[acti0n]

Does this bypass the Macbook Air's keyboard volume controls (meaning all voluming control, including muting, would have to be done through the E17)? 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

Does this bypass the Macbook Air's keyboard volume controls (meaning all voluming control, including muting, would have to be done through the E17)? 

No
 
Volume control is still availble for you to play with
 
it is HIGHLY recommended that Macbook volume adn ANY computer volume be always set to 100% if you are using E17 as DAC. 

 

[acti0n]

Quote:

No
 
Volume control is still availble for you to play with
 
it is HIGHLY recommended that Macbook volume adn ANY computer volume be always set to 100% if you are using E17 as DAC. 

Should software volume be maxed as well (e.g. iTunes)?

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

Should software volume be maxed as well (e.g. iTunes)?

Yes
 
E7 did not allow you to change volume on your computer if you used it as DAC. But too many complained about why they couldn't (without realizing why) (or didn't care) and so FiiO announced that they will allow that from now on. 
 
Anything should be at 100% (not over). 
 
E17 can be at anything you want, but computer settings should be at 100%.

 

[acti0n]

Quote:

Yes
 
E7 did not allow you to change volume on your computer if you used it as DAC. But too many complained about why they couldn't (without realizing why) (or didn't care) and so FiiO announced that they will allow that from now on. 
 
Anything should be at 100% (not over). 
 
E17 can be at anything you want, but computer settings should be at 100%.

One of my concerns with this is the volume being too loud -- maybe only the first 10% of the amp's volume knob will actually be a listenable volume. How do you deal with this? 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

One of my concerns with this is the volume being too loud -- maybe only the first 10% of the amp's volume knob will actually be a listenable volume. How do you deal with this? 

gain
 
 
0 Gain and 60 steps gives you a lot to work with. Obviously, noise and inbalancae may be an issue if you have balanced armatures.

 

[Ashade]

As Bowie says, you absolute control over it. 0, 6 or 12db of amplification with 60 steps of volume on each of them. This is a great product, no regrets about it.
 
In my case, I keep it because of the DAC, that is awesome. Probably you would not need the amp part for very low impedance HP.

 

[acti0n]

Quote:

As Bowie says, you absolute control over it. 0, 6 or 12db of amplification with 60 steps of volume on each of them. This is a great product, no regrets about it.
 
In my case, I keep it because of the DAC, that is awesome. Probably you would not need the amp part for very low impedance HP.

I would be using this with a DT770 Pro 32ohm (anniversary edition) that should be arriving Monday. While my laptop can drive it to a sufficient volume, the consensus is an amp is needed to get the best sound (even more so than the higher ohm versions, surprisingly).
 
Also, considering that I'll have this plugged into a laptop at all times and not using it portably, should I be looking elsewhere to get more for my money?
 
And lastly, how durable is the headphone jack? I've read issues of jack loosening up on other Fiio amps such as the E10. I would be bringing this to and from work and potentially plugging/unplugging headphones multiple times a day. 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

I would be using this with a DT770 Pro 32ohm (anniversary edition) that should be arriving Monday. While my laptop can drive it to a sufficient volume, the consensus is an amp is needed to get the best sound (even more so than the higher ohm versions, surprisingly).
 
Also, considering that I'll have this plugged into a laptop at all times and not using it portably, should I be looking elsewhere to get more for my money?
 
And lastly, how durable is the headphone jack? I've read issues of jack loosening up on other Fiio amps such as the E10. I would be bringing this to and from work and potentially plugging/unplugging headphones multiple times a day. 

yeah. The E17 is cost effective for multi use.
 
The E10 or other units from iBasso, headamp, Nuforce, JDS, HRT, Audinist, Maverick Audio, Audio-gd
 
may be better.
 
FiiO has recently in the past year rolled out updates to the E10 and other units and just introduced a new type of headphone plug beginning with the E07K .
 
The only way to ensure that the model you buy has the new headphone plugs if you are buying E10 or older units is only if you buy from authorized dealer. 

 

[DumbCK]

Bought the E17 recently for my senn.598. I'm pretty darn happy with it, but I'm not really sure what the 'VOL MEM' and 'SYSTEM' settings in the menu are for. Also, does gain affect sound quality in any way or just the volume? 

 

[m8o]

VOL MEM is so that it start back up after turning it off at the same volume level you had it on when you turned it off.  Else it starts at some low volume level.
 
SYSTEM shows you things like how long it has been on, and other 'hardware' specifics.
 
My feeling is 12db gain provides the most impact/attack of the music dynamics.  I feel when on 6db if I turn the volume up to be the same loudness as the music was on 12db gain, the music's 'attack' during dynamics is just a tiny bit less.  I use 6db with certain combinations of music and headphones, 12db gain for most tho.  I only use 0db gain if I'm using it as a DAC to feed an external amp right next to it, and I don't have a long [50 ft] line to drive.  Meaning, I use an optical out from my cable box to the E17, then use the headphone out w/an adapter to a pair of stereo RCA cables that run 50 feet in the wall to my office desk; in that case I leave it on 6 or 12db gain.

 

[Chris J]

gain


0 Gain and 60 steps gives you a lot to work with. Obviously, noise and inbalancae may be an issue if you have balanced armatures.

I agree!
That's what I do!

PS
006...... you need to listen to Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scherezade"............ u asked us to recommend you some Classical stuff...... try the Reiner version.

 

[bowei006]

I agree!
That's what I do!

PS
006...... you need to listen to Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scherezade"............ u asked us to recommend you some Classical stuff...... try the Reiner version.

Its hard for me to find most of this stuff and Yotube isnt exactly an altenative

 

[pervysage]

Quote:

VOL MEM is so that it start back up after turning it off at the same volume level you had it on when you turned it off.  Else it starts at some low volume level.
 
SYSTEM shows you things like how long it has been on, and other 'hardware' specifics.
 
My feeling is 12db gain provides the most impact/attack of the music dynamics.  I feel when on 6db if I turn the volume up to be the same loudness as the music was on 12db gain, the music's 'attack' during dynamics is just a tiny bit less.  I use 6db with certain combinations of music and headphones, 12db gain for most tho.  I only use 0db gain if I'm using it as a DAC to feed an external amp right next to it, and I don't have a long [50 ft] line to drive.  Meaning, I use an optical out from my cable box to the E17, then use the headphone out w/an adapter to a pair of stereo RCA cables that run 50 feet in the wall to my office desk; in that case I leave it on 6 or 12db gain.

 
SMH... I didn't even realize the E17 had the volume memory, gain settings etc.

 
I was searching on how to have the E17 remember the volume level when turning it off (I have it docked and use it as a DAC with my E9K) and came upon this thread.
 
Since I got the thing I never even knew there were more options under the Menu screen! I'm such an idiot lol... I only thought there was the Treble, Bass, and Balance options as those are the first ones that show on the screen. Never even tried going down further!
 
Since I have the E17 docked on the E9K practically 24/7 I should just set the gain to 0 right?

 

[gjmallory]

Quote:

Those that bought from us, MP4 Nation and were on preorder 1 and did not get a ship notification then unfortunately your order was not fulfilled. Our support has contacted all preorder 1 buyers whose orders did not ship, if you have not got our support email then check your spam box, we will have sent to your email address on your order. If you still can't find our email then open a new ticket at http://www.mp4nation.net/support and we will help you out.
 
I am very sorry we could not get every ones order out.
 
 
Also FYI if you are having issues using the E17 then do the following first:
 
1. Disconnect from your PC (if connected).
2. Hold the power button for about 5 seconds, it should turn on
3. Use any mp3 player with the aux in and your choice of earphone with the HO, confirm the sound is working.
4. Disconnect your player and connect to your PC, your PC should detect the E17 as a USB sound card
5. Goto your audio properties and make sure the E17 is selected as the audio output method
6. If you already had any audio apps (like windows media player) open when you connected the E17, exit the program and restart it (make sure step 5 has already been done before starting the app again).
7. Sweet audio should be pumping through the E17
 
We had a few people already think they had DOA E17 as nothing would happen when they connected the E17 to their PC, but doing the above method resolved the issue and it started to work as a DAC when connected to a PC.

 
I am definitely having this problem...  Works great in Aux, but I bought it for the DAC!  So, I followed these steps and still NO sound...One thing that may mean something...Laptop calls the E17 a SPDIF device.  Any suggestions?