Review: Fiio E12 (comparison to C&C BH + JDS Labs O2 + JDS Labs C421) - Page 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by pngwn 

To be honest, the E12's bass edge is just what keeps me coming back for more. It really puts the AD900X together. I wonder how the revised bass boost will sound, though. The nice thing about the E12/AD900X pairing, at least, is that the default settings on the E12 still sound very nice. Still has a nice bass texture, just not brought a bit forward, obviously.

Ok, now you're really getting my trigger finger twitching for the E12. Are you pretty sure that the ones for sale (at Micca I suppose) are the same version that you have?

Damn - that Micca store doesn't ship to Canada. What gives? Anywhere else they can be bought?

Probably a question better answered in the E12 thread or in PM directly with JamesFiiO. I think the ones on sale at Micca are still the v1, though. James only just recently proposed the new bass boost, which I assume will be the mass production model.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pngwn 

To be honest, the E12's bass edge is just what keeps me coming back for more. It really puts the AD900X together. I wonder how the revised bass boost will sound, though. The nice thing about the E12/AD900X pairing, at least, is that the default settings on the E12 still sound very nice. Still has a nice bass texture, just not brought a bit forward, obviously.

IMO, with portable audio, the added bass is needed to properly fill out the music with ambient noise.  This gives the edge to the E12.  Plus, if I am listening portably, I tend to favor genres that benefit more from added bass.  I'm not exercising to Jewel and Norah Jones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craigster75 

IMO, with portable audio, the added bass is needed to properly fill out the music with ambient noise.  This gives the edge to the E12.  Plus, if I am listening portably, I tend to favor genres that benefit more from added bass.  I'm not exercising to Jewel and Norah Jones.

What's the point of exercising then?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craigster75 

Quote:

Originally Posted by pngwn 

To be honest, the E12's bass edge is just what keeps me coming back for more. It really puts the AD900X together. I wonder how the revised bass boost will sound, though. The nice thing about the E12/AD900X pairing, at least, is that the default settings on the E12 still sound very nice. Still has a nice bass texture, just not brought a bit forward, obviously.

IMO, with portable audio, the added bass is needed to properly fill out the music with ambient noise.  This gives the edge to the E12.  Plus, if I am listening portably, I tend to favor genres that benefit more from added bass.  I'm not exercising to Jewel and Norah Jones.

The BH totally adds bass authority; admittedly from user impressions the E12 textures the bass better, but from what I'm understanding from user impressions is the BH seems to have a bass boost more along the lines of the E11, where the E12v1 is different from both, putting sub bass emphasis rather than midbass. 

I Really wish there were better specs and understanding of what's going on inside the BH... I almost feel like sending it to Inner Fidelity for measurement when I get my E12. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill-P 

Both BH and E11 just adds more vibrations.

 

E12 adds more bass "body" and "weight". And by that, I really mean bass has heavier impact (better impact) and control (just the right amount of vibrations) compared to BH and E11.

 

I think you'll have to hear it for yourself. It's hard to explain what I'm trying to say until you hear it for yourself.

 

E12's bass sounds better than both BH and E11 even without the bass boost switch.

I think this comment highlights the quality of the E12 amp as I find similar bass improvement with Vamp and no bass boost.  Higher quality amps seem to bring out the bass in the recording and highlight it naturally rather than exaggerate through boosting those frequencies.  It is a superior, more textured bass that flows better with the entire range which, as a basshead audiophile, I appreciate.  Also, the high power of the E12 means that I don't tax the amplifier by running near full volume which I expect provides a clean, low distortion and authoritative sound to my headphones.  I think I just talked myself into the E12 as soon as the new bass boost option is available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pngwn 

Yeah the two have different boosts. I'm curious how the new boost will compare. I like the v1 boost since that's the way I would EQ my ad900x anyway.

And because it's how I would EQ my ad900x as well, the trigger has been pulled on the E12 v1. It will take a little while to get to me here in Canada though (circuitous route lol).

What is this I hear about a mod which gives another step between off and on in bass boost?  I need an amp with around 2 dB of boost with a roll-off up to around 300 Hz, and the very unfortunate thing which made me look elsewhere - away from the E12, was that the boost was just way too much, and obviously without it it's too little - something even the E11 has going for it. If this is true, where can I find the details about it?  Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Typhoon859 

What is this I hear about a mod which gives another step between off and on in bass boost?  I need an amp with around 2 dB in boost up to about the 300 Hz area and the very unfortunate thing which made me look elsewhere, away from the E12, was that the boost was way too much, and obviously without it it's too little - something even the E11 has going for it. If this is true, where can I find the details about it?  Thanks!

I'm not sure about the mod of which you speak, but they are changing the bass boost as shown here. I'm surprised that the bass boost in the current version is too much, because from all accounts, it is somewhat subtle.

Oh, so then nevermind...  The new one is better but it's way too much.  It's actually kind of how I thought it was anyway.  And it's not subtle by the way.  6dB is a lot!  It's very noticeable for me and if actually quantified, that's twice as loud!  (Or rather, +6 dB is twice the amount of sound pressure level.)  

This isn't opinion either...  You can't subjectively say that it sounds subtle and wanting it any finer doesn't make sense.  I'm predicting a statement like that.  What I can say however is that I use bass boost to even out the frequencies and 6 dB is a crazy boost for pretty much any pair of cans.  That level is really for bassheads who can't appreciate any other frequencies.  I'm sorry but that's like the higher boost level option on the E11 and that has not only never been right, but it hasn't ever even sounded good - maybe with very specific tracks that were lacking or to which balance wasn't especially beneficial (like often with Hip Hop or something).  Never before has FiiO released an amp with this much bass boost and always before, the bass boost is what people typically liked about FiiO's amps.  Why change what was working?  The E10 had the one that generally works for most applications, the E11 gave that extra boost option, and now the E12 limits you to ONLY that much...  SOOO close this amp; I was so excited for it!

I love FiiO as a company and what they're doing, but I hate blind fanaticism.  Come on guys, don't make yourselves believe that it's all excellent and perfect because in the end, you'd just be harming the outcome for yourselves and for everyone else.  How can anyone say that there's nothing wrong with this?  It makes it a completely useless integration.  Yes, I'm stating that as a fact, because subjectively those who don't have the ear and/or understanding would be fine with a 12 dB gain in bass saying, "This is the best sounding bass ever!"  6 dB is not even close to subtle!  If you have a pair of headphones with bad bass reproduction, then sure, that's a possibility, because 6 dB will sound like 2.  However, once again, that would make it a very unobjective assessment, likely coming from somebody uninformed.  There's nothing wrong with that, the intention here not to put down, but at the same time, it is to say that to be a bit more agnostic in any assertions has never been a bad thing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Typhoon859 

Oh, so then nevermind...  The new one is better but it's still way too much.  And it's not subtle by the way.  6dB is a lot!  It's very noticeable for me and if actually quantified, that's twice as loud!  (Or rather, +6 dB is twice the amount of sound pressure level.)  

 

This isn't opinion either...  You can't subjectively say that it sounds subtle and wanting it any finer doesn't make sense.  I'm predicting a statement like that.  What I can say however is that I use bass boost to even out the frequencies and 6 dB is a crazy boost for pretty much any pair of cans.  That level is really for bassheads who can't appreciate any other frequencies.  I'm sorry but that's like the higher boost level option on the E11 and that has not only never been right, but it hasn't ever even sounded good - maybe with very specific tracks that were lacking or to which balance wasn't especially beneficial (like often with Hip Hop or something).  Never before has FiiO released an amp with this much bass boost and always before, the bass boost is what people typically liked about FiiO's amps.  Why change what was working?  The E10 had the one that generally works for most applications, the E11 gave that extra boost option, and now the E12 limits you to ONLY that much...  SOOO close this amp; I was so excited for it!

I love FiiO as a company and what they're doing, but I hate blind fanaticism.  Come on guys, don't make yourselves believe that it's all excellent and perfect because in the end, you'd just be harming the outcome for yourselves and for everyone else.  How can anyone say that there's nothing wrong with this?  It makes it a completely useless integration.  Yes, I'm stating that as a fact, because subjectively those who don't have the ear and/or understanding would be fine with a 12 dB gain in bass saying, "This is the best sounding bass ever!"  6 dB is not even close to subtle!  If you have a pair of headphones with bad bass reproduction, then sure, that's a possibility, because 6 dB will sound like 2.  However, once again, that would make it a very unobjective assessment, likely coming from somebody uninformed.  There's nothing wrong with that, the intention here not being to put down, but at the same time, being a bit more agnostic in your assertions has only ever been good.

I will have to read and parse your post more carefully later. But speaking for myself (not a Fiio fanboy btw), I was talking about the current version's bass boost which by most accounts is somewhat subtle, or more sub-bass specific, because it peaks at 70Hz which is way down there, and doesn't affect the mid-bass frequencies very much. I am getting this version because it apparently pairs quite nicely with my particular headphones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WAYNENUMM 

 

I will have to read and parse your post more carefully later. But speaking for myself (not a Fiio fanboy btw), I was talking about the current version's bass boost which by most accounts is somewhat subtle, or more sub-bass specific, because it peaks at 70Hz which is way down there, and doesn't affect the mid-bass frequencies very much. I am getting this version because it apparently pairs quite nicely with my particular headphones.

Mostly what I've said is that 6 dB isn't that subtle in many cases and certainly isn't so physically, and that such an amount then limits what the amp could be paired with, to only specific scenarios like possibly yours...  I don't see how it's a good call and I basically assertively stated that I'm not looking for explanations from random someones as to why they feel this was done (which I feel cannot possibly be objective), and that more people should question this, hoping that even people in your situation would agree with this assertion.