FiiO BTR5 vs SMSL SU-1
105 facts in comparison
Based on 296 Reddit opinions. SMSL SU-1SMSL SU-1 leads by 11 points.
296 opinions
SMSL SU-1 leads by 11pts
VS
FB
FiiO BTR5
84%
B+
Based on
215 Redditors
FiiO BTR5
~$119.99
93 opinions
tldr; Budget BT DAC. LDAC, balanced out, clips easily. Solid budget portable.
Check pricesVS
Reddit's Pick
95%
A+
Based on
390 Redditors
Winner
SMSL SU-1
~$84.99
203 opinions
tldr; Compact DAC. USB source, clean output. Basic but effective.
Check prices🎵SOU
⭐FEA
⚡AMP
🔇NOI
🔧BUI
79
Points
100
Points
Score by Category
Sound Quality
71%98%
Features & Connectivity
86%100%
Amp Performance
57%0%
Noise & Interference
—100%
Build Quality
100%100%
Why is SMSL SU-1 better than FiiO BTR5?
- Higher Reddit score (95% vs 84%)
- Better sound quality (98% vs 71%)
- Better features (100% vs 86%)
- Compact
- Budget
- Clean output
Based on 605 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner
Reddit prefers the SMSL SU-1SMSL SU-1
Winning by 11 points (95% vs 84%)
Better sound quality
Better features
Compact
High confidence (605 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 605 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
FiiO BTR5
8.4/10
215 mentions
SMSL SU-1
9.5/10
390 mentions
AMP SECTION
FiiO BTR55.7/10
SMSL SU-10.0/10
FEATURES
FiiO BTR58.6/10
SMSL SU-110.0/10
SOUND QUALITY
FiiO BTR57.1/10
SMSL SU-19.8/10
BUILD QUALITY
FiiO BTR510.0/10
SMSL SU-110.0/10
VALUE
FiiO BTR50.0/10
SMSL SU-110.0/10
NOISE
FiiO BTR5N/A
SMSL SU-110.0/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | FiiO BTR5 | SMSL SU-1 |
|---|---|---|
Amp Section | 57% | 0% |
Features | 86% | 100% |
Sound Quality | 71% | 98% |
Build Quality | 100% | 100% |
Value | 0% | 100% |
Noise | N/A | 100% |
Category Wins
FiiO BTR5: 1|SMSL SU-1: 4
Head to Head
FiiO BTR5: 1|SMSL SU-1: 4
Amp SectionFiiO BTR5
FiiO BTR557%
SMSL SU-10%
FeaturesSMSL SU-1
FiiO BTR586%
SMSL SU-1100%
Sound QualitySMSL SU-1
FiiO BTR571%
SMSL SU-198%
Build Quality
FiiO BTR5100%
SMSL SU-1100%
ValueSMSL SU-1
FiiO BTR50%
SMSL SU-1100%
NoiseSMSL SU-1
FiiO BTR5N/A
SMSL SU-1100%
FiiO BTR5
84%
95%
SMSL SU-1
FiiO BTR584%
SMSL SU-195%
SMSL SU-1 wins by 11 points
Key Specs
| Spec | FiiO BTR5 | SMSL SU-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Dac Chip | Dual ESS9219C (2021 model) | — |
| Bluetooth Chip | Qualcomm CSR8675 | — |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | — |
| Supported Codecs | AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, LDAC | — |
| Output Power | 240 milliwatts (32 ohms, balanced) | — |
Key Highlights
FiiO BTR5
📶 LDAC support
⚖️ Balanced output
💰 Budget friendly
⚠️ Clips easily
SMSL SU-1Winner
📏 Compact
💰 Budget
🔊 Clean output
🔧 Needs amp
Topic Battles
FiiO BTR5: 1|Tied: 1|SMSL SU-1: 3
🎵Sound Quality
SMSL SU-1 winsFiiO BTR5
71%
SMSL SU-1
98%
⭐Features & Connectivity
SMSL SU-1 winsFiiO BTR5
86%
SMSL SU-1
100%
⚡Amp Performance
FiiO BTR5 winsFiiO BTR5
57%
SMSL SU-1
0%
🔇Noise & Interference
SMSL SU-1 winsFiiO BTR5
—
SMSL SU-1
100%
🔧Build Quality
FiiO BTR5
100%
SMSL SU-1
100%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for SMSL SU-1
Best Praise
+14 pts“Thrift store DVD player with a good DAC like SMSL SU-1 will sound like a £1000 CD player. For £100.”
r/BudgetAudiophile
ViewTop Criticism
+1 pts“With a good $1000 DAC, sure, there will be imorovements. With SMSL SU-1, no I don't think so.”
r/BudgetAudiophile
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for FiiO BTR5
Best Praise
+6 pts“I personally don't notice any audible difference between my Shanling UA4 or BTR15 when it is in Bluetooth mode. What I do notice is how much more I use my IEMs due to reducing the friction of having something tethered to my phone. So my bias says if you can't hear a difference, and it makes using IEMs more convenient, I'd pick the BTR5 over the Dawn Pro nearly every time, I'd end up using my TWS that doesn't sound as good instead of I only had my UA4 out of sheer laziness.”
r/headphones
ViewTop Criticism
+55 pts“Just be careful bending over or sitting.. I have broken the 3.5 jack putting my fiio btr5 in that pocket before..”
r/headphones
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
FiiO BTR5
SMSL SU-1
📈Historical Price Data
FiiO BTR5
SMSL SU-1
FiiO BTR5
All-time low: $119.99(2025-01)
$1 below 90-day avg
SMSL SU-1
All-time low: $67.99(2023-06)
Which is Better?
SMSL SU-1 Wins
95%
SU-1
vs
84%
BTR5
SMSL SU-1 leads by 11 points based on 605 Reddit opinions.
Why SMSL SU-1Winner
- Better Value for Money (100% vs 0%)
- Better Features (100% vs 86%)
- More discussed (390 vs 215)
Why FiiO BTR5
- 📶 LDAC support
- ⚖️ Balanced output
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
51%Positive
Positive
51%Neutral
48%Negative
1%Based on 390 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
38%Positive
Positive
38%Neutral
56%Negative
6%Based on 215 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, SMSL SU-1 or FiiO BTR5?
Based on 605 Reddit comments, SMSL SU-1 is the preferred choice with 95% positive sentiment vs FiiO BTR5's 84%. SMSL SU-1 leads by 11 percentage points.
Should I buy SMSL SU-1 or FiiO BTR5?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, SMSL SU-1 has stronger approval ratings (95% vs 84%). However, FiiO BTR5 may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about SMSL SU-1?
Reddit users highlight: Compact. Budget. Clean output. With 390 mentions and 95% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about FiiO BTR5?
Reddit users highlight: LDAC support. Balanced output. Budget friendly. With 215 mentions and 84% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 605 Reddit comments: 390 about SMSL SU-1 and 215 about FiiO BTR5. Data was sourced from DACs community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
296 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 7/28/2026