Dbsilverton
New Member
Recently I received the Fosi K5 Pro Mini Stereo Gaming DAC. For those of you who are not familiar, DAC stands for Digital Analog Converter. Think of it like converting a song on your phone to a vinyl record. Analog audio typically has a much more warm sound with more depth. It also can be much more detailed in the little nuances. I have experience using DAC’s with audio streaming for music, but I’d never thought about using it for gaming. I am a casual gamer but I don’t get much time with two kids. I appreciate high quality audio and have always found games to be lacking, although I probably don’t put forth the effort to really improve that.
In comes the Fosi K5 Pro Mini Stereo DAC. It’s priced around $80US and can be found on Amazon or purchased directly from Fosi. I’m sure it is available elsewhere as well. I really didn’t know what to think when I first received it. I was very skeptical. Let’s be honest, a DAC can’t add sounds that simply are not there, it just enhances it. I opened it up and found that it seems to be built solid and finished quite well. It also came with a USB-C cable with a USB-A adapter, a headphone splitter for the headset and mic, and an optical cable. It also came with instructions that I ended up completely ignoring, although it may prove useful if you don’t like to fiddle with things.
It has three knobs that serve to adjust the bass, treble, and volume. The volume dial doubles as a button to select from three inputs. A long press on the volume dial also turns the unit on and off. The inputs available are USB-C, optical, and coax. There is a blue indicator light right above the output ports for the headphones and mic that tells what mode you are in. It also has red and white RCA jacks on the back for using speakers. The knobs turn very smoothly and are sensitive, but easy to control.
I started out by plugging it into my iMac via USB-C. I did have to go to the settings and select the Fosi K5 Pro, but it required no special software. I started by playing some Apple Music songs, followed by a TV show on AppleTV+. I listened, both with and without the DAC, using my Beats Headphones. I didn’t want to use high end headphones because I figured you shouldn’t have to use $1000 headphones to benefit from an $80 add on. I was surprised at how some of the very fine details were now more pronounced. It did have a more warm feeling with a much broader soundstage. It’s not quite what you get from a tube amp, but certainly is an improvement. I fiddled with the bass and treble for a bit and found it to make a huge impact on the listening experience. I then played some World of Warcraft to get an idea of what it does when used as intended. I could hear every gory detail of the fights and even could hear a little beetle looking creature scurrying across the hard desert ground. Claws clicking on the ground as it ran. The coolest part was running through water on my horse, which sounded very flat using the headphones alone. With the Fosi K5 Pro, it sounded like actual water! The music was also much more deep and immersive. The entire experience was certainly elevated by the K5 Pro.
Next I switched over to the PC to play some Destiny 2, again with and without the Fosi K5 Pro. I plugged it in to the front USB-A port using the provided adapter and it instantly recognized the DAC with no setup or drivers needed. I love a product that simply just works!!!The gun shots were far more realistic, especially with the sound as it traveled down range and echoed back. It really as an incredible feeling. Again I splashed through some puddles like a toddler and again the Fosi K5 Pro made it sound like real water versus the flat sound with it. I fiddled with the bass and treble a bit and found it to be easy to adjust to my liking. There is a lot going on in the game due to its multiplayer online platform, making it feel like you are surrounded by the chaos.
Finally, I switched to the Xbox. It doesn’t have any USB ports so I used the included optical cable. Interestingly the Xbox output the audio simultaneously to the TV and the Fosi K5 Pro. Maybe I could change that with the Xbox settings but you can also just mute the TV. Unfortunately I didn’t have the necessary adapters to plug my headphones directly into the Xbox so I only could compare it to the sound bar that was built into my aging Sony Bravia TV. I didn’t think it would be fair to compare the headphone experience to the soundbar and it certainly wasn’t. The headphones, using the Fosi K5 Pro, absolutely destroyed that sound bar. The audio was far more immersive and took on a much more realistic and immersive feel. I played Destiny 2 again so I’d have a direct comparison to the PC experience. Again, the gunshots and water splashing was much more realistic. The music more encompassing.
Ok, this maybe a horrible waste of Fosi’s time but I called customer service to ask them some questions that I already knew the answers to. First I asked if I needed to use them with headphones. The kind and extremely patient employee on the line explained how to use it with either headphones or speakers. I then asked if she could talk me through connecting it to my PC. She did so flawlessly and without hesitation. I then asked if I could use it as a phono preamp for my turnable to connect to my home theater system. She was very thoughtful in her response and explained that it could be used in the home theater system for enhancing the audio from CDs, movies, or streaming but it would not amplify the low signal that a turntable puts out. She then recommended several options from Fosi that would fit just about any budget. I know it’s not cool to waste anyone’s time, but I did feel like it was important to find out about customer service after the purchase. It’s one thing to help relieve me of my hard earned cash, but it’s entirely another to really care about the customer experience. I found the entire experience with Fosi customer service to be as warm and fulfilling as the product itself. It’s nice to speak with a representative that truly seems to care. I hope Fosi can forgive me for calling them when I didn’t really need to!
Throughout the tests I only made adjustments on the Fosi K5 Pro, with the minor exception of turning the music down and ambient sounds up in World of Warcraft. I understand that I could, more than likely, adjust bass and treble in the games. I much prefer the tactile feel of actual dials though, being as I’m mostly a turntable/tube amp kind of guy. I will list out some pros and cons below, but my final thoughts are very positive. I didn’t expect to like an $80 DAC, but I would certainly buy it again. For gaming it created a much more immersive experience. It also has multiple uses such as watching movies or listening to music. It really is a no brainer for anyone that is looking for a way to step up their current system without breaking the bank. I would recommend the Fosi K5 Pro without hesitation.
Pros:
Inexpensive
Well built/nice finish
Includes cables
Easy to use
Creates a more immersive experience
Multiple uses
Cons:
Solid state is not as warm feeling as the sound from tubes
Mini stereo instead of 1/4 jacks
In comes the Fosi K5 Pro Mini Stereo DAC. It’s priced around $80US and can be found on Amazon or purchased directly from Fosi. I’m sure it is available elsewhere as well. I really didn’t know what to think when I first received it. I was very skeptical. Let’s be honest, a DAC can’t add sounds that simply are not there, it just enhances it. I opened it up and found that it seems to be built solid and finished quite well. It also came with a USB-C cable with a USB-A adapter, a headphone splitter for the headset and mic, and an optical cable. It also came with instructions that I ended up completely ignoring, although it may prove useful if you don’t like to fiddle with things.
It has three knobs that serve to adjust the bass, treble, and volume. The volume dial doubles as a button to select from three inputs. A long press on the volume dial also turns the unit on and off. The inputs available are USB-C, optical, and coax. There is a blue indicator light right above the output ports for the headphones and mic that tells what mode you are in. It also has red and white RCA jacks on the back for using speakers. The knobs turn very smoothly and are sensitive, but easy to control.
I started out by plugging it into my iMac via USB-C. I did have to go to the settings and select the Fosi K5 Pro, but it required no special software. I started by playing some Apple Music songs, followed by a TV show on AppleTV+. I listened, both with and without the DAC, using my Beats Headphones. I didn’t want to use high end headphones because I figured you shouldn’t have to use $1000 headphones to benefit from an $80 add on. I was surprised at how some of the very fine details were now more pronounced. It did have a more warm feeling with a much broader soundstage. It’s not quite what you get from a tube amp, but certainly is an improvement. I fiddled with the bass and treble for a bit and found it to make a huge impact on the listening experience. I then played some World of Warcraft to get an idea of what it does when used as intended. I could hear every gory detail of the fights and even could hear a little beetle looking creature scurrying across the hard desert ground. Claws clicking on the ground as it ran. The coolest part was running through water on my horse, which sounded very flat using the headphones alone. With the Fosi K5 Pro, it sounded like actual water! The music was also much more deep and immersive. The entire experience was certainly elevated by the K5 Pro.
Next I switched over to the PC to play some Destiny 2, again with and without the Fosi K5 Pro. I plugged it in to the front USB-A port using the provided adapter and it instantly recognized the DAC with no setup or drivers needed. I love a product that simply just works!!!The gun shots were far more realistic, especially with the sound as it traveled down range and echoed back. It really as an incredible feeling. Again I splashed through some puddles like a toddler and again the Fosi K5 Pro made it sound like real water versus the flat sound with it. I fiddled with the bass and treble a bit and found it to be easy to adjust to my liking. There is a lot going on in the game due to its multiplayer online platform, making it feel like you are surrounded by the chaos.
Finally, I switched to the Xbox. It doesn’t have any USB ports so I used the included optical cable. Interestingly the Xbox output the audio simultaneously to the TV and the Fosi K5 Pro. Maybe I could change that with the Xbox settings but you can also just mute the TV. Unfortunately I didn’t have the necessary adapters to plug my headphones directly into the Xbox so I only could compare it to the sound bar that was built into my aging Sony Bravia TV. I didn’t think it would be fair to compare the headphone experience to the soundbar and it certainly wasn’t. The headphones, using the Fosi K5 Pro, absolutely destroyed that sound bar. The audio was far more immersive and took on a much more realistic and immersive feel. I played Destiny 2 again so I’d have a direct comparison to the PC experience. Again, the gunshots and water splashing was much more realistic. The music more encompassing.
Ok, this maybe a horrible waste of Fosi’s time but I called customer service to ask them some questions that I already knew the answers to. First I asked if I needed to use them with headphones. The kind and extremely patient employee on the line explained how to use it with either headphones or speakers. I then asked if she could talk me through connecting it to my PC. She did so flawlessly and without hesitation. I then asked if I could use it as a phono preamp for my turnable to connect to my home theater system. She was very thoughtful in her response and explained that it could be used in the home theater system for enhancing the audio from CDs, movies, or streaming but it would not amplify the low signal that a turntable puts out. She then recommended several options from Fosi that would fit just about any budget. I know it’s not cool to waste anyone’s time, but I did feel like it was important to find out about customer service after the purchase. It’s one thing to help relieve me of my hard earned cash, but it’s entirely another to really care about the customer experience. I found the entire experience with Fosi customer service to be as warm and fulfilling as the product itself. It’s nice to speak with a representative that truly seems to care. I hope Fosi can forgive me for calling them when I didn’t really need to!
Throughout the tests I only made adjustments on the Fosi K5 Pro, with the minor exception of turning the music down and ambient sounds up in World of Warcraft. I understand that I could, more than likely, adjust bass and treble in the games. I much prefer the tactile feel of actual dials though, being as I’m mostly a turntable/tube amp kind of guy. I will list out some pros and cons below, but my final thoughts are very positive. I didn’t expect to like an $80 DAC, but I would certainly buy it again. For gaming it created a much more immersive experience. It also has multiple uses such as watching movies or listening to music. It really is a no brainer for anyone that is looking for a way to step up their current system without breaking the bank. I would recommend the Fosi K5 Pro without hesitation.
Pros:
Inexpensive
Well built/nice finish
Includes cables
Easy to use
Creates a more immersive experience
Multiple uses
Cons:
Solid state is not as warm feeling as the sound from tubes
Mini stereo instead of 1/4 jacks
