FiiO BT11 | Portable High-Res Bluetooth Transmitter

In a world where even dollar store Bluetooth devices seem easy to use, it seems odd that Fiio’s BT transmitter should be so fidgety. But persevere through the initial pairing and you’ll be rewarded with excellent sound and connectivity that opens the iPhone to top audio codecs like LDAC and Aptx Lossless, HD and Adaptive.

To make it easier, although it will still seem to take forever for the dongle to pair, you need to ensure no other active BT devices are in range. That’s tough when nearly everything is Bluetooth enabled, from TVs to smart bulbs. Maybe take your source, BT11 and headphones for a nature walk and try pairing then. I didn’t, so it was a bit of a struggle.

You use the Fiio Connect app for firmware updates and fine tuning connections. You’ll need to download and connect the app by Bluetooth to the dongle, even though it’s plugged into your USB slot. So that means you need to keep Bluetooth open on the very thing you’d guess would be a problem with establishing a USB connection. Once your phone is paired to the BT11, you can use the apps connection options to connect to your headphone and even try simultaneously connecting your music to a second headset, allowing you to share your music. I haven’t tried that yet, so I can’t report on how that works.

I can testify to the quality of the Bluetooth signal the BT 11 transmits. Using Aptex Adaptive, my Creative Aurvana Ace earbuds sound more musical than over standard Apple AAC. It’s not that there are new frequencies, just that it all seems to hang together better at the higher bit rates Aptex Adaptive supports. Sort of like going from MP3 to lossless.

Running LDAC to my Hifiman Deva Pros through its R2R Blumini module results in sound that basically matches using a direct USB connection to the onboard DAC, minus the tether and without the unusually high current drain the Bluemini displays when used as a non-Bluetooth DAC. My Noble FoKus Mystiques also sound great over the BT11. They use Aptex’s top codecs, and the BT11 switches seamlessly to the best available connection.

I have other Bluetooth dongles that have buttons to switch codecs. The BT11 has no buttons. You switch Bluetooth options in the app. Since it picks the best available connection, it’s usually not an issue. But you
might want to step down to Aptex LL when you need super low latency. I don’t game and didn’t notice bad lip synching on YouTube over LDAC or Aptex Adaptive. So I never opted for less than top codecs. I even set LDAC at its top bit rate since I keep my phone in a shirt pocket, ensuring no dropouts. You can step it down in the app should 990 be too demanding. Aptex does that on the fly, depending on conditions.

So do I recommend the BT11? Well, that depends on your use case. Its form factor makes it a perfect companion to an Iphone. It doesn’t stick out as far as my Sennheiser BTD 600, UGreen or Eppfun dongles. Those all protrude far enough to make me worry about USB socket damage should I bang or drop the phone.

On the other hand, you can get Bluetooth dongles cheaper if you don’t need LDAC, a slim profile or the option to share over Bluetooth. And they might be easier to set up initially.

But I am glad I got the Fiio. It works great now that it’s paired, fits well and is less than half the price of its only real competitor, the Questyle QCC, which I saw last fall at Canjam SoCal, but only recently began being sold in Asia and resold at a premium by second parties.

The Fiio BT11 is backed by Fiio and Bloom, should I have any problems. That’s worth the few extra pennies in my book. And the connection challenge was a nice test of patience and persistence. Just wish I took notes to pass on what worked.