[REVIEW & MOD] FiiO L6 LOD for Sansa Fuze
Mar 26, 2011 at 12:56 PM Post #16 of 67
The LOD does open up the sound, but it will take a good amp to take it to the next level and as I have somewhat mentioned in the first post - it is not going to transform Fuze into something it is not. If you never like the warm sound of Fuze to begin with, then you would probably be better off with something you do like.
 
Apr 12, 2011 at 4:52 AM Post #18 of 67
Apr 12, 2011 at 6:19 AM Post #20 of 67
I used the 6.3V version, the 10V version is too big to fit inside.. Note that the 47uF / 6.3V is still a little bigger so you will need to file down the inside of the plastic case so you can glue it back tightly.
 
Apr 27, 2011 at 2:36 PM Post #22 of 67
So, after reading tons of stuff on here and on other sites, I'm still a bit confused.
 
Does the stock (i.e., non-modded) FIIO L6 provide a true line out for the Sansa Fuze? 
 
I ask for the following reason: I want to run the Fuze into the AUX (or CD) line-in inputs on the rear of my Apt/Holman preamp to play it through my home audio system. 
 
I've tried doing this through the Fuze's headphone jack (using a cable that consists of a 3.5 mm plug out from the Fuze's headphone jack on one end and red/white RCA plugs into the preamp on the other end).  And although I get a signal, the sound quality is poor coming from the Fuze using this method.  And that is regardless of the volume setting on the Fuze (i.e., even with the volume all the way up on the Fuze, the quality of the signal/sound is still poor).   It's not an issue with the preamp because anything else I hook into the AUX or CD inputs on the preamp--CD player, tape player, tuner--sound fine.
 
Any insight you can provide would be great.    Thanks!
 
Apr 27, 2011 at 3:22 PM Post #23 of 67
It is true line-out, regardless of L6 having mod'ed or not. Fuze headphone-out doesn't really distort much regardless of volume, so you should in theory get as good a sound as using a headphone, unless you also find that your headphone sounds terrible.
 
Apr 27, 2011 at 3:42 PM Post #24 of 67
Thanks, ClieOS.
 
No, my headphones don't distort at all. They sound great, in fact.
 
But the Fuze hooked into my preamp via the 3.5mm-to-RCA cable sounds poor.  Distorts a bit and sounds "thin" or "weak" for lack of better terms.  Even with the volume on the Fuze all the way up.  Like if I play a track from the Fuze and then play the same track from a CD, using the same inputs on the preamp, it's like night and day in terms of sound quality.  And this is also the case regardless if the track on the Fuze is a FLAC file or something of lower quality like an MP3.
 
Is there a better connector cable that I should be looking into to go from the Fuze headphone jack to my Apt/Holman preamp?  I know putting a separate headphone amp between the Fuze and the preamp will degrade the sound even more, so that's not an option.
 
Also, with the L6 connected, it bypasses the Fuze's internal amp completely?
 
 
 
Apr 27, 2011 at 3:44 PM Post #25 of 67
i think the fuze sounds pretty good from the headphone out, as long as you keep the EQ off. i also connect it to my deck in my car (volume on fuze always set to the max) and luckily my deck has a "Source Level Adjuster" in addition to the volume adjustment, which i also set to max gain.

is a LOD something i should consider before ordering a Graham Slee Voyager to drive my Westone 4?

 
Apr 27, 2011 at 3:50 PM Post #26 of 67
Oh yes, I always keep the EQ off.  Even when I use my headphones.
 
And under "Settings," I have volume set to "High."
 
I also don't use Replay Gain.
 
Quote:
fomoz said:
i think the fuze sounds pretty good from the headphone out, as long as you keep the EQ off. is a LOD something i should consider before ordering a Graham Slee Voyager to drive my Westone 4?
Click to expand...



 
 
Apr 27, 2011 at 3:52 PM Post #27 of 67


Quote:
steelglam said:
Thanks, ClieOS.
 
No, my headphones don't distort at all. They sound great, in fact.
 
But the Fuze hooked into my preamp via the 3.5mm-to-RCA cable sounds poor.  Distorts a bit and sounds "thin" or "weak" for lack of better terms.  Even with the volume on the Fuze all the way up.  Like if I play a track from the Fuze and then play the same track from a CD, using the same inputs on the preamp, it's like night and day in terms of sound quality.  And this is also the case regardless if the track on the Fuze is a FLAC file or something of lower quality like an MP3.
 
Is there a better connector cable that I should be looking into to go from the Fuze headphone jack to my Apt/Holman preamp?  I know putting a separate headphone amp between the Fuze and the preamp will degrade the sound even more, so that's not an option.
 
Also, with the L6 connected, it bypasses the Fuze's internal amp completely?
 
 
Click to expand...

Some of the possibility include that the Fuze is overdriving the pre-amp, it is unlikely but not impossible. Try instead lowering the volume on Fuze and see if it helps.
 
The truth is more complicated, but in simple term the L6 does bypass the headphone amp section.
 
 
Quote:
fomoz said:
i think the fuze sounds pretty good from the headphone out, as long as you keep the EQ off. is a LOD something i should consider before ordering a Graham Slee Voyager to drive my Westone 4?
Click to expand...

I think it is worth investing a decent LOD if you already spent that much money on a good amp.
 
 
 
Apr 27, 2011 at 3:53 PM Post #28 of 67
steelglam said:
Thanks, ClieOS.
 
No, my headphones don't distort at all. They sound great, in fact.
 
But the Fuze hooked into my preamp via the 3.5mm-to-RCA cable sounds poor.  Distorts a bit and sounds "thin" or "weak" for lack of better terms.  Even with the volume on the Fuze all the way up.  Like if I play a track from the Fuze and then play the same track from a CD, using the same inputs on the preamp, it's like night and day in terms of sound quality.  And this is also the case regardless if the track on the Fuze is a FLAC file or something of lower quality like an MP3.
 
Is there a better connector cable that I should be looking into to go from the Fuze headphone jack to my Apt/Holman preamp?  I know putting a separate headphone amp between the Fuze and the preamp will degrade the sound even more, so that's not an option.
 
Also, with the L6 connected, it bypasses the Fuze's internal amp completely?
 
 
Click to expand...


i think it sounds thin/weak only if you don't max out the volume on the fuze. which firmware do you have? at some point they included a new "feature" which reduced the volume of the fuze. then they enabled an option to set it back to what it was before. with the latest firmware, this is located in Settings -> System Settings -> Volume, make sure you set this to High!
 
Apr 27, 2011 at 3:55 PM Post #29 of 67
clieos said:
Some of the possibility include that the Fuze is overdriving the pre-amp, it is unlikely but not impossible. Try instead lowering the volume on Fuze and see if it helps.
 
The truth is more complicated, but in simple term the L6 does bypass the headphone amp section.
 
 
I think it is worth investing a decent LOD if you already spent that much money on a good amp.
 
 
Click to expand...

which ready-to-use LOD would you recommend? i don't have the skill/equipment to solder it myself :)
 
Apr 27, 2011 at 4:00 PM Post #30 of 67
There are a few custom made Sansa LOD on teh eBay, but I have no idea how they sound.

 
 
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