TECHWEEK
FiiO has presented a mechanical keyboard that, in addition to its direct purpose, is also equipped with a DAC/amplifier and can provide Hi-Fi right at your workplace. This is not the first experience of the brand in the development of computer peripherals, FiiO KB1K is a compact control panel in the form of three keys and a volume control wheel, and the FiiO Mouse pad has already proven itself well in use.
FiiO KB3 is distinguished by a built-in headphone jack and the presence of a digital-to-analog converter and an amplifier. According to the manufacturer, FiiO KB3 makes it easier to connect headphones to a computer: the user will not need a separate sound card or connection to the computer to listen to music. Everything you need is built into the keyboard itself, and it is not only about the output to headphones, but also about a separate digital-to-analog converter and amplifier.
The keyboard is equipped with two Cirrus Logic CS43131 DACs, often used in consumer audio cards and studio audio interfaces, and two SGMicro SGM8262 amplifiers. It is noted that the device supports sound with a sampling frequency of up to 384 kHz and a resolution of up to 32 bits, as well as sound in the DSD256 format.
For connecting headphones, not only the usual 3.5 mm mini-jack is used, but also the balanced output of 4.4 mm.
The sound characteristics of the keyboard match the FiiO KA13 amplifier , which separately costs about $100.
The keyboard body is made of a mixture of aluminum and magnesium. The device is equipped with Gateron G Pro 3.0 keys with a set of translucent caps, while the keys can be hot-swappable without disconnecting the keyboard. The form factor of the device is 75% of the size of a regular desktop keyboard.
FiiO KB3 is available in two versions — wired and wireless (4000 mAh battery). It is noted that the wireless model lacks audio components and works only as a regular keyboard. The device is compatible with Windows and macOS operating systems.
The prospects for the appearance of original caps with Cyrillic characters are currently unknown. A Hi-Fi wired version is expected in the near future.
