BTR17 review

BTR17 arrived and I'm connecting it from PC via BT (amazing BT5.4 dongle BT-W6 from Creative) with Aptx Adaptive i.e. Aptx Adaptive Low Latency for movies and games and Aptx Lossless (or Aptx Adaptive HQ if your receiver does not support Aptx Lossless, but Fiio BTR17 supports it) for music.

Large headphones (HD540 which I've raved about a lot here, cheap and yet the best-sounding Sennheisers I've ever heard). DTS Headphone X enabled on Windows audio output for better clarity and a tad bigger soundstage, or disabled for more natural presentation. Output audio device (USB bluetooth transmitter Creative BT-W6) set to 24bit 48Khz. Sound enhancements disabled in Creative app. The only enabled enhancement should be DTS Headphone X in Windows, or if you like lots of bass, then also add Crystallizer 57 and Bass 65 in Creative app's Sound engine.

The sound is absolutely phenomenal (with ALL Creative enhancements disabled). In the Creative app there is a simple Aptx Lossless / Aptx Adaptive Low Latency switch. With Aptx Adaptive Low Latency when watching movies or in the browser on Youtube there is very low lag. I would say the sound clarity of Aptx Adaptive Low Latency is above the quality of the SBC codec and on pair with AAC, i.e. already quite good. That will be the setting for normal use.

But when I switch the Aptx Adaptive mode switch in Creative App from Low Latency to Aptx Lossless, suddenly the sound is at the level of a cable connection. Aptx Lossless transmits FLAC CDs in lossless quality. The only thing it would compress with quality loss would be DVD audio, i.e. 24-bit recordings (or DSD). And not only does it sound like a cable, but the quality of the converter and amplifier in the Fiio is really excellent.

The sound is not only razor-clear but also wonderfully evenly equalized, very naturally presented. I would say that a higher High end cannot be achieved, and on top of that, it is via Bluetooth! Shocking experience :) I recommend it to everyone. Both the BT dongle, the Fiio receiver, and the HD540 headphones, which wipe the floor with the HD600 and any newer headphones (unless they are Focal Utopia headphones or Meze Emypean 2), and for the crazy price of 120 euros from eBay.

In addition, the HD540 can be turned up a lot, because the bass does not dominate in them. The bass is punchy, strong but does not hide the rest of the frequencies. In short - an audiophile experience at the level of at least a 5000 USD or EUR rig for the price of 120 euros (headphones) + 150 euros (Fiio BT receiver) + 60 euros (Creative BT dongle) + high-quality custom build short (1 meter) pure copper headphone cable that lets put Fiio into pocket. I.e. we are at a price of up to 400 euros total for all the things mentioned, which sounds like a 5K USD high end gear.

In my opinion, I went very cheap and I recommend it to each of you. You won't regret it. Don't buy Bluetooth headphones. Don't buy wired headphones and a desktop amplifier. Buy this and you have an endgame that will make you fart like your doll while wondering how this is even possible. Metal, rock, folk, Depeche Mode, U2, anything will sound like a dream.