The fact that high-end audio brands still regard CD-quality audio as the gold standard says everything about how stubbornly relevant the Compact Disc remains. Yes, 16-bit/44.1 kHz PCM is not the final boss of digital audio. Hi-Res exists. Studio masters exist. However, for anyone who still believes in physical media and realism, CDs remain the most practical, most satisfying middle ground. And FiiO clearly agrees.
Meet the FiiO DM15 R2R Portable Stereo CD Player, a device that treats CDs not as nostalgia, but as a legitimate hi-fi format worth engineering around in 2025. This is not a novelty throwback. It is a serious portable audio component that happens to spin discs, while also functioning as a USB DAC, Bluetooth transmitter, and headphone amplifier. The tempered glass lid is not subtle. FiiO wants you to see what you are listening to.
At the heart of the DM15 R2R is FiiO’s custom, fully differential 24-bit R2R DAC, built from 192 precision thin-film resistors. This resistor-ladder design aims to capture the warmth and texture people associate with classic CD playback, without sacrificing modern resolution or control. In other words, it sounds like a CD player should, but behaves like modern hi-fi.
Power output is anything but polite. Single-ended output delivers 310 mW per channel, while the balanced output jumps to a serious 1150 mW per channel. Translation: the DM15 R2R can drive demanding headphones without breaking a sweat. As a USB DAC, it supports PCM up to 384 kHz and native DSD256, which means it pulls double duty nicely on a desk or in a bag.
Bluetooth is handled by a Qualcomm QCC3095 chip, with support for aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, and SBC. Yes, it will transmit CD audio wirelessly, which feels slightly rebellious for a physical-media purist device. Sound shaping includes three bass modes and eight EQ presets, including a “RETRO” profile that leans into classic CD character without turning everything into mud.
FiiO even lets you rip CDs to WAV while listening, which feels quietly radical for a disc-based player. Physical buttons, a proper volume knob, and a bundled remote keep things tactile and refreshingly old-school. A 4,700 mAh battery delivers around seven hours of playback, while Desktop Mode bypasses the battery entirely for home use.
The FiiO DM15 R2R is available in Silver and Red at launch, with Black and White finishes following later.
Price: US$249.
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Images: FiiO.
