[speedingcheetah]

Is the USB C port on the BTR3 USB 3.0 or 2.0 spec for use as USB DAC?

 

[Alberto01]

"just double amping it then?"

Yes

To my ears the amplification power of the BTR3 is a joke for headphones and it isn't much for IEMs. This and the BTR3's small size make it an ideal receiver to be connected to an amplifier. Obviously, with an amplifier the BTR3's portability goes down the drain when compared to other BT receivers that have more amplification power than the BTR3.

 

[speedingcheetah]

To my ears the amplification power of the BTR3 is a joke for headphones and it isn't much for IEMs. This and the BTR3's small size make it an ideal receiver to be connected to an amplifier. Obviously, with an amplifier the BTR3's portability goes down the drain when compared to other BT receivers that have more amplification power than the BTR3.

I have to say, that the BTR3s amp power is not great.
But it powers my Sony in ears MDRXB50AP just fine, get plenty loud and sound awesome, like far far more expensive headphones, after i tweak the EQ in the Fiio app. also powers my MDREX750BT/B in wired mode fine.
My wired Vmoda Crossfade Wireless (gen 1) full sized headphones, it can barely power, and does not get loud enough, but i use my E17K for those.

 

[johny5]

These are my go-to @ work headphone amp! Clean sound and the Bluetooth is cleaned and strong. Using with QC 35s

 

[speedingcheetah]

Is the USB C port on the BTR3 USB 3.0 or 2.0 spec for use as USB DAC?

Can Fiio or someone answer this?

 

[FiiO]

Is the USB C port on the BTR3 USB 3.0 or 2.0 spec for use as USB DAC?

Dear user,

Unlike the BTR5, when using as USB DAC, the BTR3 use USB Audio 1.0 mode instead.

Best regards

 

[speedingcheetah]

Dear user,

Unlike the BTR5, when using as USB DAC, the BTR3 use USB Audio 1.0 mode instead.

Best regards

ook then. so the USB 2.0 hub i have been using on my Shield is fine. was thinking of upgrading to 3.0 hub if it had any impact on the BTR3, but....nope. thanks

 

[Alberto01]

Is the USB C port on the BTR3 USB 3.0 or 2.0 spec for use as USB DAC?

Dear user,

Unlike the BTR5, when using as USB DAC, the BTR3 use USB Audio 1.0 mode instead.

Best regards

ook then. so the USB 2.0 hub i have been using on my Shield is fine. was thinking of upgrading to 3.0 hub if it had any impact on the BTR3, but....nope. thanks

Don't rest assured that there will be no difference in sound with different types of USB ports. There have been differences in sound quality when switching a part of my sound chain where technically the sound was supposed to be exactly the same. For example, with the same BT codec my BTR3 has a cleaner sound with my previous cell phone than it does with my current cell phone. The same thing has happened with USB cables of a different design despite the claim that it is impossible for the sound to be different because of the "just 1s and 0s being transmitted" explanation.

 

[speedingcheetah]

Don't rest assured that there will be no difference in sound with different types of USB ports. There have been differences in sound quality when switching a part of my sound chain where technically the sound was supposed to be exactly the same. For example, with the same BT codec my BTR3 has a cleaner sound with my previous cell phone than it does with my current cell phone. The same thing has happened with USB cables of a different design despite the claim that it is impossible for the sound to be different because of the "just 1s and 0s being transmitted" explanation.

My nvidia shield and the USB DAC's i use, BTR3 and especially the E17K are quite picky.
I have to use a usb extension cable to reach other side of room so i can sit on couch and plug in DAC for headphone use.
It is odd, I have nice thick, known good, high quality shorter usb extender cables(and long ones), but when those are in use with the hub, I get no sound out of the DACs or, mainly the E17K will be very glitchy, static and not sound right at all. (hub is powered)
I moved to a quite thin, and much longer usb extender cable, and that is just fine.
Was just pondering the idea of changing to a USB 3.0 hub, that would also require new 3.0 spec extender cable of about 10-12ftft at least.
Thought maybe the step up to USB 3.0 may benefit the DAC, since its a C port on the BTR3, assumed it was 3.0 port and was being limited by using a 2.0 connection.
But Fiio says they work in USB 1.0 mode, so...i see no reason to spend money to upgrade something that won't change anything.

 

[Alberto01]

The needed speed for data transmission (the 1s and 0s stuff) between your source and the BTR3 will be covered by USB 2.0. So, the higher speed of USB 3.0 doesn't make a difference in this application. That is the theory (and obviously all or most of the reality) in this case.

You can use USB 2.0 cables and extensions, with USB 3.0 ports. They are all designed to be compatible.

 

[speedingcheetah]

You can use USB 2.0 cables and extensions, with USB 3.0 ports. They are all designed to be compatible.

"Compatible" only means that it will function at 2.0 buss and power speeds.
There is no way to get USB 3.0 buss and power speeds from USB 2.0 cables connected to a 3.0 hub.

 

[Alberto01]

The needed speed for data transmission (the 1s and 0s stuff) between your source and the BTR3 will be covered by USB 2.0. So, the higher speed of USB 3.0 doesn't make a difference in this application. That is the theory (and obviously all or most of the reality) in this case.

You can use USB 2.0 cables and extensions, with USB 3.0 ports. They are all designed to be compatible.

"Compatible" only means that it will function at 2.0 buss and power speeds.
There is no way to get USB 3.0 buss and power speeds from USB 2.0 cables connected to a 3.0 hub.

Your next step toward upgrading your setup should be getting a USB Bluetooth transmitter. The sound quality of aptx HD that you are gonna get, will be at the same level of your BTR3 wired connection.

 

[HipHopScribe]

For example, with the same BT codec my BTR3 has a cleaner sound with my previous cell phone than it does with my current cell phone.

This is probably because yourself new phone is falling back to a lower bitrate for transmission more often than your old phone, either because it has a weaker signal or the software is more aggressive about preserving connection strength over quality

 

[speedingcheetah]

Your next step toward upgrading your setup should be getting a USB Bluetooth transmitter. The sound quality of aptx HD that you are gonna get, will be at the same level of your BTR3 wired connection.

I didn't ask for you suggestions in how to upgrade things...I only asked about the usb port spec on the Fioo btr3.
USB wired kills Bluetooth anyday as far as quality goes.
I switched to wired when Nvidia broke LDAC codec on the Shield. ANd they don't seem to care to fix it, since its been over a year with no fix.
And i use a different non BT wired DAC for my phone for my serious music time.

 

[BenF]

Dear user,

It seems to be a hardware issue with the microphone. Please try to contact your seller about that first. If the seller fails to help, please contact us(support@fiio.com) again with the receipt attached.

Best regards

I have identified the root cause - BTR3K's microphone is OK, the problem was caused by the 3.5 input.
I didn't know this, but both BTR5 and BTR3K support in-line microphones using CTIA standard.

I was testing using a cable with in-line microphone, and BTR5 was producing a nice enough recording.
However, my BTR3K was producing more noise than voice with the same cable - totally unusable.
When using BTR3K with a regular cable without a microphone, recordings are just as good as on BTR3 (which is always using the built-in mic) and BTR5.

So I just won't use cables with an inline microphone - a nuisance, but a much smaller problem.
Hope FIIO will fix this in new batches.