I review home audio products on my blog and YouTube channel, along with tips and tricks to get the best sound possible out of your home stereo!
My first impressions of the Fiio DM15 R2R CD Player...
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Hi friends, I recently purchased the new Fiio DM15 R2R CD player from Apos Audio and have been slowly starting to use it over the past few weeks. I'm a big fan on the previous model, the DM13 and gave it a positive review on YouTube last year while comparing it against a Moondrop player: I haven't compared the sound signatures of the DM15 and the DM13 yet. I think most people assume that's the first thing I would test, but really, I prefer to live with the new player and just to learn more about it's feature set before worrying about sound. A lot of people are going to like the new volume knob on the DM15 that sits on the front of the unit, which is understandable. The DM15's controls (Play, Stop, Power, Track Skip, etc) are now on the front of the unit, instead of the top and to be honest, they are small and for those of us approaching a certain age (ahem), they can be hard to read. I assume at some point I will just know which button to push, but I find myself staring at these buttons a lot more than I did on the DM13 where they were located on top. One of the biggest additions is the DM15 comes with a remote control, while the DM13 does not. I suppose that could negate my concerns about the small buttons now used? Time will tell. One nice feature is the DM15 has a stop button, while the DM13 had you push two different buttons at once to stop playback. The DM15 has EQ and "Magic Bass" settings, something the DM13 does not have. It will be interesting to listen with those in play and determine if they are worth the addition or not. And of course, the DM15's DAC design is R2R, meaning it uses a resistor ladder unlike a chip like the DM13 to convert the digital audio to an analog signal we can hear. Does that mean the DM15 will sound better than the DM13? I don't know yet, but I look forward to finding out. In the meantime, we are currently riding out an ice storm here in Tennessee that doesn't appear to be going anywhere for a few days. A lot of people are without power, which is troubling, but so far we still have power, even though I can spot a few tree limbs that look like they could change that situation quickly. Everyone stay warm and if you have a few minutes today, check out a new video on my YouTube channel about a Luxman tube CD player: Aaron |
Forever Analog
I review home audio products on my blog and YouTube channel, along with tips and tricks to get the best sound possible out of your home stereo!
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