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I "upgraded" from the btr 5 to the btr 7. Bought it from Linsoul on 7/7, delivered to the US on 7/20. The 7 has more power, a bigger battery, a better amp, better bluetooth, and wireless charging. If you have the 5 and you don't need wireless charging then i don't know if I'd suggest buying it. BUT if you're in the $200 range buying something new then this is a fantastic device. And yes I agree, the case is rancid garbage.
The option to switch the volume/skip function between double press and hold press is also available for BTR5 btw. I've got the older 2020 unit and have been using that option for a while, can't say with 100% confidence that it's always been able to do it but I'm fairly sure. I got my current phone about a year ago and it could definitely do it since then
I will explain the car situation. Most modern luxury cars are like rolling isolation tanks, the use of frequency isolators in the suspension as well as sound insulating material throughout the body structure makes for a serene driving experience.
just ordered this a minute ago and I'm here (again) to ease my buyers guilt. I'm probably going to watch your review of the Lirics on repeat for a weak once I get those.
I think you may have been thinking of the EarStudio ES100 MK2-24bit Radsone. Still the bomb. I've bought several (for self and gifts) due to your review. Amazing product.
Im dubbing this the bluetooth-inator. I stuck some 15lb velcro on my btr7 and the other half of velcro to what ever headphones’ ear cup i have. Now i have the best bluetooth cans at any given point in time
Z - Qudelix 5 has the kick ass app support you were probably thinking of. The EQ is what makes it. 20 different custom pre-settings is just ridiculous. Puts it over the top.
Ordered mine on July 13th… after I bought the 5 Apple edition a couple days before on Amazon… Sent the 5 back w/o even trying it out… can’t wait. Thanks Z!
I don't think I've ever come to the decision on spending £175 so quickly I'm really hoping that these can finally give me what I've been looking for: a decent portable solution for my tin p1s considering they were driving argons I'm quite hopeful. I'll update when it gets here amazon same day shipping FTW 😀
I have a rack for seven vintage receivers...that was the most recent binge. It was preceded by an IEM phase...I think I bought too many. Now, I basically trade off between 3 of the 7 receivers and only 3 of the 15 IEM's...just the S12, Olina, and TKZK Wave get a lot of use. Good God...it's worse than camera lenses.
Well I have both, btr5 2021 which I gave to my girlfriend because as an IPhone user now I use Khadas Tea (INDISPENSABLE) and UtSw5. Btr5 is much more superior that ut…Ut lacks LDAC but much more important, I think it lacks enough power to feed relatively hungry Iems. UtWS5 is quite convenient for a really unwired way of listening with SOME OF a IEM sound profile. The ACTUAL sound profile is still wired that is with btr5 except for quite hungry iems or several over ears. Anyway UTWS5 is clearly better than most tws earbuds such as Sony’s, Samsung or Apple’s
Starting at 36:30 Z, You're silent 1-hour wave file will not turn on your amps and you will still get a false No-Noise result You must have a very low level signal at the very beginning of the silent wave file to turn the amps on before playing the silence My test files are 60 seconds long and have a trigger to turn the amps on No need for 1 hour You have officially failed the noise floor testing
Once triggered, the amps remain on for the duration of the audio file If you stop playback (of any audio file) , the amps will shut off to conserve power
Thank you it’s now the future October I bought the brt 5 on your recommendation very pleased with it but I found the volume limited with my klipsch hp3 you also recommended so I’ve bought the brt 7 on your recommendation cheers and bottoms up from a subscriber in the uk.
Just picked up the BTR7...you're bang on with this review. Try to review the PULA PA02...IMO it blows up the $200 IEM world and competes in the $500+ class...just sayin!
I don't want to be seen as a hater but I had a bad experience with the btr5. The device ended up bricking itself one day when I would adjust the eq. The device while still on was unresponsive, did a restart and that was the end, nothing worked, not even a charging Indicater. Had the btr5 for less than 4 months. Just thought I'd share my experience with the btr5 and it was my first fiio product
So when I am looking for audio I check with you. The first video I ever saw from you said "People are trusting me to review these stuff". Thanks Z Reviews.
I was considering the 7, but I was waiting for this video. I didn't know if the 70 dollar difference was worth it. But then I found a listing for 90$ for the btr5 refurbished or something. A day later I got it and it was brand new. So not only did I not pay 70+ for the 7 but I saved 40$ for the btr5.
Very happy with the BTR5...though it doesn't get much use these days as I've opted for bluetooth earloops (KZ AZ09 Pro's) with my Shouer S12's. The BT 5.2 earloops only cost me $26 on discount and they have plenty of power to drive these planars. Liked them soooo much...bought a second set for my Olina's. They last for a good 6 hours and can serve in the office too, for hands-free calls. I still use the BTR5 on long travels (flights or sometimes on the train). For the car...EarfunFree Pro 2 earbuds in ambient mode. Favorite FiiO product...the BTA30 Pro. Fantastic multi-purpose device (TX, RX, DAC) for only about $125.
@@iluvj00 Have two...one as a DAC from PC to a vintage Yamaha receiver/amp (then either speakers or headphones). The other for the family room, as an RX to my Pioneer vintage receiver and Dali speakers, so that I can stream music from the phone. This little device is so damn capable...affordable...dependable...and performant. IMHO. I think you will be very pleased.
38:53 So after 38 minutes and viewers asking him to talk about the sound, he manages to say "it's at least as good as everything FiiO's ever made". Plus, he doesn't say you should upgrade from the BTR5, he said if you're going to upgrade, upgrade to the BTR7. After stalling for 38 minutes, I'm wondering if he even knows how to compare this to other products.
He really did NOT compare this to btr5 in sound for those iems or earphones that can be fed at 100% of its potential. For me the BTR7 can feed more hungry headphones and have more battery but its price, angular ,weird shape form (btr5 is so smooth and nice…) and size, I am not sure that this BTR7 is worth being replaced…is so f….ing good in terms of sound….
Mr. Z - Do you notice any differences specifically in the frequency response on the BTR7 in Bluetooth mode vs USB mode? I've noticed the BTR5 sounds significantly different on BT vs USB. In USB, it sounds phenomenal, but in BT it messes with the midrange in a weird way and it rolls off the upper treble in such a way as to take the sparkle out of anything I plug in. Really, I've noticed this with every BT FiiO device I have tried. It's not the codec, it does the same thing whether AAC or LDAC. It's specifically something happening when music is going through the BT chipset. I've pretty much stopped using my UTWS5 altogether and my BTR5 except for USB mode and from my TV over BT. It just changes how my IEMs and headphones sound too much.
@@jafizzle95 well if the codec selected is LDAC then over the Bluetooth sound seems to be fine and flat as compared to APTX. Yes I have noticed it sounds harsh especially the highs when on APTX but on LDAC it sounds better and on usb as you mentioned phenomenal.
Bluetooth is limited to CD quality sound files. If you are doing any streaming with Apple HD or Tidal MQA then of course it's going to sound better when connected to USB. Also, there is some slight power loss when transmitting over Bluetooth.
@@thinkhector Actually Bluetooth falls just short of lossless CD quality so it will always sound worse than over USB. Both Apple and Samsung have some proprietary audio codecs that claim to be closer, but they both use Bluetooth to transfer that data, so there will always be a physical limitation of bandwidth.
I use hearing aids and still appreciate any system that can deliver hifi without simply increasing volume. Imagine my chagrin at turning this unit down and actually hearing better. Using 13 Pro Max with Truthear iems. Super clear. Still, my SONY NW A50, with Olinas or sundaras is considerably more exciting.
I couldn't hold back, i end up impulse buy and randomly purchased the Audio64 Fourte yesterday, costed an arm and only sounded slightly better than the Shure SE846 lol.
What really?? im trying to decide between the u6t, moondrop s8 and Shure 846 that I've wanted since they've came out. have you heard the s8? Are the Shures still relevant in 2022?
I *know* FiiO makes amazing, small devices that sound very good for the price. As a student, FiiO was the company to go to for affordable entry-level HIFI gear. Now I can afford a bit more, and I wish that you had also used a Chord Mojo for comparison, because if you usually think "mobile HIFI DAC AMP", you think Chord Mojo.
Have any of the people below used the Chord mojo 2, I have several small dac.amp. bt devices inc, fiio, the btr5 and over usb as much as I love them the mojo 2 is in a completely different league, I have yet to try goldbar gold or standard or the phone from ifi but for my nomadic usage usb wired anyway, mojo 2 has far better well everything musically
I just received my Qudelix 5K last week. I am really enjoying it. If I need more power I am not aware of it. Using it with the balanced 2.5 through my Ananda's. I did originally preorder the BTR7 but got tired of waiting on the preorder and went ahead and bought it for about half of the other. I still think I may buy the BTR7 before it is all said and done.
Hi Z, i didnt understand what the btr7 going into this video was, and I would really have appreciated a stronger intro so i could understand what the topic was from the get go. Great video though!
nice taste tho i have the Bayerdynamic dt 900 pro x (present from chrismas 2022) and they sound very good. the trebble is a bit shaking but over all very good. one of my friends has the Tiger and modified them to a mini xlr input.
No clip like they provided with the BTR3?? I use the BTR3 when at the gym and use the clip to clip it to my pocket to avoid it moving around. That works perfect.
Just got it, but the volume is extremely low while using the USB C from phone to BTR7, and 3.5mm to the headset. Max volume on BTR7, Phone, headset. Using headset built in Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz dongle, or 3.5mm to laptop is waaaaayyyy louder. Tried low gain, high gain, boost, but nothing works. I already updated the firmware, and restarted the BTR7 and Phone multiple times. It also is very low volume with Phone Bluetooth to BTR7 and then 3.5mm to headset.
Use the provided cable. Plug and unplug it and it should b ok.... I'm not hearing a huge difference between LDAC and wired (wired is better but not as much as I expected)...
Have you tried the Questyle M15? I would think that the Fiio BTR7 is in a similar category. Currently they both sit around the same price on Ali sellers with 11.11 sales. Not sure if anyone has done a comparison. Both seem like highly capable and good quality DAC/AMPS. Maybe Fiio's advantage will be the bluetooth functionality.
I feel like one of the main defining features of this unit is car mode. Is there a noise floor when plugged into a car's aux and USB power but music is paused? Does the auto reconnect feature work reliably? My fiance's car auto connects and auto plays the last thing was was playing on your phone. Does this have the ability to auto play as well?
I don't get it, he never spoke about how it sounds? I know my BTR5 has a specific sound that happens when I turn on EQ for example with no tunning. The sound becomes... worse, its like it gets muffled or something.
The BTR7 really is on a thin line between expensive and worth it. I got the BTR5 for my dad (2021 model) and I dislike the bass so badly. Everything seems like I need brain-burn-in but at the same time my Sony R50 MiniDisc player is still king after 22 years. Best sound ever vs A90 + Q5s. The FiiO Q5s really has flaws but the digital legacy inputs are a treat for PC, PS2 and PS3 (oh even PS4) when needed. I have no clue whether the AKG vs Sabre DAC / AMP difference is the thing but the small nuance of the bass being analytical and just on the same volume / thickness as the rest of the sound of the Q5s makes headphones like the Sony MDR M1ST fall apart with the BTR 5 because that one needs the most neutral presentation to get songs to tint the headphone's sound in the best way but only with the Yaxi M1ST special pads. On the other hand the Q5s' line out jack is just bad. It forces power over sound.
I also can't match the sound of my minidisc player or my first creative audigy sound card, whit those no need of more amp, better resolution audio sources etc they can fullfill my power hungry AKG's i still dreaming of some DAP that deliver that kind of sound.
You should listen to the Roland RH-5 cheap headphones. They hurt your ears after a while unless you change the pads but they sound much better than many a lot more expensive headphones on the market. They are really, really good. I have a pair of beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO and the Roland sound better. Not only they sound better, they last a lot longer. The beyerdynamic membrane on the left side god unglued and became unlistenable after 3 month. And I am someone who does not listen to loud music. I only listen to Jazz, Chill Out, Soul, Classic, Some Rock, etc and always at fairly low volumes and the thing got screwed in no time. And the RH-5s sound much better. You should listen to them.
I am looking for something to brighten up my car stock speakers. I was mainly interested in the BTR7 then the m11 plus and q7 dsd512 caught my attention. Any suggestions which one would be best for my usage? Thanks
I really want to like this but I'm worried it'll brick. I had the btr5 brick after a year and a couple older fiio stuff brick. Does anyone else have this experience?
Apple please just make a new Hi-Res iPod with power and a 4.4. They already have Apple Music with hi-res so I don’t see why not. Their marketing is already pushing sound quality stuff a fair bit so would make sense.
They don't even make smart phones capable of listening to Apple HD music, and you want them to make a headphone? (Lightening port is capped at 44.1Hz, 16-bit.) The APPLE TV? Cannot play back Apple Music HD. Only the iPad with USB-C and the iMac can play back the Hi-Res music files in full.
26:35 Snobs be like: "What? Not Pavarotti singing "No one sleeps"!?!? ". Also earlier, my inner quick math geek was saying "My man, square root of 2 is 1.4, so the diagonal of 50 is 70. Simple."
It's just too big for me. I even gave up on BTR5 and switched to BTR3K. When on desktop, I use Zen Dac anyways. When on the move I tend to use mostly IEMs and sometimes not hard to drive HPs. If you need the power, it's a nice gadget. But if you don't need the power it provides on-the-go and want something portable, it's too big for that imho.
@Vittoria BTR3K runs my IEMS as well as KPH30i (101db/60ohms) just fine, from it’s single output. I don’t have FH9 but seeing it having (108db/18ohms), I wouldn’t expect you to have any issues with running it with BTR3K. BTR5 is much powerful than BTR3K so there’s no question there anyways. And I’m talking about the single outputs. Both have 2.5 balanced output which are way stronger than their single outputs respectively. I just checked FH9 and see it comes with a cable with interchangeable terminations, including 2.5 balanced. I don’t think you’d need to go balanced anyways, but I would have no doubt for BTR3K to run it via 2.5 balanced output worst case scenario.
@Vittoria tbh, for me if the headphones can get as loud as I would listen them to, while still having a bit of headroom that I don’t use, it’s fine. I personally don’t think I can hear a difference from an amp just because it’s more powerful. It’s why I dropped BTR5 and switched to BTR3K. Because that’s powerful enough for my IEMs.
I tried the BTR5 and did not like it compared to the Earstudio ES100 which i think is phenomenal. I sounds amazing with just about any headphone I have in LDAC. The app is amazing as well. I have been waiting for Earstudio to come out with something new but nothing.
i heard that one korean audio reviewer said the developer of es100 moved to other company and make qudelix 5k. so, if thats the case, qudelix 5k is spiritual successor of es100.
@@Yarnooee I tried Quidelix around the same time as the BTR5 and I admit I didn't give that one a fair chance. I hated the controls. Guess I should give it another go.
@@dgregory4178 im not a fan of the physical controls of the 5k. But the app is just fantastic, the levels of control of your sound shaping is astonishing, and it sounds GREAT. So, for 99% of the time, i control the 5k through my Android phone and the app. BTW, I use it exclusively as a BT DAC/AMP for my phone. Also, i exclusively use it with IEMs, as i use it at work,where Im fairly active, and headphones are often a PITA to deal with.
I like the ES 100 better because of being able to use the EQ with LDAC. BTR 5 can't do that. If the FiiO products could do that, I would use my BTR 5 more often.
If this had a 2.5 on it, I'd sell my BTR5 in a heartbeat and buy it. Already have a great dac/amp with 4.4 and more power (gryphon). I have way too many iems and iem cables in 2.5. and I'm not going to buy something new that I need to use with an adapter.
Fair enough, but you realize that most of the industry is moving forward with 4.4 for balanced connections now instead of 2.5, right? I mean... just by *one* 4.4 --> 2.5 adapter and you won't have to buy another. I'm just saying - without an adapter, your problem is likely to get worse, not better, overall... when it comes to new Hi-Fi gear.
I don't know about that. 4.4mm is found on a much smaller set of portable devices than 2 5mm. My point if 4.4mm is too slowly adopted it will be replaced before you know it. I predict the norm will be 3.5mm on sub $100 headphones and USB-C on headphones $120 and up. 4.4mm will get replaced before it ever gets off the ground. Sort of like AptX-HD getting replaced with AptX-Adaptive.
How have you not reviewed any Revel bookshelfs or loudspeakers? F226be and F126be are both interesting. Like Topping they are designed around objective measurements resulting in very low distortions
They aren't really just out there. Go throw them in this post. See what the community thinks. forum.hifiguides.com/t/what-items-should-i-buy-to-review-zeos/35197/132
Have this now. Listening through 4.4mm to the Timeless. Streaming from my phone via USB. Holy dang it sounds good. I don't really even care about the app only working in BT mode, or that the sample rate does not show correctly (via USB at least, COULD be Android also messing with it), the sound quality just plain trumps those little niggles, imo.
Hey Z! You sold me on the idea of BTR5 ( I choose the 2021 revision). Do u plan checking out the FiiO K5 Pro ESS version? Is it worth it considering I have Btr5 or should I save for its big bro The K9 Pro?
Any significant difference between low and high gain if your headphones operate just fine at both? I know low gain is more battery friendly but what about audio quality? From my personal experience, low gain appears less bright and smoother. I'm curious as Z mentioned "close to desktop level" when he activated the secret gain option.
From what I know, any amp that has separate gain modes would have a higher noise floor in high-gain mode. Of course, it wouldn't matter for any high impedance equipment that needs the high gain in the first place.
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Quick question
Opinnion on Shanling UP5 vs BTR7?
I "upgraded" from the btr 5 to the btr 7. Bought it from Linsoul on 7/7, delivered to the US on 7/20. The 7 has more power, a bigger battery, a better amp, better bluetooth, and wireless charging. If you have the 5 and you don't need wireless charging then i don't know if I'd suggest buying it. BUT if you're in the $200 range buying something new then this is a fantastic device. And yes I agree, the case is rancid garbage.
It has Wireless Charging.. WHAT.
Do any of these things have digital out ?
@@ZReviews yup! Qi wireless charging 🙃
Holy crap it has wireless charging!
I regret buying my btr 5 because apple dongles exist
The option to switch the volume/skip function between double press and hold press is also available for BTR5 btw. I've got the older 2020 unit and have been using that option for a while, can't say with 100% confidence that it's always been able to do it but I'm fairly sure. I got my current phone about a year ago and it could definitely do it since then
You are very correct, this is an OLD feature
Can support this claim
Pre-ordered this from B&H and it just shipped today. I'm really excited. Thanks for the great review!
13:55 You can NOW HOLD IT.. And double tap for next/last. I figure it out at the end.
Also I figure out late in the video that the Firmware allows Swapping of Volume as a press to a hold and Double press for Next / Last track
It allows that in the BTR5 as well. I use long press for volume control and double click for track changing.
I will explain the car situation. Most modern luxury cars are like rolling isolation tanks, the use of frequency isolators in the suspension as well as sound insulating material throughout the body structure makes for a serene driving experience.
just ordered this a minute ago and I'm here (again) to ease my buyers guilt.
I'm probably going to watch your review of the Lirics on repeat for a weak once I get those.
There goes ol' Zeos spending my money for me again. More power is all I really wanted out of the BTR5, and here we go.
Listening to this on my BTR7.
Got my FiiO BTR7 about 1 month ago, beautiful synergy with FiiO FD7, well worth the upgrade from the OG BTR5 😁
@Vittoria FH9 also has great synergy with the BTR7 🙂
@Vittoria Sounds good looking forward to your thoughts on the KA3
ext still competitive imo, its clear winner against more expensive kse1500
So BTR7 or iFi Go Blu? (sound wise)
Thanks for the review. I am leaning toward buying the BTR7, assuming it's best-in-class in what it does.
Got my BTR7 on Wednesday night, holy sh*t this thing is good!
How?
Links in the description bby
Just ordered mine today on Apos, thanks Z!
I think you may have been thinking of the EarStudio ES100 MK2-24bit Radsone. Still the bomb. I've bought several (for self and gifts) due to your review. Amazing product.
You are Correct Sir
Same here got first release es100 radsone still now rocking 😊 good application too…
Im dubbing this the bluetooth-inator. I stuck some 15lb velcro on my btr7 and the other half of velcro to what ever headphones’ ear cup i have. Now i have the best bluetooth cans at any given point in time
My xduoo xp 2 pro just stopped doing Bluetooth. Now I’m here Happy to hear about the Bluetooth range. That will be a big improvement.
Boost mode is available in the btr5 too. It gets hot enough to listen to he560s which isn't a small achievement for a $100 coin pocket sized dacamp
can't find the boost mode with my btr5.. very confused.
Hey Z, quick question: for $200 would you rather have this or the Go Blue? (I find myself in that specific conundrum right now)
Otsukaresama deshita
i prefer a18t, ve10 will win at highend dac battle though
Z - Qudelix 5 has the kick ass app support you were probably thinking of. The EQ is what makes it. 20 different custom pre-settings is just ridiculous. Puts it over the top.
The pre settings are nothing. The fact it uses AutoEQ is a big one. But it pales in comparison to the fact that it supports fucking PARAMETRIC EQ
No he was thinking of the Earstudio ES100 which he gushed about a few years back - especially the app.
@@Creeper99PL btr7 also has parametric eq
@@adriangpuiu only a single filter available can only save one user setting, mixed up with normal eq ... no it cannot compete.
@@ouaille13 so sticking with the 5k is the best option so far
Ordered mine on July 13th… after I bought the 5 Apple edition a couple days before on Amazon… Sent the 5 back w/o even trying it out… can’t wait. Thanks Z!
I don't think I've ever come to the decision on spending £175 so quickly I'm really hoping that these can finally give me what I've been looking for: a decent portable solution for my tin p1s considering they were driving argons I'm quite hopeful. I'll update when it gets here amazon same day shipping FTW 😀
Hey, do you have an update? :')
I have bought one myself i will share review soon i will use it will my planar iem
Great review as always Z! I would have bought this in a second 2 years ago. Now I look at all my gear and think I should sell stuff instead of buying!
WhyNotBoth.gif
@@ZReviews My house already looks like the best of Z reviews! You have been a bad influence!LOL
You should sell some stuff you don't use to someone else looking to upgrade what they have, and then get this if it fits something you need.
I have a rack for seven vintage receivers...that was the most recent binge. It was preceded by an IEM phase...I think I bought too many. Now, I basically trade off between 3 of the 7 receivers and only 3 of the 15 IEM's...just the S12, Olina, and TKZK Wave get a lot of use. Good God...it's worse than camera lenses.
Great review?! Dude rambled on for 45 minutes! This should’ve taken 10 minutes tops.
Im waiting for the UTWS7. I had the BTR5 but cant go back to this semi wireless style now after having the UTWS5. Its just much more convenient.
Well I have both, btr5 2021 which I gave to my girlfriend because as an IPhone user now I use Khadas Tea (INDISPENSABLE) and UtSw5. Btr5 is much more superior that ut…Ut lacks LDAC but much more important, I think it lacks enough power to feed relatively hungry Iems. UtWS5 is quite convenient for a really unwired way of listening with SOME OF a IEM sound profile. The ACTUAL sound profile is still wired that is with btr5 except for quite hungry iems or several over ears. Anyway UTWS5 is clearly better than most tws earbuds such as Sony’s, Samsung or Apple’s
Starting at 36:30
Z,
You're silent 1-hour wave file will not turn on your amps and you will still get a false No-Noise result
You must have a very low level signal at the very beginning of the silent wave file to turn the amps on before playing the silence
My test files are 60 seconds long and have a trigger to turn the amps on
No need for 1 hour
You have officially failed the noise floor testing
Once triggered, the amps remain on for the duration of the audio file
If you stop playback (of any audio file) , the amps will shut off to conserve power
Thank you it’s now the future October I bought the brt 5 on your recommendation very pleased with it but I found the volume limited with my klipsch hp3 you also recommended so I’ve bought the brt 7 on your recommendation cheers and bottoms up from a subscriber in the uk.
Just picked up the BTR7...you're bang on with this review. Try to review the PULA PA02...IMO it blows up the $200 IEM world and competes in the $500+ class...just sayin!
I don't want to be seen as a hater but I had a bad experience with the btr5.
The device ended up bricking itself one day when I would adjust the eq.
The device while still on was unresponsive, did a restart and that was the end, nothing worked, not even a charging Indicater. Had the btr5 for less than 4 months.
Just thought I'd share my experience with the btr5 and it was my first fiio product
Great video. Waiting for the BTR15 review...
So when I am looking for audio I check with you. The first video I ever saw from you said "People are trusting me to review these stuff". Thanks Z Reviews.
I was considering the 7, but I was waiting for this video. I didn't know if the 70 dollar difference was worth it. But then I found a listing for 90$ for the btr5 refurbished or something. A day later I got it and it was brand new. So not only did I not pay 70+ for the 7 but I saved 40$ for the btr5.
Qudelix 5K is a far better DAC. imo
Very happy with the BTR5...though it doesn't get much use these days as I've opted for bluetooth earloops (KZ AZ09 Pro's) with my Shouer S12's. The BT 5.2 earloops only cost me $26 on discount and they have plenty of power to drive these planars. Liked them soooo much...bought a second set for my Olina's. They last for a good 6 hours and can serve in the office too, for hands-free calls. I still use the BTR5 on long travels (flights or sometimes on the train). For the car...EarfunFree Pro 2 earbuds in ambient mode.
Favorite FiiO product...the BTA30 Pro. Fantastic multi-purpose device (TX, RX, DAC) for only about $125.
I ordered the bta30pro, should be here sometime next week. Gonna connect it to my k5pro to listen to my ipad pro.
@@iluvj00 Have two...one as a DAC from PC to a vintage Yamaha receiver/amp (then either speakers or headphones). The other for the family room, as an RX to my Pioneer vintage receiver and Dali speakers, so that I can stream music from the phone. This little device is so damn capable...affordable...dependable...and performant. IMHO.
I think you will be very pleased.
38:53 So after 38 minutes and viewers asking him to talk about the sound, he manages to say "it's at least as good as everything FiiO's ever made". Plus, he doesn't say you should upgrade from the BTR5, he said if you're going to upgrade, upgrade to the BTR7. After stalling for 38 minutes, I'm wondering if he even knows how to compare this to other products.
He really did NOT compare this to btr5 in sound for those iems or earphones that can be fed at 100% of its potential. For me the BTR7 can feed more hungry headphones and have more battery but its price, angular ,weird shape form (btr5 is so smooth and nice…) and size, I am not sure that this BTR7 is worth being replaced…is so f….ing good in terms of sound….
Just got nofication mine will bee arriving in a few days from audio64 in New York. Can't wait.
Mr. Z - Do you notice any differences specifically in the frequency response on the BTR7 in Bluetooth mode vs USB mode? I've noticed the BTR5 sounds significantly different on BT vs USB. In USB, it sounds phenomenal, but in BT it messes with the midrange in a weird way and it rolls off the upper treble in such a way as to take the sparkle out of anything I plug in. Really, I've noticed this with every BT FiiO device I have tried. It's not the codec, it does the same thing whether AAC or LDAC. It's specifically something happening when music is going through the BT chipset. I've pretty much stopped using my UTWS5 altogether and my BTR5 except for USB mode and from my TV over BT. It just changes how my IEMs and headphones sound too much.
Agreed, BTR5 sounds quality through usb. Sounds very smooth and detailed.
@@maxnation20 Do you also get the weird FR when using over Bluetooth?
@@jafizzle95 well if the codec selected is LDAC then over the Bluetooth sound seems to be fine and flat as compared to APTX. Yes I have noticed it sounds harsh especially the highs when on APTX but on LDAC it sounds better and on usb as you mentioned phenomenal.
Bluetooth is limited to CD quality sound files. If you are doing any streaming with Apple HD or Tidal MQA then of course it's going to sound better when connected to USB. Also, there is some slight power loss when transmitting over Bluetooth.
@@thinkhector Actually Bluetooth falls just short of lossless CD quality so it will always sound worse than over USB. Both Apple and Samsung have some proprietary audio codecs that claim to be closer, but they both use Bluetooth to transfer that data, so there will always be a physical limitation of bandwidth.
I use hearing aids and still appreciate any system that can deliver hifi without simply increasing volume. Imagine my chagrin at turning this unit down and actually hearing better.
Using 13 Pro Max with Truthear iems.
Super clear. Still, my SONY NW A50, with Olinas or sundaras is considerably more exciting.
Hello 😊 that secret boost is propably just on a level of the digital gain...
It is on Amazon right now for $199
Not in the US yes I guess, not showing up in my store
another important difference between btr5 and btr7 is when using LDAC equalizer doesnT work on btr5. in btr7 it does.
Btr7 vs ifi Go Blu is the only Thing I Care about in
I couldn't hold back, i end up impulse buy and randomly purchased the Audio64 Fourte yesterday, costed an arm and only sounded slightly better than the Shure SE846 lol.
What really??
im trying to decide between the u6t, moondrop s8 and Shure 846 that I've wanted since they've came out. have you heard the s8? Are the Shures still relevant in 2022?
Update: the BTR7 now supports custom parametric EQ through an app update!
Can this work on streaming apps?
@@Bizarre5165 once you create an eq preset it is saved on the device. Then you can use it for whatever you want.
I *know* FiiO makes amazing, small devices that sound very good for the price. As a student, FiiO was the company to go to for affordable entry-level HIFI gear. Now I can afford a bit more, and I wish that you had also used a Chord Mojo for comparison, because if you usually think "mobile HIFI DAC AMP", you think Chord Mojo.
Qudelix 5K is a far better deal and quality.
Chord is overpriced as fuck for what it delivers. It’s a brand for audifools pretending.
The mojo is an expensive excuse for legacy audiophiles to compare it to everything, biased thinking the mojo is the better of the comparison.
Chord is hot garbage.
Have any of the people below used the Chord mojo 2, I have several small dac.amp. bt devices inc, fiio, the btr5 and over usb as much as I love them the mojo 2 is in a completely different league, I have yet to try goldbar gold or standard or the phone from ifi but for my nomadic usage usb wired anyway, mojo 2 has far better well everything musically
"Anything in my pants should feel like a used bar of soap" My next tattoo.
The Qudelix 10k should be legit whenever it comes out now.
I just received my Qudelix 5K last week. I am really enjoying it. If I need more power I am not aware of it. Using it with the balanced 2.5 through my Ananda's. I did originally preorder the BTR7 but got tired of waiting on the preorder and went ahead and bought it for about half of the other. I still think I may buy the BTR7 before it is all said and done.
Curious how it compares to the Shangling UP5. Thats been my pick above the Ifi Goblu and the BTR5 until now.
Hi Z, i didnt understand what the btr7 going into this video was, and I would really have appreciated a stronger intro so i could understand what the topic was from the get go. Great video though!
I'll work on it, I always falsely assume people know about the thing
Was that "User," a Tron reference 😂 the way you said that makes me feel some type of way.
BTR7 vs MoonRiver 2? Using MR2 with Hifiman EXS and it’s badass. Sooo much power.
If i remember correctly the output power is slightly lower on the MR2 vs BTR7, it's rather average especially given the price.
nice taste tho i have the Bayerdynamic dt 900 pro x (present from chrismas 2022) and they sound very good. the trebble is a bit shaking but over all very good.
one of my friends has the Tiger and modified them to a mini xlr input.
Better than Q5s TC?
No clip like they provided with the BTR3?? I use the BTR3 when at the gym and use the clip to clip it to my pocket to avoid it moving around. That works perfect.
Yeah, the BTR7 is probably too heavy. It's either BTR5 or wait for the next BTR3.
I've been waiting for this!
Just got it, but the volume is extremely low while using the USB C from phone to BTR7, and 3.5mm to the headset.
Max volume on BTR7, Phone, headset.
Using headset built in Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz dongle, or 3.5mm to laptop is waaaaayyyy louder.
Tried low gain, high gain, boost, but nothing works.
I already updated the firmware, and restarted the BTR7 and Phone multiple times.
It also is very low volume with Phone Bluetooth to BTR7 and then 3.5mm to headset.
Use the provided cable. Plug and unplug it and it should b ok.... I'm not hearing a huge difference between LDAC and wired (wired is better but not as much as I expected)...
Will You Follow Me? by Rob Dougan is so good! I immediately knew from the first second after you took off the cans haha
Wish his recording quality was as good as his music.
Have you tried the Questyle M15? I would think that the Fiio BTR7 is in a similar category. Currently they both sit around the same price on Ali sellers with 11.11 sales.
Not sure if anyone has done a comparison. Both seem like highly capable and good quality DAC/AMPS. Maybe Fiio's advantage will be the bluetooth functionality.
Awesome review as always, thank you.
Does this have bluetooth 5.2?
I'm just looking forward to dankpods yelling into the microphone!
I wonder how does it compare to luxury&precision w2 131 ? Your reviews sounds good . Tempting!
I feel like one of the main defining features of this unit is car mode. Is there a noise floor when plugged into a car's aux and USB power but music is paused? Does the auto reconnect feature work reliably? My fiance's car auto connects and auto plays the last thing was was playing on your phone. Does this have the ability to auto play as well?
I don't get it, he never spoke about how it sounds? I know my BTR5 has a specific sound that happens when I turn on EQ for example with no tunning. The sound becomes... worse, its like it gets muffled or something.
The BTR7 really is on a thin line between expensive and worth it. I got the BTR5 for my dad (2021 model) and I dislike the bass so badly. Everything seems like I need brain-burn-in but at the same time my Sony R50 MiniDisc player is still king after 22 years. Best sound ever vs A90 + Q5s. The FiiO Q5s really has flaws but the digital legacy inputs are a treat for PC, PS2 and PS3 (oh even PS4) when needed. I have no clue whether the AKG vs Sabre DAC / AMP difference is the thing but the small nuance of the bass being analytical and just on the same volume / thickness as the rest of the sound of the Q5s makes headphones like the Sony MDR M1ST fall apart with the BTR 5 because that one needs the most neutral presentation to get songs to tint the headphone's sound in the best way but only with the Yaxi M1ST special pads. On the other hand the Q5s' line out jack is just bad. It forces power over sound.
I also can't match the sound of my minidisc player or my first creative audigy sound card, whit those no need of more amp, better resolution audio sources etc they can fullfill my power hungry AKG's i still dreaming of some DAP that deliver that kind of sound.
I saw a post that a recent firmware finally brought PEQ - anyone know if that’s true?
You should listen to the Roland RH-5 cheap headphones. They hurt your ears after a while unless you change the pads but they sound much better than many a lot more expensive headphones on the market. They are really, really good. I have a pair of beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO and the Roland sound better. Not only they sound better, they last a lot longer. The beyerdynamic membrane on the left side god unglued and became unlistenable after 3 month. And I am someone who does not listen to loud music. I only listen to Jazz, Chill Out, Soul, Classic, Some Rock, etc and always at fairly low volumes and the thing got screwed in no time. And the RH-5s sound much better. You should listen to them.
Is it more powerful than the Fiio Q3?
I am looking for something to brighten up my car stock speakers. I was mainly interested in the BTR7 then the m11 plus and q7 dsd512 caught my attention. Any suggestions which one would be best for my usage? Thanks
I really want to like this but I'm worried it'll brick. I had the btr5 brick after a year and a couple older fiio stuff brick. Does anyone else have this experience?
Apple please just make a new Hi-Res iPod with power and a 4.4. They already have Apple Music with hi-res so I don’t see why not. Their marketing is already pushing sound quality stuff a fair bit so would make sense.
They don't even make smart phones capable of listening to Apple HD music, and you want them to make a headphone? (Lightening port is capped at 44.1Hz, 16-bit.) The APPLE TV? Cannot play back Apple Music HD. Only the iPad with USB-C and the iMac can play back the Hi-Res music files in full.
Purely in terms of sound quality, BTR7 vs Mojo 2?
Go Blu XSpace is an analog crossfeed feature. It is remarkable for 50s 60s hard panned jazz recordings. Can btr7 do this? Qudelix?
This or the K-5 Pro for Desktop (Same price, mobility not important)? And what is the max impedance of the headphones that it can drive?
The Fiio K5 Pro, sounds a bit warmer and a bit more spacious, the BTR7 sounds a bit more leaner (neutral) so it's up to you what you prefer.
Will the BTR7 be enough to power Can Clark Aeon Noire 2s and how do you think they will sound. Thanks
I Keep mine in my pocket all the time without the cover on it I never had an issue of it stabbing me after a couple of weeks.
26:35 Snobs be like: "What? Not Pavarotti singing "No one sleeps"!?!? ".
Also earlier, my inner quick math geek was saying "My man, square root of 2 is 1.4, so the diagonal of 50 is 70. Simple."
With the USB charging switched off you can still charge the BTR7 wirelessly.
Thumbnails have been looking great!
That Yellow Arrow is really all that stays consistent.
It's just too big for me. I even gave up on BTR5 and switched to BTR3K. When on desktop, I use Zen Dac anyways. When on the move I tend to use mostly IEMs and sometimes not hard to drive HPs. If you need the power, it's a nice gadget. But if you don't need the power it provides on-the-go and want something portable, it's too big for that imho.
@Vittoria BTR3K runs my IEMS as well as KPH30i (101db/60ohms) just fine, from it’s single output. I don’t have FH9 but seeing it having (108db/18ohms), I wouldn’t expect you to have any issues with running it with BTR3K. BTR5 is much powerful than BTR3K so there’s no question there anyways. And I’m talking about the single outputs. Both have 2.5 balanced output which are way stronger than their single outputs respectively.
I just checked FH9 and see it comes with a cable with interchangeable terminations, including 2.5 balanced. I don’t think you’d need to go balanced anyways, but I would have no doubt for BTR3K to run it via 2.5 balanced output worst case scenario.
@Vittoria tbh, for me if the headphones can get as loud as I would listen them to, while still having a bit of headroom that I don’t use, it’s fine. I personally don’t think I can hear a difference from an amp just because it’s more powerful. It’s why I dropped BTR5 and switched to BTR3K. Because that’s powerful enough for my IEMs.
What phone are you using? Does that make a difference? For FLAC files which phone would you choose?
I tried the BTR5 and did not like it compared to the Earstudio ES100 which i think is phenomenal. I sounds amazing with just about any headphone I have in LDAC. The app is amazing as well.
I have been waiting for Earstudio to come out with something new but nothing.
I have both as well but I lean toward the BTR5.
i heard that one korean audio reviewer said the developer of es100 moved to other company and make qudelix 5k.
so, if thats the case, qudelix 5k is spiritual successor of es100.
@@Yarnooee I tried Quidelix around the same time as the BTR5 and I admit I didn't give that one a fair chance. I hated the controls. Guess I should give it another go.
@@dgregory4178 im not a fan of the physical controls of the 5k. But the app is just fantastic, the levels of control of your sound shaping is astonishing, and it sounds GREAT. So, for 99% of the time, i control the 5k through my Android phone and the app. BTW, I use it exclusively as a BT DAC/AMP for my phone. Also, i exclusively use it with IEMs, as i use it at work,where Im fairly active, and headphones are often a PITA to deal with.
I like the ES 100 better because of being able to use the EQ with LDAC. BTR 5 can't do that. If the FiiO products could do that, I would use my BTR 5 more often.
what you think LP W2 or BTR7 ? i just confused, should i buy BTR7 or LP W2?
Does this sound better than the Monolith Thx AAA Portable amp/Dac?
I got mine from Amazon they day before you posted
Hello Bro.. do you think this one can move properly TinHifi P2 ?? Great reveiw by the way..
If this had a 2.5 on it, I'd sell my BTR5 in a heartbeat and buy it.
Already have a great dac/amp with 4.4 and more power (gryphon).
I have way too many iems and iem cables in 2.5. and I'm not going to buy something new that I need to use with an adapter.
Fair enough, but you realize that most of the industry is moving forward with 4.4 for balanced connections now instead of 2.5, right? I mean... just by *one* 4.4 --> 2.5 adapter and you won't have to buy another. I'm just saying - without an adapter, your problem is likely to get worse, not better, overall... when it comes to new Hi-Fi gear.
@@EdgeDC understood. I have 4.4. and I have an adapter that I use with my gryphon.
I don't know about that. 4.4mm is found on a much smaller set of portable devices than 2 5mm. My point if 4.4mm is too slowly adopted it will be replaced before you know it. I predict the norm will be 3.5mm on sub $100 headphones and USB-C on headphones $120 and up. 4.4mm will get replaced before it ever gets off the ground. Sort of like AptX-HD getting replaced with AptX-Adaptive.
Zeos give us a review of cayin ru6 and questyle m15
How have you not reviewed any Revel bookshelfs or loudspeakers? F226be and F126be are both interesting. Like Topping they are designed around objective measurements resulting in very low distortions
They aren't really just out there. Go throw them in this post. See what the community thinks. forum.hifiguides.com/t/what-items-should-i-buy-to-review-zeos/35197/132
How about those Fluid Image 2’s. When you’re looking around I’m always search the background for those sitting; waiting to be reviewed.
Have this now. Listening through 4.4mm to the Timeless. Streaming from my phone via USB. Holy dang it sounds good. I don't really even care about the app only working in BT mode, or that the sample rate does not show correctly (via USB at least, COULD be Android also messing with it), the sound quality just plain trumps those little niggles, imo.
Hey Z! You sold me on the idea of BTR5 ( I choose the 2021 revision). Do u plan checking out the FiiO K5 Pro ESS version? Is it worth it considering I have Btr5 or should I save for its big bro The K9 Pro?
What's the Bluetooth range outside? Have you seen the HBB video of the 5k?
What's the use case for this versus just a dongle dac?
Would you recommend this over a 5K?
Got mine from audio46 yesterday. It's fucking amazing!!
I don’t understand, Colibri has 280mW at 32 Ohm and as you say Btr7 320mW at 32 Ohm, where is the 500mW for Colibri…✌️
The Colibri is probably rated 500mW for the balanced connection.
280mW is balanced connection ✌️
So, would this be a good replacement for the New Fiio K3 for the desktop and then added ability to use wirelessly if I wanted?
A portable transparemt dac amp. balanced connector is a really nice feature.
Any significant difference between low and high gain if your headphones operate just fine at both? I know low gain is more battery friendly but what about audio quality? From my personal experience, low gain appears less bright and smoother.
I'm curious as Z mentioned "close to desktop level" when he activated the secret gain option.
From what I know, any amp that has separate gain modes would have a higher noise floor in high-gain mode.
Of course, it wouldn't matter for any high impedance equipment that needs the high gain in the first place.
Will it be a good match for the Sundara? TIA.
Is this worth getting over the btr5 or quedlix with use of iems such as the z12 and possibly blessing 3 or seeaudio bravery ae?