FiiO will debut the K15 at the upcoming CanJam (a trade show for head-fi enthusiasts) in London. The K15 is a headphone amplifier with analog and digital inputs and can drive headphones in both symmetrical and asymmetrical modes. According to the press release, the K15 features trickle-down technology from the FiiO K17 .
FiiO K15: DA converter and headphone amplifier for desktop use
The front panel of the FiiO K15 features three headphone jacks, i.e. a 6.35 mm jack, a 4.4 mm jack and a mini XLR jack. The latter two are for symmetrically driven headphones. Apart from the volume control, the user can choose from five gain levels. The K15 can be used as a DAC, as a preamplifier and as a headphone amplifier.
The class AB amplifier can deliver up to 3 watts of power via the balanced output. The two rotary knobs with LED rings give access to the volume control and the menu system of the 4-inch information display with touch function.
The rear panel features various digital and analogue inputs. When the K15 is used as a preamplifier or DAC, the analogue music signal is output via a RCA output and an XLR output. There is also Bluetooth connectivity with support for aptXHD and LDAC. Network connection can be established via a cable (RJ45 Ethernet) or via 2.4G/5G dual-band WiFi. The K15 understands Apple AirPlay 2 and supports Roon.
DA conversion is handled by a pair of AKM AK4497S DAC chips from Japan, part of the Japanese manufacturer’s new Velvet Sound series. The dual mono configuration feeds a fully balanced and fully differential analog signal path. The designers also separated the analog circuits from the digital circuits and power supplies by placing each on a separate circuit board. A ten-band parametric tone control is available via the FiiO Control app.
Deliveries are said to begin in early August. The K15 will retail for just under 600 euros.
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