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Fiio BTR5

rar133

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Can i use the BTR5 as a usb dac to send audio (line out to rca) to a pair of JBL 104 active speakers? Is this an advisable option to keep the btr5 constantly plugged into the PC as the main DAC?
The thing is I mostly use my speakers and once in a while my IEMs. Most threads deal with powering headphones.

My ideal setup would be:
1. PC (win 10) -> USB -> BTR5 -> line out to RCA-> JBL 104
2. BT (TV box, phone) -> JBL
3. Occasionally PC -> BTR5 -> IEMs

Thanks :)
 

Asylum Seeker

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Can i use the BTR5 as a usb dac to send audio (line out to rca) to a pair of JBL 104 active speakers? Is this an advisable option to keep the btr5 constantly plugged into the PC as the main DAC?
The thing is I mostly use my speakers and once in a while my IEMs. Most threads deal with powering headphones.

My ideal setup would be:
1. PC (win 10) -> USB -> BTR5 -> line out to RCA-> JBL 104
2. BT (TV box, phone) -> JBL
3. Occasionally PC -> BTR5 -> IEMs

Thanks :)
The Fiio BTR5 does not have line-out as such, but you can try headphone-out. Active Monitors have input level matching so you can play with that.
 

rar133

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The Fiio BTR5 does not have line-out as such, but you can try headphone-out. Active Monitors have input level matching so you can play with that.
thanks!
in this case i will just buy the fiio k3 compact as a home solution for my speakers. and get the btr3 as a BT solution and connect it to the aux input on the speakers. i like good sound but don't feel like my ears are adequately tuned to hear the upgrade in sound.
 

Asylum Seeker

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thanks!
in this case i will just buy the fiio k3 compact as a home solution for my speakers. and get the btr3 as a BT solution and connect it to the aux input on the speakers. i like good sound but don't feel like my ears are adequately tuned to hear the upgrade in sound.
I'd stay away from the Fiio BTR3 as it does not support BT5.0. The BTR1K does BT 5.0. Look at Shanling UP2 too.
 
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Berwhale

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thanks!
in this case i will just buy the fiio k3 compact as a home solution for my speakers. and get the btr3 as a BT solution and connect it to the aux input on the speakers. i like good sound but don't feel like my ears are adequately tuned to hear the upgrade in sound.

The K3 is fine, that's what I started out with. I then added the JDS Labs Atom headphone amp (retaining the K3 as a DAC), then replaced the K3 completely with a Topping D50s.

I'm not sure if you already own the 104's, but the volume control is a little fiddly and maybe harder to reach depending on where you place them. I leave my 104's set to 2 o'clock and use the volume control on my Atom instead.

Note that JBL have recently released a version of the 104's with Bluetooth built-in: https://jblpro.com/en-asia/products/104-bt

I also have a BTR3. This sounds great and is very well made. However, i'm not using it much now as I also have a Radsone ES100 with a balanced output.
 

Asylum Seeker

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Oh, has BT 4.2 stopped working now that 5.0 is out?

Improvements of BT5.0 over BT4.2
> Higher data transmission rate
> Longer range
> Lower power consumption
> Higher rejection of signal-congested environment

You happy with BT4.2? You love BT 3.0? Great. Good thing BT is backwards compatible. But BT5.0 is the one to get in 2020. Heck, my BT earbuds from last year were already sporting BT5.0.
 
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Berwhale

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Improvements of BT5.0 over BT4.2
> Higher data transmission rate
> Longer range
> Lower power consumption
> Higher rejection of signal-congested environment

You happy with BT4.2? You love BT 3.0? Great. Good thing BT is backwards compatible. But BT5.0 is the one to get in 2020. Heck, my BT earbuds from last year were already sporting BT5.0.

How much higher transmission rate? In my experience, BT4.2 seems to cope with adaptive LDAC just fine (330kpbs-990kpbs).
How much longer range? Personally, my BTR3 or ES100 sit no further than 50cm from phone when i'm using them.
How much lower power consumption? I get about 7 hours out of my ES100 and it gets charged every day anyway (as does my Note 9) .
How much more signal noise rejection? I commute on a train with 400-500 people on it every day and I don't get any issues with my BTR3 or ES100.

Obviously BT5.0 has some improvements over BT4.2 and given the choice i'd pick BT5.0, but the question is, how much are those improvements worth? How much more would you pay for a device with BT5.0 over one with BT4.2 with otherwise identical sonic performance?
 

Asylum Seeker

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A BT5.0 Shanling UP2 is only $10 more, a Hiby W3 is $10 less and the Fiio BTR1K is $20 less. The burden of the argument, I feel, is not with those arguing for the better spec, given that price is a non-factor. Same or lower price, would you chose the product with the lower spec? I would not. In 2020, BT 5.0 is the spec to choose. YMMV.
 
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Berwhale

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A BT5.0 Shanling UP2 is only $10 more, a Hiby W3 is $10 less and the Fiio BTR1K is $20 less.

That depends where you buy them. In the UK:

BTR1K - £40
BTR3 - £45
W3 - £60
UP2 - £80

(Prices from Amazon UK)

The BTR1K is £5 cheaper than the BTR3, but lacks APTX HD & LDAC and has less battery life.
 

Asylum Seeker

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That depends where you buy them. In the UK:

BTR1K - £40
BTR3 - £45
W3 - £60
UP2 - £80

(Prices from Amazon UK)

The BTR1K is £5 cheaper than the BTR3, but lacks APTX HD & LDAC and has less battery life.
Still. I would myself neither buy nor recommend anything BT4.2 or below in the year 2020.
 
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Asylum Seeker

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BTW, BT is now up to version 5.1
 

Soniclife

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How much higher transmission rate? In my experience, BT4.2 seems to cope with adaptive LDAC just fine (330kpbs-990kpbs).
How much longer range? Personally, my BTR3 or ES100 sit no further than 50cm from phone when i'm using them.
How much lower power consumption? I get about 7 hours out of my ES100 and it gets charged every day anyway (as does my Note 9) .
How much more signal noise rejection? I commute on a train with 400-500 people on it every day and I don't get any issues with my BTR3 or ES100.

Obviously BT5.0 has some improvements over BT4.2 and given the choice i'd pick BT5.0, but the question is, how much are those improvements worth? How much more would you pay for a device with BT5.0 over one with BT4.2 with otherwise identical sonic performance?
https://audio46.com/blogs/headphones/do-bluetooth-5-headphones-sound-better-than-bluetooth-4-2
 

Timoteew

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Managed to get hold of a BTR5 here in the UK. I've written up a review with comparisons to the FiiO Q5S if anyone's interested - you can read it on my website here: https://www.modioaudio.co.uk/blog/fiio-btr5-its-spunky.
DSCF5886.JPG
 
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Berwhale

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Thanks, i've not had much opportunity to use my mobile setup recently, but your post prompted me to connect my Fiio K3 to my desktop and plug in my Moondrop Starfields for some IEM goodness :)
 

Celty

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Thanks, i've not had much opportunity to use my mobile setup recently, but your post prompted me to connect my Fiio K3 to my desktop and plug in my Moondrop Starfields for some IEM goodness :)
I love my Moondrop Starfields, which I have driven either with my Moto G6 phone, or my desktop 887. I was wondering how much improvement in sound quality you think something like your Fiio K3 or a BTR5 might give.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how good the Starfield's sound staright from my phone.
 
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Berwhale

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I only used the K3 because it has a 2.5mm balanced output and my Starfields already have an aftermarket balanced cable fitted (for use with my ES100), I would plug them into my D50s/Atom if I was using the stock cable.

Your Su-8 + THX887 setup is already transparent with more than enough power for the Starfields. I don't think you'll find anything that would be objectively better.

Today, I created a secondary desktop stack with the K3 sitting on top of a Pi4 (in a FLIRC case) running Volumio. Sounds and looks great :)
 

Celty

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I only used the K3 because it has a 2.5mm balanced output and my Starfields already have an aftermarket balanced cable fitted (for use with my ES100), I would plug them into my D50s/Atom if I was using the stock cable.

Your Su-8 + THX887 setup is already transparent with more than enough power for the Starfields. I don't think you'll find anything that would be objectively better.

Today, I created a secondary desktop stack with the K3 sitting on top of a Pi4 (in a FLIRC case) running Volumio. Sounds and looks great :)
Oh yes very true, as far as my home setup. I was thinking more in terms of mobile use.
 
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Berwhale

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Oh yes very true, as far as my home setup. I was thinking more in terms of mobile use.

The ES100 drives the Starfields well. I'm happy with the sound from the ES100, but the plastic case leaves a little to be desired. I will probably upgrade to the BTR5 or Qudelix 5K if/when the ES100 gives up the ghost.
 
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