This is less of a review and more of a collection of thoughts I've had after owning the E5 for about a year. I won't go into sound quality in any detail as I don't think it's particularity noteworthy for a device of this caliber.
1. The amplifier stage is crap for the price. It’s noisy enough to be noticeable with moderate to high sensitivity headphones and it produces varying amounts of distortion depending on the settings, but distortion is definitely high enough to be noticeable even at minimum.
2. DAC section is actually very good but do note that the line out is not fixed and can output more than the 1-2V rms that most consumer and audiophile devices expect as a line input (i.e. be careful of clipping with external amplifiers).
3. The DSP and crap ton of inputs are super useful for people who often work with multiple inputs and outputs. I actually work as a sound engineer and use this guy as a pocket mixer, interface, and test bench. However, it takes quite a while to get used to all the idiosyncrasies and nuances of this device. If you don't know what you're doing in settings you can easily get inconsistent or incorrect results.
4. The software... Holy crap the software… It’s terrible. Highly confusing. Prone to screwing up inputs and outputs and distorting signals without you noticing. Very difficult to save and recall settings, and it can change settings depending on what you’re plugged in to (or if you’re using it stand alone) which gets quite confusing. I find myself resetting to factory default quite often, usually to fix distortion coming from some random setting I forgot. However, the settings are SUPER comprehensive and allow you to manipulate the I/O in almost any way you can imagine, once you get used to using them.
5. THD+noise measurements of this device can change dramatically based on the settings of the software, strength of the I/O, battery charge, whether it’s plugged in or not, what it's plugged into, temperature, weather, orientation, alignments of the stars, how many human sacrifices you preformed earlier that day, and any other form of voodoo magic. Factory default settings get you fairly close to optimal measurements, however. just be careful when managing the mixer settings.
6. Effects are meh. EQ is half decent, but is far from linear (I can do much better with a decent software plugin). Surround sound is good, but adds distortion. Any other sound output effects are garbage.
7. Bluetooth connectivity is a great feature, and is very reliable even at longer distances. I often find myself using this to watch videos on my tablet in the kitchen. It basically allows me to Bluetooth enable any pair of headphones, and is great for general semi-portable home use.
8. As a music professional, this device is a godsend. I can setup simple PA performances entirely using a device I can fit in my pocket and take anywhere. The inbuilt mixer can take inputs from the analog/mic/optical input and mix them with both the USB and Bluetooth inputs without any external software (all firmware). The USB input not only functions as a way to record or play music but also as a digital interface and pass-through, allowing me to use additional software effects on my computer. Possibly the best feature is the ability to change any firmware settings over Bluetooth, allowing me to mix inputs on the fly from anywhere on the stage, even while the E5 is buried in a rats nest of stage cables and equipment.
9. Mic input is where this guy really shines. The 3 internal mics sound crystal clear. Stereo effect is great. The noise and echo rejection are wonderful. Built in mic effects work well. External mic and inputs work well (assuming you have a mic preamp) and are easily integrated. This is a streamer's dream device.
TL;DR
-If you’re a gamer who does streaming and is looking for an all in one solution, this is an AMAZING value for your money
-If you’re a musician or audio professional who’s willing to learn a somewhat confusing interface, this will surprise and reward you with a great multi-purpose tool
-If you’re an audiophile looking for a portable DAC/Amp, this is ok, but far from the best value
-If you’re an audiophile looking for an all in one desktop setup, look elsewhere.
1. The amplifier stage is crap for the price. It’s noisy enough to be noticeable with moderate to high sensitivity headphones and it produces varying amounts of distortion depending on the settings, but distortion is definitely high enough to be noticeable even at minimum.
2. DAC section is actually very good but do note that the line out is not fixed and can output more than the 1-2V rms that most consumer and audiophile devices expect as a line input (i.e. be careful of clipping with external amplifiers).
3. The DSP and crap ton of inputs are super useful for people who often work with multiple inputs and outputs. I actually work as a sound engineer and use this guy as a pocket mixer, interface, and test bench. However, it takes quite a while to get used to all the idiosyncrasies and nuances of this device. If you don't know what you're doing in settings you can easily get inconsistent or incorrect results.
4. The software... Holy crap the software… It’s terrible. Highly confusing. Prone to screwing up inputs and outputs and distorting signals without you noticing. Very difficult to save and recall settings, and it can change settings depending on what you’re plugged in to (or if you’re using it stand alone) which gets quite confusing. I find myself resetting to factory default quite often, usually to fix distortion coming from some random setting I forgot. However, the settings are SUPER comprehensive and allow you to manipulate the I/O in almost any way you can imagine, once you get used to using them.
5. THD+noise measurements of this device can change dramatically based on the settings of the software, strength of the I/O, battery charge, whether it’s plugged in or not, what it's plugged into, temperature, weather, orientation, alignments of the stars, how many human sacrifices you preformed earlier that day, and any other form of voodoo magic. Factory default settings get you fairly close to optimal measurements, however. just be careful when managing the mixer settings.
6. Effects are meh. EQ is half decent, but is far from linear (I can do much better with a decent software plugin). Surround sound is good, but adds distortion. Any other sound output effects are garbage.
7. Bluetooth connectivity is a great feature, and is very reliable even at longer distances. I often find myself using this to watch videos on my tablet in the kitchen. It basically allows me to Bluetooth enable any pair of headphones, and is great for general semi-portable home use.
8. As a music professional, this device is a godsend. I can setup simple PA performances entirely using a device I can fit in my pocket and take anywhere. The inbuilt mixer can take inputs from the analog/mic/optical input and mix them with both the USB and Bluetooth inputs without any external software (all firmware). The USB input not only functions as a way to record or play music but also as a digital interface and pass-through, allowing me to use additional software effects on my computer. Possibly the best feature is the ability to change any firmware settings over Bluetooth, allowing me to mix inputs on the fly from anywhere on the stage, even while the E5 is buried in a rats nest of stage cables and equipment.
9. Mic input is where this guy really shines. The 3 internal mics sound crystal clear. Stereo effect is great. The noise and echo rejection are wonderful. Built in mic effects work well. External mic and inputs work well (assuming you have a mic preamp) and are easily integrated. This is a streamer's dream device.
TL;DR
-If you’re a gamer who does streaming and is looking for an all in one solution, this is an AMAZING value for your money
-If you’re a musician or audio professional who’s willing to learn a somewhat confusing interface, this will surprise and reward you with a great multi-purpose tool
-If you’re an audiophile looking for a portable DAC/Amp, this is ok, but far from the best value
-If you’re an audiophile looking for an all in one desktop setup, look elsewhere.