Disclosure: I’d like to thank FiiO for providing me with the EH11 for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and FiiO had no say or input on the contents of this review.

The FiiO EH11 is one of the more interesting budget Bluetooth headphones I’ve seen recently, mostly because it combines a retro aesthetic with modern technology in a completely intentional way. The EH11 features wooden rotary controls, LDAC support, replaceable foam earpads, and a semi-open, on-ear design.

It also has the kind of 1980s portable headphone vibe that immediately makes it stand out from almost everything else in the Bluetooth headphone market. The EH11 uses a 40mm dynamic driver with a high-damping composite diaphragm, supports LDAC over Bluetooth, and works with the FiiO Control app for sound profiles and tuning options.

All of that makes the EH11 feel less like a disposable fashion headphone and more like FiiO is trying to bring some of its audio-focused expertise into a very affordable wireless headphone.

So, is the FiiO EH11 just a fun-looking budget Bluetooth headphone, or does it bring legit sound quality with those looks? Let’s get into the review and find out.

• FiiO EH11
• Two extra foam earpads
• USB-A to USB-C charging cable
• Manual

The accessory package is basic, but expected for a headphone at this price. The second pair of foam earpads is a nice touch, especially because foam pads are usually the first item to wear out on lightweight on-ear headphones. I would have liked to see a basic carrying pouch included, mostly because the EH11 feels like the kind of headphone you would throw into a bag.

The design is easily the reason most people will notice the FiiO EH11, as it does not look like a modern plastic ANC headphone. Instead, it looks like a wireless version of a classic portable on-ear headphone from the Walkman era. The EH11 comes in several colors, but I have the transparent version for this review.

The wooden knobs are arguably the most distinctive part of the design, and they also serve a functional purpose as rotary controls, so you can rotate the knobs to adjust volume (right earcup knob) and skip tracks (left earcup knob). That is much more satisfying than the tiny multifunction buttons often found on budget Bluetooth headphones, and it gives the EH11 a more tactile personality than most products in this category. There’s also a small button on the right earcup that is used for powering on and off, playing/pausing music, and pairing.

The EH11 is also extremely light at about 92 grams, which makes a huge difference in comfort. There is very little pressure on the top of your head, and the headphones almost disappear once you get used to the on-ear fit. The caveat here is that you need to be comfortable with how on-ear headphones feel, and typically, I am not a fan of this design.

For me, the lightweight design is the biggest comfort advantage. There is not much clamp force, so the headphone does not feel heavy, and it is easy to wear casually while working or while walking.

The semi-open design also means this is not the headphone I would choose for loud public transit, flights, or noisy environments. There is no active noise cancellation, and passive isolation is limited. That is not really the point of this product, though. The EH11 is more of a lightweight casual listening headphone than a travel ANC headphone.

The EH11 works with the FiiO Control app. The app includes built-in sound profiles such as pop, classical, jazz, and rock, etc. It also allows you to enable/disable specific codec support and change the volume of the voice prompts. You also get access to a parametric EQ, which is essentially unheard of for a headphone at this price.

The FiiO EH11 supports Bluetooth 6.0 and includes LDAC, AAC, and SBC codec support. The inclusion of LDAC is one of the biggest surprises here because many budget Bluetooth headphones still opt for basic codec support. Of course, you need a source device that actually supports LDAC. On most Android phones and many digital audio players, that won’t be an issue. On Apple devices, you will be limited to AAC.

The EH11 also supports dual-device connection (multipoint). It works well, and I had no issues when having the EH11 paired and connected to multiple devices. The range and stability of the Bluetooth connection also fall in line with what you would expect, allowing me to walk 10 meters away from my source device and still maintain a clear connection.

Battery life is good, but the exact number depends heavily on the codec you’re using. FiiO states up to 30 hours of playback, with 16 hours when using LDAC and 27 hours when using AAC. These numbers mostly align with my results. When using LDAC, I was able to get roughly 25 hours

Charging takes about two hours over USB-C, and FiiO notes that the EH11 does not support fast charging.

The 40mm driver gives the FiiO EH11 a fuller sound than its small size suggests. FiiO says it tuned the driver to address the low-frequency leakage common with classic on-ear designs, and the semi-open design is meant to reduce the closed-in feeling while preserving some control over sound leakage. The EH11 follows a more refined, Harman-inspired curve with a touch of warmth.

Bass

The bass is one of the biggest surprises. Small on-ear headphones will struggle to create convincing low-end weight because they do not seal around the ear in the same way a closed-back over-ear headphone does. The EH11 still does not hit like a large, sealed headphone, but it has more body and warmth than I was expecting.

Kick drums have decent punch, bass guitars have enough presence to avoid sounding thin, and electronic tracks have a satisfying amount of low-end energy. The bass is not ultra-tight or deeply textured, but it gives the EH11 a fun, easygoing foundation that is enjoyable to listen to.

The semi-open design does limit physical impact, so anyone expecting heavy ANC-headphone-style bass will be left wanting more. But for casual listening, the EH11 has enough low-end fullness to avoid sounding cheap or hollow.

Midrange

The midrange is where the EH11’s tuning sounds most natural. Vocals sit forward enough to remain clear, and the overall presentation has a warm, relaxed character that works well with pop, acoustic music, older rock recordings, and even podcasts.

Male vocals have a bit of body, while female vocals generally come through with enough clarity without becoming too sharp. This is not a highly resolving headphone, but it avoids overly scooping midrange that would make it sound artificial.

Instrument separation is also better than expected. The EH11 does not pull apart complex recordings like a higher-end wired headphone, but it has a pleasant sense of space that makes it feel open enough.

Treble

The treble is fairly safe overall. There is enough presence to keep it from sounding dull, but it doesn’t come across as aggressively bright. Cymbals and higher percussion instruments have some definition, and higher register vocal clarity is generally good.

The limitation is the refinement. On busier tracks, the upper treble can lose some cleanliness, and the headphone does not have the smoothness or air of more expensive audiophile headphones. But that is expected at this level. What matters more is that the EH11 does not sound harsh in normal listening. It is tuned more for easy enjoyment than neutrality, and that suits the design perfectly well in my opinion.

Soundstage and Imaging

The EH11’s semi-open design helps it sound less boxed-in than most tiny on-ear Bluetooth headphones. The soundstage is not huge, but it has a more open and expansive presentation than I expected. FiiO specifically points to the ventilation ports and damping filters as part of the design, with the goal of creating a more open soundstage and more natural mid-to-high frequencies, and I think these are working as intended. Imaging is decent for casual music listening and video content.

Detail retrieval is solid for the price. LDAC helps when paired with the right source, but the driver and physical design are still the bigger limiting factors.

The EH11 includes a built-in microphone and supports Bluetooth calling. FiiO also mentions voice capture and environmental noise reduction in the context of gaming communication, but this is still a small built-in microphone, not a dedicated boom mic.

For basic phone calls, video chats, and voice messages, it’s very usable. Voices come through clearly enough in quiet environments with little to no background noise. With wind, traffic, and construction noise, the microphone is not very usable and should be treated as an afterthought, not a feature. For the price and intended use case, I’m perfectly fine with this.

The FiiO EH11 is not a Bluetooth headphone for everyone. The aesthetic and on-ear nature will certainly be make-or-break items for some people. The EH11 is small, light, semi-open, and very intentionally retro. It is meant for casual wireless listening while adding some fun. Within this context, the EH11 is genuinely compelling.

The biggest compliment I can give the EH11 is that it does not feel generic. FiiO could have made another forgettable low-cost Bluetooth headphone, but instead, it made something with a clear identity. It is stylish, simple, mostly comfortable, and more capable than its retro appearance suggests. For anyone looking for an affordable, lightweight Bluetooth headphone with a bit of personality, the FiiO EH11 is a fun and easy recommendation to make.

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