FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier – DAC, Bluetooth, Preamp and Headphone Amplifier
FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. is expanding its line of desktop audio solutions with the new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier, a fully balanced headphone amplifier with integrated D/A converter and Bluetooth.
- The new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier is a fully balanced headphone amplifier with integrated D/A converter and Bluetooth.
With the new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier, FiiO Electronic Technology Co. Ltd. is building on the success of the FiiO K7 Desktop DAC and Amplifier, which the personal audio solutions specialist launched in the autumn of 2022, once again clearly demonstrating that it is increasingly focusing on the desktop audio solutions sector, with the aim of establishing it as another important pillar of the company.
The main reason given by FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. for this is that they were surprised by the great success of the FiiO K5 Pro, whereupon they stepped up their involvement in the desktop audio sector and subsequently developed the flagship FiiO K9 Pro, which was also extremely successful on the market. Equally successful was the aforementioned FiiO K7, which is now followed by the new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier.
FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier – Now equipped with Bluetooth
Like its little brother from last year, the new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier combines a D/A converter and a headphone amplifier, thus relying on a combination that is still very popular with consumers, although here the equipment goes so far that, in addition to digital inputs, analogue inputs are also available, so that the FiiO K7 Desktop DAC and Amplifier definitely has what it takes to be a compact preamplifier.
Bluetooth from Qualcomm Inc.
What distinguishes the new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier from its predecessor is already in its product name, the BT serves as a hint that you will also find a Bluetooth module here.
The FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier uses a QCC512 Bluetooth chip from the experts Qualcomm Inc., which supports SBC and AAC as well as aptX, aptX HD, aptX LL and aptX Adaptive, and also LDAC.
Dual AK4493S DAC and USB based on XMOS Technology
The FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier uses converters from the specialist Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation. These are AKM AK4493S DACs, which are used here in a so-called dual-mono configuration and can thus process audio signals in Linear PCM with up to 32 bits and 384 kHz as well as DSD up to and including DSD256.
In addition to a USB port with XMOS technology based on XMOS XUF208 with dual clock management, a coaxial and optical S/PDIF interface are available as digital inputs.
It should be mentioned at this point that an analogue input is also available, implemented as a pair of cinch sockets. The FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier also has a pair of cinch sockets as analogue output.
Headphone amplifier based on amp modules from THX Ltd.
Two THX AAA 788+ from THX Ltd. and thus a separate amp module for each channel are available here to enable the fully balanced design of the new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier as stated by the manufacturer.
It should also be mentioned that the D/A converters are preceded by an LPF (Low Pass Filter) as well as a particularly high-quality volume control in the form of NJU72315 and a buffer amplifier.
The manufacturer emphasises that an output power of 560 mW at 300 ohms can be achieved, at 32 ohms even 2,000 mW are available and thus the best conditions are created to operate really any headphone effortlessly.
In order to be able to make an optimal adjustment to the different headphone models, the FiiO K7 Desktop DAC and Amplifier offers the possibility to adjust the output power, the so-called gain, in two steps. In addition, three output modes are available.
For connecting headphones, the device offers a 6.3 mm stereo jack for unbalanced headphones as well as a 4.4 mm pentaconn for balanced headphones.
For easy operation, there are selector switches and buttons on the front, but above all a centrally located rotary encoder, which also functions as a status display for the operating mode of the device by means of an RGB LED ring around the rotary knob.
Control via app on request
Since the new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier has Bluetooth, it can also be controlled via an app if desired. FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. offers the FiiO Control App for Apple iOS and Google Android.
More extensive filter and equaliser settings can be made via this app, and in the future, updates will also be offered, as the manufacturer explains, for example, for new Bluetooth codecs.
High-quality power supply
FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. once again emphasises the importance of a high-quality power supply when presenting the new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier. A 12 V 24 Watt low-noise switching power supply is used, and the FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier itself relies on a series of separate voltage regulators to ensure optimal performance at all times.
The FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier measures no more than 120 x 168 x 55 mm and weighs 620 g.
Pricing and availability
The new FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier is available immediately from specialist retailers. The recommended retail price is listed at € 249,-.
Getting to the point
The FiiO K7 BT Desktop DAC and Amplifier is an enhanced version of last year’s FiiO K7 Desktop DAC and Amplifier, now available from FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. As the name suggests, the new version features Bluetooth, offering all relevant Bluetooth codecs for the best possible quality of wireless signal transmission. This also enables convenient control via an app.
| PRODUCT | FIIO K7 BT DESKTOP DAC AND AMPLIFIER |
|---|---|
| Price | € 249,- |
| Brand | FiiO |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. |
| Distribution | NT Global Distribution GmbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HIFI BLOG |
