[FiiO]

@FiiO I just updated the fw to v1.31. I'm so happy to have PEQ but disappointed to see a lack of filters like low shelf. Will filters be added in the future?

Dear friend,

Filters are generally provided by DAC chip companies. It depends on whether chip companies will update it in the future.

Best regards

 

[Voohoo]

The RGB lights on top is going to be very annoying and i have not seen anywhere that you can turn it off
On the other hand it has less of the design flaws of the K7 and its cheaper so you do have a very good point

I dont use headphones all that much its for the most part during the evening as the crazy old lady that lives under my apartment goes nuts if there is even the least bit of noise so my headphone use is 2-3 hours a day at most

I just got an early christmas present so i can afford the K11 right now if it was not sold out from Cilo
I dont have the money for the K9 Pro ESS before spring or summer next year i got two holidays planed and those are more important than a new DAC

FiiO products are good when it comes to customizing the RGB indicator and the K11 is no different.

I've been in this hobby for almost 20 years and I still question at times if I really want and need a big, expensive box on my desk that is my K9 Pro AKM. I'm definitely keeping it though since it does indeed sound super clean and I got it for a good price. I can hear differences clearly from my lower end gear (FiiO KA13 and Schiit Jotumheim v1) but those differences are still nuanced and a matter of refinement.

Go with your gut on what's a good budget for you. You can find excellent products at any price range! IMO $150-400 is the sweet spot for price/performance. I know that's a relatively broad range but I lived in that range for almost my entire time in this hobby (used gear FTW) until the past year where I've been able to afford mid/top-tier gear like the Hifiman Arya.

 

[solunar]

Hello, I plan to purchase the Ananda Nano in the future, has anyone tied it with K9 Pro Ess or do you think it has good synergy?

 

[Ichos]

Hello, I plan to purchase the Ananda Nano in the future, has anyone tied it with K9 Pro Ess or do you think it has good synergy?

Hi, if you like your sound with top tier technicalities, slamming bass and a touch of treble sharpness then you will be extremely happy with the combination.

 

[Dimitry188]

I plan to purchase the Ananda Nano in the future, has anyone tied it with K9 Pro Ess or do you think it has good synergy?

The Fiio K9 Pro is great for use with Ananda.
But for Hihfiman Arya, its level is no longer enough.

 

[Voohoo]

But for Hihfiman Arya, its level is no longer enough.

I don't agree with this. I have the Arya Organic, which it's worth noting, is the easiest to drive of the Aryas. My K9 Pro has more than enough power for it. My K9 Pro also powers my Sennheiser HD 8XX and HD 6XX wonderfully which are both harder to drive.

 

[Dimitry188]

don't agree with this. I have the Arya Organic, which it's worth noting, is the easiest to drive of the Aryas. My K9 Pro has more than enough power for it.

Try connecting an additional amplifier, such as Singxer SA-1, to the K9 Pro.
This will noticeably improve the sound.
The problem is not the power. The problem is in the general level (class) of the device.
The general level of the K9 Pro is not enough for Arya - they are very high-level headphones.

As a DAC, the K9 Pro is not bad, but its amplifier is far from top-end.

On the K9 Pro, the in-ear headphones sound great. But with top-end planars, the subtleties and features begin.

 

[Moon5123]

Try connecting an additional amplifier, such as Singxer SA-1, to the K9 Pro.
This will noticeably improve the sound.
The problem is not the power. The problem is in the general level (class) of the device.
The general level of the K9 Pro is not enough for Arya - they are very high-level headphones.

As a DAC, the K9 Pro is not bad, but its amplifier is far from top-end.

On the K9 Pro, the in-ear headphones sound great. But with top-end planars, the subtleties and features begin.

Isn't that's where diminishing results starts to show?
Is it worth it to spend another 1000$ to get what we would call 1-5% improvement?

I don't know what else feature an amp like sa-1 would provide over k9 pro other than a impedance switch.

 

[NickT23]

Isn't that's where diminishing results starts to show?
Is it worth it to spend another 1000$ to get what we would call 1-5% improvement?

I don't know what else feature an amp like sa-1 would provide over k9 pro other than a impedance switch.

The answer is no. And I would not even call it 1-5% improvement, its 0% improvement. Proper volume matching is an important aspect as well.

 

[Dimitry188]

don't know what else feature an amp like sa-1 would provide over k9 pro other than a impedance switch.

An additional amplifier will only provide a significant sound improvement.
But only on high-level headphones.

 

[Moon5123]

An additional amplifier will only provide a significant sound improvement.
But only on high-level headphones.

Apologies to bug you, but can you quantify the improvement?
Like how the sound improved in terms of dynamics, transients, bass, mids or highs?

I did tried sa-1and mini-x in an expo with my focal clear but couldn't find any significant difference. I do know the impedance switch on sa-1 tends to favor planar so wanted to check how would a high end plannar would fair on these two devices.

 

[Guts390]

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[Dimitry188]

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[Dimitry188]

but can you quantify the improvement?
Like how the sound improved in terms of dynamics, transients, bass, mids or highs?

In my experience, in-ear headphones and dynamic full-size headphones sound very good on the Fiio K9 Pro. But the planar full-size headphones (Hifiman Arya, Kennerton Thekk, DC Ether С Flow) are not fully disclosed by this device. The low frequencies are too simple. The stage and spatial resolution of the instruments are not good enough, especially in complex symphonic compositions. Vocals don't sound so good in opera arias. The output of sound through an additional amplifier significantly improves the situation.

I have now replaced my Fiio K9 Pro with a Hifiman Serenade r2r device with a built-in A-class amplifier. And I am very pleased with the result - with Serenade, full-size planars sound noticeably better and full-fledged

 

[Emmanuel Palmer]

In my experience, in-ear headphones and dynamic full-size headphones sound very good on the Fiio K9 Pro. But the planar full-size headphones (Hifiman Arya, Kennerton Thekk, DC Ether С Flow) are not fully disclosed by this device. The low frequencies are too simple. The stage and spatial resolution of the instruments are not good enough, especially in complex symphonic compositions. Vocals don't sound so good in opera arias. The output of sound through an additional amplifier significantly improves the situation.

I have now replaced my Fiio K9 Pro with a Hifiman Serenade r2r device with a built-in A-class amplifier. And I am very pleased with the result - with Serenade, full-size planars sound noticeably better and full-fledged

I am thinking of buying the serenade or just buy the aune S17 Pro to add to my k9pro dac. What do you think? Seems like you have both serenade and s17pro?