Dual CS43198 DACs
Up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD256 for a serious sound upgrade.
FIIODONGLE DACCustomer reviews (0)
FiiO KA5 USB DAC Headphone Amp with 3.5mm and 4.4mm Outputs
Dual DACs, bold design.
A metal and glass dongle with dual CS43198 DACs, up to 265mW balanced, an OLED screen and 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.
Regular price
£114.99
Unit price
Including VAT
Free next day UK delivery
Awaiting stock arrival date — order now to reserve one from the next delivery. Nothing to pay until it arrives.
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FiiO KA5 USB DAC Headphone Amp with 3.5mm and 4.4mm Outputs
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MEET THE KA5
Dual DACs, bold design.
A metal and glass dongle with dual CS43198 DACs, up to 265mW balanced, an OLED screen and 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.
Serious components
A 6-layer gold PCB and ultra-low-noise op-amps for robust sound.
Easy control
An OLED screen and buttons, with SPDIF output via 3.5mm.
Read the full description
The FiiO KA5 is an advanced USB dongle DAC and headphone amplifier with its own screen and operating system. Two Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs and two SGM8261 amplifiers play PCM up to 768kHz/32-bit and DSD256, with up to 265mW per channel from the 4.4mm balanced output and 122mW from the 3.5mm, which doubles as an S/PDIF output. An OLED display and physical buttons give you gain, filters and more without a phone app, all in a metal body with tempered glass front and back. As FiiO puts it, in its price class it has better specifications, and in its specification class it has a better price. It won a CIHE EHA 2023 Silver Award and a VGP 2024 Summer Life Style award.
Flagship dual DACs
The KA5 uses two Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs, known for their efficiency and for sounding good with a wide variety of music, for a serious upgrade to your sound. It decodes PCM up to 768kHz/32-bit and DSD256, so you can dig into the heart of your music whatever device it is connected to.
Serious components, serious power
A six-layer immersion-gold circuit board and two high-performance, ultra-low-noise SGM8261 op-amps give a powerful, robust sound: 265mW per channel into 32Ω from the 4.4mm balanced output and 122mW from the 3.5mm, with signal-to-noise of up to 128dB and distortion as low as 0.00037%.
| 4.4mm balanced | ≥265mW/ch @ 32Ω · SNR ≥128dB · noise floor <1.8µV · output impedance <0.35Ω |
|---|---|
| 3.5mm single-ended | ≥122mW/ch @ 32Ω · SNR ≥124dB · noise floor <1.6µV · output impedance <0.3Ω |
| Distortion (THD+N) | <0.00037% (1kHz, 32Ω; balanced at −6dB) |
Bold looks, two outputs
The KA5’s aggressive lines give it a bold look, and its carefully designed texture makes it a pleasure to hold. The all-metal body has tempered glass on the front and back, and the two headphone outputs on the right-hand end, 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm single-ended, hint at its capabilities.
S/PDIF output for a bigger system
Turn on S/PDIF output in the settings menu and the 3.5mm socket converts the USB audio signal to S/PDIF, so you can connect the KA5 to a higher-end external DAC and build a better system.
Its own screen and operating system
The OLED display and physical buttons make navigating the settings and checking what’s playing simple and intuitive, and a built-in MCU processor handles it all with ease. You can set the screen’s timeout and brightness, use the multifunction key to navigate menus and play or pause, and choose how the volume buttons behave:
| Mode A | Short press: volume up or down one step · long press (2 seconds): previous or next track |
|---|---|
| Mode B | Short press: previous or next track · long press: volume up or down |
Small, but packed with functions
Despite its size, the KA5 has high and low gain, five selectable digital filters, left/right channel balance and screen flip. Set them on the KA5 itself or, on Android, with the FiiO Control app, whichever is easier.
UAC 1.0 for gaming
The KA5 supports both UAC 2.0 and UAC 1.0. In UAC 1.0 mode it works with the Nintendo Switch and other devices, for rich, detailed sound effects that make games more immersive. To turn it on, hold the multifunction key while you plug the switched-off KA5 into your device.
Cables for every device
The cable detaches, and the KA5 comes with USB-C and Lightning OTG cables and a USB-A adapter, so it works with Android, iOS, Windows and Mac devices without buying anything else.
| DACs and amps | 2 × Cirrus Logic CS43198 · 2 × SGM8261 |
|---|---|
| Formats | PCM up to 768kHz/32-bit · DSD256 |
| Outputs | 4.4mm balanced · 3.5mm single-ended (also S/PDIF) |
| Connection | USB-C (USB 2.0) · UAC 2.0 and UAC 1.0 |
| Controls | OLED display · multifunction key · volume buttons · FiiO Control app (Android) |
| Size and weight | 56.3 × 22 × 12mm · about 19g (without cable) |
| Colours | Black or white |
Good to know
In the box
- FiiO KA5 USB DAC Headphone Amp
- USB-A male to Type-C female adapter
- Type-C to Type-C OTG cable
- Type-C to Lightning OTG cable
- Manual
Downloads
THE FINER DETAILS
Built for
better listening.
Know what you’re choosing.
Find the right fit for your setup.
- DAC
- 2 × Cirrus Logic CS43198
- Headphone outputs
- 3.5mm single-ended · 4.4mm balanced
- Output power
- 265mW/ch @ 32Ω balanced · 122mW/ch @ 32Ω single-ended
- Frequency response
- 20Hz–20kHz
- Hi-res support
- PCM 768kHz/32-bit · DSD256
- Screen
- OLED status display
- EQ & app control
- FiiO Control app
- Signal-to-noise ratio
- ≥124dB (3.5mm) · ≥128dB (4.4mm), 32Ω, A-weighted
- Distortion (THD+N)
- <0.00037% (3.5mm, 0dB, 32Ω)
- Crosstalk
- ≥115dB (4.4mm, 1kHz, 32Ω)
- Size (H × W × D)
- 56.3 × 22 × 12mm
- Weight
- 19g
- Amplification
- 2 × SGM8261
- Digital outputs
- S/PDIF (3.5mm, shared)
- Inputs
- USB-C
- Finishes
- BLACK / WHITE
Specifications are based on manufacturer information and may change.
The press, on the KA5
Independent ears.
Their verdict.
A different perspective on your next listen.
03 / Expert reviews
able to deliver terrific bass, detailed mids, and clear highs
Harish Jonnalagadda
Read review
The overall tonality is warm but remains well-balanced through the frequency bands
Louis
Read reviewHeadfonia
you can top that with praise-worthy build quality, an excellent screen, a complete bundle
Recommended Buy DAC/AMP
NanoTechnos
Read reviewSelected excerpts from published reviews. Scores are each publication’s own. Follow the links for their full verdicts.
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How does free delivery work?
Every UK order has a free delivery option, and orders of £50 or more qualify for free next day delivery. Order by 12 noon, Monday to Friday, for next day delivery; orders placed after 12 noon, at the weekend or on a bank holiday are dispatched on the next working day. Stock availability and destination also affect arrival — check the options shown at checkout.
Pre-orders ship when stock arrives; the next day service starts after dispatch. Full delivery information
What if it’s not right for me?
Return within 14 days for any reason, or within 30 days if faulty, with free return postage. See our full Returns Policy for conditions and how to start a return.
Can you help me choose headphones?
Absolutely. Tell us what you listen to and the headphones you have — or the ones you’re considering — and we’ll help you find a suitable pairing. Chat with us
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Use the Price Beat option on this page to send us the competing offer. The team will review your request; it isn’t an automatic discount. How Price Beat works
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