Very few manufacturers within the portable and desktop audio categories were as busy as FiiO in 2024 — from the flurry of new product announcements at CES 2025 this morning, it would be appear that the next 12 months might be even busier for the popular brand.
FiiO went off the reservation somewhat last year with the introduction of a portable cassette player and CD player; we were so impressed with the new FiiO DM13 that it made our “Best CD players: Editors’ Choice” list for 2024.
CES 2025 is underway and they have just pulled back the curtains on the new FiiO JM21 DAP (Digital Audio Player) for only $179 USD.
The new DAP is part of a trio of new digital streaming products from FiiO that includes the K17 headphone amplifier and S15 network streamer.
FiiO JM21
At first glance, the FiiO JM21 DAP looks like a great deal at only $149; the market has been moving the other direction in recent years and this new player featuring an ultra-slim 13mm chassis, and running on Android 13 and FiiO’s UI could be the DAP that makes consumers finally take notice of the category.
Before we delve further into the weeds and discuss the rather obvious question that has been foremost in our mind this morning, let’s take a look at what FiiO has packed into the rather slim case.
Dual CS43198 DACs (one for balanced output and one for single ended output) are combined with 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. With a 3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm headphone socket and FiiO Music on board, all high-res streaming services are supported and a MicroSD slot offers extensive storage options for digital music collections up to 2TB. Truly pocket-sized at just 165 grams, it could be the ideal travel companion with 12 hours of battery life and a two-hour fast charge mode.
From a power perspective, the FiiO JM21 offers 360mW (16Ω, THD+N＜1%) and 245mW (32Ω, THD+N＜1%) from its single-ended 3.5mm output which will make it compatible with easier to drive IEMs and headphones; Grado fans should do well here.
The power output drops rather dramatically once we start looking at headphones or IEMs above 300 ohms; don’t expect more than 30mW at this level.
The balanced output offers 605mW (16 ohms) and 700 mW (32 ohms) which will increase the range of headphones and IEMs that one can use with it to satisfactory volume levels. The output above 300 ohms falls to 80mW.
JM21 Specifications
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 | Yes |
| DAC | CS43198 x 2 |
| Amplification | SGM8262 x 2 |
| Operating System | Android 13 |
| Op Amp | SGM8262 x 2 |
| RAM and Storage | 3G RAM+32GB ROM |
| Storage Expansion | Micro SD Slot up to 2 TB |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Wi-Fi 2.4GHz/5GHz, | Supports DLNA, AirPlay, WiFi song transfer, etc. |
| USB DAC: | Up to 384kHz/32-bit; DSD256 (Native) |
| Local Decoding | Up to 384kHz/32-bit; DSD256 (Native) |
| USB Audio | 768kHz/32-bit; DSD512 (DoP/D2P/Native supported) |
| Digital Coaxial Output | Up to 384kHz/24-bit; DSD128 (D2P/DOP) |
| Outputs | Single Ended 3.5mm PO/SPDIF + Balanced 4 ohms |
| Display Size | 4.7-inch (750×1334) bezel-less display |
| Dimensions | 4.75 x 2.68 x .05 inches |
The Bottom Line
2024 was a rather slow year for new DAP introductions and we saw the big players like FiiO, Astell&Kern, and Cayin focus on the upper end of the market. Our “Best DAP” selection from Astell&Kern is a reflection of that trend within the category.
So what should consumers make of the FiiO JM21?
It offers support for a rather wide range of hi-res formats and can also be used as your network player through its digital coaxial and 3.5mm outputs.
Bluetooth support for AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC, and LHDC will also broaden its appeal.
The power output specifications will certainly influence what one can connect on the other end but the balanced output option certainly widens the net.
Digging deeper into the specifications, we noticed that the battery requires 2 hours to achieve a full charge and the one should expect up to 12.5 hours of playtime using the single-ended output and 9.5 hours through the balanced output; both of those claims are with the DAP on its high gain setting, but running MP3s or 16-bit/44.1kHz PCM files.
The benefit of using a DAP over your existing smartphone connected to a Dongle DAC is that you have more space for your music, support for a wider range of hi-res formats and Bluetooth codecs, and it doesn’t drain your phone’s battery — which is a negative of a number of Dongle DACs used to stream hi-res files driving more demanding IEMs and headphones.
At $179, the FiiO JM21 appears to be a rather affordable gateway drug into the DAP category.
Pricing and Availability
The FiiO JM21 is available now for $179 at Amazon (149 EUR/ £139). For more information, visit: fiio.com/jm21.
