FiiO Original K11 vs R2R for Aune AR5000

[Druantia]

Hi all!

Just ordered the AR5000 and I plan to mainly use it for gaming, watching videos, and listening to music.
I've decided to buy the FiiO K11, but recently, a new R2R version was released, and now I'm unsure which one would pair better with my AR5000 headphones.

Currently, I'm leaning towards the original K11 because of a few concerns I've come across:

1. While R2R DACs are known for delivering a warm, more analog sound, the AR5000s are already quite smooth and slightly warm. I'm worried that pairing them with the K11 R2R might make the sound overly warm for my taste.
2. Clear and sparkly treble is important to me, and I don’t want to lose that.
3. I've also read that R2R DACs can introduce some latency, which wouldn't be ideal for gaming.
4. Lastly, with the original K11, I have the option to choose between different filters, which the R2R version lacks. (though I'm not sure how much practical use it has)

I'm curious because the R2R model has been getting a lot of hype. Does it offer that much of an improvement in sound signature or quality? Would it be a better match for the AR5000, or should I stick with the original K11?

 

[dunring]

I just got these, stick with the K11 which has plenty of headroom to equalize. They don't need an amplifier at all, the Apple 3.5mm USB adapter can power them fine. Walking across the room wearing wool socks will generate enough to power them Head to the review on Audiosciencereview and the equalizer profile Amir worked out is an excellent starting point. Can always tweak it a little, but that profile he did is a lot better than stock. Don't worry about latency, games don't use ASIO, it's just direct through Windows no matter which device you use.

 

[Druantia]

Walking across the room wearing wool socks will generate enough to power them

Thanks! I just ordered the original K11