FiiO SnowSky BEATBOX portable CD player with LDAC, bassy speakers, and a swappable 18650 battery

FiiO, through its SnowSky sub‑brand, has introduced the BEATBOX portable CD player, a model that marries the classic appeal of optical discs with a slate of modern features. The announcement came via China’s Weibo, where the company confirmed sales will start in February next year at a price of up to 500 yuan.

The headline addition is a pair of built‑in stereo speakers tuned with a clear emphasis on bass, so CDs can be enjoyed without reaching for headphones. Separate chambers and a dedicated bass channel are used to give low frequencies more body and presence, while mid and high ranges are handled by drivers placed along the sides of the chassis. The approach suggests a focus on room‑filling sound rather than purely near‑field listening.

At the heart of the BEATBOX is a custom steel disc‑reading mechanism, the same type found in the DM15. It is designed for stable operation with CDs and supports ripping, letting users transfer music from their discs to a computer as digital files for later playback.

Design-wise, the device will come in black and silver. The front panel can even serve as a decorative accent if desired, and a magnetic mount on the back makes placement simpler. On the connectivity front, the BEATBOX plays audio over Bluetooth with LDAC, can stream music from a smartphone, works with USB drives, and accepts an analog signal via an AUX input. Taken together, it feels like a compact hub that keeps physical media in the mix without giving up on convenience.

Battery life has been given special attention. Power comes from a removable 18650 cell rated at 3,500 mAh, making replacements straightforward when the time comes. There’s also a dedicated FM radio module, broadening the player’s use beyond CD playback. The swappable battery alone should help the device age more gracefully than many sealed competitors.