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There are few things that everyone in the world can agree with, and one of them is the fact that being an audiophile is EXPENSIVE! Getting great audio is a multi-step chain, and each link is made of gold. However, there are companies like FiiO that grant high-quality audio equipment to the price-conscious folks among us. The company just released the FiiO SR11. This is an audio streamer that will only set you back $99.
This sounds too good to be true, but most quality affordable devices do. The fact of the matter is that becoming an audiophile requires owning several devices to perform one task. It’s a scary thing to get into, so devices like these that bring power down to a palatable price are well appreciated.
What is the FiiO SR11?
If you’re used to plugging your headphones into your computer and listening to music that way, you might want to look into getting a streamer if you want the best audio quality. The thing is that your computer introduces a lot of noise into the audio signal.
This is where dedicated audio streamers come in. They help get rid of that noise. The FiiO SR11 is designed to intercept the lossless audio signal from a streaming service and output that signal to a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter). Since it’s such an affordable device, there were some compromises that needed to be made, so this device does not include a built-in DAC.
In any case, it’s still a heck of a bargain. It has a premium aluminum alloy body that protects the internals. While it’s affordable, it’s still well-built.
Along with that, there are several output options for you that make it compatible with most audio setups. The SR11 can output to USB-A, USB-C, coaxial, and optical. If you have a DAC that takes those as inputs, then you’re good to go.
Speaking of inputs, the FiiO SR11 uses Wi-Fi to receive audio. However, if you want an even faster connection, then you’ll be able to connect an Ethernet cable.
All of these input/output options come in a svelte and lightweight package. This makes the SR11 perfect for most audio setups.
Connectivity
There’s no point in having an audio streamer if it can’t integrate with any services. This device is compatible with Tidal, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. All of these services offer lossless streaming. The SR11 will transfer the lossless audio directly to the DAC with bit-perfect quality. There’s a chance that your computer or phone will compress the audio before transferring it to your headphones. That’s the case with Android.
You can pair this device with your Android phone, iPhone, or computer to control your audio. Also, it comes with a remote for added control.
On the front of the device, there’s a convenient LCD monitor. It lets you know the sample rate of the music you’re streaming. This way, you can keep track of which songs give you the best audio quality. Along with that, it’s compatible with Apple Airplay and it’s Roon Ready out of the box.
Specs
Moving onto the specs, the FiiO SR11 supports 1000Mbps Ethernet and it’s compatible with 2.4GHz + 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi. When it comes to outputs, it supports up to 768kHz/32-bit audio, DSD256.
Such a powerful and capable device should cost more than $99. It comes with several amazing features, a premium design, and many output methods. If you’re looking to start your audiophile journey, there’s no better first step than the FiiO SR11.