[bowei006]

I will be waiting for info on E19. I need a affordable great price to performance ratio driving amp. It should pair better with E17 as the true combo buddy probably. FiiO should be working on fixing the semi isolated issues with the E9 too :/ hopefully. I think an updated batch was released a while back but i still hear of some issues. A look at that would be great FiiO *wink wink hint hint*

E17 gain with Shure SRH440 at actual analyzing volumes has a good boost

Very minor one with Soundmagic pl11

A good one with ultrasones hfi 580 especially if you are doing studio work.. Less so with music listening

A huge one with Q701.. As the akgs need some actual power to grt it going.

These are my opinions with no EQ and E17 as dac and amp

 

[Gofre]

Does anybody have any experience with the E17 and the Soundmagic A10? How does the bass boost functionality compare?

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

Does anybody have any experience with the E17 and the Soundmagic A10? How does the bass boost functionality compare?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/596482/the-sub-100-portable-amps-shootout-7-1-amps-compared
 
Also by CLEIOS. I can summarize and CLEIOS's conclusion was that even the E11 was better.

 

[gohanssjn]

I will be waiting for info on E19

Me too, I need to get this E17 off my desk on its back all the time!

 

[tiesto141141]

 
Hello !
 
I just bought an HD25-1 ii for portable use (iphone 4S and Nano) and also for desktop use (macbook pro 2010), both with lossless media, should i buy an E17 or the quality gained would be too weak to spend more money ?
 
thanks

 

[MickeyVee]

I had the HD25 and the E17 definitely took them to another level on the desktop (MackBook Air).  I really never bothered using the E17 with my iPhone as it was just too much of a hassle given the SQ improvement.  I did really enjoy them with the MBA & E17.  I believe that it's worth the improvement. YMMV.
 
Quote:

 
Hello !
 
I just bought an HD25-1 ii for portable use (iphone 4S and Nano) and also for desktop use (macbook pro 2010), both with lossless media, should i buy an E17 or the quality gained would be too weak to spend more money ?
 
thanks

 

 

[UnityIsPower]

Quote:

^the sound change is different for everyone. Bu i have the hfi 580. The dj1 are the same except for a faceplat change. With the Eq and byitself you get more bass and highs and trebles. Need more bass for that modern hip hop song? Up it to +4dB bass(what I like). Want those vocals to burn? +2/+4dB treble. Wanna go a natural and experience true audiophileness? Lose the EQ and listen to the E17 in its pure self as a computer DAC

I can't see how people would increase the treble on 580/DJ1's... they are painful already, LOL.

 

[djywcahello]

Call me crazy, but I'm unable to convince myself that I can tell a difference in audio fidelity between the FiiO e17 and my on-board MacBook Pro amp/DAC. I am using a pair of AKG Q701 cans.
 
I can certainly hit higher volumes with the FiiO, but I was somewhat disappointed (with myself) that I don't hear an obvious difference in the actual sound quality. I've tried giving myself an ABX test of sorts, which I would really need someone else to administer for me, but even so, I'm not hearing anything terribly discerning. The low end doesn't seem any different in volume or response. I've experimented with a wide array of music styles, all at 320 CBR.
 
As it stands, I might take the 15% restocking + shipping fee hit and return this item. I only use my AKGs at my computer anyway, which seems to get them loud enough. Please, either:
 
1) Point out what I am missing here
2) Take my FiiO with a couple hours of usage off of my hands
 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

I can't see how people would increase the treble on 580/DJ1's... they are painful already, LOL.

I have these babies burned in at ~200 hours. The vocals are weird due to S-Logic, they are both forward and harsh and backwards passive. But on some songs, DUE to the producing or recording of the track, the vocals are too backwards and need to be brought forward more FOR the HFI 580's. ITs different for every song and every headphone. Thus an active EQ'ing system like the E17's where you can change on the go is great. I don't like the one's on PMP's(unless it's an audiophile PMP) as you are just EQ'ing the internal amp and not your external amp(if you are dual amping) which just....grosses me out.
 
I like my vocals hot sometimes They are quite painful at times and I do need a recession sometimes. IT's song and mood dependent really.
 
Got a full rack now guys
 

 

 

 
 
 

 

[bowei006]

Quote:

Call me crazy, but I'm unable to convince myself that I can tell a difference in audio fidelity between the FiiO e17 and my on-board MacBook Pro amp/DAC. I am using a pair of AKG Q701 cans.
 
I can certainly hit higher volumes with the FiiO, but I was somewhat disappointed (with myself) that I don't hear an obvious difference in the actual sound quality. I've tried giving myself an ABX test of sorts, which I would really need someone else to administer for me, but even so, I'm not hearing anything terribly discerning. The low end doesn't seem any different in volume or response. I've experimented with a wide array of music styles, all at 320 CBR.
 
As it stands, I might take the 15% restocking + shipping fee hit and return this item. I only use my AKGs at my computer anyway, which seems to get them loud enough. Please, either:
 
1) Point out what I am missing here
2) Take my FiiO with a couple hours of usage off of my hands
 

IT's all fine my brother. These are all different on people. I have had plenty of posts detailing how it is different for everyone. How everyone hears and what they "hear for" is different. I couldn't tell the difference at first too. It took a long time on HEad-Fi and many headphones to learn how to "do it". I have gotten very high ABX tests but that isn't a direct corelation with this device.
 
Anyway, if you can't hear a difference and your computer's volume is loud enough(i'm a bit amazed that it is) and you really can't justify it then it may be time to let go of it. But if you still have the option of a few more days I would just sit down and play songs and take long listens. First on your MBP and then on the E17. And then.....get the gut feeling. What sounded right. For beginners it may be easier for your gut to tell you that it sounded the same or that amped tonality sound was better as your ears may not conciously know what to tell yet(was what I was like at first)
 
Anyway, this isn't for everyone. If you ever get to that point in life and want an DAC again..we will be waiting here on Head-Fi and if you just need power for driving. There are plenty of desktop and portable amps for that purpose and are cheaper.

 

[hyogen]

I have both X10 and E17, my observation is X10 do not gain from must from E17 almost sound similar to iPhone4 as source.

TF10 gain with E17 is huge

thanks.. I have read x10s don't respond well to another amp as well...

 

[wilky61]

If I wanted to use the E17's SPDIF-In to experience 24 bit/192 kHz with my laptop as the source, what output/adapter would I use? It looks like my laptop only has USB ports, a headphone jack, and an HDMI-out... but I also have the 3.5mm to RCA adapter that came with the E17.
 
Furthermore, I also have a 3-ft Toslink-to-Mini optical cable and Toslink-to-Mini optical adapter since I ordered the E17 from MiccaStore.
 
So, please help me make sense of all these acronyms! Do I need like an RCA to SPDIF adapter or something?
 
And is "Toslink" related to "SPDIF" at all? In other words, what in the hell is Toslink?

 

[ClieOS]

If I wanted to use the E17's SPDIF-In to experience 24 bit/192 kHz with my laptop as the source, what output/adapter would I use? It looks like my laptop only has USB ports, a headphone jack, and an HDMI-out... but I also have the 3.5mm to RCA adapter that came with the E17.

Furthermore, I also have a 3-ft Toslink-to-Mini optical cable and Toslink-to-Mini optical adapter since I ordered the E17 from MiccaStore.

So, please help me make sense of all these acronyms! Do I need like an RCA to SPDIF adapter or something?

And is "Toslink" related to "SPDIF" at all? In other words, what in the hell is Toslink?

Use the USB connection for 24/96. There isn't any practical difference between 24/96 and 24/192 unless you have files that must be played in 24/192. Don't buy into the myth that just because you are using 24/192, it will get you better sound. It doesn't work that way. Read this: http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

To get you laptop to output SPDIF signal, you will need an USB-to-SPDIF converter, which will probably add jitter into the signal and really gains nothing much in your situation. A waste of money mostly.

SPDIF connection comes in two forms: optical and coaxial. Optical is also being referred as TOSlink, short for 'Toshiba Link' as the standard we are using now for the optical connection is established and branded by Toshiba. Yeah, google.

 

[wilky61]

Thank you for the reply and the information; I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to check out the 24/192 thing using my laptop as the source. Not that I am disappointed with 24/96, but I have been curious.

Yeah, I tried a google-search and did learn some things (saw that SPDIF is a connection and that Toslink is a connector...) but some of the other things I read also confused me. So I figured I'd leave my original post here unedited and see what helpful information I received. That Neil Young link just makes me wish I'd been an electrical engineer instead of an industrial/systems engineer. He seems to be arguing against what most posters here anecdotally report, though... about being able to perceive differences in quality/tonality between 16/44.1 and, say, 24/96.

If I wanted to use the E17's SPDIF-In to experience 24 bit/192 kHz with my laptop as the source, what output/adapter would I use? It looks like my laptop only has USB ports, a headphone jack, and an HDMI-out... but I also have the 3.5mm to RCA adapter that came with the E17.

Furthermore, I also have a 3-ft Toslink-to-Mini optical cable and Toslink-to-Mini optical adapter since I ordered the E17 from MiccaStore.

So, please help me make sense of all these acronyms! Do I need like an RCA to SPDIF adapter or something?

And is "Toslink" related to "SPDIF" at all? In other words, what in the hell is Toslink?

Use the USB connection for 24/96. There isn't any practical difference between 24/96 and 24/192 unless you have files that must be played in 24/192. Don't buy into the myth that just because you are using 24/192, it will get you better sound. It doesn't work that way. Read this: http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

To get you laptop to output SPDIF signal, you will need an USB-to-SPDIF converter, which will probably add jitter into the signal and really gains nothing much in your situation. A waste of money mostly.

SPDIF connection comes in two forms: optical and coaxial. Optical is also being referred as TOSlink, short for 'Toshiba Link' as the standard we are using now for the optical connection is established and branded by Toshiba. Yeah, google.

 

[UnityIsPower]

I just got my second E17 and wanted to know if I can use my router usb port to charge it quicker without any bad effects. Its a 1.5 amp port compared to the PC's 500mA port.