[megabigeye]

When you are talking on the phone, the most basic and important use of ambient sound is to hear your own voice when talking. This prevents you from yelling into the phone.

What you're talking about is technically called sidetone. Don't know if that helps in any way (ehh... probably not).

 

[littlenezt]

hi there, anyone have the FiiO BTR5 SK-BTR5 Leather Case?
mine just arrived and the BTR5 slips out really easily from the case.

Spoiler: Vid

https://imgur.com/a/2zWqG2f

 

[jeejack]

can i connect my fiio btr5 with my tv and pc using just bluetooth?

Yes. I use it to watch movies (Netflix) from Tv

 

[jeejack]

hi there, anyone have the FiiO BTR5 SK-BTR5 Leather Case?
mine just arrived and the BTR5 slips out really easily from the case.

Spoiler: Vid

https://imgur.com/a/2zWqG2f

I'm ok, mine stay tight

 

[Jaysound]

I'm having a very odd experience using my Shure SE425s with the BTR5 -- the plug and jack don't seem to like each other very much.

I've been using the 3.5 mm cable.

After about a month of infrequent use of the two together with no issues, one day the songs playing via Bluetooth LDAC from my phone started to pause frequently, until I hit a button to resume playing. I checked the cable connection and noticed that if I spun the plug in the port roughly about 180 degrees the song would stop. Then I realized that on occasion the whole prior month the song would on rare occasions pause playing until I resumed it.

I assumed perhaps the inside of the jack may have become bent once when the unit got unclipped from my belt and dropped to where the cable length stopped it, so I bought another one -- this time a titanium since the first one, exhibiting the issue, was black. But sure enough the identical issue existed. Ever time I'd spin the plug roughly about 180 degrees the song would stop playing.

As I tested this out more, sometimes I couldn't even resume play until spinning it further -- with both units.

To explore the cause, I picked up a 90-degree 4-pole male-to-female elbow adapter and a short 4-pole extension cable. Oddly enough, with both the 90-degree elbow and the extension cable I could spin the plug going into the BTR5 all day long with no interruption in play, and could spin the SE425s cable's plug going into the elbow or extension cable all day long with no interruption in play.

I'm not sure what to do to resolve this. I could keep the 90-degree elbow always plugged in, but that seems a bit awkward. Maybe buy another SE425 and hope the BTR5 likes it better? (And hope B&H will let me return the first SE425 that I bought months ago, or give it away?)

 

[hmscott]

I'm having a very odd experience using my Shure SE425s with the BTR5 -- the plug and jack don't seem to like each other very much.

I've been using the 3.5 mm cable.

After about a month of infrequent use of the two together with no issues, one day the songs playing via Bluetooth LDAC from my phone started to pause frequently, until I hit a button to resume playing. I checked the cable connection and noticed that if I spun the plug in the port roughly about 180 degrees the song would stop. Then I realized that on occasion the whole prior month the song would on rare occasions pause playing until I resumed it.

I assumed perhaps the inside of the jack may have become bent once when the unit got unclipped from my belt and dropped to where the cable length stopped it, so I bought another one -- this time a titanium since the first one, exhibiting the issue, was black. But sure enough the identical issue existed. Ever time I'd spin the plug roughly about 180 degrees the song would stop playing.

As I tested this out more, sometimes I couldn't even resume play until spinning it further -- with both units.

To explore the cause, I picked up a 90-degree 4-pole male-to-female elbow adapter and a short 4-pole extension cable. Oddly enough, with both the 90-degree elbow and the extension cable I could spin the plug going into the BTR5 all day long with no interruption in play, and could spin the SE425s cable's plug going into the elbow or extension cable all day long with no interruption in play.

I'm not sure what to do to resolve this. I could keep the 90-degree elbow always plugged in, but that seems a bit awkward. Maybe buy another SE425 and hope the BTR5 likes it better? (And hope B&H will let me return the first SE425 that I bought months ago, or give it away?)

You are in luck, the Shure SE425's use an MMCX connector on the buds, so there are a zillion 3rd party cables available - or complain to Shure and ask them to send a replacement cable to try to see if that fixes it.

I haven't had any 3.5mm compatibility issues with any connectors so far, but in the past I have had some incompatible connectors - the width of the bands is just a bit off - and the device acts like you are describing.

Looks like a nice headset, and Shure is having a sale right now on both the wireless and wired models - they are both $199 right now, and the wireless model comes with both wired and wireless harnesses with MMCX connectors, so you could try getting a set of the wireless to get the best of both options. I usually get 2 or even 3 of the same unit if I really like it to rotate usage to help them last longer, and as they age out and sell out you can usually get great deals on them as they are discontinued.

If you don't need the microphone or controls - I usually get 3rd party cables without the microphone / control pod - there are a lot of "upgrades" for cables that are inexpensive these days, here's a thread about them here on head-fi:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/low-end-cheap-generic-otherwise-bang-for-buck-cable-thread.891911/

I've settled into using the KB EAR 8 core and 16 core models, but there are lots of other brands and choices:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=8+core+mmcx+cable
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=16+core+mmcx+cable

And, as long as you are considering replacing the cable, I'd try a balanced cable - the BTR5 puts out more power on the 2.5mm balanced connector:
https://www.amazon.com/Detachable-Upgrade-Earphone-Replacement-Standard/dp/B07ZCR2FVR
https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Plated-Braided-Upgrade-Earphone/dp/B07V1TW79V/

Depending on the headphone and your own hearing sensitivities you might like cable upgrades with Copper only wire strands, Copper with silver plating, or a mix of the two. Bright headphones can benefit from copper only, bass heavy dark sounding headphones can benefit from silver plating, and a combination of the two is good for balanced headphones that just need a cable upgrade.

Please come back and let us know what you end up trying and what you find works best for you and those Sure SE425's

 

[hmscott]

hi there, anyone have the FiiO BTR5 SK-BTR5 Leather Case?
mine just arrived and the BTR5 slips out really easily from the case.

Spoiler: Vid

https://imgur.com/a/2zWqG2f

Yup, that's a feature for pretty much all of the leather cases for the BTR5 / BTR3k, when there isn't a wrap around ( like the BTR3k case) the BTR's will slide very easily - sometimes out of the box the leather will be "tight" but over time they all loosen up and slip. I got used to it and automatically slide them back in with the wire press and click into the BTR pushing out the other side, I just put my thumb / finger over that side while applying pressure - you get used to living with it.

 

[Jaysound]

You are in luck, the Shure SE425's use an MMCX connector on the buds, so there are a zillion 3rd party cables available - or complain to Shure and ask them to send a replacement cable to try to see if that fixes it.

I haven't had any 3.5mm compatibility issues with any connectors so far, but in the past I have had some incompatible connectors - the width of the bands is just a bit off - and the device acts like you are describing.

Looks like a nice headset, and Shure is having a sale right now on both the wireless and wired models - they are both $199 right now, and the wireless model comes with both wired and wireless harnesses with MMCX connectors, so you could try getting a set of the wireless to get the best of both options. I usually get 2 or even 3 of the same unit if I really like it to rotate usage to help them last longer, and as they age out and sell out you can usually get great deals on them as they are discontinued.

If you don't need the microphone or controls - I usually get 3rd party cables without the microphone / control pod - there are a lot of "upgrades" for cables that are inexpensive these days, here's a thread about them here on head-fi:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/low-end-cheap-generic-otherwise-bang-for-buck-cable-thread.891911/

I've settled into using the KB EAR 8 core and 16 core models, but there are lots of other brands and choices:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=8+core+mmcx+cable
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=16+core+mmcx+cable

And, as long as you are considering replacing the cable, I'd try a balanced cable - the BTR5 puts out more power on the 2.5mm balanced connector:
https://www.amazon.com/Detachable-Upgrade-Earphone-Replacement-Standard/dp/B07ZCR2FVR
https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Plated-Braided-Upgrade-Earphone/dp/B07V1TW79V/

Depending on the headphone and your own hearing sensitivities you might like cable upgrades with Copper only wire strands, Copper with silver plating, or a mix of the two. Bright headphones can benefit from copper only, bass heavy dark sounding headphones can benefit from silver plating, and a combination of the two is good for balanced headphones that just need a cable upgrade.

Please come back and let us know what you end up trying and what you find works best for you and those Sure SE425's

I think I'll ask Shure to send me a replacement cable and see what happens.

Considering that I'm only using the BTR5 in Bluetooth/LDAC mode and only with Shure SE425 IEMs, I didn't think going to upgraded and/or 2.5mm balanced cables were likely to give me much of a noticeable improvement in SQ. I wonder if either or both could be worthwhile.

The KB Ear cables look interesting but those large cylinders at the MMCX connectors push the cable so far forward it seems certain that any pull on the cable will twist the IEM in the ear with unwanted pressure, and the over-the-ear cable approach can only help so much (I often practice tai chi while listening to music and the cable is down my back, with the BTR5 on the back of my belt).

I am hesitant to forego the control pod on the Shure cable but if it means a meaningful improvement in SQ I'll try it. I have the play/pause/vol controls on the BTR5, but while I don't use the mic on the Shure cable for phone calls -- I switch to a dedicated Bluetooth device I keep in my pocket -- I do frequently utilize the on-cable mic by telling Google Assistant to control the playing of my music when my hands are busy with tai chi ("open Spotify", "play Moody Blues", "play Hurricane", "next", "increase volume", etc).

 

[Jaysound]

It is sharp-roll-off/ brick-wall filter and according to digital theory is best.
Any other filter comes with some kind-of distortion. Apodizing filter for example minimize ringing, but at the cost of phase distortion.

Regardless, as most filters are over-sampling the difference in filter will be negligible (if track is well mastered, but if it is not what we are talking about).
One exception is Nos-Dac that tends to measure very purely, but sounds good

The only thing I see close to "sharp-roll-off/ brick-wall" in the BTR5 filters list is "BRICK". So, I assume you're suggesting that's the one to use for the least distortion (or "enhancement"), correct?

 

[Jaysound]

What's the difference between L and H gain other than the obvious difference in volume/range? Is H inherently "better" or is it just the obvious difference in the range scale?

 

[Jaysound]

You are in luck, the Shure SE425's use an MMCX connector
<snip>
Looks like a nice headset, and Shure is having a sale right now on both the wireless and wired models - they are both $199 right now, and the wireless model comes with both wired and wireless harnesses with MMCX connectors

B&H has the bundle with both the 3.5 mm and Bluetooth cables at $199 as the ongoing price: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...bt2_se425_sound_isolating_earphones_with.html

 

[hmscott]

I think I'll ask Shure to send me a replacement cable and see what happens.

Considering that I'm only using the BTR5 in Bluetooth/LDAC mode and only with Shure SE425 IEMs, I didn't think going to upgraded and/or 2.5mm balanced cables were likely to give me much of a noticeable improvement in SQ. I wonder if either or both could be worthwhile.

The KB Ear cables look interesting but those large cylinders at the MMCX connectors push the cable so far forward it seems certain that any pull on the cable will twist the IEM in the ear with unwanted pressure, and the over-the-ear cable approach can only help so much (I often practice tai chi while listening to music and the cable is down my back, with the BTR5 on the back of my belt).

I am hesitant to forego the control pod on the Shure cable but if it means a meaningful improvement in SQ I'll try it. I have the play/pause/vol controls on the BTR5, but while I don't use the mic on the Shure cable for phone calls -- I switch to a dedicated Bluetooth device I keep in my pocket -- I do frequently utilize the on-cable mic by telling Google Assistant to control the playing of my music when my hands are busy with tai chi ("open Spotify", "play Moody Blues", "play Hurricane", "next", "increase volume", etc).

For microphone info see FiiO provided info here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fii...ptx-aptx-ll-aptx-hd-ldac.918298/post-15862128

The both the 16 core and 6 core work fine with small IEM's like the TinHifi P1, Blon BL-03, Dunu 2001 - note that the wires that go to the IEM are 1/2 the thickness of the main length of the cable starting at the splitter only 1/2 the cable goes to each IEM. I've been using the 16 core cable MMCX with IEM's and I've not had any "fallout's" while sitting there listening to music. If you fiddle with your ear or hair that can happen with pretty much any IEM.

On the BTR5 the 3.5mm Single-ended AMP doesn't sound as good to me as the 2.5mm even at the same output (level adjusted), the BTR3k 3.5mm sounds better to me than the BTR5. The BTR5 2.5mm sounds better enough to me + higher power is available than the 3.5mm output so I changed most of my IEM's (that I could) to 2.5mm. And, I'm not the only one that noticed the difference.

Perhaps you can try with one set of 2.5mm 16 core and 8 core cables to see whether 2.5mm sounds better to you and whether you like 8 core or 16 core cables to your IEM. That's why I did to start, ordered the 8 core 2.5mm first, then followed up soon afterwards with a 16 core cable and I've kept using those 16 core cables, adding 4.4mm versions when I was about to receive my FiiO M15 and Topping A90 which have 4.4mm ports built-in. The M15 has all 3, 4.4mm, 2.5mm, 3.5mm. For the M15 the 4.4mm and 2.5mm sound the same - they are wired the same internally, but the 4.4mm is stronger and I prefer it for mobile use.

Lots of possibilities - perhaps you will find another IEM down the road you'll like and want to try on the BTR5

 

[LoryWiv]

I note in the BTR5 manual it states double click button B activates Siri. Is there an equivalent functionality for those on android (EG - Google assistant or Bixby)? I'd really just like to be able to initiate a phone call without grabbing my phone which sometimes is in another room when I'm listening to music.

I am away from my BTR5 now but if it's possible, I will give it a go tomorrow. I'd appreciate info. and tips for setting this up. Thanks!

 

[Jaysound]

The BTR5 has a microphone on it and uses that and not the microphone in the "pod" on the headphone cable, so that helps

I can't say for sure but when the IEM cable is plugged in I believe the BTR5 is using the mic on the 3.5 mm cable that came with the SE425. The reason I believe this is partly because the BTR5 is pretty advanced in general, and partly because a number of times when the control pod was behind my head the voice commands to Google Assistant were not recognized until I moved the control pod close to my mouth and then it worked fine.

 

[Jaysound]

I note in the BTR5 manual it states double click button B activates Siri. Is there an equivalent functionality for those on android (EG - Google assistant or Bixby)? I'd really just like to be able to initiate a phone call without grabbing my phone which sometimes is in another room when I'm listening to music.

I am away from my BTR5 now but if it's possible, I will give it a go tomorrow. I'd appreciate info. and tips for setting this up. Thanks!

On Android it's called Google Assistant and it works like a charm for me with the BTR5 I have never initiated a phone call with it since I use a Plantronics Bluetooth headset for phone calls, but since the BTR5 works fine for everything else I'm sure initiating a call will also work fine. As you said, yes, I can double-click button B on the BTR5 or do the equivalent on the control pod on the IEM cable and yes that initiates Google Assistant. So does just saying "Hey Google" or "Okay Google" -- I use an IEM cable that has a mic and that seems to work fine.