In the comparison, the Bluetooth receivers for headphones

With a Bluetooth receiver, even wired headphones can be converted to wireless. We tried two options from different price ranges.

Text: Joni Nikkola
Photos: AVPlus delivery

We tested two Bluetooth receivers with quite different starting points. The FiiO BTR3K headphone amplifier, priced at just over 80 euros, offers high-resolution playback, the ability to use the device also as a wired DA converter, and a comprehensive selection of audio quality-enhancing codecs.

FiiOn’s competitor is only the Gigant Bluetooth receiver for a reasonable price of just over ten euros: an unbranded device whose name on the Gigant website is “Bluetooth music receiver with clip”. 

The price difference between the devices is significant. However, the practical purpose is essentially the same – connecting wired headphones to a phone wirelessly. So is it worth spending a hundred bucks to put a whopping eight times the amount into the pot?

FiiO BTR3K
The first impression of the FiiO BTR3K is convincing. Measuring approximately half the size of a standard AA battery, the device is finished with a high-gloss finish. As a striking detail, the FiiO logo houses an indicator LED. The surface is adorned with a logo stating Hi-Res certification.

The device comes with a USB-C cable, quick guide, a detachable clip and a suspender strap. On the other end of the device there is a USB-C port, while on the other end there are two headphone connectors – a 3.5mm unbalanced connection and, as an alternative, a 2.5mm balanced connection. On the side are a power button, microphone, multifunction button and volume buttons. The device allows for hands-free calls, and to enhance the sound quality there is Qualcomm’s CVC noise reduction technology.

With a full charge, FiiO promises that it will be fully charged in 1.5 hours, and its battery is promised to last for 11 hours. So you probably won’t need to charge the device every day unless you’re listening to music for, say, an entire workday.

The earbuds contain two AK4377A-DA conversion circuits that reach a 32-bit depth and 384 kHz sampling frequency. The device can also be used as a USB cable-connected analog DA converter and headphone amplifier, for example, with a computer.

The BTR3K can connect two Bluetooth devices at the same time. The Bluetooth version is the rather recent 5.0, which was introduced in December 2016. There are a nice number of codecs available on the device: sbc, aac, aptx, aptx ll, aptx hd and ldac. Qualcomm’s CSR8675 Bluetooth chip reaches a 24-bit depth. So, above CD quality, you can also move around wirelessly.

Updating the firmware can be done by downloading the update file from the FiiO website and launching the installation program. It is only available for Windows computers. In our test, we didn’t need to do the update because the device already had the latest version installed. However, it would be more convenient if the update could be done directly from the mobile app.

At the heart of basic matters
The Gigant headphone amplifier seems quite different from the FiiO at first glance. It is plastic and lightweight, about the size of a thumb. The device looks quite cheap from the outside. A USB cable and a slim manual are included.

On the receiver’s other end is a micro-USB connection, and on the other end is a 3.5mm audio output. The multifunction button is located on the device itself, and on the side edges there are small buttons for going to the next and previous track and stopping playback. By pressing them for a long time, you can adjust the volume. On the back there is a clip to attach the device to a collar, for example. The device also has a microphone for hands-free calls.

There is some conflicting information about battery life, as Gigant’s website mentions nine hours. The truth is closer to the 2–3 hours of listening power mentioned in the manual, depending on the volume level.

The Bluetooth version is already 3.0, with EDR extension that increases data transfer speed. There is no information about supported codecs, headphone amplifier power, impedance, or da converter features.

Sound quality
When listening through the FiiO BTR3K, the sound quality is clear and there is plenty of dynamics. The quiet parts are indeed quiet, and the speaker’s tones come out very well. You really wouldn’t believe that you’re listening to music wirelessly, especially when listening via LDAC. The device also handles headphones very well, and you don’t have to adjust the volume all the way up.

The Gigant device offers significantly less power, and volume can be kept quite low. At a more demanding load, the power will most likely be cut off anyway. The sound itself is punchy but tends to hum a bit, especially at lower frequencies. The bass also gets dull at higher frequencies. However, the performance from the 10-inch device is excellent. If I hadn’t tested it alongside a product like FiiO, I would probably have been satisfied with my purchase.

When used hands-free, both devices perform well, and there was no noticeable interference or distortion in the sound in either direction. 

The article has been published In the issue of AVPlus magazine 6/2020 (No. 199)