FiiO R7 Review

Sound Quality

The R7 is a fantastic desktop device that can do it all. However, all these would be in vain if it doesn’t sound good enough. Thankfully, the sound quality you get from the R7 is quite good both for tonality and technical performance.

The R7 sounds pretty much like the FiiO M11 line, especially the M11 ESS. However, this is a desktop unit, meaning you don’t have any size restrictions, and you have more power as a result, with good dynamism and separation.

Overall the R7 sounds neutral to me, except for a slight coloration in the mid-range. It’s a bit mid-centric, especially with vocal-oriented tracks, and the treble is very detailed with good extension. Let’s dive into the details.

Bass

Lows hit nicely with good texture in the R7, with good punch and kick. There’s plenty of mid-bass in particular, so you don’t have any deficiency in terms of realism, fullness and body. There’s also good decay and recovery, as the bass has the required quickness for a clean sound reproduction.

Lows and mids are separated nicely, and the bass quantity is just right for a neutral sound presentation. I overall liked this balanced and neutral approach in the bass. Clean, fast and dynamic. Good enough mid-bass, a nice sub-bass rumble when asked, and a good separation/texture. 

The tightness of the bass is one strong factor with the R7, so you’re going to love it with dynamic driver headphones, I assure you that.

Mids

The mids of the R7 are a bit forward, definitive and clean. There’s good resolution and separation for the price. The mids can sound a bit cold and hollow at times, however, without that organic timbre that sometimes we seek. The good part is that the mid-range is very crisp and clean with good transparency. 

It sounds very detailed with great stereo imaging and separation. It has an attacking nature with an in-your-face type of presentation. The micro detail performance is pretty nice, as well as clarity. The presentation and delivery are rather intimate than relaxed. The dynamism is very good with good attack and speed overall. 

It somehow is a bit sterile, slightly analytical and a bit cold, especially when compared to musical-sounding gear. The timbre here could’ve been a bit better, but let’s not forget that this is a sub-1000$ device that has pretty much everything in a single chassis.

Treble

The treble in the R7 has great clarity and detail. Despite those traits, it’s not very sharp or edgy. It presents the treble nicely in a technical manner, but it’s not too bright or too analytical. It’s an energetic treble without any discomfort in terms of delivery and timbre. 

It reproduces the treble in a crispy way, with a very good definition with plenty of detail. If you like your treble crisp, the R7 would give you that. The treble has a very good resolution as well. Highs are also nicely extended. The timbre is excellent in this region, and the openness and clarity of the treble are very good for the money. The treble transparency overall is better than what’s in the mid-range, with natural, realistic delivery.

Page 1: Info, Package, Design, Build
Page 2: Scenarios, Operation, User Experience, Hardware
Page 4: Technical Performance, Comparisons, Conclusion
3.9/5 - (81 votes)
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A keen audiophile and hobby photographer, Berkhan is after absolute perfection. Whether it is a full-frame camera or a custom in-ear, his standpoint persists. He tries to keep his photography enthusiasm at the same level as audio. Sometimes photography wins, sometimes his love for music takes over and he puts that camera aside. Simplistic expressions of sound in his reviews are the way to go for him. He enjoys a fine single malt along with his favourite Jazz recordings.

2 Comments

  • Reply May 18, 2023

    De Maet

    There is no upnp yet but it might be added later on trough a firmware.
    Remote control through a smartphone is only available in pure Android mode.

  • Reply May 22, 2023

    Roy K

    Being a roon-ready device, I think this would make a perfect streamer

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