All the features you would want from a headphone amplifier on a budget

In this review, I want to share my experiences with the FX Audio DR07 which I have been using (with its ‘sister’ Amplifier the R07Plus) for the past few weeks. I feel both these product represent a “rebirth” for FX-Audio with highly competitive performance and excellent designs at very pragmatic prices.

My previous experience with FX-Audio products was with the rather excellent (for the price) FX Audio DAC X6, a few years agp. Having used the DR07 for a few weeks, I feel this DR07 is the spiritual successor to that product, where FX-Audio have effectively improved on every aspect of that device with better measurements, an up-to-date design, more power and even a nice little display added.

But let’s get into the details.

Introduction

The FXAudio DR07 is an all-in-one DAC and headphone amplifier designed to meet a wide range of HiFi desktop audio needs and as you will see I believe is the perfect starter headphone amplifier (and maybe the only one you will ever need).
And with its high-performance dual AK4493 DAC chips and lots of digital input options, it is also a very powerful with power for all IEM’s and almost all headphones you more than likely every own.

What’s in the box

The box is a fairly basic box with some nice branding:

The packaging includes the DR07 unit itself, a Bluetooth antenna, the power supply, and a remote control. Additionally, a USB cable was also provided. Note: As you will see the usb input on the back of the DR07 is the ‘old fashioned’ USB-B connection (like a printer USB). I would have preferred a usb-c connection but given they provide the cable it is not a big deal.

Overall it is a nice package with everything you need to get started:

The Amplifier:

Button Layout and Connections

The DR07 features a well-organized front panel with a small LCD screen displaying critical information like file format, sample rate, and volume level. The panel also includes power and input selection buttons, along with headphone outputs of 3.5mm and 6.35mm.

I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a 4.4mm balanced output and a 6.35mm SE output but given the power capabilties of this little headphone amplifier it is not that important. The other FX-Audio headphone amplifier (the R07Plus which I will post a review about in a few days) does have balanced outputs but it is for a different target market than the DR07.

On the back, the DR07 accommodates a variety of connections including USB, optical, coaxial inputs, and both RCA outputs and optical outputs.

I think the inclusion of both optical input and outputs is a nice touch, as you can immediately integrate this an ‘digital’ audio stack where you might already have a streamer (like a WiiM Mini / Pro) feeding optical into an existing DAC and you just want to add a powerful headphone amplifier without needing to do any ADC/DAC conversions. It also makes this a great ‘starter’ headphone DAC amplifier as you have many options for how you can use this device as your system grows.

The USB also support goes up to DSD512 with the Optical and Coaxial supporting the max of 192Khz.

Features

The DR07 stands out with its dual DAC setup, utilizing AK4493 chips for detailed and low-distortion sound output.

It supports high-resolution audio up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. The unit also features Qualcomm’s latest QCC5125 Bluetooth chipset, ensuring high-quality wireless connectivity with support for advanced codecs like LDAC, AAC and AptX HD.

Here is my Macbook feeding PSM 768Khz into the DR07:

The DR07 also supports MQA which at one point would have been an excellent addition, but I believe MQA is slowing dying, but I guess if you have MQA content its great to have that option availalbe.

The screen on the front is best suited for ‘desktop’ usage where you are close enough to read the values as it is too small to read values across a room for example. I personally found the similarly priced FiiO K11 screen easier to read, but it is a good option to have a screen to change things like the filters and Gain levels at this price point. Here is a short video of the operation of the DAC:

The remote Control is a great feature, though because I mainly used this on my desktop I did not use it that much as the buttons on front are good enough to change most options.

Listening and Sound impressions

I mainly used the USB input from my MacBook, but I did try optical from a WiiM Mini ‘streamer’ and occasionally I used bluetooth AAC from my iPhone as inputs into the DR07. They all operated as you should expect so I would imagine you will have no problems depending on which input you use for this DAC. I also feed the RCA outputs into a Fosi Audio V3 and it provided excellent quality audio into that excellent Class D amplifier. But my main listening was via the headphone outputs.

The DR07 delivers a neutral and analytical sound signature, which can be particularly appealing for users seeking clarity and detail in their music. Unlike the older headphone DAC Amplifiers like DAC X6 which used to have a ‘roll off’ of bass and especially the treble, in my listening tests the DR07 was perfectly transparent with no colorisation of the music at all.

I used a few different Hifiman planar headphones (including the Edition XS and the HE400se ) and at no point was I even near the maximum output (typically it was a 50% or less), there was no danger of it ‘running out of juice’ when driving these headphones during heavy bass led tracks like James Blakes ‘Limit to your Love’ or the Massive Attack ‘Angel’. In tracks like Bjork’s ‘Hunter’ the provided excellent clarity as the music panned rapidly between left and right ears, showing no ‘crosstalk’ issues.

I subsequently went through my long playlist and really enjoyed the experience, some classic Elton John tracks with their ’exaggerated’ piano soundstage was particular impressive, allowing me to pick out individual piano’s in 3D space. Some people might want more ‘colourisation’ with their music but my personal preference is always for a headphone amplifier to transparent.

I did switch over and tried some very sensitive IEM’s to see if I could hear any ‘artifical’ noise floor, and it was perfectly transparent, in fact, my test tracks for noise - John Cages - 4.33 sounded wonderful - in that if you ramp up the volume, you should be able to hear a ticking clock in the background as well as some doors opening and some plates clinking and it sounded very ‘clear’ on this amplifier.

The DR07 offers well-controlled bass, transparent midrange, and extended treble,
making it suitable for a wide range of headphones, from dynamic to planar types.

My one slight problem with the performance of the DAC was a slight ‘click’ when it starts playing a track and if you pause your music for a few seconds you will also hear that same ‘click’. This did not happen between tracks, so I am guessing the DR07 is ‘switching off’ some internal circuits.

Specifications and Measurements

Frequency Response

The DR07 maintains a flat frequency response within a very tight deviation, ensuring accurate sound reproduction across the audible spectrum. The rated FR is +/- 0.3db up to 40Khz. Once some Audio Precision measurements become available I will update this section of the review.

Rating

The FXAudio DR07 is highly recommended. I gave it a 4 star pragmatic rating. It is perfect for those in search of maybe a first time DAC-amp combo that offers detailed, high-resolution audio performance at a competitive price point. With its digital input and outputs it can also provide a great high quality headphone addition to an existing audio stack. The lack of a balanced output and the small screen being the only negatives.

Summary

Overall, the FXAudio DR07 is an impressive DAC and headphone amplifier that excels in functionality and audio performance. Its combination of advanced DAC chips, powerful amplification, and versatile connectivity options make it a standout choice for both casual listeners and audiophiles on a budget.