[Buffkong]

This is my first post on here, i've been lurking the forum for weeks now trying to sponge up as much info as I can. I really criticize sound quality and have for a while and it's time I bought a good set of cans.
 
I'll be using them on my iPhone 4S and my MacBook Pro. I'm looking at getting the PRO750's, they're reasonably priced and I've only heard good things. 
 
My reason for this post is: I'm interested in the FiiO amps and read lots of mixed reviews about them.
Will a FiiO E6/E7 for example, be a well rounded amp for my iPhone and MacBook? I want the amp because I'm a fiend for loud powerful music and want the best I can afford. I can pull the trigger and buy one for dirt cheap and not have buyers remorse but I want to know if using a FiiO amp will make a difference for my 2 music sources.
 
Thanks in advance for any replies, I'm only a new member but I already love this place. I'm a forum junkie, being a member of 15+ forums, I'd like to call myself an educated consumer so please help me make an educated decision. 
 
I'm ready to make the order any second, the cash is burning a hole in my pocket!
 
PS: Forgot to mention I mostly listen to classic rock (LEDZEP ALL DAY!!) but I also love heavy metal, hip hop/rap

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
The E7 would be a great addition for your MacBook and for use as an amp over your iPhone for the Ultrasone. Fiio makes excellent products for the cost. It will make a difference. You'll notice the bass tightens and gets more controlled when amplified, versus not amplified, and you may hear a better treble too. My experience with a few Ultrasones was that even though they don't need amping for the most part, they benefit from mild amplification at the top and bottom of the spectrum enough to warrant amping them. So I would say you cannot go wrong with the E7. Plus, as the E7's DAC will replace your MacBook's onboard, that's also a small improvement (assuming you're using high quality music in the first place, like lossless, etc). And having an amp over the iPhone is definitely a benefit.
 
Other options would include the iBasso Zero if you want an alternative to compare the Fiio E7 against. The Zero is only 11mm thick. I favor it's size/look/material to the Fiio myself. And here's a review on the Zero vs. E7 specifically.
 
Also, if you go with the E7, you can later get the Fiio E9 desktop amplifier, as the E7 docks with it, should you entertain getting higher impedance headphones in the future (not needed for the PRO 750's mind).
 
Otherwise, if size is a consideration, and style, the Zero may be a better choice (I like matte finish, less finger prints, etc).
 
Very best,

 

[Buffkong]

Thanks for the reply, I just read through that comparison and will probably be getting the E7 though the Zero does look super sleek!
Most of my music collection are mp3s because I use iTunes, I've wanted to get on FLAC so I started downloading a bunch of FLAC files though, I don't know how I can use lossless music on my iPhone though.
 
Now I'm reading that the HFI780s are really well rounded and compete on par with the PRO750s either way I'm getting one of the two pairs.
 
also is it even worth it to go with the FiiO E6 which is like 1/4 the size of the E7? I can imagine there is a huge quality difference.. does the small E6 do much for quality?

 

[colmustard]

 
Quote:

Thanks for the reply, I just read through that comparison and will probably be getting the E7 though the Zero does look super sleek!
Most of my music collection are mp3s because I use iTunes, I've wanted to get on FLAC so I started downloading a bunch of FLAC files though, I don't know how I can use lossless music on my iPhone though.
 
Now I'm reading that the HFI780s are really well rounded and compete on par with the PRO750s either way I'm getting one of the two pairs.
 
also is it even worth it to go with the FiiO E6 which is like 1/4 the size of the E7? I can imagine there is a huge quality difference.. does the small E6 do much for quality?

Ditch iTunes if you want to go lossless

 

[Buffkong]

how about still using iTunes and just get all my music in flac?
http://gizmodo.com/5207476/how-to-manage-an-all+lossless-music-library-with-itunes
 
the PRO750s will still make my mp3s roar until I can get flacs

 

[TNDude84]

I would recommend the new Fiio E10 over the E7. They are the same price

 

[Buffkong]

I'm certainly going to buy the e10 soon! 
I just placed an order on the HFI-780s for the price I had to pull the trigger. I can't wait

 

[Caladbolg]

ALAC is the apple proprietary lossless format you can use on your iPhone, but finding that to download is  HAAAARD. Best finding .wav's and doing it yourself.
 
Though I do HIGHLY recommend foobar2000 for listening on your computer in comparison to iTunes. The player itself is trash and a RAM hog :<

 

[Blue Boat]

E7's amp section is pretty weak.
 
Maybe consider Ibasso D-Zero?
 
Edit: Just realised you already ordered the E7. 
 
If you're thinking of setting up a home rig, get a decent cheap DAC (E7/E10) and a tube amp.
 
I find solid states very fatiguing at high volume. 

 

[nikp]

Convert FLAC into ALAC and you're good to go!

 

[Caladbolg]

Quote:

Convert FLAC into ALAC and you're good to go!

This. I forgot Lossless to Lossless doesn't induce quality loss/distortion. So FLAC -> ALAC will work perfect.

 

[nikp]

And Fyi, I use XLD (Mac) to convert FLAC to ALAC. It's open source.

 

[Buffkong]

^Thanks for the post, I just converted a few Zeppelin albums from Flac to ALAC, put them in iTunes and am listening via my new cans which just came in today.
 
I'm so pumped, these are such great quality cans!!!!

 

[Taowolf51]

Funny enough, I'm listening to my Pro 750's with a Fiio E7 on my Macbook.
 
To answer your question, they work great together. The Fiio works flawlessly on my Macbook, and they're more then powerful enough to power the Pro 750's.
I would be sure to jack up the quality of your music, though. The Pro 750's are really revealing, and you'll be able to tell if a song is compressed or not. You'll also notice a major difference between well mastered albums and poorly mastered albums. The Fiio calms the headphones down somewhat, but you can definitely tell there is power behind the sound. Things are tighter, more precise. Also, I would recommend setting the bass on the Fiio to 1. Any higher and it's too much.
 
The one caveat is that I wouldn't really recommend the Pro 750's for classic rock. They are surreal with electronic music, but have recessed mids, which is exactly what you don't want if you're listening more vanilla classic rock. It'll be really interesting with something a little more psychedelic, like Yes or Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, though, since they share some qualities with electronic music.
 
If you're set on the Pro 750's, though, I would recommend the Kees mod, since it brings out the recessed mids, and it's super easy to do, and undo if you don't like it.