Why FiiO R7 is Changing the Desktop Audio Game

Compendium updated: September 26th, 2023.

When it comes to achieving the pinnacle of HiFi audio, many of us find ourselves ensnared in a tangle of devices, cables, and a host of compatibility issues. Enter the FiiO R7: a one-stop solution designed to simplify your audio life while not skimping on quality. This versatile desktop system combines a transmitter, decoder, amplifier, streamer, and preamp all into one sleek unit. With an expansive range of inputs and outputs, it's designed to become the nerve center of your audio setup. And if you’re oscillating between headphones and speakers, the R7 has got you covered there too. But don't just take our word for it.

In this blog post, we've scoured the web to gather snippets from the most insightful reviews of the FiiO R7, complete with links for further reading. Our goal is to offer you a centralized resource that distills diverse opinions and technical evaluations, making your decision-making process that much easier. Read on to discover what experts and enthusiasts are saying about this multitasking marvel.

From Passion for Sound’s review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on June 27th, 2023: 

"An absolute beast of a product...as an all-in-one streaming solution it's absolutely fantastic."

From Joshua Valour’s review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on May 17th, 2023: 

"The sound quality, generally speaking, is very, very good...the feature set is magnificent."

From Super Reviews’ review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on March 11th, 2023: 

“It does what it does very well.”

From Zeos’ review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on March 20th, 2023: 

"I really like this thing. It's FiiO K9 levels of good. This sounds as good and has so many extra features."

From SoundNews’ review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on February 19th, 2023: 

“It works flawlessly with Roon…it has all the power you need for headphones…it has an amazing feature set with a small footprint…I’ll honor it with my highest gold award.”

From Headfonia’s review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on May 17th, 2023: 

“It’s no doubt a great device and when you check the price, it’s not too expensive at all for what it does. And at this moment, it would be safe to say that there’s no device in the market that can be compared to this one. Sure, you have incredibly expensive standalone desktop units, but even then, they don’t have this much versatility and freedom. So, I think the new R7 deserves a spot in our DAC/AMP Combo Recommendations.”

From Audio Science Reviews’ review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on August 17th, 2023: 

“Overall this is a very good attempt at innovating in the streamer market and showcasing good software development capabilities. Usage of Android provides a stable and extensible platform which is good.

“I am going to put the FIIO R7 on my recommended list.”

From Major Hifi’s review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on June 7th, 2023: 

“Although I find this an odd device, it operates as you’d expect it to. This is a neat all-in-one player/streamer that gives you all the best qualities that Fiio DAPs normally bring you. It fulfills Fiio’s standard for having a smooth interface that matches its level of sound quality. You also get a ton of input and output options for different source and headphone connections. If you’re in the market for a streamer like this and aren’t willing to spend more than a thousand dollars, then the R7 is a perfect choice.”

From Trusted Reviews’ review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on August 7th, 2023: 

“A fantastically versatile and capable desktop amplifier, the FiiO R7 produces an entertaining, balanced, and musical performance across a range of sources in a compact, space-saving form. A surprise gem of 2023.”

From Headfonics’ review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on February 11th, 2023: 

“The FiiO R7 works exactly like how it is described, not just like a DAC Amp with a screen. With a premium power supply and excellent connectivity, strong expandability, and an intuitive UI, the R7 has excellent performance to suit a wide range of audiophile needs.”

From Stuff’s review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on April 23rd, 2023: 

“More than ‘just’ a network streamer or desktop DAC, the FiiO R7 is a brilliantly flexible player that can handle pretty much any source you care to throw at it, and play it back through almost any pair of headphones regardless of cable or connection.

“The alternatives are all physically larger and cost more. The Android UI would perhaps benefit from a little more out-of-the-box customisation to make the most of the large screen, and we’d love to see a remote included for convenience, but it otherwise leaves you wanting for very little.

“If you’re trying to squeeze a whole lot of audio kit into a very tiny space, the R7 will absolutely get the job done.”

From Home Theater Hifi’s review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on September 13th, 2023: 

“There aren’t a lot of similar products on the market, but I suspect they will be coming. There’s a lot of flexibility here, high-quality audio, support for a wide range of headphones and connectors, and Roon Ready, a big plus for many. The FiiO R7 is well-built and is the kind of audio product many audiophiles will want.”

From Ichos’ review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on May 25th, 2023: 

“The FiiO R7 is not something really new, there are already a handful of similar products, but it is so well designed and implemented that it condemns all competition to obscurity.

“FiiO has made the perfect all-in-one desktop device that embodies a streamer, a DAC, a headphone amplifier and an Android DAP under the same, very compact, chassis that can fit virtually everywhere.

The FiiO R7 is the audiophile’s dream, a swiss army knife that can successfully fulfill various needs, from forming the heart of a desktop audio setup to being your bedside companion and all these with great sound quality too.

“The FiiO R7 is the most innovative and intriguing product FiiO has ever designed, it points the way to the future and makes us wonder about the already announced FiiO R9. Well done FiiO.”

From Android Central’s review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on February 10th, 2023: 

“FiiO's R7 is one of those products that immediately makes sense once you start using it. The versatility on offer is incredible, and the R7 has so many features that takes it beyond most other products in this category. The 5-inch screen is great for browsing the vanilla Android interface, and you get full access to the Play Store. FiiO did a great job with its custom tweaks, and you get a lot of added features that make the R7 an excellent network streamer, including Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Roon integration, a MicroSD slot, and USB-C connectivity. The built-in DAC/amp is great on its own and allows the R7 to deliver a clean sound without any distortion, and overall, this is a truly outstanding product.”

From International Business Times’ review of the FiiO R7 All-in-One, first published on March 27th, 2023: 

“The R7 embodies everything that customers love about FiiO - multifunctionality, premium build quality, and intuitive operations. What's more, during our time spent with the R7, we paired it with multiple headphones and found that it was capable of delivering exceptional sound even with difficult-to-drive planar headphones. Even without testing the R7 with FiiO's own speakers, it has already proven its worth as an all-in-one media player. We are awarding the FiiO R7 with the IBTimes Editor's Pick badge.”

Editor’s note: Emphases ours.