FiiO R9 Flagship Desktop Media Player - Titanium

The FiiO R9 sits at the top of FiiO's desktop range as the company's flagship all-in-one desktop media player, combining a high-resolution network streamer, dual-chip DAC, fully balanced headphone amplifier, and pre-amplifier into a single compact unit. It succeeds the well-regarded R7 and represents FiiO's most ambitious desktop release to date, with wholesale upgrades to every major section of the device.

Dual ES9038PRO DAC Architecture

At the heart of the R9 sit two ESS ES9038PRO DAC chips, each operating in 8-channel mode and connected in parallel for a fully differential, balanced output path. This is the same flagship DAC chipset found in FiiO's M17 digital audio player and delivers a substantial step up in signal-to-noise ratio and channel separation over the single-chip R7. The USB decoding is handled by a 16-core XMOS XU316 processor capable of decoding PCM at up to 32-bit/768kHz, DSD up to 512, and DOP up to 256, ensuring compatibility with virtually all high-resolution digital formats.

THX AAA-788+ Balanced Amplification

The R9 doubles the amplifier section of the R7 by deploying a fully balanced, 8-channel THX AAA-788+ module arranged in a 2x2 parallel array for a four-way balanced architecture. The result is an output of up to 7.3W into 32 ohms from the balanced outputs, making it one of the most powerful integrated desktop streaming units of its size and capable of driving even demanding planar magnetic headphones with ease. Five gain levels accommodate sensitive in-ear monitors through to high-impedance dynamic headphones.

Streaming and Connectivity

The R9 runs Android 10 on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, giving it a familiar smartphone-like interface. It ships with Roon Ready certification and a dedicated app store that provides access to major streaming services including Tidal and Spotify. Connectivity options include dual-band Wi-Fi, a Gigabit LAN port, and Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC support via the dedicated Qualcomm QCC5125 chip. The LAN port allows direct connection to a NAS for local library playback, and Apple AirPlay receiver mode is also supported.

Comprehensive Inputs and Outputs

The front panel carries a 4-pin XLR balanced headphone output, a 4.4mm balanced output, and a 6.35mm single-ended socket, alongside two illuminated rotary controls for volume and source selection. The rear panel provides XLR balanced line outputs, two sets of RCA line outputs, optical and coaxial digital inputs and outputs, HDMI In with ARC support, HDMI Out, USB 3.0, USB-A host, SD card slot, and a Gigabit LAN port. This breadth of connectivity allows the R9 to serve as a network streamer, a DAC for an external source, a headphone amplifier, a pre-amplifier feeding power amplifiers or active speakers, and an HDMI audio extractor.

Design and Build

The R9 features a compact upright chassis in a bicolour titanium finish, combining a mirror-polished metal section treated with 11 polishing and electroplating steps with matte aluminium side panels featuring a honeycomb perforation pattern. A 6-inch 1080x2160 LCD touchscreen dominates the front face, providing a high pixel density display for music playback, artwork, and app navigation. Customisable RGB lighting on the side vents changes colour to reflect the current bit rate or codec, visible through the perforated side panels. A Bluetooth remote control is included for operation from a distance.