FiiO has released the ESS DAC version for its flagship K9 Pro Desktop all-in-one DAC/AMP model the FiiO K9 Pro ESS. While the original K9 Pro was designed with AKM AK4499 DAC chip, the limited availability of AKM DAC’s in the industry has led FiiO to design another variant with different DAC architecture. FiiO has designed this new K9 Pro ESS with a dual-DAC chipset featuring two high-performance ES9038 Pro flagship-grade DAC chips. ES9038Pro is a high-profile 8-channel DAC. Originally, the K9 Pro had a single AK4499 DAC chip, but the new K9 Pro ESS is designed with a Dual DAC chipset.
You can see the differences between AKM and ESS models below.
Features
- High-Performance Dual DAC Chipset(2xES9038 Pro).
- Clean and Powerful THX AAA 788+ amplification circuit.
- Premium XMOS XU208 USB processor.
- Dual independent femtosecond clocks.
- Qualcomm’s latest QCC5124 Bluetooth chip.
- Supports high-resolution LDAC, APTX HD, AptX Adaptive wireless transmission codecs.
- Fully balanced design.
- Dual voltage linear transformer.
- Supports MQA unfolding.
- Precise volume adjustment.
- Three gain modes.
- Multiple input/output options.
- Application control.
- High-Quality Aluminum chassis.
- Aluminium Volume Wheel with PVD Gold-plated Edges.
Specs
- Power supply: AC+Built-in linear power supply.
- Digital inputs: USB/Coaxial/Optical/Bluetooth.
- Analog Input: RCA/4.4mm Balanced.
- USB B and USB C connectors.
- Headphone outputs: 4-pin XLR/4.4mm Balances, 6.35mm single-ended.
- Line-out: RCA/XLR.
- Seven Digital Filters.
- PCM Decoding: Up to 32-Bit/384kHz.
- DSD256 native decoding.
- Audio clock: High-precision PLL+Dual crystal oscillators.
- Output power(SE): 2.1W(16Ω), 281mW(300Ω).
- Output power(Bal): 2.1W(32Ω), 1.1W(300Ω).
- THD+N: ≤0.00025%.
- SNR: ≥129dB.
- Line level: Up to 5Vrms.
Price: 799$