All Images Courtesy of Apos
The FiiO CLASS A is one of those desktop audio pieces that looks fairly simple from the outside, then gets a lot more interesting once you start reading the spec sheet. At $379.99 on pre-order via Apos, it is being positioned as a fully discrete Class A headphone amplifier and preamplifier with the kind of power output that should get the attention of anyone using harder-to-drive over-ear headphones.
The headline number is 4,000mW + 4,000mW of balanced output at 32Ω.
That is the kind of output figure people tend to chase when they are tired of small desktop boxes that technically run their headphones but never make them feel fully awake. The CLASS A is clearly not trying to be a tiny desk accessory. It weighs about 7.72 pounds and is built around a custom 60W toroidal transformer, a 20,000μF capacitor reservoir, and a fully-balanced differential architecture.
That puts it in a different conversation than FiiO’s smaller hi-fi products.
I covered the company’s value-focused side in my piece on the FiiO K13 R2R, but the CLASS A is going after a more physical kind of desktop listening setup. It is less about keeping the footprint tiny and more about giving the amplifier stage enough current, headroom, and connectivity to sit at the center of a headphone rig.
That price makes it interesting. Class A desktop amps can get expensive quickly, especially once balanced output, preamp functionality, and serious power supply design enter the conversation. FiiO is keeping this one below $400, at least during the current pre-order window.
The Class A Design Is the Main Draw
The CLASS A uses a fully discrete amplification stage, meaning FiiO is using individually selected transistors, resistors, and capacitors instead of leaning on an integrated power amplifier. The design includes Toshiba twin matched-pair and complementary audio transistors, plus Sanken Electric audio transistors, with quiescent current manually calibrated.
That is the sort of thing headphone people tend to care about because Class A amplification is associated with a continuous-current operating style. In simpler terms, the amp is designed to stay ready rather than switching on and off in the way other amplifier classes can. The tradeoff is usually heat, power draw, and size. The upside, when done well, is a smoother and more controlled presentation.
FiiO is also pairing that design with a fully-balanced differential circuit. Each channel gets separate positive and negative signal paths, and the balanced headphone output can deliver up to 4,000mW + 4,000mW into 32Ω, 2,000mW + 2,000mW into 16Ω, and 1,360mW + 1,360mW into 300Ω. On the single-ended 1/4-inch output, the amp is rated up to 2,850mW + 2,850mW into 32Ω.
Those numbers should give the CLASS A a lot of room for planars and other headphones that like current. For reference, I spent time with a more studio-focused headphone in my Audeze MM-100 review, and amps like this are aimed at the listener who wants to hear what a headphone can do when it is not being held back by a weak output stage.
The Connectivity Covers Most Desktop Setups
FiiO did not make the CLASS A a one-purpose box. The front panel includes 1/4-inch single-ended, 4.4mm balanced, and 4-pin XLR balanced headphone outputs. Inputs include 3.5mm single-ended, RCA, 4.4mm balanced, and XLR balanced. It also includes RCA and XLR line outputs, which means the unit can function as a preamplifier for powered speakers or downstream amps.
That is a smart layout for people building a desk setup around multiple sources. You could run a DAC into the CLASS A, drive headphones from the front, then send line output to active monitors or another amplifier without constantly recabling the whole system.
The five gain levels help too. Low, Medium, High, Super High, and Ultra High give the amp enough range to handle sensitive headphones and more demanding pairs without feeling like the volume control has no sweet spot. FiiO also includes independent bass and treble adjustment with ±10dB of control, which may be a nice touch for people who want small tonal changes without adding EQ software or swapping gear.
There is a safety and integration angle as well. The CLASS A includes DC output protection, power-input overcurrent protection, headphone-amplifier temperature protection, overvoltage protection, output-overload detection, and transformer thermal protection. A 12V trigger input and output help coordinate power with other gear, and USB-C is included for firmware updates.
I covered another specialized headphone amp release in my article on Heritage Audio’s impedance-matching headphone amplifier, and the FiiO CLASS A sits in that same broader category of headphone gear aimed at people who want more control than a basic interface or DAC/amp can provide.
The First Run Is Limited
Apos says inventory is on the way, with limited quantities from the first production run: 40 units in black and 40 units in silver. Orders are listed to fulfill on or before October 5, with Apos noting that buyers above the first 80 units will be contacted about an updated timeline.
That limited first run gives the launch a bit of urgency, but the cleaner takeaway is that the CLASS A looks like FiiO continuing to push into more serious desktop hi-fi territory. At $379.99, it is priced low enough to pull in people who may have been looking at cheaper DAC/amp stacks, but the design language and output specs are aimed at listeners with more demanding headphones.
The FiiO CLASS A is available for pre-order now via Apos in black or silver.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
