[howdy]

It appears that at this point the only reason i still want to buy the E17k is because of the looks that i find aesthetically pleasing and also that i want something that's portable and within this price range.At this range fiio E17k seems to be the only option left.

I get it that it's not neutral and it's warm.But is it like not enjoyable ? According to bowei006's review,E17k's is better than the e11k.Now i'm just confused is it the dac that's not good and makes everything warm or it has something to do with it's amp side ? 

This is the first time i would be buying a amp/dac so idk if it really matters that if it's warm or not.As long as it's enjoyable and not soundstage congested i'm okay with it.

It really depends on the source and headphones you are using! I think this amp sounds good with my X3 and VMODA M100s, it can be a fitiging after a bit. These are my impressions.

 

[Dany1]

Well then it will be enjoyable for you by what you just asked, but the warmth makes me sick and causes the the treble to be ever so slightly veiled, not obvious but still. Other than that it sounds gorgeous, that's what i said to myself the other day on final testing before putting it back in the box and on the shelf, i thought to myself that this sound is gorgeous audiophile world-class, but the slightly veiled treble right at the top-end and the warmth afflicted my perfectionist streak and i became disgruntled. You can buy mine for a discount if you still insist to buy it, just PM me. There's not a scratch on it and the box is not torn at all, i can send you email photo to show if you want.

Other than that, if i was you i would buy the iBasso D-Zero MKII, going by the reviews it is better than E17K. The D-Zero MkII also has native Android OTG support and included rare micro USB OTG cable and all at same price as E17K.

 
Yeah i think it should be fine for me.The D-Zero MkII seems pretty interesting too....btw sorry,but i can get E17k brand new for $125 with free shipping and all.So i'll pass on your offer.But Thanks though !
 
 

It really depends on the source and headphones you are using! I think this amp sounds good with my X3 and VMODA M100s, it can be a fitiging after a bit. These are my impressions.

 
I own 3 iem's atm ....Xiaomi pistons 2.0,TTPOD T1-e and Havi B3 pro-I and might possibly buy zero audio duoza sometime in near future  ...idk if you or anyone have tried these iem's with the E17k can tell or can give a guess if these would be a good pairing with the E17k.

 

[ClieOS]

My impression is, E17k, purely as amp, isn't nearly as excessively warm or un-neutral as I read about. The problem is that it has a fairly average soundstage, resulted in mediocre separation and overall, a smaller than average image. That reduces the perceiving spacial detail that you can get from the music and therefore get interpreted as warm by some. But personally I think it doesn't have as much to do with 'warmth' as a frequency response or texture, but more to do with a sub-par soundstage and how the sonic energy getting too focus. 'Thick' perhaps is better word than warm. It is kind of the same problem faced by the original E12. You will need a good spacious sounding headphone to complement / counter the E17k, then everything will fall into the right place. On that regard, E11k is better than E17k as an amp.

 

[ClieOS]

Will also point out the above impression is when E17k is used as amp only. When used with PC as USB DAC, I don't actually find the soundstage to be any smaller than average. It is in fact quite good. That being said, if the source has a particularly wide soundstage, if might also compensate for E17k as a amp as well.

 

[howdy]

Good point. I never thought of this amp being warm I like warm its a fun sound and non fatiguing. This amp can only be tolerated for short periods of time for me.

 

[4000ft]

Is this new model still draw too much power on an iPhone with the CCK?

Works with the iPhone 6 and the Lightning to USB camera adapter, with usb charging switched off. Just plugged it in and sound was diverted to the amp no fuss.

 

[Digital7]

My impression is, E17k, purely as amp, isn't nearly as excessively warm or un-neutral as I read about. The problem is that it has a fairly average soundstage, resulted in mediocre separation and overall, a smaller than average image. That reduces the perceiving spacial detail that you can get from the music and therefore get interpreted as warm by some. But personally I think it doesn't have as much to do with 'warmth' as a frequency response or texture, but more to do with a sub-par soundstage and how the sonic energy getting too focus. 'Thick' perhaps is better word than warm. It is kind of the same problem faced by the original E12. You will need a good spacious sounding headphone to complement / counter the E17k, then everything will fall into the right place. On that regard, E11k is better than E17k as an amp.

 


I've done some new tests here for one hour under close listening scrutiny with Yamaha MT220, a reasonably accurate headphone...

As an Amp only, the E17K is superb! The soundstaging is excellent, so you might need to get some better headphones as to why you gave a bad rap to the soundstaging, you are mistaken about this; the imaging and sound stage through the E17K Amp simply wraps around my ears 180 degrees with beautiful separation of sounds, great detail, depth and delineation and accurate punchy bass and super-clean sound right across the audio spectrum; the E17K is fantastic as an amp, but only at the maximum 12db gain setting; at the 6db setting it lacks speed and punch and dynamics. But on 12db it is nearly flawless. It is definitely neutral and high resolution, no doubt about it.

Immediately after the Amp test the DAC test is a different story; the DAC on this is very average bordering on terrible! Cheap and nasty with hollow overall sound and inadequate bass, while also lacking overall dynamic drive. As a DAC the E17K is a failure! If FiiO paired the E17K Amp with a higher performing DAC, then this could compete with iBasso D-Zero MKII, but the E17K cannot currently compete with this low-grade DAC inside. It is quite sad performance.

 

[ClieOS]

Agree to disagree then. If you like it, all the better for you, but I hold on to my opinion.

 

[Digital7]

Agree to disagree then. If you like it, all the better for you, but I hold on to my opinion.

 


Seriously man, you need new headphones, trust me.

My advice. Try the Yamaha Pro 500, the most detailed and balanced and clean and accurate headphone on the planet. Better than any headphone at 'any' price, truly.
The only thing with this headphone is 'slightly' powerful bass. When you have such an accurate headphone capable of resolving extremely high detail and all the amazing depth of the music with accurate treble and super-clean midrange, then you can judge an Amp or DAC properly. That's why we disagree, you need new headphones. I have the E17K right here, i just did the tests, the soundstage from the Amp section is superb.

 

[skateguy]

I just purchased the E17 Alpen and then saw that the E17k Alpen 2 was released. Did I make a mistake by buying the older e17 Alpen? Also does it function as a DAC even when not using the usb input? Will it use the WM8740 when using toslink in to aux out? I plan on using with my pc, but I will be using the optical out on the pc.

 

[H20Fidelity]

Agree to disagree then. If you like it, all the better for you, but I hold on to my opinion.

 


Seriously man, you need new headphones, trust me.

My advice. Try the Yamaha Pro 500, the most detailed and balanced and clean and accurate headphone on the planet. Better than any headphone at 'any' price, truly.
The only thing with this headphone is 'slightly' powerful bass. When you have such an accurate headphone capable of resolving extremely high detail and all the amazing depth of the music with accurate treble and super-clean midrange, then you can judge an Amp or DAC properly. That's why we disagree, you need new headphones. I have the E17K right here, i just did the tests, the soundstage from the Amp section is superb.

I've owned Yamaha PRO 500, they're about as unbalanced as you can get, with a warm bass heavy signature. The mids lean towards being quite thick and to an extent veiled and dark and lack detail. Not sure if trolling...

 

[rmullins08]

 

  Agree to disagree then. If you like it, all the better for you, but I hold on to my opinion.

 


Seriously man, you need new headphones, trust me.
 

 
http://www.head-fi.org/u/11725/clieos
 
Have you seen his inventory?  I think he knows what he is talking about.

 

[natra084]

in my opinion what I think fiio should do is this should make that amp that has DTS headphone X because it seem to be a lot of gamers that are buying these portable amps I think fiio is going to kill it in sales if they would make such a device.and I think not only gamers would buy such a device but the mainstream as well.

 

[Q Mass]

in my opinion what I think fiio should do is this should make that amp that has DTS headphone X because it seem to be a lot of gamers that are buying these portable amps I think fiio is going to kill it in sales if they would make such a device.and I think not only gamers would buy such a device but the mainstream as well.

I like games,
I like surround sound with my games,
but I can't personally see any use for a portable amp/dac that does this.
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I'd be against FiiO or anyone else making such a device, they do provide for all sorts of differing needs/tastes after all.
But I wouldn't have any interest myself.

 

[natra084]

 
I like games,
I like surround sound with my games,
but I can't personally see any use for a portable amp/dac that does this.
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I'd be against FiiO or anyone else making such a device, they do provide for all sorts of differing needs/tastes after all.
But I wouldn't have any interest myself.

The reason that you would want such a device is so you can use It with your headphones.