An Audiophile Keyboard Now Exists And It’s Straight In At No.1 On My Christmas List

Simply whilst you reckon you might have observed all of it, language audio specialist FiiO comes up with a ‘hi-fi keyboard’ and for me, adjustments the sport. 

It should seem like a relatively not unusual gamer-specific keyboard, however changing into one of the crucial absolute best gaming keyboards isn’t its goal. No, this compact keyboard’s USP is the audio chops you get out of it, relatively than the rest it’s possible you’ll key in. 

Hook the KB3 as much as your Mac or PC by way of USB and it could possibly obtain and ship hi-res audio information as much as 32bit/384kHz, plus audiophile-friendly DSD256 (which has a pattern charge that’s 256 instances as excessive as a normal CD). 

How? Via bypassing the lowly digital-to-analog-converter or DAC for your PC track (see our absolute best transportable DACs information for more information) and as a substitute heading for its personal onboard twin ‘high-performance and environment friendly’ CS43131 DACs, its two ‘low-noise’ amps and on for your number of the absolute best stressed out headphones. Sure, the keyboard comprises 3.5mm or 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs – tune to my ears. 

Does the Fiio KB3 seem like a hi-fi separate? No. Does it seem like one thing I wish to personal sooner than I bone up on the main points? Additionally no. However the ones audio credentials are unimaginable to forget about – and consider, that is the corporate that during 2023 on my own has launched the five-star Fiio FT3 headphones, the superb wi-fi BTR7 DAC and the diminutive M15S musical powerhouse, for starters. 

The ones key caps are each swappable and clear (Fiio has long past with Gateron G Professional 3.0 switches right here, which might be highly-regarded for his or her sturdiness and reliability) and the corporate tells us there are a couple of presets for the RGB lighting fixtures – which I’m hoping will also be became off completely to get rid of noise within the audio sign trail. I am not right here for its lighting fixtures and whistles, I need its sound. 

Opinion: I am no gamer and RGB lighting fixtures do not hobby me – I need the ones twin DACs and amps underneath the hood 

The KB3 additionally sports activities an built-in, step-less quantity keep watch over; it is that matte pink factor at the height correct edge. Is Fiio in search of to emulate Astell & Kern’s trademark top-right-for-volume rotary knobs right here? Possibly, even though it is hardly ever as elegant or brutalist as the only on A&Ok’s A&norma SR25 MKII, for example. 

Glance, as a non-gamer I am not 100% bought at the aesthetic, however it is a keyboard in the end. It is what’s squirrelled away underneath the ones keys (and fixed at the facet, for my 4.4mm terminated cans) I am into. 

And Fiio has had a bumper yr in 2023; see the September-issue transportable KA13 and K11 DACs for but extra promising releases. I actually suppose the company is onto one thing right here, you realize. The gaming marketplace is undeniably booming and audiophile-curious – see the July-issue Ultimate Delusion 14 turntable for starters. Will have to a singular, hi-fi grade keyboard open up recent income streams (and convert dyed-in-the-wool avid gamers to budding audiophiles as well), such a lot the easier. In any case, in September PlayStation purchased hi-fi maestro Audeze, previous within the yr Razer introduced affordable THX-certified stressed out in-ears – and that’s the reason sooner than we even get to the PlayStation Pulse Discover earbuds. 

The Fiio KB3 is available in both ‘Middle of the night Black’ or ‘Morning Silver’ finishes, and at simply $149 / £139 (so round AU$265) my interest is definitely and actually piqued. Will it sound absolutely the trade? If Santa does not get the memo this yr (he is a hectic man, it is cool), I simply may deal with myself, you realize… 

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