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I’ve at all times maintained that Fiio is at its finest when making finances DACs, and its newest product is certainly one of its finest but. The KA11 is a USB-C (or Lightning) to three.5mm dongle that comprises a decent-quality DAC, however what makes it stand out is the facility — it is ready to ship 245mW at 16Ω, and that is a number of magnitudes increased than what you get with most dongle DACs. To place that into context, the Fiio KA3 that I used final yr went as much as 120mW at 16Ω.
Then there’s the price: the KA11 is out there for simply $29, or a 3rd of the worth of the KA3. At that value, there simply is not one other DAC that provides you wherever as a lot energy because the KA11.
The KA11 is out there in two colour variants — black and silver — and I believe the silver model appears nice. You get the power to decide on between a typical USB-C connector, or go the Lightning route you probably have an older iPhone. I used the USB-C variant with the iPhone 15 Professional Max, and it labored with none points.
What stands out with the KA11 is the sheer measurement; this is without doubt one of the smallest USB dongles I used, and at simply 8.5g, it’s the lightest. This factor is designed for portability, and you’ll simply take it wherever and never fear about damaging it. The construct high quality is incredible for a finances DAC, and it has an aluminum-magnesium alloy chassis that’s designed to face up to a whole lot of put on and tear.
Much like different fashions within the moveable KA sequence, the KA11 is branded underneath the Jade Audio label; that is Fiio’s sub-brand that’s catered to a youthful viewers, and its merchandise are normally aimed on the finances phase. That mentioned, there is no Jade Audio branding on the product itself — you simply get the Fiio label on the entrance, and that is about it. I really just like the clear design, and the two-tone end with contrasting colours provides the DAC a little bit of playfulness that appears nice.
The cable connecting the USB port to the DAC is made out of a high-purity oxygen-free palladium-plated copper wire, and it’s sheathed in a silicone braid, giving it added sturdiness. I might have favored a removable cable, however truthfully, it is not an enormous challenge — the DAC itself is so small that it does not have an effect on usability. There is a tiny LED mild on the DAC that provides you a visible indicator of the sampling fee.
Coming to the audio facet of issues, the KA11 has a single-ended 3.5mm port, and it may well ship as much as 245mW of energy per channel at 16Ω, and 200mW at 32Ω. It makes use of a Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chip together with an SG-Micro SGM8262 amp and Savitech SA9312L USB controller, and the USB-C model works seamlessly with Home windows and macOS machines along with Android and the newest iPhones.
As for audio decoding, the KA11 goes as much as 384kHz/32-bit over PCM, and there is DSD256 as effectively. Mainly, you are getting all of the substances of a conveyable DAC, however in a considerably smaller chassis. The ability on provide means you should utilize the KA11 to drive nearly any IEM, and I paired it with a number of merchandise I am testing in the meanwhile — Thieaudio Status LTD, Sennheiser IE200, and Fiio JH5 — and it was faultless. I additionally used it with a few of my favourite IEMs, together with the sensible Fiio FX15 and Letshuoer Cadenza 12, and it held up extremely effectively.
Outdoors of some planar headsets that want a whole lot of energy, you should utilize the KA11 to drive absolutely anything, and it does a stellar job on this regard. The low noise flooring means there is no hiss even when utilizing delicate IEMs, and the DAC has Fiio’s regular sound traits; it combines a impartial sound with a bit of heat, providing a superb low-end with a whole lot of dynamism, clear mids, and ethereal highs which have a whole lot of character.
The $79 JH5 is a superb pairing with the DAC, and you will get the IEMs and KA11 for simply $100, making it a incredible worth. Fiio has rolled out a whole lot of merchandise in current months, they usually’ve all been nice. However as I mentioned initially, the model is best-known for its finances DACs, and the KA11 is well the most effective finances USB DACs round. The truth that it prices simply $29 makes it a no brainer — there is not something within the finances class that comes shut.
The KA11 is an entry-level DAC that has all the facility you have to drive your audio gear. It’s effortlessly moveable, you get a impartial sound that is nice, and it really works with Android in addition to iOS.
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