The KB3 is a brand new mechanical keyboard from audio model FiiO with a built-in headphone jack that stands a superb probability of sounding higher than the present 3.5mm output in your desktop pc or laptop computer. That’s as a result of the headphone jack isn’t simply passing by analog audio out of your pc, it’s plugged into a mix DAC and headphone amp that’s built-in into the keyboard itself.
So moderately than having a headphone cable snaking throughout your desk to achieve your machine, or cluttering up your workspace with a separate DAC and headphone amplifier, all these gadgets can theoretically be constructed proper into the keyboard that’s sitting beneath your fingers. And it comes from an organization which is aware of a factor or two about audio (even when its keyboard-making skills are much less confirmed).
I can see the argument that you just’ll get higher outcomes from shopping for tools like this individually, however the audio and keyboard specs of the KB3 don’t include any main crimson flags for an all-in-one system at this worth. On the audio facet the keyboard is provided with twin Cirrus Logic CS43131 DACs and helps as much as 32-bit / 384kHz and DSD256 audio. Alongside the usual 3.5mm headphone jack, there’s additionally a 4.4mm balanced output. Tom’sHardware notes that the audio specs seem to match FiiO’s $80 KA13 headphone amp.
The peripheral doesn’t seem like a slouch within the keyboard division both. It’s gasket-mounted, with hot-swap switches (which means they are often changed with out the necessity for soldering), helps each Mac and Home windows, consists of RGB lighting, and is appropriate with the favored VIA configuration software program. It’s accessible in a barebones choice that comes with out switches or keycaps, however if you need them included you get Gateron G Professional 3.0 Yellow switches and what seems to be a set of translucent keycaps. It makes use of the ever-popular compact 75-percent format, much like what you’ll discover on a whole lot of laptops, and naturally there’s a dial on the top-right to manage quantity.
FiiO is much from the primary model to have considered constructing a 3.5mm headphone jack right into a keyboard. The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2016, for instance, might plug into your pc’s 3.5mm jack and cross by audio to a port on the keyboard itself. However the common knowledge has been to not depend on headphone jacks like these due to the audio interference passing an analogue sign by a keyboard would possibly add. By taking a digital audio sign from a pc and changing it utilizing a built-in DAC, FiiO’s strategy is much like the Moondrop Dash, one other latest keyboard with a built-in headphone jack.
FiiO is promoting the KB3 via AliExpress, the place it may be had for $129.99 with out switches or keycaps, or $149.99 as a fully-assembled mannequin. It’s additionally accessible as a wi-fi keyboard, for $129.99 fully-assembled, however this mannequin doesn’t have any of the fascinating audio options.