cables for this design all at a reasonable price.

Overall, the build quality is solid, proven as a daily driver by me and beautiful with the same rectangular shapes artwork at their faceplate. Truly an eye candy.

Gears Used for Comparisons

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The FH11 is a V shaped signature with a slightly bright sound that has decent clarity in all the frequencies. The bass provides a deep, punchy response but not too overpowering like its sibling, the FD11. It has a good musicality and a less coloured sound and it sounds organically fun. It has great accuracy for the price paid along with technicalities that are above their asking price. Overall, the FH11 is a good IEM for a fun listening as they are energetic, clear and lush without any setbacks on the high range this time.

Soundstage

The Soundstage on the FH11 has a great width but the height is average at best. For their low asking price, they are actually very competent with their airiness, placement accuracy and expansiveness in the soundstage. Headroom is actually good in this IEM as they are able to provide a medium sized headroom that is breathy and spacious that will rival products above its price range.

Separation and Timbre

The FH11 is a hybrid IEM and they are tuned very well with great cohesion and separation with their drivers working in tandem without any major issues. Though they are not as good as a single dynamic driver as the high range is a tad distant from the midrange, but they are so minor and only audible on certain music. The midrange and bass are very well presented and they blend in beautifully but on some bass heavy music, some minor mid bass bleed is present. Timbre is organic, smooth and rich with an immersive sound similar to the FD11 but a little richer. The balanced armature has a slight metallic timbre which may make certain genres a little unnatural.

Drivability

Rated at 24 ohms at a 111 db sensitivity, the FH11 is easily driven by any source but it is slightly hungry for some power to push out its full potential. For loudness, any source is ample but the bass do suffer from being lack of bite or authority for lower powered source. A good, simple wired dongle will do justice and a better source output will scale the FH11 even better. They are quite forgiving in their music playback as any bitrate or mastered tracks will sound almost the same which is great for music streaming.

The Bass

The FH11 does have the bass response traits of the FD11 and they are immersive and authoritative but with a slightly toned down mid-bass lift this time. They are a neutral, dynamic bass that is thumpy and meaty giving music played a fun, energetic feel with no bleed present. Details are all intact sounding clean and clear without any haze along with a great textured bass, however, there is some mid bass bleed present in my listening experience mostly from heavy bass music that might smear into the mid-range but it is minor. Impact is sharp, tight and they have a fast pace which is suitable for a wider range of music genres but the amount is inadequate for bassheads unlike the FD11 which may suit bass lovers more. Sub-bass is good as it extends deep and has an adequate amount of rumble. Overall, the bass on the FH11 has a more mature presentation that suits a wider range of music as they are clean and clear but still an impactful bass typical of a dynamic driver.

The Mids

Midrange present here on the FH11 is a neutral sounding mids that is a little recessed due to the boosted bass and highs on the overall sound of the FH11. They are still a capable midrange as they possess a good level of clarity and details are all intact without blurriness. Macro and micro details are quite decent for the price paid but they aren’t a top class performer by any means as I do feel they lack transparency and resolution is average at best. Vocals are great here as they possess a spacious feel in their presentation as well as a good brilliance providing a clean, clear and lush vocal performance but due to their slightly recessed mids, on some genres like rock or electro pop, vocals will sound a little faint. A mild coloration is present here but they do not sound unnatural, instead they are intimate and fun to listen to.

The Highs

The high range is a neutral type with a mild lift in the middle region, producing lively highs with great extension with a slow roll off. There are a good amount of details as usual of a balanced armature driver doing the job and they are very resolving in this region with a good amount of brilliance. Sparkle is great with a good crisp decay and they are smooth without sounding peaky or harsh while still able to sound lively without any fatigue occuring on normal listening volumes. They possess a good amount of energy and there is a good pace that gives music a little more excitement versus the laid-back style of the FD11. Timbre here is on the higher intensity but there are some instances, especially on low quality source, where I can detect some metallic timbre where music sounds a tad bit unnatural.

Comparisons

VS FiiO FD11

The FD11 is a release behind the FH11 and they are equipped with only a single dynamic driver and possess the same conch design but in a silver metal colour. They are in my opinion one of the best offerings in this price range with their meaty sound. The packaging of the FH11 comes with an extra 3 pairs of bass type eartips.

The High region on FH11 is more pronounced and livelier versus the laid-back timbre of the FD11. Details and clarity is better on the FH11 but in terms of naturalness, the FD11 has the edge as the FH11 is slightly metallic.

Midrange on FD11 is thicker, warmer and more forward as opposed to the recessed, neutral mids of the FH11. Details and clarity are similar but the FH11 has better transparency. Vocals on the FD11 are lusher and sweeter.

Bass on both is very similar in terms of authority, clarity and extension which is a very fun bass to start with but the amount of bass on the FD11 is bigger. Details on both are great but FH11 seems to sound cleaner. Sub bass extension on both is similar but the FD11 has a better rumble.

Soundstage on both is similar as well with a great width along with an average height. Headroom is an average medium sized room that is spacious and worth the asking price.

In conclusion, the FD11 seems to sound more natural and possess a better cohesive sound along with a thicker midrange while the FH11 has a livelier treble.

VS FloAudio Lily

FloAudio is a rarely mentioned China brand that is in my opinion being overlooked for their high quality IEMs with a low price and high quality sound. The Lily is a single balanced armature IEM that priced half of the asking price of the FH11. They have a full resin build that is comfy and lightweight.

Highs of the Lily are more subdued and roll off with a more relaxed, laid-back tone as opposed to the livelier high range of the FH11. Timbre is more natural and smoother on the Lily but details wise on the FH11 is superior.

Midrange

Mids on the Lily are thicker and more forward along with a more balanced profile. Details and clarity on the Fh11 is better but music on the Lily is more resolving. Vocals on Lily sound fuller while the FH11 sounds more spacious.

Bass

Bass on the FH11 has a tighter slam along with a faster dynamic response. Sub-bass extension is also better on the FH11 along with an airer bass. Details and clarity on Lily are better here but only slightly.

Soundstage in the FH11 is wider but the height is actually quite similar. Headroom that the FH11 possesses is bigger.

Synergy

FiiO M17

The king of DAP of FiiO, the M17 and they are packed with great driving power along with all the current high end features. It is a source that boasts a powerful output along with a decent sound for their price and it is great to test the scalability of a product.

The M17 is to give a cleaner, clearer bass response with an increase in their clarity and details. Impact is tighter and they add a little more air making them more spacious. Sub-bass remains the same amount but they have a deeper extension along with a cleaner rumble.

Midrange seems to be clearer and slightly less recessed than usual with the same lush sound. Details and clarity has increased slightly and they have better resolution along with better transparency. Vocals sounded more upfront and spacious.

High range sounds more natural and they have some air added to their sound. Details and clarity remain the same but their metallic timbre has almost disappeared. Sparkle is better with more crispness added and they sound smoother overall.

Soundstage has improved with an improved height and a slight increase in headroom.

Overall, the FH11 really improved with a higher quality source but doesn’t really scale up significantly with the added power.

Hiby FC6

The latest R2R flagship offering from Hiby, the FC6 dongle, is their top dongle that has been receiving praises all around the community for their organic sound. They are equipped with their signature R2R architecture named Darwin in miniature sized body and they have a very organic sound that is slightly warm.

Bass has a leaner approach with a flatter signature and they actually toned down the bass impact a little making them less aggressive but more natural. Details and clarity remain mostly the same as well as the resolution but they do sound better textured with a better extension. Sub-bass sounds deeper and has a more controlled rumble.

Midrange sounded clearer with better resolution and forwardness. Mids remain clean and warm with a more analogue sound that makes vocals more intimate. Details seem to be the same on their macro region but the micro details seem a little better. Transparency is also more revealing in a small margin.

Highs are airier with a more natural tone and possess a crisper, more organic sound. Details and clarity is better and their metallic timbre has almost disappeared here.

Soundstage has a better width and height but only in a small margin along with a same sized headroom.

Who Is It For?

For those who love a V shaped signature with decent technicalities without breaking the bank? The FH11 is a good pick. They have a solid build quality that is robust and designed very well suitable for daily usage. Those who want better details typical of a balanced armature with a dynamic type bass will find the FH11 a solid choice. Their recessed mids might not be a good choice for vocals and rock, but they are suitable for instrumentals, pop and EDM as they possess a fun, energetic sound. They are also suited for those who want a middle ground for an inoffensive but still quite aggressive signature.

Final words

FiiO has been on a roll with this design as I do find the conch design practical in terms of their sound and design as they are comfortable as well as giving a deep bass response with an added clarity of a balanced armature. They are indeed a welcomed hybrid IEM in this price range and showcasing their talents in producing high quality IEM at a lower price point. Though I would prefer the more natural, coherent signature of the FD11, the FH11 is a better choice for those who want more bite in the high range and a slightly brighter sound along with the same robust design of the bionic conch. The budget segment is getting really crowded here with great releases coming all around and I believe FiiO will stand out here for their industrious, passionate attitude. Kudos once again.

I would rate this product 4 over 5 stars.

• Good price vs performance
• Beautifully designed with solid build quality
• Comfortable fit
• Good technicalities for the price
• Great overall clarity
• Great immersive bass
• Crisp highs with good sparkle
• Sub-bass extension depth
• Good coherency for a hybrid
• Fun, exciting sound
• Good soundstage
• Inoffensive highs
• Good, practical cable

• Recessed midrange
• Slightly metallic timbre
• Minor bass bleed on bass heavy tracks
• Midrange lack transparency
• Heavy shells
• New 0.78mm pins
• Lack a case/pouch