K5 Pro

I’ve been using this DAC/amp for the past couple of months, mainly for FPS games, and it’s been a great addition to my setup. It has no problem driving my IEMs, and the bass and treble controls let me fine-tune the sound to better hear footsteps and directional audio. I’ve also used it with a pair of Corsair headphones, and the dual headphone and microphone jacks make it a convenient all-in-one solution for gaming. The build quality is excellent, the aluminum housing feels solid, has a clean, minimal design, and the rotary knobs have a premium feel with smooth, satisfying resistance.

I have an Edifier T5 subwoofer connected to a pair of R1280Ts. When connected directly to the computer's 3.5mm output, the subwoofer was uncontrollable - it shook the house no matter what I did to the volume, EQs, whatever. I had to basically turn it off. Now, I run a USB cable from the PC to the K5, and RCA cables from the K5 to the subwoofer, and more RCA cables from the subwoofer to the speakers. After setting the low-pass filter on the subwoofer to just over where the speakers drop off, the sound is crystal clear with bright highs and thrumming lows (without dominating the whole sound). The fact that I can instantly control the bass and treble on the K5 is a huge plus. I am thrilled with the K5, and it was a very cheap solution to get the most out of my not-so-cheap speakers. edit: Okay so its not PERFECT. This is going to take some explanation. If you're planning on using powered speakers on a PC, this applies to you. Everything was fine until my GPU (RTX 2080) came into play (firing up a game). The computer began sending a ton of interference down the USB connection to the F5. More expensive units I'm told can filter this out, but the K5 can't. Now this isn't necessarily the K5's fault. Computers are electrically noisy, and if I replaced my PSU, motherboard, GPU, or all three, that might solve the issue. Since that would be insane, I instead opted to power the K5 through a source other than the PC (outlet will do fine) and use the optical input (toslink) for data. Since toslink uses light to transmit the data, it is immune to EMI interference. Perfect sound. The only downside is my audio is running through my Realtek onboard audio again now; which I'm not thrilled with, but really isn't a problem. If you're using headphones, this probably won't be an issue. And again, this really isn't a knock on the K5, they do say they're for headphones and not powered speakers (probably because they don't have the electronics to filter out the type of noise I'm describing), but if you're planning on using this device for speakers, just a heads up on the USB audio combined with a powerful GPU. On a final note, I did hack a USB cable, cut the power/gnd from the PC and connect that to another USB cable going to a separate power source. It did eliminate the GPU-related noise, but the PC was still noisy enough to introduce interference somehow (ground loop possibly? Doubtful since all power came from a single UPS). They do sell USB galvanic isolators, that might do the trick, but they're as or more expensive than the K5 itself. Optical connection will do fine. Edit2: turns out it was my speaker's issue with the aux input. I bought a separate speaker for my work computer and now I just do a direct USB connection to my computer and all interference is gone. I'd still prefer a separate power input from the USB data input in case you ran into interference from the motherboard, but I have 5o say it's perfect now

The Fosi Audio K5 Pro Gaming DAC and Headphone Amplifier is a stellar, budget-friendly desktop upgrade that brings remarkable sonic clarity to entry-level gaming setups. Its compact aluminum build houses a capable DAC that supports high-resolution audio (up to 24-bit/192kHz) and comfortably drives headphones up to 300 ohms, making it highly versatile for both sensitive IEMs and power-hungry cans. The addition of physical, smooth-turning bass and treble controls offers intuitive on-the-fly EQ adjustments, allowing users to enhance soundscapes, such as bringing out dialogue in movies or intensifying bass in gaming, without needing software.For gamers, the K5 Pro shines by incorporating a 3.5mm microphone input, eliminating the need to use subpar motherboard audio for voice communication. Installation is a true plug-and-play experience on PC, Mac, and consoles like the PS5, offering a clean, significantly improved soundstage over standard onboard audio. While the volume knob feel is slightly loose and the bright blue LED might be distracting for some, its overall performance, flexibility with USB-C/optical/coaxial inputs, and high-value price point make it an essential, low-clutter, and durable audio hub for any small desk setup.

This is probably one of the best purchases I have made recently. I got it to use with my ATH-R50x. It feels like the perfect companion to it! It's just works out of the box. I have it plugged in with usb and it powers itself from it as well, no need for an external powersource. Plug and play without needing any drivers. My windows 11 desktop recognized it instantly. The adjustment knobs feel solid and so does it's build quality - no rattle or anything. The ports are also placed properly. The simple design makes it pretty robust, without needing to fiddle around with needing to go through various menus and settings! This is the perfect companion for your headphones, if you are looking for something which just works without too much fuss.

I bought this product after viewing some YouTube videos saying that it is a great product. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to order it. I liked the idea of a better volume control and the addition of bass and treble controls. I also wanted to see if this DAC was better than the DAC in my Sony CDP-XA20ES. It is! I opened the box and unpacked it and immediately noticed that the build quality felt very solid and the controls felt firm and precise. The volume control is a neat multifunction control for volume, power on/off and input selection. I connected it in literally about a minute. I started playing CDs by using the Sony player as a CD transport and using the optical digital output to feed the optical input on the Fosi. I am using Sony MDR-7506 wired studio monitor headphones. The quality of the sound was instantly better than the headphone output on the front of the Sony. I so enjoyed the better quality that I was testing many different CDs to hear the difference. This product is so worth the money [to me anyway]. I can only say if you are thinking about it do it as I cannot imagine you not being happy with this product. Great addition. Six stars please.

Excellent power output, sound quality, and compact size. Compatible with most headphones and some speakers. The audio range is good both in bass and treble. However, there's no Bluetooth. Overall it's a great buy if you don't need to connect Bluetooth speakers.

If you use the USB A there will be a one second lag in sound. The USB C is better, but I still suspect there’s a lag, but can’t prove it. But it does amplify sound, and I only returned it to upgrade.

Any of these are going to greatly improve the sound over plugging your headphones directly into the mini-jack on a computer. Listening was done with a few different headphones but mostly with beyerdynamic DT 700 PRO X Closed-Back Studio Headphones. Music source was a laptop connected to the DAC/Headphone Amp via USB. If an external power supply was included, I used that. If not, power came via USB. I've kept notes on my impressions brief and included comparisons amongst the DAC/Amp's in this list. They are listed below in my order of preference with my favorites at the top. If you want flowery vocabulary I'm sure in depth reviews are available out there on the web. Headphones make the greatest difference in sound - spend more on them, if necessary. The DAC/Amp is secondary but does add its own flavor to the music. --- iFi Zen DAC V2 | Desktop Digital Analog Converter (Listening only with "TRUEBASS" off.) Very good. Slightly better than the FiiO K7. Better vocal clarity and slightly fuller bass. I ended up comparing this with the FX-Audio DAC-X6 head to head, which continued to surprise me as I put it up against significantly more expensive competitors. Across several hours and many pieces of music, I prefer the iFi... but the difference is infinitesimal. Possibly the iFi has a little more punch to the bass? Maybe a bit more space ans separation? If you're working to a budget, get the FX-Audio and put the extra cash towards better headphones. FX-Audio DAC-X6 Mini HiFi 2.0 Digital Audio Decoder DAC This thing is good. Surprisingly good. I ended up putting it head-to-head with amps costing three times its price. Slightly warmer sound, with slightly less detail in the vocals than the iFi Zen Air, but more space in the music, and more enjoyable to listen to. Slightly better clarity than the Topping. FiiO K7 Full Balanced HiFi DAC Headphone Amplifier This is indeed better than the K5 version. Vocals are more lifelike. And a particular emphasis on the mid-treble heard in the K5 is absent. There is more separation between the instruments. Very close call with the iFi V2, with my preference going to the iFi for better vocal clarity and slightly fuller bass. iFi Zen Air DAC Not quite as good as the V2, but close. Closer than the FiiO K5 is to the K7. There is, again, a comparative emphasis in mid-treble and the vocals get a bit lost. The sound is slightly thin compared to rivals at this price point. FiiO K5 Pro Headphone Amps Portable Desktop DAC and Amplifier Not quite as good as the K7, but at half the price one cannot really complain. Vocals are not quite as lifelike and there is more mid-treble - but not in a good way. Topping DX1 Mini Stereo DAC Headphone Amplifier Combo Very good little unit. Bass is slightly overemphasized. Fosi Audio K5 Pro Gaming DAC Headphone Amplifier I thought this unit was DOA. Turns out that you must long press the volume knob to turn it on. (Short press to select input.) Not terrible, but not as musical as the others in this test. Also, the only one with bass and treble knobs. And only a mini-jack - no 1/4" jack. Pro-Ject Head Box S2 Digital This DAC/Amp had an issue that makes it unlistenable. The sound is very nice... but... there's some faint static. Only in the music, not in silence. A faint crackling.... Can't have that.

Amazing sound for the price. You lose some soundstage but the average person won’t notice unless they’ve used high end gear. Tone controls are also a great addition.

situation : malentendant, j'ai un casque filaire MEZE 105 Silva, avec un cordon DAC qui me permet, en le branchant sur le téléphone d'avoir une écoute améliorée en liaison avec le logiciel "amplification" d'Android. Mais pour la TV, c'est plutôt plus compliqué. TV SAMSUNG 65 TQ65S95D avec platine extérieure et ses connexions. J'ai commencé avec un SENNHEISER RS195, bon casque, connexion optique, mais le volume son est limité. Il me fallait donc une solution pour brancher la sortie optique de la TV sur un ampli DAC avec réglages séparés (aigus, basses, volume) sur lequel, je brancherai mon filaire. J'ai donc soumis chatgpt 5.2 à la question et après un prompt indiquant qu'il était important que je puisse entendre les voix correctement (problème de phonèmes), il m'a proposé 3 articles possibles, en me donnant un avis : sur l'utilisation réelle, la puissance, le rapport/qualité prix et ce modèle est sorti en 1er de son classement. J'ai donc essayé et le résultat est parfait. Je peux ainsi choisir en même temps l'utilisation du casque en vue : - d'obtenir le son du HP TV si une personne regarde une émission avec moi - idem pour le son de la barre de son SENNHEISER notamment pour le Dolby ATMOS (le Fosi ne prend en charge que le PCM sinon, ça ne fonctionne pas) ou le casque seul en optique. Ainsi, je maîtrise les réglages. Le FOSI est petit, il a des connexions en câble optique, en RCA et en coaxial. L'alimentation se fait par USB C 5V (ce qui correspond à la norme standard) Une seule réserve : les boutons de réglage me paraissent "fragiles". A voir dans le temps. Attention, on trouve ce matériel un peu à tous les prix ça va de 65 € environ à 145 euros, mais j'ai préféré choisir le fabricant plutôt qu'un illustre inconnu en terme de fournisseur. Rapport qualité/prix : bon Note globale : 9/10 - je recommande selon usage et déplacements

🎧 Fosi Audio K5 PRO DAC／ヘッドホンアンプ レビュー オーディオ機器を揃え始めた中で、 DACやヘッドホンアンプという存在を知り、興味を持って初めて購入した一台です。 価格が手頃で手に取りやすかったのが購入の決め手でした。 【デザイン・外観】 シルバー基調のデザインで、デスク上に置くとしっかり映えます。 ノブ部分も金属感と光沢があり、価格以上に所有欲を満たしてくれる質感です。 Mac製品とも相性が良く、デスク環境に自然に馴染む点も好印象でした。 【使い勝手・接続】 操作はとてもシンプルで、初心者にも分かりやすい構成です。 Type-C接続に対応しているため扱いやすく、 iPadやPCに接続して使用していますが、特に迷うことなく使えています。 【音質・調整機能】 低音域・中高音域を個別に調整できるため、自分好みの音に仕上げやすいです。 ノブを回すだけで直感的に調整でき、ちょうど良いポイントで止めやすいのも便利でした。 出力はしっかりありますが、 イヤホン接続＋大音量設定ではホワイトノイズが出ることがありました。 そのため、イヤホンよりもヘッドホンとの組み合わせの方が向いていると感じます。 【まとめ】 この価格帯でここまで満足できるのは素直にすごいと思います。 ✔︎ 初めてDAC／ヘッドホンアンプを導入する方 ✔︎ デスク周りを手軽に音質アップしたい方 ✔︎ 操作が簡単な機器を求めている方 には特におすすめです。 迷ったらまずこれを選んでみて良い一台だと思います。

Fosi Audio K5 Pro känns mycket välbyggd med ett chassi i metall och lagom tyngd, så den står stadigt på skrivbordet. Reglagen har en skön och gedigen känsla, och det är smidigt att snabbt kunna justera både bas och diskant. Den drivs via USB-C och fungerar samtidigt som ett externt ljudkort, med anslutning för både hörlurar och mikrofon. Jag har testat den med PC, Mac och iPhone 16 Pro Max, och den har fungerat bra med samtliga. Den driver även mina Sennheiser HD58X utan problem. Utöver USB-C finns stöd för optisk anslutning via Toslink samt RCA, vilket gör den flexibel även tillsammans med annan ljudutrustning. En prisvärd, välbyggd och mångsidig liten hörlursförstärkare.

Purchased this audio DAC because i was excited to see that FOSI AUDIO had just come out with a DAC that included headphone microphone input. I was an early adopter of this product and actually paid a premium price through amazon USA, shipped to Canada. I knew the similar FOSI Q4 had an excellent reputation for sound quality but unfortunately did not suit me because of the lack of microphone input. In come the FOSI AUDIO K5 MINI PRO.. I had to give this DAC a try. As soon as you handle this product you know you are getting a quality piece of equipment. Setup is easy, all you do is plug it into your computers USB port. No driver install, just tell your computer to play the audio from the device in your sound setup. Even comes with a dongle to allow for a combined audio/mic headphone set to plug into the separate jacks on the device. Audio quality - 10/10 excellent and an absolute steal for the asking price that I am now seeing on amazon as of DEC 29/2022 Microphone quality - 10/10 If you online game your friends are going to think you have a very fancy microphone with this DACs ability to amplify the microphone input. It can be almost too clear and loud on some headsets but this can be adjusted in the windows input microphone level settings and turned down. I did need to get support from FOSI and they immediately and quickly helped me with my advanced technical question and had my device working well with all my equipment. (I use quite a few different headphones w/mics and had an issue with one of them which FOSI solved) This K5 MINI PRO is on par with some of the very expensive DACS out there. There is only two features I wish that FOSI would add. Some sort of "go to sleep mode" and "auto wakeup on sensing sound" to have this unit automatically turn off after say 30min of inactivity and wake itself when needed. The other would be a volume adjuster for the microphone input. These are just wishes to make an already excellent product even better. You will not be disappointed with this product.