With lossless and hi-res audio gaining in awareness and popularity, more people are looking into how they can use digital-to-analog converters (DACs) to help them get the most from their streaming services and their existing audio equipment. For these folks, Fiio’s new BTR13 may be the perfect entry point into the world of DACs, as it supports a wide variety of setups and at just $64 is one of the most affordable DACs you can buy. The BTR13 hits the usual retail outlets in September.
Available in black or blue, the BTR13 has two headphone outputs: a standard 3.5mm unbalanced jack, along with the increasingly popular 4.4mm balanced connection. A .96-inch color screen displays audio format and sampling rate, plus the current EQ mode. On the side, you’ll find a physical switch for moving between the BTR13’s three modes: phone, Bluetooth, and PC, plus dedicated buttons for volume, power, and play/pause.
When connected to a computer via the included USB-C cable, the BTR13 runs off the PC or Mac’s power, but when connected to a phone or used as a Bluetooth receiver, the DAC can use its internal battery for up to a claimed 8 hours. Fiio doesn’t include a lightning-to-USB-C cable for older iPhones, but the BTR13 will work with third-party OTG-compliant lightning adapters.
The DAC can work with any PCM audio up to 24-bit/96kHz, converting it to analog via dual CS43131 DAC chips. That sadly falls short of the full range of available hi-res audio, which can go as high as 192kHz, and there’s no support for DSD or MQA.
However, you can use it with popular game consoles like the PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch, thanks to its available UAC 1.0 mode — something that isn’t always available on DACs.
In Bluetooth receiver mode, the BTR13 is compatible with a wide variety of Bluetooth codecs, including SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, and LDAC. Along with its built-in belt clip, this makes the BTR13 a good way to use your favorite wired in-ear monitors or headphones without a physical connection to your phone or computer.
For even greater control over the sound, you can use Fiio’s mobile app or web portal to access a 10-band parametric equalizer (PEQ) or you can use FiiO’s preset sound effects and headphone curves.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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