[Zares]

Hello, this is my first post and I have to say in the beginning that I am from Poland and english isn't my first language.
 
I had FiiO E10 and I liked bass there. It had a "power", was fast and strong. I was able to hear vibrations of bass guitar. Bass drums in metal music was amazing.
But my E10 is dead, PC can't recognize it:"Unknown device". A friend tried to fix it, but it's dead already.
 
I bought E07K from him, but with WM8741 and AD8066. I like the details, intruments' separation, even vocals are clear, but.. a bass.. The bass is deep, but it's "quiet", without life, not "punchy". I don't like bass guitar as I liked it in E10. Bass drums haven't that power as in E10, lacking bass dynamics.
 
I am listening to the metal and I don't need a lot of bass, but I need it punchy, strong and fast as in E10. My girlfriend now has to increase bass in E07K to 6-8, because "it is so flat" - that's what she told exactly. But I noticed that when I increase it even to 2 or 4 there is more bass, but it is lower quallity and still not punchy, strong and fast.
 
Do you think this boring bass is because of AD8066? What OPAMP would be better? Without loosing details. Or the E07K just has bass like I described and I can't improve it?

 

[Lumos]

Welcome to Head-fi !
 
And what headphones/speakers you are using?
 

My personal experience with Fiio products is that they are only useful, if you are loud listener or your onboard card (if you have decent one) is dead, I don't think any DAC in this prise range will blow your mind with stuning detail, bass or something other magical... honestly if you have a lot of money you can go for some expensive DAC+AMP but man update your headphones first

 
Here are people who claim they listening headphone cabels

 

[Zares]

Thx for reply.
 
I am using Superlux HD330.
 
I know that I can't except miracles from FiiO in this prise range, but hey - £70 (based on amazon.co.uk price) is about 350 PLN in Poland and it's lot of money here if you have to buy something. Also I liked E10 bass, so what's wrong with the E07K one? I think it's a AD8066 fault - I read on forums that it gives bass without dynamics.
 
That bass is strange, because it doesn't work in metal music - too smooth without "punch" on guitar bass, without that "mrrrrr" and, what is the most important, on drums - the bass drum sounds like a .. cardpoard. The bass is smooth, isn't contoured, makes metal music "easy", without power.
 
E07K with the Wolfson WM8741 update is a way better than E10, more detailed, more "clear", better instruments separation, but I don't like that bass.
 
I am thinking of putting an OPA2228 in. Is this good move to improve bass just a little? Like I said, I don't except miracles in changing the OPA, but I just wanna enjoy my metal music and stop wondering what's wrong with this bass and why it doesn't work in metal music.

 

[Zares]

BTW, I am wondering why moderator moved this topic to portable headphones while my question is about FiiO (DAC/Amp). Could the thread be moved to headphone amps or computer audio?

 

[Lumos]

Quote:

Thx for reply.
 
I am using Superlux HD330.
 
I know that I can't except miracles from FiiO in this prise range, but hey - £70 (based on amazon.co.uk price) is about 350 PLN in Poland and it's lot of money here if you have to buy something. Also I liked E10 bass, so what's wrong with the E07K one? I think it's a AD8066 fault - I read on forums that it gives bass without dynamics.
 
That bass is strange, because it doesn't work in metal music - too smooth without "punch" on guitar bass, without that "mrrrrr" and, what is the most important, on drums - the bass drum sounds like a .. cardpoard. The bass is smooth, isn't contoured, makes metal music "easy", without power.
 
E07K with the Wolfson WM8741 update is a way better than E10, more detailed, more "clear", better instruments separation, but I don't like that bass.
 
I am thinking of putting an OPA2228 in. Is this good move to improve bass just a little? Like I said, I don't except miracles in changing the OPA, but I just wanna enjoy my metal music and stop wondering what's wrong with this bass and why it doesn't work in metal music.

I have not listened E10, having only E6 (amp only) and I feel it narrows soundstage of my Sennheiser HD558 little bit.. also not being impressed with E7.
If you have Desktop PC you can use ASUS XONAR DG 27$
 
If I were you I would spend my money on headphones which are easy to drive and not require amp especially if you are on budget...
Regarding to change AD8066 I can't say anything, try it if you can...

 

[Zares]

I don't want to change my headphones, because I love them - they have been comparing HD330 to mix Bayerdynamics DT770/DT880, so in this budget I can't buy anything better. As I already wrote, I really like HD330's sound.
 
Also I like Wolfsons' sound, I bought Samsung Wave S8500 beacuse of WM chip there and I enjoy it (with E6/E07K as AMP + HD330) - so I think I won't buy Xonar.
 
Only problem is, that in this modded E07k (WM8741 + AD8066) bass doesn't sound like I want it to. It is huge, deep, but it doesn't match to metal music (maybe in POP/Electro is fine, but I don't listen to this genre of music) - I just need it to be more contoured, punchy, more like "mrrrrr", no like "mruuuuu" - it's hard to describe because I don't speak english every day.
 
I want to change the OPA to OPA2228, but, from what I read on the Internet, 2228 doesn't "play" correctly in G<2. It needs gain 2 or more to be stable, but I don't know how much gain E07K has - I am not an electrician and haven't any equipment to measure it. Can any1 help me? I posted this thread in DIY, because there are more ppl who knows how and what OPA works - but moderator moved this topic to Portable Headphones.

 

[Zares]

I bought FiiO E09K and the problem is gone! Now I really enjoy the music! E09K gives contoured bass, I can feel strength of bass even if it's going low