FiiO K19 Desktop DAC/Headphone Amplifier Review

All this would have not been able to convince me to recommend the K19 though. Sure, the direct competition from the likes of TOPPING costs about the same and there are DACs alone which go for 3-5x as much using similar hardware in different implementations. The FiiO K19 does not necessarily sound better than the K9 Pro ESS, which already is a great device in itself. The tipping point for me is when FiiO decided to add in a dedicated DSP engine in both hardware and software alike. The end result is a powerful 31-band PEQ, albeit with only three filter types, with several presets and up to 10 user-customizable profiles all saved onboard the device. This, combined with app or desktop software-based EQ customization, allows for the FiiO K19 to now easily address tonality issues with your favorite IEMs and headphones with a single EQ toggle. Having shortcuts on the dedicated remote control makes it all the more easier! The FiiO K19 has everything but the kitchen sink thrown inside, and this may be overwhelming for some, so the target customer is a power user who actually wants to make use of all the innovative features available here. If you don't see yourself using the EQ functionality, for example, then perhaps the less expensive K7 or K9 series will suffice. But I don't have anything else here which offers everything the FiiO K19 does—except FiiO's own R9 network streamer/DAC/amp which costs even more—to where I acknowledge the K19 will be of interest to many despite the higher price.