FiiO KA17 USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier
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FiiO KA17 USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Overview
The FiiO KA17 is a portable USB DAC and headphone amplifier with two ESS ES9069Q DACs, an XMOS XU316 USB receiver and four THX AAA 78+ amplifiers in a fully balanced design. It's for listeners who want the most power and features FiiO packs into a dongle, with a desktop mode and a separate power input that let it drive full-size headphones at a desk, plus a 10-band PEQ.
Flip the D.Mode switch and the KA17 adjusts its DAC, amplifier power supply and amp output, running its four THX amps in parallel. With enough USB power, the 4.4mm balanced output then delivers up to 650mW per channel into 32 ohms and the 3.5mm output 270mW, against 300mW and 140mW in normal mode. A second, orange USB-C port takes an external power supply, so it can reach that output without draining your phone. Inside, separate digital and analog boards and a 3-stage, 10-rail power supply keep the signal clean, with balanced SNR up to 126dB.
The KA17 plays up to 768kHz/32-bit PCM, native DSD512 and full MQA decoding, and its 3.5mm jack also works as a coaxial SPDIF output. The 10-band PEQ can be set in the FiiO Control app on Android or on FiiO's website from a computer. A 0.91-inch dot-matrix display and physical buttons handle settings, with 60- or 120-step volume, two volume curves, a maximum-volume limit, UAC1.0 driver-free mode, and temperature and DC output protection. It comes with a leatherette case.
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For the full 650mW balanced output at a desk, switch on desktop mode and plug a USB power supply into the orange port, so your phone or laptop isn't doing all the work. Leave desktop mode off for IEMs on the go. On an iPhone, FiiO notes the app can't adjust the KA17, so set your PEQ from a computer on FiiO's website first. The PEQ works on files up to 192kHz/24-bit and isn't available in UAC1.0 mode.
More Info
Why the FiiO KA17 Stands Out
Dual ES9069Q DACs
ESS fourth-gen 32-bit HyperStream.
Quad THX AAA 78+
Fully balanced, 4-channel amp design.
650mW Desktop Mode
4.4mm balanced, 32 ohms, D.Mode switch.
Separate Power Input
Orange USB-C port for an external supply.
10-Band PEQ
Set in the Android app or on fiio.com.
768kHz, DSD512, MQA
Plus SPDIF coaxial out from 3.5mm.
Buyer's Guide
Who It's For
- The Full-Size Headphone Owner: Needs up to 650mW balanced.
- The Desk and Commute Listener: Uses one dongle in both places.
- The EQ Tuner: Wants a 10-band PEQ in a dongle.
How It Compares
Compared with the FiiO KA15, the KA17 moves to dual ESS ES9069Q DACs and quad THX AAA 78+ amps, raises balanced desktop-mode power from 560mW to 650mW, and adds a separate USB-C power input, DSD512 and MQA decoding. The KA15 has a colour screen and in-line mic support and is smaller and lighter.
FiiO KA17 USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier Specifications
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Model | FiiO KA17 |
| Brand | FiiO |
| Product Type | Portable USB DAC and headphone amplifier |
| Colours Available | Black, Blue, Titanium |
| Audio | |
| DAC | ESS ES9069Q x2 |
| USB Receiver | XMOS XU316 |
| Amplifier | THX AAA 78+ x4, fully balanced |
| Gain | Low, high |
| PCM | Up to 768kHz/32-bit |
| DSD | DSD512 (native), DoP256 |
| MQA | Full decoding |
| PEQ | 10-band (up to 192kHz/24-bit; not in UAC1.0 mode) |
| Recommended Impedance | 3.5mm: 8 to 150Ω; 4.4mm: 8 to 300Ω |
| 3.5mm Output (High Gain) | |
| Desktop Mode | 270mW+270mW @ 32Ω; 320mW+320mW @ 16Ω; 30mW+30mW @ 300Ω |
| Normal Mode | 140mW+140mW @ 32Ω; 110mW+110mW @ 16Ω; 20mW+20mW @ 300Ω |
| SNR | ≥123dB desktop; ≥120dB normal (A-weighted) |
| Output Impedance | <1Ω |
| 4.4mm Balanced Output (High Gain) | |
| Desktop Mode | 650mW+650mW @ 32Ω; 460mW+460mW @ 16Ω; 90mW+90mW @ 300Ω |
| Normal Mode | 300mW+300mW @ 32Ω; 150mW+150mW @ 16Ω; 30mW+30mW @ 300Ω |
| SNR | ≥126dB desktop; ≥120dB normal (A-weighted) |
| Output Impedance | <1.5Ω |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB-C (data/power) + USB-C power in |
| Outputs | 3.5mm (shared with coaxial SPDIF, up to 96kHz), 4.4mm balanced |
| Controls | Multifunction button, volume buttons, D.Mode switch |
| App | FiiO Control (Android); PEQ via fiio.com |
| Physical Specifications | |
| Display | 0.91-inch OLED dot-matrix |
| Power Input | DC 5V ≥1A |
| Dimensions | About 64 x 27.7 x 12.7mm |
| Weight | About 33.5g |
| Included | Leatherette case |
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