Introduction
Just released this April 2016 is the new FiiO RM1. What is it exactly? In the simplest words, it’s a bluetooth remote. While bluetooth remotes may not be the most exciting piece of electronic gadget to talk about, it is a practical necessity tool in today’s consumer homes. As more and more bluetooth devices are made available in the crowded consumer electronics market place, having a remote to control these gadgets certainty comes in handy! This simple functional yet elegant and well-designed bluetooth remote pairs with any bluetooth devices and controls the audio functions: volume increase/decrease, skip tracks, play and pause. With a low suggested msrp price of US $19.99, the RM1 definitely is enticing at this price point. So lets dive in and evaluate from a consumer perspective how it fairs.
*Disclaimer: Sincere thanks to FiiO for providing a unit to make this review possible. This review is entirely my own honest independent opinion and expression.
Packaging
Having owned a few FiiO products through the years with the last three being the Kunlun-E18 portable amp/dac, K5 desktop amp/dock and their current flagship X7 portable music player, I’ve really noticed how FiiO has developed from a small player in the audiophile market and into a more maturing company with greater simplicity, elegance and practical design in packaging.
The actual physical size of the RM1 is rather small. It is only 35mm in diameter and 7.8mm thick. Even when housed in the Remote Handle Mount, it is not too far in comparison to the size of the current generation Apple iPod nano. So I was rather surprised by the larger than expected box size at first. As I opened the box it was soon realized why the necessary size. Along with the RM1, what is also included in the box packaging is a Steering Wheel Mount (this probably is the reason for the box size), Remote Handle Mount, Strap to tie into the Strap lug, warranty card and Quick start guide. Some others online have mentioned an extra CR2016 battery being included in the box but mine did not come with one.
First Impressions
Well this looks a lot like the Satechi Bluetooth Media Button. Compare and see for yourself but nonetheless hand claps to FiiO for designing or outsourcing such an elegant looking Bluetooth remote. What really stands out at first glance is that shiny polished chamfered edge on the face of the RM1. On the inner circle face sits the function buttons: volume +, volume -, skip back track, skip forward track and play/pause. The side band edge has a complimenting matte silver finish. Like a sand blasted finish look to it. On the back is standard black plastic finish where the power on/off/pair button and the battery cover are positioned. From its usd $19.99 msrp price point I think FiiO is offering a lot with its design and material finish here.
Operation and Performance
The RM1 physical weight is very light at 10g including battery. Personally I find using the RM1 by itself too awkward and small to hold. This I guess is why we have the included Remote Handle Mount. Using the RM1 mounted in the Remote Handle Mount is the most comfortable way to operate and hold the RM1 for me. The RM1 easily snaps into the dedicated opening circle on the Remote Handle Mount. The Remote Handel Mount material itself is not as stiff as it looks and actually has a fair bit of flex which I found pleasing and comfortable to use. There is also a slight angle slope at the bottom rear of the handle, which adds some nice design flare to the overall product. The Steering Wheel Mount is made of the same material so has some flex to it as well and the RM1 snaps just as easily into its housing. Both mounts have a FiiO branding logo moulded into the material, which adds to its attractive design.
The RM1 when first powered ON will automatically enter broadcast mode for 60 seconds and will pair with any device supporting BT 3.0 or higher. I had no problems pairing it with the FiiO X7 music player and iPhone 6. After having paired with a bluetooth device and 11 minutes of inactivity, the RM1 enters sleep mode. To wake the RM1 from sleep, you press the Play button and it will attempt to connect to the last paired device again. This is definitely a well thought out battery saving and convenience feature to not always have to power off the RM1 manually when not in use. Battery life expectancy according to FiiO is about one month. I have not used this for this long of a period to confirm how accurate this is but one month sounds rather short. Is this perhaps a typo on FiiO’s website?
I also own a Satechi Bluetooth multi-media remote, which I was using previously to control the X7 while docked in the FiiO K5 desktop amp. While functionality is on simpler levels with the RM1 vs. the extra buttons on my existing Satechi multi-media remote, I found it was more compatible with the X7. While using the Satechi remote there were random times when pressing the skip track button would result in the song stopping abruptly and the X7 FiiO music player software returning to its home screen. Using the RM1 I haven’t experienced any of those issues and operation wise things just seems to work. However sometimes I do experience some odd momentarily volume decrease when Bluetooth is enabled on the X7 and paired with the RM1. This could be just a firmware issue with the X7 but it’s difficult to confirm at this time.
When comparing my existing Satechi Bluetooth remote to the RM1, one thing I really miss on the RM1 is not having an additional button or feature to turn on the X7 screen to visually see what track is currently playing. It will definitely be welcoming if FiiO incorporates this functionality in future RM1 revisions.
Since the RM1 also includes a Steering Wheel Mount, FiiO is also marketing this as an in-car control utility. My iPhone and X7 are paired to my car’s Bluetooth stereo system. Using either provides the music source and the RM1 is paired as the remote control mounted on the steering wheel. Although I can also control the source device from my car’s steering wheel built in control buttons, I found the RM1 gives me that additional freedom by allowing me to position the mount anywhere on the steering wheel. At first it looked like the hook on the steering wheel mount was too small and not going to fit but it flexes a surprisingly good amount and I had no issues wrapping it around the steering wheel of my 2010 Toyota Prius. A mounting tip here is to first clip the steering wheel mount onto the steering wheel and to snap the RM1 it afterwards. This allows you to position the RM1 exactly the orientation you wish. While my car already has integrated audio control buttons on the steering wheel, not everyone’s vehicle might have this especially if it’s an older or more basic model vehicle. Also strangely there is no pause button on my vehicles’ steering wheel controls so the RM1 adds this missing button. Overall the RM1 works pretty darn well in the vehicle but it’s not perfect. What I soon realize was there is no indentation markers on the buttons so this makes it awkward to use while driving. Since you can’t feel the buttons you’re left a bit guessing while trying to keep your eyes on the road. This is something FiiO should seriously consider adding if they are really serious about marketing this as an in-car control utility.
Final Thoughts
In the last few years, FiiO has seen well success in the audiophile community. Much of this success in my opinion is due to their recipe of offering quality products at affordable prices for the mass consumer. With the RM1 that recipe of success continues. At an msrp US $19.99 price point and with its included mounts, this makes for a very attractive bluetooth remote accessory for anyone with bluetooth devices. This is especially true for FiiO X7 owners who want to control their music while their X7 is not within reach or docked to the K5 as in my situation. I really think FiiO priced this right in the sweet spot. I would recommend this product. Thanks for reading my review and I hope you found this informative or helpful in any way.
Just released this April 2016 is the new FiiO RM1. What is it exactly? In the simplest words, it’s a bluetooth remote. While bluetooth remotes may not be the most exciting piece of electronic gadget to talk about, it is a practical necessity tool in today’s consumer homes. As more and more bluetooth devices are made available in the crowded consumer electronics market place, having a remote to control these gadgets certainty comes in handy! This simple functional yet elegant and well-designed bluetooth remote pairs with any bluetooth devices and controls the audio functions: volume increase/decrease, skip tracks, play and pause. With a low suggested msrp price of US $19.99, the RM1 definitely is enticing at this price point. So lets dive in and evaluate from a consumer perspective how it fairs.
*Disclaimer: Sincere thanks to FiiO for providing a unit to make this review possible. This review is entirely my own honest independent opinion and expression.
Packaging
Having owned a few FiiO products through the years with the last three being the Kunlun-E18 portable amp/dac, K5 desktop amp/dock and their current flagship X7 portable music player, I’ve really noticed how FiiO has developed from a small player in the audiophile market and into a more maturing company with greater simplicity, elegance and practical design in packaging.
The actual physical size of the RM1 is rather small. It is only 35mm in diameter and 7.8mm thick. Even when housed in the Remote Handle Mount, it is not too far in comparison to the size of the current generation Apple iPod nano. So I was rather surprised by the larger than expected box size at first. As I opened the box it was soon realized why the necessary size. Along with the RM1, what is also included in the box packaging is a Steering Wheel Mount (this probably is the reason for the box size), Remote Handle Mount, Strap to tie into the Strap lug, warranty card and Quick start guide. Some others online have mentioned an extra CR2016 battery being included in the box but mine did not come with one.
First Impressions
Well this looks a lot like the Satechi Bluetooth Media Button. Compare and see for yourself but nonetheless hand claps to FiiO for designing or outsourcing such an elegant looking Bluetooth remote. What really stands out at first glance is that shiny polished chamfered edge on the face of the RM1. On the inner circle face sits the function buttons: volume +, volume -, skip back track, skip forward track and play/pause. The side band edge has a complimenting matte silver finish. Like a sand blasted finish look to it. On the back is standard black plastic finish where the power on/off/pair button and the battery cover are positioned. From its usd $19.99 msrp price point I think FiiO is offering a lot with its design and material finish here.
Operation and Performance
The RM1 physical weight is very light at 10g including battery. Personally I find using the RM1 by itself too awkward and small to hold. This I guess is why we have the included Remote Handle Mount. Using the RM1 mounted in the Remote Handle Mount is the most comfortable way to operate and hold the RM1 for me. The RM1 easily snaps into the dedicated opening circle on the Remote Handle Mount. The Remote Handel Mount material itself is not as stiff as it looks and actually has a fair bit of flex which I found pleasing and comfortable to use. There is also a slight angle slope at the bottom rear of the handle, which adds some nice design flare to the overall product. The Steering Wheel Mount is made of the same material so has some flex to it as well and the RM1 snaps just as easily into its housing. Both mounts have a FiiO branding logo moulded into the material, which adds to its attractive design.
The RM1 when first powered ON will automatically enter broadcast mode for 60 seconds and will pair with any device supporting BT 3.0 or higher. I had no problems pairing it with the FiiO X7 music player and iPhone 6. After having paired with a bluetooth device and 11 minutes of inactivity, the RM1 enters sleep mode. To wake the RM1 from sleep, you press the Play button and it will attempt to connect to the last paired device again. This is definitely a well thought out battery saving and convenience feature to not always have to power off the RM1 manually when not in use. Battery life expectancy according to FiiO is about one month. I have not used this for this long of a period to confirm how accurate this is but one month sounds rather short. Is this perhaps a typo on FiiO’s website?
I also own a Satechi Bluetooth multi-media remote, which I was using previously to control the X7 while docked in the FiiO K5 desktop amp. While functionality is on simpler levels with the RM1 vs. the extra buttons on my existing Satechi multi-media remote, I found it was more compatible with the X7. While using the Satechi remote there were random times when pressing the skip track button would result in the song stopping abruptly and the X7 FiiO music player software returning to its home screen. Using the RM1 I haven’t experienced any of those issues and operation wise things just seems to work. However sometimes I do experience some odd momentarily volume decrease when Bluetooth is enabled on the X7 and paired with the RM1. This could be just a firmware issue with the X7 but it’s difficult to confirm at this time.
When comparing my existing Satechi Bluetooth remote to the RM1, one thing I really miss on the RM1 is not having an additional button or feature to turn on the X7 screen to visually see what track is currently playing. It will definitely be welcoming if FiiO incorporates this functionality in future RM1 revisions.
Since the RM1 also includes a Steering Wheel Mount, FiiO is also marketing this as an in-car control utility. My iPhone and X7 are paired to my car’s Bluetooth stereo system. Using either provides the music source and the RM1 is paired as the remote control mounted on the steering wheel. Although I can also control the source device from my car’s steering wheel built in control buttons, I found the RM1 gives me that additional freedom by allowing me to position the mount anywhere on the steering wheel. At first it looked like the hook on the steering wheel mount was too small and not going to fit but it flexes a surprisingly good amount and I had no issues wrapping it around the steering wheel of my 2010 Toyota Prius. A mounting tip here is to first clip the steering wheel mount onto the steering wheel and to snap the RM1 it afterwards. This allows you to position the RM1 exactly the orientation you wish. While my car already has integrated audio control buttons on the steering wheel, not everyone’s vehicle might have this especially if it’s an older or more basic model vehicle. Also strangely there is no pause button on my vehicles’ steering wheel controls so the RM1 adds this missing button. Overall the RM1 works pretty darn well in the vehicle but it’s not perfect. What I soon realize was there is no indentation markers on the buttons so this makes it awkward to use while driving. Since you can’t feel the buttons you’re left a bit guessing while trying to keep your eyes on the road. This is something FiiO should seriously consider adding if they are really serious about marketing this as an in-car control utility.
Final Thoughts
In the last few years, FiiO has seen well success in the audiophile community. Much of this success in my opinion is due to their recipe of offering quality products at affordable prices for the mass consumer. With the RM1 that recipe of success continues. At an msrp US $19.99 price point and with its included mounts, this makes for a very attractive bluetooth remote accessory for anyone with bluetooth devices. This is especially true for FiiO X7 owners who want to control their music while their X7 is not within reach or docked to the K5 as in my situation. I really think FiiO priced this right in the sweet spot. I would recommend this product. Thanks for reading my review and I hope you found this informative or helpful in any way.
