Join the resistor-ance with FiiO's new super-smart (and refreshingly affordable) desktop DAC

Product shot of the FiiO K13 R2R DAC on a light grey background with a black sound wave image behind it
(Image credit: FiiO)

  • Resistor ladder decoding for more natural, organic audio
  • Excellent connectivity both in and out
  • £279 / $319 / €319 (about AU$570)

If you'd like to your music to take you higher, FiiO has just the thing: a ladder. Its new K13 R2R DAC contains resistor ladder decoding technology that promises to deliver a luxurious audio experience – and there's a porthole on top so you can take a peek at the electronics as you enjoy their output.

The resistor ladder is a "painstakingly designed" array of resistors that FiiO says decodes audio with a more natural and organic sound, and it's been paired with the firm's proprietary error correction algorithm to deliver precise matching and linearity with ultra-low distortion. FiiO reckons that the result combines sonic accuracy with warmth and natural flow.

Product shot of the FiiO K13 R2R DAC showing the rear of the device against a white background

(Image credit: FiiO)

FiiO K13 R2R DAC: key features and pricing

The K13 R2R features an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) + DSP system that takes care of the digital signal processing, oversampling and clocking, and it supports PCM up to 1,536kHz and DSD1024.

With 2,400mW of power, the K13 R2R can handle sensitive IEMs and full-powered planar headphones, and there are selectable gain levels capable of powering headphones with 600-ohm resistance.

There are balanced XLR and 4.4mm headphone outs, a single-ended 6.35mm headphone socket and balanced and single-ended line-outs for active monitors, making this a very flexible DAC indeed. FiiO says it's not just a DAC but a platform: it has a XMOS XU316 USB receiver and features USB, optical, co-ax and I²S inputs to deliver very wide connectivity and compatibility.

The new FiiO K13 R2R will go on sale this month, September 2025, with an RRP of $319 / £279 / €319 (about AU$570).

You might also like

Carrie Marshall

Contributor

Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than twenty books. Her latest, a love letter to music titled Small Town Joy, is on sale now. She is the singer in spectacularly obscure Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.