Actually, BTR7 (which was released in summer 2022) already offered 320 mW@ 32 ohms in case you missed that.
2 Likes
Oh right. I was also 100% ignoring that one because of the price. BTR15 is headed in the right direction tho. Maybe as other companies join the fight something will come out that I can snatch for 100 USD during one of these discount events in… 2024? 
1 Like
The BTR15 is a very impressive device. Considering the size and price, it outputs more power (on paper) than the BTR7, if I’m reading the specs correctly. The biggest difference has to be the lack of the THX AAA Amps inside. For some strange reason, the THX amps on the BTR7 sound absolutely phenomenal, with awesome clarity and dynamics, but on the K7 they sound cold and sterile, lacking some dynamics compared to the Topping L30 + Topping D10s, not to mention the strange volume control on that thing.
I need to see some head-to-head comparisons of the two but I’m strongly considering buying the BTR15 as a replacement to my broken 7 down the road.
dream device would be at a minimum
- Size wise similar to BTR7/M300
- power output above 300mW
- BT 5.2+
- Battery life over 8 hours (real, not marketing)
- 3.5/4.4mm
- onboard storage via SD for local playback
Bonus:
- Running e-ink android for streaming apps
The BTR15 almost gets there but I don’t trust Fiio’s battery life claims of 8 hours and there is no local playback option.
2 Likes
Just read this from Reddit. I wonder how true/feasible this is with software
https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/17m0mro/fiio_announced_the_btr15/
qudelix will do a major update until end of november, where they will implement a killer feature (at least for me) that will make it possible to run unbalanced cabled phones at the balaced output providing the power of the balanced out by implementing an active ground like this:
Active GND mode will be added.
Active Ground Mode is for speakers or amplifiers with only UNBAL input, or earphones or headphones where the BAL cable cannot be replaced.
When you turn Active Ground ON in BALANCE output mode,
Instead of L+/L-/R+/R-, L+/Active GND/R+/Active GND is output.
To use Active Ground Mode, you need the conversion cable/gender shown below.
- 2.5/4.4 male to RCA cable
- 2.5/4.4 male to 3.5 female cable or gender
3 Likes
Wow, when I read this I thought this was something lost in translation from korean or maybe some April fool’s kind of joke (to ruin people’s expensive stuff).
But it looks completely legit even though it was really hard for me to wrap my head around how it works
And what is best it looks like a feature that can be implemented from FW perspective even on different hardwares. But let’s see if qudelix publishes some white paper on what is the drawback list of this solution 
3 Likes
probably related to what they did with their QX-over iem that uses both the 2.5 and 3.5mm at the same time.
that being said, its a weird feature for most people
1 Like
yeah its only useful for non removal cables since you still need to do an adapter to 2.5mm for your 3.5mm connection and thats rare to find since it will damage most systems.
Think Shanling H2 is what comes closes right now (or soon) 
1 Like
Do you have any more info/link for that? Can’t find anything about an upcoming release
2 Likes
Thanks for that!
1 Like
Oops, here’s another thing I missed from these maniacs: the first(?) dongle to exceed 4Vrms @32ohms (500mW) @sub-1% THD, the KA13, and it’s right in my price range at current discounts.
Damn you, FiiO, now I gotta go soul-searching for how badly I want the Bluetooth function.
Shipping start on Nov 22nd
iBasso DC Elite $385 (pre-sale); $415 MSRP
Titanium chassis, ROHM DACs, in-house designed stepped attenuator volume control. Per iBasso “mini MAX”, referring it’s a mini version of their DX320 MAX flagship DAP.
source: iBasso @ Weibo
3 Likes
Another last-month release that’s got my attention: CS43131 dongle build from smaller producer AkLIAM, the PD4 Plus goes up to 310mW @32ohms, sub -100dB THD+N, currently going for 57-ish USD with all the discounts. Lots of excited reviews of its predecessor the PD4, comments on soundstage said it sounded spacious while the FiiO KA13 I was looking at before is said to have not-class-leading stage width, just OK. I think I have a new favorite to pull the trigger on if I’m gonna get something this week.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006162843035.html
LE:
Hmm, no THD specified for that max-power, only the best-case THD+N. Opens the possibility that all they did was change the housing, add internal volume and re-spec the max power at 10% THD+N instead of 1% or whatever, because the power is barely higher than the PD4 non-Plus’s 281 mW.
LE2:
If my extrapolation is right, based on their crosstalk of -143-ish dB with a 600ohm load, it should be -117dB for 32ohms, which is still fantastic. I guess their staging reviews from the older model should still hold true for the Plus.
Looks stunning. Gasket mounted, yay! Barebone version, hurray! CS43131 DAC.
My wallet is ready. Maybe. Let’s see what the price will be.
Update:
1st prices found: FiiO KB3 Hifi Audio Mechanical Keyboard – mechkeysshop
Update 2:
Best price at Aliexpress. 150 USD is incredible. Damn it they don’t ship to Germany.
6 Likes
I’m sorry what?
A full blown DAC that is also a keyboard?
1 Like
Fiio seems to enter the custom keyboard scene not with a whimper, but with a bang.
It even has USB loop through.
1 Like
Unfortunately I’m not a fan of the case design, great idea and value.