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It is said that we “eat with our eyes.” Do we also listen with them? People seem to place a lot of stock in how an audio product looks, which makes Fiio’s KA11 a delicious auditory dish that will satiate your Hi-Res audio hunger.
Sure, you can buy Apple’s 3.5mm to Lighting/USB-C dongle for around $9 but as your tastes and headphone or IEM collection grow, it may not be enough to drive your new toys and that’s where the $29 KA11 comes in.
Fiio KA11: Price and availability
The KA11 is available for $29 through their site and Amazon.com. You can get it in two colors, black and a fun silver and teal combo, with your choice of either a USB-C or Lightning connector for those with phones older than an iPhone 15.
Other than the Apple Lightning or USB-C dongle, which will cost you $9, this is one of the most inexpensive DACs on the market and also the most powerful at this price point.
Fiio KA11: Build and fit
Fiio’s KA11 weighs in at only 8.5 grams and is built with high quality components for its $29 price point. The body of the DAC is composed of an aluminum-magnesium alloy, so you won’t have to baby it when you’re headed out the door and tossing your EDC items into your favorite bag.
The cable carrying your sound is equally well-appointed and durable. Wrapped in a layer of silicone with braided cloth on the outside, it consists of high-purity, oxygen-free palladium-plated copper wires that go between your connector of choice and the DAC.
The cable features rubber or silicone connector caps, adding to the overall feeling of durability and the connectors themselves don’t feel loose when plugging and unplugging. Connections on both ends are tight, and 3.5mm headphone connectors have that satisfying click when plugging in.
Fiio KA11: Features
The most powerful feature (pun intended) of the KA11 is the power delivery which drove even the most sensitive pair of planar magnetic headphones I own. The single-ended 3.5mm port delivers up to 245mW of power per channel at 16ohms, and 200mW at 32ohms. The Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chip decodes DSD256, and up to 384kHz/32-bit files over PCM. The SG-Micro SGM8262 amp is what’s inside, driving thirsty IEMs.
An LED on the 3.5mm port end of the dongle body tells you the sampling rate. DSD decoding gets a green light, and tracks above or below 48kHz get a yellow or blue light, respectively.
The good news is that you can control those LEDs and digital filters through the FIIO Control app. The bad news is that it’s only on Android.
Fiio KA11: Sound quality
Now we’ll talk about the most important aspect of the KA11, the sound. I listened to the KA11 using several over-ear headphones and IEMs, and for $29, its ability to drive my HiFiMan HE4XX planar magnetic headphones was impressive. My iPhone 15 Pro Max only needed to be turned up to 75% of their max for a comfortable listening experience. My Campfire Audio Mammoth IEMs are quite sensitive, and the KA11, with its best-in-class power output, handled them expertly. The power output of the KA11s meant that the comfortable listening level was around 15% of the max. Sennheiser’s $1500 IE900 IEMs were a delight to experience through the KA11, only needing to be turned up to 33% of the max volume of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Okay, technically, those notes weren’t about sound but power. The KA11 is well-balanced in its sound profile. You’ll get a bit of warmth through the mids, but vocals shine through, and bass and sub-bass are an enjoyable element of the sonic feast without overpowering the other “flavor notes.” The soundstage isn’t the most expansive I’ve experienced from a DAC, but it is still large enough that your airy tracks shouldn’t feel constricted.
Fiio KA11: Competition
Some DACs on Amazon compete on price with the KA11, but nothing at $30 competes on power output or performance. This DAC’s output rivals products that can cost hundreds of dollars more.
So, does the Fiio KA11 have competition? The short answer is, no.
Fiio KA11: Should you buy it?
You should buy the Fiio KA11 if…
- Cost is your primary purchasing consideration
- You have power-hungry headphones or IEMs
- You want an EDC DAC you can just throw in a bag and go
- You’re new to Hi-Res or Lossless mobile audio
You shouldn’t buy the Fiio KA11 if…
- You have the budget to spend $100-$300
Look no further if you want a powerful DAC that won’t overpower your bank account balance. This is it, full stop. Fiio’s KA11 is a USB-C or Lightning-connected DAC capable of driving most of the headphones or IEMs in your stable, featuring a sound profile balanced enough not to add significant unnecessary color to your listening experience.
When you enter audiophile land, there are many areas where you’ll spend your discretionary income, but this need not be one at the outset. Focus on headphone or IEM costs first, then sit back and enjoy them with the KA11.
High quality, easy on the wallet
Fiio’s KA11 is an unexpectedly powerful, tiny dongle DAC. It should drive just about any IEM or thirsty pair of headphones you connect to it. A great starter for those who want Apple Lossless access.