FiiO - KA15

The FiiO KA15 is a powerhouse DAC that ticks nearly all the right boxes, especially for audiophiles and iOS users craving better output and mic functionality. One of the rare few in its category, it offers mic passthrough support, making it ideal for calls and gaming on the go — something even high-end dongles often skip.

Power delivery is no joke here. It pushes around 290mW into 3.5mm, and nearly double that through its 4.4mm balanced out, enough to drive even power-hungry IEMs with ease. Yet, it doesn’t just focus on brute force — the channel separation and detail retrieval are truly standout. It squeezes out hidden layers in tracks that most budget and mid-range DACs simply gloss over.

What’s even more impressive is the form factor. The DAC, for such kind of power, is so tiny — it’s actually smaller than my motorcycle key, which is saying something. It slips into any pocket or bag without effort, making it the perfect travel companion for serious listeners.

Naturally, with that kind of output, it sips more juice than the average dongle. Expect a drop from 100% to around 88% battery in an hour of playback, which is understandable given the muscle it’s flexing — especially on phones.

This is the perfect DAC for anyone tired of low volume output on iOS (especially with Apple Music) or those looking to unleash the true potential of their harder-to-drive IEMs. FiiO delivers yet again with a device that is compact, powerful, and full of thoughtful features.

The build feels premium and the feel of the dongle in itself is really good. It's quite small and really fits wherever you want it to. The provided C-to-C cable feels quite cheap however and an aftermarket cable is definitely a recommendation.

The LCD screen is more handy that you'd expect when it comes to checking volume levels, audio quality or scrolling through presets which I found myself doing way more often than I thought. The brightness and detail are more than up to par.

I've used it over a 2-week period with a set of AFUL P7 IEMs at the time of this review and I see no reason for it struggling to drive even the hungriest headphones as I find myself sitting at barely 5-10% volume most of the time. The sound in itself is really nice and there's really nothing it doesn't seem to be able to handle. I've listened to a variety of albums from Hip Hop to R&B to Dance to Electronic to Soundtracks at various levels of quality and the DAC doesn't seem to break a sweat at all. If you're looking for audio quality then it's a no-brainer.

The controls are nice and intuitive to use and you could perfectly make do with the inbuilt controls. The experience starts falling apart when you try to use the FiiO Control app. It doesnt recognise the device after the first time you connect and use it. You have to "remove device" and add it back every time you want to use the app. For EQ activities it's genuinely easier to use apps like Peace APO on Windows or Wavelet on Android.

Battery life on mobile is quite reasonable. An hour album at CD quality streamed over mobile data drained around 10% battery on my phone (6000mAh battery for reference). It doesn't really heat up much but it will definitely get toasty and hot to the touch if you use it for extended periods of time (6-7 hours plus without breaks in my experience). There seems to be no real damage from the heat so far but just something to watch out for.

Overall, the KA15 seems to be in this weird gray area between the KA13 (which it shares its internal hardware with) and the KA17. If you do not care for the extra volume control, screen or microphone support, the KA13 is an easy winner. The KA15 nevertheless is incredibly capable and you wont find yourself regretting your purchase at all.

Mere pas ipad 9th pc aur bohut se hai use vhi accha sound de raha hai ye dac
Bina soche jut grab it...

Fiio KA15 + Simgot EW300 with balanced cable + Apple Music is a very potent combo. Enjoying every bit of the music.

I have mostly used non-desktop mode for my power requirements of the iems I use are small. If one can overcome the hassle of a tiny dongle hanging of a phone, the audio quality matches dedicated android music players. Most importantly the use is better in my view due to memory constraints of android players. I like this KA15 for the small weight over the excellent audio quality.

Personally listening music using Apple Music (lossless and Hi Res lossless) and occasionally on the laptop. After much thought and research, bought the FIIO KA15 and am extremely happy with the compactness and the performance so far. The display adds to the wow factor and the build quality is excellent. The leather pouch is a nice touch. Just go for it.

The KA15 just blows your mind away with its details and sound quality which is neutral with a splash of warmth( which is actually enjoyable) this tiny dac is actually capable of delivering upwards of 500mw@32ohms which is plenty for any iem. Matched with the details and neutral sound signature its just a steal deal for its price
Did i mention its retro? On looks alone it dominates its price category to sweeten the deal fiio decided to add great power and a neutral - natural sound signature. What great product.

Dac mode AB + filter to - NOS +Desktop mode +4.4mm bal( cam purchase a 4.4mm bal cable)
Is just the best of all configs one can do for analogue sound with great channel separation and good soundstage.
All of that below 10K is crazy because many more expensive dac dongles don't Offer the same specs

However, it gets sold out too, i was lucky to order it in time.

Good clarity and imaging. Very analytical and best detail retrieval by Fiio KA15.