Fiio K9 Pro ESS Desktop DAC/Amp Review
Back in April, we looked at Fiio’s flagship DAC/amp hybrid, the Fiio K9 Pro ESS . It was a phenomenal piece of kit, earning high marks for both music and gaming, and offering enough power to be the centerpiece of an entire audio system. But at $849, it was priced out of reach of many listeners.
Today, we’re looking at its sibling, the standard Fiio K9, and for $350 less, you might be surprised at just how similar these two DAC/amp hybrids are. The K9 is powerful, with clean and quiet THX-788+ amplifiers, sounds just as good, and has nearly identical connectivity. Landing between the K7 at $199 and the K9 Pro ESS at $849, the K9 is a middle-option that feels like a flagship, and is just as good for audiophile-grade tunes and gaming.
Current Price: $499 ( Amazon )
If you’re coming to the world of desktop audio having only used the headphone jack on your PC or smartphone, introductions are in order. The Fiio K9 is a desktop hybrid DAC and amplifier. Those two terms describe the most fundamental elements of how sound gets from your PC or audio source and into your headphones or speakers. They are often two separate devices but, as is the case here, can also be found as hybrid units that combine everything in one chassis.
Breaking those pieces apart, we have two distinct audio systems and each as important as the other. The DAC is a small chip in an enclosed audio system that processes all of the digital 1s and 0s from your source into analog impulses that can be played through your headphones. The amplifier increases the volume of what you’re hearing, providing more power for less efficient headphones, and giving you more headroom with which to increase your volume. Both of these devices come in varying levels of
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