[ferorake]

Yeah and k9 do have have remote with limited fucntion through Bluetooth but it only works when the K9 is in Bluetooth mode, else its use less

I don't know why I have the remote on a 80$ dac and not on a 800$ "all in one" product. I don't want to use everytime the phone, and still I can't control the volume.

 

[Ichos]

Ohh is that the feature in ess version ?

Yes, I don't know though about the AKM version.

 

[desertsilver]

Dear friend,

No, are there any new feature you would like to add for the K9Pro ess?

Best regards

Well, the hardware seems pretty solid, the software is a bit buggy. For example:
With a PC fresh boot and K9 turned on from standby, foobar can see the device and start playing, but NO sound comes out from K9!
When connected with an iPhone through BT, K9 plays fine, but K9 app in the phone can't connect with K9
After switching between VLC and foobar, foobar can still see K9 and plays, but no sound from K9! (not sure it's PC driver or K9 firmware on this one)

PS. these are all random behaviors happen so often and becomes annoying for an otherwise very nice machine

 

[FiiO]

Fixes for this no sound issue when using tidal would be appreciated. I’ve returned my unit as well as others until this issue is resolved.

Well, the hardware seems pretty solid, the software is a bit buggy. For example:
With a PC fresh boot and K9 turned on from standby, foobar can see the device and start playing, but NO sound comes out from K9!
When connected with an iPhone through BT, K9 plays fine, but K9 app in the phone can't connect with K9
After switching between VLC and foobar, foobar can still see K9 and plays, but no sound from K9! (not sure it's PC driver or K9 firmware on this one)

PS. these are all random behaviors happen so often and becomes annoying for an otherwise very nice machine

Dear friend,

Thanks for the kind feedback. We will try to test more and see whether we could reproduce and locate the issue first.

Best regards

 

[Eslaron]

@FiiO on low gain (headphone mode) (AKM version), the volume knob has a dead zone between 0 and 25%. You have to turn the volume up to 25% to hear anything. You hear nothing. Is this fixed in the new firmware?

 

[padawan25]

@FiiO on low gain (headphone mode) (AKM version), the volume knob has a dead zone between 0 and 25%. You have to turn the volume up to 25% to hear anything. You hear nothing. Is this fixed in the new firmware?

What new firmware ? I don't believe there is an update for the AKM version

My volume is the same way. I'm fine with it as is.

 

[Eslaron]

What new firmware ? I don't believe there is an update for the AKM version

On the contrary, afaik there is

 

[padawan25]

On the contrary, afaik there is

Pretty sure that was a bluetooth update. not a regular Firmware

 

[Bozon]

@FiiO on low gain (headphone mode) (AKM version), the volume knob has a dead zone between 0 and 25%. You have to turn the volume up to 25% to hear anything. You hear nothing. Is this fixed in the new firmware?

I actually went to store to return mine thinking my K9 was defective as the first quarter of the knob didn't have any output but they contacted Fiio to confirm that this is the "normal" behavior.

I am absolutely disappointed with this DAC's sound quality. It is bright and hard sounding. Mine is just collecting dust as my other ones are much better. I have tryed a lot of combinations, as a DAC, as Preamp and headphone driver, but I hear the same sound defects on the 3 operational modes. It just sounds bad.

Incredibly how the chinese companies systematically fail to properly implement high end parts like this AK4499. I have experienced the same with the Topping DACs, they measure great but sound very poor. The only exception so far from all my chinese made hifi products have been Cayin DACs and Amplifiers (I had on the past Shengya, Topping and SMSL products, they all suck to some degree. But this K9 pro is by far the worst sounding of all)

 

[padawan25]

I actually went to store to return mine thinking my K9 was defective as the first quarter of the knob didn't have any output but they contacted Fiio to confirm that this is the "normal" behavior.

I am absolutely disappointed with this DAC's sound quality. It is bright and hard sounding. Mine is just collecting dust as my other ones are much better. I have tryed a lot of combinations, as a DAC, as Preamp and headphone driver, but I hear the same sound defects on the 3 operational modes. It just sounds bad.

Incredibly how the chinese companies systematically fail to properly implement high end parts like this AK4499. I have experienced the same with the Topping DACs, they measure great but sound very poor. The only exception so far from all my chinese made hifi products have been Cayin DACs and Amplifiers (I had on the past Shengya, Topping and SMSL products, they all suck to some degree. But this K9 pro is by far the worst sounding of all)

Well you certainly are in the minority in that regard. Many, Many positive reviews on different forums and sites around the world.

 

[desertsilver]

I actually went to store to return mine thinking my K9 was defective as the first quarter of the knob didn't have any output but they contacted Fiio to confirm that this is the "normal" behavior.

I am absolutely disappointed with this DAC's sound quality. It is bright and hard sounding. Mine is just collecting dust as my other ones are much better. I have tryed a lot of combinations, as a DAC, as Preamp and headphone driver, but I hear the same sound defects on the 3 operational modes. It just sounds bad.

Incredibly how the chinese companies systematically fail to properly implement high end parts like this AK4499. I have experienced the same with the Topping DACs, they measure great but sound very poor. The only exception so far from all my chinese made hifi products have been Cayin DACs and Amplifiers (I had on the past Shengya, Topping and SMSL products, they all suck to some degree. But this K9 pro is by far the worst sounding of all)

You might have a defective one, or something in your sound reproduction chain is defective. Your observation is definitely an outliner, sorry.

 

[Bozon]

You might have a defective one, or something in your sound reproduction chain is defective. Your observation is definitely an outliner, sorry.

I have been thinking that maybe I got a lemon and buying a second unit. But the local store doesn't allow returns if the product is not 'clearly' malfunctioning. So, I got stuck with mine.
They didn't let me to try it at the store either when I purchased it as they didn't have an unpacked demo unit. I eventually managed to negotiate a two day return window at purchase but due to work time restrictions I couldn't return it on time.

There is another local store that has the ESS version instead of the AKM but their policies about customer satisfaction are about the same.

Regarding my chain, well I have 3 amplifiers, (Benchmark AHB2, Marantz PM KI Ruby and Naim XS2). My speakers are very good (Canton Reference 9K) and my main headphones are Sens HD650. With my other sources my chain works fine.

 

[desertsilver]

I have been thinking that maybe I got a lemon and buying a second unit. But the local store doesn't allow returns if the product is not 'clearly' malfunctioning. So, I got stuck with mine.
They didn't let me to try it at the store either when I purchased it as they didn't have an unpacked demo unit. I eventually managed to negotiate a two day return window at purchase but due to work time restrictions I couldn't return it on time.

There is another local store that has the ESS version instead of the AKM but their policies about customer satisfaction are about the same.

Regarding my chain, well I have 3 amplifiers, (Benchmark AHB2, Marantz PM KI Ruby and Naim XS2). My speakers are very good (Canton Reference 9K) and my main headphones are Sens HD650. With my other sources my chain works fine.

I have the ESS version and it serves me very well except some minor issues that could easily be fixed with some future firmware updates. AKM version I think as it's not in production anymore, it's very sought after in the used market, you might even get a premium if it's not really 'defective'.

 

[Bozon]

I have the ESS version and it serves me very well except some minor issues that could easily be fixed with some future firmware updates. AKM version I think as it's not in production anymore, it's very sought after in the used market, you might even get a premium if it's not really 'defective'.

The local store where I bougth mine (AKM) still has a couple of units in stock.

I think the ESS Version is better. I have an A&Futura SE180 with the same 9038 pro and it sounds superb. SQ difference with my AKM's K9 Pro is actually night and day.

I was remembering that about a year and a half I had an RME ADI 2 DAC FS with 'just' an AK4490 and it also sounded better than the K9 Pro so, It is not an AKM vs ESS problem, I think, after all but a poor Fiio implementation.

 

[Bozon]

Well you certainly are in the minority in that regard. Many, Many positive reviews on different forums and sites around the world.

Do you know the concept of "paid reviews"?