FiiO KA11 Lightning DAC and Headphone Amplifier - Silver

The Smallest Dongle, Outsized Performance

The FiiO KA11 is a compact Lightning DAC and headphone amplifier that plugs directly into your iPhone or iPad, delivering high-resolution audio to any pair of headphones or earphones. Succeeding the popular KA1, the KA11 is smaller and lighter than its predecessor yet provides considerably more output power, making it an exceptionally capable portable audio upgrade at a genuinely affordable price.

The KA11 is Hi-Res Audio certified, underscoring FiiO's commitment to transparency and measurable performance even at the entry level. Its immersion gold circuit board carries carefully selected, high-quality components to ensure that the signal path remains clean from source to output.

Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC

At the heart of the KA11 is the Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC chip, a component trusted across a wide range of premium portable audio products. The CS43131 supports PCM decoding up to 32-bit/384kHz and native DSD256, covering every high-resolution audio format in common use today. Whether you are streaming lossless FLAC files, playing back SACD-ripped DSD tracks, or listening through a hi-res music service, the KA11 resolves the full detail of your recordings.

Surprising Power Output

Despite its diminutive footprint, the KA11 delivers up to 200mW of output power into 32Ω headphones, with 245mW available into lower-impedance 16Ω loads. This is a substantial figure for a device of this size and price, giving it the headroom to drive a wide variety of full-size headphones as well as in-ear monitors. Volume is synchronised with the connected device's own controls rather than using an independent hardware wheel.

Refined Build and Premium Cable

The KA11's body is constructed from an aluminium-magnesium alloy in a dual-tone finish, available in Black or Silver. Its non-detachable cable is made from high-purity oxygen-free palladium-plated copper with properly designed outer shielding, ensuring minimal signal degradation between the Lightning connection and the DAC circuit. A multi-colour RGB LED indicator shows the current sample rate at a glance.

App Control and iOS Compatibility

The FiiO Control app for iOS gives access to a parametric equaliser, filter settings, and LED configuration. For devices that require driver-free operation, a UAC 1.0 compatibility mode is available. The KA11 works with iOS devices including iPhone and iPad, as well as macOS computers via an appropriate adapter. Note that the KA11 does not support a wired microphone for calls.