[Brooko]

I can assure you it shows frequency under load - it shows similar on my equipment. It’s a flat signal. If you get a v shaped response for a DAC/amp, it’s been incompetently made.

 

[wigglepuff]

I can assure you it shows frequency under load - it shows similar on my equipment. It’s a flat signal. If you get a v shaped response for a DAC/amp, it’s been incompetently made.

err that's the e10k, the previous version of this one

I wonder how they configured the filters for the AK4452 on this one? and how the 4452 generally sounds.

 

[Brooko]

Sorry - not sure if you are interpreting correctly so I'll explain ....

Posted graph - showing 3.5 out single ended under a 32 ohm load. Look at the bass off line. Now look at the scale. The limits of human hearing for most of us is 20Hz to 20 kHz. The reality is that anything below 20 Hz is felt rather than heard. In above graph, the frequency response drops by 0.3 dB at 20Hz, at 30 Hz its 0.1 dB down. Reality is that you won't hear that with music - if you have really acute hearing, you might hear it with test tones (I say might - tests suggest you won't). At the other end of the scale, the K3 is flat up to and beyond 20 kHz. Anything past that you can't hear - physically impossible.

So thats what I meant by flat. there is no way that's V-shaped.

Now lets look at the E10K graph

Again - under 32 ohm load and measured with a proper scope. Blue/red line is 20Hz-20kHz frequency response. Notice how flat it is. Its only when you engage the bass boost that you get colouration.

The only other colouration you "might" get would be because of the 1.04 ohm output impedance if you are using sensitive multi-BA earphones (where higher impedance can affect frequency response). That is the earphones though - not the dac/amp.

Your inference that the E10K or the K3 are V shaped is therefore clearly incorrect. Are you sure you're not referring to your headphones?

 

[Brooko]

I wonder how they configured the filters for the AK4452 on this one? and how the 4452 generally sounds.

Pretty nice actually - I'm listening to it driving my JBL LSR305's (powered active studio/desktop speakers) now. Might be very slightly on the warm side as far as tonality goes - but I haven't had a chance to critically compare yet with the E17K (which is pretty much dead neutral).

 

[wigglepuff]

Pretty nice actually - I'm listening to it driving my JBL LSR305's (powered active studio/desktop speakers) now. Might be very slightly on the warm side as far as tonality goes - but I haven't had a chance to critically compare yet with the E17K (which is pretty much dead neutral).

But you just posted the FR that its flat, now you say its on the warm side while the lsr305 are literally attenuated in the first treble octave. >.>

 

[Brooko]

OK - please forgive for not articulating correctly.

1. You asked if K3 was V shaped, and claimed E10K was. I think we've established the fact that both measure pretty much flat from 20 to 20K.
   If you are getting V shaped - look to your own entire audio chain.
   
   
2. I stated that at the moment I was replying to you - I was listening to my LSR305's powered by the K3. I know what they sound like - I've had them for two years. I was not using them to establish tonality of the dac/amp.
   
   
3. I stated separately (although I can see how it would be confused) that I thought there might be a touch of warmth to the K3. This may not necessarily show up as frequency response. It could be in slight 2nd order harmonics for instance. I also stated I had not critically compared .... yet. I'll do that when I get to that phase of evaluation for the review. So at the moment that is a subjective "musing" based on my knowledge of past FiiO devices, and about 10 days of listening to it. When I get around to a volume matched back and forth comparison between it and the E17K, then I'll start talking in absolutes. And I'll be using something I consider as reference (most likely my Alclair Curves)

Does that help clarify?

 

[wigglepuff]

umm no I dont get you at all, dac chips are literally responsible for the sound tuning of the device and AK dacs are far from neutral or flat, same goes for the Ti pcm5102 the e10k is using. amps topology doesn't even matter on this, the only thing that affects is distortion levels.

what 2nd order harmonics? the thing is usb powered with a highly regulated voltage design, what??? lol

 

[Brooko]

Yet who is the one that made the claim the E10K was V shaped? Don’t bother replying, and welcome to my ignore list

 

[volly]

Anyways, @Brooko are you able to share your thoughts on the Fiio's little baby? Going to pick one up when stocks come in.

 

[Brooko]

Really enjoying it so far. Perfect little device for work - especially using with a work laptop. Takes virtually no space, and having the volume control is brilliant. The bass boost is handy, and its nice that its targeting predominantly sub-bass. Gain is nicely implemented and on the HM100s gives around 6.6-6.7 dB of boost. As far as tonality goes, I've been going back and forth with the very flat E17K, and to my ears (volume matched using test tones, and set up so I can very quickly swap back and forth), I wouldn't be able to tell the two apart in a blind test (which is a good thing - the E17K is a lovely sounding device). So essentially ruler flat response.

I'm pretty impressed so far.

Oh - and no problems with DSD or other formats.

 

[volly]

Really enjoying it so far. Perfect little device for work - especially using with a work laptop. Takes virtually no space, and having the volume control is brilliant. The bass boost is handy, and its nice that its targeting predominantly sub-bass. Gain is nicely implemented and on the HM100s gives around 6.6-6.7 dB of boost. As far as tonality goes, I've been going back and forth with the very flat E17K, and to my ears (volume matched using test tones, and set up so I can very quickly swap back and forth), I wouldn't be able to tell the two apart in a blind test (which is a good thing - the E17K is a lovely sounding device). So essentially ruler flat response.

I'm pretty impressed so far.

Oh - and no problems with DSD or other formats.

Cheers Brooko, no issues with the USB interface? Looking at the specs, it should keep a fairly clean signal compared to my aging E10?!

Edit: Ok cool, ThePhonograph have a review out: http://www.thephonograph.net/fiio-k3-review/

 

[Brooko]

Cheers Brooko, no issues with the USB interface? Looking at the specs, it should keep a fairly clean signal compared to my aging E10?!

Edit: Ok cool, ThePhonograph have a review out: http://www.thephonograph.net/fiio-k3-review/

Doesn’t appear to be any issues. Had no drop-outs.

 

[volly]

Well this thing is looking pretty damn cool for what it is. Is that correct info on the output for the K3 I wonder, Optical/coaxial-out? You could use this as a bridge for other DAC's? Also 1.9Vrms on the Line-out, ain't bad at all!

Wait...what else do you have coming down the pipeline Fiio?

 

[Brooko]

Actually that was the one thing which really surprised me as I don’t really have a use for it. I can understand Coax in or Optical in - but having both as outputs kind of defeats the purpose for me. Yes you can use as a bridge - but I would much rather have had one as an input, or simply had 2 RCA outs.

 

[wigglepuff]

Send the unit for actual testing on none profit review groups, else the K3 is just another nice looking Fiio junk with false specs that looks pretty on paper and I/O ports that are actually redundant, remember the famous e07k unit which every entry of its defects and engineering screw ups got deleted here in headfi? go figure.

headfi's nonsense review with no actual methodology, testing equipment and test data for any of the mentioned attributes related to the reviewed products is clear as day as nothing more than a marketing scam.