[SkyBleu]

So, recently i had purchased a new pair of headphones, the V-Moda M80, which are very appealing to me. Before i bought this item, i had did a bit of  research on it to see if i was wasting my money or not, and in my case, i surely did not! They perform exceptionally well to me, but from the reviews i had read in the past, they are not as almighty as they were said to be. All i am trying to say is, i think i should be getting more out of them then i am currently. 
 
I am currently, and mainly, using these headphones with my Android phone and my PC, and i was just wondering which portable amp i should use, between the Fiio E7 and Fiio E11, to give my headphones a better boost in sound quality, and hence, why i am here asking for opinions. 
 
Also, i was also wondering if anyone could tell me whether or not an E7/E11 would be usable on my Android phone (LG Optimus GT540, yes, i know, not that great of a phone, but hey, i like it) and provide me with the same benefits as it would with a PC. And lastly, it would be appreciable if someone could explain to me if i would need an External DAC (E7) for an Android phone.
 
Thank you in advance, as any help is appreciated

 

[Kumouri]

So the main difference between the E7 and E11 is that the E7 is USB DAC/Amp combo. You can, of course, bypass the DAC part of the E7 using the 3.5mm input jack (iirc), and it will act much like the E11.
 
I can't really comment on how well the E7 and E11 works as amps or if one is better than the other as an amp because I haven't used either.
 
Both the E7 and the E11 are usable with your phone using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable to connect the headphone-out on your phone to the amp's 3.5mm port. Doing this on the E7 would bypass the DAC part and it would only function as an amp.
 
I'm not sure if you can use an external DAC with your specific phone (I'm not sure if you could use the micro-USB port on the phone to breakout into a headphone cable), but you would most definitely be able to use it with your PC. All you have to do is hook the E7 up to your PC via USB and use that as your sound-out.
 
As far as I'm concerned most any external DAC will make your phones sound better than not using one at all so I would probably go with the E7 over the E11. That's my 2 cents.

 

[SkyBleu]

Okay, well what you wrote there helped actually helped me a lot! Thank you
 
So i did a bit more digging around on the interweb, and I guess the E11 will be my pick of choice, not because i disagree with you in any way, but because I plan on using it on my phone mainly. As you had stated, the DAC function on the E7 will be bypassed if used via the 3.5mm jack (My phone can't handle DAC anyways), so that function would be of no proper use to me. My PC at the moment has a good sound card already, so i suppose the E7 with the inbuilt DAC wouldn't do much of a favour for me.
 
I read a few reviews around, and most said that if you're after an Amp only, then the E11 is better than the E7 at sound quality, but I have not tested that out.

Well, thank you for your feedback and just a last question, does amplifying through an Amp make the sound quality better? or does it just make the output louder? (Sorry, I'm new to all this Portable/headphone Amp stuff, just someone after quality sound)

 

[Kumouri]

Sounds like a good choice. I'm thinking about doing the same thing as I have no need for the DAC, either
 
In general an amp should increase the sound quality and loudness of your headphones by providing a sufficiently powerful input signal to your headphones. From the way I understand it, this can add more detail and separation in the sound you hear. It is especially noticeable in headphones that are inefficient and/or have a high impedance. The V-Moda M80's you said you had in the OP look to have an impedance of 28.5 ohms putting them on the low end for higher-end cans. This should mean they are easier to drive from your phone/amp.
 
An amp also makes sure there is enough (if you have a sufficiently powerful amp) power going into the headphones for them to output the loudness you want.
 
I hope this helps, and sorry if it's confusing, I'm pretty new to this myself, haha. If I'm wrong, anyone feel free to correct me and then maybe I'll learn something, too

 

[SkyBleu]

No, I'm understanding loud and clear, and YES, it does help...a lot, thank you!
Although, you don't sound like a novice around here, correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to know your stuff!
 
Well, i guess I'm all set, unless some expert speaks otherwise haha.

 

[Kumouri]

Good. And thank you, I don't know nearly as much as a lot of people on here, though.
 
I ope it all works out well and sounds even better!

 

[fiascogarcia]

You'll be happy with the E11, as it supplies more amp strength than the E7,  and the gain adjustment on it makes a big difference in the bass output!
 

 

[SkyBleu]

Oh, okays
 
Sorry for being a noob, but can someone explain to me about what the gain's function is and what it does to the sound audio?
 
Thank you.

 

[fiascogarcia]

Sorry, meant to say that the equalizer adjustment on the E11 provides a great bass boost!
 

 

[fiascogarcia]

Quote:

Oh, okays
 
Sorry for being a noob, but can someone explain to me about what the gain's function is and what it does to the sound audio?
 
Thank you.

I'm pretty new at this too!  But if you search for "What is gain?" here on head-fi, there are a few threads on the topic that go into as much detail as you might like.

 

[SkyBleu]

Well, thanks for the advice!
Now i fully understand what it really means haha
 
Thank you!

 

[SkyBleu]

I just encountered the Digizoid ZO2 and it seemed like nice little amplifier..Now, I am considering this one or the E11...
 
Does anybody know if the Digizoid ZO2 has a volume control or is it just EQ/Bass Booster?
If it does not have a volume control, then I will most likely be going with the E11.
 
Also, opinions are appreciated

 

[chumpas]

Any updates on this?
 
What happened with the Digizoid? Did you end up getting it or the FiiO E11?

 

[hodgjy]

I have the M-80 and E11 combo.  It is very nice.  Works very well.
 

 

[chumpas]

I have been seeing some people complain about the E11 having a weak left channel.
Is this true?
 
http://www.adorama.com/FIE11.html in the questions, a guy complains about his E11 not functioning properly on the left channel.
 
Also, others are complaining on Amazon that it sounds hissy at lower volumes. Any takes on this?