This Incredibly Affordable Headphone Amp Is an Easy Hi-Fi Upgrade

The FiiO BTR13 is a portable DAC/amp that’s super versatile and costs just $64.

Published August 27, 2024

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Even with the widespread availability of lossless quality tracks from most major streaming services (sans Spotify), you still need a pair of wired headphones for those tracks to sound best. However expensive, wireless Bluetooth headphones still don’t cut it.

Given that most of us listen to music on our smartphones or laptops, you will also want to invest in a portable DAC/amp. These little gadgets are a lot better at converting and amplifying the audio signal than your devices’ built-in components and ultimately help your headphones sound their best.

These kinds of portable DAC/amps are pretty common these days — most hi-fi manufacturers make at least one. However, FiiO’s BTR13 is a little different. Not only is it super inexpensive, but it’s way more versatile than you might think.

FiiO BTR13

Specs

Headphone Jacks	3.5mm (unbalanced) and 4.4mm (balanced)
DACs	Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 (fully-balanced)
Frequency Response	20Hz~40kHz (-3dB)

$64 at FiiO

Three modes for three use-cases

The most interesting thing about FiiO BTR13 is its versatility. It has a three-position switch that allows you to toggle between three different settings depending on how what device you’re using it with.

When connected to your computer (Mac or PC) via an included USB-C to USB-C cable, there’s a “PC” setting that turns the FiiO BTR13 into a USB DAC/amp. In this setting, the FiiO BTR13 is powered from your computer.

When connected to your smartphone (iPhone or Android) via the included USB-C to USB-C cable, there’s a “Phone” setting that turns the FiiO BTR13 into a USB DAC (but not an amplifier). The other difference is that it depends on its own built-in battery for power.

(See below for the third mode.)

There’s built-in Bluetooth, too

Finally, there’s a Bluetooth (or “BT”) mode that turns the FiiO BTR13 into a headphone amp and Bluetooth decoder; this gives you more flexibility to listen to wired headphones without having to be directly tethered to your smartphone or laptop. In this mode, the BTR13 relies on its own built-in battery.

The BTR13 has a Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth chip that allows it to stream higher-resolution audio files, including aptX HD and LDAC (the highest-quality files that Bluetooth supports).

When in Bluetooth mode, the BTR13 supports the following Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD and LDAC. However, it is limited to the highest-quality codec that your device supports. If you have an iPhone, which doesn’t support aptX HD and LDAC, it tops out AAC files.

Further details

The FiiO BTR13 is a portable DAC/amp that will work with most wired headphones. It features dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 fully-balanced DACs and features both 3.5mm (unbalanced) and 4.4mm (balanced) headphone jacks.

In addition to the toggle switch for the different modes, there are buttons for playback, volume controls and power on the BTR13, as well. There’s a full-color 0.96-inch screen that shows the audio format and the sampling rate of the music you’re listening, too.

On the back of the BTR13 there’s an integrated clip for gripping your jacket or strap. That way, you won’t have to feel the BTR13 — which weighs 28.6 grams — dangling awkwardly at your side.