FiiO KA17

The KA17 is FiiO's first USB dongle with a THX headphone amplifier: a THX AAA 78+ design with a fully balanced four-channel layout and eight op-amps in parallel. Two ESS ES9069Q DACs and an XMOS XU316 USB chip decode PCM up to 768 kHz/32-bit and native DSD512. It has a separate USB-C port for power: when you connect a charger there, or the source supplies enough power, Desktop Mode raises the balanced output to 650 mW per channel into 32 Ω. A 0.91-inch screen and physical buttons show and set volume, gain, filters and more, and a 10-band PEQ lets you adjust the sound. Next to the 4.4 mm balanced output there is a 3.5 mm output that also works as an S/PDIF output, and it comes with a leather-look case.

• THX AAA 78+ amplifier, 2 × ESS ES9069Q
• 650 mW × 2 @ 32 Ω (4.4 mm, Desktop Mode)
• Screen, 10-band PEQ, separate USB-C power port