FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier

Two years of fine-tuning have now turned the FiiO KA3 Small USB DAC and Amplifier into the new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier.

The declared aim of the developers at FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. for the new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier was to create a particularly flexible, easy-to-use and, above all, high-performance solution that can serve as a daily companion for demanding music lovers.

The new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier was based on the FiiO KA3 Small USB DAC and Amplifier, which has been available for about two years. The new USB DAC with integrated headphone amplifier is now intended to take over.

The successor to the FiiO KA3 Small USB DAC and Amplifier

The FiiO KA3 Small USB DAC and Amplifier already came with the promise of a high-performance DAC with a high-quality headphone amplifier in the form of a compact and therefore versatile USB stick.

FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. now promises exactly the same for the new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier, but based on the latest technology, with a new design, and last but not least on an even more refined sound quality, as the company states. In order to achieve this, the company allowed itself a good two years for fine-tuning.

Special desktop mode for distortion-free playback with high output level

The new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier is characterised by a special desktop mode, as the manufacturer states. While conventional D/A converters and headphone amplifiers in the form of a USB stick have a rather modest output, this is not the case with the FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier.

The actual signal conversion is done by means of a Cirrus CS43131 DAC, whereby two of these DACs from Cirrus Logic Inc. are used in dual-mono design. This allows audio data to be processed in Linear PCM with up to 32 bits and 384 kHz as well as DSD up to and including DSD256.

But the really decisive factor is the two SGM8262 operational amplifiers from SG Micro Corp. used here, which achieve an output power of up to 550 mW per channel via a balanced output in the form of a 4.4 mm Pentaconn, which is available on the new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier in addition to an unbalanced 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack. This 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack can also function as an S/PDIF out, which should be mentioned here for the sake of completeness.

USB-C and Apple Lightning

The new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier relies on a USB-C port and comes with a corresponding cable, but there is also an adapter cable for Apple Lightning Connector in the package, so that this solution can be used with a variety of source devices, from notebooks to tablets and smartphones. Microsoft Windows is supported as well as Apple macOS, Apple iOS and Google Android.

For easy handling, the manufacturer offers the FiiO Control App for Apple iOS and Google Android.

It should also be mentioned that the new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier has an RGB LED, which visualises the type and resolution of the incoming audio signals by means of the colour.

Pricing and availability

The new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier is expected to be available in stores soon. The Chinese company quotes a price of US$ 75,99 for this solution. It will be available in both black and silver.

Getting to the point

The FiiO KA3 Small USB DAC and Amplifier has taken a good two years to fine-tune, so that the new FiiO KA13 Mini Desktop Headphone Amplifier can now be presented as its successor, says the specialist for personal audio devices FiiO Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. By using the latest technology, the quality is said to have been improved once again, the company also relies on a new design line and once again promises particularly easy handling of this new addition to the FiiO KA Series.