FiiO E5 amp (E3 upgraded)
Dec 15, 2008 at 8:20 AM Post #721 of 1,737
Quote:

Originally Posted by boomy3555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
ProfileJoin Date: Feb 2008
Location: Owensboro, KY good luck finding it on a map

Oh Ya, See you at Jack and Jenny's



if i knew a jack or a jenny i might be a little worried right now. it would be restraining order time! not really i would just break out some headphones and all would be well in the world.
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 9:13 AM Post #722 of 1,737
Quote:

Originally Posted by YiddishHamburgla /img/forum/go_quote.gif
if i knew a jack or a jenny i might be a little worried right now. it would be restraining order time! not really i would just break out some headphones and all would be well in the world.


Just Kidding,

I mapquesed it all icluding the "Jack and Jenny's" Diner.
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 1:08 PM Post #724 of 1,737
connected my creative charger and it was done in maybe 1.5 hours on turning on theres no pop like my e3 does so i feel quite a bit safer about this.
with the d2 it just sounds so much better with the e5 than without maybe small soundstage increase but seperation clarity and body are all improved imo ,very pleased and it also sounds great with the bass boost on
wi1rt1_th.jpg
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 4:53 PM Post #726 of 1,737
Just picked up my E5.
Opened it, tested it, and then of course, took it apart.
Unlike the E3, it's pretty easy to open and totally non-destructive, which I guess opens the door for mods and such.

Have some pics, click to enlarge.

An unsuspecting E5.


Take off the screw and the clip pops off.


Press the white plastic 'tabs' and slide it out.


Board and holder, top side.


Bottom.


What we have so far.


Closer inspection.


Without battery.


Opamp is OPA2338UA, quick search on the other IC's didn't reveal much.
Also, is it me or does the opamp seems like it was hand-soldered or reworked?


Other angle.



After putting it back, I've been listening to it and compared to the E3 the most noticeable is less hissing.
I don't hear much difference in SQ, but I've only listened for 10min or so. Still pairs pretty well with my er4p.
Basically it seems to be a more practical E3, which is pretty good for the price.
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 5:04 PM Post #727 of 1,737
Quote:

Originally Posted by wap32 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Just picked up my E5.
Opened it, tested it, and then of course, took it apart.
Unlike the E3, it's pretty easy to open and totally non-destructive, which I guess opens the door for mods and such.

Have some pics, click to enlarge.

An unsuspecting E5.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0138s.jpg[/IMG]

Take off the screw and the clip pops off.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0137s.jpg[/IMG]

Press the white plastic 'tabs' and slide it out.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0136s.jpg[/IMG]

Board and holder, top side.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0134s.jpg[/IMG]

Bottom.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0135s.jpg[/IMG]

What we have so far.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0133s.jpg[/IMG]

Closer inspection.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0132s.jpg[/IMG]

Without battery.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0130s.jpg[/IMG]

Opamp is OPA2338UA, quick search on the other IC's didn't reveal much.
Also, is it me or does the opamp seems like it was hand-soldered or reworked?
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0128s.jpg[/IMG]

Other angle.
[IMG.]http://wap32.homeunix.org/pics/fiioe5/DSCF0127s.jpg[/IMG]


After putting it back, I've been listening to it and compared to the E3 the most noticeable is less hissing.
I don't hear much difference in SQ, but I've only listened for 10min or so. Still pairs pretty well with my er4p.
Basically it seems to be a more practical E3, which is pretty good for the price.



Oouh, it uses a 3.7V battery, iPods use 3.6V... Modders rejoice (thinking: amp integrated LOD...)!
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 5:30 PM Post #729 of 1,737
I got mine today!

e5clixjb0.jpg


It got fully charged in 1 h 15 minutes. It's a great thing that you can use it while charging (then both red and blue LEDs are lit). I like the short cable; the length is perfect, but I think both ends should have been L-shaped, as it puts less strain on the connectors.

As for the sound, it is good. No noticeable noise with high impedance headphones (ER-4S and iM716 @ ~100 Ohms) and the sound is clear with sufficient volume. I haven't listened with it a lot yet, but I don't pretend to hear any huge differences compared to the E3. However, it's great that you can remove the bass boost if you want, when you want to trade bass for clarity.

TL;DR: Great product. Can't say it sounds better than E3 (although the spec's suggest so) but nevertheless the added features makes it a nice upgrade.
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 6:04 PM Post #731 of 1,737
I'm thinking about skipping this and upgrading (side or up?) my U Control DAC (only) and cmoy (and gaining an inbuilt-all-in-one-package amp for portable use too.) by buying the Nuforce Icon portable.

Boomy, do you have an E5? Can you comment on the two amps? What is the DAC like? Like a 5.5g iPod video hp/o or better?

Or wait for the FiiO DAC/amp, no doubt it will be tiny and sound on par with my U Control, which sounds good for $60, but HeadphoneAddict says it sounds like a 5.5g ipod video headphone out, I wouldn't know, but an external amp should sound better then an ipod headphone out any day.

Great pics wap!

Matt
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 6:34 PM Post #732 of 1,737
Got my two orders from MP4Nation this morning, #090, and #183, respectively.

As I already picked one up on eBay (search "Fiio E5" and you'll find it) from a salesman in NYC (and yesterday picked up yet another one from him) and I am fully stoked about its SQ, it's even better than the E3 was, with more volume and fuller sound, well designed and perfect for Sony MDR-***SL (or SP) headphones in mind, as with my 24-ohm -D777SL and 40-ohm (with NC on) -NC60 (JE Version) gaining a much-needed volume boost as well as fuller sound (especially the NC60's at that!)

I simply use the NW-HD5 or MZ-RH1 with it as well as the remote and the short cord, which is absolutely perfect for it, and I can finally enjoy using cans with my (somewhat weak-powered) 5 mW Sony players in my arsenal!

BTW, I even tested it with line out, and it (to quote M.A.R.R.S.) "pumps up the volume" quite a bit, but then I can't use my remotes with them, as they will (by default) switch automatically back to HP out.

ROCK ON!!!
L3000.gif
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 8:30 PM Post #733 of 1,737
Oddest thing. Both my E5s came today via USPS, one from DealExtreme and one from MP$Nation. I ordered them different days, and the arrived together. Weird. Time to listen (and charge) a little.

Tried it out after charging, but no burn-in, with my NuForce NE-7s (Comply T400s) and very, very nice, a definite upgrade from the 7s direct out of the Clip. I sense the E5 may sound a little clear, detailed than the E3, but not sure if that is my imagination or reality. Need to do more listening.
 
Dec 15, 2008 at 10:17 PM Post #734 of 1,737
Quote:

Originally Posted by wap32 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Just picked up my E5.
Opened it, tested it, and then of course, took it apart.
Unlike the E3, it's pretty easy to open and totally non-destructive, which I guess opens the door for mods and such.

Have some pics, click to enlarge.

An unsuspecting E5.


Take off the screw and the clip pops off.


Press the white plastic 'tabs' and slide it out.


Board and holder, top side.


Bottom.


What we have so far.


Closer inspection.


Without battery.


Opamp is OPA2338UA, quick search on the other IC's didn't reveal much.
Also, is it me or does the opamp seems like it was hand-soldered or reworked?


Other angle.



After putting it back, I've been listening to it and compared to the E3 the most noticeable is less hissing.
I don't hear much difference in SQ, but I've only listened for 10min or so. Still pairs pretty well with my er4p.
Basically it seems to be a more practical E3, which is pretty good for the price.



After viewing that gut job, I perhaps see custom paint jobs in your near future, including custom color combinations, such as my preference, a silver main housing and the plastic interior in black, perfect for matching color schemes for different units and DAPs. That would work perfect with my NW-HD5 Silver and matching RM-MC40ELK and MDR-EX90SL IEMs.

And also, another color combo, perhaps leave the housing in stock black and simply paint the plastic interior in chrome (or spray-paint equivalent) to match my MZ-RH1 Black, alone with the black RM-MC38EL and either the MDR-E888SP or my MDR-NC60 cans.

Now that's something to consider, I would pay someone to customize my E5 (or in my case, E5's, since I own 4 of them) with any color combination I wanted.
 

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