While not included in this comparison, the similarly priced iFi Go Blu (which I assisted in evaluating for TechRadar’s sister magazine, What Hi-Fi?) weighs somewhat less than the BTR7 at 26g against 45g. Nonetheless, I thought the BTR7’s sound to be more balanced and free of noise.
The FiiO Control app is simple to use and includes customizable EQ settings as well as a full parametric equaliser with up to eight presets. It also supports manual Bluetooth codec selection, with no significant exclusions in the high-resolution category.
The BTR7 supports audio up to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256, and MQA 8x decoding, making it appropriate for Tidal’s top-tier Master Quality songs. It is equipped with two ESS ES9219C DAC chips and an XMOS XUF208 CPU. It’s also worth mentioning that Tidal has released a high-resolution FLAC update. The gadget is equipped with a pair of THX AAA-28 amps that can give up to 160mW of power via the single-ended 3.5mm output or 320mW via the balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn connector.
In my testing, I utilised an unbalanced connection to assess the device’s performance, utilising some of the greatest over-ear headphones available, such as the Edifier Stax Spirit S3 planar magnetic headphones, the Sivga Oriole, and the Focal Bathys. The FiiO BTR7 outperformed my expectations in terms of power. To produce powerful and immersive sounds, I seldom had to turn the volume past 45 of its 60 increments.
The Bluetooth chip of the BTR7 is the QCC5124, which supports Bluetooth 5.1. While it may not be the most affordable option on the market, I feel the FiiO BTR7 is a tempting alternative for audiophiles.
Number 2. Audiolab M-DAC Nano
