R7 R2R

The FiiO R7 R2R is an all-in-one desktop music player, streamer, DAC and headphone amplifier, now built around FiiO’s own 24-bit R2R DAC. If you’d rather have one well-designed box on your desk than a stack of separates and a tangle of cables, it’s a very appealing way to do it.

It can sit at the heart of a compact system too, feeding powered speakers, a power amplifier or a wider hi-fi setup. That flexibility is what I like most about it.

FiiO’s fully differential R2R DAC

Instead of a conventional DAC chip, the R7 R2R uses a fully differential, complementary 24-bit resistor-ladder DAC designed by FiiO. Its four channels use 192 precision thin-film resistors with 0.1% tolerance and low temperature drift. The aim is the natural, smooth presentation R2R is known for, without giving up accuracy.

As always, the parts list is the start of the conversation rather than the end of it. If you’re curious how R2R compares with the delta-sigma players and DACs you’ve heard, that’s well worth talking through.

Android 13 for streaming and your library

A customised Android 13 system runs on Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 680 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, so streaming apps and large local libraries run comfortably. The 5.5-inch portrait touchscreen works alongside physical rotary controls, and there’s dual-band Wi-Fi plus gigabit Ethernet for a stable network connection.

Nine modes in one box

Switch between Android, Pure Music, AirPlay, USB DAC, Roon Ready, Bluetooth receiver, line input, coaxial and optical modes. As a USB DAC, its XMOS XU316 interface plays PCM up to 768kHz/32-bit and DSD512 from a computer, tablet or phone. The FiiO Control app adds remote control and screen mirroring.

FiiO’s DAPS processing pairs an FPGA with two femtosecond oscillators. It gives you a global 10-band PEQ with Auto EQ, lossless playback without sample-rate conversion, and a low-jitter digital output, so the R7 R2R can also serve as a dedicated digital transport.

Power for any headphone

There are three headphone outputs on the front: 6.35mm, 4.4mm balanced and 4-pin XLR balanced. Five gain levels cover everything from sensitive IEMs to demanding full-size headphones, with up to 3,700mW into 32Ω from the balanced outputs in the highest setting. The fully differential analogue stage uses Burr-Brown op-amps and Rubycon capacitors.

Connections for your whole system

Round the back you’ll find RCA line out, RCA line in, 3-pin XLR balanced line out, coaxial and optical inputs and outputs, gigabit Ethernet, a USB host port, USB-C, a dedicated USB DAC input and an SD card slot. Four output modes let you set it up for headphones, powered speakers, an external amplifier or all of the above.

Power comes from a built-in 30W supply, and a rear switch lets you use an external 12V/3A DC supply instead, such as FiiO’s PL50, if you want to experiment.

Good to know

RGB lighting rings the two front knobs, and two desktop stands, angled and flat, let you choose the viewing angle. A dust plug protects the headphone sockets if you mainly use speakers. If you’d like R2R sound on the move as well, the M25 R2R is FiiO’s portable R2R player.

FiiO R7 R2R at a glance

• Type: desktop music player, streamer, DAC and headphone amplifier
• DAC: FiiO 24-bit R2R, fully differential (192 × 0.1% thin-film resistors)
• Processing: FiiO DAPS (FPGA with two femtosecond oscillators), 10-band PEQ and Auto EQ
• System: Android 13, Snapdragon 680, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage
• Screen: 5.5-inch HD touchscreen
• Headphone outputs: 6.35mm, 4.4mm balanced, 4-pin XLR balanced
• Output power: up to 3,700mW at 32Ω (balanced, highest gain)
• Line and digital outputs: RCA, 3-pin XLR balanced, coaxial, optical
• Inputs: USB DAC (PCM 768kHz/32-bit, DSD512), RCA line, coaxial, optical, SD card, USB host
• Network: dual-band Wi-Fi, gigabit Ethernet, AirPlay, Roon Ready, Bluetooth receiver
• Power: built-in 30W supply or external 12V/3A DC
• In the box: AC power cable, USB cable, 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter, angled and flat stands, spare fuse, dust plug
• Colours: White, Black

Talk to Audio Concierge

If you’re weighing up the R7 R2R against a separate streamer, DAC and amp, or you’d like to know how it will fit with the rest of your system, get in touch. Tell me what you listen to and what you listen with. No jargon. Just good advice.