Two DACs Are Better Than One, The FiiO K9 Pro ESS Desktop DAC And Amp
Everything You Could Ask For In A Desktop DAC/AMP?
The new FiiO K9 Pro ESS is a big step up from the previous K5 Pro ESS according to TechPowerUp, and from what they discovered in their review that seems to be an accurate assessment. It is capable of accepting digital signals from four different sources including 4.4mm, coax, optical and even Bluetooth LE with the included antenna. You could also chose to go with analog, if that is your preferred input. There is also USB, of course. The outputs include balanced XLR, a 4.4 mm port with a single-ended 1/4″ jack and balanced analog coax as well.
The FiiO K9 Pro ESS contains two ESS Sabre Pro ES9038PRO digital-to-analog converter chips, each with their own Texas Instruments OPA1612 low pass filters and THX AAA 788+ linear amplifiers. You can also toggle the output as a basic DAC, a preamp for powered speakers, or a fully amplified DAC to drive headphones.
FiiO updated its flagship desktop DAC/amplifier with dual ESS Sabre ES9038PRO DACs, and the new K9 Pro ESS has some more quality-of-life improvements sweetening the deal. This is an excellent set with features including powerful, clean wired performance, extensive I/O support, and a mobile app with further customization options!
It’s surprising, but exciting, to see this sort of audio gear on this site.
Fiio makes some truly excellent products. It’s nice to see them get some recognition.