If you wish to get essentially the most out of your desktop audio — the sound you get out of your pc, different units, audio system, headphones, wi-fi earbuds and extra — an fascinating new jack-of-all-trades device arrived on the final day of February.
That’s when FiiO quietly launched its R7 high-resolution audio participant, streamer and headphone amplifier. It packs loads of performance right into a small bundle you would possibly anticipate to value greater than it does.
FiiO R7 desktop high-resolution transmitter, decoder and headphone amp
FiiO known as the brand new R7 audio gadget a “desktop high-resolution transmitter, decoder and headphone amplifier all-in-one unit.” It additionally referred to it as “the FiiO HiFi desktop expertise model 1.0.”
These descriptions counsel the machine does all of it for a pc setup’s sound as a centerpiece, to and from which a consumer can run different gear, jacking up audio throughout the board.
Tons of inputs, outputs and working modes
The R7 incorporates a vary of inputs and outputs, eight working modes together with AirPlay, 5 acquire ranges for all types of headphones, media streaming supporting numerous hi-res audio codecs, digital music storage, a contact display screen and extra.
The machine works with FiiO headphones and audio system, after all, along with nearly all others. And that can embody the upcoming FiiO SP3 Energetic Loudspeakers, which the corporate has mentioned will launch later this 12 months.
The R7’s characteristic set is fairly wealthy, together with high quality audio {hardware} and broad connectivity.
Hello-res {hardware}, broad connectivity
Photograph: FiiO
On the {hardware} facet, it consists of ESS Sabre ES9068AS digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and the THX-788+ desktop amplification chipset for hi-res audio playback as much as 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512 information.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset helps a variety of codecs for wi-fi play: AAC and SBC for Apple and different units, and aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC for high-res audio primarily by way of Android units.
For connectivity, the R7 gives a bunch of bodily and wi-fi choices. It sports activities USB ports, optical and coaxial inputs in addition to optical, coax, line degree and balanced XLR outputs. It consists of help for two.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, AirPlay and Bluetooth 5.0.
Smallish storage (however expandable by microSD)
The 64GB of storage onboard won’t reduce it in case you have a big library of hi-res music information, which take up extra space than your primary MP3. However the machine permits large growth of storage by microSD playing cards as much as 2TB.
Assist for Android 10 permits entry to streaming apps by the Google Play Retailer. These embody Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and Tidal.
I don’t see the R7 on Amazon but, however it’ll in all probability be a part of different FiiO merchandise there quickly. Its $700 price ticket would possibly look like so much, however for all its performance, it may value extra. And loads of self-styled audiophiles would in all probability pay it.
The R7 tries to do so much, however does it do it all nicely, or simply some issues? I’ll have an interest to see what reviewers consider it.
Worth: $699.99
The place to purchase: AliExpress.com
