Rating： 5
I purchased the FiiO BTR7 Bluetooth receiver.
Increased convenience with wireless charging and multi-codec support
The FiiO BTR7 Bluetooth receiver has a more powerful screen and Bluetooth chip than the previous BTR5 model.
Charging can now be done wirelessly, and it also features two THX AAA-28 amplifiers for the first time.
| Model name | BTR7 |
| Weight | About 68g |
| Size | About 39.6×83.6×14.6mm |
| Audio input | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Supported codecs | AAC/SBC/aptX/aptX LL/aptX adaptive/aptX HD/LDAC |
| Driver free mode | Supported |
| Mic | Supported (supports calling in Bluetooth mode) |
| Single-end output | 3.5mm |
| Balanced output | 4.4mm |
| USB Port | USB Type-C (USB 2.0) |
| Battery | 880 mAh |
| Output | PO 165mW（16Ω） |
| PO 160mW（32Ω） | |
| PO 18mW（300Ω） | |
| BAL 235mW（16Ω） | |
| BAL 320mW（32Ω） | |
| BAL 40mW（300Ω） | |
| THD+N | ＜0.00055%(1kHz/-6dB@32Ω) |
| ＜0.00048%(1kHz/-2dB@32Ω) | |
| Frequency Response | PO 20Hz~50kHz：±＜0.5dB |
| PO 20Hz~20KHz：±＜0.1dB | |
| BAL 20Hz~50kHz：±＜0.5dB | |
| BAL 20Hz~20KHz：±＜0.1dB | |
| Impedance | PO≤＜1.2Ω（32Ω） |
| BAL＜2.8Ω（32Ω） | |
| Noise floor | PO＜3uV（dbA） |
| BAL＜5.5uV(dbA） | |
| SNR | PO≥≥118dB (dbA)(32Ω dbA) |
| BAL≥115dB (dbA)(32Ω dbA) | |
| Sampling rate | Max 384kHz/32bit（USB DAC） |
| DSD (USB IN) | 384KHz 32bit/ DSD256 |
| Hardware | DAC: ES99219C *2，USB: XMOS XU208，AMP：THX_AAA_28*2 |
Index
Included are a USB Type-C to C cable, a USB Type-A to C cable, a protective case, and an instruction manual.
The 1.3-inch IPS color display makes it easy to see at a glance which codecs are in use.
In addition to codecs, volume, connection mode, gain (like the signal icon), etc. are displayed.
Since no protective film is applied, we recommend Miyavix’s anti-glare protective film, OverLay Plus, if you want to prevent fingerprints.
The back of the unit is lined with high-resolution, MQA, THX, and other logos.
Buttons are concentrated on the right side.
The shape of the power and volume buttons are different, making them relatively easy to understand when operating the device in a pocket.
Below the volume buttons is a switch that turns charging on and off, allowing you to turn charging off when you do not want it to charge at the same time when connected with a USB Type-C cable.
There is nothing on the left side.
This is what it looks like when the included case is attached.
The body is better protected from scratches, though it makes a bit difficult to distinguish between the buttons.
4.4mm balanced & 3.5mm earphone jack
Unlike the FiiO BTR5, which had 2.5mm balanced outputs, the FiiO BTR7 has 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm single-ended outputs.
The 4.4mm balanced output is said to be more advantageous in terms of sound quality, so it is likely to sound better with compatible earphones.
There is a USB Type-C port on the bottom, which can be used as a USB DAC through a USB Type-C connection.
It can play PCM up to 32bit/384kHz and native DSD up to DSD256.
It supports both USB Audio Class (UAC) 1.0 mode, which requires no drivers and is compatible with Nintendo Switch, and UAC 2.0 mode, which requires driver installation but allows full spec playback, and can be switched in the settings.
In addition to USB Type-C charging, the device also supports Qi wireless charging, so it can be charged simply by placing it on the ground.
Up to 9 hours of music playback is possible on a single charge.
Light weight at 69.5g
The FiiO BTR7 is multifunctional and has a battery capacity of 880 mAh, yet weighs a relatively light 69.5g.
Although it is larger than previous models, it is still compact and will not get in the way when carried around.
Gain and filter can be changed on the unit
The FiiO BTR7 allows you to press and hold the power button for two seconds to bring up the settings menu.
Since this is the same long-press operation as shutting down, it is slightly awkward to move to the menu for a moment even when turning off the power.
You can change the high gain, low gain, filters, equalizer, UAC mode, and input priority (Bluetooth or USB DAC).
The only languages available were English and Chinese.
Low bass, clear sound quality
The FiiO BTR7 is not donkey-like, the bass is a bit subdued, and the treble, in particular, sounds clear.
The sound has a good spread and does not sound muffled.
Compared to the Shanling UA2, I felt that I could hear instruments more clearly and distinctly.
There were indeed interruptions in LDAC sound quality priority mode, but there were no interruptions in other modes or in aptX Adaptive.
Although aptX Adaptive may be prioritized in some smartphones even though they support LDAC, unnecessary codecs can be turned off in the app settings described below, and LDAC and sound quality priority mode can be changed in the developer options on the smartphone side.
High sound quality even in USB DAC mode. In USB DAC mode, it is labeled PCM.
The same is true for both Bluetooth and USB DAC mode, but when playback stops, a buzzing noise is heard, which I found a little disturbing. This is partly unavoidable due to the way it works, though…
The device generates heat when used for a long time. It was not so hot that I could not hold it.
Personally, in addition to smartphones, I also use the MUSON MK3 Bluetooth transmitter to connect my Nintendo Switch with aptX LL (Low Latency).
I like the idea of being able to use my favorite wired earphones without cables getting in the way, rather than having everything wired.
The app is not very good
To configure the settings on the phone side, I use an app called FiiO Control.
The app is not very well made, and with a foldable phone, the popups on the initial settings screen were not visible when the phone was unfolded, so I had to fold the phone to proceed.
Also, it sometimes failed to read the settings or displayed differently from what I had previously set.
- SBC
- AAC
- aptX
- aptX LL
- aptX Adaptive
- aptX HD
- LDAC
Codecs are supported, and you can choose which codec to use.
Some extent is explained by pressing ?
In addition to volume control, distortion optimization and DAC clock division ratio can be set.
The equalizer can also be selected from presets or customized.
The FiiO BTR7 is compact yet easy to use for high sound quality, and even in situations where a wired cable would be too long and would get in the way, the FiiO BTR7 is easy to use as if it were half wireless, away from the input device.
The FiiO BTR7 supports a variety of codecs, from LDAC, which is compatible with almost all Android smartphones, to aptX LL for low latency and AAC for iOS devices, as well as UAC 1.0 in USB DAC mode, so it can be connected to any device.
The FiiO BTR7 is available at HiFiGo for $219 and up.