[bowei006]

Quote:

 
I agree there is still a kind of coldness....but clarity seems somehow contradict with warmth...I find it is colder than using my mp3, but it gives me far too much clarity and improvement in soundstage...

so is it for you, worth it? please note that there are many that are reading this thread and aren't posting that have the headphones you have. i don't really need to know this answer, as much as it will help whoever is reading it. there are many people i have been linking this thread to to help them out on what hte E17 is and how it will work with their prespective headphones. head fi is kinda falling apart in terms of help recently. i notice nobody happens by the portable amps section of the forums and actually tries to do anything, so i've been trying. anyway. first sentece will you please be so kind to lay out pro's and con's and then a conclusional score based on everything inlcuding price to performance. it doesn't have to be long. heck 3 sentences could answer this.
 
 

 

[duyu]

Quote:

so is it for you, worth it? please note that there are many that are reading this thread and aren't posting that have the headphones you have. i don't really need to know this answer, as much as it will help whoever is reading it. there are many people i have been linking this thread to to help them out on what hte E17 is and how it will work with their prespective headphones. head fi is kinda falling apart in terms of help recently. i notice nobody happens by the portable amps section of the forums and actually tries to do anything, so i've been trying. anyway. first sentece will you please be so kind to lay out pro's and con's and then a conclusional score based on everything inlcuding price to performance. it doesn't have to be long. heck 3 sentences could answer this.
 
 

Sure. My reference point is Meizu M6SL minplayer (I guess it is almost unanimous that people who wanted to buy E17 do not have any DAC before, just like me.)
 
Setting: E17(bypass)+E9+HD600,  
Software: Foobar2000, files: flac, SACD iso.
Music Types: New age, classical, Jazz, pop..
The E9 is new also.
HD600 has yet to burn in.
 
Con's:
Coldness, it's not a big problem if you like classical, new age music. But it could be a problem, if you really like to listen to voices which are very warm, rich, sentimental.
I still need time to figure out whether this is neutral or too cold. It takes time for the devices to burn in.
(it is somehow like...Etyomotic earphone vs Shure earphone...hope you get what I mean) 
 
Pro's
Clarity. I had a  feeling of cleanness the first time I listen to this set up. Personally, if there is no improvement on clarity, I won't call this an upgrade.
 
Soundstage. Somehow I can't recognize it is the sound in the music or it is the sound from outside! This is both the pro and con for HD600...
 
----------
Price: I bought at 127 with a free earphone from mp4nation. I have no chance to compare this device with other DAC within the same price range. So, I make no comment on this. But 127 is an affordable, and necessary update for someone like me, who owns a HD600. Using HD600 with a mp3 is a waste.
Hope this is helpful.

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

 
Price: I bought at 127 with a free earphone from mp4nation. I have no chance to compare this device with other DAC within the same price range. So, I make no comment on this. But 127 is an affordable, and necessary update for someone like me, who owns a HD600. Using HD600 with a mp3 is a waste.
Hope this is helpful.

thank you very much duyu how are you feeling about them personally? like them i love the bass boost on mine
many people have your headphones and if you take a look to the right now. there is almost always by my count 20 people reading this thread

 

[lshalamb]

I do own HD600s, as my avatar suggests, yea, but my E17 is  yet to arrive in mid-feb (or at least mp4nation says so). I was advised of another portable dac/amp that another user found very comfortable to go with his HD600s, but for the purpose of this thread I'm not disclosing it.

 

[duyu]

Quote:

thank you very much duyu how are you feeling about them personally? like them i love the bass boost on mine
many people have your headphones and if you take a look to the right now. there is almost always by my count 20 people reading this thread

o..yes..I've totally forgotten to mention bass. 
 
The improvement  on bass is also significant, you can feel the bass, say the sound of drums, much more concrete and dynamic. 
 
Because of the music I listen, bass is not that important. I am much more appreciate the improvement on clarity. I can definitely listen much more detail than before. The treble is very important for me, but the improvement is less significant. Still, my devices have not yet burnt in.
 
I really want to try the treble setting on E17, but double amp-ing kills the clarity.

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

o..yes..I totally forget to mention bass. 
 
The improvement  on bass is also significant, you can feel the bass, say the sound of drums, much more concrete and dynamic. 

how are they on your etymotic IEM's? hiss? improvemtns in bass? how significant is the improvemtn of the E17 on etymotic? how is it with just using amp? how is it with both DAC and amp?
im looking at IEM's soon and just wondering, i heard ety's aren't really bassy :/ my PL11 earbuds im about to write a review on respond very well to the E17's

 

[duyu]

Quote:

how are they on your etymotic IEM's? hiss? improvemtns in bass? how significant is the improvemtn of the E17 on etymotic? how is it with just using amp? how is it with both DAC and amp?
im looking at IEM's soon and just wondering, i heard ety's aren't really bassy :/ my PL11 earbuds im about to write a review on respond very well to the E17's

On my Etymotic ER6, there is really no significant improvement adding E17 (as least not as significant as HD600, you can feel HD600 is limited by the DAC, but E17 is limited by my ER6 in this case) . ER6 is handicapped on bass, you could even say it has no bass at all.
 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

On my Etymotic ER6, there is really no significant improvement adding E17 (as least not as significant as HD600, you can feel HD600 is limited by the DAC, but E17 is limited by my ER6 in this case) . ER6 is handicapped on bass, you could even say it has no bass at all.
 

when you say HD600 is limited by DAC. i hope you mean it's limited by the E17. the WM8740 Wolfson Microelectronics DAC used in the E17...is used in models upwards to $500 

 

[duyu]

Quote:

when you say HD600 is limited by DAC. i hope you mean it's limited by the E17. the WM8740 Wolfson Microelectronics DAC used in the E17...is used in models upwards to $500 

Sorry, I mean DAC of miniplayer

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

Sorry, I mean DAC of miniplayer

Thank you for elaborating. i know that this is a little cold to you, will you be returning the E17. it doesn't sound like you are too pleased with it..just ok 

 with it and not 

 like the rest of us..since our equipment pairs better.

 

[duyu]

Quote:

Thank you for elaborating. i know that this is a little cold to you, will you be returning the E17. it doesn't sound like you are too pleased with it..just ok 

 with it and not 

 like the rest of us..since our equipment pairs better.

haha, actually I am quite satisfy with E17, but when I post comment on it, I want to make it as neutral and rational as I can. My personal like or dislike is unhelpful for others. 
 
Also as I have said, I need some time to test whether the "coldness" is neutral or distorted.
Treble is another thing that I concern.

Let me add something on treble.
 
I want to say, the EQ setting on E17 is really effective.  When I set it treble to +6 (+6 is too much) there is a significant improvement on treble. Secret Garden I am listening.
But what a pity! turning on the EQ will lose detail, what a tradeoff!
 
My conclusion is that E9+E17(bypass)+HD600 does not give me an impressive improvement on treble. Maybe, this is the veil that people are talking about on HD600.
If this is the characteristic of HD600, then it is not a fault of E17
 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

haha, actually I am quite satisfy with E17, but when I post comment on it, I want to make it as neutral and rational as I can. My personal like or dislike is unhelpful for others. 
 
Also as I have said, I need some time to test whether the "coldness" is neutral or distorted.
Treble is another thing that I concern.

Let me add something on treble.
 
I want to say, the EQ setting on E17 is really effective.  When I set it treble to +6 (+6 is too much) there is a significant improvement on treble. Secret Garden I am listening.
But what a pity! turning on the EQ will lose detail, what a tradeoff!
 

yes, you are supposed to be neutral. but you being so neutral made it sound like you didn't like it. you should make it neutral but then added that you liked it 

 
and yeah. EQ is quite quite satisfying. the detail is loss. but if you just lightly use it, the tradeoff is not much and is an improvement.
 
using the DAC on this thing just adds to it. the difference is small, but when you really sit down, those more complex sounds you just notice how it doesnt' sound as "cramped together" on the ipod than on the E17 through optical(or usb or otpical)

 

[Mikesin]

Anyone else got this problem?
Ive been using the E17 plugged into the Front panel USB since i've had it (couldn't be bothered to use the back USB's then ) 
Now I've decided to plug it round the back, but comes up with 'Unknown Device' in Device manager after it fails the installing part although it recognizes what it is (Fiio E17 DAC AMP or w.e it was), until it fails of course..

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

Anyone else got this problem?
Ive been using the E17 plugged into the Front panel USB since i've had it (couldn't be bothered to use the back USB's then ) 
Now I've decided to plug it round the back, but comes up with 'Unknown Device' in Device manager after it fails the installing part although it recognizes what it is (Fiio E17 DAC AMP or w.e it was), until it fails of course..

open up start menu, go to "device manager" make sure E17 is plugged in. Find the E17, it might be a triangle cone and say unknown device or it might say it(before it fails) and right click and uninstal driver. plug the E17 out. plug back in. and it should re instal driver.
 
look in the "sound,video and game controllers" section first before just uninstalling any old triangle coned "unknown device"
 
i just tried the steps i gave you with my working E17 and it went as planned in case you are wondering. i uninstalled it. unplugeed. plugged back in, and windows update installed teh driver; i didn't need to but some things i have useed in the past don't auto instal driver and or it might not find so i tested it to see if it would also (should) work for you.

 

[weipim]

yup, pre ordered it as well