Finally got my Fiio k11r2r dac
- Thread starter Bozzz
- Start date
Looking nice man
Thanks loving it so far.Looking nice man
Mr Ee
Major Contributor
I like both the K11 and the K11 R2R as headphone amps, but greatly prefer the r2r as a dac into my amp / speakers.
Go on, you know you want to... it's not a lot of cash
a detailed comparison with the internal dac of the ultra?I like both the K11 and the K11 R2R as headphone amps, but greatly prefer the r2r as a dac into my amp / speakers.
Go on, you know you want to... it's not a lot of cash
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Mr Ee
Major Contributor
Ok, let me clarify...
greatly prefer the r2r as a dac over the K11 into my amp / speakers.
Now, as for the ultra vs the r2r, I can't / won't provide a detailed comparison.
About 6 months ago I spent some time comparing the ultra analog out vs digital out into my Hegel H190.
No volume matching; no blind abx comparison; just a bit of listening to a song or two at a time and seeing how I felt.
The upshot was that I thought the ultra was really good, but the Hegel was better. More punch, more detail, more enjoyment, more toe tapping.
It's that final metric that's my measure, and I've not really used the ultra analog out since then.
This was my totally subjective reaction to adding a k11 r2r nearly a couple of months ago:
Currently got an ultra hooked up to a fiio k11 via usb and an amp pro hooked up to a fiio k11 r2r via usb.
Both of the fiios analog out to my hegel h190 and a wiim pro coax to the h190.
Then out to my paradigm speakers.
No EQ or RC on any of the wiims.
All 3 in a group.
Listening to this via combo 2 atm (k11 r2r)
Don't think I've ever heard it so good before.
I'm seriously surprised at how much better the k11 r2r is than the normal k11, regardless of whether the ultra or amp feeds it (as might be expected).
As John Travolta said, "I've got chills, they're multiplying."
Both of the fiios analog out to my hegel h190 and a wiim pro coax to the h190.
Then out to my paradigm speakers.
No EQ or RC on any of the wiims.
All 3 in a group.
Listening to this via combo 2 atm (k11 r2r)
Don't think I've ever heard it so good before.
I'm seriously surprised at how much better the k11 r2r is than the normal k11, regardless of whether the ultra or amp feeds it (as might be expected).
As John Travolta said, "I've got chills, they're multiplying."
Of course, this is just my experience, as (un)consciously biased as it may be. I've no expectation that others will agree, but I hope others won't feel the need to argue about it either.
Coming back to @gazza1101, for me adding either of the k11s as a headphone amp is a significant improvement over the ultra headphone out.
But that's not news to anyone who's been here for the last 6 months and seen my thoughts / posts on this topic.
It's a hobby - spend a little cash to try something different, and if it's not for you sell it on. (Or try to demo at a store first!)
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both ultra and fiio dac are certainly normalized to 2v ...so the comparisons are rather relevant....Ok, let me clarify...
greatly prefer the r2r as a dac over the K11 into my amp / speakers.
Now, as for the ultra vs the r2r, I can't / won't provide a detailed comparison.
About 6 months ago I spent some time comparing the ultra analog out vs digital out into my Hegel H190.
No volume matching; no blind abx comparison; just a bit of listening to song or two at a time and seeing how I felt.
The upshot was that I thought the ultra was really good, but the Hegel was better. More punch, more detail, more enjoyment, more toe tapping.
It's that final metric that's my measure, and I've not really used the ultra analog out since then.
This was my totally subjective reaction to adding a k11 r2r nearly a couple of months ago:
For that song (and many others, but not everything I listen to) I thought the k11 r2r was fantastic; better than the Hegel and by extension presumably better than the ultra too.Currently got an ultra hooked up to a fiio k11 via usb and an amp pro hooked up to a fiio k11 r2r via usb.
Both of the fiios analog out to my hegel h190 and a wiim pro coax to the h190.
Then out to my paradigm speakers.
No EQ or RC on any of the wiims.
All 3 in a group.
Listening to this via combo 2 atm (k11 r2r)
Don't think I've ever heard it so good before.
I'm seriously surprised at how much better the k11 r2r is than the normal k11, regardless of whether the ultra or amp feeds it (as might be expected).
As John Travolta said, "I've got chills, they're multiplying."
Of course, this is just my experience, as (un)consciously biased as it may be. I've no expectation that others will agree, but I hope others won't feel the need to argue about it either.
Coming back to @gazza1101, for me adding either of the k11s as a headphone amp is a significant improvement over the ultra headphone out.
But that's not news to anyone who's been here for the last 6 months and seen my thoughts / posts on this topic.
It's a hobby - spend a little cash to try something different, and if it's not for you sell it on. (Or try to demo at a store first!)
I have therefore not forbidden you to make the direct comparison easily....
(a quick observation on the test signal and sound level meter on the phone helps to remove any possible doubt)
These are not trick questions...but so many people no longer dare to go down this path...
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The thing is I'm quite happy with the Ultra as a headphone amp but it's across my room 3m away so I have to drape a headphone cable across the floor, doesn't worry me too much but I thought about using the coax connection out of the ultra in to a headphone amp where I sit as I have an unused subwoofer cable end in this location (from hifi location area) and it got me reading about headphone amps and with the low cost and great reviews of this device even when compared to much higher cost dacs has my attention.Ok, let me clarify...
greatly prefer the r2r as a dac over the K11 into my amp / speakers.
Now, as for the ultra vs the r2r, I can't / won't provide a detailed comparison.
About 6 months ago I spent some time comparing the ultra analog out vs digital out into my Hegel H190.
No volume matching; no blind abx comparison; just a bit of listening to song or two at a time and seeing how I felt.
The upshot was that I thought the ultra was really good, but the Hegel was better. More punch, more detail, more enjoyment, more toe tapping.
It's that final metric that's my measure, and I've not really used the ultra analog out since then.
This was my totally subjective reaction to adding a k11 r2r nearly a couple of months ago:
For that song (and many others, but not everything I listen to) I thought the k11 r2r was fantastic; better than the Hegel and by extension presumably better than the ultra too.Currently got an ultra hooked up to a fiio k11 via usb and an amp pro hooked up to a fiio k11 r2r via usb.
Both of the fiios analog out to my hegel h190 and a wiim pro coax to the h190.
Then out to my paradigm speakers.
No EQ or RC on any of the wiims.
All 3 in a group.
Listening to this via combo 2 atm (k11 r2r)
Don't think I've ever heard it so good before.
I'm seriously surprised at how much better the k11 r2r is than the normal k11, regardless of whether the ultra or amp feeds it (as might be expected).
As John Travolta said, "I've got chills, they're multiplying."
Of course, this is just my experience, as (un)consciously biased as it may be. I've no expectation that others will agree, but I hope others won't feel the need to argue about it either.
Coming back to @gazza1101, for me adding either of the k11s as a headphone amp is a significant improvement over the ultra headphone out.
But that's not news to anyone who's been here for the last 6 months and seen my thoughts / posts on this topic.
It's a hobby - spend a little cash to try something different, and if it's not for you sell it on. (Or try to demo at a store first!)
I currently the dac in my Arcam avr because I think it has a slightly cleaner sound, but I found it's really difficult to hear any difference between the Arcam and the Ultra.
So far I’m loving it. Right now I’m using it from my ultra via coax with my home stereo. Sounds amazing
That "presumably" should be the nagging doubt in the back of any audiophile's head ...
But I know it isn't.
There's just room for 3.141592 million steps of "massive improvement" between all those 2.718218 million devices we listened to. 
submarinedog
Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2024
- Messages
- 8
Great to hear the positive feedback. I've been looking at this one for a while and finally bit the bullet.. look forward to receiving it, hopefully before Christmas
