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Fiio DM13 Review (Portable CD Player) (NTTY)

Rate this portable CD player

  • Terrible (*)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Mediocre (**)

    Votes: 1 33.3%

  • Good (***)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Excellent (****)

    Votes: 2 66.7%
  • Total voters
    3
Nice follow up on the part of FiiO. Firmware update may take things from a "meh" to quite acceptable.
 
dtaylo1066 said:
So are all units now shipping with the updated firmware or does one have to update?
Click to expand...
It shows V17 on the display after installation, and does not appear to be available from Fiio Website. So, I might have received a prototype version, which I hope will be available soon, considering the improvements it brings.
 
The firmware improvements to the digital output and measured distortion are welcome, but playback reliability remains a problem with my DM13.

Mine has been running the latest available firmware since last year, and it still struggles with the later tracks on longer CDs. For example, on a 66-minute Bush CD, the final two tracks suffer from brief audio dropouts.

For me, this makes it a disappointing CD player regardless of the improved measurements. Reliable playback is a basic requirement, and better signal performance does not make up for audible interruptions during normal listening.
 
It's likely this firmware fixes that issue too since I did not have issues with the longest CD that I have (more than 78 minutes):

FiioDM13-004.jpg


I tried to go back and forth, skipping one or multiple tracks, and it did not have issues to track, and did not drop. Note that if the disc has a fault (scratch or bad pressing) at the outer edge, it is indeed more difficult for the servo and the mech to track.
 
NTTY said:
It's likely this firmware fixes that issue too since I did not have issues with the longest CD that I have (more than 78 minutes):

View attachment 559527

I tried to go back and forth, skipping one or multiple tracks, and it did not have issues to track, and did not drop. Note that if the disc has a fault (scratch or bad pressing) at the outer edge, it is indeed more difficult for the servo and the mech to track.
Click to expand...
Thanks for checking this, NTTY. My DM13 is the Bluetooth version, running firmware V27, which I installed last year. On a 66-minute Bush CD, the final two tracks suffer from brief audio dropouts and occasional glitches, so I’d be very interested in testing whether the new firmware resolves this.

@FIIO Official , is there an updated firmware for the Bluetooth model with the same fixes as the V17 prototype sent to NTTY? If so, could you please share it? I’d be happy to test it with the discs that currently cause problems and report back.
 
pacman said:
Thanks for checking this, NTTY. My DM13 is the Bluetooth version, running firmware V27, which I installed last year. On a 66-minute Bush CD, the final two tracks suffer from brief audio dropouts and occasional glitches, so I’d be very interested in testing whether the new firmware resolves this.

@FIIO Official , is there an updated firmware for the Bluetooth model with the same fixes as the V17 prototype sent to NTTY? If so, could you please share it? I’d be happy to test it with the discs that currently cause problems and report back.
Click to expand...
I totally forgot but I have it, Fiio wrongly sent it to me. I’ll forward it to you.

Note you go for it at your own risk, I suspect there’s no support from Fiio on that one.
 
NTTY said:
I totally forgot but I have it, Fiio wrongly sent it to me. I’ll forward it to you.

Note you go for it at your own risk, I suspect there’s no support from Fiio on that one.
Click to expand...
Thank you for sharing the firmware, NTTY, and for all the CD player reviews you’ve been doing. Your work is fantastic!

I’ll test it in mid-October, once I’m back from my trip, and post the results here. <3
 
NTTY said:
I totally forgot but I have it, Fiio wrongly sent it to me. I’ll forward it to you.

Note you go for it at your own risk, I suspect there’s no support from Fiio on that one.
Click to expand...
I just got the Fiio DM13 today and @NTTY if possible, can you please send me the updated V17 firmware please. I will love to try. Thanks!
 
Hello Everyone, I update again the review, the digital testing since I made a mistake with REW, I initially forgot to remove balanced input that I was using with my new Cosmos Dual Mono, and so it created a -6.02dBFS drop in signal. I fixed that, measured again and I can confirm the DM13 provides a "bit perfect" digital output now, and that is great news.
 
Thank you for your test! Will Fiio release the same update for the new dm15 akm or dm15 r2r?
 
If I buy device now, will it have V17 firmware update, and if not, how to get it and install?
 
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