The Fiio K1 does have a typical sound and I have to say that it took quite some time getting used to coming from the very clear and slightly forward sounding Audioquest DragonFly. The Fiio K1 itself is on the smoother and warmer side of neutral but shouldn’t be called a warm sounding unit. Compared to the Fiio gear from a few years ago, this K1 even sounds rather neutral. The K1 has full bodied but slightly lifted bass presence and bass isn’t always of the tightest kind. The mids are smooth and musical but just like the bass and treble aren’t the most layered. What is missing most is depth and separation. Fiio K1’s sound isn’t rather concentrated but the detail levels are fairly good. The K1’s treble is soft and smooth and isn’t that extended, clear or crisp. Treble is very easy and relaxed to listen to.
Overall the Fiio K1 is easy to listen to and as a result it is easy to like. It’s not the best, most detailed or layered sound and separation, air and dynamics could be a whole lot better. Don’t forget however this USB DAC/Amp goes for $39 USD only, and expectations shouldn’t be too high. Personally I’d save up for the Q1 which is more versatile and which sounds quite a lot better. With sensitive IEMs you’ll probably also notice the K1 isn’t the quietest unit either but this was mostly audible on very low volumes and silent passages.
Comparisons
Fiio’s portable Q1 DAC/Amp has the same DAC chip but the Q1 definitely is the best sounding unit of these two. The Fiio Q1 shows better detail, balance, depth, air and separation. On top of that the Fiio Q1 sounds more musical and presents the mid-section in a better and more correct way. The amp module seems to be holding back the K1 where the Q1 just sounds wider, deeper and more spacious/silent with better dynamics. The Q1 is going for $69.99 but the $30USD difference certainly is there. The Q1, to me, still is the entry level recommendation.
The Stoner Acoustics’ UD120 is darker sounding than the K1 but it, like the Q1, has a more spacious sound with better detail, timbre and more depth. The smooth UD120, like the Q1, was going for $69USD and in my opinion outperforms the Fiio K1.
The AudioQuest Dragonfly ($149USD) is playing on another level. To me the DragonFly is one of the best USD DAC/Amps on the market and the level of detail and precision is much higher. DragonFly produces a dynamic, precise and fast sound with more space, depth and separation. It also seems to power the bigger headphones better than the K1.
Compared to my onboard DELL laptop, the Fiio K1 is more powerful and smoother. The onboard’s voices are more clear and more in the front. The K1 does have bigger body in bass and mids. Fiio’s E17K is the most expensive of the three Fiio units using this DAC chip but it still is the best as well. Better detail, sound stage, clarity etc. The Fiio order for me clearly is E17K>Q1>K1 and that, coincidence or not, also is the same order if you would rank them price wise, top down.
Conclusion
The Fiio K1 is extremely light, portable and well built. It also is Fiio’s cheapest USB DAC/Amp and in this case you really get what you pay for. While the K1 seems to provide more power and body than an onboard sound card, I’m not sure it will necessarily sound better than your stock sound card. The K1 really is an entry level DAC/Amp – even more so then the Q1 – and therefor you shouldn’t expect a world of difference compared to your stock sound card. If you really don’t have more than $39USD to spend there aren’t that many options and in that regard Fiio made a smart move. My recommendation however is to save up for the Q1 or the E17K, the upgrade in sound will be much more noticeable with these two.
Gallery on the next Page
sulbh
How do you compare it to topping nx2?
Headfonia_L.
No idea about that one
dalethorn
The key comparison for me is going to be the new $99 Dragonfly made for phones and iPods etc.
dalethorn
I found with my iPhone 6s-plus that it improved bass impact a little, but there was little or nothing to be gained otherwise. It’s possible that with some setups you might get more improvement, but it’s very marginal.
koolman
does it have a volume control?
Headfonia_L.
only on your laptop
Ali Indrawan
“The Fiio order for me clearly is E17K>Q1>K1”
I am wondering where does the E10K comes in this equation?
Headfonia_L.
right after the E17K
dalethorn
The K1 is great to have to show your headphone user friends. Anyone else won’t be so impressed, since they don’t use headphone amps. It’s just utterly cool to have in the pocket.
lucias tobi
Hi, thank you for very detail review. I have the Fiio 07k and very pleased with it. Sadly fiio don’t make it anymore, I was trying to buy it but the price went crazy >$100 in U.S. Amazon. I just looking for a quiet decent dac/amp for my wife birthday.
How is the sound quality of Q1 compare to E07k ?
Should I buy the K1 instead ?
Thanks in advance.
Headfonia_L.
How will you be using it? Why not the E10K or E17K?
lucias tobi
Oh I got the E10k for my PC set up. She mainly use it for her mac air and her phone or ipad so she steal my amp. I was thinking about the 17k but is it gonna be much bigger or bulky. I would prefer something portable.
My 50x,senn 598 are very easy to drive.
dalethorn
E17k is very small – very similar to E07k.
lucias tobi
Thank you Dale and Lieven very much for your help. I’m really appreciate . I’ve just submit my order.
sulbh
Can you please review Topping NX2?
Headfonia_L.
no plans, sorry
dalethorn
I haven’t gotten a Topping as yet, but I ordered the Schiit Fulla, which should arrive end of this week. I hope it’s better than the K1, and comparable to the E17 in sound quality.
sulbh
Isn’t that a desktop amp?
dalethorn
No, a very tiny thumb-size DAC/amp, like the K1 only slightly larger.
Creep
Can the K1 be used to connect to an integrated amp ? Since its a DAC I am considering it as a cost effective upgrade to run my audio from my Laptop going into the Amp. Please advise. Thanks much
Lieven
You could but I doubt there’s much quality to be gained, go for the Herus or DragonFly f you want top sound
CamoGeko
I got my K1 today, it was a perfect Leicestershire for me and was bought primary to use with my XMG custom gaming laptop (from 2013) which has the Realtek ALC892 codec. Honestly I wasn’t expecting much improvement but it’s definitely noticeable, the upper frequencies are sharper, mids have become silkier and low end is more refined. I totally recommend it to anyone looking for a better sound from their laptop.
Honestly, I’m planning to upgrade in the near future to either the E17K or the Dragonfly black. Which one would you recommend?
Lieven
RED 😀
Then E17K
CamoGeko
I can’t get Dragonfly Red sorry, it’s like £160 which is too expensive for me to spend on a DAC. My only choices are the ones I specified. Although since the main use for the DAC will just be plugged into my laptop Dragonfly Black seems more suitable.
dale thorn
Black is very good.
CamoGeko
Has anyone got the Audioquest Jitterbug USB Filter? Is it worth a buy to use with the K1?
dale thorn
I have it, and the K1. It may help, but the results vary according to the ancillary gear. I found it to clean up sound slightly from an iPhone, making it less dirty sounding (subtle though), but with my Macbook it was different – it added a little bit of air and sense of spaciousness on some music, not others. If you don’t mind the money, try it and see, but if money is tight you might want to save it toward a better amp.
CamoGeko
When you say air and spaciousness, was that compared to just K1 without the Jitterbug?
I might get it anyways, because at the moment the K1 is plugged straight into my laptop.
dale thorn
Air and spaciousness isn’t really ‘added’ by the JitterBug, but you may get more of that if the JitterBug manages to clean up some noise in the circuit/channel. It’s not assured, and it varies with every place you use it, for the simple reason that excess noise, distortion, or other electrical interference etc. is random and unpredictable.
Satyam
Is the k1 compatible with mi reddi note 4
luk
Hi
does it work well as DAC for external active speakers ?
luk
or Fiio Q1 would be more versatile device? (for earplugs and line-out to active speakers or amplituner)
dale thorn
I checked a LOT of reviews and every one (except one) missed this point. The DragonFlys can be used a pure DACs to drive amplifiers, so why not the K1?
Although I could not find a definitive article, one person did say they used it to drive active speakers, and it worked well. But it can get hot and distort, so it needs to be kept cool.
I did not have a heat problem with my K1.
Musica
can you try this with kz zs6 set up?
Dan
I had impulse-bought the Fiio K1 as an open-box sale, a day or two before going on a long trip to Europe in 2017. I had a ThinkPad X220, which is a great little old unit to type on while traveling, but has very noticeably garbage onboard audio. Thus, I had been looking for a cheap, compact “cure” that didn’t involve bringing my USB microphone (which has an acceptable DAC onboard, but is large and heavy as an EDC). My headphones were a couple of modded MDR-7506’s (detachable cables, different earpads, etc.)
While I’m not an obsessive audiophile, I’m allergic to crappy sound. I require at least some “life” to my music, lest my mood be negatively impacted! The K1 did the job, and my lonely evenings there were spent with nice sound in my ears, listening to music and watching films.
After that, I had used the Fiio K1 with similar laptops at small parties to drive amplifiers, with success. I had also used it as a “cable-extender” with long USB cables for conference calls while moving around a room. This caused the plastic clip to crack, but not break off.
It’s a robust little guy, a bit of a one-trick “instant better sound for cheap”, but it does that particular job very well.