FiiO RM1 Bluetooth Remote Controller

I was lucky enough to be chosen by Fiio to try out this tiny bluetooth remote controller free of charge.
 
The device comes in a nice little retail package as all Fiio products i've owned seem to.  I was initially surprised at just how small this thing is, the actual remote is circular but slots into a more traditional rectangular remote shaped holder (or an included handy bracket for fitting to your car steering wheel).  In the box are the 2 holders (Rectangular and Steering Wheel) a small Lanyard, Instructions and Warranty Information.
 
The device is metal and feels really well made.  On the back you'll find a a tiny power / pairing button and the Battery Cover which is easily opened with a coin.  Flip it over and on the front you'll find Back / Forwards / Volume up & Volume down buttons on the front.  These are not individual buttons, rather buttons beneath a thin piece of flexible plastic.  I would have preferred actual buttons on the face as I'm not too sure how durable this may prove to be after some usage and I feel it's difficult to find the right button when not looking at the remote - especially if used by itself without the holders.  there is also a small blue LED that shows through the plastic face.
 
Pairing is simple, hold the power button until the small LED on the front starts blinking, it is now visible for pairing.  I had no issues with pairing between several devices, it was always quick and painless.  The device goes to sleep if unused for 11 minutes.  I feel this number is a bit random and maybe a little too long.  When it goes to sleep it is easily woken by pressing any button.  It will quickly pair with the previously paired device if available.  All the buttons work as expected and I experienced no issues at all in using it.
 
It comes with 2 Holders; one a slim, rectangular piece of plastic which makes it feel more 'remotey' and the other a bracket that allows you to attach it to the steering wheel in your car.  These are made from a somewhat flexible but durable feeling plastic and function as you would expect.
 
Overall I feel this remote is a great little addition with some convenient and thoughtful extras.  By itself it is a little too small and cumbersome to use without looking at it, but other than that it does exactly what it's supposed to do.

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. 

Firstly, apologies for my delay in writing this review....on a positive it has given me more time with the RM1.
 
 
DISCLAIMER
I was fortunate enough to receive an early remote for review, which was dispatched by Sunny via courier as soon as available, my thanks to Fiio for the opportunity to try out the RM1 remote prior to UK availability. I will give an honest open review based on my experience with this unit in the following paragraphs in return for your kind offer to trial the RM1 remote.
 
I did pop an interim review on Amazon as soon as the UK site advertised a pre-order for the RM1....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B01EVH47D8/ref=acr_search_hist_5?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=five_star&showViewpoints=0
 
 
PACKAGING
If you have previous experience of receiving a Fiio product you will note that the packaging is top-notch and there are often included extras which add even further to the premium feel of the product, the RM1 is no different and comes in a very nicely presented box which protects the remote well. Inside the box you are rewarded with the remote itself and a holder which turns the small remote into a more familiar hand-held format for a remote control....this is nicely engineered and the remote snaps reassuringly into place. As well as the hand held adaptor there is a small round holder with a curved clip that will hold the remote onto your steering wheel (I really liked this addition). There is also a small lanyard and TWO batteries....it only requires one, this is another nice touch and shows how much aftersales thought goes into Fiio's product line.
 



 
 
THE GOOD
Connecting to any item is very quick and easy, I know a few have mentioned about the small size of the power and pairing button - I didn't have any issues with this myself and it was a breeze to connect with my Fiio X7, mobile phone, portable speaker....1 touch and the RM1 instantly appeared visible to any devices I tried, there were no faults I could find with connection. There was no drop-out when connected and the best bit - after you have connected the first time you don't need to access the power button again so no worries if you do find the diminutive pairing button tricky you needn't tackle it again. The buttons are very comfortable to the touch and feel slightly rubber-like which means that they don't slip and have a quality finish - if they had been smooth plastic it would be more difficult to use without looking, as they are it is a very pleasant contact and the amount of pressure required along with the click when registered make this feel like a premium product. Mainly connected to my X7 (every day) I have found that there is no issue with re-pairing - just touch any button on the remote and the RM1 powers back up from sleep. I have not seen any big difference in battery life on my X7 having BT on which was the negative I was expecting as pay-off for the extra practicality of a remote. The RM1 never misses a move - every click does exactly what it should without any pausing or hiccups and actually surprised me with how well it worked.
 
The RM1 is flexible as it comes with either the hand-held adaptor or the steering wheel clip-on and worked with anything you care to throw at it - I tried with my Sony Xperia phone - no problems and also with my portable Denon speaker...there doesn't appear to be any less functionality with other branded equipment or different types of audio equipment. I didn't expect it to work as well as it does nor did I expect it to work with so many different devices - it seems like witchcraft
 
There is no doubt that the RM1 looks, feels and performs like a very expensive high-end piece of equipment - the retail price is very low for what you get. I couldn't live without this now and I would highly recommend it to anyone who uses a device in their car via an aux cable as I do. The X7 stepped up the audio in my car no end, however there was a frustration in not being able to pause or skip tracks using the normal steering wheel controls on long journeys...the RM1 fills this void perfectly.
 

 

 
 
THE BAD
Initially I reported back that it seemed to have turned my X7 back on after I had switched it off....I tried to replicate this a couple of dozen times since unsuccessfully so that was clearly user error and it doesn't do this. The only thing that I have noticed is that every now and again the might be a little stutter or jump on a track whilst playing the X7 without touching any of the buttons on the RM1, this doesn't happen a lot and will only do the odd single jitter every now and again (maybe once or twice in 30 minutes a small hiccup will occur). It is a bit annoying, but definitely not enough for me to lose the ability to skip tracks as I please in the car. I don't know whether this is caused by the RM1 or the X7 - it could possibly be fixed by firmware down the line if the communication slip is down to the X7?
 
 
Well there is no ugly to add, on the whole I really like what Fiio has done here and I think that the quality and execution is excellent - much better than I anticipated. The half a star I deducted is due to those irregular skips here and there (my X7 has never done it without the RM1) and this might be something addressed in the future....almost perfect.
 
If anyone has any questions not covered here then please feel free to inbox me and I'll answer wherever I can (or test further if needs be to get an answer).