New Fiio BR15

[ICIETDIYEUR]

People Hi

Some informations about this device...

Fiio internet page -> Fiio BR15

Apos internet page -> Fiio BR15 pre-order

Unboxing -> Fiio BR15

PS: It would be nice if they managed to make a PEQ without BUG, unlike the TOPPING DX5 II which costs 100 euros more...

Have a nice day

 

[CuriousAli]

Fiio seems to be releasing a lot of R2R products recently.
From looking at the specs it seems like K13 R2R without a headphone amp and with better/more bluetooth codecs?

 

[tomscargle856]

I'm absolutely buying this. I only wish it had the same visibility window as the K13 R2R hahaha and to curiousali that's about what I gather from this as well. Fiio knocking it out of the park

 

[gvl]

The R2R story just can’t die already.

 

[RScheckmate]

bought it ... hopefully delivered before xmas I hope ... along with their airlink usbc BT transmitter ... just 'cause ... desktop R2R vs AKM4493 vs ESS9039 compare in my future

 

[fatoldgit]

Any idea if the spdif out is variable (i.e. controlled by the volume control) or fixed?

Thanks,

Peter

 

[JSmith]

Oh no, not another R2R DAC... obsolete.

Specs are basically showing 76.5dB SINAD too.


JSmith

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

Hello RScheckmate.
I'm thrilled for you
Keep us informed of your impressions

Hello JSmith.
I don't necessarily agree with you because if we take the example of the TOPPING B100 and B200 amplifiers, they have proven to us that we can obtain excellent results with technologies that are supposed to be outdated/obsolete.
With a little time and the imagination of the engineers, I am convinced that it must be possible to make something very good with, at its core, the R2R technology.
Kind regards.
Jesse.

NB: look at what the Chinese are doing with Thorium power plants (technology from the 1970s)...
... which had been abandoned by the USA as well as France

 

[Bud Spencer]

Ordered. And ordered also warmer R2R

Just out of curious. J.Smith do you listen to music? And if you do, what devices do you use?


BSpencer

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

People hi

@ Bud Spencer: I use my ears first

 

[JSmith]

J.Smith do you listen to music?

No, I listen to testing records only... such as;

what devices do you use?

I use a gramophone... like this;

JSmith

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

People Hi

Here's a little 'comparative' ->

In summary:

- The Fiio BR15 R2R is a Fiio K11 R2R with XLR jacks in addition, integrated switching power supply or an external linear power supply (optional), a 10-band PEQ without headphone outputs but with a USB drive on the front (with the playback of files controlled by the remote control) and a display with more information.

- The Fiio K13 R2R is a K11 R2R with XLR jacks in addition, integrated switching power supply or an external linear power supply (optional), a 10-band PEQ and improved as well as more powerful headphone outputs.

Both devices have the same 'basic' R2R module as the Fiio K11 R2R but the feature set has been improved.

The remote controls are different (buttons framed in the photos below) ->

BE CAREFUL because the Fiio K13 R2R's has a button that bypasses the volume control and then becomes a fixed output AT MAXIMUM LEVEL !

If your DAC is connected directly to a power amplifier or active speakers whose level adjustment is u maximum so I don't give much to the life of your speakers if this button was pressed inadvertently !!!

Bye

 

[RScheckmate]

thanks for the table above.
(note your orange text in the second remote photo above should read" Fiio K13 REMOTE CONTROL" showing that risky Line Out LO button one shouldnt accidently press if volume is up (not relevent to BR15 ).

I can confirm that with the BR15 R2R EQ set to "off", the BR15 displays and accepts up to 768 khz (note that "bypass" is not off in this case). Some other early posts incorrectly state this or didn't realize its a function of EQ. If EQ is something other than "off", the maximum USB is 192 kHz input with USB (tested through roon pics atttached) . I downloaded and am using the FIIO USB audio device driver for that. (its similar to FOSI audio driver)

Testing bluetooth in from my Samsung S25 Ultra set to LDAC (bluetooth and developer options used to turn it on ) was very nice . solid great sound ... so good I ordered the FIIO Air-link to use with my ASUS Z13 tablet/laptop or other source in the future . I enjoy Hi Res via Roon/Qobuz and hear a difference of course but am wondering how the LDAC vs HiRes via USB or Coax truly is for me . need more time to assess this. diminishing returns I expect ... so far I think this LDAC implementation is excellent for me and for many others.

I havent played to much with critical listening for those 4 R2R oversampling settings (off, 96, 192, 384) ... tested some off vs 384 ... very happy so far with all quality.

I have a now 3 desktop DAC's...
1) new FIIO BR15 R2R
2) Fosi ZD3 (with ESS9039Q2M and 3xLME49720 op amps vs JRC4580D original) ... so impressed with this one still
3) Fosi ZH3 (with AKM4493 and 2x Sparkos 3602 op amps vs OPA1612AIDR original) ... excellent since day 1
...all these and my BR15 share my ZA3 dual mono amps running via XLR (with R and XLR Sparkos 3602 op amps vs NA5532p original. also changed sub crossover op amp to OPA1612)

I will say I am very impressed with all 3 DACs ...with this FIIO D15 R2R still in my breakin stage I am very pleased . I believe I hear some nuances of increased depth , especially in live and intimate/jazz tracks that I havent heard before...still testing but I am impressed . I was looking for a smooth detailed sound signature and so far there is indeed a slight improvemnet in smooth musical sound variations in my near field listening vs the superbly accurate Delta Sigma DACs implemented in the FOSI line up I have. All really are superb so we're talking about variations in levels of great here . My near field setup speakers are Totem Loons with a Kef Sub so very good imaging and clarity fed by all these sources.

Time will tell if I sell some DAC's or keep them all and use them linked to my music source preferences that fit great with each signature .... fun stuff.

Over the holidays I will also test these DACS on my #1 system feeding my Focal 1028's which have incredible Berylium tweeters...this will be a good test for R2R's smoothness!

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

Hi RScheckmate


I have corrected the mistake you pointed out to me and I thank you for pointing it out:

this will avoid misleading the readers of the forum.



Thank you also for your feedback and your listening impressions of this device:

I am indeed delighted to read someone who does not just only (it seems sometimes) 'watch' the music (mesurements) but rather listen to it

Have a nice day.

Jesse.

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

People hi

Just a little note ->

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate

 

[JSmith]

Unlock a new sound?


JSmith

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

Hi.

If this improves the background noise, then has THD, as it is supposed to do if the linear power supply is well done then the 'sound' will be different since the measurements will be different. It will then be a 'new sound': better 'rendering' would have been more appropriate.

It is well known and proven that a very good linear power supply will give better measurement results compared to a switching power supply, even a well-designed one, which will also cause other 'problems', especially if the latter is inside the box and therefore close to the digital and analog circuits of the device ?

 

[xlinknz]

1. I read somewhere the BR15 has less RGB colour options than than K13, what colours are available in the BR15
2. What can the screen on the BR15 display that the K13 cannot?

 

[RexrothPigeon]

It is well known and proven that a very good linear power supply will give better measurement results compared to a switching power supply, even a well-designed one, which will also cause other 'problems', especially if the latter is inside the box and therefore close to the digital and analog circuits of the device ?

Link to these studies?

 

[Svend P]

Time will tell if I sell some DAC's or keep them all and use them linked to my music source preferences that fit great with each signature

How can DAC's have a SOUND SIGNATURE if they measure as transparent?

I know there are people out there that think cables affect sound, which is much worse, but there really is no response to something like that, but just to smile and nod. But what about people who talk about DACS as if they were headphone drivers or speakers, and talk about the SOUNDSTAGE...

www.audiosciencereview.com