[viffer]

M17 is a of a DAPs, that device is staying in my inventory for good.

Regarding cables, I did invest in them, 500/600 EUR, if nothing in sound difference there is that "brain" satisfaction while listening to that glorious DAP everything is just perfection.

If you have money to burn, upgraded cables and power supply units tend to look very cool indeed. Nothing wrong with looking cool and trendy if that’s your trip and, for sure, good looking things have a massive placebo effect on the . But, good looks, and all the trickery manufactures use to lure you into a purchase, do not improve audible sound frequencies quality. Like I said, better shielding helps eliminate interferences if that’s the issue, and oxygen free insulation helps in keeping tarnishing to the exposed areas only thus, improving durability, nothing else. Change your headphones, that will make things interesting.

 

[Gymboy]

If you have money to burn, upgraded cables and power supply units tend to look very cool indeed. Nothing wrong with looking cool and trendy if that’s your trip and, for sure, good looking things have a massive placebo effect on the . But, good looks, and all the trickery manufactures use to lure you into a purchase, do not improve audible sound frequencies quality. Like I said, better shielding helps eliminate interferences if that’s the issue, and oxygen free insulation helps in keeping tarnishing to the exposed areas only thus, improving durability, nothing else. Change your headphones, that will make things interesting.

I was curious and learnt a lesson from personal experience, so now I have perfect durable cables for future HP purchases.. Agreeing with you %, changing headphones will give desired results, the rest is just catching

 

[newworld666]

If you have money to burn, upgraded cables and power supply units tend to look very cool indeed. Nothing wrong with looking cool and trendy if that’s your trip and, for sure, good looking things have a massive placebo effect on the . But, good looks, and all the trickery manufactures use to lure you into a purchase, do not improve audible sound frequencies quality. Like I said, better shielding helps eliminate interferences if that’s the issue, and oxygen free insulation helps in keeping tarnishing to the exposed areas only thus, improving durability, nothing else. Change your headphones, that will make things interesting.

I think, it's a bit more complicated than that ... for sure the importance of a power is hard to be calculated .. though with the M17 we can get instant comparison with or without external power supply (you just need to use Neutron player and program a EQ with global -1.5 to -2Db to compensate instantly when you push down with the right bottom button the Enhanced Audio Mode).
Some already measured a difference of 1Db in ultra low frequencies when enhanced mode is active... and I can catch 15 to 30hz impacts in my headphones (easy to control with a frequency generator)

Then, it's rather more difficult to make instant A/B comparison between the standard FIIO power supply and the iFi iPower Elite 12V4A power supply .. as in this case, for sure there is a significant placebo effect risk ....
But, as I can do this comparison with rather difficult to drive headphones like DCA Stealth and HEDDphone One at a realistic volume level.. I am sure that frequency response and THD are not affected by the power supply, but .... my feeling/perception is that low and ultra low frequencies are something like faster/more instant, I would even think I catch "cleaner" impacts with the iFi iPower Elite.... Of course, until a proper THD measurements and a Waterfall response graph show us the "cleaner" response, we can believe the Placebo effect is probably there.

But, because I was nearly convinced that there is more than just a Placebo effect, I decided not to return to amazon the iFi Ipower Elite supply... and I like the result .. I prefer to use the headphone cables which are provided by the DCA or HEDD, I won't pay for any expensive power supply cables, etc ... but capacitors and power supply can impact significantly instant juice available to push any difficult to drive headphone to the limit in low and ultra low frequencies particularly when impedance is below 30 ohms with low sensitive headphones (less than 95db).

 

[viffer]

I think, it's a bit more complicated than that ... for sure the importance of a power is hard to be calculated .. though with the M17 we can get instant comparison with or without external power supply (you just need to use Neutron player and program a EQ with global -1.5 to -2Db to compensate instantly when you push down with the right bottom button the Enhanced Audio Mode).
Some already measured a difference of 1Db in ultra low frequencies when enhanced mode is active... and I can catch 15 to 30hz impacts in my headphones (easy to control with a frequency generator)

Then, it's rather more difficult to make instant A/B comparison between the standard FIIO power supply and the iFi iPower Elite 12V4A power supply .. as in this case, for sure there is a significant placebo effect risk ....
But, as I can do this comparison with rather difficult to drive headphones like DCA Stealth and HEDDphone One at a realistic volume level.. I am sure that frequency response and THD are not affected by the power supply, but .... my feeling/perception is that low and ultra low frequencies are something like faster/more instant, I would even think I catch "cleaner" impacts with the iFi iPower Elite.... Of course, until a proper THD measurements and a Waterfall response graph show us the "cleaner" response, we can believe the Placebo effect is probably there.

But, because I was nearly convinced that there is more than just a Placebo effect, I decided not to return to amazon the iFi Ipower Elite supply... and I like the result .. I prefer to use the headphone cables which are provided by the DCA or HEDD, I won't pay for any expensive power supply cables, etc ... but capacitors and power supply can impact significantly instant juice available to push any difficult to drive headphone to the limit in low and ultra low frequencies particularly when impedance is below 30 ohms with low sensitive headphones (less than 95db).

When FiiO decided to add an EHM via dedicated DC mode, they thought of what power supply to use carefully. They settled on a 12v 3A unit for good reasons.
Now, better quality capacitors will, without a doubt, improve durability. But they will not improve power delivery, as every capacitor manufacturer has to meet industry standards.

I own and love my M17 and I have activated EHM with as little as 1.5A with no noticiable drop in the audible spectrum SQ.
Can we measure changes with sensitive equipment? The answer will be a resounding yes.
But, it will be a subtle one. Manufacturers take that, and zoom into it to make it look like it is a huge jump and, for sure, their marketing department will hype it up big time. But, that subtle difference will be completely inaudible.

I am afraid It’s snake oil my good friend.

 

[newworld666]

When FiiO decided to add an EHM via dedicated DC mode, they thought of what power supply to use carefully. They settled on a 12v 3A unit for good reasons.
Now, better quality capacitors will, without a doubt, improve durability. But they will not improve power delivery, as every capacitor manufacturer has to meet industry standards.

I own and love my M17 and I have activated EHM with as little as 1.5A with no noticiable drop in the audible spectrum SQ.
Can we measure changes with sensitive equipment? The answer will be a resounding yes.
But, it will be a subtle one. Manufacturers take that, and zoom into it to make it look like it is a huge jump and, for sure, their marketing department will hype it up big time. But, that subtle difference will be completely inaudible.

I am afraid It’s snake oil my good friend.

Maybe ....

But as, I can catch a significant improvement between my M17 in enhanced mode and my M17 in LO mode 2v to a monolith THX887 amp... in impacts for low and ultra low frequencies (I have no doubt about it, concerning impacts in my throat), I still believe the "instant speed" of the power supply itself can be caught by any ears.
I won't recommend buying any cables, power supply, power/network/usb cleaner to anybody.... but with Amazon 30 days return possibility, I think it's worth to give a try to such option.

 

[viffer]

Maybe ....

But as, I can catch a significant improvement between my M17 in enhanced mode and my M17 in LO mode 2v to a monolith THX887 amp... in impacts for low and ultra low frequencies (I have no doubt about it, concerning impacts in my throat), I still believe the "instant speed" of the power supply itself can be caught by any ears.
I won't recommend buying any cables, power supply, power/network/usb cleaner to anybody.... but with Amazon 30 days return possibility, I think it's worth to give a try to such option.

So long as you are happy with your purchase and, it makes a difference in how you enjoy your music and/or equipment, that’s all good to me.
I bought and returned the iFi power unit because I found no quantifiable differences with the stock unit.
As i have said many times, everyone’s mileage will vary.
I have now said about as much as I am able without getting bored so, I am out of the discussion. This kind of things a can go on forever and have a habit of becoming trite and boring quickly.
Enjoy the misic and the M17 awesomeness

 

[Cherubian]

Lately I’m extremely tempted by M17, however as a 90% of time IEM user, would it be an overkill for me? Still can’t figure it out…

 

[ljnew]

Lately I’m extremely tempted by M17, however as a 90% of time IEM user, would it be an overkill for me? Still can’t figure it out…

I'm a 100% iem user and it's not overkill for me, but carrying it around when you're outside can be a hassle even with a fanny pack imho. Terrified i will drop it and surely it will break.

 

[Gymboy]

Lately I’m extremely tempted by M17, however as a 90% of time IEM user, would it be an overkill for me? Still can’t figure it out…

M17 is a power house of a DAP with a highly transparent, big sound, having that excellent dinamic range, IEMs just grow bigger in stage but headphones makes your jaw open.

Is it necessary, not really, for iems DX300 will do great, want the best, probably sp2000, what about something better then first in a range of later that can drive almost all to its full potential and has really good support, quality and grows unders the skin quick, M17 definitely.

I hope dont sound like a fan boy, but I had Astell, Sony, then M15 and at last M17, that thing just puts smile on my face every day and gives that really satisfying feeling whatever you power, you know its going to its full potential.

If you can afford it, I would say yes.

 

[ljnew]

M17 is a power house of a DAP with a highly transparent, big sound, having that excellent dinamic range, IEMs just grow bigger in stage but headphones makes your jaw open.

Is it necessary, not really, for iems DX300 will do great, want the best, probably sp2000, what about something better then first in a range of later that can drive almost all to its full potential and has really good support, quality and grows unders the skin quick, M17 definitely.

I hope dont sound like a fan boy, but I had Astell, Sony, then M15 and at last M17, that thing just puts smile on my face every day and gives that really satisfying feeling whatever you power, you know its going to its full potential.

If you can afford it, I would say yes.

Yes. You definitely get the feeling you're getting 100% of what your iem has to offer for that sound signature.

 

[Gymboy]

Yes. You definitely get the feeling you're getting 100% of what your iem has to offer for that sound signature.

Just plug in 4.4mm and drive me to the moon.

 

[ljnew]

Lately I’m extremely tempted by M17, however as a 90% of time IEM user, would it be an overkill for me? Still can’t figure it out…

I've been told for iems, u will get the maximum power your iem can handle with ess m11 plus by multiple people. They say you only need m17 if you have large headphones. And i have multiple daps that push my iem to their full potential too, just as much as m17.

Actually m17 wasn't the first dap considered to be as good or almost as good as a desktop rig.

But i love the m17 and it's an amazing piece of machinery.

 

[Cherubian]

Guys you will make me buy this beast!

 

[ljnew]

Guys you will make me buy this beast!

Yes i can tell you will cave and give in to the temptation just like i did. You can get m17 on amazon and have 30 days to return with no restocking fee.

 

[Natesdailies]

My impressions on the Fiio M17