The review sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the FiiO Q11 is $89 and you can buy it from FiiO.eu .
FiiO Q11 technical highlights
The FiiO Q11 is a brand new battery powered, portable USB DAC/amp that is an entry level product positioned below the FiiO Q3-MQA, replacing the now discontinued FiiO Q1 Mark II. The FiiO Q11 is produced by FiiO’s sister company Jade Audio.
Responsible for the audio decoding is one Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chip which supports sampling rates up to 384kHz/32bit and DSD256. The FiiO KA5 uses two of the same DAC chips with a higher sampling rate support and differential signal path but the FiiO Q11 has still a true balanced output with two op-amps for handling the amplification duties. Moreover the internal battery allows for a considerably higher power output which is 650mW/32Ω from the balanced output. The FiiO Q11 uses an analogue potentiometer with ADC sampling and it is powered by a 2600mAh battery which can keep it running for more than 12 hours from the balanced output.
Design and user interface
The FiiO Q11 deviates from the old FiiO Q3 rounded design as it inherits the new cyberpunk appearance of recent models, like the FiiO Q7 and FiiO M17. It has a rectangular shape which is a little bulkier and thicker than the Q3 but still compact enough and lightweight to be stuck with your phone.
A new design highlight is the insert of a square glass window at the center of the unit which allows a view of the internal PCB board and gets illuminated by a hidden LED which changes colors according to the incoming sampling rate. Light blue for 48kHz or below, yellow for everything above 48kHz and green for DSD. You can disable the LED through the FiiO control application.
The main body is made from aluminum with a high quality black finish and excellent craftsmanship. At the upper part of the device there are two gold plated phone plugs, one 4.4mm balanced and one 3.5mm single ended, the volume control – power on/off knob and a gain switch. At the bottom there is a USB type C plug and a reset button. The bass boost function is missing from the Q11, same as the charge on/off button. The FiiO Q11 will charge only from an external power adapter or when it is connected to a PC with the long USB cable while it will run from its own battery when it is connected to a phone with the short USB cable. The FiiO Q11 supports digital SPDIF output through the 3.5mm jack which can be enabled from the FiiO control application.
FiiO control application
The FiiO Q11 is compatible with the FiiO control application which allows for a rather limited configuration. You can enable the SPDIF output, turn the indicator light on or off and select one of the five available low pass filters.
Accessories
The FiiO Q11 is well equipped with one long USB C to A, a shorter USB C to C and one USB C to lighting cables. You also get a silicone strap for attaching the Q11 to your phone and a silicone, anti-slip pad. The new silicone, butterfly shaped, strap allows for a more stable attachment to the phone but it is not very practical, as you can see at the photo, because it is difficult to reach for the volume knob. The classic silicone bands allow for an easier operation of the unit.
Power output and associated gear
The FiiO Q11 might be missing some functions of the Q3 but it makes up with the beefier power output which is as high as 650mW/32Ω from the balanced jack. This means that the Q11 can easily run full sized headphones like the Sennheiser HD660S, the Focal Clear Mg and the iBasso SR3. At the same time the noise floor is very low and without internal hissing, making it the perfect companion for IEMs like the FiiO FH15 and the Penon Vortex that I have mostly used. As per usual practice the FiiO Q11 was left playing music for about 100 hours before listening evaluation.
Listening impressions
Not surprisingly, the overall sound signature of the FiiO Q11 reminds a lot that of the FiiO KA5 but with more low end grunt and impact, better driving force and a touch more spacious soundstage. The frequency response is flat, the sound is balanced, natural, engaging and musical, especially with the NOS filter, while maintaining good transparency and source fidelity.
The Q11 is surprisingly dynamic for the size, the bass is impactful and physically imposing with good control and a rather full bodied texture. The mid-range is quite clean and transparent with plenty of engagement and a smooth nature that extends up to the treble. The Q11 is relaxed and non fatiguing with satisfying clarity and definition for an entry level DAC. The timbre is mostly natural without artificiality, the Q11 has plenty of musicality and sound realism.
The soundstage is wide and spacious, there is surplus of air around the instruments and very satisfying positioning accuracy for the category. The Q11 is slightly better in this regard than the KA5 and provides a very open and grand soundscape making it a great choice for classical music listening.
Compared to the FiiO KA5 ($130)
The Q11 and the KA5 share a lot of common sound characteristics but the former is definitely more impactful and dynamic with a blacker backround but the dual DAC KA5 is a little more resolving and refined than the Q11. The KA5 offers some great finesse and resolution for a tiny dongle that can fit your pocket and the Q11 is a little larger in exchange for some extra thundering bass, raw dynamics, greater driving power and lower noise floor.
Compared to the FiiO Q3 ($150)
The FiiO Q3 is more expensive than the Q11 but it has a dedicated XMOS receiver which offers MQA decoding (for those of you who care), higher rate PCM decoding, bass boost option, charge on/off function, an extra 2.5mm plug and an analog input to use it as a line amplifier (a rather outdated function). It also has dual THX AAA-28 amplifiers but it outputs half the power of the Q11 and a more sophisticated power supply. What it doesn’t have is a SPDIF output and you can’t connect it with the FiiO control application. It is also more lightweight and thinner while it exceeds in battery duration the already excellent Q11.
The Q3 has an even blacker background than the Q11 which allows for deeper and more effortless detail extraction of the music. It is also more refined sounding and can resolve better while it is more textured in the bass, insightful in the mids and airy in the treble with increased over clarity and cleanness throughout the whole frequency range. Where it can’t catch up with the Q11 is in dynamics, sheer physical impact and driving force, the FiiO Q11 is thundering and impactful with effortless flow of raw power. The bass is deeper, tighter and more controlled than in the Q3 albeit less layered and defined. That said, the Q3 is a little better as a whole (minus the extra power) but the FiiO Q11 is really good for the price.
In the end
The FiiO Q11 is a great entry level USB DAC with an embedded battery, which offers excellent sound performance for the category and plenty of power to drive full sized headphones.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2023.
+ Balanced and natural sound signature + Great dynamic range and physical impact + Smooth, musical and lacking in transparency + Extremely powerful for the size + Hiss-free with a black background + Analogue potentiometer + Excellent battery duration + Nice design with a see through frame + Simple to use + Plenty of accessories + Value for money - Not the best in refinement and resolution - Can be bettered in finesse and transparency - Old fashioned form factor requires stacking with your phone - Missing some functions like bass boost and a charge button
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