FiiO K17 Review

In this article, we review FiiO’s new desktop DAC/AMP, the FiiO K17. It retails for $949 USD. 

Disclaimer: FiiO provided the FiiO K17 for review purposes at no cost. As always, I’ll convey my unbiased and honest opinion to our readers.

FiiO 

Known for its dedication to designing high-quality audio equipment, FiiO is one of the critical pillars of the global audiophile industry. Since its launch in 2007, FiiO has specialized in the design and development of a wide range of audio products at all price brackets. With an extensive distribution network spanning continents, FiiO continues to create for music enthusiasts worldwide.

Today, we’ll take an in-depth look at the K17, FiiO’s new retro-looking DAC/AMP. I’m excited about this review as I think it carries one of the best designs FiiO has ever created for any product at any price.

Over the years, we have reviewed lots of FiiO equipment on Headfonia. You can access those reviews through this link: Headfonia FiiO Reviews.

FiiO K17

The K17 is one of the most anticipated desktop audio products of 2025, and for good reason. It’s a Swiss army knife for audio setups: it can function as a dedicated DAC with headphone amp bypass, serve as a DAC/AMP combo for headphones, act as a preamp for active monitors, stream music over AirPlay, Roon or Bluetooth-LDAC, and even play local files via USB, SSD, or external hard drives.

It’s built to be the centerpiece of your system, offering remarkable flexibility across use cases. The K17 also debuts FiiO’s new retro-inspired design language, giving it a distinctive aesthetic to match its versatility.

At the time of this review, the K17 retails for $949 USD in the U.S. and 999€ in Europe. You can visit its product page here. Below is a list of key specifications and highlights, although this barely scratches the surface, as there’s much more to explore in the sections ahead.

• Dual AKM AK4499EQ Flagship VelvetSound™ DACs
• Discreet Class AB Amp Design (≈4W @32Ω)
• 35W Low-Noise Toroidal Power Supply
• Fully Balanced Architecture
• Lossless 31-Band DSP PEQ
• M21586Q DSP + ES9821Q ADC
• x3 AccuSilicon Femtosecond Crystal Oscillators
• x8 Panasonic Film Caps & Beryl Solid Caps
• ELNA SILMIC II & Nichicon Capacitors
• Silver-plated OFC PCB Cabling
• Sandwich-Design with Physically Isolated PCBs
• Ingenic X2000 CPU with Xtensa LX7 Coprocessor
• QCC5125 Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC & AptX Adaptive
• Dual-Band Wi-Fi 2.4G + 5G
• XMOS USB Controller with 32bit-768kHz PCM & DSD512
• 3.93-inch Sharp Display & Remote Controller
• FiiO Control App Support
• Upgradeable Firmware & More.

FiiO’s ever-evolving K-line now has many members. After the K5 Pro ESS, K7 BT, K9, K9 AKM, K9 Pro ESS and the flagship K19, the K17 takes things up a notch, especially in features department. You can click on each unit’s name to go to its Headfonia review.

Packaging & Accessories

The K17 arrived in one of the largest shipping boxes I’ve ever received from FiiO. The thick, foam-lined outer carton was clearly designed to prevent any damage during transit. It was sealed with FiiO-branded stickers, and inside, the actual product box was firmly protected in a foam-lined enclosure.

The main box itself has a minimalist design in matte grey. There’s a color image of the K17 on the front, and the model name is printed in FiiO’s familiar chrome-finished modern font. In the top-right corner, you’ll find the classic Hi-Res Audio certifications along with AKM’s VelvetSound badges.

Opening the box, you’re first greeted with another layer of foam and a bright orange warning label. It reminds you to double-check the voltage switch before plugging in the unit. It’s an important heads-up, especially for international users; no one would want to kill their DAC right away. We’ve seen similar warnings before on other toroidal transformer-based K-series devices, such as the K9.

Beneath that, you reach the main foam compartment where the K17 itself and the accessory box reside. Here’s everything within this accessory box: an IEC13 AC power cable, FiiO’s sleek new remote control, an XLR4 socket dust cover, a spare fuse, two USB data cables (one for RS232, the other for USB input), a 6.35 mm headphone adapter, a warranty card, and a quick start guide.

I was glad to see the remote and fuse included in the package. One thing I also noticed is that the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas are integrated into the unit itself, so there’s no external antenna sticking out the back. That’ll help keep the rear panel cleaner and also allow it to be placed in tight spaces, such as TV units with low clearance.

Design & Build Quality

Even though it’s not the flagship of the K-series, the K17 feels like an honorary flagship to me. In fact, it’s the best-looking FiiO product I’ve ever used. I love how they managed to blend modern tech with a retro aesthetic. The overall look is a throwback to vintage gear, with sharp corners, old-school knobs, and that tactile button feedback that’s become rare in new gear.

At the same time, it has a crisp, high-res screen and dual volume pots that double as buttons, all wrapped in a design that instantly reminded me of classic radios but tastefully modernized.

The chassis is all aluminum. At first glance, it feels slightly less rigid than the K19, which makes sense given the lower price point. Personally, I’m glad they didn’t overbuild the casing just for show. Instead, FiiO has focused its budget on internals, which is exactly where it matters. That said, there’s only minimal flex on the case and nothing that would raise concern about structural integrity.

FiiO went all-in on audio components with the K17. It uses AKM’s flagship DACs, a discreet Class AB amplifier section with high-quality caps, a toroidal power supply, and dedicated digital processing hardware. It’s a lot of heat-generating hardware, but they nailed the thermals. There are ventilation cutouts on all four sides, and the unit runs surprisingly cool.

It stays cooler than my Hugo 2, which was a surprise. If you want to further optimize airflow, consider using taller feet or a stand since a good portion of the venting happens underneath the device.

My unit arrived fully sealed and showed no signs of build issues. Assembly quality is clean throughout. The vintage-styled knobs make a nice audible click when turned, and there’s a nostalgic charm to that sound; I love it! Everything from the volume pot to the headphone jacks feels solid and well-aligned. FiiO even re-used the gold-plated Neutrik sockets from the K19.

Like the K19, the K17 is fully loaded in terms of connectivity. You get support for eight working modes and a wide array of digital and analog inputs. On the front panel, you’ll find 6.35 mm single-ended, 4.4 mm balanced, and 4-pin XLR balanced outputs and a practical USB-IN. On the back, there are RCA, XLR, optical, and coaxial outputs.

FiiO also included LAN, dual USB-C, 12v trigger, RS232, USB-A for SSDs, and ground lift switch terminals. That means the K17 can act as the central hub of your audio setup, whether you’re using IEMs, headphones, active monitors, or a home hi-fi audio chain.

The 3.93-inch color screen is touch-enabled, displays all playback info and album art, and is easily readable. Honestly, this was something I felt missing on the K19, so I’m glad to finally have it here.

With dimensions of 244.6 x 213 x 66.8 mm and a weight of around 3 kg, the K17 isn’t small, but the form factor is more than justified by the performance and versatility/flexibility.

In the end, FiiO really delivered on both design and build. The K17 looks great, feels premium, runs cool, and blends a retro vibe with modern tech. For me, it’s not just a step forward in the K-line; it’s my favorite FiiO product to date.

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