[RPGWiZaRD]

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I did MrNurse, and I was disappointed to see the first choice ending up underperforming against my expectations.

I don't even consider the E11 due to Fiio's several design choices that steered me far away from E11, which initially was a rather valid option. As of now, only E17 stands to be a valid alternative.

I wouldn't base your decision based on one person's testing only, there's been other people comparing E11 vs ZO in the past and thought ZO was the clear winner of the two too. There's so many factors that can impact on the testing so it may sound a lot better for one person than another depending on what kind of equipment and how it's configured etc.
  

 

[Totally Dubbed]

I'll give you honest opinions dw
 
I'm no headphone amp guru - I just will have the 3 "main competitors" all in 1.
I don't like the size of the E11 - it is darn light, possibly a little heavier than the A10 - but its the size that gets me.
1.5cm in width, whereas my phone and A10 are 1CM each

 

[Roller]

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I wouldn't base your decision based on one person's testing only, there's been other people comparing E11 vs ZO in the past and thought ZO was the clear winner of the two too. There's so many factors that can impact on the testing so it may sound a lot better for one person than another depending on what kind of equipment and how it's configured etc.
  

Oh, I certainly don't base my decision lightly. But a few reports on either side are far from suficcient, and considering I am looking for a proper replacement as well as ZO being incomplete yet (likely to happen on ZO3), I just might have to get something until then.

 

[MrNurse]

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I wouldn't base your decision based on one person's testing only, there's been other people comparing E11 vs ZO in the past and thought ZO was the clear winner of the two too. There's so many factors that can impact on the testing so it may sound a lot better for one person than another depending on what kind of equipment and how it's configured etc.
  

 
 
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I've been doing some tests with the ZO2+Pro 900's and I get the same distortion and it does sound horrible.  I have the older version ZO2.3
I don't remember having this issue when I first received it.  When I don't have it on high gain using HO, it really doesn't get loud enough.  Weird.  

Danny has had the same results.
 
He's has/had multiple amps and headphones including the HE-400, Pro 900, DJ1, LP2, XB500, XB700, XB100, T70P, LCD-2
Amps: ZO2, E5, E11, A10, DX100, HP-P1
 
And more that I haven't listed. So I'd assume he's also a credible source.
 
Roller is asking specifically about the Pro 900 which I've tested for hours with all the different settings from both my Clip+ RB and iPhone 4S, HO and LOD. And again, the difference is pretty significant when you test them side-by-side.
 

 

[Totally Dubbed]

Ok Nurse:

-E11 = Hissing
A10 = None
 
-A10 More coloured, sounds warmer
-Bass ON, on A10 is almost like-to-like of EQ2 on E11
 
-E11 goes louder than A10
 
-E11 sounds "boring" or should I say flat, and accurate.
 
Atm, A10 is the winner, both in size, look, SQ
(price is around the same if you buy the A10 from MP4nation)
 
I'll get back after going out, and give you better impressions and comparisons.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I was concidering giving E11 a go at one point as I do like neutral sounding amps with bass boost options (Gary's PA2V2 and E5 both were warm sounding and made the already warm sounding headphones sounding like a mess) but then I read you can't even use E11 while it's charging, that's a big fail in my book as I keep using my ZO2.1 while charging almost on a daily basis. EQ1 setting of 4~5dB bass boost had been quite suitable/similar for the Q40 I reckon compared to what ZO2.1 provides at lvl6-7 or so I think.

 

[Totally Dubbed]

Quote:

I was concidering giving E11 a go at one point as I do like neutral sounding amps with bass boost options (Gary's PA2V2 and E5 both were warm sounding and made the already warm sounding headphones sounding like a mess) but then I read you can't even use E11 while it's charging, that's a big fail in my book as I keep using my ZO2.1 while charging almost on a daily basis. EQ1 setting of 4~5dB bass boost had been quite suitable/similar for the Q40 I reckon compared to what ZO2.1 provides at lvl6-7 or so I think.

I'll let you know when i receive the ZO2
 
 
 

 

[MrNurse]

Quote:

Ok Nurse:

-E11 = Hissing
A10 = None
 
-A10 More coloured, sounds warmer
-Bass ON, on A10 is almost like-to-like of EQ2 on E11
 
-E11 goes louder than A10
 
-E11 sounds "boring" or should I say flat, and accurate.
 
Atm, A10 is the winner, both in size, look, SQ
(price is around the same if you buy the A10 from MP4nation)
 
I'll get back after going out, and give you better impressions and comparisons.

I'm glad you took my suggestion and tried the A10, and then ended up loving it!

Great, that's exactly what I thought. It's the same thing Danny has told me since he also owns the E5, E11, ZO2, and A10:
 
"Sound wise, it's very musical and warm compared to the E11.  The E11 is more powerful and more punchy.  The A10 is more relaxing to listen to.  It never distorted and I actually enjoyed the sound more from the A10 but I think you'll like the E11 better with the cans that you own.  The E11 is just better with bassy cans/earphones."
 
I believe I'm going to stick with the E11, because I love the more punchy bass. I want as much bass as I can get.
 
So with your D2000, how does the bass feel with the A10 vs. E11? Is the bass from the A10 as clean as the E11?

 
Quote:

I was concidering giving E11 a go at one point as I do like neutral sounding amps with bass boost options (Gary's PA2V2 and E5 both were warm sounding and made the already warm sounding headphones sounding like a mess) but then I read you can't even use E11 while it's charging, that's a big fail in my book as I keep using my ZO2.1 while charging almost on a daily basis. EQ1 setting of 4~5dB bass boost had been quite suitable/similar for the Q40 I reckon compared to what ZO2.1 provides at lvl6-7 or so I think.

 
Yea, that's another downfall, but I just love how this amp sounds. And if you order from Micca, it comes with an extra battery and a wall charger so you can charge one battery while using the other.
http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier-Accessory/dp/tech-data/B004QVPGXK
 
 

 
 

 

[MrNurse]

So I gave my ZO2 one quick listen vs. my E11 because I packed my ZO2 to get shipped back to DigiZoid. I listened with my HFI-580 and MG7 IEM again.
With my HFI-580, I lost the impact and punchiness with the ZO2 and again is muddier. With the E11, the bass felt like it was punching my ears. I don't want to lose that feeling.
An easier way to simulate/understand that is:
With the ZO2, my normally punchy HFI-580 turned into IEM's. You can hear the bass, but you can't feel it as much.
It also just hit me that I paid $40 more for the ZO2. I can't justify paying more for something that sounds worse just because it looks better.
 
*EDIT*
Just saw Clie's thread that compares the ZO2 vs. E11 vs. A10. It deals with IEM's so you won't really feel as much of the bass as with headphones. He also prefers the E11 to the ZO2.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/596482/the-sub-100-portable-amps-shootout-8-amps-compared
 

 
 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

 
Yea, that's another downfall, but I just love how this amp sounds. And if you order from Micca, it comes with an extra battery and a wall charger so you can charge one battery while using the other.
http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier-Accessory/dp/tech-data/B004QVPGXK

Well I bought a usb power adapter so I just plug it in when battery runs dry on ZO and there's no noise when charging from the wall socket so can run it like that if I want to but I let the battery get empty every now and then. Still I doubt E11 beats ZO2.1, it has punchier, bass that you feel without adding bloat (like an "invisible" sound you just feel) compared to ZO2.3. Hopefully digiZoid bases ZO3 on 2.1 in the future. I feel lucky to be among the few people to have one. The battery life is also a lot better on ZO2.1, it runs up to like 22~25 hrs on a 1hr charge, quite impressive. ZO2.3 I think lasts maybe 14~17 hrs and ZO1 was something like 10~13 hrs
 

 

[Roller]

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Well I bought a usb power adapter so I just plug it in when battery runs dry on ZO and there's no noise when charging from the wall socket so can run it like that if I want to but I let the battery get empty every now and then. Still I doubt E11 beats ZO2.1, it has punchier, bass that you feel without adding bloat (like an "invisible" sound you just feel) compared to ZO2.3. Hopefully digiZoid bases ZO3 on 2.1 in the future. I feel lucky to be among the few people to have one. The battery life is also a lot better on ZO2.1, it runs up to like 22~25 hrs on a 1hr charge, quite impressive. ZO2.3 I think lasts maybe 14~17 hrs and ZO1 was something like 10~13 hrs
 

It's been a long time since I read any news regarding the new version. Is there anything around I should know about?

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

It's been a long time since I read any news regarding the new version. Is there anything around I should know about?

Which version are you referring to ZO3 or ZO2.3.
 

 

[Totally Dubbed]

Quote:

So I gave my ZO2 one quick listen vs. my E11 because I packed my ZO2 to get shipped back to DigiZoid. I listened with my HFI-580 and MG7 IEM again.
With my HFI-580, I lost the impact and punchiness with the ZO2 and again is muddier. With the E11, the bass felt like it was punching my ears. I don't want to lose that feeling.
An easier way to simulate/understand that is:
With the ZO2, my normally punchy HFI-580 turned into IEM's. You can hear the bass, but you can't feel it as much.
It also just hit me that I paid $40 more for the ZO2. I can't justify paying more for something that sounds worse just because it looks better.
 
*EDIT*
Just saw Clie's thread that compares the ZO2 vs. E11 vs. A10. It deals with IEM's so you won't really feel as much of the bass as with headphones. He also prefers the E11 to the ZO2.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/596482/the-sub-100-portable-amps-shootout-8-amps-compared
 

The E11 does drive better, be it my MG7's or the D2K's (well especially the D2K's)
 
Now for your bass.
The E11 with bass off, and the A10, bass wise (forgetting warmness) sound identical.
But as I said EQ2 on the FiiO is like the XB ON, on the A10.
 
Thus it really depends how much bass you want.
Personally with the MG7's unless I want to bang my head back and forth, the EQ1 on the E11 is enough.
EQ2, thus XB on , on the A10 is too much at times.
 
I'll come back in a bit with some more impressions.

 

[Totally Dubbed]

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Which version are you referring to ZO3 or ZO2.3.
 

I think you mean ZO2 or ZO2.3

 
 
 

 

[Roller]

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Which version are you referring to ZO3 or ZO2.3.
 

The ZO3.