FiiO E5 amp (E3 upgraded) - Page 31

Here is a new spectrum I made and here is the 101:

SigmaTel is the build-in soundcard on my Dell XPS420, and it is the baseline used on all the measurement.

First, the point of measuring frequency response curve (FRC) on amp is to determine how well the amp performs, as in how accurate the amp is amplifying the signal. Any good amp will have FRC very closely resemble (or even carbon copy) of the original curve (SigmalTel in white). In this case, 3MOVE is performing very well by closely following the original curve throughout the whole measuring range. What does this mean? It means the amp is very neutral and do not color the sound in any significant way.

Now takes a look on E5 in flat mode (blue): the FRC is very accurate from 100Hz and above, meaning E5 (in flat mode) will not color the sound by much - not detail is lose nor gain, which is a good thing in general, cause amp is suppose to amplify the sign, not changing it. As of 100Hz below, you can see a gentle roll off of about -3dB when it hits 20Hz. Note that -3dB is about half-ing of the original volume (SPL). meaning a 20Hz tone will have half the volume (SPL) in compare to 100Hz. It might seen the roll off is quite significant, but it isn't that bad. Though -3dB is measured (on a machine) as half in volume, human hearing usually perceive -10dB to be half in loudness. Thus 20Hz @ -3dB will sound like 1/6 as loud as 100Hz, instead of 1/2.

Now takes a look at the E5 bass mode - boost below 700Hz and reduction above700Hz. This mean in exchange for more bass, detail (which usually associated with frequency over 1kHz) will be lower. Finer detail are those located beyond 6kHz.