Friio E5 vs Fiio E11
- Thread starter kmufc77
- Start date
Caporegime
- Joined
- 21 Jun 2006
- Posts
- 38,363
it has never been the case they have been the same, line out has always bypassed the cheap internal parts
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Jun 2010
- Posts
- 12,540
- Location
- London
The headphone out of the newer iPhones and iPads in particular aren't bad at all, they measure decently. Once you add an amp the only limiting factor of iOS devices is the DAC, as the older iPods used a Wolfson chip and the newer ones have a Cirrus Logic one IIRC. They are decent but obviously not high end, which led to the development of the Algorhythm Solo and HP-P1 devices.
Anyway, re; portable amps. The reason you buy one is because your source lacks the ability to drive your headphones properly, or in the case of many balanced armature IEMs, there is an impedence mismatch which can alter the frequency response. Generally modern players have enough oomph to drive cheap headphones adequetely, it's when you start wanting to take big, hungry, inefficient full-size cans out and about that portable amps become really useful, especially ones with adjustable gain stages etc so you can get an optimum amount of volume to play with.
Anyway, re; portable amps. The reason you buy one is because your source lacks the ability to drive your headphones properly, or in the case of many balanced armature IEMs, there is an impedence mismatch which can alter the frequency response. Generally modern players have enough oomph to drive cheap headphones adequetely, it's when you start wanting to take big, hungry, inefficient full-size cans out and about that portable amps become really useful, especially ones with adjustable gain stages etc so you can get an optimum amount of volume to play with.
Do you have a source for that?
Caporegime
- Joined
- 21 Jun 2006
- Posts
- 38,363
Caporegime
- Joined
- 21 Jun 2006
- Posts
- 38,363
iphones and ipods are designed to be high quality sources for IEM's, not aftermarket expensive cans, that is why you need to use line out and a portable amp with a decent pair of cans.
the thing is though, with this being a nerdy forum, people see someone else buy an E% or an E^ and they go out and buy the same thing thinking, oh it offers better SQ, but they have no idea how to use them.
ive had to tell numerous members in GD that they are using their amps wrongly or they bought the wrong amp in the first place.
people are buying the E7 for over £50 thinking its better as an amp because it costs more money, when the E11 at £42 is a lot better amp.
a lot of people buying E5's and E6's who have no reason to do so or using them with headphone out socket's and not using them with line out signals.
im amazed at the amount of stuff people will buy when they have no clue what it is supposed to be used for or how it works, because they saw a fellow member buy or use them.
theres millions of threads on head-fi, take a look on there
I had looked on there but there is no official definitive answer, just loads of threads like this: http://www.head-fi.org/t/380671/the-ipods-line-out-is-inferior/15
I was just interested that's all. I've lost my old E5 which I used to use with a Sony aw3000 set to line out. Just looking into what to get now for use with iPhone, iPod and iPad
I find the headphone output on my iPad 2 to be very quiet on my senn hd25, which is why I bought an e11 and an iDock to 3.5mm adapter. Sounds so much better.
In comparison my old iPod classic ( 4 gen I think ) is really loud via the headphone out socket.
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Jun 2010
- Posts
- 12,540
- Location
- London
I've understood the fuss about Fiio. They get stuff out on the cheap and people seem to think it'll compare to some of the £200+ amps that can drive LCD2's and things like that properly. A bit like the Sansa Clip love on Head-Fi. I get vexed reading this and the hi-fi subforum because people keep asking for 'good sound' and then offering a paltry budget. You spend £800 on a TV, or £1200 on your PC... but only £100 on the speakers?! (>_<)
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Jun 2010
- Posts
- 12,540
- Location
- London
I think some popular portable headphones (like your Senns) are designed for higher impedance sources (like the old iPods). The newer iOS devices are quite low impedance, so you can experience differing sound quality depending on what you're plugging into it.
i have a iphone 4 and have ordered a pair of beyerdynamic 1350 headphones.....excuse me for being a total noob but would i benefit from buying a e11 amp for these or would it be a waste?...i like to walk 3-5 miles a night and enjoy being immersed in quality sound
Ah that'd make sense
definately
Caporegime
- Joined
- 21 Jun 2006
- Posts
- 38,363
the L1 is horrible
the L9 = L3 the wire comes out at a different angle i think making the L9 better for ipod use i think.
so get either the L9 or L3
I had looked on there but there is no official definitive answer, just loads of threads like this: http://www.head-fi.org/t/380671/the-ipods-line-out-is-inferior/15
I was just interested that's all. I've lost my old E5 which I used to use with a Sony aw3000 set to line out. Just looking into what to get now for use with iPhone, iPod and iPad
that thread seems pretty clear to me, they are saying line out is better but dont use the built in Equaliser as it will affect the line out signal.
get the same as above an L9 or L3 with either an E6 or E11, the E11 being much better for SQ.
L9 it is then with the E11
very quickly off topic what do you think about BD 1350?
you seem to be knowledgable and frank in your answers
so tell me have i made a good purchase or not?
Caporegime
- Joined
- 21 Jun 2006
- Posts
- 38,363
beyerdynamic make quality headphones, i dont know those one's specifically but going by how much people rate some of their lower models the 770 specifically, the ones you have or have ordered should be amazing.
great little setup there. get the Equ app for iphone/ipod if you fancy teaking the sound, you can also us the E11 to tweak sound.
or you could just let it be and hear it as the artist intended you to do so. but i prefer to have a slight bit of extra bass and find the "dance" seting on the Equ app to be the best
Not sure if I'm going to go that far at the moment. I used to have some expensive shure earphones with the E5, but I've now got an ear condition that means I can no longer use earphones. It also means I've got dodgy hearing in my left ear, I've not listened to music in any serious way for the last few years due to this. I've just ordered the Panny HTF600 headphones to give them a try, no point spending lots of money if it sounds like I'm listening in mono!
Ive had afew fiio amps and also a caffine ultra amp ,but they dont compare to my necosoundlabs v2 with opamp upgrade ,it uses 2 opamps ,1 for each channel ,the opamps can be changed as he has fitted the dip8 plug in type.
has loads of power and amazing seperation ,goes great with my sfo2s line out maybe cos that uses 2 wolfson dacs.
anyway im in audio heaven at the moment with my denon d2000s ,much prefer these to the ultrasones (and i love those)
anyway neco has a v3 amp out now ,he sells through ebay
has loads of power and amazing seperation ,goes great with my sfo2s line out maybe cos that uses 2 wolfson dacs.
anyway im in audio heaven at the moment with my denon d2000s ,much prefer these to the ultrasones (and i love those)
anyway neco has a v3 amp out now ,he sells through ebay
