This Affordable Desktop Amp Is a Do-It-All Solution for Audiophiles

FiiO is fast becoming a prominent name in the budget-friendly hi-fi space. It’s known for high-quality portable audio players, DACs and desktop amplifiers, many of which are more affordable than you might think.

Its newest component, the K15, is a versatile DAC and headphone amplifier (with a range of other modern features) that’s designed to be the central hub for your desktop hi-fi system.

FiiO K15

FiiO

A do-it-all desktop amp

FiiO’s K15 is a modern do-it-all hi-fi component for your desktop that, according to the brand, features trickle-down technologies from its flagship K17 desktop DAC/amp ($990).

FiiO describes the K15 as a full-system desktop DAC/amp that’s built for audiophiles, making it the perfect partner for a pair of high-end wired headphones or any active speaker system.

The K15 has a dedicated preamp mode, so you can integrate it into a larger desktop hi-fi system. It also supports streaming over Bluetooth (LDAC, AptX HD, AAC) and Wi-Fi (Roon Ready, AirPlay), allowing you to use it with your wireless headphones or speakers.

FiiO

Flagship DAC and power

At the heart of the K15 is both a high-quality DAC and a powerful headphone amplifier.

On the DAC side, it features two AKM AK4497S DAC chips that are configured in a dual-mono setup. FiiO says these premium chips deliver “pristine digital-to-analog conversion, preserving minute detail from low to high frequencies while maintaining ultra-low distortion and wide dynamic range.”

As a headphone amp, the K15 features Class-AB amplification offering up to 3000mW per channel via balanced output, which the brand says should be able to drive sensitive IEMs or high-impedance over-ear headphones.

It has three headphone outputs (1/4-inch, 4.4mm balanced and XLR) and five gain settings, so you can adjust the power output for your particular headphones.

FiiO

Additionally, FiiO’s K15 features a wide range of digital and analog connections — similar to its larger brethren, the K17 — allowing it to accommodate, as the brand describes, “every listening scenario.”

Design-wise, the K15 looks like a smaller version of the company’s K17. It has similar physical controls and a large touchscreen display that shows playback information (or you can change it to show old-school-style VU meters).

It’s also compatible with FiiO’s control app, which gives you access to a 10 band parametric EQ for further tweaking of its audio settings.

Price and availability

The FiiO K15 costs $549, making it a little more than half the price of FiiO’s K17.

It starts shipping on August 1st.

FiiO

FiiO K15

The FiiO K15 is a versatile DAC and headphone amplifier designed to be the central hub of your desktop audio setup. It features a flagship-worthy dual-DAC setup and boasts a powerful amplifier that is capable of driving a wide variety of headphones. It also has a dedicated preamp mode and supports streaming via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The brand describes the K15 as full-system desktop DAC/amp for audiophiles.

• $549 at FiiO

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