Recommendations for a digital audio player

[Oggy]

Apologize for reanimating this old thread, but a couple of hours ago, I've decided to terminate the service of my over 12 year old iPod classic. The iPod is still in a good shape and does its job without any problems. But its capacity shrinks from year to year whhile my collection is still growing. So it's time to wave goodbye to my iPod (or Ei-Pott like I used to spell it in german language) and say hello to its successor, a FiiO M11.


Dat Ei

Nice!

[mville]

So it's time to wave goodbye to my iPod (or Ei-Pott like I used to spell it in german language) and say hello to its successor, a FiiO M11.

Very interesting.

Please let us now how you get on with this device (I am looking to replace my 2 x iPod 160GB Classics), my concern being it's paltry 32GB ROM and the cost of large micro-SD cards.

[Dat Ei]

Hey mville,

Please let us now how you get on with this device (I am looking to replace my 2 x iPod 160GB Classics), my concern being it's paltry 32GB ROM and the cost of large micro-SD cards.

I will report on the FiiO M11, when I've made my first experiences. If 32 GB internal RAM (not ROM) is insufficient for you, you might consider the M11 Pro, which has 64 GB. But keep in mind the price of the Pro is even higher (about 200,- Euros higher). Look at the ohter differences if this model is worth the extra money.

The costs of large microSD cards went down the last months. Good and fast microSD cards with 512 GB capacity (like Samsung) are available for 90-100 Euros. Now, during the Black Friday Week and the period of Cyber Monday, you find even lower offerings.

I've decided to go with the M11 for several reasons:

- responsive user interface
- 2 microSD slots with up to 2 TB each
- support of aptX HD
- WIFI with 2.4 and 5 GHz
- good connectivity (i.e. can be remote controlled by mobile phone)
- support of qobuz (as other streaming services)
- support of replay gain (track and album)
- support of gapless
- 13 hour battery life / 1.200 hours stand by
- a lot of reviews with a very, very positiv feedback

Beside all the positive there are cons too. even though this device comes with Android, you can't use googles app store, because this device comes with Android 7 and isn't certified. To compensate this FiiO offers a special FiiO app store. Aside of that you can upload and install any apk file as long as the software is compatible with Android 7 at all.


Dat Ei

[mville]

If 32 GB internal RAM (not ROM) is insufficient for you, you might consider the M11 Pro, which has 64 GB.

The FiiO M11 website is stating 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, 4TB Expanded Storage (2TB micro-SD x 2).

[Dat Ei]

The FiiO M11 website is stating 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, 4TB Expanded Storage (2TB micro-SD x 2).

Ok, I see at the end of the website what you've mentioned. This is BS from my point of view. The 3 GB is RAM for the internal use of the M11. The 32 GB is RAM to store music files (or other files).


Dat Ei

[GaryG45]

Congrats Dat Ei. I hope the M11 works out well for you. I have an iPod Classic 160GB that I should replace. It will be interesting to learn of your experiences with the FiiO M11.

[Dat Ei]

Good morning,

I find it very interesting how many of us are still using the ol' iPod Classic. This is an indicator of the build quality and the functionality of this more than 12 years old device.

My FiiO dealer has offered me a trade-in of 75,- Euros for my iPod, which is a 15 % discount. I've just looked for the invoice of the iPod - I've bought it for 320,- Euros in Octobre 2007. So the actual 75,- Euros trade-in is a residual value of more than 23%. I would be happy if all my investments would be so profitable.


Dat Ei

[vilsen]

The 32 GB is RAM to store music files (or other files).

RAM means Random-Access-Memory, a volatile memory that is emptied at power off, and thus only used by the system.

ROM means Read-Only-Memory but this term has loosened up because of development and misuse of the term.

So the 32 GB isn't RAM, but some kind of flash/NAND/SSD memory that they call ROM.

[Dat Ei]

As you said RAM and ROM are differentiated by the kind of access, noot by their persistence, if the content is volatile or non-volatile. So this kind of definition of RAM and ROM by the audio industry is not correct from my point of view as a computer scientist.


Dat Ei

[mville]

Agreed. The use of the term ROM is not correct, but I understood what they meant i.e. internal storage.

[vilsen]

https://www.headphone.guru/fiio-m11-...-music-player/

Only 25 GB of those 32 GB available to the user, but I would need SD cards anyway.

Dat Ei, while I don't expect you to test every aspect of the player for us, I think there's been discussions on this forum about support for the Style tag and multiple values on portable players. If you happen to use those features yourself, it would be nice to know if the FiiO supports them.

[Dat Ei]

Hey vilsen,

Dat Ei, while I don't expect you to test every aspect of the player for us, I think there's been discussions on this forum about support for the Style tag and multiple values on portable players. If you happen to use those features yourself, it would be nice to know if the FiiO supports them.

I'm the TO of this thread, so I think it´s my duty to give a feedback to the M11 in return to the help of the members.

Here is my requirements list from end of may 2018:

+ Hi Res capable player - yes
+ at least 3.5mm headphone socket -yes, plus 4.4 mm balanced and 2.5 mm balanced
+ BT with aptX HD support - yes
+/- playback time of at least 15 to 20h (with a wired headphone) - 13 h playback time
+ gapless playback - yes
+ at least one microSD slot with a minimum support of 256 GB microSD cards - 2 slots with support of upto 2 TB each
+ UI with a database like functionality - yes
? a good support of ID3 tags (including multivalue tags) - still to test
+ support of ReplayGain - yes
? option to playback "Recently Added" files - still to test
+ price limit: about 500 US$[/Quote] - yes

The M11 supports even WIFI and stremaing with Qobuz, Tidal and services like that. I'm looking forward to the M11.


Dat Ei

[vilsen]

Thanks, looks very promising! (Apart from the price - feature rich portables are expensive!)

[Wayne]

I have just had my broken iPod Classic 160GB repaired by the addition of 512GB Flash memory. I hope to install Rockbox followed by my music files. I will let you know how I get on.

[Wayne]

Rather than attempt the repair myself I sent it away to get the Flash memory and a new battery fitted.

Installing Rockbox wasn't as simple as it had been when I installed it on a little SansDisk player. It had to be carried out in 2 steps/stages. This was because the ipod drive letter changed after installing the Rockbox bootloader. This confuses the Rockbox installer as it doesn't expect this situation. In Rockbox mode it seems that Windows detects 2 drives on the ipod.

So the steps were:
1. Run the Rockbox installer and install the bootloader on the ipod.
2. After the bootloader has been installed and the ipod reboots close down the installer. DO NOT format the drive that windows complains about as this is where the ipod firmware resides*.
3. Launch the installer again, it will complain about the configuration being different but just select the 'new' drive letter for the ipod and complete the Rockbox install.

* If you boot the ipod in normal ipod mode the extra drive doesn't appear to windows.

Hope this helps.