what input are you using on your k7?

I bought a k9 for my Sundara, lol... well ti wasn't JUST for the Sundara, i kinda want some speakers too, nothing super fancy, but i thought the k9 could be a great preamp or something. Also it looks beautiful... Kinda wish i waited to buy the ESS version, but, given the AKM version is so rare (due to the factory discontinuing the chip production, permanently, after the factory burned down), i wonder if i can trade with someone. :3

@@MyouKyuubi Dude, you most likely wouldn't be able to pick the difference between one chip and another since both measure preety well. I seriously wouldn't stress over it

@@Lucas-ck1po Well technically, the AKM chip is better, according to FiiO's product parameters... But the ESS version contains two DAC chips, as opposed to the AKM's single dac chip. FiiO originally intended to have the AKM version have two DAC chips, just like the ESS version, but due to the discontinuation of the AKM chip, they went with single-chip design, in order to make double the amount of units, so that more people could have the privilege of owning an AKM version. The reason you'd want the ESS over the AKM, is primarily because the ESS has better channel-separation, due to dual-dac. That is something you can DEFINITELY make out with your own ears. ;) The ESS also has a golden volume knob, which matches better with the THX-indentation, and the "pro" label next to the XLR output, which are gold-colored... As opposed to the AKM versions mismatched silver volume knob. xD The ESS is more visually consistent, is what i'm saying. And also, if my AKM version breaks, getting replacement DAC chips for repair wont be possible... So there's also that. But you know, it's totally nonessential, the AKM version works just fine, and powers headphones very competently. :) It'll probably last me long enough to when there's better alternatives on the market anyhow.

@@blakeschumaker1914 "It completely changed the game for my Moondrop B2Ds which I was previously running off of a FIIO Q1 MKII" Lmao, in-ears, with a portable amp? Why would you buy a desktop amp to replace a portable one? And why would you use in-ears for desktop use? We can never be friends... xD

@@blakeschumaker1914 "But there is no need to be a complete dick to strangers online." ... I wasn't being a dick, i was making a joke... I thought my Ecksdee there made that obvious. Guess i was mistaken about that. :P "Why would you hate on someone that has similar interests to you?" I'm not hating on anyone, lmao. Do you always think everyone is out to get you? I think perhaps you need to learn to get over yourself. Even if someone was actually out to get you, so to speak, you shouldn't be acting this sensitive over it. Taking yourself that seriously all the time is only going to be a source of unnecessary stress in your life bro. : / Have a good one!

Meanwhile the FiiO k7 here can do 2000 mW all by itself. :P

But the zen dac can also be powered only by a usb port making it great for portable laptop use.

@@dylanholt325 Yeah, that's not really a selling feature.

@@MyouKyuubi was for me. I don’t want to have to carry around multiple power bricks if I don’t have too.

@@dylanholt325 Well, it's not a selling feature, because if your PC is powering the amplifier, then the amplifier can't amplify beyond the PC's innate ability to amplify. In fact, the amplifier is weaker than your PC, because the amplifier uses some of the power it gets from the PC to enable other, unrelated systems, like LED lights, and various other indicators.. Which leaves the amplifier with LESS power, than if you had just plugged your headphones, directly, into the PC instead. :P So no, it is not a selling feature, ever... Not even for you. If an amplifier does not have it's own separate power supply, it is not serving as an amplifier, because it can't amplify any higher than the audio-source it's connected to, all it is serving as at that point, is as a DAC at best, and even then, you don't NEED an external DAC, because your PC comes with it's own DAC chips, and you can use them by plugging them directly into the audio-jacks on your PC, lol. I'm sorry you wasted your money buying a desk-brick, my man. I did so too once, when i made the mistake of buying a "GSX 1200 PRO Gaming Series" that doesn't have it's own power supply and is run entirely off USB from the PC. This was before i knew what i know now. :P It's marketed as an amplifier, but, it doesn't actually amplify more than my PC does, so it's a waste of money... The purpose of an amplifier, is to be able to boost the volume better than the audio-source can, that requires extra power, AKA, amplification... So if it fails to do that, it's not really an amplifier. Why? Because some headphones might have a sensitivity of 84 dB per mW, and some of them have a high Ohm rating... At which point raising volume requires more power AND more voltage rather than current... Which is something PC's typically aren't equipped to handle... That is what amplifiers are FOR.

Exactly the 2 I'm deciding between right now

Some things FiiO updated later in the parameters section of the K7 on their site, the review says 1% distortion but it says now 0.0003% THD on the site. also power is 2200mW per channel so its 4.4watts overall balanced. It;s definitely not competing with smaller amps.

Those are the two that I purchased.

Yup, this button is magic. Recently I played Cyberpunk 2077 and the city was just... Alive with that diddly thing pressed xD The transit systems, the meaty gun feadback or behind the wall bass of the music of the moxx club. And like You said, it achieves it without injuring other frequencies. I myself got the V2, it was either that or topping dx3pro+

@@Usmvalor3 I call it the 80s music button, because there is very little bass on a lot of early digital recordings. I couldn't move to an amp without it, either.

@@Usmvalor3 question for gaming with Dacs any useful tips? I’m kinda confused with dacs in general 😂

Could just download a parametric EQ and make the bass do whatever you want it to. For free.

@@Terra101 It's not the same as a button that provides an instant analogue bass boost upon request.

topping dacs are good though, I've had one for years.

Just means you can use the k5 pro with in-ear products as well.

Is it hard to fine tune music level? I often play around volume difference between 85-95% on pc depending on stuff. So little worried that this ;short; travel will make it hard.

@@nssSmooge Well, not any harder than it is on regular PC. :P On Windows 10 for instance, you have the default volume, and the channel volume, Default volume is like the master-volume, and the channel-volume adjusts the volume of each individual program you have open via the volume mixer. Adding an amplifier (With it's own power supply) just means you get more volume headroom (Which is the entire point of amplifiers), and an IRL master-volume knob, so you don't have to constantly tab out of your game for instance to adjust master volume in Windows. So the complexity remains the same, you just gain a few bonuses, and quality of life improvements, is all.

@@nssSmooge I always just set my DAC to a specific volume level and just adjust volume within windows apps. Works for me, this is how I use my DAC's.

Well, it's just a bare-minimum balanced amplifier... It's not really an upgrade, it's about the same performance.

@@MyouKyuubi balanced is a meme and doesn't sound better than non-balanced in any way

@@escapetherace1943 Well... It's not quite THAT simple... But yeah, it is close enough, i guess. Main difference between BAL and SE is that BAL typically has more power, and therefore, more volume headroom... That's due to how BAl technology works, it sends two signals, one positive, one negative (inverted) in order to remove the distortion they have in common, then it converts the negative back into a positive and the signals combine again, producing a significantly stronger signal than in a single-ended circuit, hence more power and extra volume. xD There are other small things too, BAL tends to have better channel-separation, that can, feasibly be audible to your ears, though is just as likely to be detrimental, as it is to be beneficial... It also depends on your personal preference. There are some other differences too, like noise-floor, but so small they're basically not audible, and certainly not audible as this price-point, so... And unless you can run your dac/amp in 32bit, via your PC, worrying about noise floor is pointless, and even if you meet the criteria to make use of 32bit audio, you're onyl going to be hearing that noise floor in audio specifically designed for 32bit listening... It's basically like buying an 8k TV, the 8k resolution is useless to you, unless the media you consume is rendered in 8k, otherwise you'll be watching in 1080p or 4k like most people... You can only experience 8k resolution in gaming, so unless you plan on hooking your TV up as a gaming monitor, an 8k TV is a waste of money. :P Aanyways, yeah, honestly, i would personally go with a BAL amp, because of the extra volume headroom you get with it, simple as that... That way you don't have to worry much about future headphones being a little too demanding for your amp. :) I do believe the k7 also has an SE out, as well, so it basically renders the k5 obsolete, you don't have to choose between SE and BAL when you can just have both by getting the K7, lol. Of course, if you already own the k5... I would advise you to just keep the k5 until it breaks, the k7 isn't an upgrade per say, so it's not worth the trouble to replace the k5 if it is in perfect working condition, lol. Personally i have the k9 Pro (AKM version). 1.1W into 300ohm's, BAL... More than anyone would ever need to run any consumer-grade headphone.

@@MyouKyuubi I mean, let's leave cheap amps out of the question... and yes, power delivery is an issue. The real problem is somebody plugging their headphone into their balanced amp's non-balanced and then A/B'ing it from there directly to the balanced port, which is receiving 2-3x as much power. I haven't read the K7's specs but I'm assuming the SE has less power. You don't just get more power from a BAL amp though, you can but highpower SE amps. When the power's the same and the amp is clean, the sound is the same, period. Balanced might be a cheap entry into high power now, I don't really know. I downgraded a few years ago into an ATOM amp and I'm still using it, I just don't need more it's clean sounding and I don't need more power

@@escapetherace1943 "I haven't read the K7's specs but I'm assuming the SE has less power." It has less power, yeah. x] You can check the parameters on FiiO's website, just look up the product, and click the "parameters" tab in the product page, you'll see all the specifics about the product. :) "You don't just get more power from a BAL amp though" You do, actually, BAL-out just has more power, inherently. This is readily apparent when you compare the SE-out with BAL-out on amps that have both, like, specc-wise. In every amp with an SE and BAL, the BAL is always the most powerful output, due to how balanced circuits work. That's just how it is, lol, i don't make the rules. :P The FiiO K9 Pro, for example, has 278 mW into 300 Ohm through Single-Ended output... But has 1.1 W into 300 Ohm through Balanced out... That's SIGNIFICANLY more power through BAL. :P That's 4x more power than SE, lol. "When the power's the same and the amp is clean, the sound is the same, period." Sure, when you volume-match the outputs, the sound should be the same, or, indistinguishable to the human ear... In most, if not all cases. Aside from, perhaps, channel separation, like i said... That's the most audible difference i could imagine... And that occurs due to balanced circuits typically using 2 dac chips, one for each ear-cup. The K9 pro (AKM version), only has ONE DAC chip, due to the chip being short supply, and the factory burning down and permanently discontinuing the production of the chip, they had to forego the dual-dac design to make more units so more people could have a K9 Pro. So i didn't have to worry about channel-separation spookiness with this amp. :P So a good way to test how balanced amps sound with and without dual dac, you should compare a K9 Pro with a K9 Pro ESS, 'cus the ESS version has the dual-dac design as originally intended, 'cus ESS chips are plentiful. ;) Personally, i haven't had the pleasure of testing that, because, CBA tracking down a K9 pro ESS that's available for public testing. I'm just lazy. "Balanced might be a cheap entry into high power now, I don't really know." True, that might indeed be the case right now. "I downgraded a few years ago into an ATOM amp and I'm still using it, I just don't need more it's clean sounding and I don't need more power" Good amp! :) And true, you shouldn't need more power unless you get a headphone that's like 50dB/mW with 600 ohm, lmao.

Having a spare Single-Ended amplifier around is always nice, in-case your daily-use amplifier breaks. I'm using a k9 pro (AKM version), which is a DAC-Amp, due to complexity, likely to break, so i have a Schiit Modi + Magni heresy stack stored in case the k9 breaks... :)

they also give you free brain cancer

Check out topping stack

yes, you need 3+ years experience in hifi to understand it, to make it easy just think of it like this, your car could rev up till 6k rpm, tell me why it's better on highway to cruise at 3k rpm than max it out at 6k rpm,

@@digitalnation2876 what? Max is max. The higher the max and with quality then anything under that max should be able to be done with much less effort. I always match amps by going at least 20-30% over what I plan on running RMS and peaks. If 100 w RMS but peaks 130 w, then I get an amp that has peak/dynamic of about 150-180 ish max/peak with RMS capable of about 120-130 w. This way i can run the amp lower, less distortion, etc.

Look for an adapter there are adapters for every type of connection converting to another connection.

That's usually what a gain switch is for. Then I prefer linear volume

@@ZReviews not always my IEMs start to get too loud at 50% my headphones stay quiet till that point also remember wattage and sensitivity

the zen can will most likely result in a less clear sound as the the can realy sucks as an amp... the amp in the DAC v1 sounds better than the CAN imo.. what's your take, any diffrence?

No

Also the THD is 0.0003% on the bottom parameters now.

Wrong. "As for power, the K7 uses two THX 788+ amplifier modules, which we have seen in the FiiO’s higher-end K9 Pro ESS DAC & AMP. Some of you may have noticed that these modules deliver less power on the K7, which FiiO explains is due to the power consumed and heat generated by the modules. As a K9 Pro ESS user, I think this optimization was a good decision. During operation, the K7 is warm to the touch but not uncomfortably hot. The K7 can dish out 1.2 watts of power to a 32-ohm load via its SE output and it can dish out 2 watts of power via the balanced HPO. 560mW of power into a 300-ohm load means that it has plenty of power to drive nearly every single planar or dynamic headphone on the market."

well, you missed something^^ it does have a pre-out, what it does not have is the ballanced out. So probably still a no-go for you, but for people who just want a desktop amp and dac for their regular hifi, it works just fine. Plus one could throw that cute, little tube buffer in there as a standard output to the hifi, because why not? who wouldnt want a little tuby goodness on a regular basis?^^ Also a nice example for the weird world of low-end/entry level audio products. Some people - like me - want an optical in, other want a second oputput of some form and there are not a lot of devices that full fill both criteria - when this should not be big deal, really. That said-if you ever stumble upon a used Marantz HD-DAC1 for around 300-400 $/€ - buy it instantly it and be happy.

DX3 Pro+ is just as good if not better.

@@AliArghavan why?

As a DX3 Pro+ owner I can confirm that is an excellent device with great sound even in bluetooth mode. It has a remote control which is very convenient (trust me on that) and it has more power in single ended (1.7W @ 32ohm). Unless you wanna go true balanced, DX3 Is a better value device in every aspect.

@@GraveZero First of all its cheaper, now being discounted to 170$. Bluetooth, better measurements (if you care), better availability, lcd screen, remote control.

I'm in the same boat. I have brought headphones on 11.11 sales. Dan clark audio aeon X closed and hifiman ananda stealth. I am debating which amp to buy. My iems have 4.4 jack for my dap. Ideally I would love a topping dx3 pro, but I wished it had 4.4mm balance out. K7 I wished it had bluetooth. Stuck as to which one to buy. There's isn't much else out there in this price range with the features both of these have. Dilemmas!! Lol. Next K7 may address the Bluetooth, next Topping may address the Bal out.

You probably won't notice a difference. The K7 is more versatile though.

if you don't know the answer, then don't reply, fiio, cleaner brighter, airier, harder kick,

Been so long since I've heard a dedicated Mighty magnusack (modi magni stack) I really can't tell you with confidence

But there's no bass boost button. I'm out 😂

Zeos failed NNN

It's raises a grand question, have I ever done it at my review desk.

I was looking for these two too😂 And I ended up getting the K7 after this video. I have a AKG K712 which is not really power hungry, I’m using my MacBook Pro 2021 16 inch (It had high Gan out put), it already impressed me as a new person who just entered hifi. But as I reading on the internet, there is much I can get from this headset, which I want to gave it a try for an external DAC.

I will have to check out that video thank you

its amazon, try it out.. if not send back -- but someone said they could tell a difference.

What headphones are you driving?

There probably is, but not in a quality that regulars to Z would enjoy.

Maybe spend a bit more on a schit fulla if you find it discounted?

@@houssamalucad753 this is very close to my budget, i might pick this one up. thx. if someone has a aliexpress alternative, let me know.

@@VandepoelM no problem mate

Look around the used market, there is a lot of stuff available for reasonable prices.

Just get the zen dac if you only need one input

Have you tried k7 is it better than zen dac v2?

So, what is your take? I have a Zen DAC myself and don't find the volume on it satisfactory enough for my DT770 80ohms and my Senheisser HD560S. Torn between getting a Zen CAN and the K7.

It's a close battle now. Topping versus THX via Fiio.

I’m no expert, but K7 has an analog input , but no BT. So I’ll choose k7.

yes

Yes

@@ZReviews Would you still say the same if balanced were out of the equation? (Just a desktop setup for my headphones). I'm in the same situation. Thanks!

Not if it has Balanced architecture, which it does, that is why it costs 200 dollars, and DOESNT have bluetooth input. if you want bluetooth input, though, the FiiO K9 Pro has that. :P

Bluetooth is mid my friend

@@MyouKyuubi asking a genuine question here, how does the balanced architecture hinder Bluetooth?

@@blakeschumaker1914 Balanced architecture is more expensive, so to keep the dac-amp in a cheap price-range, they have to skip bluetooth components. The K7 also lacks the LED components that the K5 pro has, so quite a few things were cut, in order to maintain such a low cost for a balanced dac-amp. If you want bluetooth with a balanced amp, i suggest getting an iFi Zen Can (The Amplifier), with an iFi Zen Blue/BlueV2 (Bluetooth DAC). Cheapest bluetooth balanced setup you can get, atm, i believe.

do you even think it's a real one? from aliexpress? lmao, i wouldn't trust that

@@TheSecondC2Aliexpress has a lot of good HIFI stuff.

Sounds familiar but we still don't know who and where

As he said, the V2 came out a few years ago and raised the price to like $169 or 189, don't remember. So jumping from that to $199 isn't such an insane jump

@@BurittoSandwich Well I look at it from a perspective of owning the V1 which was more cheaper.

@@BurittoSandwich This, it's not all from inflation but an updated version and popularity. Demand increased and so did price, which ironically was why it was so popular in the first place.

@@Takenero And he was talking about the V2 being more expensive due to the price jumps so I don't know why even bring up V1. Go be happy with your cheaper dac

@@BurittoSandwich I'm bringing it because the V2 doesn't seem to be too different as far Ik.

The bass boost of the Zens is pretty fun and very useful if you use planars with relatively weak bass like the Sundaras

I have the same question.

@OfficialZReviews Is this really a gift from the official creator of the channel?

Hell No I don't give away gifts and why wouldn't I use my actual account. These are all scams

@@ZReviews Oh thanks for your repl...

Well they have a new version with bluetooth called K7BT.

Ended up buying K7. See how it goes.