A word of warning for classical music listeners. I have several Fiio products and two of their flagships DAPs. The R7 and soon perhaps the R9 use the same player. It is regularly updated and the company is quite good at fixing audiophile issues. However, the DAP software, currently 3.1.8 still has no tab for "Composer". You can only search by Album, Artist, Genre and "Folder". It's been a request for years but they unfortunaltey just don't get it. I can simply speculate on the software engineering team that has no idea what classical music is because it is easy tweak to do. So for classical music fans, you must absolutely know which album you are looking and cannot scroll by composer and have the albums under that. Very sad because it's a great product. And the R7 is very functional
I was so glad when Apple introduced the Classical Music App. As the standart music players just fail with organising classical music where you have sometimes a gazzillion different recordings for the same piece of music and I think (so far) that nailed it pretty good.
Third Party developer have often problems with composer at apple music. Just from an developer / app developer perspective - so i could be that they tried but coudnt manage it without compromises for you - the user 😉
I really appreciate that you always share "new facts" with us... so many reviews feel like they are just running through the manufacturer data sheet. Really appreciate your content, and where I have become bored of many other sites... you seem to really keep producing content I want to watch to the end and that isn't trying to drive clicks.. Thank you
@@DarkoAudio Understand... but there is blatant, in-your face click bait with no content. Then there is your approach where you get the balance just right :)
This is one of the most beautifully designed electronic devices I can think of, for nearly every reason I can list. I gives the audio enthusiast just about everything they could want from a single unit, and looks sleek while doing it. I want one of these so bad. 🤤
Most detailed review I have seen for this device so far. I noticed it soon after it was first released & just from it's look I was impressed! I have a NAD M10 which of course was more expensive & seriously thinking of selling it and buying a FiiO R7, thanks again!
I got a Fiio R7 yesterday for my office. This thing is awesome, using it with the Fiio SP3 desktop speakers. Installed Roon Arc and Tailscale (which allows me to make the connection with my Roon server at home) and this little system works like a charm!! Thanks for the review John!
The R7 is actually an outstanding all in one for a gaming desk. I dont have to choose between music and gaming chops..i have both. Tons of power, great sound, throw in dolby access and i can use any headphone i want for gaming AND music. And to top it off it looks cool as heck on a gaming desk.
Thank you for the video John, what a great background you have there, it really looks stunning. Those colors and contrasts look fantastic.production it's never been better.
I actually got myself an R7 for my birthday last month, pairing it with FiiO's FT3 headphones, and I've been loving it to bits. Beyond using it to listen to music, I've also used the USB DAC function to route my PC sound through it for both gaming and movie watching. As someone still dipping my toes into the whole hi-fi scene, the price point is much easier to bear, and the results have been exemplary. I'm looking to add the new FiiO SP3 speakers to the setup as well, just to complete the desktop hi-fi setup, and hopefully those turn out to be great as well!
Damn you are getting deep into the FiiO eco system and I love it! Their products are hard to beat price performance wise and very newcomer friendly. Enjoy your journey 😀
I have one of these for desktop use and I love it. I stream music directly from it via xlr out and connect a subwoofer via using one set of the two rca outputs. The xlr and rca are both active. In the video i noticed it was presented as if a subwoofer is not an option. In fact, you can hook up two subwoofers to this thing if you use the xlr out to your amp/active speakers since there are two sets of rca out. I haven't tried this, but you might be able to even use a sub or two with headphone listening. Pretty sure the node has sub integration and crossover settings built in which the r7 does not but i didn't have an issue integrating using the dials on the back of my powered sub.
Just took delivery of an R7, w/- a remote control for just over a $Kay AUS!! Looking forward to hooking this up to my vintage analogue stack. Thanks Darko for a brilliant review.
The thing that boggles my mind is that Fiio is charging $700 usd for a device running Android 10, an OS from 2019 which had it's last Google security update in Feb 2023, coupled with the Snapdragon 660 which was released in May 2017. So you have a 4 year old EOL os running on 6 year old hardware for $700. You're also going to start having the problem of apps dropping support for unsupported OS versions probably by the end of the year. Fiio hasn't released any plans for updating that I've found and the only reddit post I can find mentioning it is full of fanboys drinking the kool-aid and saying you can just sideload the apps if support is dropped. That only works if the streaming service still allows for older, unsupported versions of the app. Edit: To its credit I will say that at least it's designed to be a home unit. As a portable starts to show its age and the battery starts to wear out many of them either end up in ecycle piles or become home units anyway. So it's got that going for it, which is nice.
I don't think you really need latest google security because, after all, it's not a phone. And running an old android version means it could use affordable chips to do the job. In the end, how many are there really care about its android version?
Apple music and Tidal use android 5 and 4.4 OS versions respectively(my personal use case). And the limited use case for the device of streaming and sound processing the chipset is more than adequate.
Man I've gotta say, your room is looking nice! Those deep blue kefs next to the red wine colored zu soul 6's is a very nice backdrop. And then that emerald green wall that perfectly compliments it all, love it! Also great video as always❤
Thanks John for the review. Would really love to see you review the Eversolo DMP-A6 at some stage (as it would seem from the comments section in previous videos , other viewers as well). As a Future-Fi proponent it should tick most of your boxes.
Really interesting review. I own a FIIO M11plus. A marvelous portable DAP for headphones, which also has line-out and multiple gain modes etc. At first glance, it looks like the R7 is an M11plus in a bigger box with extra output connections and extra knobs. Same DAC, same OS, similar touchscreen & same ability to run Tidal/Spotify/Apple stream and from an SD card. The price is also ~identical, which is surprising given the extra hardware. Nice!
Very nice. I hardly ever stream I use my lpod with my entire CD collection loaded on it. AAC encoding. Not bad for the speaker set up I have. When I do stream I use my (FIO BTR5) Definitely best sound for my budget
Great video as always John. I've had my R7 for a while now. For the home office, I love it. The screen really does make this device. I'm happy with the sound it produces via my current speakers (Logitech z623) I think I will get a power amp and bookshelf speakers (while I just wanted a 'cheap' system for the office, but hey. Us audiophiles lol) I use mine 100% for Roon and not needing to need my phone to change tracks (or install Roon remote on my work PC) is the real winner. I just couldn't 'love' the Node X. I wanted to. Not having a HDMI port doesn't bother me as I have a system for the home theatre. But you can connect an external USB screen. I doubt I'll do that as I have no room left on my desk. But a cool feature. Looking forward to part 2 of this.
@@DarkoAudio, It was at the time that you were doing reviews of the dragon fly dacs for mobile phones, I started using fiio and it seemed good to suggest the brand to you, I did but you didn't answer me until now. Greetings from Mexico.
Off topic I was looking at both the Fiio & Eversolo! I’ve had the the Arcam CDS50 for a few years now it’s a SACD / streamer. But I was never able to stream Tidal off it even though it’s Tidal capable. It runs off the MusicLife App which had a recent update last week ! Hallelujah! The Tidal stream now works! If you’re in the same boat give it a go !
To me this is a product which has got ‘the next one (R9?) will be significantly better’ written all over it - great start though! Excellent desk solution.
Holy crap! 'The Forest' is about as deep a dive into David Byrne's catalog as one would ever want to go. It's excellent and strange. I got to see David himself perform the album in its entirety with the Oregon Symphony back in the day. Standout memory for me.
Great video - I'm own R7 from two week ago and I discovered many new ways for connecting R7. Second give away for me is my decision not to go for Bluesound streemer :) If You can do some comparation of R7 with R9 we'll be great to see your view if R9 worth a double of price of R7??? Regards, Blerim, Zagreb, Croatia
I like Fiio products, I have a Fiio M3K DAP, exceptional for $50. I don't use a smart phone so I needed a streaming solution using a tablet for control. Enter Amazon Music Unlimited, the Echo Link & Fire tablet with Alexa. All four work well together with the tablet located at the listening position, one advantage over the R7. Add a better DAC, I use a Schiit Modi 3 that is shared with a Sony Blu-ray player for CD etc playback & I have a capable inexpensive system. I hope this helps others without a smart phone in a similar situation. Enjoy!
Awesome job John! You're like (in the best way possible) an IKEA manual for explaining these type of devices 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Could you expand on the sound quality of the internal DAC? As someone looking to merge streamer+dac in one unit, is the R7's DAC at the level of the ZenDac, Mojo 2, or RMI's ADI-2, etc?
Looks nice. But want to mention a particular problem I have with my Android based Fiio device. I own a hi-priced Fiio DAP (M15). It sounds good. But the Operating System was already dated at the time it was released two years ago: Android 7 - and no update. And that quickly becomes a problem regarding security, app support and user experience. Android currently is at version 12 - and afaik the R7 uses Android 10. If similarly to the much higher priced M15 there are no OS updates for the R7, this thing will be dated very quickly. And then a rather competitive looking price of $700 in fact is expensive.
One thing is that not only OS, but whole DAC/streaming technology iterates very fast. Even the OS keeps updated, the device would still be outdated soon.
I don’t know what part of the world you’re in, but in the UK, I can’t help thinking that the Eversolo DMP-A6 is a vapourware product - as the owner of an Altair G1, it just seems way too good to be true.
@@circattle'm in Hungary and it's also not available here, yet, but I ordered one from Germany and got it recently. The Eversolo seem much nicer and more robust, higher quality device IMHO.
There is a big issue Drako failed to mentioned. If you use the usb DAC version, and you turn the unit on after turning on your pc then there is a significant audio delay. Around 700-1000ms. FiiO really needs to fix this for people who use the usb DAC. I have been using it for 2 months now and the latest firmware has not fixed this issue. I can replicate this on WIN 10, And WIN 11, and macOS 13.
Does turning the unit on before turning on the PC prevent the issue then? How have you been getting around it? I heard someone else report that as long as they never switch modes in the r7 it doesn't happen. And when it does, happen, pulling out the usb cable and then plugging it back in fixes it. Could you confirm this please?
Thanks for the deep dive on this cool new tech. After watching, I was left wondering if the R7 or similar product would add anything of value if someone were to have a Chromecast Audio/Toslink/Amplifier set up?? I can throw just about anything to mine from any phone and it plays perfectly. Perhaps the R7 adds the convenience of having a wired touchscreen interface next to your amp?
The R7 popped up on my online shopping suggestions a couple of months ago and I thought it would be a perfect headphone music station in my office. The R7 takes care of music with it’s screen easily accessible while I work on my computer
If this is Future Fi, what about Foverer Fi? Devices that won't be outdated so quickly. Streaming technology is cool and keeps getting better, but CDs and vinyl can be played without any software updates. Haven't found the best of both worlds yet.
Great video John. Showcases the versatility of the Fiio. Personally I gave up on touchscreen based devices for speaker setups after trying out an iPad as a streamer for a while. Would only really look at the Fiio as a desktop device.
Dear John. Thanks for that overview. Great job. Just a question, is R7 comparable to a phone with usb dac in terms of functions and sound ? PS its great to see you smilling thinkering with R7.
I am not really an audiophile (not even a Music First Audiophile), I just love the music and started paying more atention to sound quality. I am looking for a streamer to complement my retro style LEAK Amp and CDT, and I use apple music as much as Spotify, so your video left me inclined to go for the FiiO R7, although I was definitely considering the EverSolo DMP-A6 (both as a streamer and a DAC). I believe you listened to the EverSolo here in Lisbon at Delaudio, so maybe you could share some thoughts on the strenghts of each one...
As somebody who wants a device to power my headphones while being connected to my PC, also has other connection options for a phone or tablet, can do standalone streaming, and has a visual element, and cheaper than a Naim Atom Headphone, the R7 seems great.
Excellent video John. I think this FiiO R7 is more versatile than the Bluesound node x. At least the FiiO R7 isn't a limited edition so can wait a few months for it.
i really like the my Fiio R7 with apple music already installed. my problem is while it can do airplay it can't do be part of a group airplay. if you choose the R7 for airplay the other connected airplay devices disconnects. hope there is a fix
Hello John, nice to see you answering messages on youtube :-). Those 2 streamers seem very fine and you are certainly right to speak about the quality of their analog outputs. But what about their digital outputs ? Do you consider those equal in all situations ? Do you hear some differences ? Would you use those in a more high end system with a nice DAC like the ones you used to show in your rack in Berlin ? I watched a lot of your videos (a lot !) and I don't think you ever spoke - of course I may miss the one where it happened - about the differences in quality of digital outputs on those (raspberry, bluesound, fiio, wiim, ...) and your opinion on streamers without analog outputs. Thank you so much for your highly instructive and super didactic videos. Keep up !
I’m just starting my journey and looking to get a streaming set up for my living room. I’m getting swamped and bogged down. I have nothing currently. No speakers. No amp. No network streamer. Just an iPhone 13pro max and AirPods. I’m heading down the route of an amplified network streamer but this Fiio option looks pretty good. If you had £1500-2000, what would you spend your money on?
The options and pathways you can go down are seemingly endless, so don’t feel overwhelmed. Personally, I would have a look around the Steve Hoffman forums for speaker setups and headfi forums for headphone centric setups. See what people are putting together and research from there. I always like separate components- ie. Passive speakers, and a stereo amplifier, and then I can add a streamer, or dac, (or cd player and turntable) from there. You have many options available depending on what kind of sound you like, and what kind of space you will be filling. If you want to use your phone as the main controller and music streamer, I might suggest getting an apple airplay puck (a Wiim) which you can plug into a good dac and then into the amp.
I hear you,I'm just getting into hi fi too,so many choices and options I keep changing my mind but all I can say is do loads of research on RUclips it's full of videos,on this channel there is a cool video showing a few different set ups for around €1,000,all I would say is go for well established brands with good customer service, personally I have been looking at the Cambridge audio cxn v2 streamer paired with Cambridge audio CXA81 amplifier which is within your price range but then allow for speakers too,then I saw the marantz 40n which does both as in it streams and amplifies and is around €2,200,is this a better option?god I don't know but I'm looking at so much stuff it's fun but also difficult trying to find the right set up
I was on the fence with the R7. Ended up taking the safe but expensive route with the A&K ACRO CA1000T. I use it in my office. I’m super happy with my purchase but now, I’m considering also getting the R7 to connect to my Hifi system. Ugh….. the FOMO never goes away
Hi John, a question here: What happens when Android 10 is no longer supported by Google anymore? Will the R7 keep working regularly or what features will no longer be available then? Thanks!
A bigger issue is that at some point in the future, app developers will stop supporting the most recent version of Android available on this device. The fact that it’s running Android 10 (current version is 13 with 14 imminent) doesn’t inspire confidence. I completely get that the OS on this has been heavily customised compared with the version that you’d use on a smartphone. I really like the look of this but I can’t get over the fact that I hope audio equipment will last longer than a few years.
I have heard several people talk about the sound getting a lot better when you use a different power supply. I was so hype when I saw the R7 for the first time, but my wishes for the R7 plus or R8 is that there is a mic input, because it would be the best DAC/amp etc. for a PC setup, and I agree that it is just missing hdmi and sub output.. that said, you get a lot for your money in the small box
Great review, and very interesting concept! What I don’t find convincing is the form factor and the design. I would start with the Beosound 5 as an inspiration.
I’ve always been a DIY kinda guy for streaming endpoints, I’ve stuck to a Raspberry Pi or Airport Express (AirPlay 2) with an external DAC. This is the first off-the-shelf streamer that has tickled my inner nerd. I think some really cool things are in the future for this with the open nature of Android.
You bought the black. I'm getting the white to use with Sennheiser ie900. I can tell John likes it. Obviously, you can properly EQ headphones with a dedicated third party EQ app with Apple Music on this streamer dac/amp which isn't as easy as people think with smart phones. Meaning I can power my HD800s with these and EQ the bass to get the best from native hi-res without any downsampling. I mean this is a no brainier…
I've had the R7 for 5 months now running Emby off a NAS, works really well (sounds really similar to Plexamp). Only issues are it takes a few seconds for the audio to kick in after starting the first song so you miss the beginning (subsequent songs are fine). Also if you are not in the Emby app on the R7 you can't control playback via the phone Emby app even if it's still playing something, the app has to be active on the screen. Otherwise it's been great, just ordered the remote and Fiio's LPS so we'll see if it affects the sound.
I have been using a M11s for a while and there is a neat trick for something like this. If you drag up so you can see the app to close or moce quickly to a previous app, there is a symbol for the app near the top of the card. If you press that you get an option to pin the screen. By doing that it will keep it active, even to the point of not closing the screen. Though on my M11s it stays active even if i press the power button to turn off the screen. You can drag up from the bottom of the screen (on plex amp it means scrolling to the bottom of the play next list) and holding for a bit, to unpin it.
I now have the r7 on my wish list. Although I am not anywhere near as fancy as you are. My IEMS are the Hisenior Mega5est. In terms of bookshelves I was thinking of pairing this with The Fives by Klipsch. My reasoning is the Klipsch have their own integrated amp as well as balanced XLR inputs. I think it makes sense.
I have a large ALAC lossless music collection stored on a Mac mini that I currently use mostly to access via the Sonos apps to stream to Sonos speakers. What is the easiest way to access that same Mac mini library on this device to listen to with headphones? I am hoping that there is a non AirPlay method as the Mac mini is tucked away behind a cabinet and I only access it via a remote connection with my MacBook.
Other than the access to a huge music catalog off lining content is one of the best features of streaming apps on smartphones and tablets. I don’t have to worry about mobile data limits or network availability while away from home, travelling or commuting, network reliability or compromising data resolution.
Can you use the R7 as an apple music end point? Select and change tracks on an iphone or apple tv while the R7 outputs bit perfect to an external dac? I love apple music but I have since switched to Tidal as I am unable to find a device or streamer that does such feature with apple music. In 2023 we now have Apple vision but we still dont have native bit perfect playback with Apple music. Will we ever?
I own the R7 since eight weeks. There´s a lot to like on this unit. Extremely versatile. But I encountered two problems: 1) When running Roon on the R7 and altering the volume with the RM3 remote, the Roon app frequently crashes. 2) It is possible to display the R7 screen on a HDMI monitor/TV. You just need a USB-C to DP-HDMI adapter cable. Great when you additionally use a BT mouse a BT keybord. Perfect for operating it from your couch. Problem: when you send the R7 to sleep mode for a longer time (>4 hours) while the Monitor/TV is connectet, the R7 freezes when trying to restart it. I hope FiiO is going to fix those issues soon. They also promised to release a remote app, wich everybody is waiting for.
Not full remote access but the FiiO Music app mentioned can be linked to your phone (also running FiiO Music app) either by bluetooth or wifi using FiiO Link setting which is useful for remote control if playing from an SD card or internal memory.
I laughed when I saw you putting door stopper on Fiio R7 but hell... I have mine door stopper on my Wim Pro Plus! I dare to say it sounds better (with anti vibration pads under) Cheers!
Another good review. Q. I presently listen to a Fiio M11 Pro using Hi Fi Araya Organics. Great synergy with quality sound. I am thinking of next buying either the Fiio M23 DAP or Fiio R7. Would the sound be as good on the Fiio R7 as the M23? They are both very similar in price in the UK but the R7 gives far more options. Thanks.
I’ll ask the same question as all Apple users ask. 1-is it truly lossless? 2-do you bypass AirPlay without bugs and difficulty? 3-can we use our iPhone or iPad as a remote but not as AirPlay? These three questions are actually one packaged question. If all 3 are not addressed it’s still not a final solution in the Apple ecosystem. I ask because it was a little vague in the video. Thanks so much
The Eversolo DMP-6 might be a solution for you. It uses android 11 and the ability to use Apple Music for android runs natively. As far as I can tell (waiting for delivery so only based on what I have read at this stage) it is a yes for all three of your question.
on the one hand this seems like a really good idea and product but I would be concerned about connecting it to my home network just considering that it's using an out-of-date version of Android and companies like FiiO tend to do a terrible job at continuing security patches
Great review John. One thing I didn't catch, is it possible to use the R7 as a preamp with a separate DAC? So I can control the volume with the remote.
Excellent review. Thank you and truly appreciate it. One question - If I connect R7 to a home theatre receiver or a soundbar using optical out, would the output be bit perfect? My music source would be Apple Music on the R7.
Dear John, here’s a question: on iOS, it is possible to control one Apple Music instance from a 2nd device. It’s not quite like Spotify connect, but it allows you to use a phone from anywhere in the house to control what an Apple TV is streaming, from within the Apple Music App. Would this work with the FiiO, can I use an iPhone as a „remote“? (Maybe not because it’s Android and the switch controls for this functionality are hiding in the controls for Airplay.) I am curious.
Connected my iPod Classic to a 2020 Skoda Superb via USB and quite surprisingly it worked. Picked up Artists, Albums, Playlists and Artwork. If the FiiO R7 could do that I'd be very happy!
Like this - very clever way of getting around a bespoke plugin for Apple, Amazon, Qobuz streams. Am using Qobuz with Zen Mini but would rather go back to Apple Music native. Do you think the EverSolo DMP-A6 would drop an update that would allow the Apple Music app?
@Darko Audio i think they don't have put a HDMI eARC because the chip that they used inside is already not capable of doing USB-C without delay when watching Video and using it as audio interface. (optic connection don't have the delay) (info coms from @Passion for Sound)
Support for squeezebox protocol would also be great for those who don't afford the roon subscription, but with an airplay plugin in LMS it works, no gapless though.
What happens when there's a significant app update with sparkly new features, that insists your version of Android is too low or not supported and requires the latest version?
Dear John, as an apple music user, I wanted to know If we can control the R7 (since it has airplay and apple music native android app) using my iphone while listening to apple music. I usually do this with my appleTV, but there is no way to connect appleTV to hifi system and appleTV don’t go beyond 48 which is just on par with airplay resolution.
Cool John , THX for this nice revision of this R7 One big point is that this is probably version "1.01" and would be upgradable to "2.xx" So R7 v2 with hdmi and sub out and soft 2.xx will set the next level ofvthe never ending story ans the storyteller
Apple Music natively on a dedicated audio streamer at last!! I have a whole bunch of questions as I’ve been hankering after this since Apple introduced lossless. Does it provide a bit perfect and/or lossless output to an external Dac? Can you control playback, skipping etc. remotely and does this extend to full remote control from another instance of the Apple Music app, as with your Plexamp example and as with an iPhone and an Apple TV? Is there a multi room option for Apple Music Playback on the FiiO such as with an Apple TV or iPad or similar in the next room?
A word of warning for classical music listeners. I have several Fiio products and two of their flagships DAPs. The R7 and soon perhaps the R9 use the same player. It is regularly updated and the company is quite good at fixing audiophile issues. However, the DAP software, currently 3.1.8 still has no tab for "Composer". You can only search by Album, Artist, Genre and "Folder". It's been a request for years but they unfortunaltey just don't get it. I can simply speculate on the software engineering team that has no idea what classical music is because it is easy tweak to do. So for classical music fans, you must absolutely know which album you are looking and cannot scroll by composer and have the albums under that. Very sad because it's a great product. And the R7 is very functional
It’s such a ridiculous over sight! Frustrating that the company won’t listen to it’s own consumers! 🤦🏻♂️
I was so glad when Apple introduced the Classical Music App. As the standart music players just fail with organising classical music where you have sometimes a gazzillion different recordings for the same piece of music and I think (so far) that nailed it pretty good.
Organise your files into folders for each composer. Ball ache, yes, but solves the problem.
Third Party developer have often problems with composer at apple music. Just from an developer / app developer perspective - so i could be that they tried but coudnt manage it without compromises for you - the user 😉
It doesn't even have the "Year," which is very essential for an old-timer like me who loves to navigate down memory lane with my collection.
I really appreciate that you always share "new facts" with us... so many reviews feel like they are just running through the manufacturer data sheet. Really appreciate your content, and where I have become bored of many other sites... you seem to really keep producing content I want to watch to the end and that isn't trying to drive clicks.. Thank you
Thanks for the kind words. Well, of course, I am trying to drive clicks but I am also trying to produce videos that make that click worthwhile. :)
@@DarkoAudio Understand... but there is blatant, in-your face click bait with no content. Then there is your approach where you get the balance just right :)
Veritasium made a great video about Clickbait which I think you might enjoy.
This is one of the most beautifully designed electronic devices I can think of, for nearly every reason I can list. I gives the audio enthusiast just about everything they could want from a single unit, and looks sleek while doing it. I want one of these so bad. 🤤
I think the form factor of the Eversolo beats it, but that's just me. The functionality of this likely beats the EverSolo.
@@BaaBaaBoozeHound I prefer the Eversolo aesthetic as well. But the Fiio does have the headphone amp if you need it .
Most detailed review I have seen for this device so far. I noticed it soon after it was first released & just from it's look I was impressed! I have a NAD M10 which of course was more expensive & seriously thinking of selling it and buying a FiiO R7, thanks again!
I got a Fiio R7 yesterday for my office. This thing is awesome, using it with the Fiio SP3 desktop speakers. Installed Roon Arc and Tailscale (which allows me to make the connection with my Roon server at home) and this little system works like a charm!! Thanks for the review John!
The R7 is actually an outstanding all in one for a gaming desk. I dont have to choose between music and gaming chops..i have both. Tons of power, great sound, throw in dolby access and i can use any headphone i want for gaming AND music. And to top it off it looks cool as heck on a gaming desk.
You have a great talent at predicting what I’m going to need in my near future. Thanks again.
Get the r9, which is an upgrade. I own the R7 and it's already perfect, but I imagine the r9 will be beyond perfect.
Thank you for the video John, what a great background you have there, it really looks stunning. Those colors and contrasts look fantastic.production it's never been better.
For me as Deezer user this is it, with it I will be able to use Deezer connect and gapless playback. Perfect.
Thanks John for this review.
I actually got myself an R7 for my birthday last month, pairing it with FiiO's FT3 headphones, and I've been loving it to bits. Beyond using it to listen to music, I've also used the USB DAC function to route my PC sound through it for both gaming and movie watching. As someone still dipping my toes into the whole hi-fi scene, the price point is much easier to bear, and the results have been exemplary. I'm looking to add the new FiiO SP3 speakers to the setup as well, just to complete the desktop hi-fi setup, and hopefully those turn out to be great as well!
Damn you are getting deep into the FiiO eco system and I love it! Their products are hard to beat price performance wise and very newcomer friendly. Enjoy your journey 😀
I have one of these for desktop use and I love it. I stream music directly from it via xlr out and connect a subwoofer via using one set of the two rca outputs. The xlr and rca are both active. In the video i noticed it was presented as if a subwoofer is not an option. In fact, you can hook up two subwoofers to this thing if you use the xlr out to your amp/active speakers since there are two sets of rca out. I haven't tried this, but you might be able to even use a sub or two with headphone listening. Pretty sure the node has sub integration and crossover settings built in which the r7 does not but i didn't have an issue integrating using the dials on the back of my powered sub.
Great info thanks
Just took delivery of an R7, w/- a remote control for just over a $Kay AUS!! Looking forward to hooking this up to my vintage analogue stack. Thanks Darko for a brilliant review.
I hope to see a review of the Eversolo DMP - A6, as I just purchased that. Thanks for the great content and audio advice.
The thing that boggles my mind is that Fiio is charging $700 usd for a device running Android 10, an OS from 2019 which had it's last Google security update in Feb 2023, coupled with the Snapdragon 660 which was released in May 2017.
So you have a 4 year old EOL os running on 6 year old hardware for $700.
You're also going to start having the problem of apps dropping support for unsupported OS versions probably by the end of the year. Fiio hasn't released any plans for updating that I've found and the only reddit post I can find mentioning it is full of fanboys drinking the kool-aid and saying you can just sideload the apps if support is dropped. That only works if the streaming service still allows for older, unsupported versions of the app.
Edit: To its credit I will say that at least it's designed to be a home unit. As a portable starts to show its age and the battery starts to wear out many of them either end up in ecycle piles or become home units anyway. So it's got that going for it, which is nice.
I don't think you really need latest google security because, after all, it's not a phone. And running an old android version means it could use affordable chips to do the job. In the end, how many are there really care about its android version?
Apple music and Tidal use android 5 and 4.4 OS versions respectively(my personal use case). And the limited use case for the device of streaming and sound processing the chipset is more than adequate.
It has double RCA outputs so you can hook up two active subs to it. I do the same thing with me preamp.
That's a good point!
Nice to see Fiio back on the channel, great overview 🥰
Man I've gotta say, your room is looking nice! Those deep blue kefs next to the red wine colored zu soul 6's is a very nice backdrop. And then that emerald green wall that perfectly compliments it all, love it! Also great video as always❤
Thank you!
Best audio reviewer on plant earth ❤
Not true but thank you. 🙏
Thanks John for the review. Would really love to see you review the Eversolo DMP-A6 at some stage (as it would seem from the comments section in previous videos , other viewers as well). As a Future-Fi proponent it should tick most of your boxes.
Really interesting review. I own a FIIO M11plus. A marvelous portable DAP for headphones, which also has line-out and multiple gain modes etc. At first glance, it looks like the R7 is an M11plus in a bigger box with extra output connections and extra knobs. Same DAC, same OS, similar touchscreen & same ability to run Tidal/Spotify/Apple stream and from an SD card. The price is also ~identical, which is surprising given the extra hardware. Nice!
Does the M11plus act as a Roon End Point? Be nice to be able to use it as a mini desktop solution when at home to justify the costs.
Very nice. I hardly ever stream I use my lpod with my entire CD collection loaded on it. AAC encoding. Not bad for the speaker set up I have. When I do stream I use my (FIO BTR5) Definitely best sound for my budget
Hi Have you heard of the EVERSOLO-DMP-A6. it has slot for internal SSD drive. It looks good and got a lot of good reviews .
This video clearly took a lot of work to research and produce. Greatly appreciated.
Great video as always John. I've had my R7 for a while now. For the home office, I love it. The screen really does make this device. I'm happy with the sound it produces via my current speakers (Logitech z623) I think I will get a power amp and bookshelf speakers (while I just wanted a 'cheap' system for the office, but hey. Us audiophiles lol)
I use mine 100% for Roon and not needing to need my phone to change tracks (or install Roon remote on my work PC) is the real winner. I just couldn't 'love' the Node X. I wanted to.
Not having a HDMI port doesn't bother me as I have a system for the home theatre. But you can connect an external USB screen. I doubt I'll do that as I have no room left on my desk. But a cool feature.
Looking forward to part 2 of this.
What is the best streamer, the FIIO R9 or the Eversolo DMP-A8? Maybe a option for your next review
The R9 but At double the price I prefer the R7
This product is so beautiful. I just want to use it as a headphone dac/amp system for my desk.
I remember sending you multiple messages several years ago regarding the brand, it's good to know that you finally consider Fiio.
You did? I'm sorry but I don't remember those. I tackled this FiiO because I've had some good experiences of late with their affordable IEMs.
@@DarkoAudio, It was at the time that you were doing reviews of the dragon fly dacs for mobile phones, I started using fiio and it seemed good to suggest the brand to you, I did but you didn't answer me until now. Greetings from Mexico.
Your R7 review is doin' me' head in. I have a Fiio X5 with amp and love it. I lust for the Cambridge streamer!!!
Off topic I was looking at both the Fiio & Eversolo! I’ve had the the Arcam CDS50 for a few years now it’s a SACD / streamer. But I was never able to stream Tidal off it even though it’s Tidal capable. It runs off the MusicLife App which had a recent update last week ! Hallelujah! The Tidal stream now works! If you’re in the same boat give it a go !
To me this is a product which has got ‘the next one (R9?) will be significantly better’ written all over it - great start though! Excellent desk solution.
eversolo dmp a6. next ok?
Holy crap! 'The Forest' is about as deep a dive into David Byrne's catalog as one would ever want to go. It's excellent and strange.
I got to see David himself perform the album in its entirety with the Oregon Symphony back in the day. Standout memory for me.
Great video - I'm own R7 from two week ago and I discovered many new ways for connecting R7. Second give away for me is my decision not to go for Bluesound streemer :)
If You can do some comparation of R7 with R9 we'll be great to see your view if R9 worth a double of price of R7???
Regards,
Blerim, Zagreb, Croatia
Waiting for the same video to make my purchase decision
Thanks for all you do John. Cheers from Salt Lake!
I like Fiio products, I have a Fiio M3K DAP, exceptional for $50. I don't use a smart phone so I needed a streaming solution using a tablet for control. Enter Amazon Music Unlimited, the Echo Link & Fire tablet with Alexa. All four work well together with the tablet located at the listening position, one advantage over the R7. Add a better DAC, I use a Schiit Modi 3 that is shared with a Sony Blu-ray player for CD etc playback & I have a capable inexpensive system. I hope this helps others without a smart phone in a similar situation. Enjoy!
Awesome job John! You're like (in the best way possible) an IKEA manual for explaining these type of devices 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Could you expand on the sound quality of the internal DAC? As someone looking to merge streamer+dac in one unit, is the R7's DAC at the level of the ZenDac, Mojo 2, or RMI's ADI-2, etc?
Those KEFs in the background are looking so good.
Yes, agree! What exact KEF model are they?
@@ardeshirrohbanie2909 Seems like the new R3 Meta.
Great video. Thank you John. Will you be able to compare the R7 with the new R9 soon?
Always Informative and entertaining. Interesting device. Love your channel! Thanks so much.
Great Job, there is a lot to cover on a unit like this and you gave us a good idea of the units flexibility as well as your experience.
Wonder how’s the Fiio stacks up against eversolo dmpa6
Looks nice. But want to mention a particular problem I have with my Android based Fiio device. I own a hi-priced Fiio DAP (M15). It sounds good. But the Operating System was already dated at the time it was released two years ago: Android 7 - and no update. And that quickly becomes a problem regarding security, app support and user experience. Android currently is at version 12 - and afaik the R7 uses Android 10. If similarly to the much higher priced M15 there are no OS updates for the R7, this thing will be dated very quickly. And then a rather competitive looking price of $700 in fact is expensive.
One thing is that not only OS, but whole DAC/streaming technology iterates very fast. Even the OS keeps updated, the device would still be outdated soon.
Was considering the Eversolo DMP-A6, but this also looks interesting for different reasons.
I don’t know what part of the world you’re in, but in the UK, I can’t help thinking that the Eversolo DMP-A6 is a vapourware product - as the owner of an Altair G1, it just seems way too good to be true.
@@circattle'm in Hungary and it's also not available here, yet, but I ordered one from Germany and got it recently. The Eversolo seem much nicer and more robust, higher quality device IMHO.
Thrilled to see you review this John. Some people are so sniffy about ‘Chinese’ products. But guess what? Some of them are really; really good!
Great review, John! I thought you were going to get a finger cramp for sure, during your RHCP skip episode and what a grin, lol. Stay safe, sir.
There is a big issue Drako failed to mentioned. If you use the usb DAC version, and you turn the unit on after turning on your pc then there is a significant audio delay. Around 700-1000ms. FiiO really needs to fix this for people who use the usb DAC. I have been using it for 2 months now and the latest firmware has not fixed this issue. I can replicate this on WIN 10, And WIN 11, and macOS 13.
Does turning the unit on before turning on the PC prevent the issue then? How have you been getting around it? I heard someone else report that as long as they never switch modes in the r7 it doesn't happen. And when it does, happen, pulling out the usb cable and then plugging it back in fixes it. Could you confirm this please?
Thanks for the deep dive on this cool new tech. After watching, I was left wondering if the R7 or similar product would add anything of value if someone were to have a Chromecast Audio/Toslink/Amplifier set up?? I can throw just about anything to mine from any phone and it plays perfectly. Perhaps the R7 adds the convenience of having a wired touchscreen interface next to your amp?
The R7 popped up on my online shopping suggestions a couple of months ago and I thought it would be a perfect headphone music station in my office. The R7 takes care of music with it’s screen easily accessible while I work on my computer
can I connect my Android or Apple phone to the R7 as a remote control? does this work like google connect, spotify connect etc?
great video sir - dont need one, but its a pretty interesting product I think.
Hey John, Fiio made a DC power input for the R7, the PL-50. This apparently gives the R7 better sound.
If this is Future Fi, what about Foverer Fi? Devices that won't be outdated so quickly. Streaming technology is cool and keeps getting better, but CDs and vinyl can be played without any software updates. Haven't found the best of both worlds yet.
Great video John. Showcases the versatility of the Fiio.
Personally I gave up on touchscreen based devices for speaker setups after trying out an iPad as a streamer for a while. Would only really look at the Fiio as a desktop device.
Dear John. Thanks for that overview. Great job. Just a question, is R7 comparable to a phone with usb dac in terms of functions and sound ? PS its great to see you smilling thinkering with R7.
I am not really an audiophile (not even a Music First Audiophile), I just love the music and started paying more atention to sound quality. I am looking for a streamer to complement my retro style LEAK Amp and CDT, and I use apple music as much as Spotify, so your video left me inclined to go for the FiiO R7, although I was definitely considering the EverSolo DMP-A6 (both as a streamer and a DAC). I believe you listened to the EverSolo here in Lisbon at Delaudio, so maybe you could share some thoughts on the strenghts of each one...
EverSolo DMP-A6 is a winner ! Quality and price !
The interface looks a dream. Is the interchangeable base for viewing angle. Great Review. 😎
As somebody who wants a device to power my headphones while being connected to my PC, also has other connection options for a phone or tablet, can do standalone streaming, and has a visual element, and cheaper than a Naim Atom Headphone, the R7 seems great.
Excellent video John. I think this FiiO R7 is more versatile than the Bluesound node x. At least the FiiO R7 isn't a limited edition so can wait a few months for it.
i really like the my Fiio R7 with apple music already installed. my problem is while it can do airplay it can't do be part of a group airplay. if you choose the R7 for airplay the other connected airplay devices disconnects. hope there is a fix
Darko!..ThanksMuch!
Hello John, nice to see you answering messages on youtube :-). Those 2 streamers seem very fine and you are certainly right to speak about the quality of their analog outputs. But what about their digital outputs ? Do you consider those equal in all situations ? Do you hear some differences ? Would you use those in a more high end system with a nice DAC like the ones you used to show in your rack in Berlin ? I watched a lot of your videos (a lot !) and I don't think you ever spoke - of course I may miss the one where it happened - about the differences in quality of digital outputs on those (raspberry, bluesound, fiio, wiim, ...) and your opinion on streamers without analog outputs. Thank you so much for your highly instructive and super didactic videos. Keep up !
I’m just starting my journey and looking to get a streaming set up for my living room.
I’m getting swamped and bogged down.
I have nothing currently. No speakers. No amp. No network streamer.
Just an iPhone 13pro max and AirPods.
I’m heading down the route of an amplified network streamer but this Fiio option looks pretty good.
If you had £1500-2000, what would you spend your money on?
Oh, and I don’t mind moving from Apple Music to Tidal or Amazon HD.
The options and pathways you can go down are seemingly endless, so don’t feel overwhelmed.
Personally, I would have a look around the Steve Hoffman forums for speaker setups and headfi forums for headphone centric setups. See what people are putting together and research from there.
I always like separate components- ie. Passive speakers, and a stereo amplifier, and then I can add a streamer, or dac, (or cd player and turntable) from there.
You have many options available depending on what kind of sound you like, and what kind of space you will be filling.
If you want to use your phone as the main controller and music streamer, I might suggest getting an apple airplay puck (a Wiim) which you can plug into a good dac and then into the amp.
I hear you,I'm just getting into hi fi too,so many choices and options I keep changing my mind but all I can say is do loads of research on RUclips it's full of videos,on this channel there is a cool video showing a few different set ups for around €1,000,all I would say is go for well established brands with good customer service, personally I have been looking at the Cambridge audio cxn v2 streamer paired with Cambridge audio CXA81 amplifier which is within your price range but then allow for speakers too,then I saw the marantz 40n which does both as in it streams and amplifies and is around €2,200,is this a better option?god I don't know but I'm looking at so much stuff it's fun but also difficult trying to find the right set up
I was on the fence with the R7. Ended up taking the safe but expensive route with the A&K ACRO CA1000T. I use it in my office. I’m super happy with my purchase but now, I’m considering also getting the R7 to connect to my Hifi system. Ugh….. the FOMO never goes away
I use my AK25 as my streamer. Works great for that purpose
Thank you, great videos. I appreciate the side by side comparisons
Hi John, a question here:
What happens when Android 10 is no longer supported by Google anymore? Will the R7 keep working regularly or what features will no longer be available then? Thanks!
A bigger issue is that at some point in the future, app developers will stop supporting the most recent version of Android available on this device. The fact that it’s running Android 10 (current version is 13 with 14 imminent) doesn’t inspire confidence. I completely get that the OS on this has been heavily customised compared with the version that you’d use on a smartphone. I really like the look of this but I can’t get over the fact that I hope audio equipment will last longer than a few years.
I have heard several people talk about the sound getting a lot better when you use a different power supply. I was so hype when I saw the R7 for the first time, but my wishes for the R7 plus or R8 is that there is a mic input, because it would be the best DAC/amp etc. for a PC setup, and I agree that it is just missing hdmi and sub output.. that said, you get a lot for your money in the small box
Great review, and very interesting concept! What I don’t find convincing is the form factor and the design. I would start with the Beosound 5 as an inspiration.
I’ve always been a DIY kinda guy for streaming endpoints, I’ve stuck to a Raspberry Pi or Airport Express (AirPlay 2) with an external DAC. This is the first off-the-shelf streamer that has tickled my inner nerd. I think some really cool things are in the future for this with the open nature of Android.
You bought the black. I'm getting the white to use with Sennheiser ie900. I can tell John likes it. Obviously, you can properly EQ headphones with a dedicated third party EQ app with Apple Music on this streamer dac/amp which isn't as easy as people think with smart phones. Meaning I can power my HD800s with these and EQ the bass to get the best from native hi-res without any downsampling. I mean this is a no brainier…
Please can you tell me which streamer is better Fiio R7 or Eversolo DMP A-6. I am planning to buy one. Thanks.
Ditto.. I think everyone is looking for this comparison as they are the most similar usable products.
Please compare the R7 v A6
Please make a review for Apple Music lossless over the Apple TV 😊
Tremendous video , now looking at my node 2i thinking of my next move. My Shure 846 should sound great too. Thank you.
I've had the R7 for 5 months now running Emby off a NAS, works really well (sounds really similar to Plexamp). Only issues are it takes a few seconds for the audio to kick in after starting the first song so you miss the beginning (subsequent songs are fine). Also if you are not in the Emby app on the R7 you can't control playback via the phone Emby app even if it's still playing something, the app has to be active on the screen. Otherwise it's been great, just ordered the remote and Fiio's LPS so we'll see if it affects the sound.
I have been using a M11s for a while and there is a neat trick for something like this. If you drag up so you can see the app to close or moce quickly to a previous app, there is a symbol for the app near the top of the card. If you press that you get an option to pin the screen.
By doing that it will keep it active, even to the point of not closing the screen. Though on my M11s it stays active even if i press the power button to turn off the screen. You can drag up from the bottom of the screen (on plex amp it means scrolling to the bottom of the play next list) and holding for a bit, to unpin it.
nice to see the kef's. got a pair of the OG's on clearance :)
I now have the r7 on my wish list. Although I am not anywhere near as fancy as you are. My IEMS are the Hisenior Mega5est.
In terms of bookshelves I was thinking of pairing this with The Fives by Klipsch. My reasoning is the Klipsch have their own integrated amp as well as balanced XLR inputs. I think it makes sense.
I have a large ALAC lossless music collection stored on a Mac mini that I currently use mostly to access via the Sonos apps to stream to Sonos speakers. What is the easiest way to access that same Mac mini library on this device to listen to with headphones? I am hoping that there is a non AirPlay method as the Mac mini is tucked away behind a cabinet and I only access it via a remote connection with my MacBook.
Roon.
Other than the access to a huge music catalog off lining content is one of the best features of streaming apps on smartphones and tablets. I don’t have to worry about mobile data limits or network availability while away from home, travelling or commuting, network reliability or compromising data resolution.
Can you use the R7 as an apple music end point? Select and change tracks on an iphone or apple tv while the R7 outputs bit perfect to an external dac?
I love apple music but I have since switched to Tidal as I am unable to find a device or streamer that does such feature with apple music.
In 2023 we now have Apple vision but we still dont have native bit perfect playback with Apple music. Will we ever?
I own the R7 since eight weeks. There´s a lot to like on this unit. Extremely versatile. But I encountered two problems:
1) When running Roon on the R7 and altering the volume with the RM3 remote, the Roon app frequently crashes.
2) It is possible to display the R7 screen on a HDMI monitor/TV. You just need a USB-C to DP-HDMI adapter cable. Great when you additionally use a BT mouse a BT keybord. Perfect for operating it from your couch. Problem: when you send the R7 to sleep mode for a longer time (>4 hours) while the Monitor/TV is connectet, the R7 freezes when trying to restart it.
I hope FiiO is going to fix those issues soon. They also promised to release a remote app, wich everybody is waiting for.
It would be good to see the R7 offer remote access - so you can essentially use its on-board interface remotely, on your phone. Not hard to do.
I think that’s called “Roon”.
It should be possible, as it has access to Play Store. There are app's for mirroring a screen already.
Get the RM3 control
Not full remote access but the FiiO Music app mentioned can be linked to your phone (also running FiiO Music app) either by bluetooth or wifi using FiiO Link setting which is useful for remote control if playing from an SD card or internal memory.
I use Team viewer to remote control my home devices so I think this works on the Fiio too having google playstore.
hahahaha I love your RHCP panic mode at the end of the video
I laughed when I saw you putting door stopper on Fiio R7 but hell... I have mine door stopper on my Wim Pro Plus! I dare to say it sounds better (with anti vibration pads under) Cheers!
Another good review. Q. I presently listen to a Fiio M11 Pro using Hi Fi Araya Organics. Great synergy with quality sound. I am thinking of next buying either the Fiio M23 DAP or Fiio R7. Would the sound be as good on the Fiio R7 as the M23? They are both very similar in price in the UK but the R7 gives far more options. Thanks.
I’ll ask the same question as all Apple users ask.
1-is it truly lossless?
2-do you bypass AirPlay without bugs and difficulty?
3-can we use our iPhone or iPad as a remote but not as AirPlay?
These three questions are actually one packaged question. If all 3 are not addressed it’s still not a final solution in the Apple ecosystem. I ask because it was a little vague in the video. Thanks so much
1. As far as I can tell, yes
2. Yes
3. No
Does it work in lossless mode or in highres mode as if a dedicated dac's been attached?
The Eversolo DMP-6 might be a solution for you. It uses android 11 and the ability to use Apple Music for android runs natively. As far as I can tell (waiting for delivery so only based on what I have read at this stage) it is a yes for all three of your question.
Enlightening! Thanks!
on the one hand this seems like a really good idea and product but I would be concerned about connecting it to my home network just considering that it's using an out-of-date version of Android and companies like FiiO tend to do a terrible job at continuing security patches
Great review John. One thing I didn't catch, is it possible to use the R7 as a preamp with a separate DAC? So I can control the volume with the remote.
Yes it has optical and coax out
22:54 What funcion did you remote fiio R7 display?
Excellent review. Thank you and truly appreciate it.
One question - If I connect R7 to a home theatre receiver or a soundbar using optical out, would the output be bit perfect?
My music source would be Apple Music on the R7.
Dear John, here’s a question: on iOS, it is possible to control one Apple Music instance from a 2nd device. It’s not quite like Spotify connect, but it allows you to use a phone from anywhere in the house to control what an Apple TV is streaming, from within the Apple Music App. Would this work with the FiiO, can I use an iPhone as a „remote“? (Maybe not because it’s Android and the switch controls for this functionality are hiding in the controls for Airplay.) I am curious.
Connected my iPod Classic to a 2020 Skoda Superb via USB and quite surprisingly it worked. Picked up Artists, Albums, Playlists and Artwork. If the FiiO R7 could do that I'd be very happy!
Like this - very clever way of getting around a bespoke plugin for Apple, Amazon, Qobuz streams. Am using Qobuz with Zen Mini but would rather go back to Apple Music native. Do you think the EverSolo DMP-A6 would drop an update that would allow the Apple Music app?
As an owner of Eversolo DMP-A6 I can tell you that Apple Music is working fine - lossless and hi-res
@Darko Audio i think they don't have put a HDMI eARC because the chip that they used inside is already not capable of doing USB-C without delay when watching Video and using it as audio interface. (optic connection don't have the delay)
(info coms from @Passion for Sound)
Support for squeezebox protocol would also be great for those who don't afford the roon subscription, but with an airplay plugin in LMS it works, no gapless though.
What happens when there's a significant app update with sparkly new features, that insists your version of Android is too low or not supported and requires the latest version?
Thanks for your review John. Is the Fiio silent if used as a preamp?
Thanks again. Great review.
Dear John, as an apple music user, I wanted to know If we can control the R7 (since it has airplay and apple music native android app) using my iphone while listening to apple music. I usually do this with my appleTV, but there is no way to connect appleTV to hifi system and appleTV don’t go beyond 48 which is just on par with airplay resolution.
Cool John , THX for this nice revision of this R7
One big point is that this is probably version "1.01" and would be upgradable to "2.xx"
So R7 v2 with hdmi and sub out and soft 2.xx will set the next level ofvthe never ending story ans the storyteller
When do you think the v2.xx would be released?
Apple Music natively on a dedicated audio streamer at last!! I have a whole bunch of questions as I’ve been hankering after this since Apple introduced lossless.
Does it provide a bit perfect and/or lossless output to an external Dac?
Can you control playback, skipping etc. remotely and does this extend to full remote control from another instance of the Apple Music app, as with your Plexamp example and as with an iPhone and an Apple TV?
Is there a multi room option for Apple Music Playback on the FiiO such as with an Apple TV or iPad or similar in the next room?
No, AirPlay is Apple’s multi room solution.
iPads are about 300$ now. Just mount a iPad to the wall and feed it a dac if you need one.