FiiO BTR7 Review: Portable Bluetooth DAC Amp Upgrades BTR5
The FiiO BTR7 review highlights new features and upgrades with the pros and cons of this latest upgrade to the FiiO BTR5 Bluetooth USB DAC LDAC amp. There is now 3-level independent HiFi audio architecture, 13 LDOs separate stabilization, color IPS display, and dual THX AAA-28 amps. It makes it a genuinely bold and fully balanced headphone amplifier. The DSD256, Qualcomm QCC5124 Bluetooth chipset, XMOS XUF208, wired/wireless charging, 3.5mm jack, 4.4mm jack, and one-click dongle mode. Also, it supports OTA upgrades. So, let us look deeper at this new portable USB DAC amp.
Table of Contents
FiiO BTR7 Review for Design
The seventh generation mecha design with a laminated aluminum alloy body, comfort, ergonomic shape, and 1.3-inch IPS color display provides compelling looks for the FiiO BTR7 review. Unlike the FiiO BTR5 USB DAC amp, the new color GUI intuitively showcases volume, power, gain, and audio format. The 3.5mm audio jack and 4.4mm balanced port is at the bottom. A USB Type-C to Type-C cable comes inside the package, and USB Type-C to Lightning cable for Apple Edition. You can quickly change volume or lock using the ergonomic portable amp keys on the side.
FiiO BTR7 Specs and Features
The new LDAC DAC USB amp offers the latest high-end HiFi audio enhancement features with a color display. There is a Qualcomm QCC5124 Bluetooth chip, two THX AAA-28 amps, XMOS XUF208, 13 LDOs separate stabilization, 4.4mm balanced output, 3.5mm output, and one-click dongle mode. Also, the FiiO BTR7 review for output power shows up to 160mW+160mW Balanced and 320mW+320mW 3.5mm output gain. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is >118dB single ended and >107dB for Balanced. It has a built-in mic for Bluetooth calls, Driver-free mode for driving scenarios, phone DAC support, MQA rendering, and customizable side keys.
Other features include wired and wireless charging support, DAC+low level pass filter, THX amplifiers, wireless Hi-Res audio, Hi-Res audio certification, and MQA 8X rendering support. There is an 880mAh battery. All Hi-Res formats like LDAC, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC, and more are fully supported.
Other Features
The XMOS XUF208 chip offers PCM 384kHz, native DSD256, MQA 8X rendering, and USB DAC decoding. You can use the FiiO BTR7 Bluetooth amplifier as a dongle, so it will not consume the phone’s battery. The LDAC DAC device can also switch on/off with the car and has in-line controls for daily music listening or phone calls.
Spec Sheet
| Bluetooth: | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Chip: | QCC5124 |
| Audio Format Support: | AAC/SBC, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX LL, aptX, LDAC |
| Display: | 1.3 inch IPS color display |
| DAC Chip: | Dual ES92129C |
| USB DAC: | XMOS XUF208 |
| Output Power: | Single-Ended >160mW+160mW , Balanced >320mW+320mW |
| SNR: | 118dB Single-Ended, 115dB A-weighted Balanced |
| THD+N: | Single Ended >0.00055%, Balanced >0.00048% (1kHz/-6dB@32ohm) |
| Crosstalk: | Single Ended >75dB, Balanced >115dB (A-weighted) |
| Battery: | 880mAh, supports wired and wireless charging, up to 9 hours battery life, charging time 1.5 hours wired, 3 hours wireless |
| Others: | Built-in Microphone, Bluetooth Voice Calls, earphones with CTIA in-line controls support, Phone DAC, In-vehicle Mode, MQA rendering, App-control, 3.5mm jack, 4.4mm Balanced jack, |
| Weight: | 68 grams |
Pros:
- 3 Levels of independent HiFi audio architecture
- Qualcomm QCC5124 Bluetooth 5.1 chipset
- MQA 8X rendering
- DSD256
- Dual THX AAA-28 amplifiers
- Built-in microphone for Bluetooth calls
- Phone DAC support
- USB-C to Lightning cable for Apple Edition
- 1.3-inch color IPS display
- Customizable buttons
- XMOS XUF208 chipset
- Wireless charging supported
- One-click dongle mode
- OTA updates
Cons:
- Costs around the US $200
The Verdict
The famous FiiO m17 and FiiO M11 Plus music players offer audiophiles the depths of music they dream. However, suppose you cannot afford these expensive HiFi and Hi-Res music players. In that case, the FiiO BTR7 review for portable Bluetooth amplifier and USB DAC device offers the same Hi-Res audio for around the US $200. You can use it for a car audio amplifier, phone USB DAC, as a portable amp, and more. The 320mW and dual THX AAA-28 amps with Qualcomm QCC5124 Bluetooth chipset is undoubtedly value for money performance for $200.
XiaomiToday Rating: 4.8/5
Price: $199
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