A dongle DAC is the best method to join IEMs and fanatic headsets to your telephone. As of late, there are dozens of nice selections that do not value an excessive amount of cash, and Fiio by itself has a ton of attractive merchandise on this phase. Whereas the Chinese language audio producer sells a whole lot of high-end merchandise and has ventured into a whole lot of new classes over the past 12 months, it’s nonetheless at its greatest when making funds DACs, and the KA13 is considered one of its greatest but.
The KA13 has a whole lot of similarities to the KA5 dongle DAC I reviewed final yr, and whereas there is not a TFT panel this time round, you get 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports, an awesome DAC, and loads of energy — this tiny dongle delivers as much as 550mW, and is ready to drive any IEM or headset.
Observe: This assessment was made potential with a assessment unit offered by Fiio. The model didn’t see the contents of the assessment earlier than publishing.
The KA13 is obtainable for simply $79 on Amazon, making it a standout worth — similar to the remainder of Fiio’s dongle DAC choices. Like its siblings, the DAC is branded beneath the Jade Audio label; this implies the product is aimed toward a youthful viewers and budget-focused, however aside from that distinction, there’s no distinction when it comes to construct high quality or options.
Fiio would not normally change the design of its merchandise, and the KA13 is about the identical dimension as its siblings, the KA3 and KA5. It makes use of the identical metallic enclosure, however the design is just a little cleaner, and there is a tiny window subsequent to the USB-C port that lights up when the DAC is in use.
At simply 18.5g, the KA13 is about as moveable as a dongle DAC can get whereas nonetheless providing high-quality DAC {hardware}. If you’d like a design that stands out a bit, the white model positively seems hanging. The underside has a glass again and Jade Audio branding together with an intricate sample that appears fashionable, and on the entire, the KA13 seems like a product that ought to value much more than $79.
A brand new addition on the KA13 is a toggle that allows desktop mode. You additionally get a quantity rocker that permits you to alter the quantity with ease, and the connectors are positioned at both ends — one aspect has USB-C, and the opposite has a single-ended 3.5mm jack and a balanced 4.4mm out.
Fiio bundles a brief USB-C to USB-C cable within the field, and also you get a dongle to make use of with USB-A ports, and a USB-C to Lightning cable if you do not have the iPhone 15 and are utilizing an older mannequin. I used the USB-C connector with my iPhone 15 Professional Max, and there have been no points in any way. However a bulk of the testing was achieved with the DAC paired to the Magic 6 Professional, Pixel 8 Professional, and Xiaomi 14.
Simply the very best half about utilizing the KA13 is its versatility; you possibly can join the DAC to your telephone, pill, Home windows machine, and every other system that has a USB-C port and get nice audio out, no drivers wanted. I used the DAC with Fiio’s entry-level FH11 IEMs, and it did a (predictably) nice job. Given the facility on supply, I additionally used it with the demanding FX15, FT5 headset, and a slew of merchandise over the course of three months.
My important takeaway is that the KA13 is likely one of the strongest dongle DACs you should purchase right now. It has greater than sufficient energy to drive any IEM, and it additionally handles demanding headsets with ease. The DAC is ready to ship 290mW at 16Ω and 170mW at 32Ω over the three.5mm port, going as much as 500mW at 16Ω and 550mW at 32Ω through the balanced 4.4mm port. These numbers are when the desktop mode is enabled, and actually, when you’re utilizing something aside from delicate IEMs, it is smart to toggle the mode.
The KA13 makes use of twin Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chips mixed with an SG Micro SGM8262 amp, and if that sounds acquainted, it is as a result of Fiio used the identical configuration contained in the KB3 keyboard that additionally homes a DAC. The KA13 is ready to hit 384kHz/32-bit through PCM and DSD128, and whereas the KA5 is ready to go as much as 768kHz, it would not fairly handle to ship the identical degree of energy.
Coming to the sound, the KA13 has a barely narrower soundstage than the KA5, however the place it excels is the tonality. It is ready to ship a clear low-end with good articulation, pure mids with nice vocal readability, and good treble extension. Utilizing it with the FX15 was an absolute pleasure, and the DAC clearly has a whole lot of potential.
However it’s the facility that it is ready to ship that makes it distinctive; if you’d like a dongle DAC that may drive demanding headsets, that is the one to get. Clearly, the KA13 has a better energy draw than different DACs on this phase, however the truth that you are in a position to get this degree of energy out of such a small chassis is an achievement in and of itself.
The KA13 has a sturdy construct high quality, and delivers unimaginable energy. For those who want a DAC to make use of along with your telephone, it is a standout alternative.