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FiiO BTR7 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp)

Rate this portable DAC & HP Amp

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 2 0.9%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 14 6.4%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 88 40.2%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 115 52.5%

  • Total voters
    219
I'd consider buying another and using it with the 80% limit turned on. I have two of them, the oldest from 2021, and it's still fine. By contrast the Fiio BTR5 I had before that went bad after about a year. BTR7 has the 80% battery protection option which I use. It has been fine so far.

I severely doubt a difference between 0.3Ω and 1.2Ω would have any impact whatsoever on a 16Ω single DD earbud. I agree with you that high output impedance is a problem, and I would avoid something with very high output impedance. Stuff can be in the tens to even hundreds of ohms output impedance, and I have do stuff that is very obviously (and measurably) affected by that. But 1.2Ω isn't remotely high.
Ok, have bought it. Haven't noticed any (sub)bass degradation. 0.3 Ohm cable is in use.
Have measured BTR7 Zout on 30 Hz and 1 KHz (27 Ohm load), It is the same and is about 1.02 Ohm (SE).

Overall impression is Ok, probably plenty of LDOs are not just marketing, but help to keep macro-dynamic (and, as a result, pseudo-scene and so on).
 
I think I might pull the trigger. Can you update firmware via phone or do you need a computer?
It will update through the phone app. On thing to bear in mind, you have to manually download and sideload the APK from Fiio to have it work with the latest firmware. Possibly it will update on Google Play at some point, but I had the latest from Play and it didn't work with the latest firmware.
 
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Can any1 explain why you can hear a pop noise (DC spike?) when turn on the Fiio Btr7 or switch the gain. Do I need to unplug my iem (ie900) everytime before turn it on to protect my earphone for long term. I don’t have this problem with quedelix 5 (always plug-in with DAC).
 
Can any1 explain why you can hear a pop noise (DC spike?) when turn on the Fiio Btr7 or switch the gain. Do I need to unplug my iem (ie900) everytime before turn it on to protect my earphone for long term. I don’t have this problem with quedelix 5 (always plug-in with DAC).
I don't hear any pop noises and keep my IEMs always plugged-in.
 
I am thinking of buying a BTR7 as it goes cheap right now instead of pre-ordering a BTR17 and getting a device I need to wait 12 months for the SW to run ok.
Anything major that suggests I should not get a BTR7? Are the big SW issues with the BTR7 resolved?

How will I use it:
- mostly on the go with a Denon D5200 and Tidal
- homeworking on a Windows PC plugged into USB (so want to use in Desktop mode - are the charging issues resolved in the latest Firmware?)

Thanks for your feedback guys.
 
I am thinking of buying a BTR7 as it goes cheap right now instead of pre-ordering a BTR17 and getting a device I need to wait 12 months for the SW to run ok.
Anything major that suggests I should not get a BTR7? Are the big SW issues with the BTR7 resolved?

How will I use it:
- mostly on the go with a Denon D5200 and Tidal
- homeworking on a Windows PC plugged into USB (so want to use in Desktop mode - are the charging issues resolved in the latest Firmware?)

Thanks for your feedback guys.

A good desktop dac/amp could have better performance and sound.
 
I am thinking of buying a BTR7 as it goes cheap right now instead of pre-ordering a BTR17 and getting a device I need to wait 12 months for the SW to run ok.
Anything major that suggests I should not get a BTR7? Are the big SW issues with the BTR7 resolved?

How will I use it:
- mostly on the go with a Denon D5200 and Tidal
- homeworking on a Windows PC plugged into USB (so want to use in Desktop mode - are the charging issues resolved in the latest Firmware?)

Thanks for your feedback guys.
The BTR7 DAC/Amp/Bluetooth device has its flaws, with the battery being a notable weak point, as it degrades significantly over time. While the display is a welcome feature, it falls short by lacking sufficiently clear and detailed information. The inclusion of wireless charging is appreciated, and its LDAC Bluetooth performance is flawless. Its portability is a strong point, but the buttons and switches are not particularly intuitive or well thought out. A notable drawback is that the battery remains in circuit when connected to a PC that supplies its own power to the USB port, even when the BTR7's charging mode is turned off, which adds additional strain on the battery. That said, it delivers excellent sound quality and is capable of comfortably powering the vast majority of headphones, with the exception of the most demanding ones—albeit at the expense of battery endurance. Despite these shortcomings, it remains a fine piece of equipment overall.
 
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The BTR7 DAC/Amp/Bluetooth device has its flaws, with the battery being a notable weak point, as it degrades significantly over time. While the display is a welcome feature, it falls short by lacking sufficiently clear and detailed information. The inclusion of wireless charging is appreciated, and its LDAC Bluetooth performance is flawless. Its portability is a strong point, but the buttons and switches are not particularly intuitive or well thought out. A notable drawback is that the battery remains in circuit when connected to a PC that supplies its own power to the USB port, even when the BTR7's charging mode is turned off, which adds additional strain on the battery. That said, it delivers excellent sound quality and is capable of comfortably powering the vast majority of headphones, with the exception of the most demanding ones—albeit at the expense of battery endurance. Despite these shortcomings, it remains a fine piece of equipment overall.
Thanks for the info @ehabheikal and @Michou!
 
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