[kingpage]

Do you have a E7? Because I don't think E7's volume can be controlled from the computer (Windows 7), if it can, my unit must be faulty.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

Do you have E7? Because I don't think E7's volume can be controlled from the computer (Windows 7), if it can, my unit must be faulty.

No I don't have it (only the E5), I assumed u could still control volume on the E7 itself. In that case just try lower the windows volume slider and use foobar2000's volume slider. For me it didn't become evident that the windows volume sliders distort the sound until I started EQing (boosting the values in a EQ), I could boost the values much more without getting distortion if lowering the windows volume slider. The soundcard drivers also have a volume slider so I can get more than enough volume even if windows 7 vol. slider is set to like 25%.

 

[Xymordos]

I have the E7, changing volume in windows don't affect it, but I think some effects do.

 

[JRG1990]

The E7's bass boost doesn't disort anything unless you have a faulty unit of some settings on your pc arent right, i listern to dubstep which has some big low bass lines even with bass boost on 3 theres no disortion , even with badly mastered stuff thats mastered to be loud.
I run windows 7 and use winamp , winamp & windows volume set to max and i control the volume with the volume control on the e7, no software effects no upsampling or anything, drivers are default windows 7 drivers, and no disortion.

 

[Jack C]

The E7's amp stage can be over-driven when the bass boost is turned on. When used with the EMU 0404 USB, for example, the extra hot line out signal from the EMU will cause the E7 to distort on bass levels 2 and 3. Level 1 is just fine, exactly as described in the first post of this tread. 
 
In cases like this, reduce the source output level until the distortion goes away and then decrease by another 3dB or so for good measure.  
 
Jack

 

[Voohoo]

Quote:

The E7's bass boost doesn't disort anything unless you have a faulty unit of some settings on your pc arent right, i listern to dubstep which has some big low bass lines even with bass boost on 3 theres no disortion , even with badly mastered stuff thats mastered to be loud.
I run windows 7 and use winamp , winamp & windows volume set to max and i control the volume with the volume control on the e7, no software effects no upsampling or anything, drivers are default windows 7 drivers, and no disortion.

Wow. Hm, looks like I still need to do some testing of my own. I'm going to have to try out winamp myself. Also I guess it's worth testing out different computers too. And your mention of drivers gave me the idea to try re-installing them. 
 


Quote:

The E7's amp stage can be over-driven when the bass boost is turned on. When used with the EMU 0404 USB, for example, the extra hot line out signal from the EMU will cause the E7 to distort on bass levels 2 and 3. Level 1 is just fine, exactly as described in the first post of this tread. 
 
In cases like this, reduce the source output level until the distortion goes away and then decrease by another 3dB or so for good measure.  
 
Jack

I actually stated that it distorted at level 1. Levels 2 and 3 were just a mess. I'm just using a regular USB port on my computer. But that gives me an idea. Maybe I should try out other USB ports on my computer. It's common that not all ports are equal. For example, I believe that one of my USB ports has the extra functionality of serving as a eSATA port (or whatever it's called). 

 

[Voohoo]

So I tried out different USB ports and Winamp. There's still a ton of distortion on level 1. I didn't even bother trying out levels 2 and 3. Looks like the last thing to test is trying it out on my roommates laptop. And if I still have distortion issues, looks like I'm gonna have to contact Micca Store.

 

[kingpage]

Also try another music files, because I can't believe a hardware problem would go away by decreasing the volume on the computer from 100% to 75%. I think it's either your computer or the music files. A hardware issue would still persist with any setting software-wise. How many headphones have you tried? Do the distortion occur in all headphones?
 
Not saying it's impossible, but it is quite unlikely that you can solve a hardware problem by simply reducing the volume at the source while maintaining the same listening level by increasing the volume on E7 at the same time. The problem is solved by manipulating the volume levels is what surprises me.
 
Maybe getting a replacement is the best bet for you since having the same problem twice is as unlikely as winning a lotto. But what you want is to make sure it's really E7 at fault here.

 

[Voohoo]

Quote:

Also try another music files, because I can't believe a hardware problem would go away by decreasing the volume on the computer from 100% to 75%. I think it's either your computer or the music files. A hardware issue would still persist with any setting software-wise. How many headphones have you tried? Do the distortion occur in all headphones?
 
Not saying it's impossible, but it is quite unlikely that you can solve a hardware problem by simply reducing the volume at the source while maintaining the same listening level by increasing the volume on E7 at the same time. The problem is solved by manipulating the volume levels is what surprises me.
 
Maybe getting a replacement is the best bet for you since having the same problem twice is as unlikely as winning a lotto. But what you want is to make sure it's really E7 at fault here.

What do you mean by "other" music files? Are you implying that the file itself is bad? Or other files as in other genres of music? Or other file types?
 
Well I actually tried all of the above. I can't see why my files would be "bad." If they were bad they would sound poor with or without bass boost. 
I've tried other genres of music. Classical, pop (that's light on bass), alternative rock, all of which don't have any distortion issues. The song has to have low end in order to distort. 
I have both flac and mp3 versions of the same songs. Both suffer from distortion. It doesn't matter which program I use nor which headphones I wear.
 
Gah! This is what really irks me. Really the cause of the distortion seems to be the loudness war effect as described by ClieOS (read post #3 of this thread). Having the source output at a line level seems to be too much for the E7.
HOWEVER, JRG1990 claims that he is able to max out volume on his software/computer, control the volume on the E7, and utilized ALL bass boost levels w/o running into any distortion! 
 
I would like to add another thing that hasn't really been discussed but I mentioned this in my very first post. When I connect my Sony DAP via Aux In, the there is no distortion at all 3 levels. I tested it again just now with my Sony at max volume AND with my custom EQ that has the low freqs already boosted quite a bit. Again, zero distortion. 
 
If it's the case that functionality of bass boost is independent of whether or not the source is my laptop or my DAP, and that the bass boost works with my DAP, then it should mean that my laptop is the problem. 
 
Hm, if I can't really figure it out, maybe I can hopefully send my unit back to Micca with the reason being that my OLED screen is crooked. 

 

[kingpage]

Quote:

HOWEVER, JRG1990 claims that he is able to max out volume on his software/computer, control the volume on the E7, and utilized ALL bass boost levels w/o running into any distortion! 

 
I have no issues that are mentioned by you either. That's the difference between your E7 and our E7. 
 
Why don't you upload a recording of the distortion you are talking about, letting us know what you mean? Laptop USB→E7→3.5mm cable→Laptop recorder.
Quote:

I would like to add another thing that hasn't really been discussed but I mentioned this in my very first post. When I connect my Sony DAP via Aux In, the there is no distortion at all 3 levels. I tested it again just now with my Sony at max volume AND with my custom EQ that has the low freqs already boosted quite a bit. Again, zero distortion.

 
That sounds like you have a glitchy DAC in your E7. Forget what I said early, just tell your seller that your E7 is not working as it should.

 

[Voohoo]

 
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I tried out my E7 on my roommate's MacBook Pro. Distortion was present as expected.
 
I attempted to record some samples but the microphone-in on my laptop is absolute garbage. Even when there is no music playing (or anything plugged in) there is severe noise. Must be a lot of interference inside that is affecting the sound card.
 
Anyway, I've decided to contact the seller. 
 
Thanks a lot for the input everyone!
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[ClieOS]

If you keep experencing what you consider to be distortion, then I guess the best course of action is to return it for a new unit. Lemon does happen.

 

[Voohoo]

Just want to update you guys...
 
I just received my "new" E7 today which I shipped out for repairs/replacement on February 4. The wait time wasn't too bad for me.
 
So far I'm happy but also a little disappointed. The atrocious distortion is now GONE! So I really did have a faulty DAC or something in my E7. This is all that really matters but I have something that bugs me...
 
...It would seem that I didn't get an entirely new unit but my same unit that obviously must have been fixed up. And how do I know this? Looking at the screen it looks slightly crooked with the right side higher than the left side. This was one of the problems I wanted Micca to fix for me but apparently they didn't want to send me a new  unit nor go through the trouble of straightening it for me neither.
 
However, I could be wrong. Maybe E7s have a tendency to have crooked screens? Anyone out there notice that the screen in their E7 is crooked? Even in the slightest bit? 
I might sound like I'm being picky but things like this should just be perfect. Well if anyone else reports that the screen in their E7 is skewed then maybe it is the case that I did get a brand new unit. I forgot to mention that the unit Micca sent back to me came with a screen protector film over it. I took off the screen protector off of my unit. I'm not sure if they would go through the trouble of putting a protector back on to the unit or not.
 
 
 

 

[jerg]

My FiiO E7 distorts bass as well, when playing bass-heavy orchestral/ambient music for instance. I have to turn down the Foobar2k volume to ~80%, and boost the E7 back up more, to remove them.

 

[DaBomb77766]

I'm all but certain that the distortion is simply the amp clipping the signal...I can always fix the problem by turning the sound level down in my media player by about 10-15%.  Unfortunately, I can't do this on my iPhone with a LOD...so some heavily compressed albums sound atrocious with bass boost on (i.e. something by daft punk).