[Kentajalli]

Yes, I disabled the volume control on my phone and Neutron media player (it is the same with any other player also).
Indeed my player goes into direct bit-perfect mode on DSD, if I activate "Native DSD" option (no processing, EQ or even levels).
USB is consistently about 6dB louder than BT.
So far the only remedy for me is to disable "Native DSD" to get controls back and limit USB level to match BT (can be done with my player).
This also eliminate the occasional overload distortions too.

 

[ClieOS]

Yes, I disabled the volume control on my phone and Neutron media player (it is the same with any other player also).
Indeed my player goes into direct bit-perfect mode on DSD, if I activate "Native DSD" option (no processing, EQ or even levels).
USB is consistently about 6dB louder than BT.
So far the only remedy for me is to disable "Native DSD" to get controls back and limit USB level to match BT (can be done with my player).
This also eliminate the occasional overload distortions too.

This might not be an FiiO issue but likely an ESS issue. DSD is technically -6dB in gain when compared to PCM, so normally for most any other DAC, when switching from PCM music to DSD music, you will notice a -6dB volume drop - ESS on the other hand implements an automatic +6dB gain inside many of its DAC chip to compensate for the difference. I am guess this is why you are getting the 6dB boost when you use native DSD output to BTR5, which the DAC chip will, as designed by ESS, automatically apply +6dB gain. BTR5 might get distortion due to that fact that the extra gain is too much for the hardware. In BT mode however, DSD music will always get resampled back to PCM in Neutron first (...and in fact any other app as well, since DSD can't be transmitted over BT), so volume stays consistent regardless of what music you play.

 

[Kentajalli]

Perhaps I was not clear.
everything, DSD , PCM is louder on USB. Regardless of material or player software.
perhaps me mentioning -6dB threw you off on a DSD tangent. understandable . but not the case here.
Fiio s own music player does the same thing, it is just that on Fiio s player one can not limit only usb output levels .

 

[Kentajalli]

The only reason I mentioned DSD was the fact that my level adjustment to USB output would otherwise not be effective , if "native DSD " is enabled. DSD material would go directly to USB at very high levels.
but this is not a DSD related phenomena . this is a USB thingy .
at first I hadn't noticed it, because I was mostly listening to classical music, they are recorded at a bit lower levels generally compared to say Rock music.

 

[RH64]

Thanks Hiphop.

Also, just to give an update, I'm getting great battery life using the 3.5mm. ClieOS, I think your analysis was correct. I was running the balanced output into an unblaanced RCA input just because I could get the cable to work. Thanks for the correction.

 

[FiiO]

Limited Edition Collectible BTR5 Mirror of the Sky Edition is coming and available!!!

Do you like it? Don't hesitate to order it now

Grab one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000316761086.html

 

[Kentajalli]

Update to Possible Bug Report:
Since so far nobody has investigated this issue, I did the following.
I connected the device to my laptop's BT (only SBC - anyone knows how to do hi-res out of win 10?) - I checked the volume, and then connected it through USB and checked again.
There was no level discrepancy I could detect.
By process of elimination, I would say, it is a phone problem - either Android or Huawei or both.
Still would like someone to recheck this using an Android or even on an iPhone.

 

[psikey]

Update to Possible Bug Report:
Since so far nobody has investigated this issue, I did the following.
I connected the device to my laptop's BT (only SBC - anyone knows how to do hi-res out of win 10?) - I checked the volume, and then connected it through USB and checked again.
There was no level discrepancy I could detect.
By process of elimination, I would say, it is a phone problem - either Android or Huawei or both.
Still would like someone to recheck this using an Android or even on an iPhone.

No advanced BT audio support in Windows as far as I'm aware with any BT adapter, limitation of Windows. I always use wired via a PC.

 

[d73b3e]

No advanced BT audio support in Windows as far as I'm aware with any BT adapter, limitation of Windows. I always use wired via a PC.

Windows 10 does support aptx but its connection sucks as hell. Not sure if a dedicated adapter differs from an integrated Intel on my laptop but I heard there is a Jabra Link 370 can cure the crap. MS has the worst Bluetooth stack I've seen.

 

[hmscott]

BTR5 is in stock in our Aliexpress store again!!!!

Grab one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000316761086.html

@FiiO, I haven't ordered from FiiO on Aliexpress, maybe you have a better shipping arrangement than other vendors I've used? How long does your free shipping on Aliexpress take to deliver to California for example?

In my experience it takes so long to get things from Aliexpress - unless we opt to pay a huge shipping cost which makes the transaction too costly - can you please stock the BTR5 on Amazon again, that's where I bought my BTR5:
https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-BTR5-384K-Bluetooth5-0-Headphone-Unbalanced/dp/B07ZK3M6XK

Right now it says:
"Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock."

While the BTR3k on Amazon says:
https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-BTR3K-Bluetooth-Headphone-Unbalanced/dp/B085XT3V3X

"In stock on May 28, 2020. Order it now." <== now missing...

Shipping with Prime is so much easier and delivery is so much faster than ordering from AliExpress, can you please allocate more units to Amazon? I'd like to recommend the BTR5 and BTR3k to friends here in the US, but few if any of them will be willing to order from AliEexpress to the US.

Thank you!

 

[d73b3e]

@FiiO, I haven't ordered from FiiO on Aliexpress, maybe you have a better shipping arrangement than other vendors I've used? How long does your free shipping on Aliexpress take to deliver to California for example?

In my experience it takes so long to get things from Aliexpress - unless we opt to pay a huge shipping cost which makes the transaction too costly - can you please stock the BTR5 on Amazon again, that's where I bought my BTR5:
https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-BTR5-384K-Bluetooth5-0-Headphone-Unbalanced/dp/B07ZK3M6XK

Right now it says:
"Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock."

While the BTR3k on Amazon says:

"In stock on May 28, 2020. Order it now."

Shipping with Prime is so much easier and delivery is so much faster than ordering from AliExpress, can you please allocate more units to Amazon? I'd like to recommend the BTR5 and BTR3k to friends here in the US, but few if any of them will be willing to order from AliEexpress to the US.

Thank you!

They stocked it few weeks ago but it gone too fast and it was only $110 at the time I got mine.

 

[psikey]

Windows 10 does support aptx but its connection sucks as hell. Not sure if a dedicated adapter differs from an integrated Intel on my laptop but I heard there is a Jabra Link 370 can cure the ***. MS has the worst Bluetooth stack I've seen.

I meant aptxHD or LDAC which to my ears sound much better than the other formats, especially LDAC at 990kbps.

 

[tracyca]

Fiio coming out with a new color of btr5.

 

[d73b3e]

I meant aptxHD or LDAC which to my ears sound much better than the other formats, especially LDAC at 990kbps.

Did you do a blind test on those formats?

 

[Kentajalli]

Did you do a blind test on those formats?

I have, equipment and material dependent, the improvements are there, but it is not night and day.