Review: Fiio E7 - Page 29

I had the chance to hear and compare Eric Clapton's "Change The World" using two setups:

1) iPad headphone out -> ATH-M50

2) iPad camera kit -> Fiio E7 -> ATH-M50

On several attempts the difference was very hard to find, but I think I managed to feel some of them (I could be wrong!)

1) The M50 already does a good job on its own, and the sound is very clear with or without the E7 - I can hear all instruments.  At first it sounded like a perceived difference in EQ setting, but I think I need to articulate it better.  With E7, the mids (ie. piano and guitars in the background) appear generally weaker (but not significantly), but in sections with strong mids the E7 improves the 'attack' and this might be one reason why the vocals sounded better here.  As I increase the volume on E7, the amp nicely restores the weak mids (I would say up to 80-90% becomes comparable to mids using headphone out).  Sometimes this characteristic may be good for songs with very forceful mids.

2) Hi-hats and cymbals are more controlled with E7, making it easier to listen to the song at louder volumes.  I think it can still do better in this department, I needed more presence here.

3) Bass is a little more confident on the E7.  For bassheads, I think the Lv 1 bass boost setting is going to be a delight.  Lv 2 and Lv 3 are too much for my taste.

4) E7 provides better instrument separation (The effect is more apparent in Gwen Stefani's "Hella Good").  From time to time, some instruments will try to 'sing' and attract your attention. I may be exaggerating, but I guess this is an area where the better amps might outperform E7, and this is also a clear area where E7 outperforms E5.

5) As others would say the soundstage is a little wider (but I tend to think this is due to the better instrument separation).

Overall, the difference isn't something a casual listener might appreciate, but the slight (not tiny!) improvement for my M50 is a very welcome one.  I agree with a lot of people who posted here that it's definitely a steal (that is, when compared to competing amps which are generally expensive).  In most (if not all) cases, I prefer music on my M50's with the E7.

Anyone with experience on E7+E9 paired with M50?  I wonder if there's still gonna be improvements or if it is just louder (?)

do you have to have a computer to use this amp? Or can you plug it into a wall outlet

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlbinoDino 

do you have to have a computer to use this amp? Or can you plug it into a wall outlet

 

It needs a computer to charge it using the USB. No outlet to wall socket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveathall 

It needs a computer to charge it using the USB. No outlet to wall socket.

The above quote is False. This can charge using a wall socket as long as you have an adaptor like a iPhone charger that takes the USB cord in one end and wall socket in the other.  

I stand corrected.

Quote:

Originally Posted by adktitan 

The above quote is False. This can charge using a wall socket as long as you have an adaptor like a iPhone charger that takes the USB cord in one end and wall socket in the other.  

 

To the original question, the answer was very much correct. Can healthy people have three hands? No. "That is false. You can surgically transplant a hand of your twin brother to your body." With an adaptor, many things are possible. Can a laptop take AA batteries? Yes, according to your logic, because "as long as you have" an battery holder or two and 13 to 16 AA batteries as well as the right DC connector size, this will bring the voltage to about 19VDC; voila, you can power your laptop using AA batteries.

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveathall 

I stand corrected.

I don't see the need.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlbinoDino 

do you have to have a computer to use this amp? Or can you plug it into a wall outlet

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveathall 

It needs a computer to charge it using the USB. No outlet to wall socket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingpage 

 

 

To the original question, the answer was very much correct. Can healthy people have three hands? No. "That is false. You can surgically transplant a hand of your twin brother to your body." With an adaptor, many things are possible. Can a laptop take AA batteries? Yes, according to your logic, because "as long as you have" an battery holder or two and 13 to 16 AA batteries as well as the right DC connector size, this will bring the voltage to about 19VDC; voila, you can power your laptop using AA batteries.

 

 

I don't see the need.

The original question asked if it could be charged using a wall outlet and if you needed a computer to use the amp. The answer given was that you needed a computer to charge via USB and that it needs a computer to use the amp.

The answer that it needs a computer and cannot be charged via wall outlet is false. It does not need a computer to either use the amp or to charge. You do not need either to use the amp. I think your analogy of three hands and the nonsense following is you looking for POV argument and trolling. Sorry to drag you into this daveathall...not your fault potatoes potatoes...

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtaylor991 

I just bought a DarkVoice 337 and I need a DAC. Can this hold me over as only a DAC until I can afford a Cambridge DacMagic? And how could I set it up as just a DAC so i'm not double amping?

 It definitely can, get the Fiio L7 line-out adapter as well for the E7 and you're all set - you can get an un-amped/DAC processed signal out and can pass it onto the Darkvoice.

is this fiio e7 suitable for my sennheiser hd 518?

Quote:

Originally Posted by adktitan 

The original question asked if it could be charged using a wall outlet and if you needed a computer to use the amp. The answer given was that you needed a computer to charge via USB and that it needs a computer to use the amp.

 

The answer that it needs a computer and cannot be charged via wall outlet is false. It does not need a computer to either use the amp or to charge. You do not need either to use the amp. I think your analogy of three hands and the nonsense following is you looking for POV argument and trolling. Sorry to drag you into this daveathall...not your fault potatoes potatoes...

 

With what comes with package and no additional tools/accessories, the amp is designed to be used with a computer. The original answer was not "false" per se as you put it, but appropriate. I only had an issue that you said it was "false" when clearly you were merely pointing out there is an alternative (key word) to that, whereby if someone has a USB charger one can use E7 without a computer. I am not sure why you said I was trolling. My examples may have been a bit of an exaggeration to ilustrate the point that the original answer was not "wrong" at all. He didn't say a computer is needed no matter what, but he just gave the obvious answer. You don't have to put someone down to make your advice sound better. I wanted to say both answers are fine, although you did say something contructive while demolishing someone else's effort.

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry0228 

is this fiio e7 suitable for my sennheiser hd 518?

 Yes, the E7 will definitely drive your 518!

Quote:

Originally Posted by shlvshlv 

I had the chance to hear and compare Eric Clapton's "Change The World" using two setups:

 

1) iPad headphone out -> ATH-M50

2) iPad camera kit -> Fiio E7 -> ATH-M50

 

On several attempts the difference was very hard to find, but I think I managed to feel some of them (I could be wrong!)

 

1) The M50 already does a good job on its own, and the sound is very clear with or without the E7 - I can hear all instruments.  At first it sounded like a perceived difference in EQ setting, but I think I need to articulate it better.  With E7, the mids (ie. piano and guitars in the background) appear generally weaker (but not significantly), but in sections with strong mids the E7 improves the 'attack' and this might be one reason why the vocals sounded better here.  As I increase the volume on E7, the amp nicely restores the weak mids (I would say up to 80-90% becomes comparable to mids using headphone out).  Sometimes this characteristic may be good for songs with very forceful mids.

2) Hi-hats and cymbals are more controlled with E7, making it easier to listen to the song at louder volumes.  I think it can still do better in this department, I needed more presence here.

3) Bass is a little more confident on the E7.  For bassheads, I think the Lv 1 bass boost setting is going to be a delight.  Lv 2 and Lv 3 are too much for my taste.

4) E7 provides better instrument separation (The effect is more apparent in Gwen Stefani's "Hella Good").  From time to time, some instruments will try to 'sing' and attract your attention. I may be exaggerating, but I guess this is an area where the better amps might outperform E7, and this is also a clear area where E7 outperforms E5.

5) As others would say the soundstage is a little wider (but I tend to think this is due to the better instrument separation).

 

Overall, the difference isn't something a casual listener might appreciate, but the slight (not tiny!) improvement for my M50 is a very welcome one.  I agree with a lot of people who posted here that it's definitely a steal (that is, when compared to competing amps which are generally expensive).  In most (if not all) cases, I prefer music on my M50's with the E7.

 

Anyone with experience on E7+E9 paired with M50?  I wonder if there's still gonna be improvements or if it is just louder (?)

Further improvements going along the lines you mentioned above. The M50 is not a headphone that benefits much from amping but the ones you mentioned above geometrically increase with the E9. In addition to a few more changes.. E9 is a great amp, makes the mids a lot more liquid and effortless compared to the E7. The congestion disappears slightly, becoming a bit more open, but it's not a drastic change.

Hey guys,

What do you guys think of the following setup:

AKG 271 mk2

Fiio E7

ipad

I listen to a lot of jazz and rock I know it wont be a night and day difference but i want to give it a shot.  What cable would i need to get to connect the ipad and E7 to get the best sound?  Thanks!

in case it helps:

http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-L7-Line-Dock-Cable/dp/B004QVNS0S/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IRNLSBQSWI1EV&colid=RPJ4V4B1D9FA
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by bala 

 It definitely can, get the Fiio L7 line-out adapter as well for the E7 and you're all set - you can get an un-amped/DAC processed signal out and can pass it onto the Darkvoice.