Who doesn’t remember them: those classic Walkman headphones with the bright orange foam pads? FiiO brings them back with the EH11.
Admittedly, the new FiiO EH11 looks delightfully retro and fits perfectly alongside the brand’s range of portable cassette players. But despite its unmistakable eighties appearance, the technology under the hood is thoroughly modern. We’re talking about a wireless Bluetooth headphone. It’s a semi-open design, featuring ventilation slots and damping filters intended to avoid the “pressure” feeling associated with many modern headphones. At the same time, the manufacturer claims that sound leakage to the outside is kept to a minimum. That said, back in the 1980s we were all quite used to the familiar ts-tik-tik-tik-tsjing sounds spilling out everywhere anyway.
Internally, the FiiO EH11 is equipped with a 40 mm long-throw driver, designed to deliver a “controlled, energetic bass.” Of particular interest is Bluetooth support for the LDAC codec, enabling audio quality of up to 32-bit / 96 kHz (@990 kbps), provided the source device supports LDAC as well. Hands-free calling is also possible thanks to a built-in microphone. On a full charge, the internal battery delivers up to 30 hours of playback time.
The price of the EH11 is extremely friendly: €33, and it even comes with easily replaceable ear pads in two different colors.