FiiO BTR7 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

[juliangst]

is there a way to have bit perfect from any app in iphone 15 pro with btr7 ?
I connected with usb c but all i get from all aps (vlc, fiio music, flac player etc) is 44k/32b ... !

Apple Music always worked fine with my BTR5 and played at the correct sample rate. The BTR7 should work fine with Apple Music as well.
Doesn’t really matter though because sample rate conversion is completely transparent

 

[Demir958]

The only way to send 96kHz audio from your iPhone to the BTR7 is via USB. FiiO call this dongle mode:
View attachment 310805 View attachment 310804

Then Bluetooth DAC is not suitable for iPhone

 

[staticV3]

Then Bluetooth DAC is not suitable for iPhone

Why not? The limited bandwidth of human hearing makes 96kHz audio pointless anyway.

 

[Demir958]

Why not? The limited bandwidth of human hearing makes 96kHz audio pointless anyway.

So, do you have any suggestions for a DAC with good ACC performance?

 

[Blorg]

So, do you have any suggestions for a DAC with good ACC performance?

AAC is more about the sending than the receiving device, I don't believe there is much if any difference in the decoding but there is difference in the encoding. Apple's AAC encoder, from what I know, is the best available, so you are good there.

 

[Robbo99999]

AAC is more about the sending than the receiving device, I don't believe there is much if any difference in the decoding but there is difference in the encoding. Apple's AAC encoder, from what I know, is the best available, so you are good there.

This is not going against what you're saying, but is just a tangent, but for folks thinking about buying AAC music from Apple (ITunes) I've found in the past that some Itunes versions are more dynamic range compressed (think loudness wars) than some other versions you can buy. Becky Hill's Forever Young, for some reason I ended up with the Itunes (AAC) version and Amazon's mp3 version, and the mp3 version sounded better to me with more "expression" in the vocals, and when I analysed the two tracks in Orban Loudness Meter I could see that the Itunes version was more compressed with less dynamic range. That's not a fault of AAC, just the version of the track they decided to use.

 

[Demir958]

This is not going against what you're saying, but is just a tangent, but for folks thinking about buying AAC music from Apple (ITunes) I've found in the past that some Itunes versions are more dynamic range compressed (think loudness wars) than some other versions you can buy. Becky Hill's Forever Young, for some reason I ended up with the Itunes (AAC) version and Amazon's mp3 version, and the mp3 version sounded better to me with more "expression" in the vocals, and when I analysed the two tracks in Orban Loudness Meter I could see that the Itunes version was more compressed with less dynamic range. That's not a fault of AAC, just the version of the track they decided to use.

Actually, isn't the problem that iPhone doesn't support LDAC?

 

[Demir958]

For example, my iPhone 6s has a headphone jack and no matter what song I listen to from Apple Music, it is amazing.
But the disappointment in my headphones with the Apple dongle on my iPhone 13 Pro
In fact, the iPhone 13 I connect to via TC44 gives much worse sound than the 6s I connect via the headphone output.
The reason I want to connect via Bluetooth is to get 6s performance from my iPhone 13.

 

[Demir958]

No performance on phones with type c or lighting headphone outputs, 3.5 outputs
is this normal

 

[staticV3]

Actually, isn't the problem that iPhone doesn't support LDAC?

Apple achieves greater fidelity with AAC at 256kbps, than Sony with LDAC at 909kbps:

Source:

Part I: Comparison of Bluetooth Fidelity - SBC, aptX, AAC, LDAC (Android 10 source)

A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.

archimago.blogspot.com

Part II: Comparison of Bluetooth Fidelity - AAC encoder quality (Android 10 & 13, Windows 11, Apple iPhones & Mac)

A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.

archimago.blogspot.com

For example, my iPhone 6s has a headphone jack and no matter what song I listen to from Apple Music, it is amazing.
But the disappointment in my headphones with the Apple dongle on my iPhone 13 Pro
In fact, the iPhone 13 I connect to via TC44 gives much worse sound than the 6s I connect via the headphone output.
The reason I want to connect via Bluetooth is to get 6s performance from my iPhone 13.

My measurements have shown the digital audio output via Lightning to be bit-perfect. That part cannot be the problem.

 

[Demir958]

Apple achieves greater fidelity with AAC at 256kbps, than Sony with LDAC at 909kbps:
View attachment 337679 View attachment 337681
Source:

Part I: Comparison of Bluetooth Fidelity - SBC, aptX, AAC, LDAC (Android 10 source)

A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.

archimago.blogspot.com

Part II: Comparison of Bluetooth Fidelity - AAC encoder quality (Android 10 & 13, Windows 11, Apple iPhones & Mac)

A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.

archimago.blogspot.com

My measurements have shown the digital audio output via Lightning to be bit-perfect. That part cannot be the problem.

But there is a clear difference, not in the volume level, but the quality stage and separation is at a completely different level. With 3.5 output, the sound travels from right to left, this is not possible with lighting.

 

[staticV3]

But there is a clear difference, not in the volume level, but the quality stage and separation is at a completely different level. With 3.5 output, the sound travels from right to left, this is not possible with lighting.

Again: Lightning is not the problem. It sends audio unaltered, just like USB.
Your problem lies elsewhere.

 

[Demir958]

Again: Lightning is not the problem. It sends audio unaltered, just like USB.
Your problem lies elsewhere.

Thank you I really wonder what the problem is

 

[Demir958]

Thank you I really wonder what the problem is

If it is as you say, I will buy DC04 pro directly.

 

[Demir958]

Again: Lightning is not the problem. It sends audio unaltered, just like USB.
Your problem lies elsewhere.

I wonder if the iPhone 6s 3.5 output processes sound?

 

[staticV3]

Thank you I really wonder what the problem is

it could be a damaged headphone jack or headphone cable.

I wonder if the iPhone 6s 3.5 output processes sound?

I doubt it.

 

[ZolaIII]

Thank you I really wonder what the problem is

It's a bit complicated. Problem is they removed the jack instead working to get better output (amplifier). The short cables with lightening or OTG USB C with dongle DAC's on the long run are from really inconvenient to horrible when it gets loose or female connector gets demaged.
You can easily get to a deacent performing dongle DAC which will give 2V output and won't suck much power. The CS43131 is still a recommendation but don't go with iBasso (except if you really like it aesthetically) instead check the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro with lightening cable for less money.
If you need more then 2V there are balanced one's but again not convenient and unbalanced one's with additional OPAMP's but the latter usually aren't either small or in the dongle form more likely flask alike (and with their own battery).
The Apple dongle give only 1V output and that's probably the source of your "problem".

 

[staticV3]

there is a clear difference, not in the volume level, but the quality stage and separation is at a completely different level. With 3.5 output, the sound travels from right to left, this is not possible with lighting.

The Apple dongle give only 1V output and that's probably the source of your "problem".

I honestly doubt that the 1V limit is what's causing this.

Especially since the iPhone 6s which Demir doesn't have any issues with can't output more than 1V either.

 

[ZolaIII]

I honestly doubt that the 1V limit is what's causing this.

Especially since the iPhone 6s which Demir doesn't have any issues with can't output more than 1V either.

Well I did quite sincerely point out the main problem (lose cable and broken female port on phone side on the long run) along with output power. I am certain it would help if we know which headphones/earphones he is trying to run.
Anyway best flask brick I can remember that does all very good is Topping G5.

 

[Demir958]

Çıkış gücüyle birlikte ana sorunu (uzun vadede kablo kaybı ve telefon tarafındaki dişi bağlantı noktasının kırılması) oldukça içten bir şekilde belirttim. Hangi kulaklığı/kulaklığı çalıştırmaya çalıştığını bilmemizin yardımcı olacağından eminim.
Her neyse, hatırlayabildiğim en iyi şişe tuğlası, her şeyin çok iyi olduğunu gösteriyor Topping G5.

İbasso t04 , campfire polaris