FiiO Ka15 HiFi Dual DAC AMP – Jade Audio Retro Tape Cassette Dongle
FiiO KA15 is a $109 USD dongle DAC AMP with a unique retro design that reminds me a lot of old cassette players, being a dual DAC design inside, perfect for HiFi listening with a modern sound. Today we will explore and review KA15.
Introduction
FiiO has always been daring with their designs and Jade Audio, the entry-level sub brand from FiiO has been the one handling those ultra affordable products, so it is no shocker that we’re seeing more and more innovation in the entry-level range ever since FiiO decided to join and focus on the b budget segment of the audio market under the Jade brand. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to FiiO for providing us with the sample for this review.
PROs – Warm, Pleasing tuning, Cassette-like GUI, exceptional sonics when driving IEMS with no background noise, a lot of power in Desktop Mode, good overall performance, and especially for the price, it is exceptional.
Cons – It can get quite warm in Desktop Mode.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3YAPi7u
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DF8wOtX
Build Quality/Aesthetics
FiiO KA15 is part of their dongle series, with a modern take on the retro style. Ka15 uses a USB Chip under the code SPV5048PRO combined with a Dual DAC from the CS43198 series, and for the OP-AMPs they went with the popular SGM8262 in dual mode. FiiO embedded many new features in KA15, and we can start with the Intelligent Dynamic Power Consumption. Basically, Ka15 monitors the consumption needed for playback, and this allows your phone to run with less power. There is a mode that allows you to set KA15 to automatically turn off at night, for those who like to fall asleep while listening to music. This results in an 80% lower power consumption compared to Ka5 when playback is paused, and a 93% lower power consumption compared to Ka5 when KA15 is in standby.
The cassette tape player effect is provided by a 0.96″ IPS True Color Display, which supports both English and Chinese and with a colorful interface, KA15 looks like a new type of player / dongle. There is a new Desktop Mode implemented in KA15, which allows it to run at full-power for driving headphones with a 560mW per channel so 560mW x 2 at max, which is insane for a dongle, being 207% higher at maximum compared to KA5. This is a patented tech with the number L202321946664.8.
The decoding part is very capable and it allows playback for signals up to 768 kHz / 32 Bit and DSD256 for the 1-Bit Enthusiasts. FiiO has excellent integration with their own FiiO Control app, which allows you to set a custom PEQ profile, custom balance, what the buttons do, screen brightness, and more. KA15 supports in-line volume and playback control for the 3.5mm cable input.
To create the most reliable DAC AMP, KA15 has an all-metal body which is designed through multiple processes, including CNC milling, anodizing, and polishing. This will also reduce interference and profile a purer sound. You can configure the 3.5mm output to also act as a SPDIF output, besides being a headphone output. KA15 works with Android, Windows iOS and MAC. FiiO also includes UAC 1.0 which allows it to work with PS5, and other non UAC 2.0 compatible hosts.
When you’re not using desktop mode, the Balanced output is 170 mW per channel, and the Single Ended output has a driving power of 50 mW per channel. In the Desktop Mode, the balanced output has a driving power of 560 mW per channel, while the Single Ended output has a driving power of 180 mW per channel. This all comes with a SNR of 13 dB, and a THD+N of 0.0004%, with a noise floor of lower than 1.7 uV for the Single Ended output, and 3.2 uV for the Balanced Output.
USB DAC / Subjective Usage
Subjectively, KA15 is a revolutionary DAC AMP with a mini body, but a good OS, and I have seen some new features that I’ve never seen before. Among those is a DAC mode between Class H and Class AB. You really have to dig what a Class H AMP / DAC is, but it is basically a Class AB enhanced for efficiency, and you have to hear it for yourself, as it produces a unique blend of sound that’s digital in nature, almost like two
AB AMPs running in series. The short version is that within a Class H design, the AMP draws power only when the signal will tresspass a certain voltage limit.
You can also display the current voltage and Current, and you can cycle through a few colors of the GUI, including Blue, Yellow, Green, Black. You can select aan interpolation filter, based on the abilities of the CS43131 which we’ve reviewed plenty of times. Getting down to business, KA15 has an independent volume separate from the Windows volume, which is great as it allows you to have a separate volume between them. USB playback is real time with no errors, 1st part of each song is complete, and there are no weird artifacts.
There is no background noise or weird static audible if music is playing at zero volume, even if you engage desktop mode or Class AB mode. The unit runs cool in idle and barely warm during usage. The only thing that bugs me a bit is that to wake up the KA15, you have to double press any key. For example, the red button is a play / pause / menu button and if the display turns off, it reacts to input, but to wake up the display uou have to double press the button. As the device is still responsive even with the display turned off, this is a very minor con. The little cassette playing animation is very nice when having to take a look at Ka15.
Sound Quality
Pairings – I’ve paired the Ka15 with a wide selection of IEMS and Headphones, but the head result is that even if you’re mainly driving IEMs and portable headphones, the power will be enough, but the sound and driving power is not enough for hard to drive headphones, the limit being a HiFiMAN Sundara, with KA15 struggling to drive a pair of Arya Organic. I have paired Ka15 with Xenns Mangird Tea PRO, FiiO FH19, BQEYZ Winter, TinHiFi P1 Max II, Soundz Flame, Soundz Avant, Sweear HE-Live5, Hiby x FAudio Project Ace, and Jomo Audio P3 Pantheon Percussion. With all of those IEMs, the synergy is beautiful, Ka15 producing a warm and pleasing midrange, a wide soundstage and a highly dynamic, punchy sound. For headphones, I mainly paired Ka15 with easier to drive cans that it can handle, including MIRPH-1, FiiO FT1, Crosszone CZ-10 Enhanced, and Audeze MM-100. With all of those headphones, the synergy is beautiful, KA15 offering a dynamic, colorful and punchy sound with excellent impact and low THD. Driving Dan Clark Audio Expanse is not possible, as they require more power to be driven well, but with headphones I previously had problems finding a good source for headphones like CZ-10 Enhanced, the final tuning is pleasing, fun and clean.
Overall Signature – We have two very distinct sonic signatures, or rather four. Desktop Mode will pump a much higher power into all headphones, which results in a far more dynamic sound, with better control and more detail, more volume and better volume saturation, but Desktop Mode makes Ka15 runs hot to the touch and will drain a lot of power, and it will not work with some smartphones. Also on the power saving part of things, KA15 gives you the option to run it in Class H and Class AB, and the sound is more crisp, more detailed and cleaner in class AB, but it draws more power, while Class H is more economical. As I see it, if you purchase it to keep Ka15 in Desktop Mode and Class AB, you’re doing the most you can with it, and you allow it to sound the best, while in Class H and Non-Desktop Mode, the sound is compressed and lean, being far less interesting, but you could run it from a phone an entire day, with the power drain being so little that you will likely not even notice it in the smartphone’s battery life. Some smartphones will not work with Desktop mode as they will see KA15 as draining too much power.
The tuning is a bit like a cassette player, a bit like a tape player, a warm, goofy and full lower midrange, with a slowly rolling off upper midrange and treble, a full and fuzzy bass with a wide soundstage and high amount of dynamics. Desktop mode handles dynamics and resolution better, even with IEMs, while portable mode sounds a bit compressed in general. The potential is fully achieved only when you allow KA15 to run in full power, full throttle mode with all stops taken off.
Bass – Just like a Cassette player, KA15 shows a beautiful sound, with a full, bloomy and rounded bass that is satisfying. We have a natural bass, with a speed that’s natural, not too fast but not sloppy, a bit on the mellower side like magnetic tape. Analogic is a good way to describe it, and this means that it is inherently a bit on the slower side for technical death metal, but perfect for EDM, Pop and Rap music. Bass has most focus starting on 40 Hz, where it gains a strong presence, which is kept up until 100 Hz, after which the bass impact relaxes a bit, creating the tape tuning I keep talking about.
Midrange – We have a warm, musical and pleasing midrange coming from KA15, with excellent sound for both male and female voices. Both are presented with a slightly sweet and happy tone to them, female voices sound colorful and emotional, while male voices are deep and clear, with zero distortion even for metal and even death metal sounds super musical and fun. Ka15 ignores hard edges and sharper parts in music, being forgiving and smooth, somewhat waxy sounding. KA15 makes all lyrics easy to understand, gives guitars a playful tone even in death metal, creating a rather titled towards happy sound to each track it plays. Overall, the mid tone is really pleasing and reminds me a bit of a vintage, retro cassette player.
Treble – To finish the tuning in the same style, FiiO KA15 presents the treble smooth, relaxed and softly rolled off, with less presence and energy towards the top, the higher you climb. This keeps all music relaxed, and it has a full, thick treble that makes even harsher tracks enjoyable and listenable and takes your mind away from the treble quickly, giving you time and focus for the midrange and the fatter bass.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – FiiO generally has an even loudness saturation gradient, and we can see this with KA15 too, as it has a very similar sound regardless of the volume it is playing, with a warm, pleasing sound across all volumes. At most, the dynamic range becomes stronger and the sound gets more punchy at higher volumes, while the soundstage gets wider, but flattens in depth at higher volumes.
Dynamics Handling – KA15 handles busy and crowded songs well, it is similar to most Dongle DAC AMPS in the price range, although it offers a slightly better separation in ultra compressed songs like rock and pop, it can present the background layer more clearly with more contrast, while the forward layer always stays crisp and clear, regardless of the compression and loudness.
PRaT / Textures – KA15 has what I can call a Waxy Texture, something I’ve only seen a few times, but many folks cherish as part of an Analogue-like sound, with a natural impact, but fluid texture for the body of instruments, drawing the more relaxed and forgiving character of a wet texture character, but with a harder impact like a sound with a harder texture. Overall, the presentation will emphasize all music styles quite nicely and give you a fun, pleasing sound without killing impact and harder edge in pop or EDM.
Soundstage – The sound is projected in your face, and laterally around you, without much depth, with two distinct forward and background layers being revealed, but not much in between. The presentation still has a fair instrument separation and definition, especially considering the price point.
Value and Conclusion
A DAC AMP from FiiO under the Jade Audio brand already had an edgy advantage in terms of value, but FiiO KA15 over-delivers on every front, it offers performance that’s exceptional even for a higher price point, but basically at its 109 USD point, it is amazing, sounds better than most Bluetooth-enabled DAC/AMPs, consumes little, has no background noise for IEMs, and has that unique, cutetsy retro look.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a DAC AMP that sounds warm, smooth, lean and cassette-like with good bass, relaxed treble but very good details in the midranage, and a sweet, pleasing sound, FiiO Ka15 will be your friend and a great little dongle to enjoy music with.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3YAPi7u
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DF8wOtX
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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