It’s not just for new people. Or, for people who are only interested in a consumer level sound. I’m 52 and have been in this now for about 45 of those years. How? My dad wrote for Stereo Review. I later did too and for places like Speaker Builder and The Audio Amateur. I built my own speakers, DACs, amps and turned the dining room into a fully treated listening room in my 20’s. But, life changes and even when hobbies come full circle (as I’m now realizing that yes, there are still clear differences between DACs), you may look at them in a different light. Can I afford $X for a DAC? Sure. Do I *want* to spend that? Not really. So, where’s that good bang for the buck? Where’s that flattening out of the price / performance curve? If it’s at a $150 DAC / headphone amp, I’m dancing. You can always chase the “a bit better”. There’s always something else out there. But, there’s only so much time we have to listen. If the thrill of the chase is what drives you or the thrill of exploring new gear gets you going, great! Enjoy the ride! That’s not my deal anymore and getting advice - like just how well a $150 DAC / amp can do - is great to have. Even for someone who’s far from new to the game. Thanks!

Review starts at 7:55 You're welcome.

I came here for the DAC review but my favorite thing here was listening to your mentality and approach to the hobby. It's a really healthy mindset I think more people need to realize, and keep in mind even when they're in their high end castle, so to speak.

1. When I say HD6xx... I meant hd650. Lol the 6xx didn't even exist at that time. 2. It uses akm dacs not ess

Very good story and tie-in into this budget headphone amp. It's funny I too started on my audiophile journey with the Sennheiser HD 650, I thought it was crazy to spend $300 on headphones....and I waited about 7 months before I actually bought them because I felt guilty spending that much. I spent almost $600 on my last headphones and I told myself I would never spend that much...but here we are :)

I agree. This little DAC/amp is stellar. I tried it back to back against an Asgard 3 with multi-bit DAC module. I kept the Asgard. Mainly for build, USA content and power in high impedance headphones. But (and it’s a big but) the little Fiio was pretty much indistinguishable from the Asgard in sound quality. The Schiit was a little warmer and possibly had more juice. The FIIO had more inputs and flexibility. It’s a bargain.

Your doing a great job ! I have been into 2 channel audio for 31 years and I still get suprised sometimes at lower cost Hifi audio , Its a great time to be into hifi, i remember when R2R dacs were 3k plus for a decent DAC now days under 1k you can get a decent DAC , Heck the modi 3 surprised me being so top end clean

Thanks for the help deciding on the K5, just got it today and oh yeah! I just leveled up! I know it's not endgame but super happy with this purchase! 58X Jubilee and this amp/dac is unreal.... Super happy audio noob here! It's detailed and punches me right in the ears!

I’m still rocking my fx-audio dac x6 with my 58x... bought it over a year ago just to get started but I like it so much that I don’t feel the need to upgrade (until I get harder to drive headphones at least) the volume is more then enough, hardly go past 10 o’o’clock, the dac sounds clean and the build quality is fantastic. Yet I hardly ever here this amp/dac recommended as an entry level purchase at only $60-$65.

Dude, your anedote and your real life story realy made me enjoy the video. This is a good review, it combines real life experience, stories, and feelings with a product review. Others just read a list of spects. Keep it up

Enjoyed the video! keep up the great work, I like the balance of technology talk and the philosophy of it hi fi and audio. Look forward to what you will be bringing to this growing youtube audiophile community!

Great story about the start of your audiophile journey.Mine started when I first heard the Sennheiser Orpheus headphones with its supplied tube amplifier, at Bay Bloor Radio way back in the 90s. I could not afford them then and I cannot afford them now.😊But I do have a kickass $6000 system that I have now, which I will be keeping for awhile. And I still have my Fiio E5 headphone amplifier.

Thanks for the video -- Food for thought: Someone NOT on the "audiophile journey" (nor aspires to be) can be more-than-happy with gear like the FiiO K5 Pro too. Something like this paired with a set of efficient/semi-efficient headphones and IEMs would be more than adequate as "endgame" for the consumer-enthusiast market. I know, because I purchased this and it's really good without the OCD over more/better/different.

Great insight into the this desktop headphone amp first and foremost. Been using one as my main desktop driver for my workstation just before your review was shot and it's a big improvement over the earlier Fiio E10K USB headphone DAC that I was using for work. The biggest draw for me for the K5 Pro was the sheer amount of drive ability to push high Z (impedance) professional cans which I use for work and also push down the gain levels when running it with a consumer type headphone like say, a Grado SR80i or something similar. Good job and keep the reviews coming!

I have it. Happy with it. It's not extraordinary but does what it's meant to do very well. No co complaints.

Very good mindset for me as a beginner, love it. But i wish you can talk a bit more about the sound characteristics of the k5 for reference

I started my journey about 20 years ago purchasing a $25 Phillips iems to use on my Philips Go Gear mp3 player. Today, I'm using a $2000 pair of 64 Audio U12T on an Astell &Kern SP1000SS and I'm still looking for better. So basically it never ends and the grail doesn't exist!

It's purpose is to enable audio entrants to both connect, mix up and drive power consuming gear in the home environment , such as mid-high end headphones + home theatre and games consoles etc . Whilst the high end is to accomodate audiophile adepts and pro / studio / reliable audio recording and mixing. So this is really about facilitating the budding home studio market and i think it's versatility and quality at it's price point does exactly that. The audiophile journey is exactly that, (ie a journey) be you a band starting up, a dj or a home enthusiast. This is a jump in point with a a good set of versatility and some elevated pleasurable practicality when brining together audio interface gear and connecting up your first DAW.

But how does it sound compared to other similar priced stacks like stacks like modi-magni,khadas-atom,liquid spark etc?

Thanks for the review. I appreciate that you're not trying to shove it down our throats.

What they dont realize is that a good 200$ DAC/AMP and a good 200$ Headphone actually may sound better to many people than a combination that is multiple times as expensive... And even if there is a headphone combo like a ZMF Auteur with a 2500$ DAC and a 2500$ AMP that sound better to a persons taste... you will have to admit that the margin isnt that big. It can be big... if the 200$ headphone wasnt the right sound signatur to you anyway... and you dac or amp didnt output enough power .... but most of the time its the last 5-10% that you keep on searching all your life... And the journey is worth it for some. But not for many. After hearing a AKG K7XX or a HD650 or a DT1990 etc... you wont be blown aways by any upgrade... you might find a better bass or more of it, a bigger soundstage or a smaller one, more present treble or either a subjectively higher resolution and sometimes and actually higher resolution.... But if you are blown a ways by how much better something is... you are just fooling yourself into it, because you want to... AND that is totally fine. But it is problematic for others.... because people that always refer to something as "Better" "Next Level" "Higher Quality" dont recognize that mostly for what they are getting they are also losing something most of the time. For detail you lose musicality, for musicality you lose detail and most of all you lose a lot of money... 99% of the people out there who arent content with their Headset or Headphone plugged into their PC/MAC whatever will be blown away by a FiiO K5 Pro combined with any 150-300$ish can. And there wont be another level after that... not in a sense of a new revelation anyway. The real revelation happens when you go out and get a decent setup with enough power and an output device like a AKG K7XX, HD599, HD6XX/600/650/660,58X, Philips X1/X2, Beyerdynamic DT1990, Sundara etc. Depending on the music and taste. And most people arent truly searching for neutral anyway... People said the AKGK812 and the HD800 are amazing... i didnt like them at all... AKG K7xx are to me more capable. HD660S too. And that is coming from a Sennheiser Fanboy from Germany... My family used Sennheiser headphones since the 70s... The HD800S is to me the only step up from a HD660S in the moment. (From Sennheiser) but then again it is up to taste...

I began my system with a Harman Kardon 330b receiver, and a pair of Epicure m100 speakers. And a Pioneer pl-50 turntable. I got lucky, most of these components were 70s mass market, but very delicious sounding! I own the Schiit audio modi multibit dac. I like it, but always looking for something better!

how does the k5 pro DAC compared to e10k DAC?

I wish the reviewer could make some comparison with other popular entry level genres of DACs like Topping E30, Smsl Sankrit 10th MkII, Loxjie D30 and Schiit Modius.

My father purchased this for my birthday, I am coming from the ARCTIS PRO dac which is broken now. I hole I will be pleased !

Hey Jay, now try the new k9 pro !. I did get it, if you find the k5 good, let me tell you that the k9 is just worth i think much more thatn what FIIO ask for it, THX 2x and AK4499 Plus balanced circciut on front and back ! got mine yesterday, and all i can say, because of your review on the k5, i looked at this new product that is seem to be their Flagship Amp/Dac.

Hi, Do you believe that this can drive properly the Akg K712 Pro headphones?

Did I miss the part that tells me how the headphone amp sounds?

This guy totally understand my predicament. Its like hes speaking directly to me. Thanks man❤️

I recently bought a BTR5 and loved it so much I went and bought one of these as well! ❤️😎❤️

Very good video! Thank you. I have looked at so many! I think this one may be just the ticket.

How does this amp/dac stack up against the mayflower arc in terms of sound quality?

I'm just starting with philips SHP9600 and an usb dac dongle, it really improve the sound for me. So I get what you're saying 👍🏻

Tbh this most likley will be my endgame at least for a long time to pair with whatever new headphones I get (likely Fidelio X2HR).

I'm not a audiophile but I do lurk audio discord just to see the new hype. What I feel is that the gear should compliment the sounds you listen to and not the other way round. By that I mean I can enjoy the Fiio K3->AD500x(around 150) and honestly I can consider that endgame as my daily driver even though I have higher end gear. Honestly I think high fidelity endgame is a joke. I would rather have a cleaner sounding system that is high res enough to enjoy but not too high res to start hearing all the micro imperfections in the recording. That being said I do agree with you that the fiio K5 pro is a pre amp for powered speakers and headphones alike.

This review was really needed, thank you!

I'm not new to the journey and I could afford to spend more on a DAC. I just don't want to! I'm so happy to pay a compelling price for great performance. That's all I need :)

I’m not just starting out but it was a fun video to watch and I hadn’t heard of this new model

Dedication over food. I think weve all been there in some way or another.

For me this DAC has amazing sound quality if you use it just as a DAC without the amp. Means you will use just the output and not the headphone amp. My question is does the pure DAC output sound quality really differs from more expensive DACs? Again, just in terms of the actual DAC's output and no sound amplification. In my view, all the DACs with the latest chips must sound pretty much the same (when set to the same audio quality). What do you think?

@2:45 “I starved myself for two weeks,” a respectable course of action that reveals your dedication, passion and discipline.

The tech in a $50,000 setup will cost less than $500 at some point in the future. However, our human ears would pretty much stay the same. Does that mean that future $500 setup isn't a HiFi setup even though that's already at the peak of our human hearing? Pretentious audiophiles are amusing.

I have this setup with my headphones and monitors. You can go through the door with two or three headphones, and monitors for under 1200 dollars. Accessible gear is also the gateway to the broader consumer.

Man really nice review, want more of this style

One my favorite videos from you

Thanks Jay! Super valuable insight. I'm new to recording. Do you have any suggestions on how to use the K5 with a Scarlett 2i4? Should I use the K5 as a preamp? And how do you feel about AKG K712's as a pairing with all of the above?

Ordered mine from Ebay US, as in europe it costs almost double. It is on the way, will take forever but will be worth the wait, I got a new pair of AKG 712 pro, cant wait to use them with the amp, as the pc at 100% volume still is not enough obviously.

I'm considering purchasing this. I'm not an "audiophile" but I do appreciate above average sound. I just bought Philips X2HR and the V-Moda Boom Pro mic. From what I understand, if I ran the splitter into this amp/dac then the mic into my PC, it would cause a buzz in the mic. Is there any way around this besides getting a different mic? For amp/dac with mic inputs the options seem pretty limited.

I'm one of the guys that's new to the audio game coming from pc audio. I'm torn between getting the K5 Pro or a Sony NW-A55L DAP that can also be used as a USB dac. Can a DAP sound as good as a desktop dac/amp like the K5? I'm looking for the best SQ for the price range. What would be the best option in your opinion? Cheers.

Hi mate, This is a great review. I try to get info as much as possible. I wanna ask you a question. I’ll have 2 setups, portable and desktop. Can you please tel me if below ones ok? Or any other recommendation? 1) portable: - Ipod 6th gen classic (120 gb apple lossless) - Fiio E10K Olympus - Sennheiser HD569 2) Desktop: - Audio Technica At-lp120x USB Lp player - Fiio K5 Pro - Hifiman HE400se or Sennheiser HD599

Very good review. I have the HiFiman He400i headphones and 400.00 set aside for a DAC/Amp. I would love your opinion.

I added it to the cart I will order it on the first 🙌🙌🙌🙌. Can’t wait

How would this DAC/amplifier measure up against the Audioquest DragonFly Black in terms of sound quality? I have the DragonFly Black, and I noticed a big difference between the that and the built in DAC and amplifier in my phone.

Perfect & complete explanation of how to start hifi journey

Nice convo. I enjoy your videos

So if I’m just starting out you’d recommend this over the FiiO 10k? My sennheiser hd599’s aren’t hard to drive but I’d like a little more volume to my listening and all the other benefits that come from a dac/amp, separation, soundstage, etc.

I started my headphone journey a few years ago with the HD650s in the same exact way as you! I saved on an empty stomach and even bought them for the same price as you haha! And here I am today looking for a budget headphone amp/dac. You said the Fiio K5 Pro isn't optimal for driving the HD600 series, what would be a better setup? Schiit stack? I think I will definitely go for this, but I'm just wondering where to look towards in the future.

I’ve heard them all…Sony R10 etc…. I’ve hosted hp meets mentioned in Stereophile magazine. Tonight I ordered this exact unit to power my Grado GS1000’s…

Hi Jay, is this Amp/DAC better than a X-Fi Titanium card? Today i have a DT 1990 PRO running over a SoundBlaster X-Fi Titanium, i'm thinking about replace this setup with a Fiio K5 PRO, what do you think about it?

Would you still rate it the same way today? And what (DAC Amp) would you recommend for about !650.00?

Can I plug my phone into it and stream Amazon hd through it? I don't have a computer or wifi. It would be this plugged into the wall and my phone with my music plugged in and a set of headphones

Yo thanks for helping. I will try this as my first dac/amp with my first pair of high quality headphones; the hd 650s

really helpful in making the decision whether to pick this up, received if recently and already getting a ton out of the k5 pro

I would like to know if it would work to connect in a yamaha soundbar? and he would be good for a HIFIMAN HE4XX? thanks!

Wow, I'm literally that university student who's beginning their journey and bought a used pair of HD6xx/650's. As a matter of fact, I just bought them yesterday and waiting for them to ship. Been eyeing the FiiO K5 Pro for a while but the 6xx seller is throwing in an O2 ODAC amp/dac combo along with it. Would I benefit from buying the FiiO K5 Pro or a different combo?

I have a quesiton: Can it drives the DT 770 pro 250 ohm? And if it can, should i get this or the topping dx3 pro+ for the headphone?

this video is like seeing the opposite of thomas and stereo. young. refreshing. humble. You dont showboat around, and he does.

Great video! Have you had the chance to compare it with the Fiio k3? Thanks

Thank you for these kind words.

So I have the arctis pro and the hd600. Which would you recommend when using this? I have it arriving in a couple days and want to get a couple opinions

I buy this Fiio K5 to play with my Fidelios X2, I hope it works well and I'm satisfied

7 mins before actaully start talking abou the k5pro, wow

Dude... You are smart!

Hello and thanks for a review. Will headphones with an microphone on cable work with this dac? Headphones: Philips Fidelio L2.

Hello, how is the amplifier with the akg k701? Or with the M11 fiio, what is enough? will i notice the difference? thanks greetings

Good review. It’s our journey.

Fiio K5 Pro or IFI Zen DAC? :(

Does this have more output than the Qudelix-5K when used as a USB dac to headphones? Is it 2.0 Vrms or 6.4Vrms? Like can you use it as both an amp and USB dac with the 6.4Vrms?

It's funny that Massdrop still sells O2+SDAC combo at the same price while it has been made obsolete by this.

Hey i just wanna ask is fiio k3 has enough power to driver k7xx or i need this? I only use that for gaming only

nice review. wondering what's better, this one or schiit hel? planning to pair it with hd6xx

this vs ifi Zen DAC please? Thanks.

Would you recommend this as upgrade to 12y. old external sound card (Creative X-fi) that costs 50€ back in the day?

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the fx audio dac x6 or the kguss counterpart.

You are a very good speaker

Hello : ) My name is Natalia I live in Poland and I love Hi-Fi and Hi-End audio equipnment.But I struggle with one problem about connections beteween my hi-fi units.I have headphone amplifier/DAC/preamplifier this is Audio gd - Master 11 and I have Pioneer Streamer N-50AE and I have Pioneer Integrated amplifier model A-70DA and I have a computer MacBook Air. My problem is that I don't know what is the most proper using my Audio gd Master 11.I don't know that I should connect Master 11 to my Macbook Air ? Or I should connect my Master 11 to my streamer Pioneer N-50AE? - To get the best quality of the sound. When I connect Master 11 to streamer Pioneer N-50 AE I get the best sound quality compared with Master 11 + MacBookj Air.But when I connect Master 11 to MacBook Air the quality of the sound getting worse compared with Master 11 + Pioneer N-50AE.but when I connect Master 11 + MacBook Air sound is very analougue and at the same time sound is very natural.Master 11 + Pioneer N-50AE - the best quality of the sound.Master 11 + MacBook Air - quality of the sound is not very good quality but sound is very analogue and very natural.So what Should I do? What is the most proper connection I should do?

Knowledge is the last weapon we have left..... but we need to add patience and skills to search and hunt..... and sometimes you just get lucky and find that good deal ......

5:40 for K5

FiiO K5 Pro and m40x plus pads. Best investment BUT that is not a Line Output !!! That is a Pre Output, the volume control messes with it. Line Out RCAs should output the constant line level of 2 1/4 Volts from the DAC.

To add to my previous question I have a set of Logitech z337 speakers, if I use the RCA output on this to go onto those speakers, this thing wouldn't blow out the drivers on those would it? I'd like to use this for those speakers if possible, but also power the headphones I mentioned in my last comment.

nice video, what did you use to stick up your albums on your wall ?

Mr. Jay, what do you think about Fiio k7 compared to Cambridge magic 200m im nod dac for stereo system consisting of Marantz pm 6006 + Dali Oberon 3. Or other recommendation please. Thank you.

Hi, I would to know how big will be difference with asus xonar d1/d1(I have both on two pc) using sennheiser hd 380 or beyerdynamic dt 770(80 Om)? Or I should buy something another to get noticeable difference?

I have the Tannoy Gold 5 Active speaker. Can I connect the XLR from the back of the Tannoy to the Fiio K5 Line out on both left and right speaker ? or connect K5 pro to Tannoy's single-ended TRS input by using RCA to TRS cable.

what's your preferred connection? Optical or usb?

I have a Focusrite 2i2 3 gen AI, and I just bought 250ohm B.dynamics headphones ..What headphone amp or dac/amp would you suggest, I need more power for my headphones? ( I have a 2020 IMac 27 inch (Beatmaking & mixing)

Fiio k5 pro is single ended only, 1.5W at 32 Ohm. Asgard 3: single ended only, 3.5W @ 32 Ohm.

so does that mean that i can get this instead of ASUS ROG STRIX X570-E GAMING's audio + amp? Its for k712pro comming from a SONY TA-FE370 with two JBL shelf speakers. I use the front output for the AKG. I am planning a rig change and i really wonder if i should use onboard audio + amp or K5 Pro alone, or even modi-magni stack? Thanks anyways :)

Will i hear an improvement with my hd599 over my asus x470 strix headphone jack?

I am a pensioner with little spare purchasing power. I own the 1 more quad driver earphones. These are powered by Realtek supremeFX S1220A on board soundcard, which goes up to 32bit 176400 hz. Would the K5 Pro improve on this please.