I have the EXACT problem you have so permit me to inflict my pain upon you. I have an Acurus ACD 11 which looks and runs flawlessly (for a 1997 design) but I hate the sound of CDs--- too flat & 2 dimensional for my tastes. So slap in a DAC the masses say. Did that with my little FIio E17 and it...

So, It all boils down to me making a 'BINARY DECISION---embrace APPLE or DTMFA?  Well, I rejected the CD and stayed with my beloved LPs in 1980 and by 1988 there were no new LPs to be had (although LPs are making a slight comeback as a nitche product). I chained myself to the audio fence and...

When I was young, my mother made me eat LIVER & ONIONS because she said 'IT IS GOOD FOR ME".  That was a L-I-E.  Liver & Onions not only smell bad, it tastes as bad as it sounds---Prarrie Oysters, anyone?!!! Now Apple's CEO Cooke has done the same thing as my mother did. He made airplane noises...

The FIIO E-17 was a stellar outboard DAC-Headphone amp when it was first introduced (2010?!!!). It looked drop dead georgeous and was a fantastic upgrade for the 1878 telephone (TRS) 3.5mm HeadPhone jack mated either to a COMPUTER else a smart phone. Me? If you can find one used else at a steep...

My understanding is that FIIO has abandoned the E17 Alpen platform and are performing no authorized middleware (firmware) updates.  That means you are stuck at 96hz 24bit resolution & playback  Most applications will only do up to 48hrz 16bit which is REDBOOK quality only. Besides, I understand...

WannaBes? I beg to differ. Although I enjoy a good Claret, I wouldn't necessarily want to swig a glass of 1929 Chateau LaFette Rothchild with my Hostess TWINKIE!!!  There is a TIME & PLACE for everything including 'Quick & Dirty'. My GO TO Headphones are my STAX Lambdas but, even if I could...

ABSOLUTELY, USE IT WITH YOUR SMART PHONE!!!  I have an ancient (Pre Pottery Neolithic A) iPhone 4S with 32GIGs almost exclusively with 80s Post Punk Video Content.  I am running the iPhone 4S as my dedicated MUSIC SERVER with the Fiio E17 serving both as a dedicated outboard DAC a-n-d as my...

I'm sorry, but friends don't let friends use TOSLINK!!! You have Coax or perhaps a Digital out---use that instead. I'd hate to advise you but you may have to reinstall all your drivers. Worse, your culprit may be WIN 7 64bit O/S. Did you check with Fiio if their E17 middleware handles 64bit...

I have a 3,5mm to toslink that im gonna try tomorrow :-)

STOP!!! This is the STUPID Police (We stop people from being STOOPED!!!) Put the ADCOM 575 down and walk away!!! WHAT are you doing??? See the little RCA nipple on the back of your machine? No,No, the one in the middle!!! That's called a DIGITAL out put. So use it!!! There are hundreds of Out...

ArmyDicked, YOU ROCK or is that ROK (1st SIG, Hooah?!!!)  I've been 'recklessly eyeballin' that slutty new Sumiko DAC ($199.00) with headphone amp ($199.00). The damn things stroking my wallet and saying 'Take me home, Daddy and let me be your nasty little FREAK'!!!  I keep chanting "I AM AN...

Let us agree to disagree with me disagreeing to what you just said.  The Neanderthal evolution of Hominids is find for some people. Me? I want to push the envelope and max out the possibilities of my gear.  I'm not into BLING BLING---I want true value for the dollar expenditures.  MUSIC Floats...

You telling me the DAC squeezed into the iPOD Classic 160GB is as good as a pair of DUAL SE9018 Siber 32bit DACs? I don't think so!!!  I think the questioner has a good point expressed poorly.  An iPOD Classic is a portable audio device already.  The question is the Paradyme (sic) Shift it...