The FiiO RR11 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 RR11 is $59.99 and you can buy it from here.
FiiO RR11
While we live in the age of digital streaming, FM radio remains a beloved and trusted companion that never lost its appeal. It’s the only music source that truly connects with listeners, keeping them company like a good old friend throughout the day and into the late hours of the night.
FiiO seems to be well aware of that and this is why they have released the RR11, a portable FM radio that lets you enjoy your favorite stations through your earphones. And in the rare case that you don’t own any earphones there is no need to worry because the package includes a set of earbuds.
Technical features
FM radio technology belongs to the stone age but while FiiO might not have reinvented the wheel with the RR11, they have made sure to equip it with a bunch of useful and innovative features.
A cutting-edge Silicon Labs Si4831 FM radio chip allows for clearer and more stable reception, and also to receive a wider range of stations. Moreover the headphone cable antenna is combined with a built-in high performance PCB signal gain antenna which significantly enhances its radio reception abilities.
FiiO has also equipped the RR11 with a custom-made DDB AS100 chip that handles headphone amplification and sound effect processing. This special chip allows the FiiO RR11 to work as an analog headphone amplifier when connected to your phone’s USB type-C output through the included cable. A nice feature that adds analog 3.5mm connectivity to phones that don’t have one and also lets you take advantage of the RR11’s onboard sound effects.
Battery duration
FiiO has equipped the RR11 with a 300mAh rechargeable battery that can keep it running for about 8 hours in FM and more than 17 hours in amplifier mode. Not bad numbers while you can also charge and use the device at the same time.
FiiO could have opted to power the unit with a single AAA battery that is easy to carry a spare and replace but this option would have resulted in a bigger housing. Each solution has its own advantages and disadvantages and you can always have a small power bank with you when you are traveling away from AC power sources.
Design and build quality
The FiiO RR11 is a slim and lightweight device that measures 83.2×39.4x13mm and weighs 46g. It is not that bigger or heavier than an ordinary USB DAC dongle, you can carry it in your pocket and forget about it. The minimalistic design is gorgeous, FiiO has managed to effectively combine the classic retro appearance of an analog FM tuner with a touch of a modern twist.
The rectangularly shaped chassis is made from aluminium alloy and is equipped with aluminum rotary wheels and switches. The device is exceptionally well made and the only plastic part is the compartment at the bottom that houses the USB type-C input. Not sure though why this one had to be made from plastic instead of using a full aluminum enclosure. The FiiO RR11 is available in titanium gold, black, silver and red colors.
Layout and operation
The FiiO RR11 is equipped with two scroll wheels and three switches. At the top of the device there is the on/off and volume adjustment wheel that is located next to the 3.5mm output. A side wheel is used to tune to the desired frequency which is displayed at the front panel by the means of an analog slide behind a transparent frame, just like FM tuners of the past.
The RR11 supports frequencies between 64-108MHz that are split into three bands. FM1 87-108MHz is the standard FM band, FM2 76-90MHz is the Japan frequency band and FM3 64-87MHz is used in some countries for School campus stations. The frequency bands are printed at the front panel next to the transparent frame and are selected from the corresponding switch.
Another switch is used to toggle between FM tuner and headphone amplifier modes while the third one enables the sound effects. There are three options, no sound effects, bass boost and bass boost plus 3D surround. The RR11 is also equipped with four LEDs that indicate battery percentage, a LED that lights when the tuner receives a station with a strong signal, plus a sixth LED that goes ON when the tuner receives stereo broadcasts. The LEDs have a retro-inspired orange color that is dim and not annoyingly bright.
Accessories
FiiO was generous enough to include a pair of decent earbuds plus a USB cable for charging and another one to establish an analog connection with a USB type-C port.
FM reception
The FiiO RR11 is a simple, analog FM tuner without a digital PLL synthesizer and an LCD screen. The only thing you have to do is to rotate the tuning wheel till you find your favorite station. This can be quite challenging because the FM band is heavily populated with dozens of broadcasting stations. Just be patient and make gentle moves of the wheel till you find and tune to your favorite station.
The dual antenna system helps a lot to successfully lock into stations with low broadcasting strength. Strong signal stations achieve perfect tuning even when you move around and the sound is free from static noise, radio interference and hissing.
Sound quality
Once you tune into a station, the sonic performance mostly depends on the station itself and to a lesser extent the RR11. Stations that broadcast in high quality, sound exceptionally well with full bodied and impactful bass, melodious and harmonic mid-range, plus clean and energetic treble. You will be surprised to discover how good the FM broadcasts sound through the FiiO RR11, the overall experience is not that different from listening to high resolution material with your favorite DAC while the timbre has that organic and analog-like feeling of the FM radio.
You can also activate the two sound effect modes that mildly boost the mid-bass, without overdoing it, and add an extra sense of spaciousness to the soundstage.
The RR11 is powerful enough for driving sensitive only earphones so be careful to use efficient models for the best results. The included earbuds are good for starters but they lack bass presence and impact so you better use a decent IEM, like the FiiO JH5, in order to get the most out of the RR11.
The headphone amplifier offers decent performance and is a nice feature to have. The sound is not that transparent or precise, the amplifier has the tendency to enhance the bass, add a touch of warmth and some extra coloration. This is a good thing if you ask me, because in most cases the USB analog output of a phone is of low quality, so some targeted sound shaping is rather beneficial and makes things much more enjoyable.
Vs a retro FM tuner
I might have dozens of portable USB DACs but never parted with my trusty SANYO portable FM tuner that is still in pristine condition. As you can see in the following photo, it is slightly bigger than the FiiO RR11 but for a good reason as it includes a small speaker and works with two AAA batteries that last for ages.
I am quite fond of the external speaker and I wish that the RR11 had one but except for that, the RR11 blows away my old SANYO in every other single department. It has much better sound quality, considerably stronger FM reception, it is more compact and built like a tank. The FiiO RR11 is as good as a portable FM tuner can be and I just wish for a future model with an external speaker.
In the end
FM lovers, it is time to rejoice because FiiO has made an ultra portable FM radio with a sound quality that makes justice to the medium and will make you listen to your favorite stations like never before.
Compact, slim and very well made, the FiiO RR11 is going to become your best friend and make you forget about streaming services and the clutter of USB DACs. Just tune to your favorite station and enjoy how good the old analog sound is.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ Excellent FM sound quality
+ Strong and stable FM reception
+ No hissing or radio interference
+ Can work as a headphone amplifier
+ Two sound effects
+ Three FM bands
+ Rechargeable battery with good duration
+ Slim, compact and lightweight
+ Stylish design and excellent build quality
+ Earbuds included in the package
+ Very affordable
- The analog tuner is not as precise as a digital one
- Tuning can be a little challenging with so many stations
- A replaceable AAA battery could be a better option in some use scenarios
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