FiiO K17 R2R announced with custom R2R DAC and wood panels

The FiiO K17 R2R was officially launched today (July 6) in mainland China. It is a variant of the K17 featuring an in-house developed R2R DAC designed by FiiO. According to the company’s founder and CEO, James Chung, the goal was to accommodate different sound signature preferences. Natural wood side panels distinguish the K17 R2R visually, while the remainder of the hardware is identical to that of the standard K17.

Update (July 14): The FiiO K17 R2R is now available from FiiO’s official store on AliExpress.

K17 Introduced in a New Version Featuring an In-House Developed R2R DAC

To provide listeners with alternative sonic characteristics, FiiO has introduced a new version of its K17 desktop DAC/headphone amplifier. The original K17 is equipped with the AKM AK4499EQ DAC chip, which employs a delta-sigma architecture. In contrast, the K17 R2R incorporates an R2R DAC architecture. Beyond its fundamentally different operating principle compared to delta-sigma DACs, this DAC was developed entirely in-house by FiiO.

The R2R DAC Used in the FiiO K17

The K17 R2R features what FiiO describes as a “24+5-bit segmented R2R PRO resistor array.” According to the manufacturer, the additional five bits are designed to reduce the error accumulation inherent to conventional R2R DACs, thereby helping to lower distortion.

The resistor configuration of the K17’s R2R PRO DAC is as follows:

• 5-bit thermal compensation network: 31 resistors
• 24-bit R2R resistor network: 48 resistors

FiiO describes the sonic characteristics of the K17 R2R PRO DAC as follows:

“It preserves the characteristic analog timbre of R2R technology while delivering a smooth, natural, full-bodied, clean, and pleasant sound.”

K17 R2R Features a New Design with Natural Wood Side Panels

The K17 R2R is fitted with solid natural wood side panels. The silver version uses white ash (Fraxinus americana), while the black version features walnut wood.

According to FiiO, the side panels are crafted from imported North American solid hardwood. As a result, each unit displays a unique natural grain pattern, giving every K17 R2R its own distinctive appearance.

Apart from the DAC, the Hardware and Features Remain Unchanged

With the exception of the R2R DAC implementation, the K17 R2R shares the same hardware as the standard AKM delta-sigma version. Both models also offer an identical feature set.

FiiO K17 R2R Specifications

General Specifications

• 1000 Mbps RJ45 Ethernet port
• Amplification: Discrete Onsemi MJE243G/MJE253G transistors
• Analog inputs: RCA and 4.4 mm balanced
• Analog outputs: RCA, XLR, 6.35 mm, 4.4 mm balanced, and XLR
• Battery: None
• Bluetooth chipset: Qualcomm QCC5125
• Colors: Black and Silver
• DAC: In-house 24+5-bit segmented R2R PRO DAC
• Digital inputs: Coaxial, Optical, and USB
• Digital outputs: Coaxial and Optical
• Dimensions: 244.6 × 213 × 66.8 mm
• MCU: Espressif ESP32-S3
• Power supply: AC 100–120V / 220–240V, 50/60Hz
• Remote control included
• SoC: Ingenic X2000
• Supports the FiiO Control app with Auto EQ and a 31-band Parametric Equalizer (PEQ)
• Touchscreen: 3.93-inch LCD, 240 × 1020 resolution
• TRIGGER IN: 3.5 mm
• USB controller: XMOS XU316
• Volume control via rotary knob, touchscreen, and remote control
• Weight: 2,750 g
• Wi-Fi chipset: AMPAK AP6256
• Wi-Fi: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

Bluetooth Specifications

• Bluetooth 5.1
• Supported codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and LDAC

Operating Modes

• USB DAC
• Coaxial DAC
• Optical (TOSLINK) DAC
• Single-ended line input
• Balanced line input
• Bluetooth receiver
• Streaming media receiver (Roon Ready, AirPlay, and QPlay)
• Local playback (supports local storage and NAS)

Audio Playback Specifications

Local Playback

• PCM up to 384 kHz / 32-bit
• DSD256

Streaming Playback

• PCM up to 384 kHz / 32-bit
• DSD256

6.35 mm Single-Ended Headphone Output

Audio Performance

• Output impedance: <1 Ω (32 Ω)
• Crosstalk: ≥76 dB (1 kHz @ 32 Ω)
• THD+N: <0.0005% (1 kHz / –12 dB @ 32 Ω)
• Signal-to-noise ratio: ≥124 dB
• Peak output voltage: >24 Vp-p
• Noise floor: <5 μV

Output Power

• 1,800 mW @ 16 Ω
• 1,850 mW @ 32 Ω
• 240 mW @ 300 Ω

Balanced 4.4 mm and XLR Outputs

Audio Performance

• Output impedance: <1.5 Ω (32 Ω)
• Crosstalk: ≥119 dB (1 kHz @ 32 Ω)
• THD+N: <0.00049% (1 kHz / –13 dB @ 32 Ω)
• Signal-to-noise ratio: ≥124 dB
• Peak output voltage: >48 Vp-p
• Noise floor: <7.9 μV

Output Power

• 1,800 mW @ 16 Ω
• 4,000 mW @ 32 Ω
• 950 mW @ 300 Ω

Release, Pricing, and Availability

The FiiO K17 R2R is now available internationally in Silver and Black for US$972.01 from FiiO’s official store on AliExpress.