Boost your computer’s sound with capable decoding
Just connect the new K3 to your computer via USB to instantly upgrade to high-fidelity sound, and enjoy your music the way it was meant to be heard. Equipped with an XMOS USB receiver chip, the new K3 is capable of decoding up to 384kHz/32-bit PCM and native DSD256 – the same as many DACs costing much more. The new K3’s dual crystal oscillators ensure that any digital audio signals being fed into the DAC are exactly correct for further enhanced sound quality.
Great "core" improvement
The new K3 employs the flagship portable ESS DAC, the ES9038Q2M. Compared to the AK4452, the signal-to-noise ratio has increased by 14dB and distortion has reduced by 13dB. The circuit design implementing this DAC has been optimized for a low noise floor and clean sound.
*SNR increased by 12%
*Distortion (THD+ N) reduced by 12%
High-performance, low distortion op-amp
The ES9038Q2M DAC is matched with the mature OPA926op-amp in a re-optimized LPF circuit for lower distortion and higher resolution.
Simply reliable USB power
The new K3 adopts the modern USB Type-C input interface for a more reliable and stable connection, including that of power. However, care to ensure an uncompromised power supply doesn't stop there - the new K3 implements overvoltage protection (OVP) and a double-filter circuit to ensure power supply stability, while the digital and analogue audio circuits each get their own power supply to greatly reduce crosstalk.
Low and High gains ADC volume control
The switch for high and low gain meets your listening volume needs of delicacy and large dynamics. Plus an ADC volume control, the user is able to smoothly adjust the volume to a more accurate and finer degree, allowing the new K3 to be used with headphones of all kinds of sensitivity to really make your songs, games, and movies come to life.
Tiny round goodness in the palm of your hand
The all-aluminium black body has been painstakingly CNC-machined, anodized, and sandblasted to ensure that the new K3 feels robust yet perfectly textured for a great feel in your hands. Combined with its small size, you can easily take the new K3 wherever you need to.
A distinctly cohesive tactile audio-visual experience
The volume knob, with 45 notches etched onto its surface and perfectly sized to allow easy one-finger operation, is designed to perfectly blend in with the curves of the new K3 body for a distinctive touch. Next to the volume knob is an RGB light that indicates what kind of digital audio is being input to the new K3, visually confirming what you are hearing in your music.
*48kHz sampling rate and below – Blue
*Above 48kHz sampling rate – Yellow
*DSD - Green
Dual headphone jacks
Being optimized for indoor desktop use, the new K3 is equipped with both 3.5mm single-ended and 2.5mm balanced headphone jacks. Both outputs have audio jack detection, which means that when headphones are inserted into the balanced out, balanced boost automatically kicks in resulting in about a 50% output power increase compared to the single-ended out.
Line out connector
The 3.5mm line out is driven directly by the OPA1612 op-amp, to ensure as little sound quality reduction as possible. The line out output is also adjustable with maximum power output up to 2Vrms, to ensure compatibility with a wide variety of active speakers and external amplifiers.
*When using the line out, please disconnect any headphones.
