Tidal via Roon on Mac > FiiO K7 [ 4.4mm balanced ] > Hifiman Edition XS / Letshuoer S12
Just picked up a unit earlier today.
Let me make a disclaimer first and foremost that I paid for my K7 out of my pocket. I have never been compensated in any way for any of my reviews or impressions, nor do I intend to go down that route.
My only piece of FiiO source/amplifier gear hitherto was the humble FiiO E10K Olympus some years back. Most recently, my primary DAC/amp was the iFi micro iDSD Signature, then the JDS Element II and JDS Atom stack prior to that, with the iFi ZEN DAC Signature and Gustard H10 and iFi ZEN CAN being my staples for the last year or so. Other amps I've owned that are worth mentioning include the Drop + THX AAA 789, Monolith Liquid Platinum, Schiit Asgard 3, and Schiit Valhalla 2.
Note that I no longer own any of the units mentioned above nor do I have any other sources to conduct a direct comparison with the K7, so do take the following impressions with a reasonable grain of salt.
My first impression of the K7 and the Hifiman Edition XS via the 4.4mm balanced output was: airy, transparent, pristine, clean, refined, effortless, spacious, vibrant, full-bodied, and robust.
By comparison, and from memory, the iFi micro iDSD Signature I most recently owned sounded distinctly softer, mellower, warmer, more intimate, less precise, and less detailed, even with the GTO filter. At the same time, I would not describe the K7's sound as sterile, cool, or limp. It also does not exhibit the flatness and two-dimensional presentation of the JDS Atom, the sometimes overtly analytical and lean character of the THX AAA 789, or the compressed and strained quality of the Topping gear I've owned and auditioned (namely the Topping G5 and NX4).
I'm in the honeymoon phase at the moment to be sure, but the K7 seems to quite remarkably combine the effortlessness and naturalness of the iFi house sound with the precise and pristine quality of the Drop + THX AAA 789 and JDS Atom, the spaciousness and expansiveness of the Gustard H10, while injecting a healthy dose of vibrancy and robustness of its own all at once. Keep in mind, however, if you are seeking the warm, lush, romantic, or tube-like sound that is so sought after, you will not find it in the K7.
As for tangibles, build quality is solid with excellent fit and finish, and the volume pot is smooth, sturdy, with a pleasant amount of resistance. My main nitpicks so far are the dead zone on the volume pot between 7 o'clock and a little before 10 o’clock, along the slow initial ramp up in volume before 1 o’clock, and its relatively large footprint.
These are early impressions, and time will tell how they hold up in terms of quality control and if the magic sustains itself. For now, colour me
very impressed.
