Sorry if my english is not so good.
I bought this several days ago (200 euro) so I cannot post an opinion about durability.
I use this dac/amp just on pc for everyday use: movies, voice, games, music, around 14-20 hours and I can say it's ok.
Looks well built, not heavy and not really hot. The ac adapter is a regular one, kind of big and unfortunately it came with US plug (the store Stereoplanet/Bucharest/Romania didn't tell me so it's a minus for them. When I called them, they try to sell me an 80 euro power adapter, telling me that it will sound better). No big deal, but annoying when you arrive at home and see that you cannot use the product. Luckily I have an us/eu travel adapter.
Windows 10x64 recognized the device instantly, no driver needed. I have a Gigabyte x99 gaming G1 motherboard which has 2 usb (marked with yellow) special powerd for dac/amp. If you have some, use it. I have compared with a normal usb (2 and 3) and the volume and sound quality is much better with the special one. It really has plenty of power.
I use this amp with Akg 712pro and Sennheiser 650hd. I use the amp volume set on 1 (it has 9) and the pc set on 88-90%. The better sound I get on sennheiser then the akg where i find that the separation of bass and other instruments is not so good sometime, although the akg seems more warm and with some more bass. The highest bass and less treble I have it with Sennheiser momentum wireless 2.0 over detachable cable. I will try it with Grado r2e (not owned yet). I mentioned treble. Yes, with the first two headphones is a little too much, but not so annoying.
If you feel that the amp doesn't have much bass you can add some more from "playback devices/properties/enhancements"where you can found bass boost, virtual surround, etc. I like it better without enhancements.
In terms of looks, it's average. The tubes are inside the box so it doesn't light much. No night view. I hate the silver front panel. Black (like the rest of the box) it would have been more interesting. The on/off led is blue, so it doesn't match the tubes light. Orange was the right colour for me. Black and orange.But this is question of taste.
Until now,I have no issues with the volume knob or sound crackling.... It workes ok.
I did some comparison with woo wa7, carrot one fabriziolo (own and sold) and some solid state ( matrix quattro 2, matrix hpa3, fiio k5/e17k-I own). The woo wa7 (next to buy) was much, much better in terms of everything, but is 6 times more expensive and I think it worth. Carrot one is a small italian (china)1 tube dac/amp class d, if I remember right. It has an interesting looks (better than hifiman),nice and powerful sound, but ef2a is much powerful and the sound quality is better. The separation between voice and instruments is better. Carrot one does have more bass but the treble is the same. Price is the same.
The Matrix (both of them) doesn't impress me at all. Although more expensive (2-3 times), their sound is plain and dull, like a regular pc soundcard. So I think ef2a is better. More colourful.
The combo Fiio k5/e17 (better than matrix) is kind of similar in terms of price (50 euro more). Fiio is not that powerful but it has a very nice sound, warm, some bass and with just the right amount of treble. Ef2a sound is slightly different, probably is the tube flavor. I own them both and cannot say I can replace one with another.
P.S. the wa7 doesn't provide the plug cord from their ac power source to wall plug so you have to use a pc one ( at least the model I've seen). Annoying for that kind of money.
I bought this several days ago (200 euro) so I cannot post an opinion about durability.
I use this dac/amp just on pc for everyday use: movies, voice, games, music, around 14-20 hours and I can say it's ok.
Looks well built, not heavy and not really hot. The ac adapter is a regular one, kind of big and unfortunately it came with US plug (the store Stereoplanet/Bucharest/Romania didn't tell me so it's a minus for them. When I called them, they try to sell me an 80 euro power adapter, telling me that it will sound better). No big deal, but annoying when you arrive at home and see that you cannot use the product. Luckily I have an us/eu travel adapter.
Windows 10x64 recognized the device instantly, no driver needed. I have a Gigabyte x99 gaming G1 motherboard which has 2 usb (marked with yellow) special powerd for dac/amp. If you have some, use it. I have compared with a normal usb (2 and 3) and the volume and sound quality is much better with the special one. It really has plenty of power.
I use this amp with Akg 712pro and Sennheiser 650hd. I use the amp volume set on 1 (it has 9) and the pc set on 88-90%. The better sound I get on sennheiser then the akg where i find that the separation of bass and other instruments is not so good sometime, although the akg seems more warm and with some more bass. The highest bass and less treble I have it with Sennheiser momentum wireless 2.0 over detachable cable. I will try it with Grado r2e (not owned yet). I mentioned treble. Yes, with the first two headphones is a little too much, but not so annoying.
If you feel that the amp doesn't have much bass you can add some more from "playback devices/properties/enhancements"where you can found bass boost, virtual surround, etc. I like it better without enhancements.
In terms of looks, it's average. The tubes are inside the box so it doesn't light much. No night view. I hate the silver front panel. Black (like the rest of the box) it would have been more interesting. The on/off led is blue, so it doesn't match the tubes light. Orange was the right colour for me. Black and orange.But this is question of taste.
Until now,I have no issues with the volume knob or sound crackling.... It workes ok.
I did some comparison with woo wa7, carrot one fabriziolo (own and sold) and some solid state ( matrix quattro 2, matrix hpa3, fiio k5/e17k-I own). The woo wa7 (next to buy) was much, much better in terms of everything, but is 6 times more expensive and I think it worth. Carrot one is a small italian (china)1 tube dac/amp class d, if I remember right. It has an interesting looks (better than hifiman),nice and powerful sound, but ef2a is much powerful and the sound quality is better. The separation between voice and instruments is better. Carrot one does have more bass but the treble is the same. Price is the same.
The Matrix (both of them) doesn't impress me at all. Although more expensive (2-3 times), their sound is plain and dull, like a regular pc soundcard. So I think ef2a is better. More colourful.
The combo Fiio k5/e17 (better than matrix) is kind of similar in terms of price (50 euro more). Fiio is not that powerful but it has a very nice sound, warm, some bass and with just the right amount of treble. Ef2a sound is slightly different, probably is the tube flavor. I own them both and cannot say I can replace one with another.
P.S. the wa7 doesn't provide the plug cord from their ac power source to wall plug so you have to use a pc one ( at least the model I've seen). Annoying for that kind of money.
