The power and pitfalls of software
Contents
The R7 is not for technophobes. The smartphone generation will navigate this device with ease, as the operating system is Android, with a few specific things added by FiiO.
There’s a mode for that
If you hold down the power/volume button a little longer, a menu pops up that enables you to put the R7 in a specific audio mode. This is neat. This makes the R7 such a powerful Swiss army knife, as each mode ensures that unused electronics in the player are switched off. In doing so, FiiO avoids the potentially disruptive impact of electronics on sound quality, without you, the user, having to think about it. The device optimises itself for the selected use and more manufacturers should follow this example.
The modes are:
- Android mode. In this mode, you can download, install and use apps from various music services from the Google Play Store. The FiiO Music app to play local music files is pre-installed as an app.
- Pure Music mode. In this mode, the FiiO Music app is the only interface you see. The FiiO app is for playing locally present music files.
- Airplay mode. In this mode, you can use Apple devices to send music to the FiiO via airplay. That works fine for iOS and iPad OS, but Airplay from Apple Music on a Mac gives an error message on the Mac side. Playing Apple Music on the Mac through USB works.
- USB DAC mode. In this mode, the R7 works as a USB DAC.
- Bluetooth mode. For those who prefer to stream music via Bluetooth. Given the target group FiiO is aiming at, an important option. It works flawlessly.
- Coax In mode. This turns the R7 into a DAC fed via SPDIF coax. Your reviewer paired the Audiolab CDT6000 CD transport this way. The quality of the DAC is more than good enough for the Audiolab and transparent enough to hear the typical character of Audiolab back.
- Optical In mode. Same as Coax mode, but on the TOSLink connection.
- Roon Ready mode. This mode was used in the live stream and works very well.
The downsides of the software
Many technical audio settings can be found in the Android configuration menu. In specific modes, that menu has been reduced to what is relevant to that mode. You see a standard cog in the top corner that allows you to access the settings. This is easy to understand. But many systemwide technical settings, such as WiFi access, can only be set in Android mode and are valid for all other modes. You have to figure this out, and for people who are not that IT proficient, this is potentially confusing.
FiiO uses the power of software and provides regular updates. This brings us back to the IT-like: you have to go into the Android settings menu consciously to check for updates and install them. For an audio device that is software-driven, these updates are important and the user should be alerted by the player.
I am using the R7 with a Synology NAS running Emby server (https://emby.media/), works flawlessly and the Android app is very easy to use. The Fiio Music App is basically unusable.