[kalo86]

I think that AM03 was the best of the AMP modules for the original X7, but I haven't heard X7mkii yet.

@Dobrescu George, I hope to hear your impressions on the FiiO X7ii paired with Sennheiser IE800 under the power of AM3A module. For me and user @Slim1970, IE800 are not well driven by AM3A.

 

[Dobrescu George]

@Dobrescu George, I hope to hear your impressions on the FiiO X7ii paired with Sennheiser IE800 under the power of AM3A module. For me and user @Slim1970, IE800 are not well driven by AM3A.

Of course!

ie800 is one of the best IEMs to test driving power, although it is a IEM, they aren't the easiest to drive. Probably the hardest to drive IEM I have at the moment.

 

[Brooko]

Jeepers - I'm reading this and shaking my head. So much speculation by people who haven't heard the amp modules in question, and so much incorrect information regarding power requirements for the IE800 too. The IE800 is 16 ohms and has an SPL of 125 dB at 1V at 1 kHz. That means your average smart-phone will have no issues at all driving it, and the X7ii with AM3A has more than enough power to "drive it to its fullest potential" in good old audiophile speak

The X7ii will output up to 200 mW into that load at a peak current of 150 mA and 6 Vp-p which is enough to deafen you.

And I'm sorry - but I'm going to just come out and say it. The IE800 is not a difficult load to drive (I've tried it out of an iPhone and it sounds OK - not my preferred signature - but driven perfectly). I think what people are talking about is tonality. The AM3A is essentially a pretty neutral amp module. The AM2 and AM5 are warm. The IE800 are a bassy V shaped IEM with strong treble. If you need a warm amp to control the treble, then guess what. You bought the wrong IEM. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the AM3A - and as an amp which can do SE and balanced, and meet most people's needs, FiiO got it right IMO.

Someone had to say it ........

 

[Dobrescu George]

Jeepers - I'm reading this and shaking my head. So much speculation by people who haven't heard the amp modules in question, and so much incorrect information regarding power requirements for the IE800 too. The IE800 is 16 ohms and has an SPL of 125 dB at 1V at 1 kHz. That means your average smart-phone will have no issues at all driving it, and the X7ii with AM3A has more than enough power to "drive it to its fullest potential" in good old audiophile speak

The X7ii will output up to 200 mW into that load at a peak current of 150 mA and 6 Vp-p which is enough to deafen you.

And I'm sorry - but I'm going to just come out and say it. The IE800 is not a difficult load to drive (I've tried it out of an iPhone and it sounds OK - not my preferred signature - but driven perfectly). I think what people are talking about is tonality. The AM3A is essentially a pretty neutral amp module. The AM2 and AM5 are warm. The IE800 are a bassy V shaped IEM with strong treble. If you need a warm amp to control the treble, then guess what. You bought the wrong IEM. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the AM3A - and as an amp which can do SE and balanced, and meet most people's needs, FiiO got it right IMO.

Someone had to say it ........

I think we dicussed ie800 a while ago, but it is actually the hardest to drive IEM I have, to the point where I need to crank the volume higher with it than all other IEMs to get to the same loudness.

Also, I have not tested them with an iPhone, but I did test them with a few DAPs and yes, they can be driven to deafening levels from many things, but I felt that they lack control with very weak sources. Loudness wise, I imagine most smartphones and such will be loud enough, but I wouldn't call that an ie800 properly driven.

Since I have a few IEMs and know their specifications, I have a feeling that either ie800 aren't as efficient as they are said to be, or the impedance is higher.

 

[vaibhavp]

I think we dicussed ie800 a while ago, but it is actually the hardest to drive IEM I have, to the point where I need to crank the volume higher with it than all other IEMs to get to the same loudness.

Also, I have not tested them with an iPhone, but I did test them with a few DAPs and yes, they can be driven to deafening levels from many things, but I felt that they lack control with very weak sources. Loudness wise, I imagine most smartphones and such will be loud enough, but I wouldn't call that an ie800 properly driven.

Since I have a few IEMs and know their specifications, I have a feeling that either ie800 aren't as efficient as they are said to be, or the impedance is higher.

Designers spend 2-3 yrs sometimes 5 yrs developing these products. Its incorrect to narrow down couple of specifications for describing a pair. If it were so simple then designers job would be simply to reach a specification and call it a day. But apparantly lot more effort is put into designing audio products than that.

A lot of gear gets loud but doesnt come alive with weaker amps.

I personally trust only my ears. I dont buy into simplified science thats practiced on headfi.

 

[Brooko]

Or could it be (respectfully) that you're trying to talk yourself into a position that you took a while ago which actually isn't correct? We all know how tricky our brain can be. You tell yourself that the IE800 isn't being driven properly and that what you hear.

And suggesting the IE800 (I quoted the specs earlier) has suddenly magically changed specifications is (shall we say) slightly bending the facts to suit a position. We all know Sennheiser's QC especially on their high end products.

Just face it George - if the IE800 isn't an easy load to drive - then someone secretly changed ohms law and forgot to tell us.

My sig quote is quite apt with this current conversation

 

[Brooko]

Designers spend 2-3 yrs sometimes 5 yrs developing these products. Its incorrect to narrow down couple of specifications for describing a pair. If it were so simple then designers job would be simply to reach a specification and call it a day. But apparantly lot more effort is put into designing audio products than that.

A lot of gear gets loud but doesnt come alive with weaker amps.

I personally trust only my ears. I dont buy into simplified science thats practiced on headfi.

Sorry - but that's essentially a strawman. The AM3A had more than enough power output to drive the IE800. Ohms law can't be wrong. If you don't like the tonality of the amp - then fine - no-one has any issue with that. But don't suggest that it's a power issue. It's not.

 

[Whitigir]

Sorry - but that's essentially a strawman. The AM3A had more than enough power output to drive the IE800. Ohms law can't be wrong. If you don't like the tonality of the amp - then fine - no-one has any issue with that. But don't suggest that it's a power issue. It's not.

Lol, very straight forward point of view.

 

[vaibhavp]

Sorry - but that's essentially a strawman. The AM3A had more than enough power output to drive the IE800. Ohms law can't be wrong. If you don't like the tonality of the amp - then fine - no-one has any issue with that. But don't suggest that it's a power issue. It's not.

Power isnt an issue. Iam 100% certain.

But on some amps some people dont like it. How can you discount that?

Whats exactly lacking? I cant say. Am not audio designer. If you wanna know nitty gritty of this than am pretty sure you want a straight forward answer when there is none.

 

[Brooko]

Lol, very straight forward point of view.

Well the other options are that FiiO have their own specs wrong, and I'm using the X7ii right now and it doesn't seem to be the case. or Sennheiser changed the specs on the IE800 without telling anyone - and that seems most unlike them

 

[Brooko]

Power isnt an issue. I am 100% certain.

But on some amps some people dont like it. How can you discount that?

Whats exactly lacking? I cant say. Am not audio designer. If you wanna know nitty gritty of this than am pretty sure you want a straight forward answer when there is none.

Thank you. Thats what I was suggesting. If anyone doesn't like the amp with the IE800 - then call it synergy or tonality or whatever ticks your boxes. But we had a few that were claiming:

1. The IE800 was hard to drive (its not)
2. The AM3A couldn't supply enough power (it can)

I was just trying to make sure people understood what the real issue was. otherwise before you know it, you get people jumping in claiming the AM3A is sub-standard, under-powered, and not suitable as the default amp. That would be a travesty. Its a good module.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Or could it be (respectfully) that you're trying to talk yourself into a position that you took a while ago which actually isn't correct? We all know how tricky our brain can be. You tell yourself that the IE800 isn't being driven properly and that what you hear.

And suggesting the IE800 (I quoted the specs earlier) has suddenly magically changed specifications is (shall we say) slightly bending the facts to suit a position. We all know Sennheiser's QC especially on their high end products.

Just face it George - if the IE800 isn't an easy load to drive - then someone secretly changed ohms law and forgot to tell us.

My sig quote is quite apt with this current conversation

The only other explanation I can find, if the specs are correct, is that the midrange being recessed, I just increase the volume until it reaches what I'm used to, so I end with a volume higher than my other IEMs because ie800 has more of a V-Shape than the rest, and for ie800 I don't enable any EQ either

 

[kalo86]

Anyway I cannot explain a DAP of 700€.
If I have to make a comparison between the OnePlus 3T and the X7ii driving the Sennheiser IE800, then I would stay with the smartphone. If I spend 700€, I want a clear step ahead. This is my opinion.

 

[Brooko]

The only other explanation I can find, if the specs are correct, is that the midrange being recessed, I just increase the volume until it reaches what I'm used to, so I end with a volume higher than my other IEMs because ie800 has more of a V-Shape than the rest, and for ie800 I don't enable any EQ either

If you mean the mid-range of the IE800 - then yep, it's recessed and the IEM is very V shaped. If you mean the x7ii + AM3A has a recessed mid-range, then nope it doesn't. It's essentially neutral.

 

[Brooko]

Anyway I cannot explain a DAP of 700€.
If I have to make a comparison between the OnePlus 3T and the X7ii driving the Sennheiser IE800, then I would stay with the smartphone. If I spend 700€, I want a clear step ahead. This is my opinion.

Like I said - you don't like the tonality of the amp. I'd suggest you probably like a warmer sound. Nothing wrong with that. Either use EQ or swap someone for their AM2 or AM5. I was simply objecting to the claim that the AM3A was underpowered for the IE800