Question Desktop DAC/Amp Fiio K-series - any thoughts?

[PieterG]

With more listening comes (hopefully) progressive insight.

• The K11 R2R really is a really good HP amp and capable DAC.
• Different gain and oversampling settings have noticeably different effects, so it's worth getting to know them.
• Unfortunately i can't test the balanced out at the moment because i have no 4.4 plug, so impossible for me to say if that makes a difference.
• Headphone pairing does matter a lot - unsurprisingly. My closed HD620s are not ideal for sound signature. A brighter, more open pair will very likely sound better.

Music that stands out one way or another:

• Van Halen - not the best source on Tidal - sounds very congested
• Tool, Opeth, Aerosmith (not too different from Van Halen) have much more depth and air
• London Grammar: wonderful Hannah Reid vocals on this setup
• Genesis, Foreigner lack punch, feel quite lean
• Daft Punk: undecided... actually sounds better on speakers than on headphones (unexpected)
• Tom McRae (big fan!): very open and uncomplicated recording, which works really well for me
• Springsteen: all hi-res on Tidal, but not marked as remastered... very balanced, excellent

K11 + 620s generally works well for most of my music, with a few exceptions. It could be a better setup with some custom EQ profiles maybe.