This Beautiful Hi-Fi Player Will Make You Want to Revisit Your Old CD Collection

Not to mention, it’s way more versatile than the Discman you grew up with.

Four square portable CD players in white, red, silver, and black with digital displays on a reflective surface.

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Published December 3, 2025

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Last year, Fiio introduced the DM13, a portable CD player with modern features (such as USB-C charging and built-in Bluetooth) and priced at $150, making it a relatively affordable excuse to revisit your old CD collection.

Fast-forward to today, and Fiio is introducing what is essentially an upgraded version.

Fiio DM15 R2R

Silver portable CD player with a CD inside on a brown fabric surface surrounded by magazines and a smartphone. — The Fiio DM15 R2R is portable CD player with modern features.

A Discman for today’s generation

In most ways, Fiio’s all-new DM15 R2R and DM13 are pretty similar. Both are modern portable CD players with two headphone jacks (3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm) and thus are compatible with a wide range of wired headphones.

They both have built-in Bluetooth with support for high-resolution codecs (including aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and aptX Low Latency), so you can stream CD audio to wireless headphones or speakers.

Silver portable CD player with black headphones featuring red ear cups on a wooden table. — Unlike its predecessor, the Fiio DM15 R2R has a transparent lid, a tactile volume knob and a larger front display.

Each has an ESP (Electronic Shock Protection) switch, too, to help guard against skipping, a common problem with CD players. The idea is that you should have the ESP function turned on when you’re on the go and turned off when you’re comfortably situated at home.

And both are more versatile than the Discman you grew up with. They have numerous connections (including optical and coaxial) and modes, allowing you to integrate them into a larger hi-fi system or even your desktop.

Black audio player with digital display showing CD track info and multiple control buttons on a wooden surface. — Fiio moved all the controls to the front panel of the DM15 R2R.

Transparent top, superior DAC

That said, Fiio has given the DM15 R2R several significant upgrades, the most obvious being the design. Most obviously, it has a brand-new transparent lid so you can see your CDs spinning as they play. Pretty cool.

Like its predecessor, the DM15 R2R has an aluminum chassis that gives it a premium look and feel. But Fiio moved all the playback and control buttons to the front panel and added a tactile volume dial, along with a bigger, better front display.

Silver portable CD player connected to a laptop on a wooden desk with a close-up of the USB connection. — The DM15 R2R can be used to save your CD albums as WAV files on your computer, so you can listen to them whenever you want.

As its name suggests, Fiio’s newest portable CD player features a custom-built R2R DAC that uses a resistor ladder to convert digital data into analog waveforms. According to the brand, this “translates to a smoother, more organic style of playback many listeners prefer.”

And thanks to a USB DAC mode, you can connect the DM15 R2R to your computer, laptop or even smartphone, and enhance the audio quality of your wired headphones even when you’re not listening to CDs.

When in USB DAC mode, the DM15 R2R can play music at up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD256.

Silver digital audio player with a clear top cover and a connected black cable, placed on a brown mat next to a laptop. — When in DAC mode, the DM15 R2R can play music at up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD256.

Price and availability

Naturally, Fiio’s new-and-improved portable CD player comes at a premium price — it costs $270. (If that’s a little too rich for your blood, the company still sells the DM13, although it’s now priced at $170.)

The Fiio DM15 R2R is available in four finishes, all of which are available for preorder right now. The silver and red versions are expected to start shipping on December 9th, while the black and white versions won’t start shipping until early January.

Silver metal CD player with digital display and control buttons on the front panel.

Fiio DM15 R2R

$270 at Apos

About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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