I got the K3 because I was looking for a good DAC/AMP unit around the $100 mark. I saw many recommendations, and the both the FiiO Q1 Mk2 and the FiiO E10k came up quite a bit. I was mostly looking for something to use at my desk at home, but the portability of the Q1 Mk2 in particular appealed to me, since being able to take it with me to use with my laptop or even my phone would be a huge bonus. The K3 is (or at least WAS when I bought it) very new and has few reviews, but based on the recommendations of FiiO's other products, I decided to give it a try.
My initial impression after opening it was that it was WAY smaller than I expected it to be. The K3 is barely any bigger than a container of Tic Tacs (see my second picture for a size comparison). It feels to be very well-built. The body is metal with a nice matte finish, the switches all have a satisfying click to them, and the volume knob spins smoothly with just enough resistance to avoid accidentally being changed.
I first plugged the K3 into my PC using the USB 1 mode and windows immediately saw it and set it as my default output device. I then installed the drivers (they were kind of hard to find at first, but FiiO has a link to them on the K3's FAQ on their website). The driver didn't install properly on my first try, but I tried again and it worked right away, so I won't fault FiiO for that. Compared to the output on the headphone jack, the sound coming out of my headphones when connected to the K3 is worlds ahead. Not only is the overall quality better, but the volume can get SO MUCH higher. Previously, I could set my volume to whatever I wanted in windows and listen to music that way with no problem. But with the K3, I'd definitely hurt my ears if I set my volume to 100% on both it AND my pc at the same time. I tried it once just to see how loud it could get, and I was able set my headphones down on my desk since the sound coming out of then was easily loud enough to pass for being a decent set of desk speakers if you didn't know better. Given, these results are with Audio Technica M50x's, which are not hard to drive at all, so take that with a grain of salt if you have headphones with significantly higher impedance. That being said, I'm inclined to believe FiiO when they say these are fine for anything in the < 150Ω range.
Despite FiiO's FAQ saying "Mobile devices are not recommended." I couldn't resist giving it a try anyway. I figured that it's more than small enough to take with you, uses USB Type C, in USB 1 mode it's supposed to be driverless, and they weren't explicitly saying it WOULDN'T work with a phone anyway, so there's theoretically no reason why it shouldn't work. I plugged it into my phone (a Galaxy S8+) using a USB C to USB C cable and set the K3 to USB 1 mode. I was expecting to have to put in some effort to get it to function, but surprisingly it just started working immediately. Now, to FiiO's credit, I can understand why they say that the K3 is not recommended to be used with phones. Unlike the Q1 Mk2, the K3 does not have a battery, meaning that when plugged into your phone, it is draining your phone's battery for power. But if battery life is not a concern for you, then it DOES seem to work with android at least.
Next, I decided to see if I could solve the problem of draining the phone's battery. I got out a USB C hub that I had laying around (an Insignia one I got from Best Buy if anyone cares) and plugged it into my phone. I plugged the K3 into the hub's Type A port using the cable that came with it, and plugged my phone's charger into the Type C port of the hub (see picture 3). That seemed to accomplish what I was going for. The K3 output my music as normal, and my phone was charging at the same time (see picture 4). Of course this mess of cables isn't exactly an elegant or ideal solution, but it does work. I could see this being useful during long trips when you're going to be sitting in a vehicle for a long time, but it's probably not a good idea for just walking around. Also keep in mind that you could easily swap the wall charger for a battery bank and achieve the same effect if a power outlet isn't available.
Overall, I'm very happy with the K3 so far.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Rating | (1445) | (298) | (5117) | (1025) | (929) |
| Price | From $65.00 | $75.99 | $75.99 | $109.99 | $169.00 |
| Sold By | Available from these sellers | Zorro Sounds | TheCameraBox | TheCameraBox | Audioengine LLC |
| Item Dimensions | 2.76 x 2.28 x 0.87 inches | 9.45 x 27.17 x 0.98 inches | 0.83 x 1.93 x 3.11 inches | 5.51 x 1.97 x 0.39 inches | 1.48 x 1.38 x 0.39 inches |
Product Description
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Dual headphone jacksBeing optimized for indoor desktop use, the new K3 is equipped with both 3.5mm single-ended and 2.5mm balanced headphone jacks. Both outputs have audio jack detection, which means that when headphones are inserted into the balanced out, balanced boost automatically kicks in resulting in about a 50% output power increase compared to the single-ended out. |
Line outThe 3.5mm line out is driven directly by the OPA1612 op-amp, to ensure as little sound quality reduction as possible. The line out output is also adjustable with maximum power output up to 2Vrms, to ensure compatibility with a wide variety of active speakers and external amplifiers. PS: When using the line out, please disconnect any headphones |
Reliable USB Type-C input interfaceThe new K3 adopts the modern USB Type-C input interface for a more reliable and stable connection, including that of power. However, care to ensure an uncompromised power supply doesn't stop there – the new K3 implements overvoltage protection (OVP) and a double-filter circuit to ensure power supply stability, while the digital and analog audio circuits each get their own power supply to greatly reduce crosstalk. |
Coaxial and Optical digital outs
The XMOS USB receiver chip in the new K3 directly converts any USB audio input to digital signals output via the coaxial and optical connectors, allowing you to connect to speaker systems, amplifiers, or other external decoders.
* The volume knob does not control digital output volume. The New K3 headphone amps can output digital audio signals up to 192kHz and DSD64 over DoP. Please adjust the settings of the device you are connecting the NEW K3 to if the device does not support the digitally output format.
Different connection options for your choice
1. Connect it to a desktop computer when you at home or office.
2. Use the driverless 1.0 mode for your business trips.
3. Make it a digital turntable connected to an external decoder, you would love it.
4. Connect it to a speaker, using the New K3 amplifier as a DAC. You would know how HiFi it is.
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Gain and bass switchesThe switch for high and low gain ensures that you can use the new K3 with a wide variety of headphones, and that your listening volume needs are covered. The hardware bass boost switch enhances the dynamic range of the lower frequencies and gives them some extra punch to really make your songs, games, and movies come to life. |
Two modes for many situationsSometimes, you may not have access to a device that can connect to the new K3 via USB Audio Class 2. In these situations, you can go to USB Audio Class 1 mode with just the flick of a switch. · In high-performance applications, you can use the 2.0 mode to enjoy up to 384kHz/DSD 256 decoding. · For certain situations, you can use the 1.0 mode to enjoy up to 96kHz/24-bit PCM audio without needing any drivers. *Using the 2.0 mode requires downloading and installing the FiiO USB driver *After switching USB modes, you need to either turn the new K3 off and on, or unplug and plug in the USB cable. |
Accessories Included1. NEW K3*1 2. USB Type C cable*1 3. Manual*1 4. Card*1 |
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| NEW K3 | K3 | E10K-TC | E10K | |
| USB ports | Type C | Type C | Type C | Micro USB |
| PO(single-ended) | 3.5mm | 3.5mm | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| PO(balanced) | 2.5mm | 2.5mm | / | / |
| LO output | 3.5mm | 3.5mm | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| Optical output | SC | SC | / | / |
| Coaxial output | RCA | RCA | RCA | RCA |
| USB Audio Mode | UAC2.0/UAC1.0 | UAC2.0/UAC1.0 | UAC2.0 | UAC1.0 |
| DAC | ES9038Q2M | AK4452 | PCM5102 | PCM5102 |
| Max sampling rate | 384kHz/DSD256 | 384kHz/DSD256 | 384kHz/32bit | 96kHz/24bit |
| Coax out | 192kHz/24bit | 192kHz/24bit | 192kHz/24bit | 96kHz/24bit |
Videos
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Tiny and portable, but still sounds great. DOES work with phones, but...
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2018
I got the K3 because I was looking for a good DAC/AMP unit around the $100 mark. I saw many recommendations, and the both the FiiO Q1 Mk2 and the FiiO E10k came up quite a bit. I was mostly looking for something to use at my desk at home, but the portability of the Q1 Mk2 in particular appealed to me, since being able to take it with me to use with my laptop or even my phone would be a huge bonus. The K3 is (or at least WAS when I bought it) very new and has few reviews, but based on the recommendations of FiiO's other products, I decided to give it a try.My initial impression after opening it was that it was WAY smaller than I expected it to be. The K3 is barely any bigger than a container of Tic Tacs (see my second picture for a size comparison). It feels to be very well-built. The body is metal with a nice matte finish, the switches all have a satisfying click to them, and the volume knob spins smoothly with just enough resistance to avoid accidentally being changed.I first plugged the K3 into my PC using the USB 1 mode and windows immediately saw it and set it as my default output device. I then installed the drivers (they were kind of hard to find at first, but FiiO has a link to them on the K3's FAQ on their website). The driver didn't install properly on my first try, but I tried again and it worked right away, so I won't fault FiiO for that. Compared to the output on the headphone jack, the sound coming out of my headphones when connected to the K3 is worlds ahead. Not only is the overall quality better, but the volume can get SO MUCH higher. Previously, I could set my volume to whatever I wanted in windows and listen to music that way with no problem. But with the K3, I'd definitely hurt my ears if I set my volume to 100% on both it AND my pc at the same time. I tried it once just to see how loud it could get, and I was able set my headphones down on my desk since the sound coming out of then was easily loud enough to pass for being a decent set of desk speakers if you didn't know better. Given, these results are with Audio Technica M50x's, which are not hard to drive at all, so take that with a grain of salt if you have headphones with significantly higher impedance. That being said, I'm inclined to believe FiiO when they say these are fine for anything in the < 150Ω range.Despite FiiO's FAQ saying "Mobile devices are not recommended." I couldn't resist giving it a try anyway. I figured that it's more than small enough to take with you, uses USB Type C, in USB 1 mode it's supposed to be driverless, and they weren't explicitly saying it WOULDN'T work with a phone anyway, so there's theoretically no reason why it shouldn't work. I plugged it into my phone (a Galaxy S8+) using a USB C to USB C cable and set the K3 to USB 1 mode. I was expecting to have to put in some effort to get it to function, but surprisingly it just started working immediately. Now, to FiiO's credit, I can understand why they say that the K3 is not recommended to be used with phones. Unlike the Q1 Mk2, the K3 does not have a battery, meaning that when plugged into your phone, it is draining your phone's battery for power. But if battery life is not a concern for you, then it DOES seem to work with android at least.Next, I decided to see if I could solve the problem of draining the phone's battery. I got out a USB C hub that I had laying around (an Insignia one I got from Best Buy if anyone cares) and plugged it into my phone. I plugged the K3 into the hub's Type A port using the cable that came with it, and plugged my phone's charger into the Type C port of the hub (see picture 3). That seemed to accomplish what I was going for. The K3 output my music as normal, and my phone was charging at the same time (see picture 4). Of course this mess of cables isn't exactly an elegant or ideal solution, but it does work. I could see this being useful during long trips when you're going to be sitting in a vehicle for a long time, but it's probably not a good idea for just walking around. Also keep in mind that you could easily swap the wall charger for a battery bank and achieve the same effect if a power outlet isn't available.Overall, I'm very happy with the K3 so far.
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2018
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Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2018
My initial impression after opening it was that it was WAY smaller than I expected it to be. The K3 is barely any bigger than a container of Tic Tacs (see my second picture for a size comparison). It feels to be very well-built. The body is metal with a nice matte finish, the switches all have a satisfying click to them, and the volume knob spins smoothly with just enough resistance to avoid accidentally being changed.
I first plugged the K3 into my PC using the USB 1 mode and windows immediately saw it and set it as my default output device. I then installed the drivers (they were kind of hard to find at first, but FiiO has a link to them on the K3's FAQ on their website). The driver didn't install properly on my first try, but I tried again and it worked right away, so I won't fault FiiO for that. Compared to the output on the headphone jack, the sound coming out of my headphones when connected to the K3 is worlds ahead. Not only is the overall quality better, but the volume can get SO MUCH higher. Previously, I could set my volume to whatever I wanted in windows and listen to music that way with no problem. But with the K3, I'd definitely hurt my ears if I set my volume to 100% on both it AND my pc at the same time. I tried it once just to see how loud it could get, and I was able set my headphones down on my desk since the sound coming out of then was easily loud enough to pass for being a decent set of desk speakers if you didn't know better. Given, these results are with Audio Technica M50x's, which are not hard to drive at all, so take that with a grain of salt if you have headphones with significantly higher impedance. That being said, I'm inclined to believe FiiO when they say these are fine for anything in the < 150Ω range.
Despite FiiO's FAQ saying "Mobile devices are not recommended." I couldn't resist giving it a try anyway. I figured that it's more than small enough to take with you, uses USB Type C, in USB 1 mode it's supposed to be driverless, and they weren't explicitly saying it WOULDN'T work with a phone anyway, so there's theoretically no reason why it shouldn't work. I plugged it into my phone (a Galaxy S8+) using a USB C to USB C cable and set the K3 to USB 1 mode. I was expecting to have to put in some effort to get it to function, but surprisingly it just started working immediately. Now, to FiiO's credit, I can understand why they say that the K3 is not recommended to be used with phones. Unlike the Q1 Mk2, the K3 does not have a battery, meaning that when plugged into your phone, it is draining your phone's battery for power. But if battery life is not a concern for you, then it DOES seem to work with android at least.
Next, I decided to see if I could solve the problem of draining the phone's battery. I got out a USB C hub that I had laying around (an Insignia one I got from Best Buy if anyone cares) and plugged it into my phone. I plugged the K3 into the hub's Type A port using the cable that came with it, and plugged my phone's charger into the Type C port of the hub (see picture 3). That seemed to accomplish what I was going for. The K3 output my music as normal, and my phone was charging at the same time (see picture 4). Of course this mess of cables isn't exactly an elegant or ideal solution, but it does work. I could see this being useful during long trips when you're going to be sitting in a vehicle for a long time, but it's probably not a good idea for just walking around. Also keep in mind that you could easily swap the wall charger for a battery bank and achieve the same effect if a power outlet isn't available.
Overall, I'm very happy with the K3 so far.
Size: K3 blackVerified Purchase
Tiny and portable, but still sounds great. DOES work with phones, but...
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2018
I got the K3 because I was looking for a good DAC/AMP unit around the $100 mark. I saw many recommendations, and the both the FiiO Q1 Mk2 and the FiiO E10k came up quite a bit. I was mostly looking for something to use at my desk at home, but the portability of the Q1 Mk2 in particular appealed to me, since being able to take it with me to use with my laptop or even my phone would be a huge bonus. The K3 is (or at least WAS when I bought it) very new and has few reviews, but based on the recommendations of FiiO's other products, I decided to give it a try.Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2018
My initial impression after opening it was that it was WAY smaller than I expected it to be. The K3 is barely any bigger than a container of Tic Tacs (see my second picture for a size comparison). It feels to be very well-built. The body is metal with a nice matte finish, the switches all have a satisfying click to them, and the volume knob spins smoothly with just enough resistance to avoid accidentally being changed.
I first plugged the K3 into my PC using the USB 1 mode and windows immediately saw it and set it as my default output device. I then installed the drivers (they were kind of hard to find at first, but FiiO has a link to them on the K3's FAQ on their website). The driver didn't install properly on my first try, but I tried again and it worked right away, so I won't fault FiiO for that. Compared to the output on the headphone jack, the sound coming out of my headphones when connected to the K3 is worlds ahead. Not only is the overall quality better, but the volume can get SO MUCH higher. Previously, I could set my volume to whatever I wanted in windows and listen to music that way with no problem. But with the K3, I'd definitely hurt my ears if I set my volume to 100% on both it AND my pc at the same time. I tried it once just to see how loud it could get, and I was able set my headphones down on my desk since the sound coming out of then was easily loud enough to pass for being a decent set of desk speakers if you didn't know better. Given, these results are with Audio Technica M50x's, which are not hard to drive at all, so take that with a grain of salt if you have headphones with significantly higher impedance. That being said, I'm inclined to believe FiiO when they say these are fine for anything in the < 150Ω range.
Despite FiiO's FAQ saying "Mobile devices are not recommended." I couldn't resist giving it a try anyway. I figured that it's more than small enough to take with you, uses USB Type C, in USB 1 mode it's supposed to be driverless, and they weren't explicitly saying it WOULDN'T work with a phone anyway, so there's theoretically no reason why it shouldn't work. I plugged it into my phone (a Galaxy S8+) using a USB C to USB C cable and set the K3 to USB 1 mode. I was expecting to have to put in some effort to get it to function, but surprisingly it just started working immediately. Now, to FiiO's credit, I can understand why they say that the K3 is not recommended to be used with phones. Unlike the Q1 Mk2, the K3 does not have a battery, meaning that when plugged into your phone, it is draining your phone's battery for power. But if battery life is not a concern for you, then it DOES seem to work with android at least.
Next, I decided to see if I could solve the problem of draining the phone's battery. I got out a USB C hub that I had laying around (an Insignia one I got from Best Buy if anyone cares) and plugged it into my phone. I plugged the K3 into the hub's Type A port using the cable that came with it, and plugged my phone's charger into the Type C port of the hub (see picture 3). That seemed to accomplish what I was going for. The K3 output my music as normal, and my phone was charging at the same time (see picture 4). Of course this mess of cables isn't exactly an elegant or ideal solution, but it does work. I could see this being useful during long trips when you're going to be sitting in a vehicle for a long time, but it's probably not a good idea for just walking around. Also keep in mind that you could easily swap the wall charger for a battery bank and achieve the same effect if a power outlet isn't available.
Overall, I'm very happy with the K3 so far.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
JimmyAK
Great little DAC/Amp but with a Windows 10 issue
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2019Size: K3 blackVerified Purchase
JimmyAK
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2019
Now for the small downside. When I next rebooted my PC, the DAC was not recognised. Strange I thought - unplug and replug - all back to normal. Then it happened again.... and again. It turns out that there is a bug in the firmware which means that you cannot just leave it turned on and connected to your PC (with Windows 10). You need to turn it off and then on once windows has booted. Not a major issue but certainly something to be aware of. Another user is reporting the same issue on the FiiO support forums, so it's not just me. Incidentally I tried it on my Windows 7 laptop and it worked perfectly there, so the issue seems to be confined to Windows 10.
Hopefully FiiO address the bug with a firmware update because otherwise this is a great piece of kit for the money! I'll update this review should a fix get released.
*UPDATE*
Having been in contact with FiiO support they suggested using an alternative USB port. It turns out that the issue I described above only occurs on my USB 2.0 ports. Plug it into a USB 3.0 and all is well. Still would be nice to get a firmware fix though as Windows 7 doesn't have the same problem.
Images in this review
Thomas
Sehr guter USB DAC - am PC jedoch kein unbeschwertes Plug & Play.
Reviewed in Germany on July 22, 2019Size: K3 blackVerified Purchase
C. W. Mitchell
Known Fault -- click/popping
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2019Size: K3 blackVerified Purchase
Poppy
Works perfectly with DT 770 250ohm
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2019Size: K3 blackVerified Purchase
exshana
Easy to use excellent audio quality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2019Size: K3 blackVerified Purchase
exshana
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2019
Slight Con: It does get a little bit hot after 2 hours of music. 45°C ish
update:
The HD600 300ohm worked fine for me even with the 3.5mm connector using high gain. I do listen only up to ~80dB or even lower while working. volume knob is kept constant at 5 o'clock with computer volume adjusted to 50-80.
Images in this review
