Wow, this is incredible. You're the first audio equipment review channel that actually straightforwardly reviews products in a detailed and concise manner! Thanks.
Really great review. You are so much better at communicating the experience and sounds than I am--and English is my first language LOL. Keep up the great work. This video gained you a follower!
I didn't like mine ... was missing so much details compared to my other stack ... and some bass are better with the FIIO K5 but natural bass are lost with it ...
Very informative review, with many specifics, rather than vague notions! (Also, pronouncing "DAC" as "duck" made it significantly funnier!) By the way, there seems to be a competition between the K5 Pro and the Creative Sound Blasterx G6, which at first glance may look like it's tailored for audio laymen gamers, but based on what I've heard about it, it's sound quality and power is not to be underestimated. Just a suggestion though!
Great review. I was comparing this and the ifi Zen Dac. For my purposes, its definitely for an ok value powered speakers rather than great headphones, therefore ifi zen for me. Keep up the great work.
i just got mine today from amazon and Im running Beyerdynamic T1s 600 ohms, i know a lot of you have been asking about 600 ohm beyers and this unit is a keeper, running Amazon music HD the sound is open and spacious, very wide with a lot of deep base and authority i never thought this unit would sound as good as it does i cant stop listing through it. a few years ago I ordered the oppo AH1 headphone amp $1100 I sent it back because it wasn't much better sounding than my original Fiio e17 and E9 600ohm amp which this replaces. It had a little better separation but that's about it.. This K5 pro easily sounds twice as good as the e9 and e17 combo..My settings: high gain (the only way) @ 3 o clock on the dial, although the T1 has a higher sensitivity I believe than the 600 ohm 990s.. hope this helps
I just picked it up four years later. Going to be powering my KLIPSCH R-41 Active. The source will be PC and a office laptop. I am not going to use it primarily for headphones but for these active speakers. I needed something to be able to toggle between two individual sources. Regards from Warsawa!
I don't have X6 at the moment but going by the memory K5 pro is more detailed if the headphones are transparent enough and offers better bass control. But it's paying several times more to improve things a little bit. Just like the whole hifi hobby always is. :D
Hello, recently I got my HD800s and upgraded my FiiO E10K to FiiO K5 Pro for that reason. Today I decided to test both Amps side by side, did my best to volume match and was kind of surprised. With both Amps at the same volume only differences I hear ( on 5k pro) are faster bass (very obvious), less background noise, maybe (big maybe, because it may be just in my head) better instrument separation and super small difference in tonality that can be a volume miss match. I don't see much difference between E10K and K5 Pro compared to E10K and my phone which is more obvious. All the zings and little details in the music I can spot on both AMPs pretty much about the same. Am I too noob to hear a proper difference in texture of sound or there isn't much difference between cheaper dac/amp combos? If I'm wrong I would be happy to hear some tips on how to spot more differences between these 2. Thanks a lot :)
@Dmytro Gorobets I am a noob as well, but I actually prefered the E10k (Olympus 2) over the iFi Zen Dac which is about the same level as the K5 Pro. So I guess there probably isn‘t really much of a difference though I‘m gonna get my K5 Pro in a frw days and will compare the two as well, so I‘ll update at that time.
Hi. I really love your reviews, so accurate and unbiased, thank you. I am now considering this Fiio because of your praise of it's dad quality which is the number one reason for purchase, second priority is the headphone amp on efficient headphones and last but maybe equally important is for a pre-amp. You said it was "quite descent" as pre-amp for price range, would you suggest it over the Topping DX3 Pro which is slightly more money, or 3 times more for the DX7 Pro? I will be buying the Adam Audio T5V active monitors to pair with it. (unless you suggest something else as I trust your opinion more than anyone else's) Thanks in advance if you have the time to reply.
I am looking for a preferably smaller/cheaper but good amplifier/dac for the Beyerdynamics DT 770 pro 80 ohm. I have very little knowledge about this and can use all the help choosing the right product. I want to use this with an LG CX television. Is it possible to connect an amplifier to this television via optical cable? And would this just work well with these headphones? If so, do you have any recommendations or can you recommend some products? The Fiio K5 pro looks pretty good. Would this work properly if I plug it into the TV via optical cable and then use the DT 770 pro 80 ohms via the front jack? As I said I'm new to higher quality headphones and amps/dacs, and learning. I'm sure you know your stuff, do you have any advice or other recommendations
Hi, thanks for the detailed video but I still have one question: I have owned a Dragonfly Red for more than two years, but I would like to further improve the sound of both my headphones and my active speakers (Edifier r1700bt) and I would be mainly oriented towards purchase of the Fiio K5 Pro. Do you think it is worth replacing the Dragonfly with the Fiio or would my listening quality remain more or less the same? I would not like to have two identical products and spend money unnecessarily. So ultimately, is the Fiio better / superior than the Dragonfly Red? Moreover, I would use the Fiio K5 Pro ONLY to listen to music from my computer station which I use as a listening setup. I currently use Marshall low impedance closed headphones, but I would like to take a leap in quality by purchasing Sennheiser HD 6 ** (still don't know which one), so I'm afraid the Dragonfly Red doesn't have enough power to drive the new headphones well. So I felt the need to change the amplifier / DAC from Dragonfly Red to something more powerful: do you think this is a right purchase? Would I go and improve the quality of my plays with Fiio? Thanks.
Hey did you end up buying the Fiio? I currently have the Dragonfly Black, and I'm in the same situation as you described above. I believe my HIFIMAN Sundara has more untapped power, which could be done by pairing it with a Fiio K5 Pro
i have the R1700bt and sadly are not the best speakers. I mean they are good for the price and being active powered and all, but you cant expect too much. Their bass is very bloated and "losse". I suggest that for 200e (or a bit more) you should simply check for better speakers.
I’m currently waiting on my Sennheiser HD 6XX and K5 Pro. I’m mainly going to be using my desktop. Would it be optimal to connect the K5 Pro to my PC using a Coaxial or USB (I don’t have optical)
Haven't heard Heresy or 3+ but E30 and Magni 3 worked absolutely great together. Atom was also very good but not as good and dynamic to my ears as Magni 3. And this is based on listening, I don't comment or support Sinad scores...
nice video! Have you ever tried DT880 250Ω with K5 PRO? I am planning to buy this set but not sure if it will work well. really wants to try it before I buy but Unfortunately, I don't have any hi-fi audio store nearby.
Yes I've listened it in few occasions... To my ears K5 pro matches quite well with Beyerdynamics... It's smoothness combine well with their sparkliness.
I am using exaclty that combination and recommend it. The Fiio has enough power to drive them quite comfortably without using the gain, with gain to the first setting i wont go over 2/3rds.
Hi there! Awesome and very detailed review! I'm just starting but as what you've mentioned I am more of a headphone guy. I have a question, will this pair well with iFi zen blue? What would be the best connection to use to pair them? Thanks a lot!
Thanks. It should pair just nicely. You can use either optical or coaxial digital connection to connect Zen Blue and K5 pro, witch-ever suit you more. That's the most logical way, connecting them digitally. But if you ever wish to play a little bit and switch from a relaxed velvety sound of internal K5 pro's Asahi Kasei DAC to a bit more sharp and feisty sound of internal Zen Blue's Sabre DAC - you can try connecting them with a pair of analoug RCA interconnect cables (D/A conversion is done in Blue in that case and analog signal goes to K5 pro amp). Cheers!
@@iiWiReviews Thank you! So in short - Analoug RCA will use Zen Blue's DAC and when using Digital Coax or optical, it'll use the K5 DAC system. Helps me out a lot in understanding these things. Cheers
I have Magni 3+ and thinking to buy Fiio K5 pro or add Modi 3+ to my setup, would you recommend? I use Dac|amp only for headphones (HD6XX, Planars etc.)
Thanks. I think they're very similar in terms of sound quality, both providing warmer and laid back sound. It's just that K5 pro is clearly more powerful. If you're using easy to drive headphones I don't think it matters much, but for cans that like to be driven K5 pro will pull ahead.
Hey man nice review! Could you help me out? I'm between getting a K3 to run a HE400se balanced and getting this one(K5 Pro)😅. Which one would you recommend?
Yes Adrian you can :)). There are some good Windows apps for that, I used APO. Still returned the Fiio, couldn't properly drive my Sennheiser 380 pro on the bass part
@@echimadrian2007 hi bro, i also still noob in this audiophile thingy. i have e17k pair it with my m50x. somehow when i connect my headphone directly to my pc, i can use the APO eq. but when i connect it to my e17k, the eq doesnt effect my headphone at all. it seems like the e17k bypass the APO software. any idea on this?
I love that design... Would you recommend Fiio K5 or Schiit Modi 3 DAC over the 12y. old external sound card (Creative X-fi) that costs 50€ back in the day? I am using it with small Denon M37 and Focal Chorus speakers.
Sound wise, how does it stack up against the Soundblasterx G6? The G6 has a very finicky volume knob, and a bright white ring emmiting beneath the dial which is incredibly annoying and distracting in the dark. Aesthetically, it's an eye sore. The sound it produces after dialing in EQ with my 770(250)'s & 900 Pro X's sure is great though.
Hi i have DT 770 headphones and Audient id4 audio interface. Audient has very good DAC so should i buy this ? or something cheaper since my audio interface had DAC allready ? i use my headphones to listen music and play amplifier plugins with my guitar like BiasFX 2
Does this have more output than the Qudelix-5K when used as a USB dac to headphones? Is it 2.0 Vrms or 6.4Vrms? Like can you use it as both an amp and USB dac with the 6.4Vrms?
Very nice. A desktop dac for computer by usb to headphone. Basically what i am looking for. Looking for a headphone that its with this. Was hnking of the K92 that you also reviewed. Is that a good match?
Plz say what it is in the headline. Preamp, headphone amp, dac. There is 87 trillion videos on YT. We need to know as much info as possible before diving in.
Hello, I have a CD player DENON. If i use FIIO K 5 to listen music with my Headphones (HIFIMAN SUNDARA) Which DAC will work ? DENON DAC or FIIO DAC ? Thank you for your answer
Returning mine because of static when turning the volume knob while listening to music. I really liked it though and am thinking of buying another one in case this was just a one-off defect. Is the problem with the volume knob something you’ve ever noticed? Do you have any other recommendations for a DAC/AMP combo with similar connectivity options?
Hi, I haven't noticed any on my unit but it's a pretty common thing when physical potentiometers are used for volume control (instead of digital attenuation) so I experienced it with a lot of other models such as EarMen TR-amp or Schiit Magni 3. It's just physical pins sliding over conductive layer and it doesn't bother me much personally.
I'm currently stuck between Fiio K5 Pro and iFi Zen DAC, my headphone is SENNHEISER HD 58X JUBILEE so which DAC that you recommend? do you think the balanced output will make any difference?
I've already got Sound Blaster in my PC, but want to get better headphones. Do I need to uninstall my SB first? I assume DAC replaces sound card by simply being plugged into USB? Does it need to install any new drivers for it?
can i use this amp in combination of goxlr mini plus beyerdynamic dt990? is there a way to connect it with the goxlr as headphone amp only? im glad for help
I haven't heard those cans so not really sure how would they match. But K5 pro has enough power and kinda warmish sound signature that should compliment Beyerdynamics quite well.
These are the exact set-up I'm going for. Either the Magni 3 with Topping E30 but it's a bit costly to buy both rather than buying K5 PRO on its own(at least for me cause I live in Canada).
Pozz druze, koja bi bila tvoja preporuka izmedju k5 pro i smsl c200? Ima li neke drasticne razlike u kvalitetu zvuka/izrade, bluetooth je u mom slucaju totalno nebitan...
On paper there's quite a difference in output power between the K5 Pro (1.5 Watt @ 32Ohm) and the Topping DX3 (700 mW@32Ohm) which one would you say has more headroom when it comes to driving high impedance cans ? And which one does it the 'cleanest' ?
I use it with IEMs...majority of the time with FiiO FH7s and I think it sounds great together. Imaging and stage are very good. Only issue is that you dont have much room with the volume. The loudest I can get it is around 11 o clock on the knob even on low gain so not a lot of wiggle room.
Hello! I’m looking for a preamp/dac with line in and line out to connect it my Ruark MR1MKII active speakers! This way I may connect my phone preamp, streamer (optical ) and CD (coaxial) to the Fiio! However I’ve read negative comments about the line out! The other solution is to have a second system only for digital and by a new pair of active speakers! No more amps and cables! 😅Any recommendations? Best Regards
I haven't heard 10th MKII yet, however I ordered it and review will come out eventually. But it should be similar to Topping E30 and to my ears K5 pro internal DAC is not really on pair with E30... If I use E30 as a DAC and K5 pro just as an amp, sound is livelier.
@@iiWiReviews hi ... i just got my MKII and all thumbs up :) now i need to find a good amp for it, but something really really affordable. Maybe the AD18 or be waitinng for fiio K7
Can I use this as an amplifier only when I connect the USB mic monitoring 3.5mm output into the RCA line in/coaxial input and hear from the headphone output from the K5 pro? The usb mic I am using also allows me to hear my PC sound through the mic monitoring 3.5mm output.
How would this compare to the Cambridge Audio MagicDAC 100? I have a pair of HD-6XX, and an integrated stereo amp with a headphone output already (Tibo TI435 AMP). I can't decide whether I should go with the MagicDAC, connecting to my Tibo amp and then using the headphone output on that, or buying the Fiio K5 Pro instead. Any advice would be appreciated.
I haven't tried the combination you already have, but from my experience headphone outs on integrated amps are usually just an afterthought. So making an educated guess I'd expect K5 pro to perform better.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the response! :) In what way do you mean an afterthought? In terms of performance. I had the same consideration, but I was pleasantly surprised at the power output of the headphone jack. I listened to my headphones at volumes I've never experienced before and without distortion. Admittedly, I almost deafened my ears a bit. I'm really not experienced in this area though, so I'm not familiar with the quality differences in amplification between amplifiers. Also, what are your thoughts on the comparison between the DacMagic and the K5 pro on DAC alone? Honestly, thanks again, I really appreciate anything here.
Good headphones always like when fed with a good amp so I'm sure K5 pro would do a better job than SB Z. But you should also check this one: th-cam.com/video/1J2yuevyLRM/w-d-xo.html Insane price to performance ratio. Current best buy under $200 in my opinion.
I've heard this thing sounds too bright, and can't run 600ohm dt880's well, and then i read exactly the opposite. That it sounds warm, and can run 600ohm. Very confusing, but despite all that i decided to order it after two weeks of tinkering and comparing amps/dacs/units online. Would this unit be able to run blon-03 iems (32ohm) without a noise floor? Also own the hd600 and hd595. Guess i'll see.
From my experience, with several in-ear and over-ear headphones (from neutral to warm sound signature) - K5 Pro has neutral and smooth sound, with hint of warmth, to keep musicality. If some headphones has neutral to cold sound signature, that's the way they will sound with K5 Pro (smooth enough, though), and the opposite - if I'm using warm sounding headphones, sound signature with K5 Pro is just like that - very musical, warm but very detailed and clean. This FiiO has great dynamics and punch/slam for the price and very powerful AMP, that easily powered K240 Sextett (600Ω). But, for that kind of vintage/retro ''beast'' headphones (including DT 880 600Ω), technical specs of AMP maybe is not optimal, I've heard that Sextetts like vintage AMPs with verty high output impedance, but my K240 Sextetts still sounds very good, detailed and musical, with excellent mid-range. And very loud, even at mid-gain. You can find more info for K5 Pro + power hungry planars etc. here: soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/fiio-k5-pro-review-student-fi/ I have no problem with sensitive in-ear headphones, no audible hiss. I can even use medium or high gain for some of them. For this price (up to $200), K5 Pro is excellent purchase, for huge majority of headphones. As a DAC (line out) is still good, but there are better options for speakers in this price range. As a combo device, this FiiO is really great. Clearly better and much more powerful than cheaper devices, like old E10k or FX-Audio X6 MK1, which I still own and both devices are still very good for 60-80$. I really like E10k, such a powerful and small device, with musical sound signature, but K5 Pro is simply higher class.
Thanks for your review ..I was about to get this for my active speakers ..burson is not available in my country...can you think of any other dac in this range that has a good line out ..I just need these for speakers ( edifier s1000db) ..I don't use headphones. Thanks mate.
Wow, this is incredible. You're the first audio equipment review channel that actually straightforwardly reviews products in a detailed and concise manner! Thanks.
Really great review. You are so much better at communicating the experience and sounds than I am--and English is my first language LOL. Keep up the great work. This video gained you a follower!
Just got the k5 pro and he4xx. This is my first dip into audiophile territory. Can't freaking wait!
Gtfo and stay happy
what do you think about them?
@@SP-df1nm watch the review.
How is it? i am thinking about getting one for my 4xx. I have a e10k now.
Same combo, waiting for the k5 to be delivered
You just earned a sub! I will be reccomending you from now on to anyone who ask for trustworthy and thorough reviewers.
K5 pro is amazing. I do like mine.
I didn't like mine ... was missing so much details compared to my other stack ... and some bass are better with the FIIO K5 but natural bass are lost with it ...
i hated my fiio k5 pro so much because it adds low end and cuts the detailed high end of every headphones i have tested. I hate it so much!
hi man.
I tried it with my hedphone, but the sound it's not good. my headphone is dt770 pro 250 ohms. Do you know a solution to my problem? 😢
An actual good review without the bs. Keep up the good work!
I found your comparisons to other amps very helpful, thank you. I guess the Burson suffers from diminishing returns.
Very informative review, with many specifics, rather than vague notions! (Also, pronouncing "DAC" as "duck" made it significantly funnier!)
By the way, there seems to be a competition between the K5 Pro and the Creative Sound Blasterx G6, which at first glance may look like it's tailored for audio laymen gamers, but based on what I've heard about it, it's sound quality and power is not to be underestimated. Just a suggestion though!
Great review. I was comparing this and the ifi Zen Dac. For my purposes, its definitely for an ok value powered speakers rather than great headphones, therefore ifi zen for me. Keep up the great work.
What headphones do you use with the zen?
i just got mine today from amazon and Im running Beyerdynamic T1s 600 ohms, i know a lot of you have been asking about 600 ohm beyers and this unit is a keeper, running Amazon music HD the sound is open and spacious, very wide with a lot of deep base and authority i never thought this unit would sound as good as it does i cant stop listing through it.
a few years ago I ordered the oppo AH1 headphone amp $1100 I sent it back because it wasn't much better sounding than my original Fiio e17 and E9 600ohm amp which this replaces. It had a little better separation but that's about it..
This K5 pro easily sounds twice as good as the e9 and e17 combo..My settings: high gain (the only way) @ 3 o clock on the dial, although the T1 has a higher sensitivity I believe than the 600 ohm 990s.. hope this helps
I just picked it up four years later. Going to be powering my KLIPSCH R-41 Active. The source will be PC and a office laptop. I am not going to use it primarily for headphones but for these active speakers. I needed something to be able to toggle between two individual sources.
Regards from Warsawa!
Very well done! Very straightforward and relevant. Extremely helpful. Thank you very much.
This review made up my mind
Thx man
I loved this review great job dude!
Well, there is also that other guy in his neck of the woods, that guy who looks like Abe Lincoln, but the iiWi Review dude is pretty damn good!
Thank you for the fair and objective rewieve. And that is what we need.
awesome review!! love this video, and i love the way you say your t's even more! keep it up
k7 is out just recently. All internet is waiting for your review, because no one does it better. merry christmas
Wow, no pressure then. 😅 But K7 is coming in for a review...
Good review mate! Just won another subscriber.
ha! I though that was just me thinking that the low gain sounded more neutral! Glad you feel the same!
Darn you sold me on the Lusya Fever DAC (it was great) and now you are selling me on this too
Don't worry. Lusya is still great. You just have to say NO to very passionate youtubers. :D
@@iiWiReviews becouse of that Lusya I sold my Massdrop LCX plus SDAC !!! this is insanley great sound for 20€, thank you for discovering it
Thanks for reviewing this
Great review, love it. Can you compare Fiio K5 pro with the FX Audio X6?
I don't have X6 at the moment but going by the memory K5 pro is more detailed if the headphones are transparent enough and offers better bass control. But it's paying several times more to improve things a little bit. Just like the whole hifi hobby always is. :D
Purchased it today after watching your video! Btw: where is your accent from?
Hope you'll like it. I'm from Serbia (South-east Europe) so that's the accent. Cheers!
@@iiWiReviews поздрави от България брате
Hello, recently I got my HD800s and upgraded my FiiO E10K to FiiO K5 Pro for that reason. Today I decided to test both Amps side by side, did my best to volume match and was kind of surprised.
With both Amps at the same volume only differences I hear ( on 5k pro) are faster bass (very obvious), less background noise, maybe (big maybe, because it may be just in my head) better instrument separation and super small difference in tonality that can be a volume miss match. I don't see much difference between E10K and K5 Pro compared to E10K and my phone which is more obvious. All the zings and little details in the music I can spot on both AMPs pretty much about the same.
Am I too noob to hear a proper difference in texture of sound or there isn't much difference between cheaper dac/amp combos? If I'm wrong I would be happy to hear some tips on how to spot more differences between these 2. Thanks a lot :)
@Dmytro Gorobets I am a noob as well, but I actually prefered the E10k (Olympus 2) over the iFi Zen Dac which is about the same level as the K5 Pro. So I guess there probably isn‘t really much of a difference though I‘m gonna get my K5 Pro in a frw days and will compare the two as well, so I‘ll update at that time.
@@nepomukullmann3013 Thx for reply, I tried K5 with HD800s already and it was a ok combo :)
Great review, currently waiting for mine to be delivered. Btw I love your voice :)
Just got them and I definitely agree with what you're saying about them. My headphones sounds best at around 1 o'clock on mid gain
thank for your review, it made my mind up!
Will you review the Fiio K7? It's been out for a while now but a review from your page will be appreciated. Cheers.
Great review!
I'll love to see a review of Mayflower ARC MK2. You deserved more subs, thank you for your work!.
Thank you. Proffesional review
Please review the Fiio K7 as well and compare it to the K5 Pro ESS
Hi. I really love your reviews, so accurate and unbiased, thank you. I am now considering this Fiio because of your praise of it's dad quality which is the number one reason for purchase, second priority is the headphone amp on efficient headphones and last but maybe equally important is for a pre-amp. You said it was "quite descent" as pre-amp for price range, would you suggest it over the Topping DX3 Pro which is slightly more money, or 3 times more for the DX7 Pro? I will be buying the Adam Audio T5V active monitors to pair with it. (unless you suggest something else as I trust your opinion more than anyone else's) Thanks in advance if you have the time to reply.
Hi, thanks! I would choose K5 pro over DX3 pro for sure. On the other hand, I never heard DX7 pro so can't really comment on it.
I ordered one after watching your video + subscription to your channel. Excellent description.
hi, does this amp go well with the akg k701? I have a fi11 M11 and I want to know if this amplifier will give me more power, thanks greetings
Fiio M11 is 88mw at 300 ohm through its Balanced output and the K5 is 150mw at 300 ohms
I am looking for a preferably smaller/cheaper but good amplifier/dac for the Beyerdynamics DT 770 pro 80 ohm. I have very little knowledge about this and can use all the help choosing the right product.
I want to use this with an LG CX television. Is it possible to connect an amplifier to this television via optical cable? And would this just work well with these headphones? If so, do you have any recommendations or can you recommend some products?
The Fiio K5 pro looks pretty good. Would this work properly if I plug it into the TV via optical cable and then use the DT 770 pro 80 ohms via the front jack? As I said I'm new to higher quality headphones and amps/dacs, and learning. I'm sure you know your stuff, do you have any advice or other recommendations
Hi, great review! I’d like to ask a question: if you turn the volume knob, does it also change the volume on the line outputs?
Hi, thanks for the detailed video but I still have one question: I have owned a Dragonfly Red for more than two years, but I would like to further improve the sound of both my headphones and my active speakers (Edifier r1700bt) and I would be mainly oriented towards purchase of the Fiio K5 Pro. Do you think it is worth replacing the Dragonfly with the Fiio or would my listening quality remain more or less the same? I would not like to have two identical products and spend money unnecessarily. So ultimately, is the Fiio better / superior than the Dragonfly Red? Moreover, I would use the Fiio K5 Pro ONLY to listen to music from my computer station which I use as a listening setup. I currently use Marshall low impedance closed headphones, but I would like to take a leap in quality by purchasing Sennheiser HD 6 ** (still don't know which one), so I'm afraid the Dragonfly Red doesn't have enough power to drive the new headphones well. So I felt the need to change the amplifier / DAC from Dragonfly Red to something more powerful: do you think this is a right purchase? Would I go and improve the quality of my plays with Fiio? Thanks.
Hey did you end up buying the Fiio?
I currently have the Dragonfly Black, and I'm in the same situation as you described above. I believe my HIFIMAN Sundara has more untapped power, which could be done by pairing it with a Fiio K5 Pro
i have the R1700bt and sadly are not the best speakers. I mean they are good for the price and being active powered and all, but you cant expect too much. Their bass is very bloated and "losse". I suggest that for 200e (or a bit more) you should simply check for better speakers.
I’m currently waiting on my Sennheiser HD 6XX and K5 Pro. I’m mainly going to be using my desktop. Would it be optimal to connect the K5 Pro to my PC using a Coaxial or USB (I don’t have optical)
Well, I haven't made that exact compassion but I really believe your thinking is spot on. :)
@@iiWiReviews in theory should not all be the same? how can digital signals differ?
Consider that this doesn't get so good Sinad score, would you recommend me getting Magni Hershey or JDS ATOM + E30 or Modi instead of this?
Haven't heard Heresy or 3+ but E30 and Magni 3 worked absolutely great together. Atom was also very good but not as good and dynamic to my ears as Magni 3. And this is based on listening, I don't comment or support Sinad scores...
Great review
Hi there! Loved your review! Question please? How would you connect an iPhone to the K5? Many thanks and more power!
what do you think about the Fiio K7?
nice video! Have you ever tried DT880 250Ω with K5 PRO? I am planning to buy this set but not sure if it will work well. really wants to try it before I buy but Unfortunately, I don't have any hi-fi audio store nearby.
Yes I've listened it in few occasions... To my ears K5 pro matches quite well with Beyerdynamics... It's smoothness combine well with their sparkliness.
I am using exaclty that combination and recommend it. The Fiio has enough power to drive them quite comfortably without using the gain, with gain to the first setting i wont go over 2/3rds.
Hi there! Awesome and very detailed review! I'm just starting but as what you've mentioned I am more of a headphone guy. I have a question, will this pair well with iFi zen blue? What would be the best connection to use to pair them? Thanks a lot!
Thanks. It should pair just nicely. You can use either optical or coaxial digital connection to connect Zen Blue and K5 pro, witch-ever suit you more. That's the most logical way, connecting them digitally.
But if you ever wish to play a little bit and switch from a relaxed velvety sound of internal K5 pro's Asahi Kasei DAC to a bit more sharp and feisty sound of internal Zen Blue's Sabre DAC - you can try connecting them with a pair of analoug RCA interconnect cables (D/A conversion is done in Blue in that case and analog signal goes to K5 pro amp). Cheers!
@@iiWiReviews Thank you! So in short - Analoug RCA will use Zen Blue's DAC and when using Digital Coax or optical, it'll use the K5 DAC system. Helps me out a lot in understanding these things. Cheers
Great review...
Would this be a good pair with either the sennheiser he 58x or the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250 ohm
Can I plug just my phone into it? And then a set of headphones to listen?
great great video!
Have one of these bad boys on the way. Can't wait.
I have Magni 3+ and thinking to buy Fiio K5 pro or add Modi 3+ to my setup, would you recommend? I use Dac|amp only for headphones (HD6XX, Planars etc.)
I would rather take Modi 3+ and pair it with Magni you already have. That should be better than K5 pro.
Nice review. How would you compare Fiio K5 Pro with IfI Zen DAC after firmware updates?
Thanks. I think they're very similar in terms of sound quality, both providing warmer and laid back sound. It's just that K5 pro is clearly more powerful. If you're using easy to drive headphones I don't think it matters much, but for cans that like to be driven K5 pro will pull ahead.
@@iiWiReviews I am using Sundara, which I've heard are harder to drive. I think I'll go with K5 Pro then.
Thanks for the review, it's very helpful.
Can this drive HE400 (original) at low gain?
Hey man nice review!
Could you help me out? I'm between getting a K3 to run a HE400se balanced and getting this one(K5 Pro)😅. Which one would you recommend?
Nice video! A dumb newbie question: can you EQ this DAC, at least bass and treble from windows or somehow?
Yes Adrian you can :)). There are some good Windows apps for that, I used APO. Still returned the Fiio, couldn't properly drive my Sennheiser 380 pro on the bass part
@@echimadrian2007 hi bro, i also still noob in this audiophile thingy. i have e17k pair it with my m50x. somehow when i connect my headphone directly to my pc, i can use the APO eq. but when i connect it to my e17k, the eq doesnt effect my headphone at all. it seems like the e17k bypass the APO software. any idea on this?
@@missmataleo hey mate. sorry, no idea
Excellent review mate! Have you compared it to the Dragonfly Cobalt? Thx!
I haven't yet but hope to get Cobalt soon.
How does it compare to the new heresy or magni 3 plus,Paired with the modi.
Please do this comparison :)
Yeah, I'd like to do that comparison too. Hope my budget allows it sometime soon.
Modi 3 and Heresy stack far better in objective tests.
Should I get this fiio k5 pro or fiio k3 for my ATH M50x for better sound?
K5 pro
I love that design... Would you recommend Fiio K5 or Schiit Modi 3 DAC over the 12y. old external sound card (Creative X-fi) that costs 50€ back in the day? I am using it with small Denon M37 and Focal Chorus speakers.
Geat video thank you!
Sound wise, how does it stack up against the Soundblasterx G6?
The G6 has a very finicky volume knob, and a bright white ring emmiting beneath the dial which is incredibly annoying and distracting in the dark. Aesthetically, it's an eye sore. The sound it produces after dialing in EQ with my 770(250)'s & 900 Pro X's sure is great though.
Hello, do you think Fiio K5 Pro and Beyerdynamic DT 150 (250 ohm) work well together? I use a cd player only. Thank you!
Thanks!!!
Hi i have DT 770 headphones and Audient id4 audio interface.
Audient has very good DAC so should i buy this ? or something cheaper since my audio interface had DAC allready ?
i use my headphones to listen music and play amplifier plugins with my guitar like BiasFX 2
Does this have more output than the Qudelix-5K when used as a USB dac to headphones? Is it 2.0 Vrms or 6.4Vrms? Like can you use it as both an amp and USB dac with the 6.4Vrms?
would you recommend it for the hifiman he 500 and Beyerdynamic MMX 300? (600 OHM)
Very nice. A desktop dac for computer by usb to headphone. Basically what i am looking for. Looking for a headphone that its with this. Was hnking of the K92 that you also reviewed. Is that a good match?
Plz say what it is in the headline. Preamp, headphone amp, dac. There is 87 trillion videos on YT. We need to know as much info as possible before diving in.
Very nice review..!I have already an audio interface that has AD DA, can i bypass the dac of the fiio and use only its amp only?
Thanks! Yes you can use your own DAC by using line input.
@@iiWiReviews SUPER! I have the dt 880 250 ohms..you know..THANKS!
Hello,
I have a CD player DENON. If i use FIIO K 5 to listen music with my Headphones (HIFIMAN SUNDARA) Which DAC will work ? DENON DAC or FIIO DAC ?
Thank you for your answer
I hate all that blue. YMMV. But on a serious note: Is it better than the Topping DX3 Pro+?
Beautiful review... Wish I could buy this. I have topping e30 & l30. How does Fiio k5 pro compare to e30 & l30 stack?
Your stack is clearly better than K5 pro... It would be a downgrade.
Returning mine because of static when turning the volume knob while listening to music. I really liked it though and am thinking of buying another one in case this was just a one-off defect. Is the problem with the volume knob something you’ve ever noticed? Do you have any other recommendations for a DAC/AMP combo with similar connectivity options?
Hi, I haven't noticed any on my unit but it's a pretty common thing when physical potentiometers are used for volume control (instead of digital attenuation) so I experienced it with a lot of other models such as EarMen TR-amp or Schiit Magni 3. It's just physical pins sliding over conductive layer and it doesn't bother me much personally.
A recommendation for headphones for this k5 pro unit, please!
"schiit stack" just sounds absolutely hilarious to me, being pretty new to the audiophile scene
Hi iiwi, should i get this or the topping dx3 pro+ for my dt 770 pro?
hi.. soon ill upgrade my fioo k5 pro ess with XDUOO TA-22 with sennheiser 6xx.. do you hink i m gonna achiave a very superior sound quality overall
I'm currently stuck between Fiio K5 Pro and iFi Zen DAC, my headphone is SENNHEISER HD 58X JUBILEE so which DAC that you recommend? do you think the balanced output will make any difference?
I haven't heard 58X so can't tell for sure. However, I do prefer K5 pro with all other headphones as its amp is clearly more capable than Zen's.
I've already got Sound Blaster in my PC, but want to get better headphones. Do I need to uninstall my SB first? I assume DAC replaces sound card by simply being plugged into USB? Does it need to install any new drivers for it?
Just install Fiio drivers and choose it as a default playback device. That's all, no need to uninstall SB... You can switch and compare them at will.
Should I get this or the liquid spark I'm not sure I do not have a dac just my pc but it has a good one i think
Please review Topping DX3 Pro Plus to use with HE4XX in comparison to K5 Pro. I have HE400i 2020 and am confused between K5 Pro and DX3 Pro Plus
Would you recommend the DT 770 Pro 250Ohm with this DAC & AMP or should I buy a seperate DAC and AMP for ~200€ in total?
I think it would be a good match for DT770. If you're in the US, than Schiit Modi/Magni combo is very good alternative and worth considering.
@@iiWiReviews Unfortunately Im living in germany, I guess I will try it in a Hifi shop first (if avaible) and then decide
Thanks now I think the k5 is better the better choice as an amp.
can i use this amp in combination of goxlr mini plus beyerdynamic dt990? is there a way to connect it with the goxlr as headphone amp only? im glad for help
Hi there. Thank you for the great review. Would you recommend using Fii0 K5 pro with DT1990 headphone? Thank you.
I haven't heard those cans so not really sure how would they match. But K5 pro has enough power and kinda warmish sound signature that should compliment Beyerdynamics quite well.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you very much for the reply.God bless you ,specially in these times of trouble.Peace
These are the exact set-up I'm going for.
Either the Magni 3 with Topping E30 but it's a bit costly to buy both rather than buying K5 PRO on its own(at least for me cause I live in Canada).
Wait.. let me clarify, I'm looking for a DAC to plug in my speakers and you're saying the ifi zen DAC works better with speakers and fiio k5?
Yes, Zen DAC has better line-out (RCA out for speakers) in my opinion. K5 pro is best when used with headphones.
I wish you could review the new Fiio K9 pro dac/amp. Either version and compare to K5 pro. Thank you
Pozz druze, koja bi bila tvoja preporuka izmedju k5 pro i smsl c200? Ima li neke drasticne razlike u kvalitetu zvuka/izrade, bluetooth je u mom slucaju totalno nebitan...
Ja bih išao na C200, solidno je otvorenijeg/detaljnijeg zvuka, isplati se.
@@iiWiReviews Hvala!
On paper there's quite a difference in output power between the K5 Pro (1.5 Watt @ 32Ohm) and the Topping DX3 (700 mW@32Ohm) which one would you say has more headroom when it comes to driving high impedance cans ? And which one does it the 'cleanest' ?
In reality DX3 pro has plenty of power to drive anything you like. But I prefer K5 pro because it just sounds better to my ears.
@@iiWiReviews Perhaps you should test them with really high impedance headphones.
I've got a Fostex T50 (unmodded) lying around here.
Does it work well with IEMS, I game and listen to music with IEMS, how is the soundstage and imaging ?
I use it with IEMs...majority of the time with FiiO FH7s and I think it sounds great together. Imaging and stage are very good. Only issue is that you dont have much room with the volume. The loudest I can get it is around 11 o clock on the knob even on low gain so not a lot of wiggle room.
Hello! I’m looking for a preamp/dac with line in and line out to connect it my Ruark MR1MKII active speakers! This way I may connect my phone preamp, streamer (optical ) and CD (coaxial) to the Fiio! However I’ve read negative comments about the line out! The other solution is to have a second system only for digital and by a new pair of active speakers! No more amps and cables! 😅Any recommendations? Best Regards
on the dac side .. would this be at par with the SMSLsanskrit 10th mkii? I just order 1 but plan to use my K5 as amp :)
I haven't heard 10th MKII yet, however I ordered it and review will come out eventually. But it should be similar to Topping E30 and to my ears K5 pro internal DAC is not really on pair with E30... If I use E30 as a DAC and K5 pro just as an amp, sound is livelier.
@@iiWiReviews hi ... i just got my MKII and all thumbs up :) now i need to find a good amp for it, but something really really affordable. Maybe the AD18 or be waitinng for fiio K7
Will this work well for the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO Open Studio Headphones 250 Ohms for Music production
Can I use this as an amplifier only when I connect the USB mic monitoring 3.5mm output into the RCA line in/coaxial input and hear from the headphone output from the K5 pro? The usb mic I am using also allows me to hear my PC sound through the mic monitoring 3.5mm output.
Yes you can, just the way you described it, through RCA inputs. Cheers!
How would this compare to the Cambridge Audio MagicDAC 100? I have a pair of HD-6XX, and an integrated stereo amp with a headphone output already (Tibo TI435 AMP).
I can't decide whether I should go with the MagicDAC, connecting to my Tibo amp and then using the headphone output on that, or buying the Fiio K5 Pro instead.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Sorry, "DacMagic"* not "MagicDAC".
I haven't tried the combination you already have, but from my experience headphone outs on integrated amps are usually just an afterthought. So making an educated guess I'd expect K5 pro to perform better.
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the response! :)
In what way do you mean an afterthought? In terms of performance.
I had the same consideration, but I was pleasantly surprised at the power output of the headphone jack. I listened to my headphones at volumes I've never experienced before and without distortion. Admittedly, I almost deafened my ears a bit.
I'm really not experienced in this area though, so I'm not familiar with the quality differences in amplification between amplifiers.
Also, what are your thoughts on the comparison between the DacMagic and the K5 pro on DAC alone?
Honestly, thanks again, I really appreciate anything here.
wait, How can you make it turn green?
By playing high resolution files. Just be sure to use exclusive mode so your OS doesn't downsample everything to some default bit depth and but rate.
That Shit Stack does look good
will this be good for the sennheiser 58x or do i even need it or is my sound blaster z sound card or my motherboard good enough to use ?
Good headphones always like when fed with a good amp so I'm sure K5 pro would do a better job than SB Z. But you should also check this one: th-cam.com/video/1J2yuevyLRM/w-d-xo.html
Insane price to performance ratio. Current best buy under $200 in my opinion.
I've heard this thing sounds too bright, and can't run 600ohm dt880's well, and then i read exactly the opposite. That it sounds warm, and can run 600ohm. Very confusing, but despite all that i decided to order it after two weeks of tinkering and comparing amps/dacs/units online.
Would this unit be able to run blon-03 iems (32ohm) without a noise floor? Also own the hd600 and hd595. Guess i'll see.
From my experience, with several in-ear and over-ear headphones (from neutral to warm sound signature) - K5 Pro has neutral and smooth sound, with hint of warmth, to keep musicality. If some headphones has neutral to cold sound signature, that's the way they will sound with K5 Pro (smooth enough, though), and the opposite - if I'm using warm sounding headphones, sound signature with K5 Pro is just like that - very musical, warm but very detailed and clean. This FiiO has great dynamics and punch/slam for the price and very powerful AMP, that easily powered K240 Sextett (600Ω). But, for that kind of vintage/retro ''beast'' headphones (including DT 880 600Ω), technical specs of AMP maybe is not optimal, I've heard that Sextetts like vintage AMPs with verty high output impedance, but my K240 Sextetts still sounds very good, detailed and musical, with excellent mid-range. And very loud, even at mid-gain. You can find more info for K5 Pro + power hungry planars etc. here: soundnews.net/amplifiers/headphone-amps/fiio-k5-pro-review-student-fi/
I have no problem with sensitive in-ear headphones, no audible hiss. I can even use medium or high gain for some of them.
For this price (up to $200), K5 Pro is excellent purchase, for huge majority of headphones. As a DAC (line out) is still good, but there are better options for speakers in this price range. As a combo device, this FiiO is really great. Clearly better and much more powerful than cheaper devices, like old E10k or FX-Audio X6 MK1, which I still own and both devices are still very good for 60-80$. I really like E10k, such a powerful and small device, with musical sound signature, but K5 Pro is simply higher class.
Thanks for your review ..I was about to get this for my active speakers ..burson is not available in my country...can you think of any other dac in this range that has a good line out ..I just need these for speakers ( edifier s1000db) ..I don't use headphones.
Thanks mate.
Topping E30 comes to mind. Great DAC.
@@iiWiReviews thanks!