[Sonic Defender]

  Yess, ladies and gentlemen, my FiiO L5 LOD broke down after 2 weeks!  

 There is something wrong with the WM port end. My best bet is that the culprit is the strain on the cable that thick. 
My advice, buy the 30 cm long reasonably thick alternative on eBay instead.  

Yep, or if you aren't actually bypassing the DAC in your Sony via the L5 and just bypassing the amp you can also get a longer analogue to analogue cable and go from the headphone out to the amps input. I really can't hear if the L5 route sounds better, but the headphone out from the Sony is louder so that is a plus. If you are passing through to a DAC that is able to take such a low voltage output that is different, but not many portable DACs take such a low output unless I'm mistaken. The Oppo HA 2 is reputed to have been tested with the A17 and it can accept such a low voltage at it's USB.

 

[gerelmx1986]

  Yess, ladies and gentlemen, my FiiO L5 LOD broke down after 2 weeks!  

 There is something wrong with the WM port end. My best bet is that the culprit is the strain on the cable that thick. 
My advice, buy the 30 cm long reasonably thick alternative on eBay instead.  

You used it frequently? I don't use mine so frqeuntly, where it broke in the cable or the actual WM-connector?

 

[hte80]

  Yess, ladies and gentlemen, my FiiO L5 LOD broke down after 2 weeks!  

 There is something wrong with the WM port end. My best bet is that the culprit is the strain on the cable that thick. 
My advice, buy the 30 cm long reasonably thick alternative on eBay instead.  

Suggestion: Get a LOD with a 3.5mm SOCKET off ebay, and get the cable separately. that way you can replace the cable easily.

 

[castleofargh]

 

  Yess, ladies and gentlemen, my FiiO L5 LOD broke down after 2 weeks!  

 There is something wrong with the WM port end. My best bet is that the culprit is the strain on the cable that thick. 
My advice, buy the 30 cm long reasonably thick alternative on eBay instead.  

Suggestion: Get a LOD with a 3.5mm SOCKET off ebay, and get the cable separately. that way you can replace the cable easily.

here is what I have:
 

 
or this


wouldn't swear on who's more fragile, but given how cheap they are, when it breaks, I just get another one.(in fact I have some in advance ^_^)
 
 
else you have + this

or any other cable you want. that works fine, but it add length to your DAP+ the adapter+the jack so as a really portable solution it kind of sucks IMO. but if you're not sticking your DAP to the amp, then you can indeed get a longer cable and handle your DAP how you like on a desk. or go with this guy

 
 
I got those from mytongguy or awwan on ebay, if you have specific wishes always think about asking them, they're often willing to do a lot more than just what is on the pics. just don't expect super amazing quality as if it was a 300$ cable.
that said I broke some 300$ cables faster than I broke my first fiio L5 or awwan impedance adapter ^_^. but that's how I roll(all over them

). "I break cables" should really be the name of my hobby instead of audio.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Do any of you really notice a sound quality difference when going from the DAP's digital out to an amp versus going from the headphone out? As I said, I can't hear any improvement at all from the digital out so if you are not bypassing the DAC in the DAP and only the amp why not just go with a more flexible 3.5 to 3.5 cable? I think the L5 is a terrible design and doomed to short out for any real portable use, it is far too short and there is a ton of stress on the cable. It needs to be longer.

 

[Gals]

Do any of you really notice a sound quality difference when going from the DAP's digital out to an amp versus going from the headphone out? As I said, I can't hear any improvement at all from the digital out so if you are not bypassing the DAC in the DAP and only the amp why not just go with a more flexible 3.5 to 3.5 cable? I think the L5 is a terrible design and doomed to short out for any real portable use, it is far too short and there is a ton of stress on the cable. It needs to be longer.

I've seen at least one guy here that said he noticed a different on SQ. I got the Fiio L16 (very nice build quality) , and then the L5 - Sorry, can't say the L5 sounds better, tried hard... Does sound weaker that's for sure....

 

[Change is Good]

Though weaker, the line out is definitely cleaner sounding. Minimal, but there....

Louder isn't always better, people.

 

[gerelmx1986]

I do note the signal is cleaner by a small notch on the Fiio L5

 

[Gals]

Though weaker, the line out is definitely cleaner sounding. Minimal, but there....

Louder isn't always better, people.

Oh I'm sorry if I wasn't clear enough, I'm not suggesting there isn't any difference between those - just said my ears couldn't notice one...

Well, sometimes when I touch the 3.5mm connector on the L16 I do get some noise... Think that counts?....

 

[Sonic Defender]

Though weaker, the line out is definitely cleaner sounding. Minimal, but there....

Louder isn't always better, people.

If the amplitude isn't too loud for a listeners preference, or so loud as to cause pain, then louder is very often perceived as sounding better. This has been demonstrated extensively through research. I know this isn't exactly what you meant and I understand your point, but I think given the amplitude differences between the digital and analogue out are fairly close I'll bet that most of the time at a proper listening level range, people will identify the louder as sounding better.

 

[gerelmx1986]

Though weaker, the line out is definitely cleaner sounding. Minimal, but there....

Louder isn't always better, people.

Agree with you i know louder (playing it) sounds better but sometimes i can't bear it so i prefer cleaner signal than just modifying something in the mastering to make it sound louder to appear better

 

[castleofargh]

I'm a little candid when it comes to the LO and imagine they wouldn't bother creating an output that had as only perk, to not even be as loud as the HO ^_^. so I hope we get a few DB here and there. crosstalk? distortion maybe? I don't have much hope for noise floor with the voltage going down.
 
anyway it's not an amazingly measuring DAP compared to some of the competition, so people who are really concerned by sound fidelity should use the digital out on a pretty nice DAC/amp. that's probably the best way to do it, and also probably the best way to go loud. I don't do it only to get more battery out of my DAC/amp(the DAC part really sucks the battery dry), I'm clearly not an audiophile and more of a "don'tbothermephile" so I appreciate 5more hours of battery more than anything

.

 

[The Walrus]

  here is what I have:
 

 
 
 

I guess I am very very unlucky when it comes to LOD's. The one in the picture broke down the first day I bought it 

 

 

 

[The Walrus]

 
You used it frequently? I don't use mine so frqeuntly, where it broke in the cable or the actual WM-connector?

I use it all the time at home with my amp. Actually I figured it didn't completely break down... It comes and goes. the wm port connector is too loose. when I first bought it this was not a problem. But now, I have to try a few times to get it right. Probably a few pins don't fit tight or something... 

 

[Raketen]

 I'm clearly not an audiophile and more of a "don'tbothermephile" so I appreciate 5more hours of battery more than anything

.

But your posts are very informative!

Guess I'm a Good Enough-phile

Anyone here use the ATH-IM02 with an A10? I watched a review that said they heard the A10's hiss with it, but I haven't (except for tracks which IM02 tends to expose). To my ears IM02 pairs great with it. Maybe the hiss is just out of my hearing range (though I can hear some other source's hiss like Clip Zip and my laptop's, and an old cheapo fiio ipod amp).