FiiO - K5 Pro ESS
Desktop DAC And AmplifierUnfortunately, even if we desire to, we won't be able to resurrect this product. The Museum is where we pay our respects to end-of-life, old, archived, but not forgotten products. This page was made with a lot of love and will live on for posterity. What to say, we're sentimental people. 😔
While this product is gone forever, here are others we recommend
Customer Reviews
I knew that Fiio K7/K7 BT were on big discount few days back on Black Friday sale but didn't buy them though I could have as I heard of some volume pot issues with it and also K7's highest power is in balanced, I didn't want to go searching for balanced cables for all my headphones and spend extra for them. I even bought a balanced 4.4mm cable for HD599SE that also works with GSP 600 but that cable doesn't sound as good as the original cables that came with those headphones.
Also I wanted an AIO with an ESS DAC instead of AKM or Cirrus Logic as my primary use is for movies and gaming so the extra clarity provided usually by ESS DACs is preferred for my use case
Received my K5 Pro ESS today, my first Fiio product and I am very happy with it. This doesn't have any volume issues and gets my AKG K702 to comfortable listening levels at just 10 o' clock with medium gain on the volume wheel and 11 o' clock in low gain. The sound is clean, clear, tight and instruments are well separated. This product will synergize very well with Neutral-warm or warm sounding headphones but u can EQ it too with bright sounding gear like my K702 and doesn't lose its clarity. Using it with AKG K702, Sen HD599SE, GSP 600, AKG K52 and all are sounding awesome. Also responds to EQ well.
I initially tried Xduoo XA-10, its amp section sounds amazing when connected to an external DAC and has power to drive even Susvara but its internal DACs where a bit muddy and congested sounding, then tried topping L30II amp only, worst sounding device I ever tried, makes the sound thin with no body, no bass, no dynamics, disappointing but it measures well if you are into that. I have nothing against Topping but just saying what I experienced as it may help you but your experience could be different too
Finally I am satisfied with K5 pro ESS. No need to spend more unless you want to. This is a good one. Yet to try its line in with external DACs to see how the amp performs on its own
Thanks a lot for your detailed and genuine feedback, we're glad that you have such positive thoughts about the product and we'll share your thoughts with the brand as well. It'll also help our fellow customers to make the right choice!
The K5 is an amazing experience on pc (compared to directly connecting the headphones to the motherboard). I primarily listen to a lot of metal like Rammstein, In Flames, Korpiklaani etc and the sound separation and crispness is outstanding.
In pc gaming it provides an exceptional experience as well. The only drawback is that it doesn't support UAC1 decoding which is required to use the PS5s' tempest engine for 3D Audio through USB. Trying to solve this by getting a cheap pcm2704 barebones to connect from the PS5 to the K5.
All in all for my first DAC+AMP it's been an amazing ride so far.
Hey, thanks a lot for this lovely review and we are glad you are enjoying it! Keep the music playing.
FiiO - K5 Pro ESS
Hey Thomas, thanks a lot for your lovely ratings!
Purchased this as an upgrade from my internal sound card for my PC and it did not disappoint. The audio quality has taken a big step up along with sufficient amplification - it now drives my EPOS H6 Pros beautifully.
Excited to try it out with my XM4 and M50x as well.
HeapdhoneZone sent me a completely sealed and perfect piece, which was packed well too.
Hey there, this makes us really happy and we thank you for your amazing review! We're glad that you are happy with your purchase and that you have such positive thoughts about our team and the company.
The overall performance of the DAC is very good. It is so silent. We can hear a lot of sound of various instruments. Very compact design. The amplified sound from the front port is an excellent experience.
Hey Abdul, thanks a lot for this lovely review and we are glad you are enjoying it! Keep the music playing.
I was a bit sceptical if this would drive my HD600 and was pleasantly surprised by the details it got out. I was using a portable DAC/Amp earlier and this really justified the greatness of HD600. Created super wide soundstage for me, especially in Atmos coded content.
Hey Vikas, thanks a lot for this lovely review and we are glad you are enjoying it! Keep the music playing.
Good build quality
Hey Abhijith, thanks a lot for your amazing review!
Better than the SoundBlaster G6
Thank you for your amazing review!
Chi-Fi
Excellence
Ideal for Audiophiles
Ideal for
Indoor Use
Pair with Laptop via USB
A majority of people use a laptop as the primary source device to listen to music or watch movies. Since the laptop is an essential part of the audio chain there are headphones and devices designed to work a laptop or computer system flawlessly. With the availability of USB connectivity, it becomes easier to pair various devices like an Amp, DAC or even headphones without worrying about drivers or any additional piece of software.
Connect With RCA
Optical & Coaxial
Upto 1500mW @ 32Ω
Power Output
DAC Chip
You may not even realise it, but most of us use a digital-to-analogue converter (commonly known as a DAC) daily. Built into your computers, tablets and smartphones, a DAC is fundamental to unlocking the convenience of digital music. Any device that acts as a digital sound source will need a DAC to convert digital audio to analog. A DAC converts the digital information stored in “0s and 1s” into an analog signal that's passed to speakers or headphones and ultimately our ear. In short, DACs play a large part in making digital music hearable.
While this technical process is undoubtedly impressive, the DAC embedded into your smartphones or laptops is nowhere good enough to listen to your favourite music recordings in high quality. So, if you want to listen to music in high quality, an external DAC is essential to allow headphones or speakers to perform at their potential. An external DAC, first and foremost, will improve audio quality dramatically.
Volume Controls
The K5 Pro ESS is such a versatile and powerful Amp and DAC from FiiO, that it's hard to find a better alternative. It's simple, easy to use, and powerful. Connect it to your laptop or PC using USB, and you've got a superlative desktop audio setup. You can even connect a pair of speakers, and it'll uplift the sound quality very well.
About RAGHAV SOMANI
Raghav Somani is the Founder & CEO of Headphone Zone. An avid audiophile and musician since 2008, his choice of headphones include STAX Electrostats, Audeze LCD 3, and for music on the go, the JH Audio Roxanne + Astell&Kern SP1000 is never too far away. On his playlist, you'll find A.R. Rahman, Michael Jackson, and the Eagles.
DESCRIPTION
FIIO PRESENTS THE ALL-NEW DESKTOP DAC AND AMPLIFIER - THE K5 PRO ESS
FiiO introduces the latest K5 Pro ESS desktop DAC and Amplifier. Building on the
K5, a pure desktop amplifier, the team added DAC functionality coupled with the high performance of K5 to
create the new K5 Pro ESS Desktop DAC and Amplifier. The K5 Pro ESS connects to an audio player via a
digital audio interface and works with a computer as a professional desktop decoding amplifier. Adopting
Sabre's high-performance audio DAC chip, ES9038Q2M with 32-bit processing, to achieve a new height of
decoding audio. The audio architecture is further elevated with an XMOS USB decoding chip with an all-new
clock matching management system, with unprecedented capabilities that support decoding up to a sample rate
of 768kHz PCM and native DSD decoding. 
EMBEDDED WITH ESS SABRE + XMOS CHIPS FOR PRISTINE PLAYBACK AND DECODING
The new FiiO K5 Pro ESS has been upgraded to keep up with the times to offer high-fidelity audio. The K5 Pro ESS employs the flagship portable ESS DAC chip, the ES9038Q2M, with outstanding performance and richer audio details. Compared to the last generation K5, the distortion has reduced by 50%, the crosstalk has increased by 6dB with greater channel separation, and the dynamic range has increased by 3dB. The K5 Pro ESS also features a high-performance XMOS XUF208 USB decoding chip equipped with a clock matching management system, allowing decoding up to a sample rate of 768kHz/32bit and DSD512 natively. This capability enables the K5 Pro ESS to decode and play your music at the highest quality.
POWERFUL HEADPHONE AMPLIFICATION WITH 3 GAIN LEVELS FOR VOLUME CONTROL
The upgraded FiiO K5 Pro ESS now offers amplification functionality. The K5 Pro ESS features a carefully-tuned feedforward amplifier circuit design that increases the power output of the TPA6120 OP-Amp by more than 60%. This offers a total power output of up to 1.5W under a 32ohm load, and up to 20Vpp at 300Ohms. To add to this, you also get 3 gain level settings - Low, medium, and high gain, allowing you to use the K5 Pro ESS with almost any headphone at comfortable volume levels. Through the reconstruction of the ADC curve, the K5 Pro ESS's volume control allows you to smoothly adjust the volume at extremely fine increments without any undesirable noise or with any channel imbalances. With the K5 Pro ESS, you can comfortably use various headphones with all kinds of sensitivities.
EXPERTLY DESIGNED AUDIO ARCHITECTURE FOR HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO PLAYBACK
FiiO K5 Pro ESS does not fall behind when it comes to amplification power. The K5 Pro ESS has generous space to embed and package the necessary components for exceptional analogue amplification. It packs a four-level audio circuit capable of providing extraordinary audio fidelity in its class with Second-order LPF + Analogue Volume Adjustment + Voltage Amplification + Current Drive. Each part of the amplification circuit works perfectly together in harmony for excellent dynamic range and high resolution of sound. This entire audio architecture has been specifically designed to extract the optimum performance of the K5 Pro ESS.
OFFERS A VARIETY OF INPUT AND OUTPUT CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS FOR EASY USE
No matter what audio equipment you use, digital audio has advantages in the integrity and fidelity of audio signals transmitted. The team of acoustic engineers at FiiO understood this and granted the K5 Pro ESS capabilities to allow you to take advantage of digital audio with optical and coaxial inputs supporting up to 96kHz inputs. This connectivity is convenient for connecting various music players and digital interfaces. Besides the wide variety of digital inputs options, the K5 Pro ESS also features a traditional analogue RCA line-in. RCA line-in is not only more robust and less prone to breakage than 3.5mm line-in, but it also has better resolution. The RCA line-out line signal is adjustable up to a maximum of 2Vrms, allowing the K5 Pro ESS to be used with a variety of active speakers and external amplifiers.
SHOWCASING A MINIMALISTIC DESIGN WITH A SECURE AND ROBUST POWER SUPPLY
FiiO K5 Pro ESS is designed with quality materials featuring a one-piece all-metal oversized volume knob that is seamlessly integrated within the aluminium front panel, allowing you to easily and comfortably control volume. The RGB light indicator lights up with different colours according to the sample rate of the played audio. The input selection and gain are controlled by tactile toggle switches, which are clearly labelled, allowing you to control your music. The K5 Pro ESS utilises a DC 15V power supply engineered to minimise noise. The incoming DC power is filtered with a secondary power supply, which then independently supplies power to the amplification part of the audio circuit and the rest of the components. This design effectively suppresses power supply ripple and minimises power supply crosstalk between the two major sections of the circuit. This allows for more stable and less noisy power.
SPECS
| MODEL | K5Pro |
| BODY COLOR | Black |
| WEIGHT | ≈480g |
| BLUETOOTH FORMAT INDICATION | Unsupported |
| FIRMWARE UPGRADE | System firmware and XMOS can be upgraded via USB |
| MAXIMUM SUPPORTED SAMPLING RATE | 768kHz-32bit/DSD512（USB DAC） 192kHz-24bit（COAX ） 96KHz-24bit（OPT） |
| HARDWARE SOLUTION | DAC: ES9038Q2M，USB: XMOS XU208 |
| Volume Scroll | Potentiometer+ADC Sampling |
| FIIO CONTROL | Unsupported |
| SAMPLING RATE INDICATION | Blue：44.1KHz/48KHz Yellow：88.2/96/176/352.8/384/705.6/768KHz Green：DSD64/128/256/512 |
| RECOMMENDED HEADPHONE IMPEDANCE | 16~300Ω |
| BUTTONS | Toggle switch*2（Gain switch+ Input switch） |
| COAXIAL IN | RCA sockets |
| LINE OUT | RCA sockets |
| USB | B type USB |
| OPTICAL IN | Optical fiber socket |
| PHONE OUT | 6.35mm |
| POWER SUPPLY | DC15V 1.5A |
| BATTERY CAPACITY | NA |
| OUTPUT POWER | 1250mW(32Ω，THD+N＜1%） 140mW(300Ω，THD+N＜1%） |
| THD+N | ＜0.0009%(1kHz/-10dB@32Ω) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20Hz~50kHz: (-2dB) 20Hz-20KHz：(-0.2dB) |
| OUTPUT IMPEDANCE | ＜1.2Ω |
| CROSSTALK | ≥80dB |
| OUTPUT LEVEL | 6.4Vrms |
| SNR | ≥118dB (dbA) |
| NOISE FLOOR | Gain=H，＜8uV（dbA） Gain=M，＜6uV（dbA） Gain=L，＜4uV（dbA） |
| OUTPUT POWER | 1500mW(32Ω，THD+N＜1%) 170mW(300Ω，THD+N＜1%） |
| THD+N | ＜0.003%(1kHz/32Ω) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20Hz-20KHz：(-0.2dB) |
| OUTPUT IMPEDANCE | ＜1.2Ω |
| CROSSTALK | ≥64dB |
| OUTPUT LEVEL | 6.9Vrms |
| SNR | ≥118dB (dbA) |
| NOISE FLOOR | Gain=H，＜8uV（dbA） Gain=M，＜6uV（dbA） Gain=L，＜4uV（dbA |
| THD+N | ＜0.0012%(1kHz/-10dB@10kΩ，UAC/SPDIF) ＜0.0008%(1kHz/10kΩ，Line IN) |
| CROSSTALK | ≥95dB (1kHz/10kΩ) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20Hz~50kHz: (-2dB) |
| SNR | ≥115dB (dbA) |
| NOISE FLOOR | ≤3.5uV（dbA） |
| OUTPUT LEVEL | 2Vrms (1kHz/10kΩ) |
| BOX CONTENTS | 1. FiiO K5 Pro ESS |
| 2. USB data cable *1 | |
| 3. Power adapter*1 | |
| 4. Power cable*1 | |
| 5. Rubber feet*4 | |
| 6. Quick start guide*1 | |
| 7. Warranty card*1 | |
| 8. Headphone jack adapter*1 |
Quick Start Guide | K5 Pro ESS
Desktop DAC And Amplifier
|
FIIO PRESENTS THE ALL-NEW DESKTOP DAC AND AMPLIFIER - THE K5 PRO ESS
FiiO introduces the latest K5 Pro ESS desktop DAC and Amplifier. Building on the
K5, a pure desktop amplifier, the team added DAC functionality coupled with the high performance of K5 to
create the new K5 Pro ESS Desktop DAC and Amplifier. The K5 Pro ESS connects to an audio player via a
digital audio interface and works with a computer as a professional desktop decoding amplifier. Adopting
Sabre's high-performance audio DAC chip, ES9038Q2M with 32-bit processing, to achieve a new height of
decoding audio. The audio architecture is further elevated with an XMOS USB decoding chip with an all-new
clock matching management system, with unprecedented capabilities that support decoding up to a sample rate
of 768kHz PCM and native DSD decoding.
EMBEDDED WITH ESS SABRE + XMOS CHIPS FOR PRISTINE PLAYBACK AND DECODING
The new FiiO K5 Pro ESS has been upgraded to keep up with the times to offer high-fidelity audio. The K5 Pro ESS employs the flagship portable ESS DAC chip, the ES9038Q2M, with outstanding performance and richer audio details. Compared to the last generation K5, the distortion has reduced by 50%, the crosstalk has increased by 6dB with greater channel separation, and the dynamic range has increased by 3dB. The K5 Pro ESS also features a high-performance XMOS XUF208 USB decoding chip equipped with a clock matching management system, allowing decoding up to a sample rate of 768kHz/32bit and DSD512 natively. This capability enables the K5 Pro ESS to decode and play your music at the highest quality.
POWERFUL HEADPHONE AMPLIFICATION WITH 3 GAIN LEVELS FOR VOLUME CONTROL
The upgraded FiiO K5 Pro ESS now offers amplification functionality. The K5 Pro ESS features a carefully-tuned feedforward amplifier circuit design that increases the power output of the TPA6120 OP-Amp by more than 60%. This offers a total power output of up to 1.5W under a 32ohm load, and up to 20Vpp at 300Ohms. To add to this, you also get 3 gain level settings - Low, medium, and high gain, allowing you to use the K5 Pro ESS with almost any headphone at comfortable volume levels. Through the reconstruction of the ADC curve, the K5 Pro ESS's volume control allows you to smoothly adjust the volume at extremely fine increments without any undesirable noise or with any channel imbalances. With the K5 Pro ESS, you can comfortably use various headphones with all kinds of sensitivities.
EXPERTLY DESIGNED AUDIO ARCHITECTURE FOR HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO PLAYBACK
FiiO K5 Pro ESS does not fall behind when it comes to amplification power. The K5 Pro ESS has generous space to embed and package the necessary components for exceptional analogue amplification. It packs a four-level audio circuit capable of providing extraordinary audio fidelity in its class with Second-order LPF + Analogue Volume Adjustment + Voltage Amplification + Current Drive. Each part of the amplification circuit works perfectly together in harmony for excellent dynamic range and high resolution of sound. This entire audio architecture has been specifically designed to extract the optimum performance of the K5 Pro ESS.
OFFERS A VARIETY OF INPUT AND OUTPUT CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS FOR EASY USE
No matter what audio equipment you use, digital audio has advantages in the integrity and fidelity of audio signals transmitted. The team of acoustic engineers at FiiO understood this and granted the K5 Pro ESS capabilities to allow you to take advantage of digital audio with optical and coaxial inputs supporting up to 96kHz inputs. This connectivity is convenient for connecting various music players and digital interfaces. Besides the wide variety of digital inputs options, the K5 Pro ESS also features a traditional analogue RCA line-in. RCA line-in is not only more robust and less prone to breakage than 3.5mm line-in, but it also has better resolution. The RCA line-out line signal is adjustable up to a maximum of 2Vrms, allowing the K5 Pro ESS to be used with a variety of active speakers and external amplifiers.
SHOWCASING A MINIMALISTIC DESIGN WITH A SECURE AND ROBUST POWER SUPPLY
FiiO K5 Pro ESS is designed with quality materials featuring a one-piece all-metal oversized volume knob that is seamlessly integrated within the aluminium front panel, allowing you to easily and comfortably control volume. The RGB light indicator lights up with different colours according to the sample rate of the played audio. The input selection and gain are controlled by tactile toggle switches, which are clearly labelled, allowing you to control your music. The K5 Pro ESS utilises a DC 15V power supply engineered to minimise noise. The incoming DC power is filtered with a secondary power supply, which then independently supplies power to the amplification part of the audio circuit and the rest of the components. This design effectively suppresses power supply ripple and minimises power supply crosstalk between the two major sections of the circuit. This allows for more stable and less noisy power.
| MODEL | K5Pro |
| BODY COLOR | Black |
| WEIGHT | ≈480g |
| BLUETOOTH FORMAT INDICATION | Unsupported |
| FIRMWARE UPGRADE | System firmware and XMOS can be upgraded via USB |
| MAXIMUM SUPPORTED SAMPLING RATE | 768kHz-32bit/DSD512（USB DAC） 192kHz-24bit（COAX ） 96KHz-24bit（OPT） |
| HARDWARE SOLUTION | DAC: ES9038Q2M，USB: XMOS XU208 |
| Volume Scroll | Potentiometer+ADC Sampling |
| FIIO CONTROL | Unsupported |
| SAMPLING RATE INDICATION | Blue：44.1KHz/48KHz Yellow：88.2/96/176/352.8/384/705.6/768KHz Green：DSD64/128/256/512 |
| RECOMMENDED HEADPHONE IMPEDANCE | 16~300Ω |
| BUTTONS | Toggle switch*2（Gain switch+ Input switch） |
| COAXIAL IN | RCA sockets |
| LINE OUT | RCA sockets |
| USB | B type USB |
| OPTICAL IN | Optical fiber socket |
| PHONE OUT | 6.35mm |
| POWER SUPPLY | DC15V 1.5A |
| BATTERY CAPACITY | NA |
| OUTPUT POWER | 1250mW(32Ω，THD+N＜1%） 140mW(300Ω，THD+N＜1%） |
| THD+N | ＜0.0009%(1kHz/-10dB@32Ω) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20Hz~50kHz: (-2dB) 20Hz-20KHz：(-0.2dB) |
| OUTPUT IMPEDANCE | ＜1.2Ω |
| CROSSTALK | ≥80dB |
| OUTPUT LEVEL | 6.4Vrms |
| SNR | ≥118dB (dbA) |
| NOISE FLOOR | Gain=H，＜8uV（dbA） Gain=M，＜6uV（dbA） Gain=L，＜4uV（dbA） |
| OUTPUT POWER | 1500mW(32Ω，THD+N＜1%) 170mW(300Ω，THD+N＜1%） |
| THD+N | ＜0.003%(1kHz/32Ω) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20Hz-20KHz：(-0.2dB) |
| OUTPUT IMPEDANCE | ＜1.2Ω |
| CROSSTALK | ≥64dB |
| OUTPUT LEVEL | 6.9Vrms |
| SNR | ≥118dB (dbA) |
| NOISE FLOOR | Gain=H，＜8uV（dbA） Gain=M，＜6uV（dbA） Gain=L，＜4uV（dbA |
| THD+N | ＜0.0012%(1kHz/-10dB@10kΩ，UAC/SPDIF) ＜0.0008%(1kHz/10kΩ，Line IN) |
| CROSSTALK | ≥95dB (1kHz/10kΩ) |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 20Hz~50kHz: (-2dB) |
| SNR | ≥115dB (dbA) |
| NOISE FLOOR | ≤3.5uV（dbA） |
| OUTPUT LEVEL | 2Vrms (1kHz/10kΩ) |
| BOX CONTENTS | 1. FiiO K5 Pro ESS |
| 2. USB data cable *1 | |
| 3. Power adapter*1 | |
| 4. Power cable*1 | |
| 5. Rubber feet*4 | |
| 6. Quick start guide*1 | |
| 7. Warranty card*1 | |
| 8. Headphone jack adapter*1 |
|
Quick Start Guide | K5 Pro ESS
Desktop DAC And Amplifier
|
Don't sweat it, this
FiiO - K5 Pro ESS comes with a 1 Year warranty
from FiiO that covers manufacturing defects.
All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty.
Read more about FiiO's warranty in India.
"The K5 Pro is a very practical DAC Amp solution with a powerful AKM DAC & amplifier circuit. By canceling the dock on K5 & changing the I/O onboard, the K5 Pro becomes an individual DAC amp."
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"FiiO K5 Pro unit is beautiful,made of aluminium,being a desktop unit in a very specific way.The USB driver is universal and depending on your current configuration,it may work even driverless."
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"The volume knob works also as an On/Off switch & on the far right there is your 6.35mm or ¼” headphone out.It’s really simple, just plug in a USB cable/an RCA cable,pick your input & start listening to some music."
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"Bass has good weight and thickness but it is not accentuated at the same time, it has just the correct amount of lows. The resolution is good but not excessive, the textures have quality."
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"The FiiO Q3 is the third iteration of the mighty Q1,the entry-level portable DAC/AMP from the brand.Think of it as a battery-powered K3, as both devices share lots of quirks & features."
Read More