runnin17
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Well I have Amazon prime and ordered one with $3.99 overnight shipping. Expected to get my tomorrow. Should be fun 
FiiO E9 Review
doghouse
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The slick dealers are saying it was supposed to be the d3, but the price mistake came from displaying the e9 for the d3 price. Anyone who ordered the E9 from micca for 28$ may just get the d3 instead, or get their order canceled. Other distrubuters may just send the E9. I had mine ordered from micca, so I doubt I'll get an E9 : (
jjmai
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Voohoo
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Has anyone experience imbalance in their E9? And I am NOT talking about low volume level imbalance. I have my knob at about 10-11 o'clock and I still get imbalance that favors a louder right channel. It's maybe 15% perceived louder. I'm becoming extremely annoyed. This is something that I just noticed a day or two ago. I never had problems before this.
At first I thought my HE-4s were messed up but I'm after investigating I have pinpointed the problem to be the E9. Whether I play with the E7 docked through USB, or from the line-in on the back, I get the channel imbalance. At first I was sure that it was the dock connection but this doesn't seem to be the case since imbalance is evident from line-in sources.
Also, I hear the imbalance in both the 1/4" and 3.5mm outputs. Changing volume appears to have no effect on the imbalance.
*sigh*, this is seriously ruining my life right now, haha. Anyone have any ideas?
I've been wanting to upgrade to a new amp anyway, but I'm determined to get to the bottom of this.
At first I thought my HE-4s were messed up but I'm after investigating I have pinpointed the problem to be the E9. Whether I play with the E7 docked through USB, or from the line-in on the back, I get the channel imbalance. At first I was sure that it was the dock connection but this doesn't seem to be the case since imbalance is evident from line-in sources.
Also, I hear the imbalance in both the 1/4" and 3.5mm outputs. Changing volume appears to have no effect on the imbalance.
*sigh*, this is seriously ruining my life right now, haha. Anyone have any ideas?
I've been wanting to upgrade to a new amp anyway, but I'm determined to get to the bottom of this.
genclaymore
Headphoneus Supremus
I never had your issue at all, I use the Line in input ever since I got the Fiio E9.Maybe theres something loose inside the Fiio E9, or maybe the opamps are going bad. If its the opamps that causing it you can easy replace those.
Aaron1006
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I haven't heard your problem Voohoo. Coming straight from laptop soundcard to E9 (waiting for E7 to come still) and no imbalance unless it's extremely low volume which I never listed to that low anyways. Have you tried both gain settings?
Voohoo
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Yes, I have.
I'm sure the problem lies close to the headphone outs. I don't know anything about amp internals but since both headphone outs see the imbalance issue, you can narrow the problem to be somewhere right around there. This is also supported by the fact that the problem persists with both USB and line-in. There's just some mechanical issue but I don't know what.
I'm sure the problem lies close to the headphone outs. I don't know anything about amp internals but since both headphone outs see the imbalance issue, you can narrow the problem to be somewhere right around there. This is also supported by the fact that the problem persists with both USB and line-in. There's just some mechanical issue but I don't know what.
Aaron1006
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Quote:
Idk much about internals either, but maybe ask about a refund or repair from Fiio? Also, random question, how does the E7+E9 pair with the HE-4?
Voohoo
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Quote:
Yea, I should just try to get it repaired/replaced.
Um, I can't say too much about the performance of the E7+E9 with the HE-4, simply because I have no other amps to compare. Contrary to popular belief, the HE-4s don't need gobs of power to sound good, but will need gobs of power to sound their best. However, you certainly wouldn't want to power the HE-4 with something weaker than the E9. The E9 allows the HE-4 to have forward mids, but at the same time everything can sound too forward for my tastes. Mad Lust Envy had both the E7+E9 and Schiit Lyr and said that sometimes he preferred the E9 for its forward presentation. As always, it boils down to your own personal preference. But the Lyr can't be beat in terms of control, fullness, and musicality (compared to the E9) when paired with the HE-4. Overall I am satisfied with the E7+E9 and HE-4 pairing. However, I'm really itching to upgrade my amp and DAC. Given the sharp and forward sound signature of the HE-4, tube amps would be the ideal route.
borizm
Head-Fier
FiiO E9 is nice looking, bad sounding... electronics trash - nothing more. It's a little better than FiiO E7 in a matter of amping (decent potentiometer instead of electronic volume control in E7), but both are worthless by messing the sound to the level of a cheap sub Hi-Fi electronics - the sound is really ugly!
If you have or/and like FiiO E7 as a DAC for some reason (I rather prefer very old multibit, cheap TDA1543), I recommend to buy FiiO L7, which is a cheap and simple connector to E7, skipping volume control IC and infamous TI Direct Path headphone amplifier of E7. L7 has a [mini]jack 3.5mm connector, and mini USB as well. The sound from L7 is much, much better than from headphone output of E7 or E9, but need to be amplified (at least by a current buffer).
FiiO E9 is truly worthless (like E5) - skip it, or you will be disappointed (it has a three op-amps and one TI head-amp in the path of the sound - summary: four internally overcomplicated and sonically sh1tty IC's, messing, intermodulating THE SOUND!). Is better to find some very simple A-class current buffer on ebay, or DIY kit of discrete [no op-amps!!!] JFET/MOSFET amp like this excellent, [IMHO] high-end Chinese "Breeze Audio E4" DIY kit, which topology is almost identical to more than decent Excelinear Hafler 9270.
EDIT:
I have a FiiO E7, L7 and I had for a few days this... this... this... FiiO E9 [borrowed from a friend].
I was comparing it to the plain and perfect cable - to no amping, because I have a DIY 4 x TDA1543 DAC, which this DAC chips alone (!!!) produce enough power [current] to run directly any one of my 250/600 ohm headphones without any additional op-amps, buffers, ICs, etc, etc. Dumping factor is the only problem for my 4 x TDA1543 driving phones directly, especially in case of bassy headphones like DT990, but the sound is like a living gold (in most cases, because of this duping factor - I have to make a A-class MOSFET current buffer to compare with "Breeze Audio E4").
My friend has fresh experience with his FiiO E9 and "Breeze Audio E4" DIY kit which I've assembled for him. There is a huge distance between them in favour to the "Breeze Audio E4" as a properly, musically sounded amp with full of microdetails, full of air, proper placement of the instruments, in comparison to this... this... this... FiiO E9 which is only technically, electrically amping... something, but not THE SOUND!
If you have or/and like FiiO E7 as a DAC for some reason (I rather prefer very old multibit, cheap TDA1543), I recommend to buy FiiO L7, which is a cheap and simple connector to E7, skipping volume control IC and infamous TI Direct Path headphone amplifier of E7. L7 has a [mini]jack 3.5mm connector, and mini USB as well. The sound from L7 is much, much better than from headphone output of E7 or E9, but need to be amplified (at least by a current buffer).
FiiO E9 is truly worthless (like E5) - skip it, or you will be disappointed (it has a three op-amps and one TI head-amp in the path of the sound - summary: four internally overcomplicated and sonically sh1tty IC's, messing, intermodulating THE SOUND!). Is better to find some very simple A-class current buffer on ebay, or DIY kit of discrete [no op-amps!!!] JFET/MOSFET amp like this excellent, [IMHO] high-end Chinese "Breeze Audio E4" DIY kit, which topology is almost identical to more than decent Excelinear Hafler 9270.
EDIT:
I have a FiiO E7, L7 and I had for a few days this... this... this... FiiO E9 [borrowed from a friend].
I was comparing it to the plain and perfect cable - to no amping, because I have a DIY 4 x TDA1543 DAC, which this DAC chips alone (!!!) produce enough power [current] to run directly any one of my 250/600 ohm headphones without any additional op-amps, buffers, ICs, etc, etc. Dumping factor is the only problem for my 4 x TDA1543 driving phones directly, especially in case of bassy headphones like DT990, but the sound is like a living gold (in most cases, because of this duping factor - I have to make a A-class MOSFET current buffer to compare with "Breeze Audio E4").
My friend has fresh experience with his FiiO E9 and "Breeze Audio E4" DIY kit which I've assembled for him. There is a huge distance between them in favour to the "Breeze Audio E4" as a properly, musically sounded amp with full of microdetails, full of air, proper placement of the instruments, in comparison to this... this... this... FiiO E9 which is only technically, electrically amping... something, but not THE SOUND!
Voohoo
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Interesting comments. So basically you are saying that the amping components of both E7 and E9 are not doing the DAC portion of the E7 justice? I want to upgrade my DAC and amp but can only afford to do one or the other. I think I might get an L7 like you are doing.
borizm
Head-Fier
Yes. L7 is very cheap, but you still have to got some decent headphone amplifier, but not this... this... this... FiiO E9 
- some A-class, even plain and simple single MOSFET transistor buffer will be much better but for low impedance headphones only, because E7 + L7 alone might produce to low voltage to drive 600 ohm headphones without voltage amplification - you have to check it by yourself.
E7 + L7 skip electronic volume control, so amp with a volume control is recommended.
I was very, very disappointed of E7, event to throw it to the basket. It simply DOES NOT SOUND through its build-in headphone amp - my HP EliteBook (with a SigmaTel DAC, I think) notebook sounds more fully, more natural, better. I had a plan to make some changes inside E7, but I have finally found this L7, which solve my problem with the E7. Through L7 it's even possible to drive 250/600 ohm headphones directly with a quite a good effect, but volume isn't so high.
I'm almost sure, the L7 is only a connector with no electronic, and I believe that it takes the signal from quite a good TI op-amp located directly after decent Wolfson WM8740 DAC (because WM8740 has balanced outputs, so needs some differential input amp [like op-amp]).
Yours HE-4 are rather low impedance orthodynamic headphones - try with L7 and Breeze Audio E4 or simple A-class current buffer with a volume control if you find some.
- some A-class, even plain and simple single MOSFET transistor buffer will be much better but for low impedance headphones only, because E7 + L7 alone might produce to low voltage to drive 600 ohm headphones without voltage amplification - you have to check it by yourself.E7 + L7 skip electronic volume control, so amp with a volume control is recommended.
I was very, very disappointed of E7, event to throw it to the basket. It simply DOES NOT SOUND through its build-in headphone amp - my HP EliteBook (with a SigmaTel DAC, I think) notebook sounds more fully, more natural, better. I had a plan to make some changes inside E7, but I have finally found this L7, which solve my problem with the E7. Through L7 it's even possible to drive 250/600 ohm headphones directly with a quite a good effect, but volume isn't so high.
I'm almost sure, the L7 is only a connector with no electronic, and I believe that it takes the signal from quite a good TI op-amp located directly after decent Wolfson WM8740 DAC (because WM8740 has balanced outputs, so needs some differential input amp [like op-amp]).
Yours HE-4 are rather low impedance orthodynamic headphones - try with L7 and Breeze Audio E4 or simple A-class current buffer with a volume control if you find some.
Quote:
While I would argue that the E9 may not (or might, depending on who you ask) do much to enhance the sound or timbre of a headphone, I am unable to sufficiently drive my DT990/600 ohm phones with the E7 alone. There are certainly better, much more expensive amps to be had, but for it's cost, the E9 definitely has its place and purpose.
What USB-DAC and amp combination would you recommend at the ~$200 price point for driving 600 ohm phones? I am by no means married to my E7/E9 combo
DarkAudit
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I have to say I'm slightly skeptical. Care to give some specific examples? What kind of music? What are you getting versus what you were expecting or wanting? Just blanket "worthless" and "ugly" just isn't resonating with me.
Digital-Pride
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Quote:
Yet another example of head-fi hyperbole at its finest.
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