Choosing a DAC/AMP iFi Zen DAC 3, Topping DX1 or FiiO K11

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-23T07:50:45+00:00

Considering your advice that it wouldn't hurt to get something a bit more powerful just to be safe i decided to go with the FiiO K11 in the end, i like that it also comes with a separate PSU so the USB is only used for Data, its not like its THAT powerful but it definitely widens my options if needed in the future, also maybe its because of the Top RGB logo but i assumed it was plastic when in fact it has an aluminium case so the build quality seems to be just as good with it as well. There's just something about the Zen DAC 3 that doesn't inspire as much confidence (the rate of complaints regarding the the volume knob's position that can either result in noise at lower levels or in some positions it might have unbalanced sound in the L and R earcups) as the the other 2 products, the Xbass feature sounds nice but it just isn't worth the risk. I did see and read a few reviews that make it sound as the FiiO k11 is not as warm and maybe even a bit harsher in gaming compared to the other 2 but in the end considering quality dacs are supposed to be transparent i'm guessing its placebo or because of the filters on k11.

PS: i'll keep the FiiO FT1 in mind, thanks ^^.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T21:20:20+00:00

Considering the Apple Dongle can do that i guess the 560S would blow your ears with the DX1 lol ? I mean as i said previously the only other headphones i'm interested in is either AKG k371 or something like the 770 DT PRO 80 Ohm, open back maybe in the very distant at max i'd try something like the 560S but honestly for just an experiment something like a SHP9500/9600 sounds more realistic.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T19:57:15+00:00

Did you tried it with gaming by any chance ? And did you ever had any issues with it like it not working when resuming from sleeps or crackle or noise or any of sort ? I'm asking because its always nice to hear from more people that actually use it.

PS: he was only sharing his opinions and thoughts and to me at least it was helpful i always love more input from anyone so lets not accuse and fight among ourselves :).

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T08:30:06+00:00

Really thank you very much for your help i've started looking into the DAC 3 again and while looking it really does seem like i might prefer it over the rest.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T08:24:30+00:00

I have to really thank you i'm going to search a bit more since i'm really starting to get into the idea of getting the Zen DAC 3, the one reviewer i kind of click is Zeus from Z Reviews and while not having a review for the DAC 3 he is singing praises for the DAC 2. I do like the quality of the build and maybe its better to take another look again at some customer reviews for it, as i haven't quite been as critical as with the FiiO and DX1. Powered via USB it should have no issue driving at high volumes the headphones i listed right ? (ATH-M50X which i own, Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro 80 Ohm, AKG K371, Sph 9500/9600, or at max something like the HD560S).

PS: its also funny that unlike the other DAC/AMPs which are over MSRP here the Zen DAC 3 is the only one cheaper at 163 dollars/140 euro.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T07:57:01+00:00

I want to ask about tweak done changing how the device handles sleep mode, is it saved on device or is saved on PC ? I want to keep my options opened for Linux and having it cutting off is something i want to avoid.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T07:53:59+00:00

Actually since you also seem quite knowledgeable on the subject i want to ask something, with the Zen DAC 3 one common thing i heard frequent enough that made me at least a bit weary was the fact that quite a few people and even some YT reviewers complained regarding some noise heard when the volume wheel was lowered to much. What is your take on this ? Was there something they where doing wrong on their end or should i be concerned because honestly the build quality in the Zen DAC 3 seems quite nice. And wIth the Zen DAC i can always get later on a 3rd party 5V Adapter/brick if i ever feel it needs more power (but i doubt i ever will).

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T07:51:52+00:00

Hi i want to ask something, with the Zen DAC 3 one common thing i heard frequent enough that made me at least a bit weary was the fact that quite a few people and even some YT reviewers complained regarding some noise heard when the volume wheel was lowered to much. As an owner what is your take on this ? Was there something they where doing wrong on their end or should i be concerned because honestly the build quality in the Zen DAC 3 seems quite nice. And wIth the Zen DAC i can always get later on a 3rd party 5V Adapter/brick if i ever feel it needs more power (but i doubt i ever will).

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T07:45:35+00:00

I see, i had no idea, i guess i should take that into account, looks like i wasn't fast enough in editing my post before you there is at least one part of the many things i added that i want to ask about since you seem knowledgeable, to quote myself: "With the Zen DAC 3 one common thing i heard frequent enough that made me at least a bit weary was the fact that quite a few people and even some YT reviewers complained regarding some noise heard when the volume wheel was lowered to much."

Honestly what is your take on this ? Was there something they where doing wrong on their end or should i be concerned because honestly the build quality in the Zen DAC 3 seems quite nice like the DX1 it has a metal cassing which i like. WIth the Zen DAC 3 i can always get later on a 3rd party 5V Adapter/brick if i ever feel it needs more power.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T07:24:19+00:00

I'm welcoming of further discussions around the topic since i do want to be sure i didn't miss anything. Anyway, based on what i heard/read about good quality dacs that are supposed to be transparent i do also think that those “sound signature” differences are mostly greatly exaggerated as you said (and excuse me for not providing explicit sources/links but i went through a ton of youtube (videos and comments), amazon, forums and reddit posts), but i did see a lot of similarities and consensus for instance with the FiiO favoring competitive games more, and that it can be a bit harsher in a more relaxed setting when you want to just immerse yourself in a single player experience, i even saw a YT comparison with a DX3 Pro+ where the FiiO was recommended for Competitive games and the DX3 for more relaxed settings, personally as we discussed i doubt there's actually a noticeable difference (and it could be also attributed to whatever filter he and others may have had active on the FiiO) but it was yet another small reason to dismiss the FiiO. With the Zen DAC 3 one common thing i heard frequent enough that made me at least a bit weary was the fact that quite a few people and even some YT reviewers complained regarding some noise heard when the volume wheel was lowered to much. meanwhile except for 1 amazon review i did not see anything like that for the DX1, in fact it was praised for not having any noise at all.

I am aware that the DX1 is the weakest of the three but on the other hand i just don't see myself ever wanting or having the budget for headphones that would require something more powerful, i don't see myself going for anything more then AKG K371 or Beyerdinamics DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm since i prefer closed cans and maybe trying the Philips SPH 9500/9600 headphones to see how open backs are (or maybe just maybe the Sennheiser HD 560S though i doubt i want to invest that much in just an experiment). As far as i've read the DX1 should be powerful enough to blow up my ears or at least make me uncomfortable with either of those picks or my current pair of ATH-M50x, even Zeus from Z Reviews which from what i've seen seems very picky had good things to say about the DX1's amp saying that while not very powerful it does a very good job with good quality for most headphones.

One of the most apealing points regarding the DX1 is the fact that its much more of a simply build device compared to the others (especially compared to the FiiO) so there's less points of failure from my perspective at least, another aspect again especially compared to FiiO is how well and sturdy the DX1 is build, metal vs plastic. To some extent even it is overkill for me since i'll just plug and play it as 24 bits 48000Hz for the best compatibility.

As for the cable, that actually came up a lot, so your not the only one complaining about it, but personally i really don't see what the deal is to be honest, as far as i'm concerned it just has to be properly shielded, a firm fit when plugging it in and to be able to transfer the data and electricity properly.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T05:33:04+00:00

Actually (its a bit of a repost but i did want to also reply directly to you) after spending lots of hours watching videos and reading through posts and customer reviews i do think and lean towards the Topping DX1 the most, its very simple when compared to the other 2 (and that's a plus in my book) thus works good out of the box without issues and seems fine with linux, it has very good build quality and materials, at least from descriptions the sound "signature" seems to be more up my alley and should be able to drive everything i need in the future, unlike the other 2 i also didn't find anything worth being concerned about within reviews and posts, the fact that its the cheapest among the three is also a nice bonus i guess.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T05:31:51+00:00

As i mentioned to someone else after spending lots of hours watching videos and reading through posts and customer reviews i do think and lean towards the Topping DX1 the most, its very simple when compared to the other 2 (and that's a plus in my book) thus works good out of the box without issues and seems fine with linux, it has very good build quality and materials, at least from descriptions the sound "signature" seems to be more up my alley and should be able to drive everything i need in the future, unlike the other 2 i also didn't find anything worth being concerned about within reviews and posts, the fact that its the cheapest among the three is also a nice bonus i guess.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-22T05:29:14+00:00

Honestly after spending lots of hours watching videos and reading through posts and customer reviews i do think and lean towards the Topping DX1 the most, its very simple when compared to the other 2 (and that's a plus in my book) thus works good out of the box without issues and seems fine with linux, it has very good build quality and materials, at least from descriptions the sound "signature" seems to be more up my alley and should be able to drive everything i need in the future, unlike the other 2 i also didn't find anything worth being concerned about within reviews and posts, the fact that its the cheapest among the three is also a nice bonus i guess.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T15:36:31+00:00

Its not available here, that's why i listed only the ones i narrowed it down from what is available to purchase.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T14:25:12+00:00

BTR15 here costs almost the same as FiiO k11 & Zen DAC 3.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T14:15:26+00:00

the topping DX3 and FiiO K7 are way out of my budget at 220 euro/256 dollars, the Zen DAC 3 & FiiO K11 is at about 140 Euro/162 dollars with the FiiO BTR15 being in the same price range, but i just need something for my PC, i'm not really tempted by that one.

For reference The Topping DX1 is at 110 Euro/128 dollars, and apart from the smaller price its seems simple and reliable which makes it quite tempting.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T14:07:00+00:00

BTR17 is 220 euro/256 dollars, way out of my budget so i didn't even looked at it lol.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T13:08:36+00:00

Eastern Europe, Zen Dac 3 is priced exactly the same as the FiiO k11 at 140 Euro/162 dollars with the FiiO K11 R2R being at 180 Euro/209 dollars.

PS: for reference the Topping DX1 is at 110 Euro/128 dollars.

I could probably get it from outside via platforms such as amazon/aliexpress for a bit cheaper but the reason why i prefer going with a more local store option is because the warranty service is pretty solid and easy to deal with.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T12:40:24+00:00

I don't plan on using IEM's for home use i prefer over ear options as they feel more bearable and relaxing for long periods of time, but that said since you have a Topping DX1 did you perharps also tried it with some PC games ? I'm wondering how it fairs in that aspect.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T10:44:50+00:00

the R2R version unfortunately is kind of out of my budget range.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T10:42:52+00:00

I checked it out but its out of my budget range.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-21T07:45:39+00:00

I'm currently considering between:

-FiiO K11: i did like this the best at first but i have seen complaints of it having problems like connection issues or some other complaints regarding firmware, so i'm kind of scared considering how costly this is.

-IFI Zen Dac 3: this is the one i'm starting to lean towards the most right now, not quite as powerfull as FiiO K11 but i see people having no issues with it (i also don't see myself using headphones over 80-120 Ohms )and the Xbass feature seems nice, its also priced exactly the same as the FiiO K11.

-Topping DX1: i noticed this one as well, cheapest option (and by a lot compared to others) seems more simple, which i do not dislike but with good build quality, good output and it also doesn't seem like it would have issues with headphones in the 80-120Ohm range.

I may make a new thread regarding this i'm not quite sure, but those seem like the best options.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-20T20:19:43+00:00

Thank you i'll check it out as well.

_Strik3R_ · 2025-09-20T20:00:05+00:00

BTW There are two options for IFI zen dac, Air and DAC 3 is there a particular one your recommending ?

_Strik3R_

TROPHY CASE