Fosi Audio K7 Review

In this article we review the Fosi Audio K7, a geeky desktop DAC/AMP, currently selling for $229,99 USD in Europe and $199,99 USD in the US of A.

Disclaimer: The Fosi Audio K7 was sent to us, free of charge, by the brand in exchange for our honest opinion.

Fosi Audio

Founded in 2017, Fosi Audio has made a name for itself among the new wave of affordable-yet-excellent audio brands, sharing the scene with names like WiiM, SMSL or Moondrop. Their goal ? To deliver straightforward, well-built, compact gear at affordable prices – or Chi-fi if you prefer simple terms.

And, since their launch, Fosi products have become an easy recommendation for audiophiles seeking bang-for-bucks devices. From power amps like the Fosi V3 Mono Amp, to DACs such as the SK02 and the (awesome) Q6, or even headphones, with the mighty new Fosi i5, the brand kept on delivering bangers over bangers.

Here’s an excerpt of my own review of the V3 for example:

“Long story short, the Fosi V3 Mono Amp is one of the best power amplifier I ever reviewed to this day.

A nifty device with the level of control and refinement you’d expect from brands like SMSL or FiiO, offering a quality/price ratio I never hoped for. Build quality is excellent, I/O is great, form-factor is perfect and, all-in-all the device is just flawless.”

Full review available here:

And today, we have their latest creation: a compact, DAC/Headphone amplifier, the Fosi Audio K7, designed as an all-in-one solution for gaming audiophiles, thanks to its wide array of inputs and parameters. Another banger? Time to find out!

Fosi Audio K7

Casing

Geeky and not so tiny anymore, the Fosi Audio K7 is one of the first device – that I got at least – deviating from the rest of the brand’s catalog in terms of design, yet still remaining completely Fosi from a single glance.

A medium-sized, rectangular box, built from thick CNC-milled aluminum panels, topped with not one but two rotary knob on the upper panel, no less than five buttons below, and a small but crisp screen centered between the two know. A setup that I found incredibly cool, on a personal leave, but till unapologetically chi-fi, pushing even further the design trend set by the previous models.

An impression further reinforced by the case’s compact dimensions — 155 mm wide, 90 mm deep, 50mm tall — the K7 being just a tad bigger than the Q6, but only due to the knobs. That said, where the Q6 and V3 amp could be considered as “stealth” DAC/Amps thanks to their sleek casing, the K7 tends to look bolder, aiming at a different niche of consumers – audiophile gamers.

But, once again even compared to the SMSL’s DO/HO series, or my old Creative Sound Blaster X3 – boy did I love this one – this remains one impressively short desktop DAC/Amp, one that should fit every desktop. Of course, some users might prefer flatter units like the FiiO K11, or wider set like the SMSL DO400 that could be used as a screen stand, but in terms of overall footprint, it’s hard not to praise Fosi for delivering such a compact, desk-friendly DAC/Amplifier.

Build Quality

If the Q6 wouldn’t turn heads, the Fosi Audio K7 is more of a showstopper in my opinion with its unconventional design, which isn’t a bad thing either.

Let’s start with the chassis itself. Machined from thick aluminum panels, the K7 feels solid in hand and inspires confidence, especially when compared to the usual plastic shell usually seen in this product range – even though most chi-fi brands favor aluminium nowadays. And, at 700 grams, the unit feels reassuringly dense gripping right onto my desktop, helped with some brand-engraved anti-slip pads.

Next come the two large knobs. Clickable and rotative, they felt as good as they look, which isn’t always the case in the sub-$300 bracket, especially with desktop solutions like this one (JDS Labs being one of the rare exception). Same goes for the finishing, consistent across all surfaces, the matte anodized body giving the K7 a stealthy, utilitarian vibe.

No gaps, no sharp edges, and every contact point — from the source knob to the RCA outputs — appeared cleanly assembled, with no flex, creaks or visible screws.

Even the buttons felt better than I expected, with just the right amount of flex and a clean, audible “click” heard each time I used them. And if I usually put FiiO and Shanling above, this time Fosi delivered a device that clearly match, even outperforming, the two of them.

On that good note, let’s check the layout.

Layout

As advertised, the K7 comes with a an impressive set of  I/O.

Upfront, you get:

• 1x Microphone input (3.5mm TRS) to connect you… microphone
• 1x Single-Ended headphone output (3.5mm TRS) for your usual headset
• 1x Balanced headphone output (4.4mm Pentaconn) for the better one

Meanwhile at the back, from left to right, you have:

• 1x Line out (RCA) allowing to feed your pre-amplifier, or powered speakers with a fixed level stream
• 1x Coaxial input, for those who’d like to connect their digital source the Fosi
• 1x Toslink input, same as the Coaxial
• 1x USB-C port, the all-round solution for your digital sources

A good layout that only miss one thing in my opinion: a subwoofer output like the Q6!

So far so good, so let’s set up the Fosi Audio K7 and see how it goes.

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