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[Solved] Issue FiiO E7+E9+ AKG 601

post #1 of 36
7/14/12 at 4:23am
Thread Starter 

I don't get it. I bought a AKG 601 a couple of months back. I just got my FiiO E7 and E9, but I don't hear a difference at all, it may be even worse sounding than plugging the headphones directly into my old M2Ne Motherboard. I even have more volume by doing so.

Am I missing something?

 


Edited by DwightK - 7/20/12 at 7:42am
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post #2 of 36
7/14/12 at 7:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DwightK View Post

I don't get it. I bought a AKG 601 a couple of months back. I just got my FiiO E7 and E9, but I don't hear a difference at all, it may be even worse sounding than plugging the headphones directly into my old M2Ne Motherboard. I even have more volume by doing so.

Am I missing something?

How are you connecting the E7/E9 to your source(s)?

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post #3 of 36
7/14/12 at 10:06am
Thread Starter 

I dock the E7 with the E9 and connect the USB cable from the E9 straight to my computer.

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post #4 of 36
7/14/12 at 10:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DwightK View Post

I dock the E7 with the E9 and connect the USB cable from the E9 straight to my computer.

Tried the gain switch?

Switch to other headphone jack?

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post #5 of 36
7/14/12 at 11:03am
Thread Starter 

Yes, I tried the gain switch as well. I get more volume by using my headphones without the amp.

The sound through the E7/9 seems a tad warmer (or muffled), but there's not a significant difference. I don't get it.
 

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post #6 of 36
7/14/12 at 11:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DwightK View Post

Yes, I tried the gain switch as well. I get more volume by using my headphones without the amp.

The sound through the E7/9 seems a tad warmer (or muffled), but there's not a significant difference. I don't get it.
 

What program do you use the play audio (music)?

Foobar seems like a good audio player.

 

Maybe something is not functioning well on your computer's USB ports?

Go into the motherboard bios and make sure all USB functions are enabled.

(personally I think disabling unused ports helps the computer run better, like disabling unused serial and parallel )

Try running windows update.

Go to Asus webiste and download the latest audio drivers (2007?) for your motherboard/OS

Go to the Nvidia website and download the latest chipset (Nvidia nForce 570 Ultra) drivers for your OS.

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post #7 of 36
7/14/12 at 10:04pm

I'm not impressed with the E7 as a DAC.  I don't know how much the k601 needs amping - but my HD650s sound positively flaccid without an amp of some sort.  I'm rocking the MSii+ with E9.

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post #8 of 36
7/15/12 at 2:55am
Thread Starter 

I tried a different computer as well, same problem.

There should be a HUGE difference, right?
 

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post #9 of 36
7/15/12 at 7:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DwightK View Post

I tried a different computer as well, same problem.

There should be a HUGE difference, right?
 

 

Could be that your ears are broken (that's a joke).  Or that those cans don't benefit by the amplification.  Or that it doesn't make so dramatic a difference as you'd hoped.  Amps and DACs have a subtle but noticeable effect on my HD650s, but if I had a can that was near potential without them, obviously the new amp wouldn't help.

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post #10 of 36
7/15/12 at 7:46am

Maybe try hooking up the E7 and E9 separately.

Set the computer audio to "2 speaker" output and plug the line-out/headphone jack on the motherboard (use a 3.5mm/male to 3.5mm/male cable) to the line input on the E9, plug K601 into E9's headphone jack, test sound.

Recommend getting the program Foobar for testing audio (music).

 

Next disconnect E9 and plug the 3.5mm from the motherboard to the line in on the E7, plug K601 into E7 and test audio.

 

Then disconnect 3.5mm cable and connect the E7 to the computer using just the USB cable, test audio.

 

This way you've test the with the E9 (analog) by it's self and test the E7 by it's self using both forms of input on the E7 (analog and digital).

See if you find any difference is audio quality.

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post #11 of 36
7/15/12 at 9:37am
Did independent test help?

Personally, I think e7 is no better than most of today's onboard except eliminate bg hiss on some very sensitive IEMs. But e9 amp should really bring the potiential out of k601. I just dont think k601 can be driven by an onboard. There are a lot receiver can't drive k601 well. If connecting to e9 without e7 muffed the sound as well, there may be something wrong with e9 unit.
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post #12 of 36
7/15/12 at 11:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleAngel View Post

Maybe try hooking up the E7 and E9 separately.

Set the computer audio to "2 speaker" output and plug the line-out/headphone jack on the motherboard (use a 3.5mm/male to 3.5mm/male cable) to the line input on the E9, plug K601 into E9's headphone jack, test sound.

Recommend getting the program Foobar for testing audio (music).

 

Next disconnect E9 and plug the 3.5mm from the motherboard to the line in on the E7, plug K601 into E7 and test audio.

 

Then disconnect 3.5mm cable and connect the E7 to the computer using just the USB cable, test audio.

 

This way you've test the with the E9 (analog) by it's self and test the E7 by it's self using both forms of input on the E7 (analog and digital).

See if you find any difference is audio quality.

Not sure if there's a 3.5 line input on the back (not at home atm). I forgot to mention it's the FiiO9K.. (I ordered the original E9, but they messed up the order, so I can still send it back). Without the E7 in place, there's no sound coming via the E9 at all. I thought you needed the E7 for it to work properly. If I turn on the E9 with the E7 together the only thing I can do is turn up the volume a bit on the e9. There's also a slight static noice when there's no music playing through the headphones.



 

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post #13 of 36
7/15/12 at 12:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DwightK View Post

Not sure if there's a 3.5 line input on the back (not at home atm). I forgot to mention it's the FiiO9K.. (I ordered the original E9, but they messed up the order, so I can still send it back). Without the E7 in place, there's no sound coming via the E9 at all. I thought you needed the E7 for it to work properly. If I turn on the E9 with the E7 together the only thing I can do is turn up the volume a bit on the e9. There's also a slight static noice when there's no music playing through the headphones.

Fiio E09K model, cool

The E09K can work as a simple headphone amplifier without the E7 (or E17) hooked up (docked) to the E09K.

Just run an analog (wave) signal to the AUX IN (RCA) on the back of the E09K and plug the headphone into the headphone jack.

Need to make sure on the front of the E09K the switch is set to AUX IN (not DOCK IN).

I'm guess this setup works wither the E7 is docked or not, as long as you have the front switch set to "AUX IN"

To connect your motherboard's analog audio out to the E09K, need to use a stereo mini-jack (male) to RCA (red/white) cable

 

Docking an E7 (or E17) to the E09K add the ability for the E09K to work with a digital (zeros & ones) audio signal (USB port input).

The digital signal goes from the E09K's USB input thru the E7 and the E7's DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) changes the signal to analog,

the signal is sent out of the E7 and back to the E09K, the signal then goes thru the E09K's headphone amplifier and then to the E09K's headphone jack.

you need to have the switch on the front of the E09K set to DOCK IN for the E09K to use the E7's DAC

 

The E7 on it's own comes with it's own USB (digital) and analog input and has a headphone that is not as powerful as the E09K.

E7 head amp. is rated up to 300-Ohm, the E09K's head amp. is rated up to 600-Ohm.

The AKG K601 is a 120-Ohm headphone, so will work with the E7 head amp. and the E09K's head amp.

 

Your motherboard comes with a low cost DAC, which feeds an analog signal to the motherboards analog outputs (Green, orange, black)

Using USB bypass the motherboard's DAC, allowing the use of the E7 DAC (a better DAC).

 

I believe there is a Fiio employee on Head-fi going under the username "feiao", try sending feiao a private message, might be able to offer more help.


Edited by PurpleAngel - 7/15/12 at 12:10pm
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post #14 of 36
7/15/12 at 2:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleAngel View Post

Fiio E09K model, cool

The E09K can work as a simple headphone amplifier without the E7 (or E17) hooked up (docked) to the E09K.

Just run an analog (wave) signal to the AUX IN (RCA) on the back of the E09K and plug the headphone into the headphone jack.

Need to make sure on the front of the E09K the switch is set to AUX IN (not DOCK IN).

I'm guess this setup works wither the E7 is docked or not, as long as you have the front switch set to "AUX IN"

To connect your motherboard's analog audio out to the E09K, need to use a stereo mini-jack (male) to RCA (red/white) cable

 

Docking an E7 (or E17) to the E09K add the ability for the E09K to work with a digital (zeros & ones) audio signal (USB port input).

The digital signal goes from the E09K's USB input thru the E7 and the E7's DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) changes the signal to analog,

the signal is sent out of the E7 and back to the E09K, the signal then goes thru the E09K's headphone amplifier and then to the E09K's headphone jack.

you need to have the switch on the front of the E09K set to DOCK IN for the E09K to use the E7's DAC

 

The E7 on it's own comes with it's own USB (digital) and analog input and has a headphone that is not as powerful as the E09K.

E7 head amp. is rated up to 300-Ohm, the E09K's head amp. is rated up to 600-Ohm.

The AKG K601 is a 120-Ohm headphone, so will work with the E7 head amp. and the E09K's head amp.

 

Your motherboard comes with a low cost DAC, which feeds an analog signal to the motherboards analog outputs (Green, orange, black)

Using USB bypass the motherboard's DAC, allowing the use of the E7 DAC (a better DAC).

 

I believe there is a Fiio employee on Head-fi going under the username "feiao", try sending feiao a private message, might be able to offer more help.

 

I'll purchase a stereo mini-jack to RCA cable first thing tomorrow.

I wonder if it's a smart thing (if everything works as it should) to keep the E7 and E9 for later use? I'll probably get more headphones as time passes. HD 598 is first on my list. I was thinking about getting a laptop as well, so the E9 will drive the headphones better than the laptop itself I guess?

What about the E7? I have no idea if it's even useful if the soundcard in your pc is already good enough. Does it work well with mp3/4 players like the Ipod touch? The battery life of the Ipod Touch is something like 7 hours when watching video's, will connecting the E7 increase this with its 80 hours of battery life?

Like I said: I get more volume with just the headphone 3.5 mm jack plugged into the green audio port on my M2N-E motherboard. Does this mean there is something going wrong with the E9? Or is there a possibility that even if everything works accordingly, that my pc alone works better with the K601 than the amp and dac?


Edited by DwightK - 7/15/12 at 2:35pm
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post #15 of 36
7/15/12 at 4:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DwightK View Post

I'll purchase a stereo mini-jack to RCA cable first thing tomorrow.


I wonder if it's a smart thing (if everything works as it should) to keep the E7 and E9 for later use? I'll probably get more headphones as time passes. HD 598 is first on my list. I was thinking about getting a laptop as well, so the E9 will drive the headphones better than the laptop itself I guess?


What about the E7? I have no idea if it's even useful if the soundcard in your pc is already good enough. Does it work well with mp3/4 players like the Ipod touch? The battery life of the Ipod Touch is something like 7 hours when watching video's, will connecting the E7 increase this with its 80 hours of battery life?


Like I said: I get more volume with just the headphone 3.5 mm jack plugged into the green audio port on my M2N-E motherboard. Does this mean there is something going wrong with the E9? Or is there a possibility that even if everything works accordingly, that my pc alone works better with the K601 than the amp and dac?

E9 is definately going to drive your headphones bettter than onboard, assuming it is not defective (which I think it is). E7 on the other hand, is only useful as an e9 accessory. I find it offer no improvement in term of sound quality ecxept eliminating some background electronic noises. It sure make no sense attach to ipod touch as ipod doesnt output noise much.

Wether to keep or not should depend on your music collection and how soon you plan to upgrade. I had the e7/e9 combo for almost a year before move to smk4/SPL auditor. Since then, I deleted all my mp3 collection along with those badly mastered lossless. Those music sounded fine with e7/e9 combo but now every artifact or imperfection gets amplified.
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