Moondrop DISCDREAM 2 Ultra vs. FiiO DM13 BT – Cage Match
That’s how it works: we put two pieces in the cage, lock the gate, and let them in there for a few days, let them cook for a bit…and only one of them gets to come out. Moondrop DISCDREAM 2 Ultra vs. FiiO DM13 BT.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Recently, I reviewed two portable CD players, the $289.99 Moondrop DISCDREAM 2 Ultra and the $179.99 FiiO DM 13 BT. They are welcome additions to the desktop stack of headphone-loving CD collectors or may simply delight interested retro aficionados. Outside the premium segment, releases of good CD players have been a rare, lately. And car stereos have omitted this technology for quite a few years.
To me, the CD has never disappeared. I have been collecting music on these silver discs since the late 1980s. My extensive collection crossed the Atlantic a couple of times in countless moving cartons, and was then “uhauled” across the North American continent.
Yes, all my music fits on a small, single hard drive (and it actually is on one, plus backups), but the pleasure of holding a physical medium in my hands has never disappeared. Even more delightful are nicely illustrated box sets, which cannot be matched by computer screens. Last but not least, 2nd-hand CDs are frequently much cheaper than digital downloads. Why not rip those?
If one considers the classic Sony Discman an extinct species that has been resurrected recently, one would expect this newest batch of players to incorporate the latest technical achievements. After all, nobody attempted to drive a full-sized headphone in the mid 1990s with a portable player, simply because they didn’t have enough power. Times have changed and so have expectations.
What we want to see in a current player is a greatly improved DAC, a (more) powerful amp, digital outputs and balanced analog outputs. Our two cage match candidates, the FiiO DM13 and Moondrop DISCDREAM 2 Ultra do deliver on these fronts but at different levels.
The Contenders
Before we start this cage match you may get some background information from these reviews.
Physicals
Build (outside)
The DM 13 BT is of solid metal build with quality button mechanisms. Quality. The DISCDREAM 2 Ultra is even built heavier, sans the buttons which may be a weak point — and it lacks a locking mechanism for the lid. I’d call it a tie. As to the interiors, I don’t have enough information to judge.
Cool Factor
My (non-audiophile) wife had a quick look and decided that the FiiO DM 13 BT looked sleeker. But, but, but, why do people get excited over spinning records, and why has this never been the case with CDs? One answer could be that the CD is concealed, you don’t see it during operation. Boring! Some early professional decks such as the Technics SL-P1300 used by radio stations actually had a window. You may also remember the Nakamichi CD changers in 1990s record stores.
Of the two competitors, only the DISCDREAM 2 Ultra offers a view of the playing CD. I take the liberty to object my wife in this case.
[UPDATE: in the meantime, FiiO has also released a version with a transparent lid].
Functionality and Operation
Find a table of features of some portable CD players below. I added two more Moondrop models and the latest SMSL player for comparison. Since I have described the features of the DM13 BT and DISCDREAM 2 Ultra in great detail in the respective reviews, I focus on things each of them CANNOT do (compared to the other).
The FiiO DM13 BT does NOT
- have a desktop DAC function
- have a STOP button (!!!)
The Moondrop DISCDREAM 2 ULTRA does NOT
- offer coaxial and USB-C digital outputs
- have a 4.4 mm line out
- play music via Bluetooth
- offer battery bypass (Desktop Mode)
- allow CD ripping to computer
- allow CD recording on a flash drive
| FEATURES | FiiO DM13 BT | Moondrop DISCDREAM 2 Ultra | Moondrop DISCDREAM 2 | Moondrop DISCDREAM | SMSL VMV PL100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.99 | $289.99 | $149.99 | $199.99 | $106 |
| 3.5 mm SE Output | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| 4.4 mm BAL Output | yes | yes | — | — | — |
| 3.5 mm Line Out | yes | yes | yes | yes | — |
| 4.4 mm Line Out | yes | — | — | — | — |
| Optical Out | yes | yes | yes | — | yes |
| Coaxial Out | yes | — | — | — | yes |
| USB Out | yes | — | — | — | — |
| USB In | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| RCA Out | — | — | — | — | yes |
| Bluetooth 5.4 | yes | — | — | — | — |
| SD Card Slot | — | — | — | yes | — |
| USB Desktop Function | — | yes | yes | yes | — |
| Desktop Mode (Battery Bypass) | yes | — | — | — | — |
| CD Ripping | yes | — | — | — | — |
| Audio Formats | flac, wav, wma, aac, mp3 | wav, mp3, ??? | wav, mp3 | flac, wav, mp3, wma, aac, ogg, flac, ape (SD card) | CD/CD-R/CD-RW/MP3 CD |
| Shock Protection | yes | ? | ? | ? | — |
| Remote | — | — | — | — | yes |
| Weight | 450 g | 700 g | ? | 500 g | 1.2 kg |
Clever Features
Amplification and Power
Both players drive the hungry 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600 with ease. The FiiO appears to have a slightly stronger amplification. No substantial difference here in my testing.
Sound
…with built-in DAC-amp
This one goes clearly to the DISCDREAM 2 Ultra: more neutral and subtle than the DM13 with less bass and better treble extension, better note definition & separation, midrange clarity & resolution, wider stage, better spatial reconstruction and better treble extension. The FiiO has a thicker, slower low-end, poorer vocals definition, and a treble rolloff. Its sound is punchier, more youthful, but with a less well defined imaging.
…as CD Transport only
When using these players with external DACs (SMSL DO200 MKII and EarMen Tradutto) and amplifiers (EarMen CH-Amp and Burson Funk), the sonic differences become minute to negligible. Yep, the DISCDREAM 2 Ultra is still slightly ahead with a tad of better clarity and subtleties.
…with Bluetooth 5.4
Only the FiiO has a Bluetooth transmitter. Works well with my final UX3000 headphones, but the sound is mediocre.
Usage
On the Road
Either of the candidates is much bigger and heavier than any classic, slimline <400 g Sony Discman. The 450 g FiiO DM13 BT is the more compact of the two, and the DISCDREAM does not have a lock mechanism: its lid would flip open in one’s backpack.
Around the House
The Moondrop may be bulkier but that does not matter when moving between sofa and coffee table. It sounds better without external DAC than the FiiO DM13 BT.
In the Office
That is, on your desk connected to an external stack. Depends what you are looking for: the FiiO has a smaller footprint and more connectivity options. The heavier and larger DISCDREAM sits firmer on its underground and has marginally better sound through its optical output.
Longevity/Durability
A big question mark. The Moondrop’s interior is not as crowded as the FiiO’s. The DISCDREAM may contain bigger (and therefore more durable) electronic components than the sleeker DM13 BT. Unfortunately, last year’s original DISCDREAM (same button mechanism as the current model) failed on me for no good reason: all buttons dead while player was still running music from the SD card.
Concluding Remarks
Which of the competitors should we allow to leave the cage, and which should burn in hell in there? There is no clear winner: the FiiO DM13 BT offers bigger value through a lower price and more comprehensive functionality. It is for the bargain hunters. The pricier Moondrop DISCDREAM 2 Ultra sounds better by itself and is for people who don’t bother about diminishing returns.
None of these two “portable players” is easily portable. Hence, I leave both in the cage and cook them for a bit more. Revenge is sweet.
Until next time…keep on listening!
Disclaimer
Our generic standard disclaimer.
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