FiiO shows no sign of slowing down in 2025. The Chinese audio brand has been flooding the market with new gear this year—dongle DACs, desktop amplifiers, DACs, portable CD players, and a growing lineup of headphones that prove they’re serious about owning every price point. Now, with the launch of the FT13 wooden headphones, B15 R2R DAC, and Air Link wireless hub, FiiO adds three more pieces to an already crowded puzzle.
UK-based eCoustics Headphone Columnist James Fiorucci currently has five FiiO products under review, with coverage expected in the coming weeks. Simply put, FiiO is everywhere right now—and clearly intends to stay that way.
For those curious about what’s coming, we had an early listen at CanJam London 2025, where FiiO’s table looked more like a small electronics bazaar than a product demo. Cables, amps, and shiny machined parts everywhere—organized chaos in the most FiiO way possible. You can read more about their latest ventures in desktop audio here and their expanding headphone lineup here. London may have its fog, but FiiO’s direction is crystal clear: they’re coming for every inch of the personal audio space, one product launch at a time.
FiiO FT13 Headphones Bring Purpleheart Style and Serious Engineering to the Closed-Back Game
Following the award-winning FT1, FT3, FT5, and FT7 models, the $329 USD FiiO FT13 steps in as the brand’s latest overachiever—this time dressed to kill in purpleheart wood earcups. Yes, the same exotic South American hardwood used in high-end guitars. It starts life as a polite shade of brown and, over time, deepens into a dark royal purple—because apparently, even your headphones need a glow-up phase. Each pair is CNC-machined, stabilized, and finished with a high-gloss lacquer, making every FT13 a one-off piece of art you can actually listen to.
Under the hood, a 60mm dynamic driver with a W-shaped diaphragm delivers lightning-fast transients, extended bass, and crisp, detailed highs. FiiO added a U-shaped damping tube, noise-reduction chamber, and sound-absorbing cotton to cut ambient noise by up to 26 dB—turning your commute or late-night session into something more akin to a private concert.
The FT13 is easy to drive thanks to its low impedance and high sensitivity—whether you’re plugged into a smartphone, laptop, or high-end setup. Comfort-wise, the breathable memory foam pads keep the fit civilized for long listening sessions.
Rounding it out, the detachable Furukawa monocrystalline copper cable (with silver plating, naturally) comes with both 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors, so you’re covered no matter what you plug into. Available now, the FT13 pairs neatly with FiiO’s JM21 music player or K11 R2R desktop DAC/amp—a proper gentleman’s setup for those who expect refinement with a bit of bite.
FiiO FT13 Headphone Specifications
- Type: Closed-back dynamic headphones
- Driver: 60mm dynamic driver
- Frequency Response: 7Hz – 40kHz
- Impedance: 32Ω
- Sensitivity: 98dB/mW @ 1kHz (113dB/Vrms @ 1kHz)
- Weight: Approximately 356g (without cable)
- Earcup Pressure: 4.2N ± 0.3N
- Cable Material: Secondary refined Furukawa monocrystalline copper with silver-plated oxygen-free copper
- Cable Length: 1.5m
- Headphone Connector: Dual 3.5mm (TS)
- Audio Plugs Included: 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced
- Earcup Material: Purpleheart wood
- Available Finishes: Natural wood / Black
A well-built, closed-back headphone designed for both desktop and portable listening — with materials and tuning that show FiiO’s getting serious about craftsmanship as well as sound.
For more information: fiio.com/ft13
Where to buy: $329 at Amazon
FiiO B15 R2R Desktop Bluetooth Receiver Brings True R2R Performance to the Wireless World
The FiiO B15 R2R is the latest addition to FiiO’s ever-growing lineup of compact hi-fi components, joining the K11 R2R DAC/headphone amp and SR11 streamer. This time, FiiO’s taking its R2R (ladder DAC) magic wireless, building a fully balanced Bluetooth receiver that plays nice with almost any system—desktop, active speakers, soundbar, or even your favorite Bluetooth speaker.
Using Qualcomm’s QCC5181 Bluetooth 5.4 chipset, the B15 R2R supports aptX Lossless and LDAC, letting you stream high-resolution audio without needing a wire in sight. Digital inputs include USB-C, TOSLINK, and coaxial, while analog outputs cover both RCA and balanced XLR for flexible integration into any setup. There’s also NOS/OS dual-mode decoding for those who want to experiment with different sonic textures, plus a built-in switching power supply to keep noise low and performance clean.
The FiiO Control app adds even more flexibility with a 10-band global parametric EQ, while the included remote control makes day-to-day use refreshingly simple. Launching in December 2025 for around $299 / £249, the B15 R2R looks like a seriously capable digital hub for both wireless and wired listening.
Readers can explore more about Bluetooth audio codecs here, and if you’re curious how to connect a turntable to Bluetooth speakers using a receiver, we’ve got a full guide here.
FiiO B15 R2R Specifications
- Bluetooth Chipset: Qualcomm QCC5181
- Bluetooth Version: 5.4
- Supported Codecs: aptX Lossless, LDAC
- DAC Type: Fully differential true 24-bit R2R resistor array
- Operating Modes: NOS (Non-Oversampling) / OS (Oversampling)
- Decoding Inputs: Bluetooth, USB, SPDIF (Optical and Coaxial)
- Analog Outputs: 2 × RCA, 1 × XLR (balanced)
- EQ: Global 10-band parametric EQ (via FiiO Control App)
- Power Supply: Built-in low-noise switching power supply
- Accessories: Remote control included
Where to buy: $299 (coming December 2025)
FiiO Air Link: Portable Hi-Res Bluetooth Transmitter with Serious Ambition
The FiiO Air Link might be small enough to lose between your couch cushions, but don’t mistake its size for weakness. This pocket-sized hi-res Bluetooth transmitter is designed to bring lossless, ultra-low-latency wireless audio to just about anything with a USB-C port — laptops, desktops, gaming consoles, and yes, even those dusty DACs you refuse to retire.
Built around Qualcomm’s QCC5181 chipset, the Air Link supports Bluetooth 6.0, meaning you’re not just buying for today — you’re future-proofing. Codec support is as complete as it gets: LDAC, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, and aptX HD — all running with latency as low as ~50ms, making this as viable for gaming and video as it is for serious music listening.
Control is simple: a multifunction button handles pairing and codec switching, while RGB lighting lets you know what codec you’re using (and looks a bit sci-fi doing it). For power users, the FiiO Control app and web interface allow full customization. And yes — you can charge your phone while using it, thanks to the separate Type-C input.
At £49.99 / $59.00, the Air Link lands in November and is aimed squarely at Apple users and anyone rocking modern LDAC or aptX-equipped headphones and speakers. FiiO might be late to this specific party, but they’re crashing it hard — especially now that Sennheiser and Questyle are muscling into the hi-res Bluetooth adapter space.
FiiO Air Link Specifications
- Color Options: Black / Silver
- Chipset: Qualcomm QCC5181
- Bluetooth Version: 6.0
- Supported Codecs: LDAC, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD
- Maximum Sampling Rate: 96kHz / 24-bit
- Latency: ~50ms (low-latency mode)
- Bluetooth Multipoint: Supported
- Transmission Range: 50m+
- Weight: 5g
- Dimensions: 34.5 × 23.5 × 9.5 mm
- Ports:
- Type-C Male Plug: Power and data transmission
- Type-C Female Port: Charging passthrough
- Input Power: 5V / 1A
- Controls: Multifunction button (pairing, codec switch, reset)
- Firmware Upgrades: OTA / USB
- Antenna: FPC internal
- App Support: FiiO Control App + Web interface
For more information: fiio.com/airlink
Where to buy: $59 (coming November 2025)
The Bottom Line
With the FT13, B15 R2R, and Air Link, FiiO continues its 2025 mission to be everywhere in the personal and desktop audio space—and at prices that make high performance feel annoyingly attainable.
The FT13 closed-back headphones are for listeners who want natural warmth and texture with the added romance of real purpleheart wood—think classic musicality without the “audiophile tax.” They’re comfortable, detailed, and versatile enough to use with everything from a smartphone to a full desktop rig.
The B15 R2R desktop Bluetooth receiver is for anyone building a compact hi-fi system who wants that NOS/OS flexibility, balanced outputs, and lossless wireless convenience. It’s clean, flexible, and smartly priced for those who want audiophile decoding without a rack full of boxes.
And the Air Link is the stealthy wild card—a $59 Bluetooth transmitter that’s as capable as units triple its price, perfect for gamers, streamers, and travelers who demand hi-res wireless audio without latency or fuss.
Together, these three launches show exactly what FiiO does best: democratizing high-end tech, keeping the price sane, and making life difficult for anyone trying to compete in the affordable hi-fi arena.
Related Reading:
- FiiO QX13 Carbon Fiber DAC Debuts Ahead Of CanJam London 2025: High-Res Audio Goes Pocket-Sized
- FiiO FT1 Pro Open-Back Headphones Review: Shaking Up The Entry-Level Category For $200
- FiiO K15 DAC Headphone Amp: The Affordable Desktop Option Schiit Hopes You Ignore
- FiiO K13 R2R DAC: A Balanced Headphone Amp And Hi-Res Desktop Audio Hub With Enough Power For Planar Headphones
Asa
October 29, 2025 at 11:30 pm
Hey Ian – you knew this was coming…for about the same cost, Meze Classic or the FT13’s? I guess I could buy both, listen, and send one back. FiiOs have lower Ω and broader range, at least on paper.
I do use this when listening via headphones – https://www.ecoustics.com/reviews/ifi-audio-xdsd-gryphon/, if one handles power better than the other.
Thanks!
Ian White
October 30, 2025 at 10:56 am
Asa,
Two very different sounding headphones. The Meze is more linear from top to bottom. The FT13 has a much firmer low end and brighter sounding treble. They also come with two sets of earpads that have a huge impact on the sonic signature.
The Meze is very easy to drive. The iFi GO Blu Air barely gets to 60% on the volume dial before it becomes too loud with them. The isolation on the FT13 is also earpad dependent.
IW
Asa
October 30, 2025 at 4:03 pm
Great – thanks, Ian!
Does either do better/worse with different music genres?
Lastly, in the $500-1K, is there something else you’d say you prefer vs these two pair, or is it marginal gains in that range?
Ian White
October 30, 2025 at 6:24 pm
Asa,
Meze is better for genres that don’t have an excess of bass energy you really have to feel to enjoy. It’s much cleaner with vocals. I think you can shape its tonal balance with your amp or DAC. Above $500 and under $1,000? The 109 Pro are really good from Meze. The Dan Clark Audio Noire X is also really good around $1000. Needs a good amp/DAC. Check out the archives.
Dan Clark Review