FiiO - KA1
Portable USB Amp & DACUnfortunately, even if we desire to, we won't be able to resurrect this product. The Museum is where we pay our respects to end-of-life, old, archived, but not forgotten products. This page was made with a lot of love and will live on for posterity. What to say, we're sentimental people. 😔
While this product is gone forever, here are others we recommend
Customer Reviews
As a beginner audiophile, I was quite torn between the entry level options from Shanling and Fiio. Long story short, I made a good decision when I chose to go with the Fiio KA1. The build quality of the unit is absolutely impeccable, the cable, although not replaceable, has survived my harsh usage without any visible damage. A year later, I'm super impressed by how it's held up. The sound quality is another tale altogether, because I can tangibly hear the complex notes I could never notice over Bluetooth with compressed audio. While they improve sound quality in general, I noticed the most difference while using high bitrate FLAC files. Overall, a worthy purchase for use with a laptop/mobile phone.
Wow! Your positive review made our day! Thank you for recognising our efforts to provide a great shopping experience! We value your feedback and can't wait to have you back!
FiiO DAC Review: A World of Clarity Unveiled
Immerse yourself in sonic bliss with the FiiO DAC, a purchase that unlocked a whole new audio dimension. The astonishing clarity it delivers is truly unimaginable until you witness it firsthand. Gone are the days of muddled sound; this DAC offers a crystal-clear sonic landscape, revealing details you never knew existed in your music.
Built to last, the FiiO DAC boasts impressive craftsmanship. Its solid construction inspires confidence and complements its exceptional performance. This is a premium product in every sense, evident in both its quality and longevity.
Unwavering recommendation: Without a doubt, the FiiO DAC is a must-have for any audiophile. Its unmatched clarity, quality build, and top-notch performance make it a truly remarkable investment. If you're looking to elevate your listening experience, look no further!
Bonus: A shoutout to Headphone Zone for their commendable service. They made the buying process smooth and enjoyable, further adding to the positive experience.
Hey there, thank you for the great review and ratings! So delighted that you are loving your purchase. Cheers!
Small, compact and powerful DAC. Checked with MP3 and flac files. Sound quality is good. Great VFM
Hey there, thank you for the great review and ratings! So delighted that you are loving your purchase. Hope you had a comfortable shopping experience. Cheers!
I use this DAC/Amp with 560S, which are already sensitive enough to be used without an Amp and still get plenty of volume. However, it doesn't mean that KA1 is not useful. I have surely noticed an improvement in sound with it. Subjectively speaking, the bass may or may not sound tighter - depends very much on the listener, but treble definitely gets help, overall instrument separation, and soundstage also gets a bit better. The differences won't be like day and night, but one may notice it in some songs more clearly than that in others. I also read quite a number of opinions of users on some of the most popular DAC/Amps in this price range. I preferred KA1 over others for its build quality, and neutral sound, low power consumption, and no heating when active.
Hey A.V. ,
This makes us really happy and we really appreciate the genuine feedback! Your review will definitely help fellow audiophiles to make an informed decision.
FiiO - KA1
Hey there, thank you for the awesome ratings!
When you listen to music in your smartphone, you are actually missing a lot and are not even aware of it. Attach a DAC to your wired headphones and plug in to your mobile phone. Listen to the same tune again. Now the sound of music y will be sharper, sweeter and more detailed. There was so much more to hear ! If you listen to your music from streaming platforms like APPLE MUSIC then the music is simply fantastic. DAC is an essential accessory to your mobile phone for better sound.
Thank you for your review of the FiiO KA1! We're glad to hear that you have experienced the difference a DAC can make in enhancing your music experience on a smartphone. Happy listening!
It has a small form factor and quite lightweight. Good audio quality and materials.
Thank you for the review! we appreciate it.
Easy to use
Thank you for the review! we appreciate it.
Chi-Fi
Excellence
Ideal for Audiophiles
Ideal for Commuting
Best Suited for Portable Use
DAC Chip
You may not even realise it, but most of us use a digital-to-analogue converter (commonly known as a DAC) daily. Built into your computers, tablets and smartphones, a DAC is fundamental to unlocking the convenience of digital music. Any device that acts as a digital sound source will need a DAC to convert digital audio to analog. A DAC converts the digital information stored in “0s and 1s” into an analog signal that's passed to speakers or headphones and ultimately our ear. In short, DACs play a large part in making digital music hearable.
While this technical process is undoubtedly impressive, the DAC embedded into your smartphones or laptops is nowhere good enough to listen to your favourite music recordings in high quality. So, if you want to listen to music in high quality, an external DAC is essential to allow headphones or speakers to perform at their potential. An external DAC, first and foremost, will improve audio quality dramatically.
Pair with Laptop via USB
A majority of people use a laptop as the primary source device to listen to music or watch movies. Since the laptop is an essential part of the audio chain there are headphones and devices designed to work a laptop or computer system flawlessly. With the availability of USB connectivity, it becomes easier to pair various devices like an Amp, DAC or even headphones without worrying about drivers or any additional piece of software.
45mW@32Ω
Power Output
Metal
Build
Super Lightweight
Design
DESCRIPTION
FIIO AND JADE AUDIO HAVE COLLABORATED AGAIN TO INTRODUCE THE ALL-NEW KA1
FiiO has collaborated with its sub-brand Jade Audio to offer you the all-new KA1, a portable Amp & DAC. FiiO KA1 packs a punch, with a feature-rich design embedding the ESS ES9281AC PRO DAC chip, supporting 32bit/384khz PCM and DSD256 decoding. It supports MQA rendering allowing you to play master-quality authenticated files without any difficulties. The FiiO KA1 is also equipped with RGB indicator lights that are attractive but at the same time can also indicate the sampling rate of the currently playing song, helping to tell audio formats conveniently.
EMBEDDED WITH ESS SABRE PRO DAC CHIP, MAKING THE FiiO KA1 AN ALL-ROUNDER
The FiiO KA1 is embedded with an ESS ES9281AC PRO DAC chip that combines the capabilities of a USB audio interface, DAC, and an amplifier into one device. When combined with the multi-layered HDI gold-plated PCB, the DAC results in lower distortions, higher efficiency, and lower power consumption, leading to a high-quality sound. The ES9281AC PRO DAC chip supports 32bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 formats. You can access the DoP mode, which supports DSD 128, and the Native supports DSD256 playback. The FiiO allows you to hear even the minutest detail within your music and have an energetic listening experience.
OFFERING YOU AN ENGAGING LISTENING EXPERIENCE WITH AMPLE AMPLIFICATION, SIGNATURE TUNING, AND MQA SUPPORT
FiiO has carefully tuned the KA1 by a team of acoustic engineers to present a smooth and accurate sound. The KA1 also has a premium audio amplification circuit that delivers ample power to the connected earphones to bring the best out of them. FiiO KA1 is also certified by MQA as it can render MQA files without any distortion. MQA rendering technology can connect to an MQA Core signal like TIDAL or FiiO Music App and complete the final stage of unfolding an MQA file. The FiiO offers you a highly engaging experience with a detailed and immersive sound.
ROBUST BUILD WITH AN ALL-METAL BUILD WITH RGB LIGHT INDICATOR MAKING IT AESTHETICALLY PLEASING
FiiO KA1 is built with premium quality materials with an all-metal body making it sturdy and sleek, making it easy to use. The FiiO KA1 is equipped with an RGB indicator light in a metal body with four colors; blue, yellow, green, and magenta, making the portable Amp & DAC more aesthetically pleasing. More importantly, the RGB light can also indicate the sampling rate of the currently playing song, in turn helping you to tell audio formats effortlessly. The connecting cable is also made with premium materials and utilizes a silver-plated monocrystalline copper cable for flawless audio transmission.
EXPERTLY ENGINEERED TO OFFER UNIVERSAL COMPATIBILITY IN AN EASY PLUG-AND-PLAY DESIGN
FiiO KA1 provides multi-platform compatibility, making it compatible with Android/ Windows/ Mac. All you need to do is, connect the FiiO KA1 to your smartphone, tablet, desktop PC/laptop, or even portable players for high-resolution audio capabilities whenever you want. The KA1 is available in type C and lightning variants so, you can choose the one compatible with your device. The FiiO KA1 allows you to enjoy your music on whichever device you prefer.
SPECS
| MODEL | KA1 |
| COLOR | Classic Black/Dark Night Green |
| HARDWARE | DAC: ES9281AC PRO |
| FIIO CONTROL | is not supported |
| WEIGHT | About 10g |
| SIZE | fuselage: about 40mm x 15mm x 8mm
Line length: 70mm |
| AUDIO INPUT INTERFACE | Type-C Cable or Lightning |
| HEADSET OUTPUT INTERFACE | 3.5mm socket |
| FIRMWARE UPGRADE | The system firmware can be upgraded through USB |
| SAMPLE RATE INDICATION | Blue: below 48kHz
Yellow: above 48kHz Green: DSD Magenta: MQA |
| CHANNEL BALANCE | <0.05dB(32Ω/THD+N<1%) |
| IMPEDANCE ADAPTATION | 16 to 300Ω |
| THE HIGHEST SUPPORTED SAMPLING RATE | 384KHz/32bit |
| SUPPORT DSD | DSD64/128/256 |
| OUTPUT POWER | 43mW (16Ω,THD+N<1%)
45mW (32Ω,THD+N<1%) 13mW (300Ω,THD+N<1%) 6.8mW(600Ω,THD+N<1%) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20Hz to 20KHz, the curve amplitude varies by 0.1dB
20Hz to 50KHz, the curve amplitude varies by 0.3dB |
| BOTTOM NOISE | <2.4uV(A calculation) |
| OUTPUT AMPLITUDE | 1.2V(32Ω/THD+N<1%) |
| CHANNEL SEPARATION | ≥ 73dB(1Khz, 32Ω load) |
| OUTPUT IMPEDANCE | <1.5Ω (load 32Ω) |
| SNR | ≥ 114dB(32Ω A) |
| DISTORTION + BOTTOM NOISE | <0.0005%(32Ω A)
<0.00018%(600Ω A) |
| ANDROID | 1. FiiO KA1 |
| 2. USB-A to Type-C adapter | |
| 3. User Manual | |
| LIGHTNING | 1. FiiO KA1 |
| 2. User Manual |
Quick Start Guide | KA1
Portable USB Amp & DAC
|
FIIO AND JADE AUDIO HAVE COLLABORATED AGAIN TO INTRODUCE THE ALL-NEW KA1
FiiO has collaborated with its sub-brand Jade Audio to offer you the all-new KA1, a portable Amp & DAC. FiiO KA1 packs a punch, with a feature-rich design embedding the ESS ES9281AC PRO DAC chip, supporting 32bit/384khz PCM and DSD256 decoding. It supports MQA rendering allowing you to play master-quality authenticated files without any difficulties. The FiiO KA1 is also equipped with RGB indicator lights that are attractive but at the same time can also indicate the sampling rate of the currently playing song, helping to tell audio formats conveniently.
EMBEDDED WITH ESS SABRE PRO DAC CHIP, MAKING THE FiiO KA1 AN ALL-ROUNDER
The FiiO KA1 is embedded with an ESS ES9281AC PRO DAC chip that combines the capabilities of a USB audio interface, DAC, and an amplifier into one device. When combined with the multi-layered HDI gold-plated PCB, the DAC results in lower distortions, higher efficiency, and lower power consumption, leading to a high-quality sound. The ES9281AC PRO DAC chip supports 32bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 formats. You can access the DoP mode, which supports DSD 128, and the Native supports DSD256 playback. The FiiO allows you to hear even the minutest detail within your music and have an energetic listening experience.
OFFERING YOU AN ENGAGING LISTENING EXPERIENCE WITH AMPLE AMPLIFICATION, SIGNATURE TUNING, AND MQA SUPPORT
FiiO has carefully tuned the KA1 by a team of acoustic engineers to present a smooth and accurate sound. The KA1 also has a premium audio amplification circuit that delivers ample power to the connected earphones to bring the best out of them. FiiO KA1 is also certified by MQA as it can render MQA files without any distortion. MQA rendering technology can connect to an MQA Core signal like TIDAL or FiiO Music App and complete the final stage of unfolding an MQA file. The FiiO offers you a highly engaging experience with a detailed and immersive sound.
ROBUST BUILD WITH AN ALL-METAL BUILD WITH RGB LIGHT INDICATOR MAKING IT AESTHETICALLY PLEASING
FiiO KA1 is built with premium quality materials with an all-metal body making it sturdy and sleek, making it easy to use. The FiiO KA1 is equipped with an RGB indicator light in a metal body with four colors; blue, yellow, green, and magenta, making the portable Amp & DAC more aesthetically pleasing. More importantly, the RGB light can also indicate the sampling rate of the currently playing song, in turn helping you to tell audio formats effortlessly. The connecting cable is also made with premium materials and utilizes a silver-plated monocrystalline copper cable for flawless audio transmission.
EXPERTLY ENGINEERED TO OFFER UNIVERSAL COMPATIBILITY IN AN EASY PLUG-AND-PLAY DESIGN
FiiO KA1 provides multi-platform compatibility, making it compatible with Android/ Windows/ Mac. All you need to do is, connect the FiiO KA1 to your smartphone, tablet, desktop PC/laptop, or even portable players for high-resolution audio capabilities whenever you want. The KA1 is available in type C and lightning variants so, you can choose the one compatible with your device. The FiiO KA1 allows you to enjoy your music on whichever device you prefer.
| MODEL | KA1 |
| COLOR | Classic Black/Dark Night Green |
| HARDWARE | DAC: ES9281AC PRO |
| FIIO CONTROL | is not supported |
| WEIGHT | About 10g |
| SIZE | fuselage: about 40mm x 15mm x 8mm
Line length: 70mm |
| AUDIO INPUT INTERFACE | Type-C Cable or Lightning |
| HEADSET OUTPUT INTERFACE | 3.5mm socket |
| FIRMWARE UPGRADE | The system firmware can be upgraded through USB |
| SAMPLE RATE INDICATION | Blue: below 48kHz
Yellow: above 48kHz Green: DSD Magenta: MQA |
| CHANNEL BALANCE | <0.05dB(32Ω/THD+N<1%) |
| IMPEDANCE ADAPTATION | 16 to 300Ω |
| THE HIGHEST SUPPORTED SAMPLING RATE | 384KHz/32bit |
| SUPPORT DSD | DSD64/128/256 |
| OUTPUT POWER | 43mW (16Ω,THD+N<1%)
45mW (32Ω,THD+N<1%) 13mW (300Ω,THD+N<1%) 6.8mW(600Ω,THD+N<1%) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20Hz to 20KHz, the curve amplitude varies by 0.1dB
20Hz to 50KHz, the curve amplitude varies by 0.3dB |
| BOTTOM NOISE | <2.4uV(A calculation) |
| OUTPUT AMPLITUDE | 1.2V(32Ω/THD+N<1%) |
| CHANNEL SEPARATION | ≥ 73dB(1Khz, 32Ω load) |
| OUTPUT IMPEDANCE | <1.5Ω (load 32Ω) |
| SNR | ≥ 114dB(32Ω A) |
| DISTORTION + BOTTOM NOISE | <0.0005%(32Ω A)
<0.00018%(600Ω A) |
| ANDROID | 1. FiiO KA1 |
| 2. USB-A to Type-C adapter | |
| 3. User Manual | |
| LIGHTNING | 1. FiiO KA1 |
| 2. User Manual |
|
Quick Start Guide | KA1
Portable USB Amp & DAC
|
Don't sweat it, this
FiiO - KA1 comes with a 1 Year warranty
from FiiO that covers manufacturing defects.
All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty.
Read more about FiiO's warranty in India.
"We can call this dongle a ”Jack of all trade, master of none” since the tonality is very easy to enjoy, deliver good enough resolution and technicalities and more importantly a timbre that is natural, dense, nuanced and musical."
Read MoreHave a question? Get in touch!
Check out the most common questions our customers ask. Still have questions? Talk to our Headphone Gurus.
How to connect the FiiO KA1 to computers?
1. The FiiO KA1 can be used driver-free with computers of Windows 10 and above.
2. You can also install the FiiO USB driver. It supports ASIO output of up to DSD256.
FiiO USB DAC driver 5.30.0 version download link: Click here
3. If it is connected through the Type-C port, just use the Type-C edition of the KA1. If it is connected to a USB-A port, just use the USB-A to Type-C adapter to complete the connection.
4. Settings of the music app: choose the FiiO KA1/FiiO K series as the audio output device->put on headphones to enjoy music. For some computers, it is required to select the KA1 as the system audio output.
(Note: Since Microsoft has stopped driver authentication of systems below Windows10, the KA1 will not support Windows10 or below computers.)
【Mac】
1. The FiiO KA1 runs driver-free on macOS.
2. When connecting to the Type-C port on the computer, just use the Type-C edition of the KA1. If it is connected to a USB-A port, just use the USB-A to Type-C adapter to complete the connection.
3. Select the FiiO KA1 as the audio output device of the computer.
Does the FiiO KA1 support in-line control and answering phone calls?
2. Since different smartphones vary in USB phone call permissions, the in-line control and phone call functions of the KA1 are temporally unavailable.
3. An incoming call will be passed out through the speaker and microphone of the mobile phone. So you can pick up the phone to answer the call without unplugging the KA1.
DSD file support
2. To play DSD files on the computer, please use the software which supports DSD files (such as the Foobar 2000) and install the corresponding plug-in with correct settings.
3. Switch tracks of different sampling rates may cause obvious impulsing sound. This is a normal phenomenon. So it is recommended to classify music files.
What accessories does the KA1 include?
What is the warranty like and who should I contact?