The Shenzhen Benjie BJ-T6 / AGPtek Rocker is a full featured digital audio player that offers lossless (FLAC, DSD, etc.) file playback at one of the lowest retail price points in the global market (US$60/EUR50/JP¥6,890.) With a solid and compact metal case, a capable Bluetooth 4.0 CSR implementation, up to 256GB removable storage capacity and a relatively long lived battery life, the T6 is an attractive option for the audiophile seeking an inexpensive portable player with but a few compromises.
Hardware
SoC: Ingenic X1000 w/32MB integrated LPDDR (http://www.ingenic.com/en/?product/id/9.html)
Bluetooth: CSR 8811 F1C81 AVRCP\A2DP\HID (http://www.csr.com/sites/default/files/csr8811.pdf)
Power Management: AXP192 (http://www.s-manuals.com/pdf/datasheet/a/x/axp192_x-powers.pdf)
Codec: Cirrus CS42L51_F2 (https://www.cirrus.com/en/pubs/proDatasheet/CS42L51_F2.pdf)
Flash: SPI NAND ATO25D1GA (http://www.atosolution.com/product/product01.html#con7)
Partial Performance Parameters for Headphone Output
Output Power 1: 25mW/32Ω
Output Power 2: 46mW/16Ω
Output Impedance: 16-32Ω
SNR: 97db
THD+N: 0.007%
MAX output voltage:1V
MAX output current:25mA
Software
The T6/Rocker incorporates the highly rated Hiby player app in firmware. This app is also used by Cayin, Shanling, Eros, Questyle, Hidizs and Tempotec in some of their devices.
http://www.hiby.cd/
The app's feature set includes:
1. All lossless audio formats decoding, including DSF, DFF, ISO, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, M4A, AAC, MP3, OGG
2. CUE sheets also supported
3. High precision decoding with 32 bit output, 64 bit float point and 128 bit internal calculating.
4. External USB DAC is supported with DXD/DoP output for Native DSD or 384KHZ 32 bit audio stream.
5. Gapless playing is supported.
6. 10 band graphic EQ supported.
Manufacturer
Shenzhen Benjie BJ-T6 - http://www.benjie-tx.com/MP3HiFiPlayer/224.html
Shenzhen Benjie Technology Co., Ltd. is a Chinese high-new technology manufacturer specializing in R&D, production, sales and service of digital products. Their main products are MP3 players, HiFi Players, sports earphones and digital voice recorders. Shenzhen Benjie has a 2000 square meter plant, 7 production lines, 5 engineers and 10 staff in QC. About 10 to 15 new models can be launched from Benjie every year. They claim advanced production equipment, experienced and qualified engineers and workers, recognized quality control systems, a friendly and professional sales team for to-the-trade pre-sales and after-sales support for prompt production, good quality and reasonable pricing.
Benjie is selling the BJ-T6 in China through their reseller network on AliExpress as well as through various global retailers. You can contact the Benjie support team at the links found here - http://www.benjie-tx.com/contactus.html - to let them know of a problem. As this is a Chinese company, it might be faster to use the Tencent messaging app WeChat, see the bottom of the linked contact page to add them as a contact.
AGPtek
AGPtek Rocker - http://www.agptek.com/AGPtEK-ROCKER...solution-Lossless-Music-Player-966-126-1.html
AGPtek is offering the "Rocker" through their global Amazon storefronts. As of 2/23/2017, the Rocker is available via AGPtek Amazon storefronts in the US, Japan, UK, France, Italy, Spain and elsewhere. Pre- and post-sales support from AGPtek can be located here - http://www.agptek.com/support/about-us.html
AGPtek has generally offered online availability for user installable firmware updates, product manuals and the like. Their current manufacturing firmware is Version 1.2, which was made available for user download and installation on November 1, 2017.
User Manual
The AGPtek user manual for their "Rocker" may be viewed/downloaded here:
http://images.agptek.us/image/RockerUserManual.pdf
I highly recommend looking at this manual for additional specifications, features and supported file formats as AGPtek seems to be updating it as updated firmware is released.
Firmware
The best firmware for your T6/Rocker is likely going to be the one provided by the company that sold you their product, simply because it will be supported by that vendor in case you have an issue - Shenzhen Benjie in China and AGPtek in the rest of the world as it stands right now.
The hardware is the same, you can choose to update and use either company's firmware without issue.
AGPtek has their firmware V.1.2 currently installed on the latest Rocker V. 2 for international distribution and Benjie has their V1.04Beta (later manufacturing may have further updated firmware) for Chinese distribution.
AGPtek Version 1.2 firmware was made available for user updating as of November 1, 2017.
The AGPtek Rocker's firmware versions look more polished, use a more compact font for more displayed data and use multiple colors to distinguish selected functions in the menu, compared to Benjie firmware. The Benjie firmware that I have has a grayscale menu and is more of a developer version before any eye candy is incorporated. Both Benjie and AGPtek firmware seem to have equivalent audio performance but the AGPtek firmware has an enhanced user interface that makes using the Rocker a more pleasant experience.
Please note that the use of the word "Beta" in the naming scheme does not mean you have a pre-retail release version of the firmware. The use of the word "Beta" has meant that AGPtek/Benjie intends to continue firmware development and refinement coding is still in process until the device reaches end of life in the product cycle. At some point the firmware will likely not include the word Beta, probably meaning that further firmware coding is no longer in process by Benjie or AGPtek.
In comparison, the pre-release firmware version was simply named V1.0 and identified the device as a K1, the manufacturer's working model nomenclature. You can see this in the initial photos I have attached to this thread. If you somehow have a V1.0 firmware installed on your T6/Rocker, then you really should do a firmware update to access the full range of file formats the DAP is capable of playing, as well as some language/menu enhancements.
Firmware Updating
Updating or swapping firmware on the T6/Rocker is easy but you should have a copy of your original firmware to revert to in case your update fails. While I have personally installed and used all of these firmware versions on my BJ-T6 and AGPtek Rocker devices without incident, I make no claim or warranty that they will load to or work on your device. Using these files is entirely at your own risk! But if you do decide to try them out, post some comments in this thread! 
How to update Benjie BJ-T6/AGPtek firmware
To update firmware, just copy the update.upt file you have onto a properly formatted (exFAT) microSD card, insert the card into your powered off DAP, power it on, go to the Settings Menu, scroll to Firmware Update and then activate the Firmware Update function. It will take a minute or so and then the DAP will power off and then power on again with the new firmware installed.
It doesn't matter that you have any other files on the microSD card, I just use the same card that I keep music on.
The T6/Rocker "Firmware Update" function looks for whatever "update.upt" file that you have on the card to do the update. The "update.upt" file name is generic for ALL updates, be sure to have only the one you want to use on the card when you do the update.
I formatted my microSD card using the T6/Rocker's own "Format the Card" function in Settings. If you opt to format your microSD card with anything else, choose exFAT for best compatibility.
I personally use and recommend installing AGPtek's Version 1.2 firmware if you do not have a newer Rocker (or BJ-T6) with firmware Version 1.2 already installed in manufacturing -
You can find AGPtek Version 1.2 Firmware Update 11/01/2017 for download here -
http://www.agptek.com/blog/?p=1246
Prior Firmware Versions
http://www.agptek.com/blog/?cat=9
AGPtek ROCKER UPT 1.06Beta Firmware Update 4/12/2017 (not the latest downloadable firmware, but tested and recommended if for whatever reason you cannot get AGPtek Version 1.2)
1. Enables quick search of music or music file by alphabetic sequence under All Songs/Artists/Genres/Albums by holding the right button in music list interface
2. Relocate playlists created by users to Favorite Lists in the main interface and Music>>Favorite Lists
3. Allows playlist file such as .m3u and .m3u8 to be added under Music>>Playlists by music management software such as Media Go (.m3u and .m3u8 file can not be deleted in the player)
4. Strings modified
AGPtek ROCKER 1.0 5 Beta Firmware Update 04/05/2017 (NOT current version, provided for reference info only)
1. Update bookmark list and the quantity limit of M3U list(maximum bookmark list: 200; maximum M3U list: 1000)
2. Update progress bar and wrong time of songs in bookmark after switch songs manually or automatically when songs are playing from the start
3. Update: Keep playing after playing all songs once (Former version: When choose shuffle all songs, all songs will only play once and then stop playing.)
4. Update the languages of player for different countries
5. Hold the up arrow button to back to the main menu when it is in music playing interface
6. Update: the player can not be operated when the screen is off. (Former version: when the screen is off in the list interface, you can press the up/down arrow buttons to scroll up/down)
7. In 12-hour mode, 12:00 pm will shown as 0:00 instead of 12:00
8. Add “All Songs” option under the “Add to Artists/Album List”
9. Support DTS encoding (Note: prior updated firmware had DSD support, this one might extend the type of DSD files supported.)
Download Link for AGPtek Rocker V1.1 Firmware (NOT the latest version, provided for reference only)
http://www.agptek.com/support/download.html (This is the AGPtek Support download page for manuals and firmware updates, it will always be the go-to location for any AGPtek device updates.)
Detail on the V1.1 firmware dated 03/06/2017 -
http://www.agptek.com/blog/?p=1246
- Modify the problem that the player cannot scan the memory card automatically in Japanese language
- Decrease the font size for English language
- Add the built-in idle shutdown function(Power off automatically for over 2 minutes without operation, not allowed to adjust)
- Add “Language” under each of the language option(except English)
- Optimize the wrong display of song sequence in music playing interface
Shenzhen Benjie Firmware
The following is a download link for Shenzhen Benjie BJ-T6 V1.04Beta Firmware (NOT the best version, just the last Shenzen Benjie firmware update that I have. Provided for reference only, in case you are curious about Benjie's original manufacturing release)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4sel0j3p7ve7vpb/update.upt
Rockbox
Rockbox developers had been working on an app port for the AGPtek Rocker. You can check on their progress, if any, and lots of great technical info on the T6/Rocker as well, here -
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/AgptekRocker
Unfortunately, AGPtek did not deliver required kernel sources, violating GPL, which has stopped further activity. This is not surprising as the kernel is proprietary to the OEM, Shenzhen Benjie, but it is disappointing.
Rockbox developer wodz was kind enough to host the work he had done on GitHub - https://github.com/wodz/rockbox-wodz/tree/agptek-rocker
PLEASE NOTE:
Benjie manufactures several devices that look the same as the BJ-T6 in that they use the same case, display and five-way rocker switch. The T-series, specifically the BJ-T6/Rocker that is the topic of this thread and now in retail release, as well as the upcoming BJ-T8 due out mid-2017, are considered audiophile devices and are specifically designed for hi-fi/hi-rez, lossless format playback, including FLAC and DSD. They don't have E-book reading, voice recording, FM radio, built-in memory or a built-in speaker. If the device you are considering has one or more of those features, you are looking at one of their consumer grade recorder/players at a lower price point and with a different chip/PCB solution.
Personal Review
As I have been commenting and answering questions about the Shenzhen Benjie BJ-T6/AGPtek Rocker in both the "Obscure Chinese DAPs" and "Benjie S5" threads, I thought it worthwhile to start a new thread that will allow specific comments and critiques from other users as well. I am not an official representative of Shenzhen Benjie or AGPtek, just an early buyer of the BJ-T6 directly from Shenzhen Benjie in China in December, 2016. I have stayed in touch with them for firmware updates that have now enabled the full feature set of this DAP.
Shenzhen Benjie BJ-T6 - http://www.benjie-tx.com/MP3HiFiPlayer/224.html
AGPtek Rocker - http://www.agptek.com/AGPtEK-ROCKER...solution-Lossless-Music-Player-966-126-1.html
The T6/Rocker DAP is now available in the global market and sells for around US$60/EUR50/JP¥6,890. My early units came with only a micro-USB cord - no charger or earphones. Retail packaging includes a user manual.
The DAP has a very solid metal case with some heft and absolutely no flex. This is a device than can survive drop impacts with no more than a paint scratch. You could probably drive a car over it and the case would not deform.
Unfortunately, as solid as the metal casing is, it has notably sharp edges and corners, making the T6/Rocker less than comfortable in the hand and likely to be a wear point in pants or shirt pockets. A case that looks this sharp but that also is sharp is ultimately a poor design choice for a portable music player.
The unit has no rattles when shaken, the PCB is well anchored internally. The physical function buttons are easy to push and have a positive click. The metal case is finished semi-matte with a choice of black or silver finish, both look classy and would not be out of place on an executive's desk.
The T6/Rocker has an on-off button and microSD slot on the left side, up and down volume buttons on the right side, micro-USB port and headphone/AUX jack on the bottom, nothing on the top or rear of the unit. The front has the TFT screen and a five way click selection pad.
The TFT screen has a 128x160 resolution, which really is the low point of this otherwise capable hardware package. The hardware/software can drive a much higher resolution and a broad color gamut (24-bit color plus alpha channels) but the screen can't take advantage of that capability. The screen itself is smooth and shows reflections but that is not really a distraction in use. While the screen is backlit with adjustable brightness, off-axis viewing is washed out. Direct viewing is OK under most lighting conditions.
While the metal casing is solid, the TFT screen material is made of a flexible plastic that bends when pressed, making it somewhat vulnerable to compression damage. The flexibility and bending strength of the screen means that it isn't going to shatter in a drop, but pushing hard on it will possibly damage both the screen and the PCB. Most people damage portable devices by dropping or sitting on them and the construction of the T6/Rocker really minimizes the likelihood of damage from those instances, but it would not be a good idea to carry the Rocker in a back pocket that also has keys in it.
A TFT screen upgrade is the first thing I would recommend for a T6/Rocker successor build. It may be that this screen configuration was selected for a lower power draw, but I would prefer a few minutes less battery life and a nicer visual presentation, particularly as the DAP displays album art.
High resolution visual displays are not what drives most of us to buy high fidelity audio equipment, it is all about the sound!
I auditioned the T6 with Philips Fidelio L2, Grado SR225 and Sony MDR-CD1700 headphones, no IEMs. These headphones are all quite efficient and the T6 drove each of them to acceptable volume levels with no apparent distortion with both Hi and Low Gain settings. I also use Fostex PM-1 MkII monitors that are room EQ corrected and balanced through a Roland/Edirol M-16DX digital mixer for analytical listening and two separate Paradigm and Klipsch 5.1 setups that are EQ corrected and balanced with Audyssey MultEQ though a Denon AVR-2309CI receiver. I generally use a Fluance Fi50 for Bluetooth listening.
No EQ was applied in my initial listening sessions but the T6 has a 10 band customizable EQ as well as eight EQ presets to adapt the output to your preferred sound profile. I am showing 34, 63, 125, 250, 500, 1K, 2K, 4K, 8K, 15K Hz frequency bands and a 6+/- dB adjustment range with V1.04Beta firmware.
Playing well recorded 24BIT/96kHz FLAC and DSD files only, and in comparison with a non-Rockboxed Sansa Clip+ that was being used at the same time, also with no EQ, the sound seemed just a tiny bit rolled off in treble sparkle, bass was more detailed, mids more or less equivalent. I would describe the sound as detailed and neutral but not clinical.
No hiss or noise floor perceived at all in my audition. However, one Head-Fi member and one teenager that I gifted with a BJ-T6 did mention that they heard a noise floor when a track is played and the volume is turned to zero. The noise was not heard when a file was not playing. This may indicate that the amp is turned on only when the unit is playing, thus preserving battery life but also indicating that the amp stage is not sufficiently isolated. Another owner commented that there is a soft "plopping" noise in switching between tracks. These observations have subsequently been confirmed by a few others, so please take that into consideration if you have "golden ears." ![[IMG]](http://files.head-fi.org/images/smilies/wink_face.gif)
Audio Format
| PCM
| DSD
|
| AAC
| AIF(AIFF)
| APPLE LOSSLESS
| APE
| FLAC
| OGG
| MP3
| WAVE
| WMA
| WMA LOSSLESS
| M4A
| DSF
| DSDIFF
|
Bit Depth(bit)
| 16
| 16~24
| 16~24
| 16~24
| 16~24
| 16
| 16
| 16~2 4
| 16~24
| 16~24
| 16~24
| 1
| 1
|
Sample Frequency
| 8~48K Hz
| 8~192K Hz
| 8~192KH
z
| 8~192 KHz
| 8~192 KHz
| 8~48 KHz
| 8~48 KHz
| 8~19 2KHz
| 8~96K Hz
| 8~96KHz
| 8~192 KHz
| 8KHz~ 2.8MHz
| 8KHz~ 2.8MHz
|
Supported Sample
Frequency
| PCM Track: 8KHz~192KHz
DSD Track: DSD64 Software Unlock
|
Unsupported Format
| APE: Extra high up to 96K, insane not supported
WAV: DTS 5.1 soundtrack not supported
Not Support for ALL 64KHZ Sample Frequency
|
1. 1.8 inch 128x160 resolution TFT screen (Note: A 128x160 color TFT screen is not a particularly high resolution. Considering how much capability there is in the hardware/software package, it is too bad the screen is so limited. It does show album art and scrolling file names. Adjustable for brightness, washes out with off-axis viewing but modestly legible in daylight.)
2. Full zinc alloy die casting (Note: The case is very solid but corners and edges are sharp rather than rounded off, meaning it might wear pockets out and it is not particularly comfortable in hand. Think of it as a mini black monolith from "2001: A Space Odyssey."
3. Supports 256GB external storage, no built-in memory (Note: Formatted and tested OK with 64GB SanDisk Ultra 64GB microSDXC UHS-I) - Claimed capacity - 15,000 songs, 50 Playlists
4. Bidirectional Bluetooth 4.1: receive and transmit (Note: Paired quickly with a couple of Bluetooth speakers that I have. Bi-directional Bluetooth is supported, tested Bluetooth streaming music from a Nexus 5X phone running Android 7.1.1 to a BJ-T6 running V1.04Beta firmware. However, could not stream from the T6 to the Nexus phone as the T6 defaults to a static BT connect screen and controls are not accessible.)
5. Supports DSD format (Tested OK with Stereo DSD 64 2.8224Mbit/s)
6. Lossless playback (AAC / AIF / Apple Lossless / APE / FLAC / OGG / WAVE / WMA Lossless / M4a / MP3 / WMA, at up to 192kHz/32bit) (Note: Tested OK with FLAC 24BIT/96kHz files.)
7. Supports CUE and gapless playback (Note: Did not test yet.)
8. Supports AUX OUT and 3.5mm earphone output (Note: Really solid physical connect with headphone jacks, did not try AUX IN)
9. Battery capacity: 3.7V/600mAh, charging time: 2 hours, playing time around 40 hours by earphone (Note: Used only FLAC files driving several types of headphones, not IEMs or buds, and they have gone through only a couple of charging cycles, so I don't have a conclusion on battery life or efficiency as of yet, but showing close to 10 hours playback capability. Expect less if you are really driving this DAP with hard to decode files and lots of screen-on time, claimed 7 hours with Bluetooth play.)
10. USB 2.0 high speed transfer slot (Note: Tested functional but don't have transfer rate at the moment.)
11. Synchronous lyrics display (Note: Not tested for lyrics. Current firmware shows Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Japanese, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Italian language options, new firmware releases are adding languages.)
12. IC solution: Ingenic X1000 (Note: Menu responsiveness and file loading of even large files is very quick. Specs can be found here - http://www.ingenic.com/en/?product/id/9.html)
13. Size: 85*38*10mm / 3.37*1.58*0.4 inches
14. Item Weight: 80g / 2.82 ounces
At a US$50-60 price point the Shenzhen Benjie BJ-T6 is more than competitive in terms of component hardware and build quality. It is a compact powerhouse that offers excellent value for money spent.
At the moment I can directly compare the T6 with a Fiio X3II, an xDuoo X2 and the SanDisk Sansa Clip+. All auditioned music files were in a variety of FLAC and 24bit mp3 formats saved on a 64GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC card. I use 2L's HiRes Test Bench selections for consistency - http://www.2l.no/hires/ - but also have a further variety of favorite classical, jazz and EDM selections in FLAC for reference listening.
OK, in comparison to some other DAPs -
I recently purchased a Fiio X3II which I then updated to firmware V2.0. The Fiio is certainly a more sophisticated unit with mature firmware, albeit twice the size and weight and more than three times the price of the Benjie. No contest, the Fiio has a much more comprehensive and detailed UI. The Benjie's current UI is primitive in comparison, though it does have file organization essentials (Folders, Albums, Songs, Playlists, Genres, Artists, Favorites, Bookmarks, Recent,) a ten band EQ, high and low gain settings, etc. The T6 has Bluetooth, the Fiio does not. Without any EQing, the sound of the Fiio is more transparent/airy. I really appreciate the Fiio's quality and flexibility to adjust output but have thus far not opted for EQing in daily listening. Winner for classical and jazz - Fiio, pop and EDM - tied. The Fiio X3II really is at least two steps above the T6 overall, three if a solid UI is valued. However, with the T6 firmware update the sound quality might only be one level better with the Fiio, which would make the T6 quite the better value with the significant price differential. Time will tell as I need more of an opportunity to compare these or rather I need a teenager with better ears than I to let me know what he hears!
I am just starting to listen critically to an xDuoo X2. Unlike the Fiio X3II, this DAP is more directly comparable to the T6 in relative size, UI simplicity and feature set. Ease of use is about the same for the two but the T6 can show album art, where the X2 cannot. No Bluetooth for the X2 either. The size, weight, rounded form factor and buttons of the X2 are better than the T6 for daily carry. The xDuoo is really a fun player and, un-EQ'd, I have grown to prefer it's bolder (higher amp'd) sound to the Sansa Clip+, but I now prefer the T6 with updated firmware in place. The X2 is also not directly comparable to the Fiio, I find the Fiio is better for classical, jazz and critical listening while I go to the xDuoo for EDM, house and the like. The T6 is somewhere in the middle in terms of sound definition. The T6 would definitely be at least a step upgrade to the xDuoo X2 at around the same price.
The 8GB Sansa Clip+ is the lightest, most portable DAP I have and the most convenient for travel. It holds its own for features and a very simple and clear UI, but I now prefer to use the other DAPs when I don't care about extreme portability. The Sansa has an FM radio, which I do not use for music but found very useful in the past when there was breaking news, so you might find a benefit there as well. The Sansa does not have Bluetooth either. I have used the Clip+ for a number of years and it has always had great battery life and reliability. In comparison to the smooth contours of the Clip+ and even the xDuoo X2, the T6 has a very solid metal body with sharp edges which you will feel in hand or a pants pocket. Soundwise, the Sansa Clip+ comes in last in this comparison, the amping is weaker and this shows even when paired with the highly efficient IEMs and headphones that I use.
Price, shape, weight and size notwithstanding, I would first choose the Fiio X3II for reasonably portable critical listening, then the current firmware version Benjie, then the xDuoo, and trailed by the Sansa Clip+.
Other User Reviews (will add as I become aware of them):
Lebellium (France) - http://www.tellementnomade.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&p=481279 Interesting comments about user interface and power to drive high impedence headphones. Reviewer also made extensive and excellent recommendations on having accurate/descriptive French language for the device menu in the Rockbox forums. Those recommendations are now under review by AGPtek and last word is that his translation will be incorporated in the next firmware release! Merci beaucoup!
cqtek (Spain) - http://reproductormp3.net/index.php/topic,26101.30.html - compares the Rocker with AGPtek H1/Aigo MP3-108
Amazon.com - With AGPtek selling the Rocker through a wide range of Amazon sites throughout the world (with the exception of China,) we are now seeing a number of generally positive user reviews posted. The U.S. Amazon site has the greatest number of user reviews in English.
Request For Further Evaluations
While I am not set up to do bench testing of the Benjie T6/AGPtek Rocker, I do hope someone on Head-Fi is and will eventually test the T6 to validate, clarify and amplify listener observations. I do rely on and recommend sites like RAA for this type of careful analysis. RAA is starting to evaluate current Benjie DAPs and though they have not committed to testing the Benjie BJ-T6 yet, do keep an eye out for when they might. In the meantime you can check out their currently tested devices here to have a baseline understanding of some of the DAPs I mention in my comments above -
http://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/report/dac.php[/color]
Last edited: Dec 20, 2017
