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Fiio
Fiio has taken the wraps off three new devices at CES 2025 and they cover the gamut. There’s an ultra-affordable portable player, a powerful headphone amp/DAC/streamer combo, and the company’s first full-size network music streamer that boasts a huge 7.8-inch touchscreen display. All three will be available in late January.
FiiO S15, $1,000
FiioThis is Fiio’s first full-size streamer, and the company is making great use of the S15’s size with the inclusion of a huge 7.8-inch touchscreen that nearly takes over the entire front panel. It displays Fiio OS, which is based on Android 12, and you can use it to control and see the streamer’s many options.
Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 (4GB RAM/64GB ROM), the Roon Ready system uses an AK4191+AK4499EX DAC combo and can be loaded with onboard storage thanks to its M.2 hard drive slot and cage. Fiio says it includes the company’s own DAPS (digital audio purification system), which is based around a custom Android audio core and a low-jitter clock coprocessor. Apparently, it works at a system and application level and can match sampling rates of PCM and DSD music.
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It’s bursting with both wired and wireless connections including:
- Coaxial in: up to 192kHz/24bit
- Coaxial out: up to 384kHz/24bit; DSD128 (D2P/DOP)
- Optical in: up to 96kHz/24bit
- Optical out: up to 192kHz/24bit
- HDMI in: up to 192kHz/24bit
- HDMI out: up to 192kHz/24bit
- Bluetooth transmission: AAC/SBC/aptX/aptX HD/LDAC/LHDC
- Bluetooth reception: SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX-LL/aptX-HD/aptX-Adaptive/LDAC
Local playback is compatible with up to 384kHz/32bit PCM and DSD256 (native), while the USB DAC can process up to 768kHz/32bit PCM and DSD512 (native). The same specs are available in USB Audio mode.
FiiO K17, $900
FiioTechnically, the FiiO K17 is a headphone amplifier, with 4000mW-per-channel of power and front-facing outputs for a variety of headphone connections. However, it’s also a capable streamer. The 3.93-inch touchscreen displays slick-looking VU meters by default, but streaming, Bluetooth and local USB playback can also be accessed.
You get the same AKM flagship DAC chips (AK4191 + AK4499EX) as the S15, and plenty of digital and analog inputs and outputs, including an RCA-in for use with a turntable. It ships with a remote control, but you can also use the FiiO Connect app for customization of all settings and touchscreen images. Want to use it as a full system? Just add powered speakers.
More specs:
- Global 31-band professional-grade high-precision lossless PEQ
- Fully discrete AB-class transistor amplification circuit
- Three ultra-low phase noise femtosecond oscillators
- Fully balanced audio architecture
- 35 watt low-noise, low-frequency linear power supply
- 3.93-inch LCD touchscreen
- Dual-band 2.4G/5G WiFi + 1000M Ethernet port
FiiO JM21, $149
FiioWe’ve seen a lot of folks feeling nostalgic for their iPod days, which means the Fiio JM21 might be the right device at the right time. At just $149, this Android 13 portable music player has an ultrathin (13mm) design, and boasts a claimed 12 hours of battery life.
With dual CS43198 DACs, 3GB RAM, and 32GB of expandable storage (up to 2TB via MicroSD), it can store and play far more music than any iPod model could. It also has dual headphone outputs: 3.5mm unbalanced and 4.4mm balanced.
Fiio hasn’t released the full specs yet, so we’re not sure about things like Bluetooth support or whether it can play DSD files natively, but here’s what we do know in terms of specs:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 680
- Amp: SGM8262
- Dimensions: 120.7 x 68 x 13mm
- Display: 4.7-inch (750×1334) bezel-less display
- Android 13
- Wi-Fi 2.4GHz/5GHz, supports DLNA, AirPlay, Wi-Fi song transfer
Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…
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