Okay, so I’ve been messing around with these two little gadgets from Fiio, the BTR7 and the BTR15. Both are Bluetooth DAC/Amps, which, you know, basically means they make your headphones sound better when you’re listening to music from your phone or whatever. I wanted to see which one was better, or if they were even that different.
First off, I just charged them both up. They both use USB-C, which is pretty standard these days. Nothing special there. Then, I paired them with my phone. You just turn them on, hold down the button, and they show up in your Bluetooth settings. Easy peasy. I didn’t really run into any problems there.
Sound Quality
Now, for the sound. I used my trusty old headphones, and honestly, both of these things sound pretty darn good. I think the BTR7 might have a bit more power, it just feels louder and fuller, I guess. When you crank it up, it’s got more of an impact, you know? The BTR15 sounds really clean, though. Like, super detailed. But it just doesn’t have that same “oomph” as the BTR7, at least to my ears.
Features
Both of these little guys have some extra features. They both have balanced outputs, which I hear some people say is a big deal. I tried them, didn’t really notice a huge difference, but hey, maybe I’m just not that fancy. They both also have this thing called “in-vehicle mode”, which I guess is supposed to make them turn on and off with your car. I don’t have a car, so I didn’t even try that out.
Size and Build
The BTR7 is a little bigger and heavier than the BTR15. It feels more solid, though. Like, you could probably drop it and it would be fine. The BTR15 is more compact, which is nice if you want something really portable. It feels a bit more, I don’t know, delicate? I wouldn’t want to just toss it in my bag without a case or something.
Battery Life
I didn’t do any super scientific tests, but they both lasted a good while. I used them on and off for a few days without needing to charge them. Fiio says the BTR7 should last around 9 hours, and the BTR15 around 8, and that seems about right from my experience. So, yeah, no complaints in the battery department.
So, Which One?
Honestly, it’s a tough call. If you want the most powerful sound, I’d probably go with the BTR7. It just has more of that “wow” factor when you’re listening to music. But if you want something smaller and lighter, and you’re into super clean and detailed sound, the BTR15 is a great choice.
I’m not sure which one I’ll keep using myself. Maybe I’ll just switch between them depending on my mood. They’re both pretty awesome, in their own way.
- UPDATE: Jan 22, 2025 I tried messing around with the firmware. Turns out, there’s like three different ones for the BTR7 (7.2, 7.2c, and 7.2b). Didn’t even bother with the BTR15, seemed too much like a headache.
- UPDATE: Dec 18, 2020 Found this “June Gold 2B” thing online. Guess it’s related? Don’t really care, not gonna mess with it. Sounds good enough already.
So yeah, that’s my little adventure with the Fiio BTR7 and BTR15. Hope it was helpful, or at least somewhat entertaining. I’m just a dude who likes music, not some audio expert, but figured I’d share my thoughts. Now I have used up all my money, so sad.