FiiO Announces K15 Streaming DAC And Headphone Amp

All Image Credit: FiiO

FiiO have released a competitively priced high performance combined DAC and headphone amplifier. It features dual AKM AK4497S DAC chips, 3 watts of Class-AB amplification and supports a wide range of streaming protocols and inputs. It is available in either a black or silver finish.

The K15 is both a DAC and powerful headphone amplifier and acts as a preamplifier and a streamer utilizing a fully balanced design from the DAC right through to the output. At its core are dual AKM AK4497S DAC chips from the latest ‘VELVET SOUND’ series. FiiO is one of the first manufacturers to implement these DACs in a dual configuration. These DAC’s are driven by a pair of ACCUSILICON ultra-low phase noise AS318-L femtosecond crystal oscillators that reduce phase noise in the audio signal and support multiple sampling rates.

This tri-board design separates the digital, analogue and 30 watt analog multi-stage power supply sections across different PCBs, all helping to reduce crosstalk and electrical interference. With high grade audio components to include; ruby film capacitors, wafer resistors, Beryl, Nichicon and Elna capacitors, with board interconnects provided by silver plated, oxygen free, copper cabling.

The fully discrete Class-AB headphone amplifier provided by a complimentary pairs of MJE243G/253G semiconductors is capable of delivering up to 3 watts per channel plus high current through its balanced output, and is designed to accommodate everything from in-ear monitors to high-impedance over-ear headphones, providing five gain options together with both 4.4mm, 6.3mm and XLR headphone connections.

The FiiO K15 supports both wired and wireless connectivity for network streaming. Options include Gigabit Ethernet as well as dual-band 2.4G/5G Wi-Fi, providing reliable and high-speed access to networked music sources. The K15 supporting eight modes of operation:

• USB DAC
• Coaxial decoding
• Single ended line input
• Streaming media
• Bluetooth decoding
• Optical decoding
• Balanced line input
• Local playback

File compatibility is extensive, with the DAC supporting up to 32-bit/768KHz PCM, DSD512 and MQA. For streaming there is Ethernet and wi-fi network capability, together with AirPlay and Bluetooth 5.1. Higher quality codecs such as LDAC and aptX HD are supported, and the unit has Roon Ready certification.

Local control is available using the front panel 3.93-inch color LCD touchscreen, together with two LED-ringed rotaries for quick access to key functions. The K15 also includes an infrared remote and support for the FiiO Control app on Android and iOS, enabling remote access to features and settings from a listening position. There is also a 10-band parametric EQ available via the FiiO Control app.

The K15 has a wide range of inputs to support most listening needs. These include; a USB DAC (via XMOS XU316, supporting up to 768kHz/32-bit and DSD512), Bluetooth decoding (LDAC, aptX HD, AAC), Roon Ready and AirPlay 2 streaming, local playback via USB storage, USB-A, USB-C, and coaxial/optical digital inputs which support up to 24-bit/192kHz and 24-bit/96kHz, respectively. Analogue inputs include both balanced XLR and single-ended RCA.

Brief Specifications:

MSRP:

• US: $549.00
• UK: £499.00
• EU: €599.00

For more information visit the FiiO web site.

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