[Dimitry188]

Then again I can kind of see the dry and articulate bass as being "simpified" if he wants wet and nasty bass.

The difference is not at all that one is "wet" and the other is "dry". The difference is in the detail, the accuracy of the sound and the separation of the instruments.

 

[Dimitry188]

If for "top-end planar headphones", you are talking about the DCA Expanse (which I have heard driven plenty loud on high gain, though indeed close to maxing out my amp) or Susvara, sure, the K9 Pro ESS may indeed be objectively not powerful enough to drive those headphones to the desired dynamic peaks, but for more efficient planars like the HE1000se

I've heard this effect with headphones Hifiman Arya and 1000se, Kennerton Thekk and Wodan, Dan Clark Ether С Flow with almost all high-resolution music tracks.
First of all, in complex symphonic works.

And I'm afraid that this effect has nothing to do with the "lack of power" - Fiio K9 Pro has quite enough power.
This effect is more likely due to the way the device amplifies sound, which is not ideal.

If you use the Fiio K9 Pro as a standalone DAC, by connecting a third-party headphone amplifier with good quality to its output
(for example, I have connected the Singxer SA-1 and the Aune S17 Pro),
the sound experience improves significantly. This is why I believe that the amplification component has its limitations.

P.S. Nothing personal, Fiio K9 Pro is still one of the best devices in its price range, but it does have some objective limitations that should be taken into account.

 

[MrHaelscheir]

I've heard this effect with headphones Hifiman Arya and 1000se, Kennerton Thekk and Wodan, Dan Clark Ether С Flow with almost all high-resolution music tracks.
First of all, in complex symphonic works.

And I'm afraid that this effect has nothing to do with the "lack of power" - Fiio K9 Pro has quite enough power.
This effect is more likely due to the way the device amplifies sound, which is not ideal.

If you use the Fiio K9 Pro as a standalone DAC, by connecting a third-party headphone amplifier with good quality to its output
(for example, I have connected the Singxer SA-1 and the Aune S17 Pro),
the sound experience improves significantly. This is why I believe that the amplification component has its limitations.

P.S. Nothing personal, Fiio K9 Pro is still one of the best devices in its price range, but it does have some objective limitations that should be taken into account.

I had already described in https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rec...nely-curious-objectivist.972411/post-18078699 (post #9, which is admittedly long) that using Qobuz for some high-res recordings of "complex symphonic works" and when using my FiiO K9 Pro ESS's DAC output into a few "higher-level" amps, I personally found absolutely no noticeable or reliable sonic benefit, especially in regard to "the detail, the accuracy of the sound and the separation of the instruments." I had for that listening session chosen my Meze Elite over my HE1000se since I knew it was measurably much better in harmonic and multi-tone distortion performance, hence theoretical "resolving capability". The amps sounded identical in tonality and their relaying of exceptional texture among other factors. Even with a cursory volume match, for my A/Bing approach which for my purposes would reveal the kinds of changes that would matter to me, switching between amps was merely like replaying the exact same track or passage with any subtle differences bearing no quality of preference or being attributable to imprecise volume-matching or my own awareness of the inherent imperfection and perceptual drift of my auditory memory.

Sure, "nothing personal", but the problem is that you are explicitly making sweeping objective claims ("objective limitations") about the performance or electrical properties of a piece of gear or a component therein substantiated purely by your personal experience that we have shown is not necessarily consistent with everyone else's. This is not in line with the "subjectivist" view apparently embraced by this forum.

 

[GhostRD]

Hello everyone. I'm choosing a decent system for my new Ananda Nano, which way should I go? Should I take the k9 pro ess combine or the Topping E50 L50 level setup? Which would be preferable? Will the topping of the E50 and L50 be much worse in sound after the K9 PRO ESS?
And even more, maybe someone has figured out how the K9 pro ess compared to the topping Dx7 Pro+?

 

[botmann]

None of us can say because we don't know what "preferable" is for you. Unless you specify that sound/tone you like, you're going to get it based on what that person likes.

I have the K9 Pro ESS. I like the sounds. It's pretty neutral; I don't like things colored in a heavy low in way. I haven't heard the Ananda Nano, but they look to be harder to drive set (94lb at 14 ohms). The K9 should be drive them pretty well. Probably other options out there that may get them louder. I run Focal Stellia, but they're super easy to drive.

I don't think I've heard the Topping Dx7. The other amps I heard were very expensive like the DNA that other people had. Again, listen with the Stellia.

 

[GhostRD]

None of us can say because we don't know what "preferable" is for you. Unless you specify that sound/tone you like, you're going to get it based on what that person likes.

I have the K9 Pro ESS. I like the sounds. It's pretty neutral; I don't like things colored in a heavy low in way. I haven't heard the Ananda Nano, but they look to be harder to drive set (94lb at 14 ohms). The K9 should be drive them pretty well. Probably other options out there that may get them louder. I run Focal Stellia, but they're super easy to drive.

I don't think I've heard the Topping Dx7. The other amps I heard were very expensive like the DNA that other people had. Again, listen with the Stellia.

Thanks for the answer. Theoretically, the L50 should be more powerful than the K9 and the DH 7 Pro, the only thing about the DAC is how much worse the DAC in the E50 sounds than two ECC 9038 Pros. The combine is certainly convenient, but maybe someone has listened to and even tested the E50 L50 combination, can it compete with the K9 Pro and DH7 Pro in terms of sound quality. I listen to heavy music, but sometimes I also like soft, vocal music.

 

[botmann]

I do like that the K9 Pro does have the dual ESS chips; one for each ear. Other dual chip FiiO amp/dacs is more one for wired the other for bluetooth.

I tend to listen to a lot of heavy metal/rock. I do listen other stuff, other than country (a little counrty rock). I enjoy the sound with the Stellias. It has low end, but it's not boomy. I prefer of more neutral/technical sound.

To me, probably I would focus more on the being able to able power the headphones over the DACs. Most people find "louder" better. Although there are differences between DACs, most are pretty close to each other. ESS chips, in general, tend to be bit more technical than AKM. If you do EQing and or similar, it may not matter much. I don't EQ.

 

[antikryst]

has anyone tried the k9s with active monitors? still looking to get active monitors and some on the shortlist do not come with volume control. i plan to use XLR from the k9 to active monitors.

does the line out have a fixed volume? I actually prefer it that way so i can just control volume from windows. else, i can also use the pre out.

 

[Moon5123]

has anyone tried the k9s with active monitors? still looking to get active monitors and some on the shortlist do not come with volume control. i plan to use XLR from the k9 to active monitors.

does the line out have a fixed volume? I actually prefer it that way so i can just control volume from windows. else, i can also use the pre out.

I have tried, works fine.
I have AKM K9 Pro. But experience sould be same in most cases for k9 series.
You have to always switch from front switch between Dac, pre and headphone out.
In dac the volume is fixed but the gain option effects the volume or gain of dac line out. No sound from headphone out.
In pre mode you can be able to control volume of back xlr or rca out. Again gain affects the sound volume. No sound from headphone out.
There is no xlr or rca out from back on headphones out. And only in this mode I get output in front.

Note: Can be local to my unit but on high gain the switch for dac/pre/hp seems to be malfunctioning and also the sound from pre/dac out seems to be distorted in lower bass or sub base. Even with speakers. When I tried to chain a amp in like Earmen STAmp it was distorted with headphones as well.
I am now using my unit on mid gain and that seems to not create this issue. I believe K9 Pro AKM being their first big unit the switches in front are not good.
Even though with these issue it sounded really good and holographic in a proper chain with active speakers or headphones in particular settings.

 

[antikryst]

I have tried, works fine.
I have AKM K9 Pro. But experience sould be same in most cases for k9 series.
You have to always switch from front switch between Dac, pre and headphone out.
In dac the volume is fixed but the gain option effects the volume or gain of dac line out. No sound from headphone out.
In pre mode you can be able to control volume of back xlr or rca out. Again gain affects the sound volume. No sound from headphone out.
There is no xlr or rca out from back on headphones out. And only in this mode I get output in front.

Note: Can be local to my unit but on high gain the switch for dac/pre/hp seems to be malfunctioning and also the sound from pre/dac out seems to be distorted in lower bass or sub base. Even with speakers. When I tried to chain a amp in like Earmen STAmp it was distorted with headphones as well.
I am now using my unit on mid gain and that seems to not create this issue. I believe K9 Pro AKM being their first big unit the switches in front are not good.
Even though with these issue it sounded really good and holographic in a proper chain with active speakers or headphones in particular settings.

thanks for the response. still scouting on what speakers to get. i actually prefer something with USB so i do not need to change windows settings when i want to listen to headphones (i have the K9 just doing headphone duty) nor do i need to turn on the K9 for speaker use. just dont want to limit myself to speakers with volume control when i audition possible options.

 

[llysender]

thanks for the response. still scouting on what speakers to get. i actually prefer something with USB so i do not need to change windows settings when i want to listen to headphones (i have the K9 just doing headphone duty) nor do i need to turn on the K9 for speaker use. just dont want to limit myself to speakers with volume control when i audition possible options.

Yes you need to turn on the K9 for Dac/preout duty. Thats how im running them into speaker amp/speaker. I donno if the K9 still has this issue but for the K9 pro AKM there is a slight decrease in sound quality when switching to pre out over the fixed line out but usually I'm not too bothered since speakers arent for critical listening anyways.

 

[Moon5123]

thanks for the response. still scouting on what speakers to get. i actually prefer something with USB so i do not need to change windows settings when i want to listen to headphones (i have the K9 just doing headphone duty) nor do i need to turn on the K9 for speaker use. just dont want to limit myself to speakers with volume control when i audition possible options.

I wouldn't suggest going for something with usb input. Its always better to have analogue in to your speakers or both.
In my experience I have a pretty basic speaker from edifier(as I am primarily using headphones) it have aux in and usb in. By far any dac I have owned sounded better with aux in leagues above than with usb in to speakers.
A better dac or pre amp does give your sound a wider soundstage , micro contrast and better dynamics as dedicated dacs have better digital to analogue conditioning and lower distortion.
If you like to connect all our transducers (headphones or speakers) to one device I would suggest to get a budget preamp or amp for the solution and you run K9 to preamp or amp in dac mode and control both your headphone and speaker from one device.
Example from my setup: I have hooked k9 to xduoo Mt-604 to Earmen StAmp, STAmp being a amp and preamp can be used with headphones and speakers at same time and fixes my issue of always reaching K9 for switch between Headphone out or Preout(also because my unit developed some issue with that switch)

Anyways having a dedicated amp/preamp will save you from this situation.

But at the end of that if you are fine with windows switching and usb input on your speakers its good enough no need to invest more on any other device.
Note: If you are switching from windows setting I recommend some keyboard macro for switching process(you can find it online, its easy to do) so that you dont need wait longer to switch from HP to speakers. I use it keychron keyboard to have this macro that allow me to switch with some combination of keys.

 

[Moon5123]

Yes you need to turn on the K9 for Dac/preout duty. Thats how im running them into speaker amp/speaker. I donno if the K9 still has this issue but for the K9 pro AKM there is a slight decrease in sound quality when switching to pre out over the fixed line out but usually I'm not too bothered since speakers arent for critical listening anyways.

Yeah For K9 Pro I hear this at high gain on preout, sub bass was definitely noticeably distorted on headphones like Sundara or HD 560s or even focal elegia.
I never initially tried the preout function as I used it as all in one unit. As soon I got some dedicated amps I noticed something is wrong. The amp worked fine with dacs like Earmen angel or Mojo.

I read the spec of K9 it turns out on high gain the voltage is higher than mid or low gain which can create some problems with Amps that are designed for lower voltage input. But I haven't tried any better Amp that fixes this voltage thing but turn K9 to mid gain fixes that issue for me.