Introduction

Today, we round off a short series of FiiO products covered on TechPowerUp. The first was the FiiO FA7s set of all balanced armature driver in-ear monitors, followed by a quick look at the impressive K5 Pro ESS deskop DAC/amp. I had in fact shown off the subject of this review—the FiiO K9 Pro ESS—in some family shots in the coverage of the K5 Pro ESS and mentioned why the former is a quick look article. There is so much to cover here that it simply had to be a full-fledged review, and thanks to FiiO for arranging a review sample for TechPowerUp!


There will be a point soon where most, if not all, of your audio needs can be met by FiiO. The company is working on speakers, TWS earphones, and possibly also full-size headphones, with many different source options to match. We previously took a look at a couple of portable sources: the New K3 wired DAC/amp and wireless BTR5 Bluetooth DAC/amp, with the K5 Pro ESS going a step further by using the same mobile DAC but adding a separate amplifier stage using op amps for that extra power. The K9 Pro ESS is a completely different entity using not one but two separate premium desktop-class DACs, better engineered power circuitry, and wireless connectivity with app-based customization. It is a plausible all-in-one endgame for most people reading this review. We'll cover all these features in detail in this review which begins with a look at the product specifications below. Be sure to click the images twice to fully open both and go through all the details.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

This is where I'd normally show the product box, but it came inside a larger box which was in turn placed inside the shipping box. Given the product came directly from FiiO who also operates a web shop, this will be the retail unboxing experience: a brown box with a carry handle and labels to indicate you have the correct regional SKU inside. In fact, aside from the FiiO authenticity check sticker on the top, this is a plain box with no signs as to what is inside. Open it up through the double flaps on the side and you will see lots of foam completely surrounding the actual product box, including a piece on top I removed for the photo above.


As mentioned multiple times before, I am a fan of FiiO's recent packaging design, and it continues on this larger box for the K9 Pro ESS. This is a thick cardboard box with a black base and glossy iridescent printing that changes color depending on the viewing angle and that of incident light. On the front is the company logo and product name along with an outline of the product with the two Hi-Res Audio stickers companies love to flaunt. Some basic specifications are on the back, accompanied by contact information for FiiO, some more stickers, and the same note as on the K5 Pro ESS packaging pointing out that this box is shared with the older K9 Pro and newer K9 Pro ESS owing to AKM DAC chipsets shortcomings forcing the change.


Given the more premium standing of the K9 Pro ESS, the box opens up from the side to reveal the contents akin to a luxury gift box. A large warning sheet informs customers that the unit needs to be set to the proper AC mains voltage. A useful quick start guide (online copy here) found above the unit walks you through the basic setup and use of the K9 Pro ESS while providing a list of the contents in the box. The DAC/amp is placed in a thick foam compartment with machined cutouts to snugly hold and protect it, and the other accessories are in the cardboard box alongside.


A warranty card rounds off the paperwork included with the K9 Pro ESS, and we now get to the more useful items, including a dedicated stand that keeps the K9 Pro ESS upright—more on this later. There are also six add-on silicone support/isolation feet, which are installed by the user depending on the preferred DAC/amp orientation. A power cord for your region is next, and no visible power supply means FiiO integrated it into the K9 Pro ESS, which is quite nice. FiiO also provides a 3' long Type-A to type-B cable for data, a replacement fuse for the K9 Pro ESS, and Bluetooth antenna to complete the unboxing experience. This is similar to what you would get with an add-in Bluetooth card, or one of two such antennas that come with most motherboards that have onboard WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity.