Fiio K19 - Competition For My Daily Reference Mytek Liberty DAC ii - Honest Audiophile Impressions
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- A BIG thanks to Fiio for providing the K19 for review, much appreciated. The Fiio K19 is there newest flagship DAC/Amp and it has some beastly specs and technology. How does it compare to the Aune S9C Pro and Mytek Liberty DAC ii?
More Info:
www.fiio.com/k19
Apos Audio:
apos.audio/products/fiio-k19-...
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction/Specifications
01:35 Design/Layout
04:55 Bluetooth/PEQ/Filters
08:45 Output Power
11:35 Sonic Impressions
19:50 vs Aune S9C Pro
20:40 vs Mytek Liberty DAC ii
21:50 Conclusion
24:13 Exiting
I am not a professional sound engineer, producer, musician, or vocalist, etc. I have not done any scientific research, measurements, or in-depth testing of any kind; just my own listening, comparing and internet reading/research. I have limited, real-life experience with recording, mixing and mastering gear. I have been involved since my teenage years with various churches as an amateur sound booth technician.
Please take these thoughts, opinions and reasonings as just that, my honest audiophile thoughts, opinions and reasonings.
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Sony NW-A105: electronics.sony.com/audio/wa...
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You exude excitement. I know how much you love the Liberty so I had to click immediately.
Holy Moly!!..I 16:36 I think you’ve found the 🦄…a great review 👍👍
Indeed
The excitement is palpable! Have a good time at Axpona.
Thanks
Nice to see you so excited about a product Dave.
The excitement is honest :)
I checked out the link, this thing is chock full of goodness!
The option for ac/dc is very cool with out having to do surgery for a power supply upgrade.
I hope you have a chance to test this with a Modhouse Tungsten at some point 🙏🙏
Just curious on the mytek, you mentioned i think that image edges are very distinct or sharp?
Are these edges natural sounding to you or a little over emphasized?
How do note edges compare on the Aune and K19 in terms of reality?
I think you said the treble is rounded a bit on the k19 in a welcome way.
Thanks 🙏
Seems like a high value product sq/$
Mytek has more realistic edges, crispness and bite. Both the Aune and K19 round and soften the edges slightly. All 3 are exceptional and I recommend them all.
Some of the tech now available for headphones is insane, and to be honest some of it is so affordable .
Dave, i picked up a pair of Pioneer S-A4SPT for my desk top for not much money, i think they would be right up your street .
Thanks for the review ..
Thanks for the suggestion.
Thanks dave!
My pleasure, you're welcome
I bought a Fiio K19 last night 06/02/2024 and the Fiio K19 is great. The Fiio K19 definitely needs to warm up and the sound gets better by the hour. When I turned it on, I was disappointed in it. The sound was linear and smooth, with weak lows and very flattened highs. The sound was vague, unemotional, boring. Comparing the Fiio K19 with the FiiO K9 Pro ESS, at first I liked the sound of the FiiO K9 Pro ESS more, its sound was lively and emotional. I played around with the equalizer on the Fiio K19, but I also did not feel any improvement in the sound. After 3 hours of listening, the sound of the Fiio K19 began to change for the better. The haze in the sound began to disappear, as if the clouds in the sky began to disperse, and the sky became clear. The lows started to come through and the highs became brighter, but they were very comfortable and incredibly detailed, and voices were natural and clear. The sound has become lively, emotional, interesting, very pleasant to listen to, and what’s great is that I’m used to listening to this kind of sound. The sound of the Fiio K19 is close to the FiiO K9 Pro ESS, but with greater resolution in sounds and stronger bass. It was as if I was listening to the sound through dynamic headphones and then put on planar headphones. FiiO K9 Pro ESS as dynamic headphones, and Fiio K19 as planar. If you listen through the FiiO K9 Pro ESS and enhance the low frequencies through the Equalizer APO, you still won’t get such great bass as the Fiio K19, they are different. I compared the built-in DSP equalizer with Equalizer APO, and the difference is very audible. If you turn on Equalizer APO, then after DSP you hear a foggy sound, clarity and transparency disappear, but with DSP the sound is clear, transparent and clean, and there is no fog. I am delighted. The Fiio K19 has stronger bass and is incredibly clear, voices sound natural, and treble is a little softer, but you can hear more sounds, have more detail in sounds and there is intelligibility in the high frequencies. I was also pleasantly surprised that the Fiio K19 adapts to headphones. I played around with the gain and in none of the modes did I hear the headphones sound harsh. With the FiiO K9 Pro ESS, if I set the gain to medium for Beyerdynamic MMX150 headphones with an impedance of 32 Ohms, the headphones sound good, but if I turn on high gain, the Beyerdynamic MMX150 headphones begin to sound harsh, and the sound is unpleasant to the ear. Same with HiFiMAN Arya Organic, and for them I set the gain low to 16 ohms. Fiio K19 does not have this. I set the gain to ultra high, and the headphones sound soft, comfortable, and there is no harsh sound. By changing headphones, the amplifier begins to adapt to the headphones, and after 1-5 minutes you can hear how the headphones begin to sound different from the others. I played with filters, and for HiFiMAN Arya Organic the Apodizing filter is best suited, which makes minimal changes to HiFiMAN Arya Organic, and HiFiMAN Arya Organic sounds correctly, without amplification in the bass and high frequencies, organically, beautifully, realistically. The Fast filter enhances high and low frequencies, enhancing detail, and is ideal for the Beyerdynamic MMX150 and for gaming. Playing Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the sound quality has become much higher, the detail is higher, there is more roar, voices are natural, and the sounds of swords and arrows are amazing, you can hear the ringing of blows of swords and spears. Immersing yourself in the gaming world with Fiio K19 is a pleasure. I watched the films “Stuntman” with Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt and “Empire Falls” (2024). I received intense pleasure. In the Beyerdynamic MMX150 it was more interesting to watch the films “Stuntman”, where there are a lot of explosions, roar, and action, but the HiFiMAN Arya Organic sounded great in the film “The Fall of an Empire”. It sounds realistic, as if I was with the main characters and experienced all this horror. Explosions, shots, shooting from a helicopter with a minigun, from a tank - it all sounded so realistic, and when I heard the whistle of bullets past my ears, I shuddered.
Is it worth upgrading from FiiO K9 Pro ESS to Fiio K19? Yes, it's worth it. The difference is very significant. If you previously used a smartphone with a screen frequency of 60 Hz, and then switched to a smartphone with a screen frequency of 120 Hz, then when you return to 60 Hz, you may notice that the phone seems to slow down. When playing a computer game with ray tracing, playing without ray tracing is no longer as interesting or as realistic.
Which is better: Topping DX9 or Fiio K19? My choice is Fiio K19. I don't mean to offend anyone who bought the Topping DX9, and this is my opinion based on listening. The Topping DX9 gave me a wow factor in the first few hours, but the overly warm and harsh highs make my ears tired over long periods of listening, and the harsh highs are uncomfortable in games. I sit in the FiiO K9 Pro ESS for hours, and thanks to the neutral sound, I can calmly listen to the FiiO K9 Pro ESS for 8-10 hours without getting tired, which I can’t say about the Topping DX9. Topping DX9 is for short listening. I listen to everything: movies, music, games, TH-cam videos. I feel very comfortable in the Fiio K19.
Topping DX9 provides enhanced and high-quality low frequencies, brighter and richer sound, especially in the low frequencies and mid ranges. Has crisp and clear high frequencies. High frequencies are not smoothed out, resulting in a sharper sound. No DSP and built-in equalizer. The sound is warm and natural.
FiiO K19 provides enhanced and high-quality bass, neutral and clear sound, high frequencies are comfortable, and it provides clear and natural sound. Able to adapt to different headphones. There are 7 filters that affect the character of the sound. There is DSP and built-in equalizer.
Thanks for the impressions.
Yeah I got all that and dolby digital and sb 5.1 7.1 on my £89 soundblaster g6 😂😂😂😂
GM ☕️💊
Listening, tho my headphone amp and DAC hunting days are pretty much over.
This looks pretty decent tho 😎
Have a great day!😊
Totally understand.
Have a fun, safe day.
Hi Dave, nice review of a great all-in-one, Fiio finally has perfected their flagship K series, and your excitement and passion demonstrate that. Thank you. One question, which do you prefer paired with the Aune S17, S9c or K19?
Both are exceptional pairings. Depends on the sound your seeking, more musical the S9C Pro and more analytical the K19. If I had to pick that is tough. I'd probably stick with the S9C Pro as the K19 is so good on its own and costs the same as the S9C Pro and S17 Pro stack and it compliments the K19 very nicely. But if price doesn't matter the K19 would be my choice.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Very keen perception and an astute observation... I understand the dilemma one faces in the presence of such high performance equipment. Thank you.
My pleasure, you're welcome
Excellent analysis! A question: do you think that for the 1300 dollars that the fiio K19 costs it is the best option for that price... And on the other hand, do you think it gets all the juice out of headphones like the Susvara? Thank you so much for any hints! Best regards
I don't have a Susvara to test but it's got a lot of power so I don't see it having an issue.
As for the price yeah it's excellent at it's price. The Mytek Liberty DAC ii is similar price but doesn't have bear the power or extra toys and is a different sonic presentation. Those are my two picks around 1300-1500.
Great review as usual. So would you go K19 or Aune S9C combined with the S17 which would be now closer in price
K19 would be my choice. BUT the S9C Pro and S17 Pro are an amazing stack as well.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Wow then that's really saying something about the K19. Thanks!
My pleasure, you're welcome
I am interested in a comparison with the Topping DX9 15th Anniversary DAC & Amplifier. Has anyone gave both a listen?
I listened to both the Topping DX9 and Fiio K19 and gave a great update, which you can easily find at the very beginning
Nice
This the second time listening to this review. My question is: Is this enjoyable? Or is this just a technically amazing unit? I can feel your enthusiasm. Would you listen to this unit all day long for pleasure as your prefered unit? Or would you prefer a tube or tube hybrid? How do you like the sound of this using the DAC into the Aune S17Pro?
I can listen to the K19 all day long.
@@TheHonestAudiophile Wow.
Does the peq allow for shelf filters? Does it have bass management (hpf in xlrs for example)? Does it work good as a preamp?
It is 31 band so you can creat any shelf you want.
Bass management ?
Preamp has fixed and variable outputs and it worked fantastic with everything I connected it to.
Hello, I just received this base in this review. I’m enjoying it so far. Only thing is how do I get to use the eq app on pc. I can’t find it on the FiiO site to download anywhere?
I am glad you enjoy the K19. Here is a link on the Fiio website to help you with the IOS and Android app.
www.fiio.com/app
I don't believe there is a PC app.
Hi Dave.
I wonder if USB input is possible for both ports.
One terminal is RS232, and I think it's a terminal related to FIIO app connection, but I wonder if it also works as an audio input.
Is it possible to select USB1 or USB2 in the input selection..
There are two USB inputs for audio one on the back and the other on the front. The RS232 is only for Fiio App.
Starting my research into all this audio setup and im leaning towards this as the all-in-one for my pc to handle my headphones and speakers.
rn for speakers I have kanto tuks and senn hd58x for headphones.
You have any recs for openback headphones up to $2k for music and games? I see a lot of recs for hekse and tungsten(the looks appeal a lot to me) but the latter seems like it takes months to ship.
Depends on what sound signature you're looking for. All sorts of options available. What are you seeking in sound presentation?
@@TheHonestAudiophile Hmm I would have to say neutral/warm I'm not much for bright sounds like sometimes the "s" sounds in vocals bother me.
I used to listen on the wh-1000xm4 but pretty much only use my senn now as its comfier and the sound stage to me is better.
Hope I'm describing it correctly and not saying contradicting things.
Hifiman Arya Stealth
@@TheHonestAudiophile Thanks for responding to all my stuff today. Just wanted to be sure I got it right because was looking into the arya stealth(v3?) and I see a lot of people describe it as bright.
Noticed I forgot to put a period after "neutral/warm" so it could have been read as me not perfering that.
@meleeninja16 my pleasure, you're welcome.
Arya Organic is brighter than the Arya Stealth.
It seems I ought to have bought one of these, instead of my iFi Phantom. :(
I've not heard Phantom. Hope to hear one at Axpona
I currently use the RME-ADI Dac with some LCD-Xs / Adam A7x’s would you consider this better than the RME ?
I've only heard ADI-2 at audio shows so I can't offer a fair comparison.
I have the RME ADI-2/4 PRO SE and I can't say enough positive things about it. Compared to the T+A DAC200, the only thing the latter beats it on is the fact that the DAC200 supports DSD up to 1024MHz. I took delivery of the K19 today, so I will need about a week to allow for burn-in and listening before I can make comments. Build quality: EXCELLENT!
@@user-tt1so2rv3e Nice, let us know how you get on. I was looking around and I think they are all set to pre-order at the moment in the UK. So it might be a little while before I can try one so any insights you have would be very useful.
@@user-tt1so2rv3ehow’s the k19 holding up to the rme?
The Fiio k19 is awesome the dance mode ist funny mode. This shit have so much power. You can make the ft5 transform to a fun Planar. Its amazing.
Glad you enjoy the K19. It does pair well with FT5.
@@TheHonestAudiophile ty for your Review it makes me buy this beauty.
My pleasure, you're welcome
11:19 can i ask how much bigger is the soundstage of the aune s17 pro, and do you think the aune s17 pro improves on the internal amplifier of the fiio k19?
The S17 Pro is an amazing amplifier but the K19 has more power and is more analytical. The S17 Pro has a large stage as well but the K19 edges it out in technical reproduction of the stage.
@TheHonestAudiophile wow, I'm surprised the fiio k19's internal amplifier edges out a standalone amplifier like the aune s17 Pro 😳
@radiofreealbemuth it's a really good device
Hi Dave.
I am looking to buy a new DAC for my active speakers.
Which DAC do you recommend more, Guatard A26 or Fiio K19?
Sorry I've not heard Gustard A26.
The A26 is better but it's really not a fair comparison as the K19 is an All in One DAC/Amp combo while the A26 is just a DAC... no Amp
9:05 can i ask how is the level of hissing/noise floor on the fiio k19 with your sensitive iems?
The only IEM that had a slight hiss that I recall is the CTM Da Vinci X but that is very fussy on desktop amps.
Bruda, kindly recommend an IEM under 100 dollars which suits genres like lofi, hip hop, rap, indie pop, electronic pop, chill wave, indie rock, trip pop....
Aoshida E20
So how do you really feel :)
and it comes with a remote ?
Yes there's a remote, how did I forget to mention that? Thanks for the reminder.
Hi Dave, in your experience does the K19 have an aggressive and hyper-fast (almost unnatural) sound like the Q7? I'm interested but having tried the Q7 honestly discourages me. I tried the aune s9c and I liked it because it doesn't have an accelerated sound, but I'm looking for something more detailed and neutral without being hyperfast (like when TH-cam sets it at 1.25)
If I thought so I would have mentioned it in the sonic impressions.
11:35 Sonic Impressions
19:50 vs Aune S9C Pro
20:40 vs Mytek Liberty DAC ii
I looked at the review carefully and in fact you don't talk about it at all, as always, but above all in this review you can perceive the love and passion you feel for music and for this hobby :) thanks for the quick response.
However, I don't know if you still have the K19 but it would be a great comparison with the DX9.
The K19 isn't aggressive in presentation but very natural and accurate.
Thanks for the suggestion of the DX9.
Does the k19 headphone output sound holographic?
Holographic as in immersive and engaging, yes. Discussed in the technical abilities section.
Hey Dave, what do you think about Volare IEM's by IO Audio?
They arrived yesterday evening. Review will be out in a month or so.
Woooo can't wait for it!!!! Are you also working on the crinacle x dusk IEM's? I'm debating on those two, so your video on the Volare will decide 😱.
@Rumeel12708 If a Dusk is provided or the funds become available, I will review it.
Does the k19 have a crossfeed feature?
Doesn't have crossfeed like the Mytek.
hi. please make a review from topping dx9.
If the funds become available or one is provided for review, I'll be glad to listen and review the Topping DX9.
How does it compare to the RME ADI-2?
Sorry I don't have an RME ADI-2 to do a comparison, have only heard it at audio shows.
@@TheHonestAudiophile no worries, thanks for the review.
How much better is this compared to the K7?
Significant upgrade in everything. K7 is warmer, less detailed and resolving, smaller staging, less accurate imaging, not as deep and layered.
Find Tiến Dũng Audio Sài Gòn channel and you can listen to all FiiO amplifiers there. The FiiO K7 sounds good for the money, but the FiiO K7 is inferior to the FiiO K9 PRO and even more so to the FiiO K19. FiiO K19 is a high-tech and smart device and FiiO has managed to make FiiO K19 better than FiiO K9 PRO. I left a big fresh comment above and you can read my opinion about FiiO K19.
Is there any usb output on this K19? Thanks
No USB output that I'm aware of
@@TheHonestAudiophile thank you
@topandrun126 my pleasure, you're welcome
Its $2000 cdn. At that price there are all kinds of options. Not for the audio head on a budget.
The EQ being software from a Chinese company is just sus to me. Keeps me from trusting this unit. Great review tho, thanks.
Understandable but not a deal breaker for me.
@@TheHonestAudiophilewhat is the best headphones in the studio type only for gaming nothing else it should be decently priced like the hd560s.
560s is pretty good for gaming in the price point. If you want closer back the Rode NTH-100 are good. I'm not huge into gaming though, play mostly sports and racing games.
Personally, I think FiiO's own R9 is a better deal. For $150 more, it adds a 6-inch HD touchscreen, a streamer and Wi-Fi, and even more features and I/O options. On the (very slightly) down side, it uses dual ES9038Pro*2 DAC chips, a slightly older Saber flagship, and a similar, but slightly less powerful (7.3 watts), 8-channel THX 788 amp (I doubt either would make significant SQ differences). And while obviously subjective, I think the R9 is far better looking. Some might argue they are different product categories, but I'd disagree--they are both essentially DAC/amps and do the same thing. The R9 just does quite a bit more for not that much more money. I'd love to see you review it if FiiO would be so kind to send you one.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will see if an R9 is available for review.
Another overpriced FiiO product 🥱
I disagree, I think it's well priced for it's performance. Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing.
@Zoltan31
Another Dac/Amp like the Fiio K19 more cheap? or another dac/amp can reach the same power or more?
@bernaquinonezreveles2952 8watts is a lot of more, I'm not familiar with an amp with that much power. Cheaper amp choice would be Aune S17 Pro and then add DAC of choice.
I disagree with you. FiiO K19 is a very cool product and is inexpensive. This is a high-tech and smart device that not only can sound great, but can adapt to different headphones, works gently with headphones, and when changing any gain mode, you will not get a blow to your eardrums, as is the case with the FiiO K9 PRO, where if the headphones have an impedance of 16 Ohms, and I set the gain to maximum, the headphones will sound very harsh and unpleasant to the ear, but the FiiO K19 has protection, and the headphones will sound beautiful in any amplification mode. For this money you get a combine and a built-in equalizer. Which amplifier will you find DSP with equalizer? I compared the built-in DSP equalizer with Equalizer APO on Windows, and the difference is very audible. If you enable Equalizer APO for FiiO K9 PRO or FiiO K19 on Windows, then after DSP you hear a foggy sound, clarity and transparency disappear, but with DSP the sound is clear, transparent and clean, and there is no fog. And what are the filters from ESS, namely FiiO K19? The Apodizing filter does not change the frequency response of the headphones, and the headphones can sound very beautiful, and the Fast filter, for example, enhances low and high frequencies, which makes the sound aggressive, detailed and interesting in computer games, and the Slow filter makes the sound great for music , in which the bass is enhanced with punch, and the high frequencies are greatly reduced. I can turn off the backlighting of the buttons, the screen can turn itself off after a time we select, and the amplifier can also turn itself off if there is no sound signal for more than 2, 10 or 30 minutes, or you can turn it off. You can set a volume limit, and you cannot set the volume above the limit, and much more.
Lol not overpriced no surround no atmos no dts no soundblaster sxfi and a sound qoulity and signature that's 0.5% different to a soundblaster g6 for less than £$100😂😂😂 my 89£ brand new G6 is better than this 😂😂
SHILL! Overpriced 💩
TROLL!
Well it’s 8,000W, high-end specs and has expensive components but yeah I don’t think it’s worth it. Fiio K7 has more value
@ExtremeMakerX I hope you get opportunity to hear how superior the K19 is to the K7, massive upgrade.
@@SnobAudiophile
. It's replying to Dave's call for viewer comments and why the ad hominem instead of addressing the statement? Isn't this a space for audiophile sharing, learning and a community on a journey together?
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
@@TriAmpHiFi that user bs99999 goes on nearly every video of Dave's and say the same dumb shit or something similar. He is a TROLL!
Plus I can whatever the f I want since bs99999 can according to your idiotic logic.