On the go, it’s a pleasant device to use, and the dual headphone output is a true blessing, Like the iBasso DC04Pro, that allowed me to test various headphones, even when I forgot my adapters. Just remember that the FiiO KA5 comes with a 3.5mm port and a 4.4mm Pentaconn, so no 2.5mm TRRS here, unless you take an adapter. Bonus point for the 3.5mm port that doubles as a SPDIF port (mini-toslink) The FiiO KA1 comes in two models: one, is a Lightning cable adapter at the end, and the other is a USB-C.

It doesn’t matter what you pair the KA2 with because the sound signature is rather neutral characterized and has no strong aspect that will favor a warm-sounding or bright IEM and will add a very small amount of character of its own. Of course, the FiiO IEM lineup pairs well with the KA2 but it also can play nicely with others. I paired some Tri I3 IEMs that have a tri-configuration of a dynamic, a BA along with a planar driver which was taken to very loud volume levels.

CONSTRUCTION​

One of the uncommon methods used by Helm Audio to remove some residual noise was to separate the USB circuitry from the rest of the electronics. KA1 features an RGB indicator that glows in different colors. The color depends on the active signal decoding bitrate. It's present at the front of the device under the FIiO logo. Sleek & Elegant:-

Let put it simply, since these are so different in tonality, the KA3 will please the treble head and those hungry for fowards treble and details, I would choose KA3 for when I produce music while the KA1 when I want to enjoy this produced music. Founded in 2007, FiiO is one of the biggest companies in the audiophile world, thanks to an extensive range of (usually) affordable but (mostly) excellent products. IEM, headphone amps, DACs, and obviously DAPs, they did it all and did it well. So much that when a new player comes out, it usually becomes the benchmark that other brands have to refer to, like the FiiO M11 Plus or the K9 Pro, two high-end devices. Ok, let’s say it already, technical performance of KA3 are way above those of KA1, and this is the same for amping power which is near 6 times higher with it’s 240mw@32ohm balanced output. But is it translating in better musicalit? While their part of subjectivity in that aspect, their no doubt to my ears that the KA1 offer a smoother and more enjoyable musicality than brighter, dryer and notably more agressive KA3. In a tiny space of 40x15x8mm, there is not only a high-quality DAC, but there is also premium audio amplification to match, both carefully tuned by engineers to truly and faithfully reproduce your music the way it was meant to be heard.

Packaging and Accessories

Sound Quality​ The first headphones I tried with the KA1 was the Sennheiser HD 598SE and I felt that the amp seemed to struggle to drive them to super high levels - but they did sound good. I then tried it out with the Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10's. This appears to be a match made in heaven. The KA1 easily drives them to very high levels without any distortion at all. The character of the sound appears to be very neutral, impactful and detailed. It is somewhat odd however that the Bolt uses an ESS chip which is an almost identical ESS 9281A and very similar to the KA1’s 9281AC Pro but Helm Audio did not use a THX chip. The performance is evident once you use the Rhodium as a standalone DAC by converting the 3.5mm out to dual RCA and connecting that to a more powerful amplifier. The frequency response curve seems to be evenly covered with some decent staging qualities from the Rhodium. Helm Audio Bolt

With support up to 32bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256, you will surely be able to hear even the finest details within your music! I am really impressed with this little unit. It’s absolutely transformed a couple of sets of cans that I own, and the power and processing formats that it can deal with are just brilliant. The overall sonic quality of KA1 is outstanding considering the super mini price point, and given the fact that most of the competition has considerably less driving power and lower maximum volume than it. I’m currently using KA1 with a wide selection of IEMs, including Ambient Acoustics MAD 24, IMR Acoustics Dark Matter, Oriveti OV800, and Campfire Dorado 2020. I’ve added Periodic Audio Carbon to my round of tests, to have a darker signature as well, as the others are natural and bass heavy, but not dark per se. One of their obvious visual differences is with the LED implementation. The DC05 uses the more traditional exposed LED through a small opening at one end cap but I like the KA1 LED best due to its soft and subtle glow plus its difference indicates someone gave it some further thought. Performance I’m getting close to 60. This means that my hearing isn’t that of a 20-year old. At least I don’t think it is - seems perfectly fine to me.

Conclusion​ It’s very tempting to say that the Jade Audio KA1 is a ‘solution looking for a problem’. My thinking being that if you’re an Audiophile wanting to get the best possible sound quality into your expensive in-ear monitors then you would surely use a dedicated MP3 player which already has the potential to offer better sound quality thanks to its more dedicated hardware and improved chipsets but that’s not what this device is really aimed at. The inexpensive device is simply designed to offer you clear and obvious improvements to the sound quality of your mobile phone whilst allowing you to continue to use your favourite IEM’s. I don’t think the KA1 is the best choice when using full-sized headphones but, again, I don’t think that’s what this device was designed for. FiiO was a little late to the USB DAC/amp dongle party but now they are doing their best to catch up as fast as they can. The shell is metal but it feels like hard plastic in the hand perhaps because of the ultra-matte flat finish that feels like some kind of resin coating but it does contrast well with the white surface logos and the dongle overall looks good. Governing Law - This contract shall be governed and construed per the laws of the People's Republic of China. Buyer agrees that competent courts in the People's Republic of China shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any legal action concerning this contract. In the event of any dispute related to this contract, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fee and costs. FAQs How can I Request a Warranty replacement or repair?

Yes indeed, the KA2 works with the FiiO control app, but the app seems to limit you far as what it lets you do within it. For example, the equalizer is disabled within the app but on a positive note, you do get to play around with five so-called low pass filters to choose from.Inside the KA1 there is the ES9281C PRO chip from ESS which combines USB audio interface, digital conversion and headphone amplification. So nothing new under the sun, the only big upgrade between the classic and pro version remains the MQA support, something that’s missing on the FiiO KA3– even if the latter remains better in every other way. Like its bigger KA3 sibling, the FiiO JadeAudio KA1 has a boxy rectangular shape with a series of parallel grooves running down the body. However, this time at 40mm x 15mm x 8mm, the KA1 looks tiny compared to the KA3. It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Jade Audio or FiiO. I’d like to thank Jade Audio for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with Jade Audio Ka1 Dongle DAC / AMP. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in Jade Audio KA1 Dongle DAC AMP find their next music companion.