[renefg]

Many thanks once again!
 
Another newbie question: it takes a while to charge the E12 DIY on a standard USB port, was wondering if I can use either an ipad 2  or similar (iphone 5d, ipad air) charger to charge it instead?  Is it safe?  Will it reduce the life of the battery given possible fast charging?

 

[MistahBungle]

Many thanks once again!

Another newbie question: it takes a while to charge the E12 DIY on a standard USB port, was wondering if I can use either an ipad 2  or similar (iphone 5d, ipad air) charger to charge it instead?  Is it safe?  Will it reduce the life of the battery given possible fast charging?

Yes, yes, no.

 

[Shawn71]

Yes, yes, no.

big YES.......fast charger are rated higher Amps to normal ones,say like 2,3,4 amps against 1A or 500mA. Thats about it and wont affect any life span of the batteries.

 

[Loquah]

Hey all,
 
I have found my BUF634 to be slightly more prone to noise than the LME49600. Has anyone else found this or might my BUF634 have a poor solder joint or something?
 
Also, has anyone else found the BUF634 to have slightly better detail retrieval than the LME49600? I thought I preferred the LME49600, but was blown away listening to the BUF634 (all with OPA1611) the other day and am now wondering if I was too quick to judge it. The trouble is I can't tell if it was just an "in the moment" type of thing.

 

[ClieOS]

Didn't notice that. I did however notice on several occasions that there can be a lot of noise if the opamp isn't sitting right in the socket. It can appear to be fine by just looking at it but it tends to sound much more grainy and edgy (and also show up on RMAA), unless I unplug / replug it.
 
I don't like LME49600 as much as BUF634. While the former does sound more transparent, it also a bit more edgy than I like. If I want the same (and arguably better) transparency without the edginess, I'll stick to HA-5002 instead.

 

[K.T.]

 
I don't like LME49600 as much as BUF634. While the former does sound more transparent, it also a bit more edgy than I like. If I want the same (and arguably better) transparency without the edginess, I'll stick to HA-5002 instead.

 
I know what you mean. When I switched over to the LME49600, I thought the same. It still sounds good, but there's a slight wiriness/thinness there.
 
Gonna switch back to BUF634 to see how it strikes me again.

 

[Loquah]

   
If you really want to roll opamp but limited in budget, I reckon either MUSES01 or 02 will be enough. 01 will be more for texture and fullness while 02 is more for soundstage and detail. There are other opamp that sounds really good in E12DIY as well, but not necessary better than MUSES. That way you only invest an extra $50~$100 and you already have one of the best sounding portable amps around. If you want something very neutral, either NJM5532, NE5532, LM4562 or LME49720 will give you some of the cleanness sound with very little cost. Caps mod is relatively minor and you can skip it if you want to. Not that the stock Wima is bad in anyway as even polyester is considered by most to be much less coloured than the majority of electrolytic caps.
 
I have said it elsewhere and I'll repeat it here: don't buy into the idea of higher price = better SQ. Many of the $500+ portable amps don't outperform some of the best sub-$500 portable amps around. Many of them are only expensive because their makers known they can get away with that kind of pricing, not because they are better in anyway. If E12DIY isn't a FiiO but from some smart Western businessman, it would have been priced for $600+ easily.

 
ClieOS, you posted this very helpful comment a while back and I'm wondering now if I should try either of the NJM/NE5532 op amps. I love the OPA1611s and have an LM4562 which I haven't yet tried in the DIY. How would you compare the sound of the NJM/NE5532 options to the OPA1611?
 
Also, can anyone tell me what impact changing the Wima caps for the supplied Tonerex caps would have? (I.e. changed signature, frequency response, etc.)

 

[ClieOS]

   
ClieOS, you posted this very helpful comment a while back and I'm wondering now if I should try either of the NJM/NE5532 op amps. I love the OPA1611s and have an LM4562 which I haven't yet tried in the DIY. How would you compare the sound of the NJM/NE5532 options to the OPA1611?
 
Also, can anyone tell me what impact changing the Wima caps for the supplied Tonerex caps would have? (I.e. changed signature, frequency response, etc.)

 
The most noticeable difference between OPA1611 and NJM5532 is that background warmth. With OPA1611, the background is nicely filled and you won't notice much 'empty space' between all the instruments and vocals. It kind of gives it a sense of fullness / richness. With NJM5532 however, those background space is mostly empty and dark, like there is nothing in between the instruments and vocals. All you get is the cleanest and purest form of the presentation.
 
The most noticeable of cap change, especially from film to electrolytic caps, is that you lose some of the tiny sparkle / sharpness that adds to the micro detail but at the same time, you gain a sense of smoothness and space. The frequency response shouldn't change unless you are using too small a capacitance.

 

[Loquah]

Thanks ClieOS, great explanations!

 

[K.T.]

I know what you mean. When I switched over to the LME49600, I thought the same. It still sounds good, but there's a slight wiriness/thinness there.

Gonna switch back to BUF634 to see how it strikes me again.

Well, both have their strengths.

When I switched back to BUF634, the sound smoothed out noticeably. For the cans and IEMs I was using, it was too smooth. Despite the slight wireless/thinness of the LME49600, I did miss it's immediacy with those particular cans/IEMs.

However, the BUF634 does sound great with some other cans I have, like the Thinksound ON1. Really good.

BUF634 seems to mate well with cans or IEMs that tend to have hard, bright, or prominent treble.

LME49600 leans the other way - a better match for phones/IEMs with more subdued treble.

But treble is not the only aspect in which the two chips differ, though that is the most obvious area of matching.

So it's really a matter of synergy.

Luckily, guys, we have choices. Some good ones. Shows that there is not one blanket solution for all headphones.

Getting it the source, amplification, and cans matched right can make or break the listening experience.

 

[JamesFiiO]

Last week, we had have some customers from JRC and they bring their MUSES01/02 and testing it with us together. they are impressed by the E12DIY and we both agreed it is a very good amp to check out the very small difference between OP or Buf.
 
also most good op, amp need very high power supply otherwise it just sound the same.
 
 
BTW, they told me that most fake Muses are remarked from LM4560.

 

[JamesFiiO]

to help people discuss which combo is best, just add a poll.

 

[doki81]

  Last week, we had have some customers from JRC and they bring their MUSES01/02 and testing it with us together. they are impressed by the E12DIY and we both agreed it is a very good amp to check out the very small difference between OP or Buf.
 
also most good op, amp need very high power supply otherwise it just sound the same.
 
 
BTW, they told me that most fake Muses are remarked from LM4560.

i bought mine fr taobao and paid only like $20 cheaper and end up it's a fake...lucky i got my refund...
 
now i am enjoying the muses01 alot

 

[ClieOS]

JRC is visiting FiiO? Nice!
 
Definitely agreed that the MUSES sounds great on the E12DIY. Won't mind to see a future reversion of E12 that based on them, though they are a bit expesive.

 

[audiofreakie]

Checking Muses 01 at akizukidenshi site. What is the diference between Muses 01 and Muses 01D, are they same?