The new BTR13 comes from FiiO, an audio brand that makes DACs, headphones and earbuds for music lovers who want to upgrade their sound quality on the move. The BTR 13 is an affordable way of using a pair of wired headphones or earbuds with a smartphone or almost any computer.
The BTR 13 has a three-position toggle switch that enables it to be used as an external USB sound card, a Bluetooth receiver or connected via USB to a smartphone. Compatible with both Windows and macOS computers, this tiny little device which is no bigger than a cigarette lighter is a versatile headphone DAC and amplifier.
When the BTR13 is used in USB computer mode, it draws its power from the attached. When used in Bluetooth mode, the BTR13 uses its rechargeable battery to power the DAC and amplifier rechargeable battery. When the BTR13 is connected to a smartphone via the supplied USB Type-C cable the BTR13 relies on its battery to keep things going.
At the heart of the FiiO BTR13 are two Cirrus Logic CS43131 fully balanced DACs with 220mW of output. There are outputs for single-ended 3.5mm 4.4mm balanced headphone jacks, making the BTR13 suitable for a wide range of wired headphones like IEMs or over-the-ear headphones like the new FiiO FT1 headphones.
The BTR13 uses a Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth chip and supports Hi-Res Bluetooth audio codecs including aptX HD and LDAC, enabling it to support high-resolution audio transmission up to 96kHz in both Bluetooth and USB DAC modes. That makes it ideal for streaming music from the likes of TIDAL and Qobuz.
Because the BTR13 supports UAC1.0 plug-and-play driverless mode, it also works with PS5, Nintendo Switch and other gaming devices. Meanwhile, the device’s 3.5mm headphone jack supports the CTIA standard of in-line controls. Users can even access the microphone built into a pair of headphones or earbuds, plus the Play/Pause/Volume controls on the headphone in-line controller will also work properly.
As with other FiiO products, the BTR13 features a 10-band Parametric Equalizer (PEQ) which can be used in all three of the BTR13’s operating modes, letting the user independently adjust the tone settings to suit their tastes. The 10-band PEQ can be adjusted via the FiiO Control app for smartphones or by using the FiiO web portal that’s accessible from the brand’s website.
The BTR 13 is available in black or blue colorways and weighs just 28.6g. It has a full-color 0.96″ LCD screen as well as a built-in omnidirectional microphone for making phone calls in Bluetooth mode. There’s a built-in belt clip for ensuring the dongle doesn’t get forgotten or lost.
Verdict: The FiiO BTR 13 is a brilliant little DAC with a great spec and a good-quality amplifier. The fact it can be used with computers, smartphones or over Bluetooth makes it incredibly versatile. The sound quality is neutral out of the box but a bit of tweaking with the EQ or one of the presets will get a sound that suits a wide range of headphones. The beauty of the Bluetooth mode is the dongle works with Android phones supporting aptX HD as well as Apple iPhones using AAC. There’s little to criticize here and the price is very competitive. If you want a headphone DAC and you need a Bluetooth function, the BTR 13 is great value and sounds great too.
Pricing & Availability: The FiiO BTR 13 headphone DAC and amp is available now and priced at $64 / £64 /€64. Grab one now!
Tech Specs:
- Bluetooth chipset: Qualcomm QCC5125 (CPU + DSP Dual-core Architecture).
- DAC: Cirrus 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.
- Microphone: Omnidirectional.
- Headphone outputs: 3.5mm Single-ended / 4.4mm Balanced.
- Output power: Single-ended: L+R≥100mW+100mW (32Ω, THD+N＜1%), Balanced: L+R≥220mW+220mW (32Ω, THD+N＜1%).
- In-line control: Supports CTIA standard for Play/Pause/Volume.
- 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.
- Weight: 28.6g.
- Dimensions: 63.2 x 30 x 18.8mm (including belt clip).
- Accessories: BTR13, screen protector (pre-installed), dual USB Type-C data cable, lanyard, Quick-Start guide.
