It’s mentioned that we “eat with our eyes.” Will we additionally pay attention with them? Individuals appear to position lots of inventory in how an audio product seems, which makes Fiio’s KA11 a scrumptious auditory dish that can satiate your Hello-Res audio starvation.
Certain, you should purchase Apple’s 3.5mm to Lighting/USB-C dongle for round $9 however as your tastes and headphone or IEM assortment develop, it might not be sufficient to drive your new toys and that’s the place the $29 KA11 is available in.
Fiio KA11: Value and availability
The KA11 is obtainable for $29 by way of their website and Amazon.com. You may get it in two colours, black and a enjoyable silver and teal combo, together with your selection of both a USB-C or Lightning connector for these with telephones older than an iPhone 15.
Aside from the Apple Lightning or USB-C dongle, which is able to value you $9, this is without doubt one of the most cheap DACs available on the market and likewise probably the most highly effective at this worth level.
Fiio KA11: Construct and match
Fiio’s KA11 weighs in at solely 8.5 grams and is constructed with top quality parts for its $29 worth level. The physique of the DAC consists of an aluminum-magnesium alloy, so that you received’t should child it once you’re headed out the door and tossing your EDC objects into your favourite bag.
The cable carrying your sound is equally well-appointed and sturdy. Wrapped in a layer of silicone with braided fabric on the surface, it consists of high-purity, oxygen-free palladium-plated copper wires that go between your connector of selection and the DAC.
The cable options rubber or silicone connector caps, including to the general feeling of sturdiness and the connectors themselves don’t really feel free when plugging and unplugging. Connections on each ends are tight, and three.5mm headphone connectors have that satisfying click on when plugging in.
Fiio KA11: Options
Essentially the most highly effective function (pun supposed) of the KA11 is the facility supply which drove even probably the most delicate pair of planar magnetic headphones I personal. The only-ended 3.5mm port delivers as much as 245mW of energy per channel at 16ohms, and 200mW at 32ohms. The Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chip decodes DSD256, and as much as 384kHz/32-bit recordsdata over PCM. The SG-Micro SGM8262 amp is what’s inside, driving thirsty IEMs.
An LED on the three.5mm port finish of the dongle physique tells you the sampling price. DSD decoding will get a inexperienced gentle, and tracks above or beneath 48kHz get a yellow or blue gentle, respectively.
The excellent news is which you could management these LEDs and digital filters by way of the FIIO Management app. The dangerous information is that it’s solely on Android.
Fiio KA11: Sound high quality
Now we’ll speak about a very powerful facet of the KA11, the sound. I listened to the KA11 utilizing a number of over-ear headphones and IEMs, and for $29, its capacity to drive my HiFiMan HE4XX planar magnetic headphones was spectacular. My iPhone 15 Professional Max solely wanted to be turned as much as 75% of their max for a cushty listening expertise. My Campfire Audio Mammoth IEMs are fairly delicate, and the KA11, with its best-in-class energy output, dealt with them expertly. The ability output of the KA11s meant that the comfy listening degree was round 15% of the max. Sennheiser’s $1500 IE900 IEMs have been a delight to expertise by way of the KA11, solely needing to be turned as much as 33% of the max quantity of the iPhone 15 Professional Max.
Okay, technically, these notes weren’t about sound however energy. The KA11 is well-balanced in its sound profile. You’ll get a bit of heat by way of the mids, however vocals shine by way of, and bass and sub-bass are an gratifying factor of the sonic feast with out overpowering the opposite “taste notes.” The soundstage isn’t probably the most expansive I’ve skilled from a DAC, however it’s nonetheless giant sufficient that your ethereal tracks shouldn’t really feel constricted.
Fiio KA11: Competitors
Some DACs on Amazon compete on worth with the KA11, however nothing at $30 competes on energy output or efficiency. This DAC’s output rivals merchandise that may value tons of of {dollars} extra.
So, does the Fiio KA11 have competitors? The brief reply is, no.
Fiio KA11: Do you have to purchase it?
You should purchase the Fiio KA11 if…
- Price is your main buying consideration
- You could have power-hungry headphones or IEMs
- You need an EDC DAC you possibly can simply throw in a bag and go
- You’re new to Hello-Res or Lossless cell audio
You should not purchase the Fiio KA11 if…
- You could have the funds to spend $100-$300
Look no additional if you would like a robust DAC that received’t overpower your checking account steadiness. That is it, full cease. Fiio’s KA11 is a USB-C or Lightning-connected DAC able to driving many of the headphones or IEMs in your secure, that includes a sound profile balanced sufficient to not add important pointless coloration to your listening expertise.
If you enter audiophile land, there are numerous areas the place you’ll spend your discretionary revenue, however this needn’t be one on the outset. Deal with headphone or IEM prices first, then sit again and luxuriate in them with the KA11.
Top quality, straightforward on the pockets
Fiio’s KA11 is an unexpectedly highly effective, tiny dongle DAC. It ought to drive nearly any IEM or thirsty pair of headphones you connect with it. A fantastic starter for individuals who need Apple Lossless entry.