FiiO KA15 Portable DAC and Headphone Amplifier

The FiiO KA15 is a USB-C dongle DAC and headphone amplifier that combines FiiO’s audio know-how inside with the look of a retro cassette recorder outside, right down to a colour screen with spinning tape reels. The new generation of FiiO’s 5-series dongles brings two Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs, a 10-band lossless PEQ, smart power saving and a patented Desktop Mode with up to 560mW per channel into 32Ω, all in a tiny, convenient package. It won an EHA 2024 Silver Award.

Dual CS43198 DACs, expertly tuned

A high-performance USB chip, two flagship CS43198 DACs and two high-performance SGM8262 op-amps give the tiny KA15 more sound quality than its size suggests. It plays up to 768kHz/32-bit and DSD256, handles every common lossless format and is Hi-Res Audio certified.

Patented Desktop Mode

In normal mode the KA15 gives 170mW per channel balanced, to save your phone’s battery. Switch on FiiO’s patented Desktop Mode (patent ZL202321946664.8) and the balanced output rises to 560mW + 560mW into 32Ω, which FiiO says is 207% more than the KA5, with the headroom to drive low- and high-impedance headphones. The 3.5mm output rises from 50mW to 180mW.

Intelligent power saving

A high-performance, low-power processor and precision chips monitor the KA15’s voltage and current in real time and adjust its power use to what is playing, so your phone lasts longer: FiiO measures 80% less power than the KA5 when playback is paused, and 93% less in standby. When a sleep timer ends at night, the KA15 drops into an ultra-low-power sleep mode, so your phone isn’t flat in the morning.

A 10-band lossless PEQ

An audiophile-grade DSP and FiiO’s own algorithms give a smooth, high-quality 10-band lossless PEQ. Simulate or correct your headphones’ frequency response, and export, import, share and save curves, using official tunings or ones shared by other enthusiasts. Set it in the FiiO Control app or FiiO’s web PEQ tool.

A colour screen with a retro twist

The KA15 was the first dongle of its kind with a 0.96-inch IPS true-colour LCD, in English or Chinese, with intuitive menus and a new retro UI with spinning tape reels. The FiiO Control app (Android version) controls the PEQ, channel balance, UAC mode, volume, button mode, screen brightness, screen-off time and theme, with more to come through firmware updates.

Easy to use

Choose 60 quick or 120 fine volume steps, and one of two button modes: A, where a short press changes the volume and a long press skips tracks, or B, the other way round. The 3.5mm socket supports CTIA in-line controls, so you can use your headphones’ microphone and buttons for music and calls (iPhones and some Android phones may not support the microphone because of their operating system). It also works as an S/PDIF coaxial output to an external DAC.

Metal, colourful and compatible

The all-metal body is precision CNC-milled, anodised and polished for a smooth, refined feel, and it shields the electronics from interference. Choose timeless midnight black or sky blue, the same shade as FiiO’s CP13 cassette player; a lanyard hole lets you attach it to a strap, and FiiO’s MagClip holds it firmly to your phone. With a detachable cable it works with Android, iOS, iPadOS, Windows and macOS, and its UAC 1.0 mode suits the Nintendo Switch, PS5 and similar devices.

Good to know

• Full app control is in the Android version of FiiO Control; the web PEQ tool works from a computer.
• In the box: KA15, USB-C to USB-C cable, leatherette case, quick start guide and warranty card.