This portable hi-res music player has retro charm in more ways than one

FiiO did its part to make actual cassettes cool again in 2025, but has taken a different approach at this year’s CES show. The M33 R2R hi-res music player is stuffed with tech that apes the analogue listening experience – minus the crackles and chewed tape, of course – and can be paired with an optional Retro Box speaker that does does a neat impression of a tape in playback.

A 24-bit R2R resistor array DAC and multi-stage amplifier at the heart of the pocket jukebox aim to deliver a “natural, analog-like presentation”, rather than the all-digital approach taken with the FiiO M23 I reviewed last year.

There’s 24-bit/384kHz playback support, an independent power input to avoid signal interference, and FiiO’s own DAPS circuitry to cut out song-spoiling jitter and noise. A 10-band parametric equalizer then gives you audiophile-grade tuning to suit specific headphones.

Behind the 5.5in HD resolution touchscreen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset and 8GB of RAM are running Android 13, with FiiO’s usual music apps pre-loaded to get you playing tunes right away – either from the 128GB of on-board storage or via the microSD card slot. The built-in battery is apparently good for up to 14 hours of playback, depending on the power mode.

The M33 R2R can spit out a mighty 1100mW + 1100mW of power across its 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced outputs, so should have no trouble driving the most demanding sets of cans as well as easier-going in ear monitors. The dedicated desktop mode ups the gain levels when called for, once plugged in to mains power over USB-C.

That might be overkill for the FiiO Retro Box speaker, which can use the M33 R2R as a music source. It has its own cassette-style display that ‘spins its reels’ as you play your tunes. It’ll be sold separately from the M33 R2R when it lands later in 2026; prices are still tbc.

The FiiO M33 R2R itself will be launching in Q1, for $600/£449.

• Related: The new FiiO Snowsky Disc might be 2025’s most interesting music player

Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming