FiiO BTR7

Introduction:
The Fiio btr7 is one of Fiio's most recent portable Bluetooth DAC amp offerings. Fiio has packed it with some incredible hardware and software capabilities. The first in their series to have 4.4 balanced ports, a THX amplifier, and much more!



Disclaimer:
I bought this out of my interest and cash; it is  NOT a review unit. Here are my honest, impartial opinions.

Box contents:
Device itself.
USB to USB type c cable.
Type c to type c cable.
Case.
Quick start guide.
Warranty card.




Technical specifications:
Display: 1.3 inch IPS Color Display with 240x240 resolution
Bluetooth Chip: Qualcomm QCC5124
Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth V5.1
Supported Codecs: AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC
DAC : 2x Sabre ESS9219C
Frequency Response : 20～20kHz（aptX connection), 20～50kHz（LDAC connection)
THD+N : PO＜0.00055% / Balanced ＜0.00048%
SNR : PO≥118dB (32Ω A-weighted), BAL≥115dB (32Ω A-weighted)
Sampling Rate : 384kHz/32bit (USB DAC)
USB in DSD Support: 384KHz 32bit/ DSD256
Output Interface: 3.5mm Single-Ended & 4.4mm Balanced
Output Power PO : 165mW@16 Ohm / 160mW@32 Ohm / 18mW@300 Ohm
Output Power BAL : 235mW@16 Ohm / 320mW@32 Ohm / 40mW@300 Ohm
Output Impedance : PO≤1.8Ω（32Ω loaded） /BAL≤2.8Ω（32Ω loaded）
Amplitude : PO：2.3Vrms / BAL: 3.2Vrms
Crosstalk PO : ≥ 75dB
Crosstalk BAL : ≥ 107dB
Recommended Imp. : 16~100Ω（PO）/ 16~150Ω（BAL）
Battery: 880mAH
Battery Life: About 9hours
Wired charging: ≤1.5 hours
Wireless charging: ≤3 hours
USB Port: USB Type C
USB Input: Xmos XU208
Dimensions : 39.6x83.6x14.6mm
Weight: 68 grams

Tested with:
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, S23 ultra
iPhone 12, 15 pro max
Iems: Aful P5 , Simgot e
EA1000 , Dunu Falcon Ultra, Dunu SA6 MKII , Letshuoer S12 pro, Dunu Zen , Qdc Dmagic Solo etc


Build and Design:
The Fiio btr7 features an aluminum frame and two glass panes. The build is incredibly robust; I've been using it for about 8 months and there are still no indications of wear and tear on it. Even though I mostly use the case that came with the device, I also use Fiio's official leather case. I detected no scratches on the glass either. So it must be acknowledged that Fiio has done an excellent job in developing this device.



Buttons:
They are tactile and do not squeak, and I enjoy the built-in charge On/Off switch. I use it whenever I use it in USB mode.

Microphone:
Does the job but needs to be very close to your mouth to pick up your voice. That's where the Fiio leather case comes in handy, just clip it to your shirt or t-shirt and you're good to go.

Charging and battery backup:
I mostly charge via the type c post and it charges up quite fast I'd say. But there are times when I do use the wireless charging feature, I think this is a neat addition which I like as sometimes all I've freed up to charge something is my wireless charging pad so comes in handy.

I mostly use it in Ldac codec and I use 4.4 balanced high gain too. I used to get around 5.5hrs+ battery backup with that. (Volume 55%+)
So if you switch to a different codec use a different gain mode or use single-ended.
You'll easily get more than 7hrs of listening time with this tiny device.

Case:
The included case does the job but I'll recommend anyone who has this device or wants to get it, to get that "Fiio Sk-btr7 leather case". The clip is very handy and the case itself is made out of actual leather.


Fiio app:
Like the other btr devices, the btr7 supports the Fiio control app as well. There are some features that I quite like and they are battery protection, parametric eq in the eq section and then volume limit, etc.

The app itself is easy to use, it's just slow IMO. Can get better with updates but works just fine. And through the app, the firmware of the device can also be updated.



Sound:
So, how does it sound? I'll divide this section into two parts. One in BT mode and one in USB mode.

(I always used hybrid fast as a filter)

BT mode:
It sounds neutral and transparent for the most part but with a hint of warmth.

Bass:
The tuning is almost colorless and completely neutral. The bass is appropriate for the music being performed, and the lower bands hit the necessary notes exactly. Bass is somewhat amplified, particularly in the midbass region.

Midrange:
Instruments and vocals stay clear and colorless. A respectable, deep, wide soundstage accentuates the midrange. provided with a respectable amount of details. Instruments and vocals have a distinct, genuine sound—not a lifeless one.

Treble:
While keeping all the minute nuances, it has been smoothed down to allow for a comfortable listening experience. There isn't really anything wrong with that; it sounds natural and accurate.

Technicalities:
The FiiO Btr7's natural and realistic soundstage environment, together with its excellent feeling of airiness and space, allows for the precise placement of instruments and vocals. The staging and imaging capabilities are matched by the resolutions and dynamics.


In USB Mode:
This is where I was truly amazed; the technicalities increased by at least 20% right away, I would say.

There was an additional kick to the bass portion. There were more noticeable slams. The rumble's intensity was also raised.

An additional degree of clarity was applied to the mids and highs. The male vocals became slightly smoother and had a sense of warmth to them.

Everything appeared much more engaging,
allowing you to focus on the music you're listening to.

Conclusion:
With enough power to run practically any iem and even some headphones, this is an excellent device in my opinion. The capabilities of the software and hardware are amazing for a price range of $200. A BT DAC amp with smooth, clear treble and a hint of warmth would be enjoyable to listen to for extended periods. A fantastic amp section that makes pairing it with headphones or even iems very easy.

There's nothing to say on sound other than it is transparent. Perfect. Pure bliss. Very silent and very distortion free. A true high fi piece of gear at an outstanding quality. The bad news is you need eq to make it sound good as with all neutral gear.

You have now 3 slots for peq (parametric equalizer) in app that can be memorized with a preset. Unfortunately you can't name them so you have to remember which is which when you change headphones. UI as an experience is a little frustrating, there's nothing difficult, it just is not the smoothest of the experiences. Peq only works with peak filters (10 bands which is ok) and I get the feeling by ear that it accepts only integer gains (eg 0.2 becomes 0, but also 0.7 becomes 0. You might want to try and round them up..). The app is a work in progress so it might get better when you'll read this. The most practical solution: load your target for your headphones on autoeq.app (for the majority of people the standard target works just fine), select personalized peq and put in ten peak filters. Let autoeq do its magic while you take the quickest coffee of your life. Put the data gathered in this way inside the Fiio app. Boom. Great sound.

Great quality product, solidly recommended, it gives me a lot of pleasure.

Fiio BTR7​

Prelude:
Fiio takes perfection quite seriously in the pursuit of transparent and pristine sound. I remember perfectly the strong and decisive sound of the BTR5 and the even better sound of the BTR52021. However, it was not enough and Fiio decided to go even higher, creating the most advanced and at the same time the highest priced DAC/AMP receiver on the market. This is how one of the most ambitious Bluetooth projects in recent years, BTR7, was created. It was supposed to be not only an extension of the BTR series to a flagship position, but also to give a solid signal to the competition that Fiio is not giving up its leadership position. The new project is based on the same transducers as the predecessor, but a completely new THX amplifier section, a 4.4 mm output, and a completely new USB system from Xmos have been added.


Unboxing and ergonomics:
Now that we have the introduction behind us, it’s time to move on to the next stage. The price of the new BTR7 is currently USD 199, so it is higher than BTR5 or other competitive solutions. In return, we get a nice cardboard packaging with the device itself, documentation, a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-to-USBC cable, as well as a nice and functional case made of gray suede-emitting material. Fiio BTR7 includes completely new components in the amplifier and USB sections, and the power from both the SE and BAL outputs has also increased significantly. As performance increased, the size and weight of the device also increased. It is already the size of a small DAC/AMP, but the parameters still do not exceed the concept of mobility and functionality. However, we must take into account that we will not attach the BTR7 to a T-shirt or sweatshirt, but we can still easily fit it in a pocket or even in our hand. The whole thing is made of a solid aluminum frame and two panes of glass. On the front there is a nice color display, unfortunately it is LCD, but its readability is very good even on sunny days. Additionally, we have a power button, volume control and a function button, as well as a microphone and a switch to turn on or off the charging of the device. The ability to power the BTR7 only from the built-in battery is a great solution and I really like it, it’s a pity that we can’t completely bypass the battery power supply and use an external power supply, but at the same time the battery still provides a much more stable current.

Battery and power supply:
As I have already mentioned, BTR7 can operate as a full-fledged DAC/AMP, both using the built-in battery and charging via the same cable used for data transmission. In DAC/AMP mode, it supports both UAC 1.0 and 2.0 modes and supports all popular Bluetooth codecs, including native MQA. This is a significant advantage over the competition, which at best reaches 92khz/24bit. Wired, the BTR7 sound is smoother and more resolved, with less compression. As for the battery, in real use with FLAC files and the LDAC codec and Tin P1max headphones, I achieved a stable time of 6 hours on the balanced output. This result may, of course, vary depending on the headphones and the selected configuration, but in my case it was always a stable time of over 5 hours.

Sound:
Moving on to the next aspect, which is sound, I will divide my description into three main parts.

BASS: The low tones are very transparent and very technical, this technical aspect accompanies us throughout the entire tuning of the BTR7. We will definitely not miss the bass, and the tuning of the BTR7 is less ruthless than in the case of the BTR5 or BTR52021, the resolution of the low tones and their energy are exemplary, and the entire tuning is almost colorless and completely neutral. The amount of bass is adequate to the music presented, and the lower bands hit the right points nicely. The low tones are perfect for reference listening or analysis, but if we are looking for a warm sound, this is not the way to go. It is much better than in previous models, you can already feel a certain amount of heat. However, information and technical aspects still come first.


Midrange: The vocal and instrumental layer remains transparent and colorless, BTR7 shows music exactly as it is. It adds virtually nothing to the Siena, and the neutrality of the midrange is complemented by a quite good soundstage, both in width and depth. The 3D plan outlined in this way is enriched with incredible instrument separation and brilliant positioning. The amount of detail and information is above average, we can hear each instrument separately, and it is brilliantly placed in time and space. The vocals are natural and clear, not lifeless, but still retain an absolutely technical outline. The instruments sound natural, without any coloration.

Treble: The treble has been completely tamed and softened to a completely pleasant level. The high tones are smooth and neutral, showing a lot of information and details, without stinging the ears, which is a very desirable treatment. The high tones still retain their full of information and excellent sound character, but thanks to the minimum amount of warmth they sound much more natural and represent a much higher level, which is due to the tuning and great THX amplifiers. I like this direction of tuning because it allows me to focus entirely on the information contained in the music and analyze the songs completely, literally breaking down the music into its prime factors.

Comparisons:
Fiio BTR 7 (199USD) VS qudelix 5k 2020 (99USD)
Qudelix 5k is the undisputed leader when it comes to this type of devices up to PLN 500. It provides the most extensive application and excellent realistic sound with more warmth than the BTR7. However, BTR7 wins with much better technical features, a much larger sound stage and power. The BTR7 application also provides a lot of functions, and the BTR7 itself also has a functional screen. Sonically, the BTR7 is much more bland, technical and unforgiving of the music, while the qudelix 5k is more compact and provides a more forgiving tuning with a more intimate presentation.

Fiio BTR 7 (199USD) VS radsone es100mk2 (99USD)
Es100mk2 is a warm playing device with much less power than BTR7. Both devices are on completely opposite sides of the barricade when it comes to tuning. The es100mk2 stage is much smaller, more intimate, there is also more warmth and musicality, which is why the technical layer and resolution suffer. So it all depends on our preferences, in general the BTR7 sounds like a higher class device, but the tuning of the es100mk2 may appeal to lovers of warm sound and personally I love both devices.

Fiio BTR 7 (199USD) VS Oriolus 1795S (199USD)
Oriolus 1795S has similar dimensions to the BTR7 and, like it, has inductive charging. The workmanship is also similar – it is an aluminum frame and two glass panes. Oriolus 1795s is a less neutral sound, focusing more on the musical and technical side. However, it has a much smaller soundstage than the BTR7, but is less ruthless and more forgiving. In my opinion, both devices are great, the Oriolus will be perfect for quiet listening, and the BTR7 is an excellent reference and colorless device, but at the same time it is a real leader when it comes to the technical layer.

Summary:
Fiio BTR7 is not the cheapest device on the market, as it costs USD 199. However, you can see a lot of work in every aspect that Fiio put into this project. The quality of workmanship is impeccable, and even the smallest detail is well thought out. The sound offered by BTR7 has been slightly warmed and softened compared to BTR5 and is absolutely colorless and even, highly analytical and full of details. In addition, numerous updates offered by Fiio and many functions as well as good quality of calls via the built-in microphone allow me to clearly evaluate BTR7 as one of the best Bluetooth receivers on the market and an excellent USB DAC/AMP. The sterility and purity of sound offered by fiio, as well as the completely black background in BTR7, are something that should not only be praised, but also absolutely appreciated. The battery life is also satisfactory, and the device itself can operate entirely on the built-in battery, all this makes it my favorite device from an analytical point of view, which I highly recommend. The stability of the Bluetooth system is great, and the support of virtually every Bluetooth codec on the market ensures wide compatibility with many devices.