Okay, so I’ve been messing around with portable audio gear lately, and I gotta share my thoughts on these two little Bluetooth DAC/amps from FiiO: the BTR7 and the BTR15. I picked up both of these bad boys to see which one would be my daily driver.
First off, I grabbed the BTR7. Unboxed it, plugged it in, and started playing some tunes. The setup was pretty straightforward. It’s got this switch on the side that toggles between different modes. I played around with the “BT” mode, which uses its internal battery, and then the “PHONE” mode, which turns it into a USB DAC for your phone. The BTR7 also shows the bit depth of the song, which is kind of cool, I guess.
Then, I got my hands on the BTR15. This one felt a bit more compact, and it’s supposed to bring together all of FIIO’s expertise, so my expectations were pretty high. I charged it up and connected it to my phone the same way as the BTR7, pretty simple process.
Here’s the deal:
- Sound Quality: I listened to a bunch of different tracks on both devices, going back and forth to compare. Honestly, they both sound really good, clean and detailed. I tried to do some critical listening but couldn’t tell much of a difference. Maybe the BTR15 was a tiny bit more detailed in the highs? It is hard to say.
- Power: Both of these little guys have enough juice to power my headphones. No issues there. I didn’t have to crank the volume up too much on either one to get a good listening level.
- Features: The BTR7 has that bit depth display, which is neat. It also seems to have more options for tweaking the sound in the FiiO Control app. The BTR15 keeps it simple, which some folks might prefer.
- Usability: This is where things get interesting. While I liked the BTR7’s features, I found myself reaching for the BTR15 more often. It’s just more convenient for me. Smaller, simpler, does what I need it to do without any fuss. One guy online said that carrying the Q3A is a pain, but this one is not bad at all.
I saw someone online saying that they already ordered a black FiiO BTR17, I can imagine that would be a powerful device given how good these two are.
My Verdict
At the end of the day, I’m going with the BTR15. It just fits my needs better. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with either one. They both deliver great sound in a portable package. And I think BTR 15 will work better for me. It really just comes down to personal preference. If you want all the bells and whistles, go for the BTR7. If you want something simple and effective, the BTR15 is your jam.
I actually tried to integrate both with *, but it is not working properly. I am not sure whether it is the website’s problem or these devices, but I will figure it out.
I saw online that someone is talking about The Department of Employment, Training Rehabilitation (DETR), not sure what is that about, sounds like it’s some kind of government agency or something.
Anyway, that’s my two cents on the BTR7 vs BTR15. Hope this helps anyone who’s trying to decide between these two!