There was a time when digital audio players are the size of flash drive with no display. Then it got a little bigger to incorporate a small display, and gradually it became large enough to fit a smartphone-sized display running on Android OS to operate the player. As the portable audio players become more high-end, the devices get thicker to fit in more premium components. It comes to a point where it makes sense to build a desktop unit with better internals and include additional connectivity options to make it more versatile.
And that’s how the R7 came about, in my words.
FiiO R7: Design and Operations
The FiiO R7 operates over a 5-inch 1280×720 display running on stock Android 10 with internal 64GB storage. With it, you can install any Android apps just like a smartphone. But if you find the Android UI a hassle to navigate, you can toggle to other operating modes by press-hold the power button:
- Pure Music Mode: loads the FiiO Music without the Android home screen
- USB DAC Mode: turns the R7 into an oversized DAC to your connected computer, bypassing internal storage. Supports 32-bit up to 384kHz resolution
- Bluetooth Receiver Mode: connect a smartphone or player via Bluetooth to the R7 to stream audio wirelessly and make use of the R7 amplifier
- AirPlay Receiver Mode: connect to an AirPlay device to stream audio
- Roon Ready Modee: connect to Roon devices to stream audio
- COAX Mode: stream audio connected via coaxial-in cable
- OPT Mode: stream audio connected via optical-in cable
The FiiO R7 supports the following connections:
- 4-pin XLR balanced headphone out
- 4.4mm balanced headphone out
- 6.35mm single-ended (unbalanced) headphone out
- XLR balanced line out (2-channel)
- 2x RCA line out
- Optical In and Out
- Coaxial In and Out
- SD card slot supporting up to 2TB
- USB Type-C port for DAC and host functions including Display Out
- USB Type-A host interface for hubs, storage, keyboard
- 100M Ethernet port for wired connection to data network
- WiFi dualband 2.4/5GHz
- Bluetooth transmitter and receiver, supporting LHDC, LDAC, aptX HD, aptX, AAC and SBC
The USB-C port is the gateway to multiple functions, including mirroring the display to an external monitor. You notice that there are several digital input connections but lacks analog inputs, which is a pity as I am not able to connect my turntable to the R7.
Next to the display are 2 round knobs. The first one is a volume knob that can be pressed to manage power and toggle operation modes. The second knob lets you switch among the various outputs. The colour denotes the sampling rate indicator for direct stream and Bluetooth codec for wireless.
- PO: short for “Phone Out”, this selector enables all the front ports
- LO: short for “Line Out”, this selector enables all the rear ports but volume is maxed
- PRE OUT: this selector enables all the rear ports but volume is adjustible
- PO+PRE OUT: this selector enables all front and rear outputs
It is interesting to note that the FiiO R7 supports both 30W AC and 36W DC power, but the retail package only some with the AC cable. It appears the DC feature is design to pair with the FiiO PL50 linear power supply, and FiiO understands that some purists believe DC power ensures reduced noise, even though the R7’s AC circuit employs filtration and purification with large capacity choke, dedicated high-voltage capacitors and ultra-low noise LDO (low dropout) voltage regulators to feed the entire system with stable clean power. It’s also this power supply design that the R7 can drive up to 3.6W headphone output with 5 gain levels, capable of driving headphones with varying impedance up to 300 ohms.
FiiO R7: Audio Impressions
To deliver audiophile-grade sound, the FiiO R7 uses the ES9068AS DAC with THX AAA 788+ headphone amplifiers, decoding up to 32-bit 768kHz DSD512 sampling rate, supporting 8x MQA decoding. For Bluetooth, it supports LHDC, LDAC, aptX HD and AAC.
The audio performance of the R7 is powerful, refined, neutral, precise. The musical details are presented with fine granularity, the amplification is clean and does not show signs of constraint, only limited by the headphones. I do not feel the sound has any unnecessary colour, which is good, and if the listener demands, the R7 supports EQ adjustments in either parametric mode or graphic. Comparing to the Creative Sound Blaster X5., the R7 delivers a fuller sound, the mids have more weight, while the X5 gives the impression of a more clearer and articulated output. But when I bring in the A&ultima SP3000, the quality elevates even further with an even more expansive tone, capturing the warmth and the clarity for each instruments without brittle.
FiiO R7: User Experience
The R7 occupies a small footprint and is rather easy to move around. The screen it is a little bit harder to operate because the display is fixed vertically. There is an angled base supplied to tilt the R7 unit, and you would have to place the R7 within arms length so that you can operate the UI. A universal remote controller is apparently in the works to control playback from a distance. There are three additional touch sensors below the display to control playback, but I would prefer hardware buttons that are perhaps positioned at the top of the R7. Even manufacturers like Sony and Astell&Kern understand the need to provide hardware buttons on their DAPs.
Other than using the R7 like a DAP, the other operating modes are easy to switch to, essentially turning the the R7 into an desktop amplifier. But why get a chunky Android player when you can get a portable battery version? I would say it’s the amp power. The R7 drives headphones easily using either AC or DC power of your choice. And why not just a headphone mini rack amp instead? Well, the headphone amp needs an input source like a DAP or a smartphone. So if you are shopping for a DAP and a headphone amp with multiple outputs, then you can consider the all-in-one R7. Running on Android means you can simply install your preferred streaming app to enjoy music stored from anywhere.
Verdict
The FiiO R7 is an integrated audio product that should provide a feasible solution to audio enthusiasts who are mostly rooted to their computer table. You can see the photos from their official website that the R7 sits nicely next to your desktop monitor, network storage server, a matching pair of speakers, and of course, your favourite audiophile headphones. Instead of buying multiple components with many connecting cables, a single compact unit offers a high-resolution audio transmitter, decoder, headphone amplifier, and even an Android operating system running hundreds of applications. There is no oversell here: some consumers might prefer to buy multiple components for upgradability, but for those “lazy” shoppers, the FiiO R7 throws all the best components at just S$1099, which is quite good value for money, considering many high-end DAP costs about the same price.
FiiO products are distributed in Singapore by AV One.
