Fiio has unveiled its latest portable DAC/headphone amplifier, the QX13. Constructed using a carbon-fibre body, the same material used for Formula 1 cars, the new DAC is designed to combine a lightweight yet durable design with a performance that will “supercharge your headphones” and audio gear.
To achieve said supercharging, the QX13 harnesses an ESS Sabre Pro ES9027PRO DAC chip featuring a fully differential audio architecture design wherein eight audio channels are set up in parallel.
The chip is paired with a pair of low-noise ES9312 regulators, while Fiio has pushed to reproduce audio signal as accurately as possible thanks to improved power efficiency and reduced clock jitter.
In terms of file support, the QX13 can handle PCM files up to 32-bit/768kHz alongside DSD512, and is capable of full MQA decoding.
The new DAC employs four integrated INA1620 chips, designed to diminish crosstalk significantly for reduced interference between channels. Two low-noise OPA1692 chips, meanwhile, are also included in a bid to ensure “excellent dynamics under various load conditions”.
Fiio has equipped its latest DAC/headphone amp with a handy ‘Desktop Mode’ which lets extra power be drawn from powered USB devices such as laptops, increasing the potential power output and performance of more demanding headphones.
The QX13’s carbon fibre body is designed to enhance durability without increasing weight, and is complemented by a 2-inch colour display which offers access to key information such as file type, equaliser settings or Desktop Mode.
The Fiio QX13 is available now, priced at £219 / $219 / €239.
MORE:
These are the best DACs you can buy
Why this iconic Tom Waits song is a regular in our test rooms – and can unveil the true essence of hi-fi
I love Bowers & Wilkins’ Pi8 flagship wireless earbuds, but there’s one thing I would change (and it isn’t the noise-cancelling)