FiiO K7 vs Fosi Audio K7

Both are desktop DAC/amps, both at $199.

The FiiO K7 reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here, the Fosi Audio K7 on 566.

Not published means the maker leaves it out, so that axis cannot be compared.

Through the balanced sockets the two are level on the same test: each reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here. Derived figures are worked out from the loads the maker did publish.

Copied from the makers’ own pages: fiio.com/k7, fiio.com/k7_parameters, fosiaudio.com/pages/fosi-audio-k7-dac-amp. Battery life is the maker’s own test figure.

Both makers publish a power rating. FiiO K7 publishes at 32 Ω and at 300 Ω; Fosi Audio K7 at 32 Ω. The other rows are worked out from those.

So the two columns are not equally firm row by row: at 300 Ω only the FiiO K7 figure is the maker’s own. On those rows the derived number is the one to doubt first.

What the labels mean.

1 headphone reaches 100 dB on the FiiO K7 but not on the Fosi Audio K7 — Symphonium Titan.

10 headphones stay below the audible-hiss threshold on the Fosi Audio K7 but cross it on the FiiO K7 (AFUL Performer 8, Campfire Audio Chimera, Dunu SA6 MKII, 7 more).

566 of the 567 models here reach 100 dB on both.

Headroom is at a 100 dB SPL peak.

The widest gap on the list is the Audio-Technica ATH-R70X: FiiO K7 has +18 dB of headroom there against +14 dB. 3 dB is about 2.2 times the power, which matters for peaks rather than for how loud the music sits.

Hiss below about 20 dB SPL is inaudible in a quiet room.

These two cost the same, $199, so price settles nothing. Out of the 567 models here, the FiiO K7 drives one model to 100 dB; the Fosi Audio K7 keeps 10 models below the audible-hiss threshold — and that is the whole of it on these three axes.

Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.

Each in full: FiiO K7 and Fosi Audio K7.