[astrallite]

  Is there a noticeable difference between AM2 and AM3 for IEMs? I'm liking AM2, but I'm wondering if AM3 will provide any real improvement. I might it's not hard to drive my UM Pro 50s, but I figure there may be a change in sound signature...

 
There's a huge difference on my 300ohm HD800S. On my 25-40ohm headphones which I have honestly there's no difference between AM1 and any of the other modules. You simply don't need that kind of power on low impedance stuff.

 

[Currawong]

 

  Is there a noticeable difference between AM2 and AM3 for IEMs? I'm liking AM2, but I'm wondering if AM3 will provide any real improvement. I might it's not hard to drive my UM Pro 50s, but I figure there may be a change in sound signature...

 
There's a huge difference on my 300ohm HD800S. On my 25-40ohm headphones which I have honestly there's no difference between AM1 and any of the other modules. You simply don't need that kind of power on low impedance stuff.

It is usually the other way around: Lower impedance headphones require more current to drive. Higher impedance headphones require better voltage swing. That being said, with the HD800s the AM3 sounds noticeably better. 
 
With IEMs I've noticed more difference in portable amps with dynamic driver models and less so with BA-only models.

 

[Brooko]

  Is there a noticeable difference between AM2 and AM3 for IEMs? I'm liking AM2, but I'm wondering if AM3 will provide any real improvement. I might it's not hard to drive my UM Pro 50s, but I figure there may be a change in sound signature...

 
I think there is a tonal difference between AM2/AM5 and AM3.  If you think about it - the AM2 and AM5 are both Muse based.  AM1 and AM3 both TI. From my review:
 

  AM3 SE vs balanced
I'll call this one early. To me they sound the same. I spent hours trying to track down any differences, and either my ears aren't sensitive enough, or there simply aren't any. Stage, imaging, and immersion had no difference – and that's probably where I expected to hear something (crosstalk). As far as tonality goes – I can't discern any difference at. A couple of times I've thought I had it nailed, only to discover I'd bumped the volume button, and when repeating the differences disappeared. The big difference for me is in power output (volume).
 
AM3 vs AM5
Again – with the P1, these two amp are so close they are almost identical. Staging, imaging and immersion have no real discernible difference, and there is no change in detailing. What I am getting is that the AM3 sounds ever so slightly more vivid (more present), with the AM5 being very slightly flatter. I really wish I could try this with the HD600 – as I think I would get a better sense of where the truth is. With the P1 – I'm favouring the AM3. I hate the term musical because it does a poor job of explaining anything – but that's what I'm reverting to because this module seems to be drawing a little more out of the music I listen to. One thing I will say – the changes are small, and again both modules sound very good indeed.
 
AM3 vs AM2
Similar to the comparison with the AM5 – except more noticeable. The AM2 is a little warmer, a little flatter, and a little relaxed in its presentation. The AM3 in comparison is cleaner, clearer, more vibrant, and to me more dynamic.
 
AM3 vs AM1
This is an interesting one because in terms of overall tonality the AM3 to me is a lot closer to the AM1. It has that same clean, and clear presentation. The difference is in the overall dynamics with the AM3 – it has more life, is more vivid, and there is a greater feel of dynamic contrast. Staging is once again very similar – but this time on pure imaging I'd give it to the AM3 by a small margin.

 

[PapaThrust]

  after lots of testing i feel the fiio music app sounds better than 3rd party apps i tried, especially in highs and mids, listening to all players with no eq 
 
wish only if the bass boost in fioo music eq was more than just 6db
 
for us who love bass we need a basshead amp peroid, as the eq in low frequencies is not cutting it for me in the fiio music app

Did you try Hiby?
 
 Went down that same path and the only player that seems to match Fiios Pure Music quality is Hiby
I'm only a few days in with the app but it was night and day for me.
 
I feel their Eq is what Fiios should be -  and it does have 12 db boost/cut plus a most important preamp slider.
It certainly is easier to maintain the gain you are after and to compare eq vs no eq.
 
I found the other player apps talked about here to be muddy and congested sounding until Hiby.

 

[TJ Max]

 
Did you try Hiby?
 
 Went down that same path and the only player that seems to match Fiios Pure Music quality is Hiby
I'm only a few days in with the app but it was night and day for me.
 
I feel their Eq is what Fiios should be -  and it does have 12 db boost/cut plus a most important preamp slider.
It certainly is easier to maintain the gain you are after and to compare eq vs no eq.
 
I found the other player apps talked about here to be muddy and congested sounding until Hiby.

 
 
The Hibymusic developers made the Fiio music app, from my understanding. They are listed in the credits in the About section. Whats makes both of them special is that they don't downsample high res music to 48khz out the headphone jack like most android players. However I would warn everyone to be careful when using the upsampling "SRC"  feature  of Hybi. upsampling to 192khz will make the X7 run HOT and if the screen is on it causes a image burn in on the LCD.

 

[chowmein83]

  Is there a noticeable difference between AM2 and AM3 for IEMs? I'm liking AM2, but I'm wondering if AM3 will provide any real improvement. I might it's not hard to drive my UM Pro 50s, but I figure there may be a change in sound signature...

 
I'll say that my opinion on this is much like Brooko's - there really aren't any big differences between AM2 and AM3 for IEMs, save for some tonality changes.

 

[Cachicamo]

Is there anywhere in the UK that I can order the RC-UE2B from? Or can anyone recommend a sensibly priced alternative? I've got my CE6P's coming soon and i'd like to have a balanced cable ready to give my AM3 a try!

I'm using Forza Audioworks Hybrid cable with my CE6P and a balanced version of the same cable is on the way. Price is a bit higher than Fiio I'm affraid: € 145 with shipping, but I'm really happy with the result..
I'll let you know my experience with the AM3 once I receive the cable.

 

[Unfie]

Hmmm...so would you recommend the AM3 or AM5 for the HD 650? I'm guessing AM3 might be better if I get a balanced cable.

 

[Tadamn]

 

 
I'll say that my opinion on this is much like Brooko's - there really aren't any big differences between AM2 and AM3 for IEMs, save for some tonality changes.

It depends on the set-up.

 

[Paulo Abreu]

I'll say that my opinion on this is much like Brooko's - there really aren't any big differences between AM2 and AM3 for IEMs, save for some tonality changes.

I also agree with Brooko's and with you about the tonal differences between AM2 and AM3.

AM3 has the dynamics of AM2 but sounds a lot closer to AM1 (clarity, contrast), more inline with my personal preferences. But I do perceive a wider soundstage, more if I was in a bigger room, that is noticeable on my IEM and I can only relate that to the balanced connection.

So I am curious to listen for your opinions too and if they are the same, I guess in a couple of weeks there will be plenty of AM3's running.

My 2 cents

 

[Sound Eq]

   
 
The Hibymusic developers made the Fiio music app, from my understanding. They are listed in the credits in the About section. Whats makes both of them special is that they don't downsample high res music to 48khz out the headphone jack like most android players. However I would warn everyone to be careful when using the upsampling "SRC"  feature  of Hybi. upsampling to 192khz will make the X7 run HOT and if the screen is on it causes a image burn in on the LCD.

hmmm i tried it and i like it
 
strange as I never liked hiby before, and i use upsampling to 192. 
 
wonder where we can get dsp plugins, searched the net and could not find any dsp plugins, where do u get those???

 

[Sound Eq]

 
Did you try Hiby?
 
 Went down that same path and the only player that seems to match Fiios Pure Music quality is Hiby
I'm only a few days in with the app but it was night and day for me.
 
I feel their Eq is what Fiios should be -  and it does have 12 db boost/cut plus a most important preamp slider.
It certainly is easier to maintain the gain you are after and to compare eq vs no eq.
 
I found the other player apps talked about here to be muddy and congested sounding until Hiby.

thanks for the recommendations and I like like it but bass distorts easily once I go above 6db in Hiby
 
Now a new surprise awaits in usb audio Player pro:
 
So I tried usb audio player again today as they just added a parametric eq and it sounds really good as well, wow I really like the new parametric eq in usb audio player alot alot alot, what a bass control and sound eq, without causing muddiness like i get from neutron. Dam I love it alot. And for crazy sub effect, i engage both parametric eq and the regular eq and i use the parametric to get the sound where i want, and then in the regular eq i bump the low frequencies for fine tuning. So you will have 2 eqs working together. i know I know this is not what I should do but it surprised me that having both eqs working at the same, I can achieve subwoofer effect. Of course you adjust gain in both eqs to avoid clipping
 
So you set your parpametric eq first get it as close as you want to the sound sig u like, usually I like to bump the low freq by few dbs. Then go back an activate the regular eq  and raise the low freq as well. I honestly never got such a subwoofer effect only from v4a but now I get the same sub effect and nice eq control using usb audio player pro. Using the parmaetric eq alone in usb audio player is good, but i need the subwoofer effect which only gets there when I also use the regular eq so you must use both together. I am hearing amazing mids and great highs and top it with amazing bass and sub effect. make sure you are not clipping though. It takes a bit work to get what I am hearing now
 
@warrior1975 bro try and tell us what you think

 

[haiku]

To me, the AM2 sounds rather "lame" in comparison to the AM1. Plus, I would´t wanna miss the AM1´s cinemascopic soundstage.

 

[Brooko]

  Hmmm...so would you recommend the AM3 or AM5 for the HD 650? I'm guessing AM3 might be better if I get a balanced cable.

 
Both AM5 and AM3 have same peak voltage output - which ultimately is what the HD650 needs. If you are going to go balanced though - the AM3 will deliver more total output power.

 

[White Lotus]

My X7 is experiencing the "sound cuts out for a few seconds" bug again. It was gone for almost two months.
 
Happens with both AM1 and AM2. If you listen carefully, you can hear (what sounds like) the amp turning off and on again.