The World of Fiio - The K9 and R9 Eargasm

 Fiio K9, R7 and R9

THIS IS NOT A SHOOT OUT!

When Stars Pickers offered me to review these 2 products, I could not resist it and said yes. Having the R7 unit which I purchased last year during the KLIAV show, I was really keen to know what R9 can offer. As both the R9 and K9 are 2 different designs, the review is more about what each of the model can offer, its signature sound and also which headphones are best matched with.

I will not bore you with a detailed specifications as that can easily be accessible on the Fiio website but one thing I will mention here is that both units are well equipped with various connectivity and features.

THE HEADPHONES

For this review, the following are the headphones used for this review. I only used 1 reference track frm Qobuz - Soolaiman by Neil Diamond on Hi-Res 24/192

1. Beyerdynamic T1
2. Sennheiser HD700S
3. Audeze EL8
4. Grado HEMP

HOW WAS R9?

Beyerdynamic T1 - On the R9, the percussion on this track sounded very tight and punchy but still retain the 'hollowness' sound. With the R9, the listening ambient was very holographic where again the multi-instrument on this track created a very enveloping experience. The R9 also presneted a very natural mids and highs where Neil's vocal sounded very dynamic and at the same time highly filled with natural expressions by him.

Sennheiser HD700S - This is quite the opposite of the T1. The track sounded thin but neutral with no dominance of any particular audio spectrum. It is also highly transparent with a clear and crisp vocal by Neil. Some background noise was also very audible making it sound a bit sharp on the highs. 

Audeze EL8 - As opposed to a punchy bass, the EL8 had a deep extensive bass that goes really low on this track. I personally prefer this kind of bass response instead hard hitting and punchy.  Really good mids as well, making the Neil's vocal sounded really good and full of emotion. However, it would be more enjoyable with sweeter highs. At times, it can sound a bit flat with the mids and lows dominating the presentation.

Grado HEMP - Surprisingly, I enjoyed the R9 most with the Grado HEMP. The best clarity that I can experience is with the Grado and R9. Although the background noise is highly audible, it was actually helping to make the overall presentation to sound more natural in all aspect. Natural bass, vocal and instruments. Sufficient to make the song sound really alive, in sync with the sound of that era.

HOW WAS K9?

Beyerdynamic T1 - This to me is the best combo presentation of the Soolaiman track. Overall punchier, solid and extensive bass but maintained a balanced presentation across the audio spectrum. Neil's vocal sounded expressive and melodious throughout.  The percussion maintains the hollowness tune but with great precision and sound accuracy.  Very engaging experience that led me towards tapping my feet and moving my body to the tune.

 

Sennheiser HD700S - The K9 matches better with the Senns compared to R9.  A better control of highs and smoother with the mids can be experienced with this combo. However, still thin sounding but with a slightly deeper dive in bass. Still maintains a high level of transparency where Neil's vocal as the main highlight of this pairing. 

Audeze EL8 - Even a bigger sound with an enveloping ambient can be heard when paired with the K9. Maintains the extensive bass with deeper dive with sufficient mids. The percussion sound was really engaging to me, and it just continue to draw me in to the enveloping sound ambient. The highs were slightly sweeter than the pairing with R9 but to me, it still lacks that magic sparkle.

Grado HEMP - Again, somehow the Grado HEMP can really shine with Fiio amps and DAC. With this pairing, even a better clarity and liveliness were experienced. Each instrument placement and precision can be heard with this pairing. Bass is sufficient and does not overwhelm the HEMP. It maintains its natural presentation. The drums really got me going with this pairing. Neil's vocal was best presented here.

THE CONCLUSION

So, which one is better? As I mentioned earlier, this is not a shootout. Both K9 and R9 have its own value proposition and very much dependent on the following:

• The headphones you want to pair them with and sound signature you like - both the K9 and R9 are capable to drive the 4 headphones I have with their own unique sound delivery.
• I find the best pairing is between Grado and K9 and R9. If you prefer clarity, natural and neutral sound, you will not go wrong with both amps.
• If bass dominance is your preference, both K9 and R9 can give your Audeze a good low frequency works.
• Somehow, I do not feel Sennheiser will match well with both amps. Both the Senns and K9/R9 are great products but somehow, it does not gel well together.
• For best musicality, I must say the Beyerdynamic matches well with either K9 or R9. The best overall musical enjoyment came from this pairing.
• Your utilization plan - if you plan to have a separate music source from your amplification, then K9 is the way to go. It is purely a headphone amplifier with a built in DAC. However, if you require an All-In-One music source and amplification, the R9 is the way to go.

As a conclusion, similar to my hifi approach, I do believe that having a separate source and amplifier yields more musicality. Hence, my preference would be the K9 if musicality is the objective. The R9 is feature packed and that's the way to go if an All-In-One unit is required.

Both units are available at Star Pickers Audio Library retailed at RM2499 for K9 and RM6999 for R9.

Contact them on 012-3392040 to arrange for a demo with your headphones.