[ceemsc]

Using an EQ is way cheaper than buying equipment trying to match your personal taste in sound, through trial and error.  

+1

It enables you to get value for money by pushing the envelope on the large investment of engineering design, R&D, capability, testing + trials etc. whilst ironing out any flaws or pet-hates.

That's what the US Navy did as mentioned in a certain movie which celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this year...

 

[HisDudeness]

Currently selling @ 10% off in popular online vendors for the next 13 hours & if you search online, you can get a further 10% off vouchers with free UK shipping for Advanced MP3 Players...

Thanks,bought an A5 from Advanced MP3 for £80.10 after discounts plus £3.56% cashback from Topcashback.

Was gonna wait for the black version to be released to match my X5 but the deal was too good to miss

I appreciate the heads up

 

[Townyj]

Holy smokes... Ive had a revelation, was using my XDuoo X3 into the A5, just swapped to my DF Black and tried via my desktop computer. Geezus! Much more fuller sound! High gain and 1/4 on the dial is quite loud, was around 1/2 with the X3. The A5 definitely has the balls to make the HD600's sing!

 

[audio123]

My review of the A5 - http://www.head-fi.org/products/fiio-a5-portable-headphone-amplifier/reviews/17530.

For the price - its a bargain.

fantastic review. This amp is good

 

[fish1050]

  Using an EQ is way cheaper than buying equipment trying to match your personal taste in sound, through trial and error.  

How do you figure that?  Just because I am auditioning headphones instead of just ordering online and equing doesn't mean I will spend more.  I set a budget and choose headphones that are in my price range that meet my needs for sound quality and comfort.  Just because I am buying headphones off the internet unheard doesn't mean I will buy cheaper models.
 
Chances are based on reviews both personal and professional that I would still have purchased the same B&W P5 S2's.  The only difference is by auditioning them I was sure I would like them vs buying unheard and hoping so.  Also when you buy retail you can haggle for a better price.  My P5 S2's were selling for $299.00 in Toronto and I talked the salesman down to $269.00.  My budget was $300.00.  The store also covers the full 2 year warranty so if I need any replacement parts the store will get them for me.
 
Not all DAP's offer enough eq frequency adjustments to adjust the sound to your needs.  For example my A17 eq bands drop from 1 KHZ to 40 HZ.  Most of the headphones designed for portable use now are bass emphasized which I don't like and why I ruled out most pairs.  There is no way for me to adjust the lower bass frequencies to my liking on my A17 if I can only adjust at 40 HZ.   My A17 fits all my needs for battery life, storage capacity, and LDAC bluetooth, UI etc..  By your logic I would have to get a different DAP with greater frequency eq options even though my A17 is perfect for me so I could eq to match headphones.
 
Sorry, but taking my perfect for me DAP and matching it to the best headphones in my price range via audition makes more sense to me. Buying a DAP and headphones online and hoping I can eq them to match makes no sense to me. 

 

[ceemsc]

How do you figure that?  Just because I am auditioning headphones instead of just ordering online and equing doesn't mean I will spend more.  I set a budget and choose headphones that are in my price range that meet my needs for sound quality and comfort.  Just because I am buying headphones off the internet unheard doesn't mean I will buy cheaper models.

Chances are based on reviews both personal and professional that I would still have purchased the same B&W P5 S2's.  The only difference is by auditioning them I was sure I would like them vs buying unheard and hoping so.  Also when you buy retail you can haggle for a better price.  My P5 S2's were selling for $299.00 in Toronto and I talked the salesman down to $269.00.  My budget was $300.00.  The store also covers the full 2 year warranty so if I need any replacement parts the store will get them for me.

Not all DAP's offer enough eq frequency adjustments to adjust the sound to your needs.  For example my A17 eq bands drop from 1 KHZ to 40 HZ.  Most of the headphones designed for portable use now are bass emphasized which I don't like and why I ruled out most pairs.  There is no way for me to adjust the lower bass frequencies to my liking on my A17 if I can only adjust at 40 HZ.   My A17 fits all my needs for battery life, storage capacity, and LDAC bluetooth, UI etc..  By your logic I would have to get a different DAP with greater frequency eq options even though my A17 is perfect for me so I could eq to match headphones.

Sorry, but taking my perfect for me DAP and matching it to the best headphones in my price range via audition makes more sense to me. Buying a DAP and headphones online and hoping I can eq them to match makes no sense to me. 

Yes these are all good reasons to pre-audition before purchasing. The problems are the conditions under such auditions take place including in-store vs. own setup which can skew results including Sales pressure / tactics etc.

Auditioning can be rather hit & miss + you might miss any potential flaws regarding the actual technicalities.

Also the stores are subject to popular sales trends not just availability & will stock what will sell; they have to for survival. So HMV in UK no longer sells DENON head-gear ever since the Music MANIAC line came out as this flopped.

It's not just saving ca$h at the till as I appreciate you have a decent set budget but making sure what you get is value for money.

Buying online "blind" can have its problems including DOA, potentially no support/returns etc. But those are the downsides as it is a potential gamble.

For the FiiO A5, do you intend to pre-audition? I've purchased based on others reviews, the FiiO brand, specs on the box & so long as the actual kit is not a dud; I intend to get to working to my tastes/practical standpoint ...

 

[fish1050]

Yes these are all good reasons to pre-audition before purchasing. The problems are the conditions under such auditions take place including in-store vs. own setup which can skew results including Sales pressure / tactics etc.

Auditioning can be rather hit & miss + you might miss any potential flaws regarding the actual technicalities.

Also the stores are subject to popular sales trends not just availability & will stock what will sell; they have to for survival. So HMV in UK no longer sells DENON head-gear ever since the Music MANIAC line came out as this flopped.

It's not just saving ca$h at the till as I appreciate you have a decent set budget but making sure what you get is value for money.

Buying online "blind" can have its problems including DOA, potentially no support/returns etc. But those are the downsides as it is a potential gamble.

For the FiiO A5, do you intend to pre-audition? I've purchased based on others reviews, the FiiO brand, specs on the box & so long as the actual kit is not a dud; I intend to get to working to my tastes/practical standpoint ...

Well I am using my own setup, as I purchase the DAP prior to starting my headphones auditions. I try the DAP for a few days and if it fits my needs I load it with my test music and use it to audition the headphones.  All the specialty audio electronics stores that I buy from have at least a 14 day and some 30 day return policies.  If the DAP isn't to my liking I return it and try another model until I find what I want.   Once I make my final DAP choice and use it to test for my perfect headphone match I am golden. If I happen to find my DAP online from a Canadian retailer for significantly less I can always return the one I bought and repurchase online at the lower price. 
 
Also just because I audition headphones in the store does not mean I have to buy from the store.  I do my homework, find the best price online including shipping for all the models I am considering.  Use the online price to negotiate a better price with the retailer for the headphones I want. If the retailer will come close to the online price I will buy retail  for the piece of mind of knowing I have a physical location to come to if a problem develops.  As an example, I bought a pair of Sennheiser Urbanites and the first time I used them at home the right earpad popped off and I could not get it back on.  I returned the headphones to the store and in the end bought my B&W P5 S2's after about a 75 minute audition. 
 
I only audition headphones at specialty electronics retailers of which there are several in Toronto.  They have racks of previously burnt in headphones that I can try out in store for as long as I want.  They also have dedicated listening rooms where you can audition product and they don't pressure and harass you like Best Buy.  Unlike big box type stores specialty electronics retailers will allow you to return headphones and most will give you at least 14  and some 30 days to return the product if you change your mind.  I have been dealing with these same specialty electronics retailers for decades and worked at one for 15 year and I know I can trust them with my business
 
As for the A5 there are several Fiio dealers in Toronto I can go to to audition it.  But having previously done extensive testing of the E12A and given they A5 is very similar to the E12A other than more power and less battery I find no point.  I have no need for the power of the A5 and would rather have the extra 8 hours of battery life from the E12A should I need an amp at some point.  If I happen to be in a store at some point that sells the A5 I may do an audition just to satisfy my curiosity.
 
Most people don't realize that you can haggle with retailers including Best Buy to get a better price. Just do your homework before you do and don't trust anything the salespeople tell you.  I find it fun to hang around Best Buy sometimes and listen to the salespeople BS the customers.  Then I warn the customers if I think they are getting fleeced,  Good Times!!

 

[fish1050]

+1

It enables you to get value for money by pushing the envelope on the large investment of engineering design, R&D, capability, testing + trials etc. whilst ironing out any flaws or pet-hates.

That's what the US Navy did as mentioned in a certain movie which celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this year...

You guys just don't get it, you don't have to buy the equipment to test it.  Just go to a electronics specialty store that has equipment you can demo in store.  Most like the ones I visit have tonnes of equipment you can try out and dedicated listening rooms to audition the product.  If you are smart about it it won't cost you anymore then buying equipment and then trying to eq it.

 

[ceemsc]

You guys just don't get it, you don't have to buy the equipment to test it.  Just go to a electronics specialty store that has equipment you can demo in store.  Most like the ones I visit have tonnes of equipment you can try out and dedicated listening rooms to audition the product.  If you are smart about it it won't cost you anymore then buying equipment and then trying to eq it.

Headphone Amps must be very specialised as no easy to reach retail store in the UK I can see stocks them apart from Richer Sounds or in London & even then they don't have the full range of what you want to try.

My closest FiiO outlet is actually hifiheadphones but they are more like a warehouse, you have to book auditions & they currently don't stock the A5.

Anyway, I've bought the A5 for a bargain & testing it out... It is definitely cleaner sounding with no hiss even with a noisy USB laptop cable plugged in. The Bass Boost switch is stiffer so won't easily get flicked off. Instead of sticky silicon feet which eventually rub off you get some useful silicon spacers. So all in all. a nice upgrade from the original E12.

 

[HisDudeness]

Headphone Amps must be very specialised as no easy to reach retail store in the UK I can see stocks them apart from Richer Sounds or in London & even then they don't have the full range of what you want to try.

My closest FiiO outlet is actually hifiheadphones but they are more like a warehouse, you have to book auditions & they currently don't stock the A5.

Anyway, I've bought the A5 for a bargain & testing it out... It is definitely cleaner sounding with no hiss even with a noisy USB laptop cable plugged in. The Bass Boost switch is stiffer so won't easily get flicked off. Instead of sticky silicon feet which eventually rub off you get some useful silicon spacers. So all in all. a nice upgrade from the original E12.

Headphone Amps must be very specialised as no easy to reach retail store in the UK I can see stocks them apart from Richer Sounds or in London & even then they don't have the full range of what you want to try.

My closest FiiO outlet is actually hifiheadphones but they are more like a warehouse, you have to book auditions & they currently don't stock the A5.

Anyway, I've bought the A5 for a bargain & testing it out... It is definitely cleaner sounding with no hiss even with a noisy USB laptop cable plugged in. The Bass Boost switch is stiffer so won't easily get flicked off. Instead of sticky silicon feet which eventually rub off you get some useful silicon spacers. So all in all. a nice upgrade from the original E12.

I suspect you got the A5 bargain on the same deal as me, paid £76.58 in total after discounts, voucher codes and Topcashback at Advanced MP3, a nice saving off their current £109.99 listing. Delivered on a Sunday too.
Was intialilly annoyed as I missed out on a Graham Slee Voyager (I use a GSP Solo Ultra Linear Diamond Edition head amp on my hifi set-up) on Ebay due to bad wifi but the deal I got on the A5 softened the blow

Intial impressions are good, well made and packaged. I am using it with my X5 (first gen) and am driving a pair of AKG K550, I know these are easy to drive but they sound better amped hence the purchase.

The amp seems to let the DAP character shine with no obvious colouration, I don't however care for the bass boost, seems to throw a veil over the sound for me. Overall though it feels like a decent upgrade and has breathed new life into my set-up.

 

[FiiO]

Quote:

Anyway, I've bought the A5 for a bargain & testing it out... It is definitely cleaner sounding with no hiss even with a noisy USB laptop cable plugged in. The Bass Boost switch is stiffer so won't easily get flicked off. Instead of sticky silicon feet which eventually rub off you get some useful silicon spacers. So all in all. a nice upgrade from the original E12.

Quote:

Intial impressions are good, well made and packaged. I am using it with my X5 (first gen) and am driving a pair of AKG K550, I know these are easy to drive but they sound better amped hence the purchase.

The amp seems to let the DAP character shine with no obvious colouration, I don't however care for the bass boost, seems to throw a veil over the sound for me. Overall though it feels like a decent upgrade and has breathed new life into my set-up.

Thank you for sharing the feedback of the A5 to us. 

 Hope you can enjoy it.
 
Best regards

 

[Silent Xaxal]

How is this when paired with the HD650 or HD800S?

 

[ceemsc]

How is this when paired with the HD650 or HD800S?

I can't speak for those specific models but the bass boost is essential for my HD700... Sounds great in my subjective opinion...

 

[DGonlag2]

I have nothing to compare it to, but the A5 sounds great with my HD650. I'm loving the sound, especially with the bass boost on.
Gets incredibly loud too.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Was intialilly annoyed as I missed out on a Graham Slee Voyager

Ouch, that would suck. Graham Slee gear doesn't get much love on head-fi (it is pricey) but I owned a Novo for a time and I couldn't believe just how good it sounded. Sorry for going OT. I'm also a big FiiO fan and waiting for the Q5 as I insist on Bluetooth connectivity so worth the wait, otherwise I would have grabbed the A5.