Hi guys. I'm a new member here on Head-Fi. I got to say, I fell in love with my music again from all the advice and suggestions in the forum. This will be my first review on my very first portable amplifier. I am no way an audiophile so bear with me in review. This is my way of giving back to the community.
My Gear
iPhone 5
Shure SE215
Grado s60i
Design
The E11 is a really small device. It's 2/3 the height of my iPhone so carrying it around is really easy. Build quality is excellent considering it's price. My only gripe is the volume knob. Since both the in/out audio jacks are located near the volume knob, attaching cables is really annoying. Why? If you have L-shaped end audio jacks, they're going to either block the volume knob or overlap with each other because of the small spacing between them.
Battery
The thing I love about this amp is the replaceable battery. I think it's using the same model as those Nokia phones (BL-5B). I've had experiences with gadgets where you cannot replace the battery so when it's damaged or dead, you'll have to get it repaired or buy a new one. So I really appreciate the replaceable battery in the E11. I've been using this amp for a week now and I can say it can last you a day with casual use (riding the bus, listening at work, etc).
Sound
As I said before, I'm really new to this but I do compose music as a hobby so I have a decent amount of knowledge when it comes to sound. All I can say is that my SE215/s60i improved a lot with this amp. There are differences as the bass and lower mids are more defined and vocals are more clearer especially on the SE215. There are no distortions at higher volumes as far as I experienced. When I tried listening to my iPhone without the amp, I immediately noticed that it's lacking that enhanced sound that the E11 provides. It's kind of hard to describe in words. With the amp, songs sound fuller with more detail if you try to listen closely.
Verdict
I use the amp daily when I'm commuting to work and has made my life more bearable. I even bought some 3M Dual Lock (detachable stickers & better than velcro) so that I could attach the amp to my iPhone for easy portability and remove it when I'm done. If you're a newbie like me and looking for an affordable amp, you can't go with the E11. I think this is a great product and I highly recommend it before considering on buying the more expensive ones down the road.
My Gear
iPhone 5
Shure SE215
Grado s60i
Design
The E11 is a really small device. It's 2/3 the height of my iPhone so carrying it around is really easy. Build quality is excellent considering it's price. My only gripe is the volume knob. Since both the in/out audio jacks are located near the volume knob, attaching cables is really annoying. Why? If you have L-shaped end audio jacks, they're going to either block the volume knob or overlap with each other because of the small spacing between them.
Battery
The thing I love about this amp is the replaceable battery. I think it's using the same model as those Nokia phones (BL-5B). I've had experiences with gadgets where you cannot replace the battery so when it's damaged or dead, you'll have to get it repaired or buy a new one. So I really appreciate the replaceable battery in the E11. I've been using this amp for a week now and I can say it can last you a day with casual use (riding the bus, listening at work, etc).
Sound
As I said before, I'm really new to this but I do compose music as a hobby so I have a decent amount of knowledge when it comes to sound. All I can say is that my SE215/s60i improved a lot with this amp. There are differences as the bass and lower mids are more defined and vocals are more clearer especially on the SE215. There are no distortions at higher volumes as far as I experienced. When I tried listening to my iPhone without the amp, I immediately noticed that it's lacking that enhanced sound that the E11 provides. It's kind of hard to describe in words. With the amp, songs sound fuller with more detail if you try to listen closely.
Verdict
I use the amp daily when I'm commuting to work and has made my life more bearable. I even bought some 3M Dual Lock (detachable stickers & better than velcro) so that I could attach the amp to my iPhone for easy portability and remove it when I'm done. If you're a newbie like me and looking for an affordable amp, you can't go with the E11. I think this is a great product and I highly recommend it before considering on buying the more expensive ones down the road.
I have always liked the design of the E11s volume knob. I much prefer dials to buttons for the volume although I have become used to the FiiO X3s buttons now. No matter how many different cables I have put in the E11, I haven't really found the volume knob to be in the way much at all. I agree that the right angled cable does a bit but I bought the FiiO L2 cable separately. I find this one much better than the one supplied with the E11 for connecting 2 devices together. It is a tiny bit longer (10cm) and it isn't right angled.
I think that I will buy the E11 again once the one I have gives up. As long as you plug the E11 into a good source, I find the EQ on it more effective and clean then the EQ on my other devices. I even think the the E11s bass boost sounds even better that the Fiio E10. That is only when I have the E11 plugged into the line out of the E10 though.
I bought it for £35 and I think that was a very good deal considering how much it is not and how much I have used it.