Though many of us carry our digital music library or streaming player around with us in the shape of our smartphones, enjoying high quality audio can be problematic. Fiio's KA15 DAC not only levels up the sound but also looks retro cool while doing so.
The headphone jack is something of a rarity on smartphones these days, but even if your handset does include one, the audio circuitry behind it is unlikely to be anywhere near audiophile grade. USB-C earphones can bump up the quality, but most people probably go wireless anyway – which can be a mixed bag in terms of sonic fidelity.
If analog is your preferred plug-in option then a portable Digital-to-Analog Converter – or DAC – is designed to serve as the sound-enhancing go-between that your ears deserve. There are many models available, to suit all wallet sizes, but the retro vibe given off by the KA15 surely makes it one of the coolest on the market.
That's because the inch-wide LCD panel simulates the viewing window of a cassette player – including spinning six-toothed spools during playback. Other key information about the audio file is also shown around this animated graphic, and the pint-sized metal box is home to tape recorder-like buttons to the side as well.
But the KA15 is more than just a stylish show-off, it's built around two Cirrus Logic chips and dual op-amps with support for 32-bit/768-kHz and DSD256 decoding. The device boasts 10-band parametric EQ adjustment for fine tweaking to taste through a Control app or via a dedicated web interface. That app is available for Android users only though, and is where users can adjust parameters like display theme and brightness, channel balance, quick/fine-adjustment volume modes and more.
Fiio has included a Desktop Mode that offers a power boost for enough headroom to meet the needs of high-end headphones via the balanced output (there's also an unbalanced 3.5-mm jack). Real-time voltage and current monitoring is cooked in too, which dynamically adjusts power draw over USB-C depending on playback status, "allowing your phone to run using less power."
If the cable to your earphones includes an inline microphone, the unit supports that too so you can take calls without having to unplug.
The 52 x 25 x 11-mm (2 x 1 x 0.4-in) KA15 is available for music lovers in the US through AliExpress for a budget-friendly price of US$109.99.
Product page: Fiio KA15