FiiO KB3 HiFi Mechanical Keyboard

[VSG]

Popular audio brand FiiO enters the mechanical keyboard market with the 75% form factor KB3. It uses a gasket mount design with plenty of dampening and good quality switches to offer a satisfying typing experience for the money. Then things get taken to another level by the integrated DAC/amp offering two headphone outputs and plenty of clear power for headphones and headsets alike.

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[Cheeseball]

Just drop in some proper double shot shine-through keycaps and an easier way to install the ASIO driver and this would be one of the better 75% keyboards I can use.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have a 2.4 GHz direct wireless connection, but is completely understandable with its unique audio feature and a USB hub needing to be directly connected.

What would really make this cool is if it had support for analog optical/magnetic switches (e.g. Lekker, Gateron KS, etc.), but they would need to implement a microcontroller that can interpret analog/hall effect signals which will most likely drive the cost way up.

 

[VSG]

Just drop in some proper double shot shine-through keycaps and an easier way to install the ASIO driver and this would be one of the better 75% keyboards I can use.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have a 2.4 GHz direct wireless connection, but is completely understandable with its unique audio feature and a USB hub needing to be directly connected.

What would really make this cool is if it had support for analog optical/magnetic switches (e.g. Lekker, Gateron KS, etc.), but they would need to implement a microcontroller that can interpret analog/hall effect signals which will most likely drive the cost way up.

The switch sockets are also different for mechanical vs optical vs magnetic switches, it's not trivial to have such support yet.

 

[Endymio]

Linear only switches are a hard stop for me.

 

[Chrispy_]

Aww man, this would be great if they offered other layouts. ANSI is definitely the most common layout but it leaves about 40% of the global market unhappy. ISO and JIS account for a good fraction of what isn't ANSI and those two can share a layout at a push, making it even easier to cover the three main global layouts.

 

[progste]

Honestly wasn't expecting a DAC/AMP keyboard...
The best part is that it looks usable.
edit: and it's not even too expensive and it's hotswap... wait why is this thing kinda good??

 

[VSG]

Linear only switches are a hard stop for me.

Hot-swappable switch socktets, al least.

Honestly wasn't expecting a DAC/AMP keyboard...
The best part is that it looks usable.
edit: and it's not even too expensive and it's hotswap... wait why is this thing kinda good??

It is good, hence the recommendation.

 

[Pepamami]

Linear only switches are a hard stop for me.

best switches!

But I idk is that a good idea to connect ur headphones to keyboard. Its always good to have a DAC lying separately, maybe even attached under the table

 

[progste]

best switches!

But I idk is that a good idea to connect ur headphones to keyboard. Its always good to have a DAC lying separately, maybe even attached under the table

the main issue could be microphonics or vibrations being transmitted to the cable, being aluminum with the silicon pad should help in that regard.

 

[AsRock]

Honestly wasn't expecting a DAC/AMP keyboard...
The best part is that it looks usable.
edit: and it's not even too expensive and it's hotswap... wait why is this thing kinda good??

As long as your not left handed, i think the headphone cable should of been attached to the rear and not the side.

 

[VSG]

best switches!

But I idk is that a good idea to connect ur headphones to keyboard. Its always good to have a DAC lying separately, maybe even attached under the table

It's completely fine, I separately tested for all instances of typing on the keyboard while listening to headphones and there was no interference at all.

As long as your not left handed, i think the headphone cable should of been attached to the rear and not the side.

That would have necessitated a different DAC/amp board since there isn't enough vertical room to fit the PCB in addition to the keyboard PCB itself.

 

[Deleted member 229121]

This is pretty cool, but also pretty novel and likely far too niche to gain adequate traction.

Personally, I wouldn't want a DAC/amp to be tied to my KB.
If there's a problem with it, well now you have two problems, not just one.

I'd rather just stick with a dedicated device(s).

 

[Space Lynx]

I like this concept honestly. Very neat. Cool of Fiio to try something new.

 

[mechtech]

Interesting..........

I just wish products these days had longer than a 1-year warranty...............