2024 has been a busy year for FiiO. Among the interesting products they have introduced so far include the DM13 CD player, the CP13 portable cassette player, the FH19 in-ear monitors, and most recently the FT1 closed-back headphones. To keep the momentum going, FiiO has now announced the BTR13 Portable DAC.
The new BTR13 is designed to provide an affordable portable solution for an improved listening experience. This DAC provides three selectable selectable modes: Headphone Dongle, Bluetooth DAC, and USB Computer Sound Card
Featuring a dedicated three-position toggle switch, users are able to conveniently choose between the PC/BT/PHONE modes — allowing the BTR13 to work as an external USB Computer Sound Card for headphones, Bluetooth Audio Decoder, and Audio Dongle DAC.
- When used as a Bluetooth Decoder Headphone Amplifier, the BTR13 is powered by its internal rechargeable battery.
- When connected to a smartphone via the supplied USB Type-C cable it fills the role of a Portable Headphone Dongle DAC, with BTR13 powered by its internal battery.
- When connected to a PC/Mac for use as a USB DAC and headphone amp, the BTR13 is powered by the computer
Inside the BTR13
To provide the best possible performance, the FiiO BTR13 incorporates dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 DACs and is able to output up to 220mW. With 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm outputs, the BTR13 is suitable for a host of different wired headphones — from In-ear Monitors (IEMs) like FiiO’s recently announced FH19, to over-ear headphones such as the new FT1 and FT5.
For Bluetooth, the BTR13 has the Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth chip and supports Bluetooth codecs including aptX HD and LDAC. This allows support for Hi-Res audio transmission up to 96kHz in both Bluetooth and USB DAC modes.
The BTR13 also provides UAC1.0 plug-and-play driverless mode. This supports the use of game consoles such as the PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
The 3.5mm headphone output on the BTR13 supports the CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association) standard of in-line controls. You are able to use the microphone on your headphones with the BTR13 and utilize Play/Pause/Volume using the controls on your headphone cable.
As with other select FiiO products, such as the K19 Desktop Headphone DAC, the BTR13 supports a 10-band Parametric Equalizer (PEQ). This PEQ is able to be used in all three of the BTR13’s operating modes, providing independent adjustment of the tuning style in line with your personal preferences, or use FiiO’s preset sound effects and headphone curves. The PEQ can be adjusted using either the FiiO Control app for phones (iOS, Android) or via a web portal accessible from FiiO’s website.
Specifications
- Bluetooth Chipset: Qualcomm QCC5125 (CPU + DSP Dual-core Architecture)
- DAC: Cirrus Logic CS43131 x 2
- Bluetooth Codecs: SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX LL/aptX Adaptive/aptX HD/LDAC
- Bluetooth Version: 5.1
- Display: 0.96-inch 80×160 color IPS
- Headphone Outputs: 3.5mm Single-ended / 4.4mm Balanced
- Output Power (Single-ended): L+R≥100mW+100mW (32Ω, THD+N＜1%)
- Output Power (Balanced): L+R≥220mW+220mW (32Ω, THD+N＜1%)
- In-line Control (CTIA standard): Play/Pause/Volume control
- Frequency Response: 20Hz~40kHz (-3dB)
- Output Impedance: ＜0.6Ω (32Ω load)
- Signal-to-noise Ratio: ≥128dB (A-weighted)
- THD+N: ＜0.0018% (1kHz/-4dB@32Ω)
- Noise Floor: ＜1μV (A-weighted)
- Charging Time: ≤2 hours
- Battery Life: 8 hours
- Dimensions: 63.2 x 30 x 18.8mm/2.49 x 1.2 x 0.75 inches (Including Back Clip)
- Weight: 28.6 grams/1.1 oz
Initial Impression
Who needs to add an expensive DAC to your home system and also buy a portable one for on-the-go? For less than $70, the FiiO BTR13 provides a lot of connection and use flexibility for both scenarios, and might just fill your needs for an improved music listening experience. It looks like FiiO has done it again.
Price & Availability
The FiiO BTR13 is available in either Black or Blue and is available for $69.99 at the Aliexpress Store and internationally through authorized sellers.
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