[WaLaoEh]

I am using a Lenovo ThinkPad SL400, and whenever i plug in my GR07s, there is this constant hiss which I can hear. There is also hiss when I plug in my HD419, though the hiss is a lot less.
 
I bought a Creative Sound Blaster Play! external sound card just yesterday and found out that it managed to reduce ( almost eliminate ) the hiss.
 
Now I am thinking of getting a FiiO E17 to use as an amp for my mobile setup, and as a DAC for my laptop, so I was wondering , if the E17 would reduce or eliminate the hiss on the crappy headphone out.
 
And how am I supposed to connect a DAC to my laptop? Via USB port or the laptop's headphone out?
 
Thanks!
 
 

 

[Bill-P]

Yep. E17 should eliminate hiss.
 
To use E17 as a DAC, you connect it to USB. To use as an amp, you connect it to headphone out. I'd imagine that the hiss would also be eliminated if you were to use it as an amp.

 

[WaLaoEh]

Quote:

Yep. E17 should eliminate hiss.
 
To use E17 as a DAC, you connect it to USB. To use as an amp, you connect it to headphone out. I'd imagine that the hiss would also be eliminated if you were to use it as an amp.

Thanks for your reply!
May I know what is the difference between using it as a DAC and using it as an amp for my laptop?
 

 

[Bill-P]

If you are using it as an amp, the amp takes whatever signal your computer outputs through its headphone port and apply "filters" to it, so to say. In this case, your computer's internal sound card takes the digital data (MP3, FLAC, etc...) and converts it to analog signal.
 
If you are using it as a DAC, the computer will send the digital data to the E17 and let the E17 handle the conversion to analog signal.
 
Since the E17 has a very good DAC chip, it can convert digital sound to analog better than most laptops out there. But if you don't want to mess with the switching that ensues (switch from internal sound card to USB and vice versa), then using it as an amp eliminates the switching step for you.
 
That's how it is with my E7. I don't think the E17 is much different.
 
But in both cases, you're plugging your headphones into the E17. Since the E17's headphone port likely has lower impedance and better EMI shielding than your laptop, that's where the hiss is eliminated.

 

[Nando1970]

go for a USB DAC and you'll be glad.
The Fiio E17 is a good suggestion: I'm using the older and cheaper E7 with very good results

 

[WaLaoEh]

If you are using it as an amp, the amp takes whatever signal your computer outputs through its headphone port and apply "filters" to it, so to say. In this case, your computer's internal sound card takes the digital data (MP3, FLAC, etc...) and converts it to analog signal.

If you are using it as a DAC, the computer will send the digital data to the E17 and let the E17 handle the conversion to analog signal.

Since the E17 has a very good DAC chip, it can convert digital sound to analog better than most laptops out there. But if you don't want to mess with the switching that ensues (switch from internal sound card to USB and vice versa), then using it as an amp eliminates the switching step for you.

That's how it is with my E7. I don't think the E17 is much different.

But in both cases, you're plugging your headphones into the E17. Since the E17's headphone port likely has lower impedance and better EMI shielding than your laptop, that's where the hiss is eliminated.

I see,so using the amp or dac for my laptop would be better? What do you think?

 

[Bill-P]

From my experience, the DAC would be better all the time. Hands down.

 

[bowei006]

What everyone said is basically all you need to know. what's important with IEM's however is that some are a lot more sensitive and prone to hiss. I don't remember hearing the GR07's having any problems wahtsoever. the E17 has very very good electromagnetic shielding. enjoy. mass availbility will be in about 1 month.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I see,so using the amp or DAC for my laptop would be better? What do you think?

 
Now a days audio is stored in a digital form (zeros & ones) and are ears can only hear an analog (wave) signal.
Your laptop comes with a low cost DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) and the headphone output (analog) on the laptop is low quality.
So using the an external device (like the E17) with both a better DAC and better headphone amplifier improves the sound for your headphones.
Also there is electrical noise inside computers (like the laptop) which can affect the analog audio signal.
Using a USB cable carries the digital audio signal from inside your laptop to an external device (like the E17) where the digital audio signal is converted (using the DAC) to an analog audio signal,
away from the electrical noise inside the Laptop.
Once converted to an analog audio signal, the analog audio is sent to the headphone amplifier.
Hopefully this gives you a better understanding.