Do you REALLY need a DAC for the iphone 5? Word around is that the iphone 5 is really good source as is.
Let me rephrase that a bit. Would a Fiio grade DAC really be needed or worth it for an iPhone 5 over a Fiio e11 or e12?
I am sure there are some higher end portable DACs that would show a SQ improvement over the Iphone DAC.
That is my logic anyway. That is why I am just looking to add a portable amp.
I was kinda in the market for one, and I am going on a big trip (5 weeks long). I kinda want an amp for my PS Vita (which sounds amazing but has REALLY low volume) and for my ipad to watch movies on as well as my Iphone 5. I can't use a DAC on my Vita. It seems like a pain for my Iphone 5.
I would rather just get the Fiio e12.
Really I just wanted to see if it would work and of course it doesn't. I think it does work with the e7 with USB charging turned off on iPads, no reports I've seen of e7 working with iPhones, but for whatever reasons -- actual higher USB power drawer even without USB charging turned off or just the way it identifies itself -- the e17 just flat won't work. Maybe with a hub in between to trick the iPad but that's way too much trouble. As far as the e12, exactly. I have an e12. The e12 amp for processing analog in/out is superior to the amp in the e17 for analog, at least to my ears. I use the e12 with my iPhone 5s and retina iPad mini. I got the e17 as outboard DAC for my retina MacBook Pro. Not exactly what you'd call a budget, or even mid-priced, laptop yet not a particularly astounding DAC in it -- though that's common enough for any high-end laptop; the DACs are serviceable but it's expected anybody doing any real audio work on an MB Pro will have superior outboard equipment that suits their quality standards; there's no longer even line-in on the retina MB Pros, you have to use an outboard device that support line-in.
Again to my ears, the e17 DAC is noticeably superior than the MB Pro's onboard DAC listening via good quality active studio monitor speakers. It's substantially superior to the onboard DAC when listening through good quality, well-balanced headphones -- Sennheiser Momentums or equivalent, or better. If it's Beats or Beats competitors, I don't know, I don't have any Beats. I do have one pair of overall fairly decent but pretty bass-heavy headphones and using those with MB Pro onboard DAC compared with the e17 outboard DAC, well, muddy is muddy is muddy.
So really do you need an outboard DAC for an iPhone 5 or 5s or a later model iPad? In my opinion, no you don't. A decent amp, sure, an outboard DAC, no. For the price and build quality, I don't think you can go wrong with the e12 for amplifying analog out from iPhones and iPads. That's the amp I use every day.
Tried with both my iPad Air and iPhone 5s, doesn't work.
Me, too, with an retina iPad mini (unlike the original mini, scaled down iPad 2, essentially just an Air with a smaller display; performances specs, RAM, etc., higher power requirements for charging, etc.) and iPhone 5s. Neither worked, even with USB charging on the e17 turned off. "Device draws too much power and can't be used" message.
