All Aboard the FiiO K9 Pro Hype Train

[PcChip]

Are you not keen to find out exactly why that is? Because it shouldn't be.

because one is made with an ESS chip, and one is made with an AKM chip... I figured that was blindingly obvious lol

I also own, have owned, or have demoed the following:
- Bricasti M1SE
- Holo May KTE
- Rockna WaveDream
- Digital Convert DC2
- Chord TT2
- Chord MScaler (with above)
- RME ADI-2 DAC FS (v2, AKM)

Do you think those all sounded the same too?

 

[NiagaraPete]

because one is made with an ESS chip, and one is made with an AKM chip... I figured that was blindingly obvious lol

I also own, have owned, or have demoed the following:
- Bricasti M1SE
- Holo May KTE
- Rockna WaveDream
- Digital Convert DC2
- Chord TT2
- Chord MScaler (with above)
- RME ADI-2 DAC FS (v2, AKM)

Do you think those all sounded the same too?

They should, volume matched and blind.

 

[Jimbob54]

because one is made with an ESS chip, and one is made with an AKM chip... I figured that was blindingly obvious lol

I also own, have owned, or have demoed the following:
- Bricasti M1SE
- Holo May KTE
- Rockna WaveDream
- Digital Convert DC2
- Chord TT2
- Chord MScaler (with above)
- RME ADI-2 DAC FS (v2, AKM)

Do you think those all sounded the same too?

If the differences are glaringly and immediately obvious then either :

We should stop measuring dacs as the measurements are clearly worthless; or

Maybe you're not quite comparing and testing them properly.

There is a third option which I personally suspect might be in play, but we shall see.

 

[raif71]

If the differences are glaringly and immediately obvious then either :

We should stop measuring dacs as the measurements are clearly worthless; or

Maybe you're not quite comparing and testing them properly.

There is a third option which I personally suspect might be in play, but we shall see.

Why do you say that measuring dacs are worthless? Of course measurements are needed so that one knows whether the DAC is functioning properly but after that listening comes into play. Not all DACs that have high SINAD sound good and not all DACs that have low SINAD sound bad. Case in point is the Fiio K5 Pro. Measurements are here. The results are 82 SINAD in the red band and it is recommended by Amir himself !!. Here is the SINAD graph from the link... I highlighted where K5 Pro is.

I own this DAC/AMP and I find no faults with the unit even though the SINAD is low and it is agreeable by Amir I guess after listening to it. We shouldn't give all credit to measurements but listening plays a part too.

I think allowances should be made on hearsay at least to owners of DACs when they hear differences between DACs they owned. They have more experience with the units and have lived with them. Anyway this is my 2 cents.

 

[NiagaraPete]

If the differences are glaringly and immediately obvious then either :

We should stop measuring dacs as the measurements are clearly worthless; or

Maybe you're not quite comparing and testing them properly.

There is a third option which I personally suspect might be in play, but we shall see.

I pick option 3.

 

[Dealux]

using the source switch on the goldpoint, when you flip back and forth between them the difference is extremely obvious

I propose that statements like yours from armchair DAC experts are worthless

You're the armchair expert here, idiot. The most insufferable thing about subjectivists is that they absolutely do not know the difference between opinions and facts.

It is 100% accurate to say that sighted tests are worthless because humans have a million different biases that color perception. Your testing methodology is also flawed if you have no way of verifying if those amps are volume matched.

 

[Jimbob54]

Why do you say that measuring dacs are worthless? Of course measurements are needed so that one knows whether the DAC is functioning properly but after that listening comes into play. Not all DACs that have high SINAD sound good and not all DACs that have low SINAD sound bad. Case in point is the Fiio K5 Pro. Measurements are here. The results are 82 SINAD in the red band and it is recommended by Amir himself !!. Here is the SINAD graph from the link... I highlighted where K5 Pro is.

View attachment 221367

View attachment 221368

I own this DAC/AMP and I find no faults with the unit even though the SINAD is low and it is agreeable by Amir I guess after listening to it. We shouldn't give all credit to measurements but listening plays a part too.

I think allowances should be made on hearsay at least to owners of DACs when they hear differences between DACs they owned. They have more experience with the units and have lived with them. Anyway this is my 2 cents.

I think you've misunderstood something in the exchange there .

If you have 2 modern DACs (the akm and ess k9 pro variants discussed here ) and when doing a quick a/b the difference is "extremely obvious" as was stated here , you don't think something might well be wrong in the way they have been compared? You think we should not challenge and further probe such claims ?

 

[raif71]

I think you've misunderstood something in the exchange there .

If you have 2 modern DACs (the akm and ess k9 pro variants discussed here ) and when doing a quick a/b the difference is "extremely obvious" as was stated here , you don't think something might well be wrong in the way they have been compared? You think we should not challenge and further probe such claims ?

Yes, for most here go ahead n challenge...just stating my POV, cheers

 

[Georgrig]

because one is made with an ESS chip, and one is made with an AKM chip... I figured that was blindingly obvious lol

I also own, have owned, or have demoed the following:
- Bricasti M1SE
- Holo May KTE
- Rockna WaveDream
- Digital Convert DC2
- Chord TT2
- Chord MScaler (with above)
- RME ADI-2 DAC FS (v2, AKM)

Do you think those all sounded the same too?

The two K9s are different in their amp section, too. The ESS is slightly more powerful per the spec sheet.

 

[Hxx]

I have yet to hear an actual difference between DACs, even stuff that's really cheap sounds the same.

I can notice a difference albeit not anything earth shattering. i own the (cheap) dx3pro+ and the fiio k9 pro ESS. I know pricing is like apples to oranges lol, but Fiio sounds a bit smoother and with a bit more "body" and not as sharp and fast as the topping. I dunno which is "better" I can see folks liking one or the other to be honest. This is all with a DT 1990 pro. I do prefer the sound signature of the Fiio

 

[yavormoskov]

I have two questions about K9 Pro. First, is there a standby mode so when I turn on my PC to turn on the K9 automatically and the second is can you switch outputs and inputs directly from the phone app? Thank you.

 

[Lupin]

I can notice a difference albeit not anything earth shattering. i own the (cheap) dx3pro+ and the fiio k9 pro ESS. I know pricing is like apples to oranges lol, but Fiio sounds a bit smoother and with a bit more "body" and not as sharp and fast as the topping. I dunno which is "better" I can see folks liking one or the other to be honest. This is all with a DT 1990 pro. I do prefer the sound signature of the Fiio

And you came to this conclusion after conducting a proper volume matched double blind test?

 

[Hxx]

And you came to this conclusion after conducting a proper volume matched double blind test?

lol no need to. its called long term use. Blind tests make sense for short term use but i owned the dx3 pro+ since release and use it frequently. imagine swapping it for a new unit (regardless of which unit) u will pick up on differences if any.

 

[Hxx]

I have two questions about K9 Pro. First, is there a standby mode so when I turn on my PC to turn on the K9 automatically and the second is can you switch outputs and inputs directly from the phone app? Thank you.

yes there is standby 1 quick press on the front power button. there is also soft shut down/sleep mode - 4 sec press on the front power button.
you can switch inputs on the remote app but u cannot switch outputs

 

[Veri]

lol no need to. its called long term use. Blind tests make sense for short term use but i owned the dx3 pro+ since release and use it frequently. imagine swapping it for a new unit (regardless of which unit) u will pick up on differences if any.

"new toy syndrome"
"placebo effect"
Sighted listening magic..

 

[Hxx]

"new toy syndrome"
"placebo effect"
Sighted listening magic..

let’s go with listening magic cause it wasn’t an upgrade. I still own and use both

 

[Lupin]

lol no need to. its called long term use. Blind tests make sense for short term use but i owned the dx3 pro+ since release and use it frequently. imagine swapping it for a new unit (regardless of which unit) u will pick up on differences if any.

No need to... that is about the biggest and reddest red flag there is.
Sorry but nobody (should) take you seriously with that seriously flawed logic.

 

[NiagaraPete]

thats good cause im not here to tell people what to buy but only to share my experience. So if my logic is flawed hey thats cool lol thats my opinion as im sure we all have one.

There are "facts" then there are "alternative facts" otherwise known as subjective opinion.

 

[Hxx]

There are "facts" then there are "alternative facts" otherwise known as subjective opinion.

Agreed and my opinion is subjective. Don’t think i specified it’s otherwise

 

[Lupin]

Agreed and my opinion is subjective. Don’t think i specified it’s otherwise

You do realize on which forum you're posting..?