A good portable player often becomes the first source of high-quality sound for most people wishing to join personal audio. With all its merits, portable sources can not be compared in capacity with a good hospital, so usually the hospital becomes the next purchase. In Fiio they decided to simplify the upgrade process for those who want to listen to "tight" headphones and released an interesting desktop amplifier with the K5 index.
This amplifier stands out from the others with the presence of a dock connector that allows you to connect the entire current line of Fiio players (X1, X3-2, X5-2 and X7) as well as the portable E17K DAC. This allows you to listen through the amplifier music from the player or use the device as a DAC (except X1, of course). This approach made it possible to save money on the DAC, providing a humane price tag around 110 dollars.
The K5 used TPA6120A2 chips, which allowed not only a powerful output (up to 1.5 watts with a load of 32Ω), but also an output impedance below 1Ω, which makes the K5 a very versatile device. To develop this versatility, the amplifier was equipped with a set of inputs and outputs, including even a balanced (albeit with non-standard connectors). How does it all work?
Specifications
- Dimensions: 120 mm × 130 mm × 55 mm
- Weight: 450 g
- Inputs: linear (2 × RCA), USB, MicroUSB
- Outputs: Earphone (6.3 mm TRS), linear (2 × RCA), balanced (2 × 3.5 mm TRS)
- Power supply: 15V / 1.5A
Headphone output
- Frequency range: 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz ± 0.2 dB
- Output power: > 1.7 W @ 16Ω,> 1.5 W @ 32Ω,> 150 mW @ 300Ω
- Recommended load impedance: 16Ω ~ 300Ω
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: <0.002% (1 kHz, 32Ω)
- Signal to noise ratio (from line input): ≥110 dB
- Noise level (from the line input): <10μV
- Output Impedance: <1Ω (32Ω)
- Channel separation: > 70 dB (1 kHz)
- Gain: 0 dB, 6 dB, 12 dB
- Maximum output voltage: 20 Vp-p
Linear and balanced outputs (with Fiio X7)
- Level: 1.90V
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 0.004%
Packing and delivery kit
This time in Fiio they chose for the box a radically black color and a matte cardboard on which a glossy image of K5 with an attached X7 stands out (to advertise the flagship is a logical idea). The technical specifications are printed on the back side of the box. In the complete set, except for the amplifier, enter:
- spare rubber self-adhesive feet
- power supply for 15V
- rubber gaskets for using the dock with different Fiio devices
- USB cable
- adapter from 3.5 mm to 6.3
- different instructions
The power supply included in the kit is quite ordinary, the same ones are sold with many notebooks of the initial segment. In my version, the PSU was equipped with a Chinese plug and Fiio kindly added the adapter, but I think the final version will have a European plug. Those wishing to "squeeze more of the device" can look at specialized power supplies for audio devices, but their price is sometimes noticeably higher than the price of K5, and the expediency for me personally is in question.
It's unfortunate that there was not enough room for more cables that would be very useful: a microUSB cable for connecting the devices through the rear connector (especially relevant since there are no external cables), a wire with a 3.5 mm jack and 2 RCA, cable for balanced output ... It is clear that this is done to reduce the price of the device, but, as always, I would like to dream.
Design and management
Despite the budget cost, Fiio did not save on design. Most of the case K5 is aluminum, painted in a beautiful dark gray color, called in the company "titanium". The build quality has traditionally not been censured, no squeaks, backlashes or poor-quality connectors are present. Despite the power, the K5 is quite compact, although the weight of almost half a kilo allows the amplifier to lie securely on the table, without trying to fly away from it from the first random jerk by the wire.
Most of the interfaces are located on the front and back sides of the device. The front side contains a 6.3 mm headphone output, a three-position switch Gain, a switch between the line input and the dock and a volume control combined with power off. The volume control is inscribed in the ring indicator, glowing when working in blue and has a pleasant smooth stroke, noise during the adjustment is absent. If the device is connected to the dock from the top, K5 on / off will also turn the device on or off.
The back panel contains the main connectors: power, line in and out (both in the form of a pair of RCA), a USB connector for connecting to a computer, a microUSB connector for connecting devices to bypass the dock and a balanced output. The latter is implemented non-standard in the form of two 3.5 mm sockets, so you'll need an adapter for a more common XLR, if you decide to connect to a balanced amplifier. A large USB is used to connect to a computer and is, in fact, a direct interface to a docked device. In fact, the difference between direct connection of the player via cable and through the dock is not.
Above is a small hatch that closes the docking station. Leaning back, the lid of this hatch serves as a support for the device. By default, the dock is designed for the thickest device in the form of X7 without a cover, if you use something thinner, the help comes complete rubber inserts. They are inserted into the groove on the inside of this hatch itself. The dock uses an 11-pin MicroUSB connector on which the device rests on top, so I would advise you to be more careful during operation so as not to damage the K5 or whatever you insert into it. Alternatively, instead of connecting the device to the dock connector, you can connect it to the MicroUSB socket on the rear panel, but for this it is necessary that Fiio release the appropriate cable.
Sound
The following equipment was used to listen to the device:
- MacBook Pro Retina Late 2013 as a source
- Audirvana Plus as a player
- Fiio X5-2 and Fiio X7 in the role of players connected to the dock
- Headphones ZMF Omni, Oppo PM-3, Titan 3 and Titan 5, Lear LHF-AE1d, Ambient Acoustics AM10, VE Monk and Asura v2, HiFiMan HE-400S
- Entries in lossless format
Initially, I was skeptical of the K5, the $ 100 amplifier is clearly not meant to be missed from the star's sky, usually the price of the initial segment of devices. But the K5 in many ways exceeded expectations, I had an opinion that its sound was specially "modified" for it to do exactly what is expected from a powerful headphone amplifier. In addition to the power that allows better exposure to tight models, the K5 also slightly tones the bass, making it slightly deeper, which goes to most headphones for good. In addition, the HF band is slightly smoothed, making it a little softer, which also sounds nice on full-sized headphones.
Bass - moderately fast and not bad textured. Adding depth, which gives K5, adds a solidity and massiveness to the device, which, of course, pleases, especially in full-size models. The resolution is not prohibitive, but very good.
The midrange range does not change much, especially as modern players usually do well with this. Of course, if you use tight headphones that do not have enough power for your player, then you'll obviously hear the changes from K5, but if the player already cope - everything will remain the same as it was. In general, it is quite good for an amplifier, it does not make anything particularly noticeable from itself in the MF. The imaginary scene and the separation of instruments remain the same as they were, if your player pulled out the headphones in capacity, or increased, if not. Here it is worth talking not about improvement, but about "bringing to the planned level".
HF range is slightly smoothed. This results in a slight decrease in the perceived detail, but it makes the sound softer and not straining, allowing you to concentrate more on the midrange and lower frequencies.
Compatibility
The amplifier has a good power reserve, although it is worth noting that by the end of 2015 most manufacturers have finally realized that power is not something to be neglected, and a string of really powerful amplifiers has rushed to the market. Thus, the K5 with its 1.5 watts on the 32Ω load is a very good choice for both the mid-level isodyne and the high-resistance mid-range from Sennheiser, Audio-Technica and Beyerdynamic. In turn, the gain switch allows you to use the device and with most gags, except, perhaps, the most sensitive, they will have too little margin for adjusting the volume. Low impedance allows K5 to make friends with hybrid and multi-driver models.
The amateur does not have any genre preferences, everything depends on what the player connected to it does. To the quality of records, the device is not very critical, it is about 1 point lower the rating of the corresponding player for this parameter.
As usual, a few examples.
Moonspell - Incantatrix. The surprisingly quiet thing from the bonus disk "Omega White" is the penetrating half-voiced half-whisper of Fernando, an interesting keyboard introduction, the softened sound of guitars, all refer to the popular in the middle of the zero genre of love metal. The only difference is that Moonspell in one track caulk half of all the bands that played in that genre combined. This track is very useful for that "additive" bass, which gives the K5, and in combination with slightly softened high frequencies, the track acquires a more atmospheric sound.
Tuomas Holopainen - Cold Heart of the Klondike. The symphonic fairy tale about Scrooge, created by the magician from Nightwish - is exactly what is very suitable for this amp. Tuomas did not deny himself the pleasure of using the deep blows of the big drums creating the background of almost all of his solo album. In turn, K5 acts as a picky coach, "kicking" headphones and knocking out a deep bass, even from not very bass models (though not all).
Rage - Black in Mind. If ever in the Paris Chamber measures and weights decide to make a reference record in the genre of power metal, then I will vote specifically for the work of Rage. Modern power metal for some reason lost that part, which is characterized by the word "power". But Rage's album of 95 years showed how much power can be put into music and how to give out as much aggression per unit of time, while not crossing the boundaries of more brutal genres. For similar tracks, the K5 is also very suitable, a slightly tidied up HF cover the flaws of the recording, and pure MFs - convey the aggression as it should be.
conclusions
Fiio nurtured the idea of this amplifier for more than a year, X1 with a connector for the future dock was announced as early as 2014. Fortunately, the result turned out to be very, very interesting. Of course, the K5 is not an over-the-top amplifier for expensive headphones, its main sphere of application is medium-budget solutions to about $ 1000 for which it is intended. Good opening of the headphones is promoted by a large reserve of power and a delicious feed. Also I like the convenience of the device in terms of integration with the players Fiio. Adds all the available cost, which makes its value for money unusually high.
The article is based on materials .
Comments
Post a Comment