Sound Impressions
Bass
The designers have said that this model has a fast bass response, but what they didn’t tell you is that it also has an excellent bass response in general.
I went a little crazy and dropped a massive +5dB on the bass side of a standard EQ in HiBy’s music app + the standard fair that I use in the MSEB function, which is more about tonal control for me.
Yet, I have bass and low-end tone types jacked up, probably too much and the FD11 handled it without going warped or bloated in presentation.
Now that is some serious bass control and proves the robustness of the drivers they used and how the quality in the market is going to shift soon toward some spectacular flagships that use an even higher grade of this new design type.
If this low-cost model can sound that nice on bass quantity and control when really dialed up, then the audio gods are the only ones who know what our future will bring.
In stock form, the experience is lacking bass quantity but the fidelity factor is excellent, rivaling the pureness factor of the recently reviewed SIMGOT EA500.
Without any EQ, the experience is leaning heavily toward treble and lacking bass, uneven. And it requires a massive +10db bass added for me to consider it a balanced-sounding presentation.
Mids
The FD11 is neither forward, nor recessed. It presents vocals and midrange in a “middle” ground physical area for the listener. Interestingly, the tonality of the entire mid-spectrum is satisfyingly dense and bulky, feeling hefty and solid.
Now, I do not want to get stuck on pricing stigma, but generally, very cheap products don’t sound that nice and thick. They generally sound frail, thin, washed out, or lacking a nice, tangible substance factor.
Such is not the case with the FD11. It portrays a solid framework for the bass and midrange, although that changes when you get to the upper mids area and into the treble, which tends to sound a bit strangely cut off from the heft of the lower portions of the spectrum.
That is not a terrible quality, it is just that the upper mids start to taper off a bit and lose the nice density factor, appearing to feel lighter and more aired out, brighter.
The fidelity factor is audibly on par with the SIMGOT EA500, which sells for closer to $79. So yes, the FD11 punches higher than its price tag and can roll with the just under $100 crowd. If you told me this is a sub-$50 IEM, I’d never believe you.
Treble
The top side of this IEM is bright, vivid, and plentiful. Oddly, it is much brighter than the lower mids and there is a solid cut-off point in the upper mids that blends into the treble area, usually.
In this case, it’s more like a knife slicing butter and then suddenly, the treble. It’s plenty clean and not at all a lower fidelity. What is there is nice, enjoyable, and vivid at times.
Quantity factor aside, the fidelity factor and tone are both scoring high on the price-to-performance ratio. I consider the FD11 to house on par quality with the SIMGOT, as well as the JD7.
Side by side with the 7Hz Legato, the FiiO FD11 houses much more treble. While it feels what I would call “leaning” to the treble side on a stock flat EQ, with some extra bass boosting, the FD11 performs admirably.
The 7Hz is a bit more expensive, at just over $100 now, which boggles my mind because even when the FD11 is bass boosted, the fidelity factor is well into the comparable window. Yes, the 7Hz is a bit cleaner, so it’s also 3x the price and then some in some places.
Imaging
The plentiful amount of air in the treble region of this model makes the experience feel lighter, more aired out, and spacious, but that comes at a cost of some treble brightness.
I would rate the imaging and sound staging properties of this model as shocking good when the price is in mind. Similarly, to the FiiO JD7, imaging is now swinging toward “good” in the FiiO world of budget tiers.
It isn’t going to win awards, but as a first-time audiophile steppingstone for gifts, this is the best IEM out there that I can think of that is a great all arounder and that can be boosted with bass, dialed down a bit on treble, but also that offers a nice and spacious feel.
Gateway models like this, so to speak, are usually best-buy items on the market. In my opinion, the FD11 is one of the better cheap models out there for imaging needs.
If I had to gripe, the depth of field feels a little flat in comparison to the left and right-sizing of the image. Staging left and right is spacious and open feeling. Stage-depth is just good, but that is still comparable to the IEMs I’ve mentioned already which are more than double the price.
Select Comparisons
FiiO JD7
These two products share a similar tone and texture, overall. They are both in the budget tier, but I enjoy the FD11 more due to its stronger bass potential when EQ’ed properly.
Both sets house a similar bright treble that makes the imaging feel nice and aired out, however, I get a much worse fit on the FD11 no matter what tips I use. Swapping those same tips to the JD7 grants me a much better fit.
SIMGOT EA500
The EA500 is not capable of the amount of bass the FD11 can achieve with a lot of bass boosting. The FD11 can get you a bit more quantity and in all honesty, the fidelity factor is still relatively comparable between them.
The FD11 also sounds comparable to its plentiful aired-out treble, compared to the EA500. The Simgot has much, much more treble, and sounds much harsher, much more hostile, and fatiguing.
7Hz Legato
The shells of both models are both supremely slick and slippery, I cannot achieve a proper fit for more than a few moments on either of them. However, the 7Hz has a much woolier appeal to the mids and bass, whereas the FD11 offers a more clinical tone that is purer overall.
The Legato lacks treble styling but the FD11 has plenty of it to spare, both sound fatigue-free, but the FD11 can get a little tizzy now and then if the track is severely poorly recorded and has a lot of peaky treble.
Our Verdict
The FiiO FD11 is a hit, this is likely going to be one of the most significant budget IEM sellers of the summer due to its crazy-low price.
While musicality enthusiasts like me are not going to gravitate toward it, this set is still a great “beater” option to toss in your bag and travel with. It offers a great sense of top end without going too far and the imaging prowess is generally nice, without anything overly lacking.
It is also supremely efficient, grabbing “the most” efficient IEM I currently have on hand to even test with. If you like a more clinical tone for a great price, this is your new go-to.
FiiO FD11 Technical Specifications
- Drivers: proprietary 10mm dynamic driver with carbon fiber diaphragm.
- Socket: 2-pin 0.78mm.
- Cable: OFC copper braided.
- Shell: die-cast zinc aluminum alloy.
- Frequency Response: 20Hz- 20kHz.
- Sensitivity: 111dB.
