# [Impression] FiiO E10



## ClieOS

Again, just want to thank FiiO for the E10 sample. Note, this is a pre-release E10 sample that has the same hardware as the final version, but the packaging might be slightly different.
   
  FiiO sure is fast this year with one release after another. This time it is the E10, an USB DAC with a headphone amp. Here are a few things that need to be clarify before we go into the actual impression:
   
  First, E10, like E9, is not designed to be portable as there is no battery inside. At most, it is transportable. For those who own a NuForce uDAC before, E10 belongs to the same class of product. You should think of it as a high quality external soundcard dedicated to drive headphone (though it can be connected to powered speaker as well via its line-out socket).
   
  Second, E10 is a pure USB DAC that has a headphone amp section. It has no line-in so you can’t connect it to your DAP. USB is all it takes so you should use it with PC, well, perhaps some other devices that has an USB host function as well. If you have no idea what is a USB host function, don’t worry – just understand E10 is supposed to be used with PC and you will be fine.
   





   




   
*SPEC*
  Power Supply: via USB port
  Output Power: 100mW (32ohm)
  Sampling Rate: 24bit / 96kHz (Max)
  Coaxial Output: Stereo PCM
  Frequency Response: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
  SNR ≥ 90dB
  Headphone Impedance Range: 16ohm ~ 300ohm
  Crosstalk ≥ 60dB
  Size: 78.7mm x 49.1mm x 21mm
  Weight: 80g
   




   
*Build Quality and Accessories*
  Build quality is already pretty solid on FiiO, E10 is no exception. The surprising part is the size of E10. It is barely bigger than a Nuforce uDAC and even smaller than E11 in footprint (though thicker). In fact, it comes in a metal tin case that resembles the one from E11 and you won’t have guessed it can fit the whole E10 inside, plus an USB cable and some rubber foot sticker.
   




   




  Belly of the beast. The high / low gain was marked wrongly on my sample, but the final version should have that problem
   
  On the front, you will find the 3.5mm stereo headphone socket, a hardware bass boost switch and the volume pot with a blue indicator LED next to it. The volume pot is mounted semi-recessive into the face plate (which, to take a small credit, is part of my suggestion to FiiO during prototyping). On the back, there are the USB input, coax output and the 3.5mm stereo line-out. On the belly of E10 is a small gain switch for high and low gain selection. According the RMAA, the difference between the two gains is roughly 7dB.
   
*Hissing and imbalance*
  Using a Shure SE530 (which is quite hiss prone), no hiss is detected on low gain at max volume. Some fainted hiss is detected on high gain when volume is over 2/3 of the pot (that’s about 5 / 8 on the dial) when no music is playing. But since it is impossible to use a high sensitivity IEM like the SE530 over 1.5 / 8 on the dial when music is playing (which is crazily loud), hissing can be considered as none existence in practice.
   
  No obvious imbalance is detected on either high or low gain during normal / low listening using the SE530, which is quite good to say the least.
   
*Gain and Efficiency*
  As mentioned, the low and high gain is about 7dB apart as indicated by RMAA. In real life, the volume pot can hardly go pass 3 / 8 even with 150 ohm IEM (i.e. RE262) in low gain. On high gain, HifiMan HE300 (50ohm / 93dB) is already rocking out real loud on 4 / 8. There simply isn’t one headphone in my collection that can push the volume pot over half of what it is capable.
   




  Size comparison: NuForce uDAC (top left), iBasso D-zero (top right), FiiO E11 (bottom left), E10 (bottom right).
   




   
*Sound Quality and EQ*
  Let talk about EQ first, as it is the simplest and required no comparison. If you take a look at the FR curve, you will know the bass boost is only around 3dB and 500Hz down. It should be the same bass boost circuit design for most of other FiiO’s product. As far as bass is concerned, the boosting is really mild. If you are using balanced armature IEM, the bass boost will sound more significant. For full sized and dynamic based IEM, it sounds more like an added layer of warmth in the bottom end rather than chest pounding rumble.
   




  Using E10 high gain as reference. E10 low gain has been adjusted to -7dB according to RMAA.
   
  Now let compares the line-out between E10, uDAC, E7, and the new iBasso D-zero all feeding into Meier Audio’s Corda 3MOVE, driving a pair of HifiMan RE262. First thing to note is that E10, E7 and D-zero all use the same structure of DAC section – that is combing the well received Wolfson WM8740 DAC with a USB receiver chip. In the case of E7 and D-zero, the USB chip is TI PCM270x series that only supports sampling rate up to 16bit / 48kHz. E10 uses the Tenor TE7022L USB chip that gives it a higher sampling rate at 24bit / 96kHz. The original uDAC that I current have user an ESS Sabre DAC but only supports up to 16bit / 48kHz as well (though the uDAC2 supports up to 24bit / 96kHz like E10). As far as bitrate and sampling rate are concerned, you shouldn’t really need to worry if you are just a regular, average user. They are more for future compatibility as most commercial music is still encoded using the 16bit / 44.1kHz standard.
   
  Out of the four, E10’s line-out sounds the best, followed by D-zero, uDAC, and E7 in the last place. While D-zero and uDAC’s line-out both have wider soundstage than E10, they both lacks texture in the mid and low -especially on uDAC as it is also the brightest among the four. E7 on the other hand sounds more compressed and warm when compared to the other three. While E10 soundstage is only bigger than E7 among the four, it has much better layer and image so it doesn’t sound compressed when compared to the wider sounding uDAC and D-zero.
   
  ===
   
  For mainly a desktop solution, how does E10’s headphone-out compared to uDAC’s, FiiO’s own E7+E9 combo and Über Muzik Tiny Tube DAC when driving RE262?
   
  First, uDAC’s headphone-out really benefits from its wider soundstage and so it does sound more open than E10. It also has better bass control with a harder hit. But the upper treble, especially a lot of the sparkle are missing from uDAC. A look at the RMAA result reveals that there is a rather shape roll off on uDAC when it goes over 16~17kHz. Though uDAC headphone-out is decent on its own, a quick A/Bing instantly reveals that E10 is noticeably more detail. While it might have a softer bass hit and not quite-as-wide a soundstage (but by no mean bad itself), I still prefer E10 as it is more balance overall.
   
  Second, E7+E9 combo is actually quite close in performance to E10 when driving RE262. While E10 sounds a little more spacious, crisp on the top and better texture on the mid, E7+E9 has tighter bass and really smooth presentation. But the difference is small enough not to say which has a distinct advantage over the other, at least not when they are driving RE262. The real eye opener is feeding E10’s lineout to E9 – the result is clearly better than E7+E9 or E10 by itself. It is spacious, texture and powerful. That being said, it is obvious E7 is a slightly lesser DAC than E10 while E10’s amp section doesn’t quite have the control and power of E9.
   
  Third, Tiny Tube DAC is based on the same TPA6120 found on E9’s amp section, so it too has quite a lot of power behinds it. The interesting bit about the Tiny Tube DAC is that it doesn’t really sound like a tube gear. It is rather clean, bright and highly detail, certainly the most detail sounding among the four and opposite to the classic FiiO warm sound. As far as detail and soundstage are concerned, Tiny Tube DAC is definitely ahead. But it is also less texture and pickier on synergy. Overall I’ll still prefer Tiny Tube DAC just a little over E7+E9 and E10, but the same can’t be said when E9 is pairing with E10. Do note than both E9 and Tiny Tube DAC has rather high output impedance so low impedance IEM (especially BA based IEM) might sound more accurate / linear on the E10.
   
  ===
   
  Since E10 uses the same opamp (AD8397) as E11, how does they compare? I feed the line-out from E10 to E11 and A/B'ed them. E10's headphone-out is noticebly brighter and cripier than E11, but not quite as hard hitting on the bass. Overall, the sound signature of the two are similar even though E10 amp circuit is not the three channels design as in E11. Synergy wise, E10 should be easier than E11 on pairing since it is niether particularly bright or dark.
   




   
*Conclusion*
  As far as an $80 USB DAC goes, E10 is a killer. The $99 uDAC (which I thought to be quite good a year ago) isn’t much of a competition. My recently acquired $109 D-zero from iBasso is able to keep up on the DAC performance, but lose out on the amp section (of course not quite a fair comparison since D-zero is meant to be portable). Though E7 is little more expensive, it really can’t compete with E10 besides portability. While I don’t think E10 can really beat out DAC that is twice its price, what it does is still very admirable – to say the least. All and all, E10 is a well rounded small USB DAC with a good bang for the bucks factor.


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## Pelotonjon

Great review, thanks.  Just pre-ordered a FiiO E10.


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## Hosoi

Nice read.Kinda disappointed about soundstage but other than that,seems to be THE dac/amp under 100.


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





hosoi said:


> Nice read.Kinda disappointed about soundstage but other than that,seems to be THE dac/amp under 100.


 

 It is not bad per se, just not really wide like uDAC. Then again, it is also not as hollow in the mid as uDAC. FiiO has never been known for wide soundstage in any of their amp anyway. They tend to go for a warmer, more texture sound that portray the mid well.


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## DaBomb77766

Hm, how does it compare to the E11?  That is, would it be an improvement to use the line-out with the E10 to go to the E11?  (although I guess that would be very impractical given that the E11 can't be charged and used at the same time...)


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





dabomb77766 said:


> Hm, how does it compare to the E11?  That is, would it be an improvement to use the line-out with the E10 to go to the E11?  (although I guess that would be very impractical given that the E11 can't be charged and used at the same time...)


 


 Some description just before the last picture, check them out. E11 is more powerful than E10, but unless you have very (and I do mean very) difficult to drive headphone, the two are really about even in use. If you find E11 to be too dark'ish for your taste, then E10 should fit in nicely.


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## HK-47

I realize that you'r more of an IEM guy, but did you get to try the E10 with some relatively hard-to-drive full-size headphones? I'm interested in getting a Senn HD6x0 and I'm wondering whether I should get an E9 or if the E10 alone would be good enough.


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## sulkoudai

Hey clieOS, do you have the E17s, have FiiO given you like a pre realise sample??
   
  if you do, can you comment on them a little bit??


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





hk-47 said:


> I realize that you'r more of an IEM guy, but did you get to try the E10 with some relatively hard-to-drive full-size headphones? I'm interested in getting a Senn HD6x0 and I'm wondering whether I should get an E9 or if the E10 alone would be good enough.


 

 I don't really have any full size cans that can be classified as hard to drive. I don't have that many full size actually.
   
  Quote: 





sulkoudai said:


> Hey clieOS, do you have the E17s, have FiiO given you like a pre realise sample??
> 
> if you do, can you comment on them a little bit??


 
  I don't think FiiO finish the R&D on E17 yet. We won't likely to see it until early next year. That being said - no, I don't have sample of E17.


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## Kimmy7

Wow that was a great review : ) thanks! i am a little bit confused about one part.
  So how does the line out of the E10 connect to the E9? And is it right that you said that it improves the performance? Thank you sooo much. Cause i have ordered E10 and am now thinking about buying E9 or A1? after reading this


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## Radioking59

Quote: 





kimmy7 said:


> So how does the line out of the E10 connect to the E9?


 
  The E9 has a line in on the back. All you need is a mini to mini interconnect.


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## Parall3l

Nice review, good to see FR is nice and flat, sweet. I'm definitely getting one of these


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## kckc

Thanks for the review. I have already pre-ordered mine and excited to get them


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





kimmy7 said:


> Wow that was a great review : ) thanks! i am a little bit confused about one part.
> So how does the line out of the E10 connect to the E9? And is it right that you said that it improves the performance? Thank you sooo much. Cause i have ordered E10 and am now thinking about buying E9 or A1? after reading this


 

 Like said, a 3,5mm interconnecting cable will do. E10's line-out sounds better than E7's line-out, so using E10 instead of E7 as DAC will make E9 sounds better.


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## AncientWsidom

Great review thanks!
   
  I might pre-order one too.


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## Ikelmonster

Thanks for the review, nice quick read. You mentioned that you would call this "transportable," do you think it is sturdy enough to be thrown in a backpack for use at the library, coffee shop etc?
   
  I was set on getting the E7 but now with  this out, I really don't need the battery because I would just be using it as an external soundcard for my Mac, but I'm curious if it seems like it would be prone to breaking in a backpack full with books and stuff


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





ikelmonster said:


> Thanks for the review, nice quick read. You mentioned that you would call this "transportable," do you think it is sturdy enough to be thrown in a backpack for use at the library, coffee shop etc?
> 
> I was set on getting the E7 but now with  this out, I really don't need the battery because I would just be using it as an external soundcard for my Mac, but I'm curious if it seems like it would be prone to breaking in a backpack full with books and stuff


 
   
  It is full metal housing with tight fitting, so it will probably break what ever stuff you are trying to put too close to it in a backpack. I'll be worry about those other stuff first before I have any concern on E10.


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## kite7

Is the line out always active? The E9 disabled the line output when there was a load connected to either headphone jack.


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## Ikelmonster

Quote:


clieos said:


> It is full metal housing with tight fitting, so it will probably break what ever stuff you are trying to put too close to it in a backpack. I'll be worry about those other stuff first before I have any concern on E10.


 


  Hahaha that's assuring 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 thanks


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## rawrster

I'm tempted to get the E10. I no longer have a transportable usb dac/amp but then again I listen most of my portable with my phone but this is definitely real tempting. As long as the dac and the amp is good I may go for it since the price is good but I may want to wait until demand goes down a bit since I don't like waiting and Fiio products usually have high demand when it gets first released.


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





kite7 said:


> Is the line out always active? The E9 disabled the line output when there was a load connected to either headphone jack.


 

 Yes.
   
  Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I'm tempted to get the E10. I no longer have a transportable usb dac/amp but then again I listen most of my portable with my phone but this is definitely real tempting. As long as the dac and the amp is good I may go for it since the price is good but I may want to wait until demand goes down a bit since I don't like waiting and Fiio products usually have high demand when it gets first released.


 

 The 1st batch is already out and I assume the 2nd batch shouldn't be that far off, so you probably won't need to wait that long.


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## balancebox

so its more a laptop amp?
   
  I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me if you can use this with an android device can they all have mini usb
   
  phone mini usb out to E10 usb in
   
  E7 or E10 -.-
   
  thanks


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## firev1

I don't think androids have usb host functionality, only nokia's. And as a portable DAC, E7 is still the only choice since it comes with  batteries.
   
  Damn, your making me suffer cus I just bought a creative DAC a couple months back, looks like I will wait for the E17 to dock with E9 when I get better headphones. The E10 looks fantastic and seems like a great buy for just $80 usd. Will definitely recommend it to my friends.


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## estreeter

I guess its the way of the world, but many of us will vividly recall the wild reception afforded to the uDAC just a couple of short years back. Even the HDP has suffered its share of slings and arrows since its release.


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## ClieOS

uDAC was a decent and relatively inexpensive upgrade for my Dell desktop PC internal soundcard for over a year, at least It'll get credit for that. But now E10 has took its place in my PC rig. I do have better DAC (Tiny Tube DAC mentioned in the review and even using HM801 as DAC), but for $80 E10 is small, easy to use and more than sufficient to drive most headphone I have. It would have been perfect if it also has an ultra wide soundstage, but I am still quite happy to take E10 over uDAC.


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## rawrster

I have a quick question. Can the E10 be used as a usb spdif converter as well? I assume that's what that output is for.


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## xxhaxx

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I have a quick question. Can the E10 be used as a usb spdif converter as well? I assume that's what that output is for.


 

 Yup, E10 can be used as a spdif converter


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I have a quick question. Can the E10 be used as a usb spdif converter as well? I assume that's what that output is for.


 
  Yes. It will do SDPIF for stereo PCM, but it doesn't support more than two channels.


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## FoxSpirit

When ICS adds host ability to Android, could you use something like the E10 with it or would the USB out from a smartphone be too weak?
  And I heard FiiO also has a sucessor to the E7 in the making?


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## Armaegis

minor typo: the chip used in the E9 is the TPA6120, not OPA...


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> minor typo: the chip used in the E9 is the TPA6120, not OPA...


 
  Corrected, thanks.


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## firev1

Quote: 





foxspirit said:


> When ICS adds host ability to Android, could you use something like the E10 with it or would the USB out from a smartphone be too weak?
> And I heard FiiO also has a sucessor to the E7 in the making?


 


  I don't think that phones have enough power to drive the E10 through USB out. And yes the E17 is in the making, its the true successor to the E7.


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## cce121

looks like d-zero has the weakest amp section compared to others.
  Anyone has idea how's d-zero amp compared to slimmer dedicated amp say E6?


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## estreeter

If the last 12 months are any indication, Fiio has a successor to *EVERYTHING* in the making ....


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## Armaegis

And yet still no sign of a desktop amp... (even though they've had that sectino on their site for a while now)


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## estreeter

A *lot* of competition in the budget desktop amp category, and they would find themselves up against companies like CA, Marantz, Rotel, NAD and others. Of course, Fiio will undoubtedly better them on price, but can they do it more cheaply than Nuforce ?
   
  http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/iconamp/index.php
   
  That little speaker amp gets zero keystrokes here, but 189 USD for a 2x30W speaker amp ? I reckon the feet on a Macintosh probably cost more than 189 USD


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





cce121 said:


> looks like d-zero has the weakest amp section compared to others.
> Anyone has idea how's d-zero amp compared to slimmer dedicated amp say E6?


 

 Well, E7 is the one with the weakest amp in the review. I have commented on D-zero vs E6 in the D-zero thread about my initial impression, which I think still hold true after >50hrs of burn-in. Quoted below:
   

  Quote: 





clieos said:


> Just received my D-zero a few hours ago and I have done some initial listening. So far, the amp section is decent. Better than E7 but close to / slightly better than E6. As I have predicted before, it doesn't sound quite as good as T3D. Compared to E6, D-zero has better bass hit and soundstage (though a little hollowed out / 2D / lacks layer), but upper mid / lower treble is noticeably grainier / edgier. It is not the best amp to pair with bright headphone. I haven't had the time to fully test the DAC section yet, but I think so far I can tell it is where the real value is at. Compared to E7's line-out and Headstage USB DAC cable (both use the PCM270x + WM8740 solution), D-zero is pulling ahead on detail, resolution and separation, but not vastly. Does it beats E7 on most area in SQ? Yes. Does it crash E7 totally? Not quite. It costs almost $40 (including the $16 shipping) more than E7 (around $85 shipped) so I think better performance should be expected.
> 
> Also, I believe the housing is anodized aluminum, not plastic.


 


  
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> And yet still no sign of a desktop amp... (even though they've had that sectino on their site for a while now)


 
  You mean E15? I don't think it will come this year. For what I understand, the next release will likely be E17 on / before Feb 2012, then E15 before / by April 2012. After April, FiiO likely will begin to focus on the R&D of DAP again. These are my guess.


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> A *lot* of competition in the budget desktop amp category, and they would find themselves up against companies like CA, Marantz, Rotel, NAD and others. Of course, Fiio will undoubtedly better them on price, but can they do it more cheaply than Nuforce ?
> 
> http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/iconamp/index.php
> 
> That little speaker amp gets zero keystrokes here, but 189 USD for a 2x30W speaker amp ? I reckon the feet on a Macintosh probably cost more than 189 USD


 

 Truth being told, outdoing NuForce is actually no difficult at all. James himself used to be an amp designer and FiiO's previous life were also partially involved in the amp business. Don't forget FiiO already has a Class-D desktop amp called A1- 14W x 2 and only $95 on Amazon.


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## estreeter

Good points ClieOS - as I said in another thread, it wasn't that long ago that NuForce could do no wrong with Head-Fiers, but the pendulum seems to have well and truly swung. There is a lesson in there somewhere.


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## Assimilator702

When I first learned of the E10 with it's DAC and headphone amp I thought at first that I could easily carry it over to my home rig to simplify my headphone rig whenever I wished.
   
  But no coaxial or toslink input???
   
  I understand this unit is powered via USB but how difficult would it be to include either coaxial or toslink input....get rid of that coaxial output...... and offer a power supply that connect through the USB port?
   
  For me....that would be the* perfect* affordable gateway DAC/amp being able to use it with a computer or a dedicated CD player.


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## obazavil

I will just get an E10 and E6 probably...
   
  Maybe they did that to reduce costs? Maybe their main competitors are HRT and uDac2?  dunno


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## Assimilator702

Quote: 





obazavil said:


> I will just get an E10 and E6 probably...
> 
> Maybe they did that to reduce costs? Maybe their main competitors are HRT and uDac2?  dunno


 


  I will get the E10 to use on my computer setup....it seems the units that have S/PDIF input are more expensive.
   
  I could use a unit with toslink on both my rigs....I'm new to all this are there any quality DAC/amp units that are around $100 that have toslink in?
   
  Sorry for jacking the thread.....


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





assimilator702 said:


> When I first learned of the E10 with it's DAC and headphone amp I thought at first that I could easily carry it over to my home rig to simplify my headphone rig whenever I wished.
> 
> But no coaxial or toslink input???
> 
> ...


 

 To put a SPDIF output is simple on the E10 because the USB receiver chip TE7022L already supports SDPIF output on the chip itself. But to put a SPDIF input onto E10 will require putting an transceiver chip like the Wolfon WM8805 into the E10, which means more space and more components are needed. That will add up significantly to the cost for a feature most PC user won't use. What you really need is probably the upcoming E17 and not the E10.
   


  Quote: 





assimilator702 said:


> I will get the E10 to use on my computer setup....it seems the units that have S/PDIF input are more expensive.
> 
> I could use a unit with toslink on both my rigs....I'm new to all this are there any quality DAC/amp units that are around $100 that have toslink in?
> 
> Sorry for jacking the thread.....


 

 That's barely an USB DAC with feature like E10 under $100. Just a year ago we would all have to pay over $100 for something similar. There is however FiiO D3 which is a pure DAC (no amp) for toslink and coax input to RCA-out, just that you can't use it with E10 (since there is no input)


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## Armaegis

Quote: 





clieos said:


> You mean E15? I don't think it will come this year. For what I understand, the next release will likely be E17 on / before Feb 2012, then E15 before / by April 2012. After April, FiiO likely will begin to focus on the R&D of DAP again. These are my guess.


 

 Oh whoops, I got my wires crossed... I was thinking about iBasso there. Don't they supposedly have a desktop amp in development?


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Oh whoops, I got my wires crossed... I was thinking about iBasso there. Don't they supposedly have a desktop amp in development?


 


 Possible, but I don't keep track on desktop amp that much as my interest is mainly in portable amp (mainly ultra portable and ultra affordable 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). For now, I am interested in the upcoming iBasso T5 more.


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## dgriffter

Using TF10vi (the one with inline mic) with fiio e10 and the jack plug is incredibly sensitive to any sort of pressure, giving me what sounds like an approx. 70% drop in volume if I touch it or rub it, which of course happens when in pocket, etc. Just like there were some sort of loose internal connection, or perhaps related to the jack adaptor for the "vi" version. Anyone else experienced this? Wondering if this is related to the jack or maybe a faulty unit? 
   
  Edited for typo


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## Parall3l

Quote: 





dgriffter said:


> Using TF10vi (the one with inline mic) with fiio e10 and the jack plug is incredibly sensitive to any sort of pressure, giving me what sounds like an approx. 70% drop in volume if I touch it or rub it, which of course happens when in pocket, etc. Just like there were some sort of loose internal connection, or perhaps related to the jack adaptor for the "vi" version. Anyone else experienced this? Wondering if this is related to the jack or maybe a faulty unit?
> 
> Edited for typo


 

 Sounds like something is loose to me


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





dgriffter said:


> Using TF10vi (the one with inline mic) with fiio e10 and the jack plug is incredibly sensitive to any sort of pressure, giving me what sounds like an approx. 70% drop in volume if I touch it or rub it, which of course happens when in pocket, etc. Just like there were some sort of loose internal connection, or perhaps related to the jack adaptor for the "vi" version. Anyone else experienced this? Wondering if this is related to the jack or maybe a faulty unit?
> 
> Edited for typo


 

 The TRRS plug on the TF10vi and the 3.55mm TRS socket might not agree on each other. It happens to me on another IEM with TRRS plug with a DAP before. The easiest solution is to use an normal 3.5mm TRS female to TRS male extension cable so you don't have to plug the TRRS plug into E10 directly. Though 3.5mm is a fairly common standard, sometime a tiny variation in production of either the socket or the plug can create a loose connection and it is especially common with TRRS plug into TRS socket.


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## Souji

I own the FiiO E7+E9, should I consider purchasing the E10 to combine with the E9?
   
  Also, would the bass boost feature work with the E10+E9?


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## ClieOS

Quote: 





souji said:


> I own the FiiO E7+E9, should I consider purchasing the E10 to combine with the E9?
> 
> Also, would the bass boost feature work with the E10+E9?


 


 I would think you should wait for the E17 as a more significant update. However, E17 will be more expensive at sub$200. Bass boost only works on the headphone-out and it doesn't affect the line-out.


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## JamesFiiO

e17 will support line out or pre amp out through the dock connector, there are a hardware switcher to select it.
   
  that means , you can get bass/treble boost from the dock too.


----------



## dgriffter

Quote: 





clieos said:


> The TRRS plug on the TF10vi and the 3.55mm TRS socket might not agree on each other. It happens to me on another IEM with TRRS plug with a DAP before. The easiest solution is to use an normal 3.5mm TRS female to TRS male extension cable so you don't have to plug the TRRS plug into E10 directly. Though 3.5mm is a fairly common standard, sometime a tiny variation in production of either the socket or the plug can create a loose connection and it is especially common with TRRS plug into TRS socket.


 

 Thanks for the info - I will check out the extension cable


----------



## rawrster

I ordered a pair at Micca Store so looks like I didn't have to wait too long. As much as I like my sgs it didn't compare to decent usb dac/amp I've tried but at $80 there isn't much to lose here and I did not have a usb dac/amp for transportable use so hopefully this will fit the bill. It also uses a mini usb cable which I have lots of so don't have to use a different cable like with the UHA4 which was my last usb dac/amp.
   
  Thanks for helping me make my decision easier clieos


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I ordered a pair at Micca Store so looks like I didn't have to wait too long. As much as I like my sgs it didn't compare to decent usb dac/amp I've tried but at $80 there isn't much to lose here and I did not have a usb dac/amp for transportable use so hopefully this will fit the bill. It also uses a mini usb cable which I have lots of so don't have to use a different cable like with the UHA4 which was my last usb dac/amp.
> 
> Thanks for helping me make my decision easier clieos


 

 So you don't like the UHA-4? At least from spec, I thought its amp section should be quite good and the DAC is okay.


----------



## rawrster

The UHA4 was great especially the volume control but after some time I didn't see the point of owning something where I would only use half the features. I only needed a usb dac/amp to use with my netbook so having a portable amp seemed like lost money to me since I had to pay for that as well as the usb dac/amp for the UHA4. The price seems much better for the E10 and under $100 and seems to be of nice quality dac and amp.
   
  I have no idea if the UHA4 amp only section is good as I have never tried it and now that I don't own it I never will. I just go with my phone to customs without a portable amp in between. I can't handle the added bulk and additional cable.


----------



## jto168

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> e17 will support line out or pre amp out through the dock connector, there are a hardware switcher to select it.
> 
> that means , you can get bass/treble boost from the dock too.


 






   
  This is good news!


----------



## jto168

ClieOS - great review as always.
   
  As an E7+E9 owner, I am going to hold out for the E17 as I still need the true portability aspect that the E7 has.
   
  That said, the E10 looks like a very solid DAC/AMP combination.


----------



## tigim101

I just bought one of these as my first USB dac / headphone amp, will I be able to use the 3.5mm lineout to connect speakers? I'm planning on getting a t amp and bookshelves that have RCA on the back so I would just use a RCA to 3.5 adapter and it should work right?


----------



## rawrster

You can get a rca to 3.5mm cable that will be able to connect to the amp since it has rca inputs and from there you can connect them to your speakers.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





jto168 said:


> ClieOS - great review as always.
> 
> As an E7+E9 owner, I am going to hold out for the E17 as I still need the true portability aspect that the E7 has.
> 
> That said, the E10 looks like a very solid DAC/AMP combination.


 

 Thanks. I'll probably do the same (waiting for E17) if I were in the same situation.
   


  Quote: 





tigim101 said:


> I just bought one of these as my first USB dac / headphone amp, will I be able to use the 3.5mm lineout to connect speakers? I'm planning on getting a t amp and bookshelves that have RCA on the back so I would just use a RCA to 3.5 adapter and it should work right?


 

 Yep, 3.5mm to RCA cable is just fine.


----------



## tim3320070

Quote: 





tigim101 said:


> I just bought one of these as my first USB dac / headphone amp, will I be able to use the 3.5mm lineout to connect speakers? I'm planning on getting a t amp and bookshelves that have RCA on the back so I would just use a RCA to 3.5 adapter and it should work right?


 


  This: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021804&p_id=5597&seq=1&format=2
  And speaker wire like this: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023902&p_id=2748&seq=1&format=2
  I have this T-amp and like it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/S-M-S-L-SA-S3-TA2021B-25W-2-4-Stereo-Power-Amplifier-/220873544285?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item336d16d25d#ht_8264wt_1163
   
  Good luck


----------



## jto168

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *ClieOS* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> RE: E9 - wait for E17 or get the E10
> 
> Thanks. I'll probably do the same (waiting for E17) if I were in the same situation.


 
   
  I was going through this thread and was reading about the E15 and how it might possibly stack up against the E7+E9 and more closely, the upcoming E17+E9.
   
  Based on pure speculation, what is your opinion on the E15 in comparison to an E17+E9 combo in terms of power output and sound quality?
   
  Like many other E7+E9 owners, I am wondering which upgrade path to take that would yield the best in terms of performance.

 The impression I got was that the E15, being a true desktop amp and DAC solution, would probably benefit from having a larger form factor thus allowing a better DAC and amp component. In theory, this would make the E15 better than the E17+E9 combination as the E17 is limited because of its portability. I'm very curious to see a head to head comparison of the E15 vs E17+E9 when both products are available. The difference in sound quality and output, if neglible, would make either product a solid choice and the only real deciding factor would be portability.


----------



## kiteki

Quote: 





clieos said:


> [...]
> 
> Third, Tiny Tube DAC is based on the same TPA6120 found on E9’s amp section, so it too has quite a lot of power behinds it. The interesting bit about the Tiny Tube DAC is that it doesn’t really sound like a tube gear. It is rather clean, bright and highly detail, certainly the most detail sounding among the four and opposite to the classic FiiO warm sound. As far as detail and soundstage are concerned, Tiny Tube DAC is definitely ahead. But it is also less texture and pickier on synergy. Overall I’ll still prefer Tiny Tube DAC just a little over E7+E9 and E10, but the same can’t be said when E9 is pairing with E10. Do note than both E9 and Tiny Tube DAC has rather high output impedance so low impedance IEM (especially BA based IEM) might sound more accurate / linear on the E10.


 

 So the Tiny Tube is better than the E10... have you reviewed it seperately? Just curious.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





jto168 said:


> I was going through this thread and was reading about the E15 and how it might possibly stack up against the E7+E9 and more closely, the upcoming E17+E9.
> 
> Based on pure speculation, what is your opinion on the E15 in comparison to an E17+E9 combo in terms of power output and sound quality?
> 
> ...


 
   
  Actually I think E15 is very likely to be E17+E9 in nature, or at least E17+more power. As far as I know the hardware of E17 and E15 has not been finalized yet, so it is hard to say how they will compare even on spec. But I would think E17 and E15's DAC section should be very similar. The main difference should be on the amp section.
  
   
  Quote: 





kiteki said:


> So the Tiny Tube is better than the E10... have you reviewed it seperately? Just curious.


 

 http://www.head-fi.org/t/550692/impression-ber-muzik-tiny-tube-dac


----------



## bosiwollig

Anybody tried this with the ath m50?
Thanks in advance.


----------



## The_Blood_Raven

Well, I have to be honest. I'm really impressed by this little thing. The sound is excellent, there is plenty of juice to run power hungry full-sized headphones, and the build quality is excellent. I'm not really qualified to give anything close to a review, but I will say that I'm impressed by it. I would call it pretty neutral, nothing really gets emphasized on my FA-002ws. Perhaps its a bit warm, if anything.

If I were to find a fault, it would be that the included USB cable is a little bit shorter than what I would have liked, but for some it might be perfect or even too long.

Edit: Okay the bass boost is actually kind of massive. It sounds pretty good though, I can't notice any significant harm done to the rest of the spectrum with my FA-002ws. Makes them actually very nice for dubstep, and I can turn it off for other genres and enjoy the natural bass. Can't believe the bass boost works this well, but then again I've never had a hardware bass boost before. Man that makes me happy.


----------



## rawrster

It does not look like my E10 will be delivered today so I'm hoping to pick it up Thursday. The tracking said it went to the post office that it usually goes to before going to my local post office and that was after noon so I'll get it sometime this week. If all works out I'll pick up my headphones and E10 at the post office that day.
   
  I'll find out soon enough how it does will harder to drive headphones or at least just the DT880 since I don't have a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter but I could pick one up if i really wanted to.


----------



## The_Blood_Raven

rawrster said:


> It does not look like my E10 will be delivered today so I'm hoping to pick it up Thursday. The tracking said it went to the post office that it usually goes to before going to my local post office and that was after noon so I'll get it sometime this week. If all works out I'll pick up my headphones and E10 at the post office that day.
> 
> I'll find out soon enough how it does will harder to drive headphones or at least just the DT880 since I don't have a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter but I could pick one up if i really wanted to.




Can't put my FA-011s over 4.5/8 at high gain, even on a song that's 80% sub-bass, anything else maxes at 4/8, or 3-3.5/8 for metal. These things also suck juice to a ridiculous level. Hope that helps.


----------



## rawrster

Well that's just part of it so not the whole story. I've had amps where my headphones went plenty loud but it wasn't being driven properly. I don't expect the E10 to fully drive any of my orthos or the DT880 however but I'll just use it for  customs.


----------



## The_Blood_Raven

rawrster said:


> Well that's just part of it so not the whole story. I've had amps where my headphones went plenty loud but it wasn't being driven properly. I don't expect the E10 to fully drive any of my orthos or the DT880 however but I'll just use it for  customs.




What I was saying was under the assumption that it did in fact drive the headphones properly. The E10 will drive the FA-011, with a decent amount of volume left. So there might be a chance that it does alright with your Beyers.


----------



## Souji

I'd like to share my unboxing video of the FiiO E10!
   
  I also made size comparisons with the FiiO E7 and E11.
   
  Hope you enjoy! Please feel free to check out my other videos.


----------



## obazavil

Tuesday, and already delivered to California!
   
*Thanks Micca, AMAZING speed *
   
  And..this thing is tiny...
   
  Now to wait for LCD-2 to test the DAC, and for Ed8 to test the amp


----------



## Souji

^That's exactly where I bought mine!
   
  Micca definitely has amazing speed. You will fall in love instantlyy~


----------



## rawrster

I ordered mine from there as well but for some reason USPS sent them to a post office that is not my local post office so it's going back to the previous one and then to my local one. Hopefully it attempts delivery tomorrow or wednesday so I can pick it up after work on thursday.
   
  A short usb cable would be good for me as I'm only using it with my netbook as my main usage but I got plenty of those.


----------



## TobaccoRoad

I'm waiting for E10 to be available on Amazon because I still have gift card funds left.
   
  Anyone know when Micca will ship their E10 through Amazon? It seems they're only available through their website right now.


----------



## Radioking59

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Hopefully it attempts delivery tomorrow or wednesday so I can pick it up after work on thursday.


 

 I got mine today and a signature was not required so they should just leave it in your mail box.


----------



## Jack C

Quote: 





tobaccoroad said:


> I'm waiting for E10 to be available on Amazon because I still have gift card funds left.
> 
> Anyone know when Micca will ship their E10 through Amazon? It seems they're only available through their website right now.


 

 We will not likely be offering the first batch of the E10's on Amazon because of the limited numbers in the initial run. 
   
  The second batch, for certain will be available.
   
  Jack


----------



## fender

Hi ClieOS,
   
  Do you think the E10 is has more mids compared to others in the similar range?
   
  I'm planning to increase the mids on DT770Pro 80Ohms. Do you think the E10 will increase the mids and powerful enough to drive?


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





radioking59 said:


> I got mine today and a signature was not required so they should just leave it in your mail box.


 


 I don't have a mail box but rather a slot so anything that does not fit usually means a package slip so I can pick it up. My headphones will be coming in on Wednesday and also via USPS so I can pick both of them up in one trip so saves me some time. This is of course assuming no one is home and it is not likely that there will be people home.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





fender said:


> Hi ClieOS,
> 
> Do you think the E10 is has more mids compared to others in the similar range?
> 
> I'm planning to increase the mids on DT770Pro 80Ohms. Do you think the E10 will increase the mids and powerful enough to drive?


 

 I don't feel it has more mid than it supposed to have, nor find it lack of. But it certainly has better mid than the original NuForce uDAC. Don't know how well E10 will drive the Beyer, but I don't see why E10 won't be powerful enough (purely based on spec).


----------



## rawrster

So in a surprising fashion my E10 has arrived. I guess someone was home when the usps came but that usually isn't the case. The E10 is tiny. It reminds me of the uDAC but smaller. I like the case they put it in as it will probably come in handy when I want to put it in my bag. I thought they left out the usb cable but it was on the bottom of the case so it was a bit deceptive but it wouldn't have mattered since I have lots of usb to micro cables.
   
  I have only used them with my customs for a few minutes but there is some channel imbalance but it ends at around 0.5/8 on low gain. It sounds quite good with my customs but don't have much time before I have to leave. I'll try with my DT880 later but not expecting much. The cable is a bit long for me but I have one that is short and one I like to use with charging my old phone so I'll use it with this instead now. If I still had my 3.5mm to RCA cable I'd test it out how good the dac is since my PPAv2 amp isn't really doing much these days other than collecting dust.
   
  Also I tried the bass boost with my customs and it does add a good amount of bass but I prefer it off.


----------



## andrewberge

Last time i had a device with an analog volume control i had unignorable balance issues after a year or so of use.
  Any idea what to expect from the E10?


----------



## Shizdan

Ugh I have been waiting on these to pop up on amazon.com now for weeks!


----------



## rawrster

So I think I may have found what I wanted. I wanted a small usb dac/amp and I got just that. My previous one was a UHA4 but I sold them after finding out about these being shipped around this time as it was cheaper and I was not using the UHA4 fully due to the portable amp being lost on me. At $80 they are quite bargain and quite the versatile unit. I really like the little case it comes with as that was my issue with the uDAC that it did not have a pouch or anything to store it with but that's not the case here.
  
  Quote: 





andrewberge said:


> Last time i had a device with an analog volume control i had unignorable balance issues after a year or so of use.
> Any idea what to expect from the E10?


 

 I don't quite understand what the question is? There is slight imbalance for me until around 0.5 on the volume knob and that is with a custom. With less sensitive phones I'm sure it will be less but I doubt many listen at that volume.
   
   
  Quote: 





shizdan said:


> Ugh I have been waiting on these to pop up on amazon.com now for weeks!


 

 Why not just order from micca store? Their shipping was fast and it seems to be that they are a company with good CS as I haven't really heard anything negative about them. I certainly am satisfied with my purchase from them.


----------



## Aaron1006

How would the E10 pair with the HD600/650. Is it powerful enough, and if so would I be hearing even close to the full potential of them?


----------



## andrewberge

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I don't quite understand what the question is? There is slight imbalance for me until around 0.5 on the volume knob and that is with a custom. With less sensitive phones I'm sure it will be less but I doubt many listen at that volume.


 

 Sorry, i should have been more clear. It was a pair of headphones, actually, and not high end.
  They had an analog volume control on them, and with time the balance went wrong, i got static as i turned the nob and the balance would actually change.
  I had to use trial and error to get the balance right and then adjust the volume on my DAP.
  Anyway, i was wondering if i might get similar problems down the line with other devices.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





andrewberge said:


> Sorry, i should have been more clear. It was a pair of headphones, actually, and not high end.
> They had an analog volume control on them, and with time the balance went wrong, i got static as i turned the nob and the balance would actually change.
> I had to use trial and error to get the balance right and then adjust the volume on my DAP.
> Anyway, i was wondering if i might get similar problems down the line with other devices.


 
  I'm not sure that would be the fault of your amp. It could be the jack on the amp needed a touch up job on the solder, your cable going out or something else completely. As for those kind of concerns I have had my E10 for a few hours and no one really has had them long enough to know any issues that may come up. However I have not really had issues like that before so it may have just been a one time thing with that unit. I don't know how long the warranty is for the E10 but if you buy through an authorized dealer there may be some kind of warranty with it.
   
  Quote: 





aaron1006 said:


> How would the E10 pair with the HD600/650. Is it powerful enough, and if so would I be hearing even close to the full potential of them?


 

 I will try with my DT880 when I get home but I'm not too keen about those being driven by a usb powered device. They require clean and a good amount quality amp. The DT880 is more difficult to drive imo so it should give a decent idea of how the HD600 may fare but I would suggest something that is not powered by usb. It also depends on how much you are willing to spend however.


----------



## andrewberge

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I'm not sure that would be the fault of your amp. It could be the jack on the amp needed a touch up job on the solder, your cable going out or something else completely. As for those kind of concerns I have had my E10 for a few hours and no one really has had them long enough to know any issues that may come up. However I have not really had issues like that before so it may have just been a one time thing with that unit. I don't know how long the warranty is for the E10 but if you buy through an authorized dealer there may be some kind of warranty with it.


 

 Oh, okay. Thanks for the info


----------



## The_Blood_Raven

andrewberge said:


> Last time i had a device with an analog volume control i had unignorable balance issues after a year or so of use.
> Any idea what to expect from the E10?




I don't notice any channel imbalance with my Fischer Audio FA-011s, FA-002ws, Etymotic Er-4Ps, or JVC FX500s. Hope that helps.


----------



## rawrster

Volume is not an issue with the DT880 which is not surprising. However it does not go anywhere near what I hear when I use my V200 or even my PPAv2 amp which is also expected. I would not use the E10 with a harder to drive phone unless this is all you can afford or if you only want one unit and plan on using it with easier to drive headphones or earphones. It could also be useful when you are in a bind such as if your dac dies on you and you have nothing else to use.
   
   
  Also keep in mind that my standard of reference retails at around $1500 while this is a $80 usb dac/amp so it is definitely not a fair comparison but I am not making it out to be a fair comparison. If you have not heard a dac/amp before then it will sound great. If I have never heard the 2 dacs and amps then I will be happy with this but I have so I would want something better.


----------



## DKaz

Has anyone compared the E10 to the Audinst MX1 or Yulong U100?


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> Also keep in mind that my standard of reference retails at around $1500 while this is a $80 usb dac/amp so it is definitely not a fair comparison but I am not making it out to be a fair comparison. If you have not heard a dac/amp before then it will sound great. If I have never heard the 2 dacs and amps then I will be happy with this but I have so I would want something better.


 

 All of which begs the question : *why buy the E10 in the first place* ? Seriously, unless you needed a standalone DAC (or a cheap means of converting USB to optical out), why even part with $80 that could have been spent on beer ? No question re the novelty factor, but that wears off so very quickly.


----------



## kite7

I got a E10 but I found out the ON and BASS is switched around. Moving the switch to ON actually gives the bass boost while moving it to BASS turns off the boost. Plenty of power for my grados, Volume knob at 1 with gain on low


----------



## Radioking59

Quote: 





kite7 said:


> I got a E10 but I found out the ON and BASS is switched around. Moving the switch to ON actually gives the bass boost while moving it to BASS turns off the boost.


 
  It's not switched around. The E10 doesn't have a on/off switch as I'm sure you've noticed.  The on is referring to the bass boost.


----------



## kite7

Quote: 





radioking59 said:


> It's not switched around. The E10 doesn't have a on/off switch as I'm sure you've noticed.  The on is referring to the bass boost.


 
   
  I find it weird; if anything it would be more logical to have the top say BASS and the bottom one say OFF. Oh well, not a big deal
   
  Few things that I notice:
  The volume of the 3.5mm headphone output drops when connecting my desktop computer speakers to line output.
  Volume is controllable using windows and it is possible to mute
  Audible pop sound through the headphones when plugging or disconnecting from headphone output, doesn't happen on the E7 and E9  or my sansa clip


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> All of which begs the question : *why buy the E10 in the first place* ? Seriously, unless you needed a standalone DAC (or a cheap means of converting USB to optical out), why even part with $80 that could have been spent on beer ? No question re the novelty factor, but that wears off so very quickly.


 
   
  I never said I couldn't find use with the E10. It just doesn't compare to my standard but I never said it was bad. I use the E10 with my customs when I am out of the house and bring my netbook. I can't exactly bring my dac or amp with me when I leave the house. I don't see these marketed really as a standalone dac but rather something to use when you bring your netbook or laptop out for transportable use since your home rig is not suitable for outside use.


----------



## andrewberge

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> All of which begs the question : *why buy the E10 in the first place* ? Seriously, unless you needed a standalone DAC (or a cheap means of converting USB to optical out), why even part with $80 that could have been spent on beer ? No question re the novelty factor, but that wears off so very quickly.


 


  But i don't even _like_ beer!


----------



## kiteki

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> All of which begs the question : *why buy the E10 in the first place* ? Seriously, unless you needed a standalone DAC (or a cheap means of converting USB to optical out), why even part with $80 that could have been spent on beer ? No question re the novelty factor, but that wears off so very quickly.


 

 You make a very compelling argument!


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> All of which begs the question : *why buy the E10 in the first place* ? Seriously, unless you needed a standalone DAC (or a cheap means of converting USB to optical out), why even part with $80 that could have been spent on beer ? No question re the novelty factor, but that wears off so very quickly.


 

 This is headfi... spending money on toys we don't need is the name of the game. FiiO/iBasso is practically an initiation rite at this point.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I never said I couldn't find use with the E10. It just doesn't compare to my standard but I never said it was bad. I use the E10 with my customs when I am out of the house and bring my netbook. I can't exactly bring my dac or amp with me when I leave the house. I don't see these marketed really as a standalone dac but rather something to use when you bring your netbook or laptop out for transportable use since your home rig is not suitable for outside use.


 
  Precisely. Not every Ferrari Enzo owner want to drive their Enzo to everywhere all the time.


----------



## MickeyVee

Just got my E10 in today and the plan is to use them with the Senn HD25-II's.  I tried it with my HD650's and although it will drive them to pretty decent levels, the sound is gritty, less dynamic and constricted compared to my Matrix Mini-i.  Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing dac/amp for the price and drive the HD25's quite well.  You will not get anywhere near the potential out of the HD6x0 series especially with dynamics and extension.
  I would say a minimum of the E10/E9 combo or the upcoming E17/E9 combo to get a decent sound of the Senn HD6x0's. That's about a minimum starting point as far as I'm concerned. YMMV.
  
  Quote: 





aaron1006 said:


> How would the E10 pair with the HD600/650. Is it powerful enough, and if so would I be hearing even close to the full potential of them?


----------



## golf4fun12

okay, messing around with different settings on the e10 didn't take very long since there are only 3 really. but finding which one to me sounds the best was a little tricky. high gain hits harder with bass. takes away from the highs a little, but I like it. I guess you could say you can switch the settings depending on the song. you may find it annoying to keep changing the settings. I don't mind changing it since it is just a switch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  all in all, I feel like this is a good starting point for me.
   
  Thanks feiao for the responses


----------



## Pelotonjon

I'm getting a soft click on the left channel when I change tracks in iTunes/Amarra.  Is this normal?  Otherwise, the unit sounds great, I'm very happy with it.


----------



## rawrster

I have not heard a click when changing songs but I don't use any of those 2 programs. Can you see if that happens when you are not using the dac or if you have other music players to try it with.


----------



## Pelotonjon

It only makes the click with the DAC, and it happens in other programs as well (Fidelia, VNC).


----------



## golf4fun12

I never noticed a clicking sound when switching songs in itunes. I do now, but it is very very faint. barely hear it at all.
   
  as for a comparison test.....I listened to itunes using the e10 for about 30 minutes. I then went back to using just the comp w/out the e10 and noticed there is quite the difference. the e10 really does a good job.


----------



## Radioking59

I'm getting the click with foobar2000 also.


----------



## xxhaxx

I'm assuming that the clicking only happens when the sampling rate changes


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> This is headfi... spending money on toys we don't need is the name of the game. FiiO/iBasso is practically an initiation rite at this point.


 

 Fine, but *is it necessary to buy every new Fiio/iBasso to come down the pike ?* Guys, its your money - no skin off my nose - but some of the logic escapes me when a new toy doesn't seem to have fulfilled a specific need. If I buy a DAC to replace the MSII, I want it to be a *better* DAC - ditto another mains-powered amp to replace the E9. Neither of these is anything other than a mid-fi toy, and I'm not pretending otherwise, but having more mid-fi toys to stash away in a desk drawer just seems redundant. Just my 2 cents worth.
   
  Note that I'm not bagging the E10, just questioning some of our purchasing behaviour. Buying this toy simply to be able to say 'Aaah - I knew the DAC wouldn't be much chop !' seems like an odd way to approach audio.


----------



## Radioking59

Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> I'm assuming that the clicking only happens when the sampling rate changes


 

 I could be wrong but I don't believe my sampling rate ever changes. All my files are FLAC ripped from CDs.


----------



## golf4fun12

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Note that I'm not bagging the E10, just questioning some of our purchasing behaviour. Buying this toy simply to be able to say 'Aaah - I knew the DAC wouldn't be much chop !' seems like an odd way to approach audio.


 


  I'm new here and to audio really. I don't know what people think when they buy stuff. for me, no matter what it is that I buy, I buy it to use it.  I'm not about to buy something to just have it and say I have it.
   
  You're probably right. a lot of people buy things just to say they have it. I kinda wish I was in that position. have all the money in the world and buy whatever I want. that would be awesome.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Fine, but *is it necessary to buy every new Fiio/iBasso to come down the pike ?* Guys, its your money - no skin off my nose - but some of the logic escapes me when a new toy doesn't seem to have fulfilled a specific need. If I buy a DAC to replace the MSII, I want it to be a *better* DAC - ditto another mains-powered amp to replace the E9. Neither of these is anything other than a mid-fi toy, and I'm not pretending otherwise, but having more mid-fi toys to stash away in a desk drawer just seems redundant. Just my 2 cents worth.
> 
> Note that I'm not bagging the E10, just questioning some of our purchasing behaviour. Buying this toy simply to be able to say 'Aaah - I knew the DAC wouldn't be much chop !' seems like an odd way to approach audio.


 

 Collector's mentality? Desire for more toys? I have a D10 that I hardly use (and almost never in a portable sense), so I find myself wondering if the e10 would be a good purchaes for me. It's amazingly easy to find reasons to self-justify a new purchase. A different feature set, or heck just a different combination of features. I've already got a battery powered dac/amp, but hey this new one is usb powered... and for some inane reason that makes my brain think it's a good thing to have.
   
  A significant number of my headphones were acquired purely on the "aw heck I haven't heard this one yet" mindset even if it was a "step down" from my current gear at the time.
   
  Not saying it has to makes sense. As far as I'm concerned, we're all pretty much fools with our money.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





armaegis said:


> Collector's mentality? Desire for more toys? I have a D10 that I hardly use (and almost never in a portable sense), so I find myself wondering if the e10 would be a good purchaes for me. It's amazingly easy to find reasons to self-justify a new purchase. A different feature set, or heck just a different combination of features. I've already got a battery powered dac/amp, but hey this new one is usb powered... and for some inane reason that makes my brain think it's a good thing to have.
> 
> A significant number of my headphones were acquired purely on the "aw heck I haven't heard this one yet" mindset even if it was a "step down" from my current gear at the time.
> 
> Not saying it has to makes sense. As far as I'm concerned, we're all pretty much fools with our money.


 

 Sounds like you're one step closer to buying that XM-6


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Sounds like you're one step closer to buying that XM-6


 


  I was all set to buy one off the forums last month, but then the seller sold it to someone else because they paid quicker. Oh well, I wasn't exactly heartbroken over it.


----------



## scrypt

A word to our resident Fiio rep: 
   
  The labels for the settings on your bass switch should be *Bass* above the switch and *Normal* below it, with the Normal position indicating the bass emphasis is off.  If you implement this minor revision, then native English speakers won't think that either:
   
  1. "On" means you're turning on the E10, which is on from the moment you connect it to a USB port,
   
  or
   
  2. The "Bass" setting means you're adding bass instead of turning it off.

  
  Quote: 





dgriffter said:


> Using TF10vi (the one with inline mic) with fiio e10 and the jack plug is incredibly sensitive to any sort of pressure, giving me what sounds like an approx. 70% drop in volume if I touch it or rub it, which of course happens when in pocket, etc. Just like there were some sort of loose internal connection, or perhaps related to the jack adaptor for the "vi" version. Anyone else experienced this? Wondering if this is related to the jack or maybe a faulty unit?
> 
> Edited for typo


 

  
  I've noticed this issue with two different UE earphone models and I don't agree that using an adaptor is an acceptable workaround.   A jack that becomes noisy, microphonic and signal-interrupting when used with any working low-impedance model of earphones should be fixed, particularly when the amp is portable and said model is ridiculously efficient, since that happens to be portable territory.
   
  As for today's exciting punch-or-be-punched debate about mid-fi toys:
   
  I happen to fit into the supposedly respectable category of users.  This is the first DAC I've bought in years. It will be used solely for work, travel and staying with my grillfiend in White Plains.  My other DAC, bought for me by the aforeheaded fiend, is four years old and lounges about with my semi-serious rig.
   
  However, I'm not going to criticize people who buy every Fiio device in existence.  Materialism can turn anyone into a completist and few of us are above it.  In fact, I doubt anyone on this thread truly is.  We're all fetishists in some sense, and fetishism isn't rational.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Got it , I will try to arrange a vote to decide how to do that, how you can join the vote


----------



## scrypt

Thanks for the swift response.  (Your user name reminds me of the sound of a Siamese cat, which I for one enjoy with a fine Grecian red.)

 I'm not mentioning the switch revision to be part of a vote to clarify the use of a feature which I myself know how to use.  I'm just speaking to you in my capacity as a professional editor.  I'm telling you what, in my incredibly humble opinion, native-speaking English readers are most likely to understand. 
   
  I'd love it if you took my suggestion, but all I can do is offer it as a forum friend.
   
  Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> Got it , I will try to arrange a vote to decide how to do that, how you can join the vote


 

 When you say, "I will try to arrange a vote to decide how to do *that*," I assume you mean to address the confusion caused by the settings for the bass switch.  Were you talking about something else, such as the noisy and intermittent jack issue I mentioned?


----------



## kiteki

Entertaining posts, scrypt.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





scrypt said:


> Thanks for the swift response.  (Your user name reminds me of the sound of a Siamese cat, which I for one enjoy with a fine Grecian red.)
> I'm not mentioning the switch revision to be part of a vote to clarify the use of a feature which I myself know how to use.  I'm just speaking to you in my capacity as a professional editor.  I'm telling you what, in my incredibly humble opinion, native-speaking English readers are most likely to understand.
> 
> I'd love it if you took my suggestion, but all I can do is offer it as a forum friend.
> ...


 

 1, It is my pleasure to listening to our customer , it can help us make the right products. the vote will launch in mins.
   
  2, The problem of some i-earphones, I means some earphone which design to iPod/iPhone, the pin definition is different with NOKIA, Samsung. we will try to fixed this problem in next batch. but who have such problem can use our LU1/LU2 to solve this problem.
   
      the definition of iPhone's earphone with mic/inline control.  1, Left channel, 2, Right channel, 3, Ground, 4, Mic/inline control.
      the definition of standard earphone with mic/inline control.  1, Left channel, 2, Right channel, 3,  Mic/inline control, 4 Ground,
   
     As you all know, Apple is not the first brand and company who make cellphone, but they always don't want to be compatible with others.


----------



## JamesFiiO

http://www.head-fi.org/t/576722/vote-the-best-silkscreen-for-e10-to-show-the-bass-boost#post_7837267
   
  The link of the vote address. just help us vote your opinion.


----------



## golf4fun12

I guess I can see scrypt's point of view when it comes to the on/bass switch. I always understood what it did, but it could be confusing if you don't know otherwise.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Fine, but *is it necessary to buy every new Fiio/iBasso to come down the pike ?* Guys, its your money - no skin off my nose - but some of the logic escapes me when a new toy doesn't seem to have fulfilled a specific need. If I buy a DAC to replace the MSII, I want it to be a *better* DAC - ditto another mains-powered amp to replace the E9. Neither of these is anything other than a mid-fi toy, and I'm not pretending otherwise, but having more mid-fi toys to stash away in a desk drawer just seems redundant. Just my 2 cents worth.
> 
> Note that I'm not bagging the E10, just questioning some of our purchasing behaviour. Buying this toy simply to be able to say 'Aaah - *I knew the DAC wouldn't be much chop !' seems like an odd way to approach audio.*


 

  
  Is this still referring to me or in general? If so I do have other needs than a dac and amp for home use but I did not purchase the E10 just to say it wasn't that good but it just doesn't do a good job when driving headphones that are harder to drive as some people have asked about that earlier in this thread.


----------



## ClieOS

NVM.


----------



## NiTramZ

All my cans benefit very well from the E10 except for my Ultrasone Pro 550, these paired with the E10 = a very recessed midrange. It seems that the Ultrasones do not go well with the E10, they do however sound great when paired with the E7+E9 combo.
   
  Seems to be the infamous Ultrasone burn in (only around 70 Hrs, shouldnt be using these to judge any equipment) that played part in what i stated previously because they now sound bloody amazing from the E10. The E10 is absolute great!, they work well with everything i've tried with it. Fantastic DAC and awesome amp, this was a great purchase. Looks like my E7 is going out.


----------



## creamsoda

just got my e10 this morning.  i'm enjoying it with my quads, the e10 makes vocals nice and full, gotta love those mids.  overall quality's excellent and it's been an excellent purchase.  awesome work fiio!
   
  on another note, this thing is tiny... it's not my customs that are huge!


----------



## Marximus

I like the addition of cartridge cases.

Oh, wait a minute, those aren't cartridge cases. NVM.


----------



## realmassy

I received the E10 in the post today, and I'm now playing some music through Spotify. The E10 is clearly an improvement over the E7 I used to own, at least with the ER4S. On the E7 the bass boost was "unnatural", artificial.
  To be fair I wasn't expecting this little device to sound this good, I can't believe the quality you can get with £50.


----------



## K.J.

I've had mine for two days now.
   
  E10 + RE-ZERO is a great combination. It maintains detail and adds separation, plus the perfect amount low end punch.
   
  Also, I was messing around, and found out that with the E10, the ZERO works fine without the balanced adapter, but only with the plug at certain angles.
   
  The TMA-1 does also benefit from the E10, as it doesn't seem as dark and the soundstage improves. On high gain I guess I could say that it sounds like they would after I used EQ to boost the treble.


----------



## kite7

I bought this to use with my vintage SR325. Needless to say, my E7 and E9 are gone.


----------



## villageidiot

Hi clieos, can you please elaborate more on the e10+e9 combination? I am going to pair it with the dt 990 600 ohm edition (which is quite bright) and just wanted to have a more general idea of what the fiio e10 and e9 sound like together, thanks!


----------



## alphaphoenix

Just receive mine from Micca today.  Wow, great service and very fast shipping.  For the price I don't see how anyone can complain.  I'm using Winamp 5.6x on my X220 Thinkpad, and I'm happy by the way it sounds with my RS2, PK1, and C3.  Volume is set at 35/50, low gain, and dialed in at 3 on the volume pot.  A very good purchase that overflows with value and quality.  I think Fiio hit a home run with the E10.


----------



## MickeyVee

+1 ~ Didn't expect the E10 to sound that great.  I've been rocking' with the E10 and my Sennheiser HD 25-1 II's for the last two nights.
  Switched back and forth between the E10 and the E7 and regretfully, probably going to retire my E7. The E10 definitely has a better soundstage, mids and is much more dynamic.  Loving  Adele on the E10/Senn combo! May even get an E10 for my living room system and keep one in the office.
  
  Quote: 





realmassy said:


> I received the E10 in the post today, and I'm now playing some music through Spotify. The E10 is clearly an improvement over the E7 I used to own, at least with the ER4S. On the E7 the bass boost was "unnatural", artificial.
> To be fair I wasn't expecting this little device to sound this good, I can't believe the quality you can get with £50.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





villageidiot said:


> Hi clieos, can you please elaborate more on the e10+e9 combination? I am going to pair it with the dt 990 600 ohm edition (which is quite bright) and just wanted to have a more general idea of what the fiio e10 and e9 sound like together, thanks!


 

 For general E9 sound signature, I guess you can refer to the many E9 threads in the forum. What is mainly different between E7+E9 and E10+E9 is that the later sound more detail overall with better extension on both ends. The overall sound is still slightly warm, as with most of FiiO amps. I guess that should be beneficial to any bright sounding headphone.


----------



## obazavil

I
   
  It sounds just... GREAT
   
  ----------------------
   
  as a sidenote... i'm noticing that if i move my headphone cable when is plugged in the 3.5mm, i lose audio in one side.. something like is not well soldered, fixed, or something like that.
   
  sometimes when i move my cans or e10 of place, i lose the connection and sounds horrible, and need to move it again to hear it normally.
   
  I think is bad... for a new product.
   
  for the sound, well, sounds very good, but dont have anything to compare against.


----------



## zottelbeyer

Quote: 





obazavil said:


> as a sidenote... i'm noticing that if i move my headphone cable when is plugged in the 3.5mm, i lose audio in one side.. something like is not well soldered, fixed, or something like that.
> 
> sometimes when i move my cans or e10 of place, i lose the connection and sounds horrible, and need to move it again to hear it normally.
> 
> ...


 


  Have you tried other headphones with it ? sometimes the plugs are not 100% accuarate in size and that results in a bad connection to the E10.
  As for me i have no such problems with my beyer dt 880 pro and the e10.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





realmassy said:


> I received the E10 in the post today, and I'm now playing some music through Spotify. The E10 is clearly an improvement over the E7 I used to own, at least with the ER4S. On the E7 the bass boost was "unnatural", artificial.
> To be fair I wasn't expecting this little device to sound this good, I can't believe the quality you can get with £50.


 

  
  I received one earlier this week as well. It's perfect for at the office.
  Have only tried it with sennheisers HD650 but jeez this little box does great!


----------



## realmassy

Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> I received one earlier this week as well. It's perfect for at the office.
> Have only tried it with sennheisers HD650 but jeez this little box does great!


 





  Glad you like it! BTW, how was the pizza mate?


----------



## zottelbeyer

After some fight with Kubuntu 11.10 (sound can be a bitch on that one!) im happly using the e10 with it
   
  If you want to use the e10 as your primary output (assuming alsa+pulseaudio) here is what you do:
   
   


Spoiler: What%20i%20did%20to%20get%20it%20working



 
_sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf_
   
  Insert (or find and modify as the index might be set to -2) this line:
*options snd_usb_audio index=0*
   
_sudo nano /etc/pulse/daemon.conf_
  modify default-sample-rate to 96k
*; default-sample-rate = 96000*
   


 
 I had to use the GStreamer backend as most ppl prolly will because the VLC backend did NOT work well with the E10 (delay and crashes)


----------



## scrypt

I think you should fix the issue, feiao, since I don't own an iPhone and frequently use the same earphones with a Samsung Epic, a Ray Samuels Hornet and other kit. The only time I've ever experienced intermittent signal, static-like noise or amplified microphonics is while using the earphones in question with the E10.
   
  Thanks for the explanation, though.  I wondered how it was possible to hear _amplified_ cable noise. 
  
  Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> 2, The problem of some i-earphones, I means some earphone which design to iPod/iPhone, the pin definition is different with NOKIA, Samsung. we will try to fixed this problem in next batch. but who have such problem can use our LU1/LU2 to solve this problem.
> 
> the definition of iPhone's earphone with mic/inline control.  1, Left channel, 2, Right channel, 3, Ground, 4, Mic/inline control.
> the definition of standard earphone with mic/inline control.  1, Left channel, 2, Right channel, 3,  Mic/inline control, 4 Ground,
> ...


----------



## supercooper

I plan to pair an e10 with a macbook pro and DT880 (250 ohm).  Has anyone tried the e10 / DT880 combo yet and would care to comment? 
   
  Thanks


----------



## rawrster

I have the DT880 600 ohms version but I did not like them compared to my full sized rig. However it depends on what you are used to. For $80 there really isn't much to complain about with the E10>DT880 but knowing it could be better didn't sit too well with me. I can go into it more later this evening by trying it out if you want.


----------



## donunus

600 ohms is pushing it though. This is a USB powered device were talking about here


----------



## zottelbeyer

Well here you go:
   
  the sound is still balanced and very detailed. i prefer high gain and bass boost on as it adds a nice punch line which is not to dry.
  i dont have much to compare it to tbh but it gives me roughly the same experience as everything i've listened to so far just that the DAC adds some more details to the standard crappy soundcard of my desktop.
   
  Power is not a problem, 2-3/8 is already loud, beyond 5 is to loud to listen to.
   
  btw: try binaural recordings with this combi, it blows minds 
  
  Quote: 





supercooper said:


> I plan to pair an e10 with a macbook pro and DT880 (250 ohm).  Has anyone tried the e10 / DT880 combo yet and would care to comment?
> 
> Thanks


----------



## supercooper

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> I have the DT880 600 ohms version but I did not like them compared to my full sized rig. However it depends on what you are used to. For $80 there really isn't much to complain about with the E10>DT880 but knowing it could be better didn't sit too well with me. I can go into it more later this evening by trying it out if you want.


 


  Thanks for the info.  I'd like to know if there is an improvement over just connecting to the MBP directly.  I'd be inclined to think that the DAC of the e10 is sonically superior to the soundcard of the MBP.  For portability, the usb-powered e10 is very attractive to me and it seems like a "fun" way to improve the sonic experience of listening to headphones while using only my MBP.   I have the DT880's (250 ohm) and the MBP already so the question is really whether the e10 is a good choice or if something else would be more appropriate.


----------



## supercooper

Thanks! 
   
  I'm sure to be ordering one soon...actually, the only think keeping me is word on the potential revision to the silk screen graphic of "BASS" and "ON". 
   

  
  Quote: 





zottelbeyer said:


> Well here you go:
> 
> the sound is still balanced and very detailed. i prefer high gain and bass boost on as it adds a nice punch line which is not to dry.
> i dont have much to compare it to tbh but it gives me roughly the same experience as everything i've listened to so far just that the DAC adds some more details to the standard crappy soundcard of my desktop.
> ...


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





donunus said:


> 600 ohms is pushing it though. This is a USB powered device were talking about here


 

 Yes while I agree I don't have the 250 ohms to test it out on. It's better than my other full sized headphones to try it out on at least  Next to my Magnums the DT880 are one of my more easier headphones to drive...however since already provided feedback no need to take out the DT880 
   
  Personally I have my doubts about usb powered devices with anything other than customs, earphones and most portable headphones.


----------



## USCdeacon

I currently switch between a pair of M50s plugged into a nuForce uDAC (1st gen) coming out of my laptop.  I've been on the fence on this one - would the E10 be a good upgrade?  Decisions...decisions... Any help appreciated!


----------



## golf4fun12

Quote: 





uscdeacon said:


> I currently switch between a pair of M50s plugged into a nuForce uDAC (1st gen) coming out of my laptop.  I've been on the fence on this one - would the E10 be a good upgrade?  Decisions...decisions... Any help appreciated!


 


  I personally Love the e10. I felt like the overall improvement with the e10 was well worth the 80 dollars. I use the m50 every time now with the e10.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





golf4fun12 said:


> I personally Love the e10. I felt like the overall improvement with the e10 was well worth the 80 dollars. I use the m50 every time now with the e10.


 


  Using the E10 since this morning at the office with the E10. Much better (low gain and bass boost)


----------



## USCdeacon

hmm I guess I can always resell it here on HeadFi if I end up not liking it... or put my uDAC for sale if I endue loving the E10!
   
  Thanks for your response golf!


----------



## MickeyVee

Had a first and second gen uDac and never really like them (they ended up dying on me for some reason).  Have to say that I much prefer the E10.  From what I remember, a smoother overall response and definitely better dynamics and punch. Not sure how they would be with the M50's but it's pretty amazing with the Senn HD 25's.
  
  Quote: 





uscdeacon said:


> I currently switch between a pair of M50s plugged into a nuForce uDAC (1st gen) coming out of my laptop.  I've been on the fence on this one - would the E10 be a good upgrade?  Decisions...decisions... Any help appreciated!


----------



## twelvebears

I'm not sure if this has been covered in the 11 pages of this thread, but if anyone has views on how the E10 performs as a USB to SPDIF converter I would be interested to know.
   
  I've pre-ordered one anyway as I wanted a way to get better results for my AKG K701s from my Macbook rather than use the headphone socket.  I've got a growing collection for 24/96 music so this was perfect.
   
  If it IS decent as a USB to SPDIF converter, then at £60 in the UK, that makes it great value, as the next cheapest USB to SPDIF converters which will do 24/96 cost as much or more and aren't also a headphone amp!


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





twelvebears said:


> I've pre-ordered one anyway as I wanted a way to get better results for my AKG K701s from my Macbook rather than use the headphone socket.  I've got a growing collection for 24/96 music so this was perfect.


 

 But macbooks have SPDIF output, why don't you just send the signal to a DAC that uses digital input? 
   
  Anyway... wanting to hear too if someone is using the coaxial output


----------



## ClieOS

I use E10's SPDIF to feed my HM801 and the result is pretty good. Nothing to complain about.


----------



## golf4fun12

Quote: 





clieos said:


> I use E10's SPDIF to feed my HM801 and the result is pretty good. Nothing to complain about.


 


  that's what I do also and it sounds great.


----------



## golf4fun12

Quote: 





uscdeacon said:


> hmm I guess I can always resell it here on HeadFi if I end up not liking it... or put my uDAC for sale if I endue loving the E10!
> 
> Thanks for your response golf!


 


  No problem. I hope you won't have to sell it because you love it so much.


----------



## rawrster

I like the E10 better than the uDAC (but from a very distant memory). Either way these fit my purpose after selling the UHA4 and I'm quite impressed by the E10 at such a small package and price. At $80 one doesn't expect much really and my last dealing with Fiio was the E5 amp which was a toy  I can't say that about the E10 and I'm warming up to the bass boost. I don't usually use bass boosts (or EQ for that matter) but the bass boost is quite fun.


----------



## donunus

I should be receiving some E10s pretty soon too. I am going to solve the mystery of this hype pretty soon  I am going to be testing them with my 300 ohm sennheiser HD600s and my 55 ohm AKG K141 mkII. These are moderately hard to drive cans and should be good for testing this amp with  I'll also be doing a head to head comparison of just the dac section of the e10 vs FiiOs own excellent D3.


----------



## rawrster

I have my doubts about them driving harder to drive headphones  I have a suspicion that the only cans I own they will drive well are my Magnums but they are on loan and then will go through a woodie process so won't have it for around 2-3 months longer.
   
  Volume even on harder to drive headphones doesn't seem to be an issue but sufficiently driving them is. Hopefully people don't confuse the two. Actually I wonder if anything will ever need close to max volume on the knob. My HE-500 I just tried just out of curiosity only goes to 1.75 before it is past my normal listening volume before getting too loud on low gain.


----------



## oddsratio

Just got these in today and noticed a couple things:
   
  There's a distinct pop when I switch tracks, fast forward and pause or unpause the audio source. This happens on itunes, vlc and youtube. Probably the voltage spike from signal/no signal. Most noticeable in sennheiser iems, obviously, but it can be heard on v6's and grado 80s.
   
  Also, there's a vibrating background hiss once you turn the pot volume past 3 (40%), which can be heard on any level of the system volume using the IEMs. I don't listen to music that loud, but do have to turn it up that high for watching movies/TV and for playing games. It is noticeable if there's silence or if I pause the audio source, obviously not if there's something playing. This also limits the useability of the pot as the main changer for the volume, though, which is what I was looking forward to.
   
  The sound from the amp is full, as expected. The bass is nice and when operating within the limitations set by the volume pot, it is clear. The other noises are distracting, though, considering I've never experienced the popping from switching tracks before.


----------



## donunus

Try it on another computer because it sounds like an interference problem


----------



## golf4fun12

I only hear a very faint click noise when I change a song on itunes. but, I tested it and hear the same little noise without the e10 in use. seems fine to me.
   
  could some e10's be defected?


----------



## Pelotonjon

oddsratio, I am having exactly the same problems.  I notice more noise/popping in the left channel.  Maybe we got bad units??


----------



## rawrster

Are any of you able to test it out on different computers using the same files?
   
  The only popping noise I get is when I plug in or disconnect my phones when the E10 is on.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





donunus said:


> I'll also be doing a head to head comparison of just the dac section of the e10 vs FiiOs own excellent D3.


 
  Did that just the other day. D3 is surprisingly clean sounding though I still prefer E10's more powerful bass punch.

  
  Quote: 





pelotonjon said:


> Maybe we got bad units??


 

 More likely you have dirty USB power. It is not uncommon for PC internal noise to carry from the USB port to the DAC, especially on smaller DAC that don't have a lot of room to do power filtering. All you need to check is to try different USB port and different PC to see if the same problem is repeatable or not.


----------



## oddsratio

I might be able to test on a different computer tomorrow and post an update. Though it won't do me a lot of good if I planned on using this with my daily PC. I think the in-ear phones might be too sensitive, but I wonder what's causing the interference. It's on a notebook, and I've tested without anything else plugged in.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





oddsratio said:


> I might be able to test on a different computer tomorrow and post an update. Though it won't do me a lot of good if I planned on using this with my daily PC. I think the in-ear phones might be too sensitive, but I wonder what's causing the interference. It's on a notebook, and I've tested without anything else plugged in.


 

 Might also try all the different USB port as well as a self-powered USB hub if you have one.


----------



## oddsratio

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Did that just the other day. D3 is surprisingly clean sounding though I still prefer E10's more powerful bass punch.
> More likely you have dirty USB power. It is not uncommon for PC internal noise to carry from the USB port to the DAC, especially on smaller DAC that don't have a lot of room to do power filtering. All you need to check is to try different USB port and different PC to see if the same problem is repeatable or not.


 
   
  I'm still new to this, but I thought the external DAC reduced the presence of the internal noise (buzzes, loud hisses). From reading over some of the caveats of using the usb dac, one that stood out was that interference from the other cords/hubs is a source of unwanted electronic noise, but this wasn't to be too much of an issue if you connected directly to the PC/didn't have any cords directly nearby.
   
  Though I don't have another computer, I did test hub and non-hub ports and got the same vibrating hiss feedback.


----------



## Pelotonjon

Mine is repeatable on multiple computers, usb ports, hubs, etc.  Most notably, if I plug the E10 in and turn the volume pot all the way up (with nothing playing obviously), I hear a buzzing noise in the left channel.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





oddsratio said:


> I'm still new to this, but I thought the external DAC reduced the presence of the internal noise (buzzes, loud hisses). From reading over some of the caveats of using the usb dac, one that stood out was that interference from the other cords/hubs is a source of unwanted electronic noise, but this wasn't to be too much of an issue if you connected directly to the PC/didn't have any cords directly nearby.
> 
> Though I don't have another computer, I did test hub and non-hub ports and got the same vibrating hiss feedback.


 

 That's assuming the USB power doesn't carry the noise to the DAC or the DAC has a good power filter to took care of any noise. Unfortunately most USB port has noise of its own and even USB hub can be a problem (old generation of USB hub have really good power filter section but small USB hub these days don't). A lot of the time it really depends on the PC manufacturer and some of them can be really noisy. That is why expensive USB DAC like the DACport has an power section built-in to isolation the power from the USB port before sending it into the DAC.
   
  Oh, btw, also try a different USB cable.
   

  
  Quote: 





pelotonjon said:


> Mine is repeatable on multiple computers, usb ports, hubs, etc.  Most notably, if I plug the E10 in and turn the volume pot all the way up (with nothing playing obviously), I hear a buzzing noise in the left channel.


 

 I just tested mine and doesn't find any noise or hiss on high gain / full volume. Maybe you did get a lemon and you might what to check the issue out with the dealer and see if you can get a replacement.


----------



## golf4fun12

I just tested the same music files on my brother's computer....same little noise when I switch songs in itunes.  other than that, nothing wrong.
   
  I do notice more buzzing when I have it on high gain. but that's normal I guess.


----------



## MeSkywalker

Should I have gain button on high or low for 50 ohms impedance headphones (Sennheiser HD 518)?
   
  Thanks!


----------



## donunus

Have any of you guys noticed any sound quality differences with more expensive usb cables? With my old e7/e9 combo for example, even a 10 dollar belkin USB cable removed some veil from the sound. I'm guessing it would be the same thing with the e10 but before I buy an extra cable, I'd like to hear from any of you with firsthand experience if this is the case. I guess if this was an async dac, the usb cord wouldn't matter as much.


----------



## rawrster

I've only tried the usb cable that came with my phone since it's already wrapped nicely and doesn't have much distance to the dac from usb. I personally don't find any difference in cable but this is also a $80 product


----------



## donunus

In the E7s case via the E9, the 80 dollar dac did show improvement


----------



## mikeaj

Quote: 





meskywalker said:


> Should I have gain button on high or low for 50 ohms impedance headphones (Sennheiser HD 518)?
> 
> Thanks!


 

 For most every device out there, you want to use the lowest gain setting that is loud enough (so low probably).


----------



## aural bliss

Quote: 





dkaz said:


> Has anyone compared the E10 to the Audinst MX1 or Yulong U100?


 
   
  interested in the comparison to the audinst as well.  also wondering if it would pair better with the matrix m-stage than the audinst


----------



## rawrster

I don't own the Audinst anymore but I would easily take the Audinst over the E10 but it is more expensive, bigger and also can be powered by something other than usb.


----------



## Pelotonjon

I eliminated the buzz/hissing I was getting with the volume pot turned all the way up by going into Mac OS X "Audio MIDI Setup", and making sure the format was 96000.0 Hz, and 2ch-24bit Integer.  
   
  I've also noticed I get much better results using Fidelia as opposed to Amarra.


----------



## oddsratio

Quote: 





pelotonjon said:


> I eliminated the buzz/hissing I was getting with the volume pot turned all the way up by going into Mac OS X "Audio MIDI Setup", and making sure the format was 96000.0 Hz, and 2ch-24bit Integer.
> 
> I've also noticed I get much better results using Fidelia as opposed to Amarra.


 
   
  This helped, thank you. Now I don't get that buzz/hiss until I hit 5/8 on the pot, which is more of what I expected from the amp. This didn't eliminate the noise on the IEMs, but it's impossible to hear on the sr80s.


----------



## aural bliss

testing out this baby.  smaller than expected.  will easily fit into laptop bag.  great transportable sound card for my laptop


----------



## Alpha Mike

Got to test this out with Q701's at the OC meet. It did great job taming the power hungry 701's. With the bass boost it gave the headphones more punch and gave the 701's more warmth. Evened the highs and mids with better bass.


----------



## oddsratio

I'm still a bit new here, so I don't know if it's good custom to post troubleshooting questions here or in a new thread...
   
  So everytime I'm streaming a video on netflix, the audio on the e10 jitters and cuts out for about 10-15 seconds. This happens every 5 minutes or so. I'm wondering what steps I should take to rule out possible sources for this problem. It doesn't cut out during normal music play, so I don't think it's the dac.


----------



## xxhaxx

Are you sure that its not because your video isn't fully loaded?


----------



## oddsratio

Relatively sure- bandwidth is good this late at night, but I also never have this problem hooked up to the regular headphone jack, controlling for all the usual processor fluctuations and spikes. Also on an SSD, so there's no HDD issue. Thanks for responding so quickly.


----------



## xxhaxx

Try using a different usb port? are you setting the fiio as the default player?
   
   
  Don't think its the e10 fault since the DAC just converts the data so their shouldn't be any difference between music versus movie


----------



## donunus

Got my e10. color me impressed.


----------



## donunus

I just posted a review here http://headfonics.com/2011/10/fiio-e10-review-a-lot-of-boxes-have-been-ticked/


----------



## redwarrior191

donunus.. i noticed in your profile you had the gilmore lite with DPS and even the MHDT Havana Dac in the past.. may i know why you're building a system with the fiios (e9+10+7+ D3) now?? also, from your review, basically the e9 only excels in power, while the e10 wins on everything else?? or do i conclude it wrongly??
   
  thanks.. great review and website, btw..


----------



## donunus

I'm sort of just cruising through all the equipment until I can't enjoy the music with them due to some anomaly I am sensitive about. Technically, the Gilmore Lite was great especially in giving me clean layers in the treble section but in the end they were a little dry sounding, lacking in oomph and a little analytical for me with the hd600s I was using back then.
  As for the the Havana, they were just not energetic enough for me. The tubes were expensive yet every one of them had their own coloration in which I couldn't live with in the end. Truth to be told, I prefer something simple and natural sounding without all the fancy colorations and believe it or not, even the FiiO D3 does that for me more than the expensive havana LOL. And I am not a FiiO shill either. Heck I prefer the tonality of my old valab DAC against the Havana too except for its mechanical problems with hum and all.
   
  So far as the e10 against the E9 is concerned, the former is definitely smoother than the latter yet lacking in punch  with the hd600s. With my AKGs, the E9 is a little bloated and grainy. Put it this way, I wouldn't keep the e9 around if I only had low impedance cans. I might actually be getting rid of my e9s soon once I can get something better for my beloved hd600s.


----------



## Aaron1006

So let me ask you guys who might have the E10, E7, and E9. What do you guys think would be best for the HD650s? Would E10 be fine by itself? Or would E10+e9 be better? How is e7/e9 vs e10/e9? Just trying to get a feel for what I need to build a budget system around HD650's 
   
  Also, portability is not an issue as it will be at home all the time.


----------



## donunus

a D3/E9 would be good enough but an e10/e9 will be more flexible for when you will be using low impedance cans at the same time. The e9 doesn't sound that great with the low impedance stuff.


----------



## twelvebears

I've just got my hands on my E10 which was to improve my common arrangement of driving AKG K701s from my Macbook headphone socket.
   
  MASSIVE improvement!  Has really made a huge improvement, especially with high-res 24/96 files.
   
  As of the performance wasn't enough (and to be fair the sound IS what matters), it's also a wonderfully made little thing.  Real quality of construction and classy/cool packaging too!
   
  £60!!  Total bargain!


----------



## Aaron1006

Quote: 





donunus said:


> a D3/E9 would be good enough but an e10/e9 will be more flexible for when you will be using low impedance cans at the same time. The e9 doesn't sound that great with the low impedance stuff.


 


  Thanks for the reply, I haven't even looked into the D3 at all, got some more research to do haha


----------



## donunus

Make sure you have an optical out at least if you buy a D3 since it is not USB


----------



## twelvebears

Quote: 





donunus said:


> I just posted a review here http://headfonics.com/2011/10/fiio-e10-review-a-lot-of-boxes-have-been-ticked/


 
   
  Yep. I agree with everything you've said.  It really is a stupidly great little device.
   
  Don't tell Fiio but I actually think they may have underpriced it!  Honestly, I'm SOOO impressed with it that although I'm delighted at £60, I'd still have been happy at £100.
   
  It also means I can look around for other cool 'phones to add to my K701s without worrying too much if I will be able to drive them OK.


----------



## alphaphoenix

I'm enjoying my E10 as much as anybody here, but I see that some are using it for their HD600/650 and harder to drive AKG cans.  I'm sure most know that they scale very well, so if you're judging any of those cans against the E10, or any other budget device, it's worth going down the path to find equipment that really matches well and makes them sing.  If you think those cans sound great with the E10 - great, and good for you.  However, if you want to do those cans justice, go to a meet or hook up with fellow members who have equipment known to exploit the full potential of those cans.


----------



## donunus

The E10 is still pretty clean with the HD600s minus the compression of the bass when the amp loses its steam. If you combine the smoothness of the e10 plus the power of the e9 for the hd600s, I'm guessing this kind of quality would cost somewhere at least $400 if you are lucky. I've had some amps in the sub 800 dollar range where the overall tonality of the fiio beats them in.


----------



## FuzzyD

So it sound like Fiio needs to build an all in one E9-E10 device for about $200! I would be very interested in such a product.


----------



## puresilence

Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> So it sound like Fiio needs to build an all in one E9-E10 device for about $200! I would be very interested in such a product.


 


  I'm assuming that would be what the E15 (I think that's the right model number) would be.


----------



## donunus

Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> So it sound like Fiio needs to build an all in one E9-E10 device for about $200! I would be very interested in such a product.


 


  It wouldn't be as easy as it looks. i feel that the power of the E9 may be whats corrupting its finesse so to get the two together may require lots of more expensive parts making the price higher than $200 most likely. Well, with Fiio putting out all the high value products recently, I wouldn't be surprised at all though if they could pull it off.


----------



## Aaron1006

Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> So it sound like Fiio needs to build an all in one E9-E10 device for about $200! I would be very interested in such a product.


 

 Fits the bill for exactly what I need! haha


----------



## djevoultion

Just received the E10 to replace my laptop's onboard sound .. what an improvement. Impressed with this little thing.


----------



## tim3320070

I as well received this unit recently. I wanted a laptop sound card replacement. I tried the HM-101 which was not much of an improvement beyond greater output and a bit better dynamics over the cheap Dell sound card. This device has plenty of volume (maybe not the kind of juice needed for power hungry headphones though). Definitely a smooth, bass friendly sound. The bass boost is too much for my Klipsch X10 or DT770/600. There is some noise when getting the volume past listenable levels (when paused)- I also hear the faint clicking noise discussed earlier but it's at ear drum puncture levels. I figure this is a poor man's iBasso D10, which has a bit more refinement. This is a compliment because at $75, this is a great value, which is most important to me. At $150 I might be hesitant with praise but at $75, it's a no brainer IMO.


----------



## donunus

I actually prefer the sound of the FiiO E10 to the Ibasso D10 Cobra. The Ibasso has an extra sizzle that I don't like. It is not natural to me. It sounds equalized.


----------



## LimeANite

Got mine today as well.  My first impression was, "Wow, this thing is tiny!"  I know everyone mentions the size, but for some reason, I was still expecting something bigger.  This thing is about the size of a pack of cigarettes though - almost gets lost on my mess of a desk.
   
  With a couple hours of testing, I've discovered that the E10 is a very different animal on my two current sets of headphones - VSonic GR-07 and Turtle Beach Earforce Z2 (yes, I know, it's not that great).
   
  I initially listened to the E10 through the Z2s, and my first impressions were (surprise, surprise) not very good.  I couldn't detect much a difference between my laptop's headphone out (Realtek HD Audio) and the E10.  If anything, the laptop's headphone out sounded slightly clearer.  The bass boost turned the bass in most tracks into a bloated, muddy mess - needless to say, I wasn't impressed.
   
  However, when I plugged in my GR-07s, that all changed.  There still isn't a huge difference, but compared to the laptop audio, the E10 tightens up the sound a bit and clears a little bit of distortion.  The bass boost is actually useable and adds a nice bit of punch to the IEMs when called on.  Unlike ClieOS, I am getting quite a bit of hiss coming in at around volume 3, even at low gain.  This is likely the GR-07s, though I don't have anything else of any quality to compare them with yet.
   
  Just for fun, I plugged in my old Sennheiser CX500s that have been collecting dust since I got the GR-07s.  Damn, I'd forgotten how bass-heavy those were.  They're so bassy that I can't stand to use the bass boost, even on bass-light songs.  Compared to my computer audio with these, the instruments are clearer and sharper, though vocals don't change much.
   
  So I guess the lesson from this is that not only does a good set of headphones deserve a good source, but a good source also deserves a good set of headphones.  In other words, don't expect this to make your ibuds sound like UM customs.  But then, you all probably knew that already.
   
  I'll post some more impressions later - I have HD555s due in tomorrow and FA-011s coming (hopefully) next week, so maybe I'll see a bigger difference with those.


----------



## ClieOS

Actually I don;t hear any hiss using GR07 as well. Maybe my Dell XPS420 is just quieter than most.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Actually I don;t hear any hiss using GR07 as well. Maybe my Dell XPS420 is just quieter than most.


 


  Just noticed something that may be the cause.  The headphone out jack on my E10 is slightly messed up.  When I plug in the VSonics, they don't sit quite flush, with a little gap (less than 1/4 mm) on one side.  I can push them in on that side enough to sit flush, but as soon as I release the plug, it springs back.  The hiss doesn't go away when I hold it in it though.
   
  I tried it out with everything else I had available.  The Z2s picked up a very, very, very faint hiss only past 5 on high gain, and the CX500s had the same past 5 on low gain.  Neither one appeared to have issues with the headphone jack, though the strain relief on the GR-07 is much stiffer than either, so pushing it in anywhere gives it a much more positive feel.  Some junky Phillips buds I had lying around  (stiff strain relief) duplicated the GR-07 jack issue.  They were really noisy as well, but I'm positive that's just because they're junk.  The sounds they were making were audible even at zero volume and were nothing like the other ones.  On a side note, I'm never asking my aunt to buy me headphones again...


----------



## ardilla

Anybody heard the E10 with AKG 242HD ??
   
   






   +  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




?
   
   
  The 242 can get a bit bright, I believe - I am getting the impression that E10 might be on the bright side?


----------



## donunus

The E10 is definitely not on the bright side.


----------



## tim3320070

I also want to add a note about MP4Nation. They claim they didn't get enough E10 stock and I was put onto the second batch (and I had to find that out rather than being informed). At the time I also ordered a Novo8 tablet and waited several days for shipping with nothing sent to me- I inquired and they immediately sent me a tracking number that didn't work for 9 days. I inquired again with the only reply being a new tracking number that actually seems to be valid. I feel like they are playing a delay tactic as they are out of stock or something similar. I will not be buying from them again. I cancelled the E10 order and went with Micca and that worked out great.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





tim3320070 said:


> I also want to add a note about MP4Nation. They claim they didn't get enough E10 stock and I was put onto the second batch (and I had to find that out rather than being informed). At the time I also ordered a Novo8 tablet and waited several days for shipping with nothing sent to me- I inquired and they immediately sent me a tracking number that didn't work for 9 days. I inquired again with the only reply being a new tracking number that actually seems to be valid. I feel like they are playing a delay tactic as they are out of stock or something similar. I will not be buying from them again. I cancelled the E10 order and went with Micca and that worked out great.


 

 I bought mine from Micca as well - ordered Monday and it arrived Thursday with standard shipping.  Excellent service.
   


  Quote: 





ardilla said:


> The 242 can get a bit bright, I believe - I am getting the impression that E10 might be on the bright side?


 

 It's been described as having a slightly dark sound.  I'm not sure I agree completely though - with the bass boost on, it can be pretty dark, but with it off, it's fairly transparent.  I don't have the 242 though, so I can't say whether or not the E10 will complement it.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





tim3320070 said:


> I also want to add a note about MP4Nation. They claim they didn't get enough E10 stock and I was put onto the second batch (and I had to find that out rather than being informed). At the time I also ordered a Novo8 tablet and waited several days for shipping with nothing sent to me- I inquired and they immediately sent me a tracking number that didn't work for 9 days. I inquired again with the only reply being a new tracking number that actually seems to be valid. I feel like they are playing a delay tactic as they are out of stock or something similar. I will not be buying from them again. I cancelled the E10 order and went with Micca and that worked out great.


 

 I'd have to agree about Micca. I think I asked them a question Friday evening and got a response within 10 minutes or so. I then ordered my E10 that same night and got a tracking number and it was shipping Saturday morning. That definitely was a great experience thats amazing esp since Micca is on the same time zone as I am.
   
  I will be ordering from them again if I buy another Fiio product.


----------



## alphaphoenix

Thumbs up for Micca as well.  Spectacular service, fast shipping, a no nonsense buying experiences.  I've purchased all Fiio products from them.   They seem to have a good business model and discipline.


----------



## tim3320070

I don't want to trash MP4Nation but I did purchase the tablet on Oct. 12th (shown as in stock) and it apparently shipped today, Oct. 28. It probably wasn't in stock but they could have told me that.


----------



## Heathie89

Quote: 





alphaphoenix said:


> Thumbs up for Micca as well.  Spectacular service, fast shipping, a no nonsense buying experiences.  I've purchased all Fiio products from them.   They seem to have a good business model and discipline.


 

  
  This is good to hear as I ordered my E10 from them yesterday!


----------



## nutrifa

I ordered my E10 from Micca as well went great.


----------



## villageidiot

I just ordered my fiio e10 from mp4nation and was wondering which version of the BRAINWAVZ beta they're giving out with the fiio - can someone help clarify this for me?


----------



## boxthorn

Damn I just ordered from mp4nation and I'm starting to regret ordering from their store. I hope it arrives by thanksgiving.


----------



## nutrifa

ordered mine yesterday around 5pm, got confirmation they have shipped today around 11am


----------



## Hosoi

Words cannot describe how pissed i'm at mp4nation right now.This will be my first and last purchase from them.period.It's been a f...ing month.


----------



## zeitfliesst

Guess I'm not the only one pissed with mp4nation. I was also shoved into the second batch after ordering the first pre-order. I even asked if they could expedite my shipping using a faster service, but their response was a no. This will definitely be my first and last purchase from them.


----------



## nutrifa

meh if they don't have it they don't have it, at least you will be getting one.  What is wrong with a little wait as long as you get it in the end.


----------



## alphaphoenix

^Would you rather wait a few days or weeks for the exact same thing? I'm pretty sure most would prefer the former.


----------



## rawrster

Yes I had an order once with them and I got really frustrated by waiting so long and then ended up getting a refund and even that took a week. I'm sure you will eventually get your amps but I knew that when the E10 came out so I waited for micca store to have them in stock before I bought them.
   
  It seems like this thread is turning into a shipping thread on the E10 instead of impressions  I'm a bit curious but what do people think of the E10 as a dac only? I don't have a RCA to mini cable so I am unable to compare with any of my amps but was wondering how good or bad it is.


----------



## nutrifa

Quote: 





alphaphoenix said:


> ^Would you rather wait a few days or weeks for the exact same thing? I'm pretty sure most would prefer the former.


 


  As long as at the end of the journey the destination has been reached, I think everyone involved gains wisdom.


----------



## creamsoda

rawrster - i used it to play my digital music on my father's hi fi, sounds great.  very solid all round, sonically, imaging and separation was decent, and the detail level was excellent..
   
   
   
  to the shipping guys, mp4nation has been good to me - took a week and a half to get to my house (or a bit less actually).  i was probably one of the earlier ones to make the first preorder so i didn't get moved into the second preorder.  i'm pretty sure it's not their fault though, perhaps fiio said they would allocate a certain amount to them, then reduced that amount, causing mp4 to shift.


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





creamsoda said:


> rawrster - i used it to play my digital music on my father's hi fi, sounds great.  very solid all round, sonically, imaging and separation was decent, and the detail level was excellent..
> 
> 
> 
> to the shipping guys, mp4nation has been good to me - took a week and a half to get to my house (or a bit less actually).  i was probably one of the earlier ones to make the first preorder so i didn't get moved into the second preorder.  i'm pretty sure it's not their fault though, perhaps fiio said they would allocate a certain amount to them, then reduced that amount, causing mp4 to shift.


 

 At least you get a free Brainwavs beta from mp4nation


----------



## scrypt

Here's a relevant question:  Do Micca and/or mp4nation allow for easy returns if your E10 is defective?  That might be more important in the long run than how quickly either venue ships your order.
   
  I bought mine from Micca, but the headphone jack is intermittent whether I use low-impedance UE monitors, Grado HF-1s, Etymotic ER-4Ss or Sennheiser 600s.  This isn't an iPod-related issue of incompatibility.  It's a defective iteration of a headphone amp and ought to be replaced by the vendor.  I'm currently wishing I'd waited until the E10 was available through Amazon because their return policy is clear and fair.


----------



## tim3320070

Further impressions- the E10 is good but it's no life changing. There is still some noise (cuts laptop noise by 75% maybe) where my iBasso D10 was near silent. The sound quality is quite good- smooth highs with decent detail and the bass boost is fun without adding bloat to the sound. The price is definitely right and I consider it a good value. This did improve with some hours of use, notably the bass got less boomy. I returned the HM-101 as it only sounded marginally better than my soundcard- this however, is much better and is a keeper. That said, I didn't realize the Audinst was capable of running on USB power and I might try that someday.


----------



## rawrster

Quote: 





tim3320070 said:


> Further impressions- the E10 is good but it's no life changing. There is still some noise (cuts laptop noise by 75% maybe) where my iBasso D10 was near silent. The sound quality is quite good- smooth highs with decent detail and the bass boost is fun without adding bloat to the sound. The price is definitely right and I consider it a good value. This did improve with some hours of use, notably the bass got less boomy. I returned the HM-101 as it only sounded marginally better than my soundcard- this however, is much better and is a keeper. That said, I didn't realize the Audinst was capable of running on USB power and I might try that someday.


 

 If you are talking about the Audinst HUD-MX1 then even without comparing the two since I no longer have it the E10 is inferior. The Audinst is better esp for harder to drive since there is a psu and you can upgrade it to something like a treads psu.


----------



## LimeANite

Some further impressions:
   
  Got my HD555s on Friday, so I had something decent to use for comparisons.  I also picked up an Asus Xonar U3 (basically a Xonar DG crammed into a USB stick) as a semi-impulse buy, so I'll be doing a little comparison between that and the E10 as well.
   
  First off, the 555s make a huge difference in comparing my laptop's integrated sound to the E10.  I sort of alluded to this earlier in the thread when I compared my IEMs to my crappy headset, but the Sennheisers confirm it.  The 555s also have very little hiss, much less than my GR07s.  It's barely audible at max volume and high gain.  Sound-wise, the synergy is nice and the bass boost makes a noticeable difference in the sound without muddying up the signature like it did with my old phones.  It's doubly nice because the HD555s are a little lacking bass for certain types of music and the bass boost adds just the right amount.  So, overall excellent pairing between the HD555 and the E10.
   
  Comparing the E10 to the Xonar U3, things get a little tricky.  Sound signature-wise, the U3 is a tad brighter and more transparent with a little more low end than the un-boosted E10.  The quality of the sound is nearly equal, and it's taken quite a bit of listening to pick out the slight sound signature differences between the two, which is surprising given the price differential ($40 for the U3, $75 for the E10).  Their main differences lie in their features.  The U3 lacks the volume control, bass boost function, dedicated line-out jack, gain switch, and coax-out jack that the E10 sports, but it does have line-in capability (mic jack), a S/PDIF adapter, and a bunch of fun software goodies like Dolby Headphone that make it great for gaming and movies.  I still haven't decided which one I prefer - the U3 fits my needs for gaming and movies to a tee and doesn't sacrifice much, if anything, in sound quality to achieve it.  However, it lacks external volume control and doesn't have the juice to drive anything with much higher impedance than the HD555s.  I can max out the volume on the Asus without hitting earsplitting levels and comfortable volume is somewhere around 60-70%, while with the E10, between 2 and 3 on low gain produces the same volume level.  I also prefer the design of the E10.  For now, I think I'm going to take the E10 to the office and use it on my work computer, which has an abysmal hissing problem - bad enough that I use my DAP all day rather than plugging into my computer there.  If the FA-011s turn out to need more juice than the U3 can provide, I can always swap the two.  Or take the Fischers to work...


----------



## Jack C

Quote: 





scrypt said:


> Here's a relevant question:  Do Micca and/or mp4nation allow for easy returns if your E10 is defective?  That might be more important in the long run than how quickly either venue ships your order.
> 
> I bought mine from Micca, but the headphone jack is intermittent whether I use low-impedance UE monitors, Grado HF-1s, Etymotic ER-4Ss or Sennheiser 600s.  This isn't an iPod-related issue of incompatibility.  It's a defective iteration of a headphone amp and ought to be replaced by the vendor.  I'm currently wishing I'd waited until the E10 was available through Amazon because their return policy is clear and fair.


 
   
  Hi,
   
  Defective products are accepted for exchange/return within 30 days. And you don't have to get the product to us within 30 days - as long as you raise the issue within 30 days of purchase and return the defective product to us in a reasonable amount of time, you are good to go. After 30 days, you can either contact FiiO for warranty service or use our extended exchange program. 
   
  Jack


----------



## kite7

Quote: 





tim3320070 said:


> That said, I didn't realize the Audinst was capable of running on USB power and I might try that someday.


 

 When I had the MX1, with or without the ac adapter sounded the same as far as quality goes; it could go louder with the ac adapter though.


----------



## Heathie89

Quote: 





heathie89 said:


> This is good to hear as I ordered my E10 from them yesterday!


 

 I was so looking forward to receiving my Fiio E10 today in the mail, but when I finished opening the package I could not believe my eyes! I was mistakenly shipped the Fiio E3 instead of the Fiio E10! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I have already contacted Jack about the issue and am just waiting to hear a response from him.


----------



## Heathie89

Quote: 





heathie89 said:


> I was so looking forward to receiving my Fiio E10 today in the mail, but when I finished opening the package I could not believe my eyes! I was mistakenly shipped the Fiio E3 instead of the Fiio E10!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Great news guys! The issue has been resolved through the customer support team. They were quick and professional. I also get to keep the E3!


----------



## Grayle

Quick, probably stupid, question: can I hook up my speakers to the line-out and my headphones to the front amp at the same time or will it 'mute' the front out when something's jacked in in the rear (or vice versa, like Windows likes to do with front audio ports)?


----------



## kite7

Yes you can, the headphone out and line out is always active


----------



## Radioking59

Is anyone else hearing static and channels cutting out when they move the headphone jack?  If I bump the jack when changing the volume it causes static. This is happening quite often. I was wondering if this is an isolated incident or if they are all like that.  I would hate to return it and get a replacement that also has this problem.


----------



## kite7

I find the E10 picky with certain earphones' plugs. Some 1/8 work fine and some will have the channel cutting off if I move it and I need to twist the plug around until I find a right spot.


----------



## alphaphoenix

^Same here.  I'm in the process of a replacement from Micca.  I have a feeling that the replacement may yield the same results.


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





radioking59 said:


> Is anyone else hearing static and channels cutting out when they move the headphone jack?  If I bump the jack when changing the volume it causes static. This is happening quite often. I was wondering if this is an isolated incident or if they are all like that.  I would hate to return it and get a replacement that also has this problem.


 


  Mine also have the static problem :[ But not sure if I want to ship it back to china :[


----------



## Radioking59

I'm disappointed to see that Fiio decided to use the the same jacks they used in the E7. One of the jacks on my E7 is the exact same way.  The other jack on my E7 does not have the problem. The jacks used on the E11 are much better and hold the plug firmly in place. I thought they learned their lesson but I guess not.


----------



## Radioking59

Quote:


alphaphoenix said:


> ^Same here.  I'm in the process of a replacement from Micca.  I have a feeling that the replacement may yield the same results.


 
  Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> Mine also have the static problem :[ But not sure if I want to ship it back to china :[


 

 This isn't good. Looks like we might have a widespread problem on our hands.  I might have to return it and look for something else. What a shame because I love how this thing sounds.


----------



## donunus

The jack on my e10 wiggles a little when you play with the headphone plug but nothing happens with the sound when I do that. I also don't have the static problem.


----------



## ClieOS

This could be a problem of dirty jack as it is stored or unused for too long. Before sending it back, try this: Find yourself a 3.5mm plug that you don't use any more (say an old headphone), plug it into E10, twist around a little and unplug it. Do in again and again for 3 minutes or so and see if anything improves.
   
  p/s: This same principle also works if you even have static on amp with analog pot. If the volume pot on your amp becomes noisy or imbalanced when turned, especially if it hasn't been used for a while, you can turn the pot all the way up and down (headphone unplugged of course) and repeat it for a few minutes to clean out the pot.


----------



## alphaphoenix

Thanks ClieOS, I tried that already.  Didn't make any difference.  Now I only get one channel unless I forcefully press the earphone plug into the input.  There seems to something faulty with the input itself and the inner contact points.


----------



## Angelbelow

Thanks for the review as always!


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





alphaphoenix said:


> Thanks ClieOS, I tried that already.  Didn't make any difference.  Now I only get one channel unless I forcefully press the earphone plug into the input.  There seems to something faulty with the input itself and the inner contact points.


 


  Is it happen to just one particular pair or all headphone? If it is the later then I guess it is obviously a lemon.


----------



## alphaphoenix

All (Pk1,Triplefi 10, RS2 /w adapter).


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





radioking59 said:


> Is anyone else hearing static and channels cutting out when they move the headphone jack?  If I bump the jack when changing the volume it causes static. This is happening quite often. I was wondering if this is an isolated incident or if they are all like that.  I would hate to return it and get a replacement that also has this problem.


 


  1, When changing the volume knob, it may cause some noise, it is decided by the potentionmeter.
   
  2, For the headphone jack, when you moving the connector, it may also cause the noise when the connection is loose.
   
  For the noise of potentionmeter, it is made by Alps which is the best we can found now. of course digital volume control can solve this problem. but lots of people may still like potentionmeter.
   
  For the headphone jack, there are not any evidence that the same jack which used in our E7 will cause big problem, so far the defective rate is very low, and we already sold out so many E7, it had been proved that it is a reliable jack. of course, compare with the jack which we used in our E6,
   
  the jack used in E6 will be more tighten, but the question is since it is so  precise and small, it is more easy to be damage.  
   
  Anyway, we will make more research and try to make it better . thanks for the report.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





alphaphoenix said:


> Thanks ClieOS, I tried that already.  Didn't make any difference.  Now I only get one channel unless I forcefully press the earphone plug into the input.  There seems to something faulty with the input itself and the inner contact points.


 


  We had contacted our supplier about some 4 pin earphone, the question is that the ground of some headphone/earphone is located in pin3, but not pin4, so the ground can not connected to the ground of the E10. of course, it may not be the reason of your E10.


----------



## kite7

Quote: 





alphaphoenix said:


> All (Pk1,Triplefi 10, RS2 /w adapter).


 

 Are you using the grado 1/4 to 1/8 adapter? I am using another adapter that is not the grado one for my SR325 and I'm having issues; was hoping the official one would work. I ended up using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable then plugged my adapter to that.


----------



## supercooper

wow....I have to say I'm more than a little concerned that the e10 "impressions" thread has turned into the e10 "problems / issues" thread!!
   
  I hadn't visited in a few days and now notice the e10 is now available on Amazon.  I was fully ready to purchase until I wandered back to this thread to find mostly complaints about the volume knob and headphone jack.
   
  Can anyone sincerely report that the e10 has improved their laptop + headphone listening experience?   I could care less about just making the sound "louder"; I'm looking for something that will deliver the music....well, more musically.
   
  At the very least, ordering from Amazon would allow me to return the e10 no questions asked without any additional expense should I experience anything as described.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





supercooper said:


> wow....I have to say I'm more than a little concerned that the e10 "impressions" thread has turned into the e10 "problems / issues" thread!!
> 
> I hadn't visited in a few days and now notice the e10 is now available on Amazon.  I was fully ready to purchase until I wandered back to this thread to find mostly complaints about the volume knob and headphone jack.


 

 I have no problem at all with my E10, I assume there are those who own E10 that is just as good as mine. Remember this is the internet, not everyone who owns a good E10 will post here and report 'there is nothing wrong with my E10', but you can be certain there will be posts about defected / lemon E10 when people received one. FiiO tends to make their every batch of E10 by a few hundreds, if not a thousand at a times. Even with a 5% defected / dirty / loosen / incompatible jack out of a thousand units, you will still see 50 people complain about it while 950 good units will never get noticed by anyone.

  
  Quote: 





supercooper said:


> Can anyone sincerely report that the e10 has improved their laptop + headphone listening experience?   I could care less about just making the sound "louder"; I'm looking for something that will deliver the music....well, more musically.


 
  You are asking an overly simplified question. I assume E10 will greatly improve a netbook's headphone-out but not as much on a top-of-the-line notebook's. There are way too many laptop models out there and another person's experience might not equal to what you are going to experience.


----------



## rawrster

I find the E10 is better than my netbook which is an EeePC 1005HA. It is quite respectable for $80 shipped or so. It not going to challenge things costing 3-4x or more its price but at $80 it is attractive and I'd take it over the uDAC that I had around 2 years or so ago. I'm not sure how they compare as dacs since I don't use just the dac function since it makes no sense for me to use a full size amp with something I plan to use for transportable.


----------



## donunus

way better than my laptops headphone jack and no problem here.


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





clieos said:


> This could be a problem of dirty jack as it is stored or unused for too long. Before sending it back, try this: Find yourself a 3.5mm plug that you don't use any more (say an old headphone), plug it into E10, twist around a little and unplug it. Do in again and again for 3 minutes or so and see if anything improves.
> 
> p/s: This same principle also works if you even have static on amp with analog pot. If the volume pot on your amp becomes noisy or imbalanced when turned, especially if it hasn't been used for a while, you can turn the pot all the way up and down (headphone unplugged of course) and repeat it for a few minutes to clean out the pot.


 
   
  Static fixed :] Thanks


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





supercooper said:


> wow....I have to say I'm more than a little concerned that the e10 "impressions" thread has turned into the e10 "problems / issues" thread!!
> 
> I hadn't visited in a few days and now notice the e10 is now available on Amazon.  I was fully ready to purchase until I wandered back to this thread to find mostly complaints about the volume knob and headphone jack.
> 
> ...


 

 No real problems for me.  My jack is a tad loose, but it doesn't seem to have an effect on the sound at all.
   
  And the E10 has definitely improved the sound on both of my laptops.  I have a (fairly) high end laptop at home, and an older, more middle-of-the-road laptop that lives in my office.  My home computer sees less of an improvement, but it's still noticeable, especially with decent headphones.  With my office laptop, it's a night and day difference.  The headphone jack on that laptop has a terrible problem with static, which the E10 cleared up almost completely (it's only noticeable with no music playing and the volume turned up well above comfortable levels).


----------



## oddsratio

Checking back in after a couple days:
   
  The change wasn't earth-shattering, as others have said. I did cut out the annoying hiss that was present on my onboard headphone jack, so there's that. I didn't hear too much of a difference between the amp and the onboard audio in terms of normal SQ other than additional clarity, but I didn't have huge expectations. I have an '08 aluminum macbook, to give more info on my setup.
   
  On the amp side: I still get the pops between tracks and the buzz when the pot is up too high. Checked on two other computers and all my ports.
   
  As I posted before, I have some interference issues with Netflix, where the sound clips for about 20 seconds at a time. Sometimes the end of my songs on itunes cut off at the last 5 seconds or so before changing tracks, making the pop more apparent. (Yes, I've done the usual checks of end-time/start time).
   
  It's not an issue with the DAC, but with the amp, so I'm not sure if it's a this-e10-is-a-lemon problem or if there's an impedance conflict between my headphones (I've got Grado 80s and 220s [borrowed] and sennheiser iems, all with ~32ohms) that I have to resolve.
   
   
  As far as the DAC-Only output: It was clean, attenuated, with none of the buzzing or sound issues that were present on the amp line. But the OS volume has to be at least 75% otherwise it would sound dim. Line out on the DAC side definitely needs an amp. With the proper levels, I am impressed, as the DAC's the clearest I've heard my music.
   
  So there's the rub. Love the DAC, not happy with the amp for now. Not sure if I should just stick with a d5 (the chips are similar _enough_, right?) and use a different amp, like a cmoy, if it's the e10, or just some software settings I have to fix.


----------



## ClieOS

The way you describe it seems strange to me. I would have expect a codec issue between the PC and the DAC to cause cut out like that but it doesn't seem to be the problem here. I'll suggest you get in touch with the seller and send it back for replacement, just in case.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





oddsratio said:


> Checking back in after a couple days:
> 
> The change wasn't earth-shattering, as others have said. I did cut out the annoying hiss that was present on my onboard headphone jack, so there's that. I didn't hear too much of a difference between the amp and the onboard audio in terms of normal SQ other than additional clarity, but I didn't have huge expectations. I have an '08 aluminum macbook, to give more info on my setup.
> 
> ...


 


  1, Please set the system volume and the volume of the media player program to the max ( make sure ), it can help you get the full resolution from the digital output. for any USB DAC, the best way is to adjust the volume after the output of the DAC chip, otherwise you may get a 96k/10bit sound resolution through your PC/MAC.
   
  2, E10 is powered by the USB , so sometime the power supply may decide the sound quality of E10 because it came with too many noise. 
   
  3, D5 is a consumer level products , the SQ is not the most important thing in there , it is a feature products.
   
  Any feedback , advice, suggestion is welcome, that will help us improve our working, not only in quality control, but also service, design and others. thanks every one!


----------



## Blueiz

Absolutely NO problems with mine.... love it!!


----------



## kite7

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Find yourself a 3.5mm plug that you don't use any more (say an old headphone), plug it into E10, twist around a little and unplug it. Do in again and again for 3 minutes or so and see if anything improves.


 

 I just tried this; I took a few earbuds plugged them each and twist it around remove and plug repeat about 20 times total. Now my 1/4 to 1/8 adapter for my SR325 works fine with the E10; I can twist the plug around and it won't lose connection. This is a good tip


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





kite7 said:


> I find the E10 picky with certain earphones' plugs. Some 1/8 work fine and some will have the channel cutting off if I move it and I need to twist the plug around until I find a right spot.


 


  i'm having the exact same problem with both edition 8 plug and lcd2... so i think is a really big problem with E10.
   
  I'm still considering if i will return it, or keep it.
   
  Seems a batch problem...


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





obazavil said:


> i'm having the exact same problem with both edition 8 plug and lcd2... so i think is a really big problem with E10.
> 
> I'm still considering if i will return it, or keep it.
> 
> Seems a batch problem...


 
  Try out ClieOS solultion. Worked for me and kite7
   


  Quote: 





clieos said:


> This could be a problem of dirty jack as it is stored or unused for too long. Before sending it back, try this: Find yourself a 3.5mm plug that you don't use any more (say an old headphone), plug it into E10, twist around a little and unplug it. Do in again and again for 3 minutes or so and see if anything improves.
> 
> p/s: This same principle also works if you even have static on amp with analog pot. If the volume pot on your amp becomes noisy or imbalanced when turned, especially if it hasn't been used for a while, you can turn the pot all the way up and down (headphone unplugged of course) and repeat it for a few minutes to clean out the pot.


----------



## twelvebears

Well I haven't noticed any issues with my E10 headphone socket, in fact it seems a nice positive fit.
   
  It's rapidly becoming one of my favourite gadgets at the moment.  Small, cute, well made and gives an instant SQ boost to any laptop or PC.  It's SOOO good in fact that I'm probably going to buy a couple more and have one attached to each of the Macs that we use around the house, as all get headphone usage on a regular basis.
   
  I know I could get a desktop solution for the two iMacs but tbh, the E10 is more than good enough and is so fuss-free.
   
  The only issue I did have was when playing high-res 24bit files via Audirvana, which kept giving 'choppy' playback.  All I had to do to fix it was to uncheck the 'Use max I/O buffer size' option in Audirvana and all is well.
   
  While resolving this issue, I did revert to using iTunes in the course of testing out the problem and was really shocked at how flat and lifeless iTunes made the same tracks sound!
   
  Two tracks which particularly showed the differences, which are now far more noticable with the E10, were from 24bit versions of Talk Talk's 'Colour of Spring' (happiness is Easy) and Talking Heads 'Speaking in Tongues' (Burning Down the House).  Both these tracks have some great recorded acoustics via the E10 and Audirvana, but iTunes made both sound totally 2D.


----------



## Ultrainferno

my E10 usb-cable died after one week. Lucky for me it's just the cable


----------



## obazavil

Short short review:
   
  I used 3 configurations:
   
  foobar(WASAPI + ALAC) -> E10 -> Ultrasone Edition 8
  foobar(WASAPI + ALAC) -> E10 -> Schiit Lyr -> LCD-2 rev 2.
  foobar(WASAPI + ALAC) -> E10 (high gain) -> LCD-2 rev 2.
   
  The sound is very clear, LOTS of details, very balanced.
  Instruments separations is good, imaging is good, no noise, great details, amazing bass with bass boost off.
   
  I don't have another DAC to compare against (sold my E7), but LCD-2 from E10 directly sounds pretty good, and as DAC alone is pretty amazing.
   
  100% recommended...
   
  The only complain I have is this 3.5 not-perfect-plug that even with the recommendation from above is still giving me problems.
  I will try more this "fix". But I would rather wait for a 2nd batch to see if that is fixed.
   
  Is pretty annoying. But SQ alone, is very very good for the price.


----------



## oddsratio

Thank you fiio for addressing this in the forum. It is an [impression] thread, but many of these quirks are part of our initial impressions of the dac. I've sent mine back to Micca and ordered a replacement through Amazon, as I don't have to pay shipping with their return policy if this does turn out to be a batch issue (which I kind of doubt, but I'm hoping for the best). Worst thing is that I wait a couple months for these things to be sorted out. As long as Amazon has them in stock, I'm okay with that. I'll post how the replacement sounds after some burn-in.


----------



## Kimmy7

I'm really enjoying the Fiio E10 out of my desktop. I always had enjoyed Eqing and i went ahead and did this on Foobar, and it sounded amazing. But i tried switching off eq and such a luscious and involving sound. best 80 dollars spent! I"ve got a question. If i have my headphone plugged in the front, are there any problems if i plug in the speaker lineout at the same time. I played it before and it was playing through both the headphones and the speakers. Could i cause any damage or am i overheating the e10 in any way/? Thanks


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





kimmy7 said:


> I'm really enjoying the Fiio E10 out of my desktop. I always had enjoyed Eqing and i went ahead and did this on Foobar, and it sounded amazing. But i tried switching off eq and such a luscious and involving sound. best 80 dollars spent! I"ve got a question. If i have my headphone plugged in the front, are there any problems if i plug in the speaker lineout at the same time. I played it before and it was playing through both the headphones and the speakers. Could i cause any damage or am i overheating the e10 in any way/? Thanks


 


  It is safe to connect both the headphone and the speaker at the same time.


----------



## JoetheArachnid

I've had my E10 for a couple of days now. It hasn't blown my mind exactly, but it's still a nice unit. Small and solid, and with a sound that's pretty much a little cleaner over the cheapo DAC I was using before. I've been mostly using it as a pure DAC so far, but I'll try to get some listening on the HPO too.
   
  Couple of issues: Like others, I've found that the headphone jack can be a bit wobbly. No issues with static from that, though. I have found an unusual number of pops and crackles in just general music listening, though; I got pops before but these ones can be quite loud and distracting, and come through both the LO and HPO. I also had an issue where I was getting distorted highs on tracks where there had been no distortion before. This was eventually solved by just unplugging and re-plugging the USB cable.


----------



## FoxSpirit

Quote: 





kimmy7 said:


> I'm really enjoying the Fiio E10 out of my desktop. I always had enjoyed Eqing and i went ahead and did this on Foobar, and it sounded amazing. But i tried switching off eq and such a luscious and involving sound. best 80 dollars spent! I"ve got a question. If i have my headphone plugged in the front, are there any problems if i plug in the speaker lineout at the same time. I played it before and it was playing through both the headphones and the speakers. Could i cause any damage or am i overheating the e10 in any way/? Thanks


 


 Make sure you use either the ASIO or WASAPI plugins for playback.


----------



## Kimmy7

Hi Foxspirit Thanks : )
   I Just installed ASIO! i was wondering what or how this works?


----------



## Dhimay

I pre-ordered mine through mp4nation...can't wait! I'll be sure to post my impressions paired with Denon D2000.
   
  Anyway, I'm also planning to use them with my speakers, which are connected to a stereo power-amp without a volume control. Now my question is, would I lose audio quality by connecting _E10_ => _Power amp_ directly (and control the volume in the computer), or would it be worth it to connect _E10_ => _Stereo Receiver_ (and use its preamp function to control volume) => _Power Amp_?
   
  Thanks!


----------



## semiseco

Greetings everyone, long time lurker here finally signing in! My introduction reel shows most of my history in the world of stereo speaker listening, then some half serious attempts at portable listening through some Sony in-ears, more recently the MEElec M11+ and finally my love with the Ultrasone PRO 750 over everything I've auditioned (perhaps the Denon D2000 came close). Anyway, enough with the introductions!
   
  I received the E10 today, and a noise got me worried. Has anyone else noticed a low frequency, but easily audible buzz like a small idling motor present in both the headphone out and the line out? Through the headphone out it becomes audible and distracting around volume setting 2, louder in the right channel, and gets pretty loud by maximum volume. From the line out it's easily heard through my speakers.
   
  It's there with different usb ports, usb cables and audio settings. Sample rate setting seems to change the buzz frequency a little, but the volume stays the same. Bit depth does nothing. My uDac2 has no noises in the same setup, totally silent background. Otherwise the E10 sounds clearer and less harsh compared (just quick impressions). Any help or experiences appreciated!


----------



## donunus

Have it replaced because mine has no such problem.


----------



## iLikeJarJar

What are the benefits of it being USB? I'm still trying to learn about amps and DACs, so all these FiiO products coming out recently are throwing me for a new one! I read the review, but could someone do a more of a tl;dr simple version of the E10 vs E7 vs E11? I was thinking about getting the E7 and taking the battery out and using it for my desktop, but the E10 has gotten my attention.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





dhimay said:


> Anyway, I'm also planning to use them with my speakers, which are connected to a stereo power-amp without a volume control. Now my question is, would I lose audio quality by connecting _E10_ => _Power amp_ directly (and control the volume in the computer), or would it be worth it to connect _E10_ => _Stereo Receiver_ (and use its preamp function to control volume) => _Power Amp_?


 

 The later should give you a better digital resolution in theory, but having less components between the source and the speaker is usually more preferred. For simplicity, I'll go for the former setup as the difference between the two might not be that audible. Of cource the best way is to try both and keep the one you like.
   


  Quote: 





ilikejarjar said:


> What are the benefits of it being USB? I'm still trying to learn about amps and DACs, so all these FiiO products coming out recently are throwing me for a new one! I read the review, but could someone do a more of a tl;dr simple version of the E10 vs E7 vs E11? I was thinking about getting the E7 and taking the battery out and using it for my desktop, but the E10 has gotten my attention.


 

 E10 - USB DAC (= external PC sound card) with decent headphone amp that can drive most headphone under 300ohm to decent level. Can't be used without PC.
  E7 - USB DAC and portable amp. Neither as powerful nor as good sounding as E10, but can be used as a standalone portable amp (with iPod, etc) as well as a PC soundcard
  E11 - portable amp, no DAC inside (no PC soundcard function). Pretty much as good sounding as E10's amp section but provides a little more power.
   
  The point of using USB DAC is to improve the sound quality of your computer, assuming the PC internal soundcard doesn't sound particularly good in the first place of course. Also, E7 battery can be removed unless you desolder it.


----------



## Angular Mo

My PC only partially recognizes my E10 I received two days ago.
   
  I can see the device inside the Device Manager's sound controllers, and hear the beep sound from the PC when I connect the E10 to a USB port.
   
  However, I do not see the popup Window described in the user guide, nor do I hear any sound when playing music from the PC through the E10 into my headphones.
   
  I do not know what to do.
   
  Please help.


----------



## Splungeworthy

I am also loving my E10.  However I am encountering a small problem.  It works with Foobar (with WASAPI plugin-awesome!).  It works with Spotify, Rhapsody and Zune players.  It does not work with WMP12.  I thought I read somewhere about using it in exclusive mode, but I don't know if that has any bearing on this problem.  Running W7 with the standard crappy Realtek card.  The E10 is the default sound device in settings.  Also, if this is any help, I must close Foobar to be able to hear the other players.  Any help would be appreciated.  (FYI-I'm also waiting for my ZO2!)


----------



## Angular Mo

Quote: 





angular mo said:


> My PC only partially recognizes my E10 I received two days ago.
> 
> I can see the device inside the Device Manager's sound controllers, and hear the beep sound from the PC when I connect the E10 to a USB port.
> 
> ...


 


 I got it to work.... I had to remove the cables from the PC's sound card, then re-attach them...


----------



## donunus

Exclusive mode means only one player can play music at a time by the way. I actually use wasapi event style but uncheck exclusive mode because it creates a delay in the beginning of songs.


----------



## Splungeworthy

So...I still don't have an answer to my question. When trying to listen to Windows Media Player 12 with the E10 connected through the USB, I get nothing through the headphones-it only plays through my laptop speakers.  I am able to listen to Foobar, Rhapsody, and Spotify through the E10.  Again, the E10 is the default sound device, with Win7 (64 bit) and Realtek soundcard.  C'mon Head-Fiers, I know someone can help me out here!


----------



## Armaegis

I suspect wmp12 has a setting to specifically use the speakers rather than default device.


----------



## Splungeworthy

I actually just discovered this-after trying all other device settings I should have just gone right to the source-WMP 12! Anyway it works now.  I know WMP is not a popular player here.  BTW, the E10 is probably one of the great audiophile buys EVER.  Being able to bypass the awful Windows mixer has made all the difference in the world (most of my listening is through the laptop).  Anyway, thanks Armaegis for your quick reply.


----------



## Porteroso

Got one the other day; it sounds pretty good. Compared to my PC, which has a newer and extremely common Realtek chip powering it, it's not a night and day difference, but it's noticeably better. I don't find that soundstage necessarily improved at all in width, maybe depth, but there is slightly more detail and separation across the spectrum, bass is punchier, and dynamics have slightly improved. I wouldn't describe it as warm at all, but the mids are slightly more liquid. Compared to my laptop chip, it's way, way better, but I already knew it would be. It powers my Grados/Denons with ease.


----------



## FoxSpirit

Quote: 





kimmy7 said:


> Hi Foxspirit Thanks : )
> I Just installed ASIO! i was wondering what or how this works?


 

 For Foobar2000 and WinAmp there are plugins so you can set your output to ASIO. This will bypass the Windows sound manipulation layer resulting in much better sound with good equipment.
  Sometimes ASIO does not work, then use WASAPI (often needs plugins too). Is Windows native and basically does the same.


----------



## Marximus

Ordered.  If everything ships in a timely fashion, I should have both this and a Schiit Asgard in two days.  Wednesday could be awesome.
   
  UPDATE:  And they gave me a tracking number 14 minutes later.  Wow.


----------



## zeitfliesst

Has anyone who has ordered from mp4nation and was moved to second batch received shipping confirmation? I was told that they would have received the batch last week, but still nothing. This is starting to become a ridiculous wait time...nearly 2 months now.


----------



## Hosoi

Quote: 





zeitfliesst said:


> Has anyone who has ordered from mp4nation and was moved to second batch received shipping confirmation? I was told that they would have received the batch last week, but still nothing. This is starting to become a ridiculous wait time...nearly 2 months now.


 


  Same here.Incredibly bad.


----------



## zeitfliesst

Yeah, I saw your post earlier having the same problem. Who knew that pre-order meant "wait indefinitely after sending your money". Sorry to be off-topic guys, but just really needed to vent my frustration with mp4nation.


----------



## Porteroso

I canceled my order with mp4nation and got one from micca within 4 days. Amazon has them too last I checked.


----------



## zeitfliesst

I would have cancelled my order long ago if not for the fact that I live in Canada. Headphonebar seems to have them but it is more expensive (+shipping) and now they're on backorder so I'm stuck here with mp4nation. Argh...


----------



## rmappita

I ordered mine with mp4nation, they sent me a track number 24 days ago, and I hope to get the E10 next week. BTW I live in Brazil =P


----------



## zeitfliesst

Wow, yours SHIPPED 24 days ago and it still hasn't arrived? Now I'm really thinking about just cancelling this order.
   
  *Edit: mp4nation is telling me that production of second batch still hasn't completed while they previously said that they would RECEIVE the batch last week. This is ridiculous. Does anyone know where I can buy the E10 in Canada other than Headphone Bar? These guys have it on backorder too, new batch arriving on nov.23. Does micca store ship internationally?


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





zeitfliesst said:


> Wow, yours SHIPPED 24 days ago and it still hasn't arrived? Now I'm really thinking about just cancelling this order.
> 
> *Edit: mp4nation is telling me that production of second batch still hasn't completed while they previously said that they would RECEIVE the batch last week. This is ridiculous. Does anyone know where I can buy the E10 in Canada other than Headphone Bar? These guys have it on backorder too, new batch arriving on nov.23. Does micca store ship internationally?


 


  i think micca does ship to canada.
   
  Just ask them


----------



## zeitfliesst

Cool. I'll definitely ask. Buying from them seems more than logical since I've heard nothing but good stuff about 'em.
   
  *Just an update. They do ship to Canada, but only offer money order as payment method. Since this ins't very convenient I'll just have to keep playing the waiting game with mp4nation.


----------



## C0rnholio

Hey head-fi nation. Just received my E10 today after a 2 weeks wait time for the item to come from Germany ( I live in Romania ). Usually I receive stuff from UK/Germany in 5 days and I was getting a bit worried. The seller name is : *schopfhandel* and I believe I read someplace on the Fiio website he's an authorized retailer or something. Anyway it's here ...
   
  First impressions : sound quality is really IMPRESSIVE. It my first DAC/Headphone Amp so I can be easy impressed. One thing tho, I don't think this was REALLY brand new, I mean the product seems to have some sort of thin protection plastic cover over the aluminum case that looks slightly "bothered" on a corner. It might have been tested or something - not a big deal. I like the metal case it comes in - anyway overall I am very happy with it. I bought it mostly to use on my laptop as my Dell ( although was almost 3000$ when new 3 years ago - Precision M6300 ) comes with a DREADFUL sound card. I tested the little Fiio on Sennheiser HD 555, AKG K181DJ, Brainwavz ProAlpha IEMs and everything seems to be sport on.
   
  However there are some issues I ran into. I used it today on my regular PC that I work on for about 3-4 hours - no problems. Now I am on my laptop and I seem to notice some issues : if I stop the music I get some static on the background and some weird sounds - not always the same. Its the most noticeable if I turn the volume up ( with no music playing I can do that with no problems  ). If I start playing the music, it instantly goes away and everything is clean and clear. Sometimes everything is good even if the music isn't playing.
  I noticed that if I play around the sample/bit depth settings - sometimes the "sounds" disappear. Also I can sometimes hear some "clicks" between tracks. What's important is that during music play everything is CRISTAL CLEAR. There are some slow quiet tracks with short low volume parts so I can easy tell if something is in the background. Right now I am listening to 320 kbps mp3s.
   
  I also tested on another PC I have in the room and the sounds are there. If I changed the sample rate to 24/96 it was gone. Is this somehow normal ? I have a friend with an impressive sound setup - Weiss DAC and Jeff Rowland amplifier ( don't remember the speakers ) and I know he sometimes gets "clicks" when changes tracks from a laptop via firewire -> weiss. Could this E10 be a defective unit or this is normal ??
   
  PS. for example right now if I change the sample/bit from 24/96 to 24/48 the background noise turn into a constant BRRRRRR that goes away if I play a song but some right back if I stop it - I have the volume on the laptop set to almost minimum so I can keep the E10s knob volume close to max for these tests - this is getting annoying ....
   
  PSS. - after reading this whole thread I see that I am not the only one with this problem. After some extensive testing there are some things worth being mentioned : the most obvious hiss/noise appears on my Brainwavz I was using when I wrote this. Just tried the Senns HD555 and the problem is almost NOT NOTICEABLE even with amp at full volume. So it depends very much on the headphones/iems used. Got the ProAlphas and plugged them into the line-out and the buzz/brrrrr is present there too ( of course on a much lower volume ) - so the "issue" is not AMP related is most likely a DAC issue. Also, by setting the volume on laptop/player to minimum and the AMP to maximum - is really asking for it - so not really a "real-world" issue - although a bit annoying - and I found this problem after a few hours of use. Another thing : the problems ( at least in my case ) occur only when music IS NOT PLAYING - so it's not a physical issue ( knob or plug etc ) - There are tracks with 1-2 seconds of silence in the start and any noise/buzz vanishes once I touch PLAY - very noticeable in those seconds. Any idea why when playing around with the samples/bit depths the noise is very different ? Anyway on 24/96 I get the best results ( lowest noise ) - so again its good.
   
  Regarding the SQ difference from a laptop - I own a Dell Precision Machine - a pretty much mobile workstation so Dell's flagship line - and it came with a SigmaTel HD Codec or something - the sound quality on ANY headphones is simply BARF worthy ! Difference with the E10 is from NIGHT to DAY - there isn't even worth comparing them. I haven't find any laptop with a decent onboard sound card so far - they all STINK BIG TIME ( biiiig noise/hiss ). E10 is a HUGE improvement !


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





c0rnholio said:


> However there are some issues I ran into. I used it today on my regular PC that I work on for about 3-4 hours - no problems. Now I am on my laptop and I seem to notice some issues : if I stop the music I get some static on the background and some weird sounds - not always the same. Its the most noticeable if I turn the volume up ( with no music playing I can do that with no problems  ). If I start playing the music, it instantly goes away and everything is clean and clear. Sometimes everything is good even if the music isn't playing.
> I noticed that if I play around the sample/bit depth settings - sometimes the "sounds" disappear. Also I can sometimes hear some "clicks" between tracks. What's important is that during music play everything is CRISTAL CLEAR. There are some slow quiet tracks with short low volume parts so I can easy tell if something is in the background. Right now I am listening to 320 kbps mp3s.
> 
> I also tested on another PC I have in the room and the sounds are there. If I changed the sample rate to 24/96 it was gone. Is this somehow normal ? I have a friend with an impressive sound setup - Weiss DAC and Jeff Rowland amplifier ( don't remember the speakers ) and I know he sometimes gets "clicks" when changes tracks from a laptop via firewire -> weiss. Could this E10 be a defective unit or this is normal ??
> ...


 
   
  Most likely it is the laptop that causes the issue. Not every PC has low background noise. If it is noisy then it can get picked up by the DAC. If it is the problem of the E10, you will hear it all the time on every PC.


----------



## BenjaminHarris

I ordered my E10 through Amazon and received it in just a few days.  Paired with my 2008 Core 2 Duo Macbook and Sennheiser HD595 headphones, the improvement in sound quality, while not Earth-shattering, is appreciable.


----------



## detonate

Anyway to get the e10 working with the PS3? Would love to use my headphones for it. BTW, I'm a noob to all this.


----------



## ClieOS

detonate said:


> Anyway to get the e10 working with the PS3? Would love to use my headphones for it. BTW, I'm a noob to all this.




Nope, you can't use E10 with PS3.


----------



## Marximus

I just got the E10 today.  It's so freaking cute!  This is what should have had the name of Cute Beyond.  I think it's added a fair amount of warmth to the music (coming from a uDAC-2), which is pretty cool.  The uDAC-2/Asgard combo sounded a bit spare to me, and I think this combo is a good combination of not enough bass (uDAC-2/Asgard) and too much/muddy bass (uDAC-2/my Denon receiver).  It's also added some treble energy, too, I think.  Sounds good.  I noticed some kind of buzzing or brring noise when music wasn't playing, but that was only at first.  I can't hear it now.  However, the noise that I could hear with the uDAC-2 and Asgard combo (scrolling, processing, computerish sounds) has become a little more pronounced.  It's still pretty quiet, and more or less irrelevant when music is playing, but something I noticed all the same.  I'm trying to decide whether to keep this or the uDAC-2.  The loser will go to my girlfriend for Christmas (hopefully she didn't decide to pick today to start reading Head-Fi).


----------



## tim3320070

The sound people are commenting on (buzzing, computer hiss, etc.) seems to be recurrent but not universal. I wonder if wrapping the unit in dynamat type would make a difference? I may try this.


----------



## ClieOS

tim3320070 said:


> The sound people are commenting on (buzzing, computer hiss, etc.) seems to be recurrent but not universal. I wonder if wrapping the unit in dynamat type would make a difference? I may try this.




The first thing I will do is to find a good USB cable with ferrite bead. In fact, an USB cable with two ferrite bead is even better (I am using such cable that comes with HifiMan HM801)


----------



## tim3320070

Do you feel this can reduce computer noise? Forgive my ignorance on this.


----------



## ClieOS

tim3320070 said:


> Do you feel this can reduce computer noise? Forgive my ignorance on this.




It should help, but how much it will help really depends on how 'noisy' your PC is. The good news is ferrite bead is dirt cheap so the investment is minimum.


----------



## semiseco

Quote: 





c0rnholio said:


> However there are some issues I ran into. I used it today on my regular PC that I work on for about 3-4 hours - no problems. Now I am on my laptop and I seem to notice some issues : if I stop the music I get some static on the background and some weird sounds - not always the same. Its the most noticeable if I turn the volume up ( with no music playing I can do that with no problems  ). If I start playing the music, it instantly goes away and everything is clean and clear. Sometimes everything is good even if the music isn't playing.


 
   
  Quote: 





marximus said:


> I noticed some kind of buzzing or brring noise when music wasn't playing, but that was only at first.  I can't hear it now.  However, the noise that I could hear with the uDAC-2 and Asgard combo (scrolling, processing, computerish sounds) has become a little more pronounced.  It's still pretty quiet, and more or less irrelevant when music is playing, but something I noticed all the same.


 

 Ah, thank you for these comments, they made me look for a song with silence in the beginning, and indeed the buzz stops when there's anything playing, even a silent part. I agree it has to be a dac problem, as the buzz sounds really... digital? Not a 50/60 Hz electrical humm or white noise from the amp section. Quite the annoyance still, as I use the E10 also from the line out to my stereo system, and I don't want to turn the system off every time there's no music playing and then back on again when I play something.
   
  If a couple of people *who think they don't have the buzz* could test it again with no music playing and turning the volume up, we could establish if it's a feature or a problem with only some of the units. Would be much appreciated! I need to decide if I try a replacement E10 or just get a refund and continue looking...
   
  Quote: 





clieos said:


> The first thing I will do is to find a good USB cable with ferrite bead. In fact, an USB cable with two ferrite bead is even better (I am using such cable that comes with HifiMan HM801)


 

 I'm already using a cable with two of these ferrite beads, one at both ends of the cable, and the cable doesn't change the buzz.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





semiseco said:


> If a couple of people *who think they don't have the buzz* could test it again with no music playing and turning the volume up, we could establish if it's a feature or a problem with only some of the units. Would be much appreciated! I need to decide if I try a replacement E10 or just get a refund and continue looking...


 
  Tried, but didn't hear anything.


----------



## Marximus

Okay, so now THIS is weird.  I could hear computer issues through my Asgard, and the noise became more pronounced when I switched from the uDAC-2 to the E10, but when I listen straight out of the E10, it's absolutely silent!  No noise whatsoever.  So it's the Asgard that's causing issues....
  Edit:  okay, that wasn't phrased the best.  Perhaps I can just hear the issues through the Asgard the most.  Because it's the most resolving???


----------



## JamesFiiO

Thanks for share your experience with everyone, and how did you feel about uDAC-2 with E10?


----------



## Marximus

The E10 is definitely superior.  The uDAC-2 was a little fuzzy, and things weren't terribly well defined.  The E10 brings everything into tight focus and adds a goodly amount of bass impact (though not necessarily more bass overall).  Kudos to Fiio for a great, inexpensive product!


----------



## C0rnholio

Ok I am back with a few more tests. I have tried a few USB cables of my own, some with ferrite beads, some without. There was no improvement with the ferrite beads cables. Also I have tried the E10 on 3 different PCs and 2 laptops. Everything is the same on all.
   
  However, I have 4 pair of headphones available right now :
  1.Sennheiser HD-555 ( moded )
  2.AKG K181
  3.Everglide S500
  4.BOSE QuietComfort 3
  I also have my Brainwavs ProAlpha IEMs. Testing all on the E10 gave out some interesting results: the buzz problem is BY FAR most noticeable with the IEMs. I have no idea why, as the ProAlphas are not what you can call a sensitive pair. When testing the other 4 full-size headphones, the problems were MUCH MUCH lower.
   
  For testing I had the computer's FiiO volume set close to minimum and the volume knob on the actual E10 set to maximum in order to get the most noise as possible. If I set the sample/bit depth on 24/96 or 16/96 - the sound is the clearest - I can hear a slight hiss on the background on the IEMs but NOTHING on the other 4 full-size cans. However if I change these settings to ANY of the rest that doesn't have a 96 Khz setting ( like any combo of sample with 44.1/48Khz ) - the BRRRR kicks in very noticeable on the IEMs - but almost IMPOSSIBLE to detect on the headphones - but it's there - if I didn't know to expect it, I probably wouldn't have ever NOTICE it. However if I pump up the GAIN setting - it's there on all of them.
   
  Now - you guys please make this test :
  1. Set your PCs volume control of the E10 close to the minimum ( so it wouldn't blast your eras off  ) and set the knob volume of the E10 to the MAX.
  2. Go to Advanced Settings on the SPDIF INTERFACE ( FIIO E10 ) that appears when you play music with the Fiio - by pressing the SPEARKER ICON near the clock ( for windows of course ).
  3. With the music stopped of course set the sample/bit to 24bit/48Khz and press the TEST button - you should hear 2 test sounds on each channel - after that you should hear the BRRRR I am talking about.
  4. I have noticed the BRRRRR sound to appear on ALL SETTINGS when you plug the E10's usb cable for the first time. Even on 24/96 ... once you press play/stop on a song the BRRR stops.
   
  As I said, the ProAlphas have the LOUDEST volume on the E10, while the others are lower. In order to get the same BRRRRR on the other I had to get the GAIN settin on the E10 to HIGH and there it was - quite noticeable on all headphones. Repeat the test with how many headphones you have and post the results. This should be very interesting.
   
  PS - the problems are only there when NOTHING is playing !! So apart from these issues the E10 is a very nice gadget with a VERY GOOD quality when you need it : when the music is playing ) I would still recommend it to anyone wanting to improve the sound on their PC and especially Laptops. For example my laptop's sound card behaves quite reversed : when nothing is playing the noise is lower but visibly increases when you start playing something )


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





c0rnholio said:


> Now - you guys please make this test :
> 1. Set your PCs volume control of the E10 close to the minimum ( so it wouldn't blast your eras off  ) and set the knob volume of the E10 to the MAX.
> 2. Go to Advanced Settings on the SPDIF INTERFACE ( FIIO E10 ) that appears when you play music with the Fiio - by pressing the SPEARKER ICON near the clock ( for windows of course ).
> 3. With the music stopped of course set the sample/bit to 24bit/48Khz and press the TEST button - you should hear 2 test sounds on each channel - after that you should hear the BRRRR I am talking about.
> ...


 
   
  I can see what you are talking there, but what is the point of setting the volume on E10 to max and using the PC's digital volume for control? A setting like that only serves to increase internal noise (similar to double amping) and reduce the overall resolution / bit depth.


----------



## C0rnholio

You are perfectly right. I was just playing around with the settings to see when the noise everybody is talking about it's the most obvious. The real-life using mode would probably NEVER bother anybody. However it's a bit of shame to see the buzz present on the DAC's line out where the volume of the E10 doesn't make a difference. But the most important thing is that everything is DEAD SILENT when it needs to be : when anything is playing and that pretty much covers it.
   
  I went to a friend's place tonight that has a pretty expensive setup - around 20.000$ to test out my tiny E10's DAC. He has a Weiss DAC 2, Jeff Rowland Continuum Integrated Amplifier and I don't remember the Speakers model but it was some sick stuff - around 10K$ . Our goal was to see how the tiny E10 would perform against the Weiss on this setup - bare in mind the Weiss costs about 50 times more ( !!!! ) more. After about 3 hours of tests on all sort of music ... while the little E10 can't compete with the Weiss monster on anything really, the results were INCREDIBLE nevertheless. The E10 managed to throw a VERY DECENT fight. My ears are not very much used to hi-end audiophile products so when we were listening for a whole track on the Weiss and then moving to the E10 ... I didn't notice a huge difference, except maybe for the soundstage which was wider on the Weiss - but my friend said he feels some other slight differences which was to be expected of course. Some tracks showed more obvious differences, others not so much.
  Mind you ... the Weiss was connected to the laptop via Firewire and the cables between the Weiss and Amp were some Audioquest XLR cables that cost about 2.000$ alone - and I was using the stock USB Cable for the E10 along with a regular Sony 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect it to the Amp ) So its more like putting a Prius against a Veyron on a straight line !! But I must admit we were VERY impressed with how the little gem performed.
  There were some classic tracks with some silence parts and the E10 was DEAD SILENT regardless the volume setting on the JR Amp so BRAVO FIIO !! My friend said he heard some 700$ CD-Players on his setup that he felt less impressed about than the little E10.
   
  Whoever says the difference from the laptop's internal sound card isn't big is either having some GREAT laptop sound card although I heard hi-end Sonys, Dells and Macs that sound like garbage or simply needs to get his hearing checked.
   
  Can you guys tell me if the E10 changes it's sample/bit depth automatically depending on the track, or that is playing software dependent - in my case Foobar ? I noticed the Weiss changes it's setting depending on the FLAC thrown at it - you can hear a click when so and also you can see some leds on the front panel changing depending if the Flac is 24/44.1 or 24/96 for example. Can you guys elaborate more on this ?
   
  Sorry about the long posts


----------



## ClieOS

I should also point out that the BRR clicking sound has less to do with the DAC but how Windows switches between signal. I can hear just about the same sound from BitHead and D-ZERO, more or less.


----------



## oddsratio

Quote: 





clieos said:


> I should also point out that the BRR clicking sound has less to do with the DAC but how Windows switches between signal. I can hear just about the same sound from BitHead and D-ZERO, more or less.


 
  Can you post a little more info on this? I did that same thing as *C0rnholio's *post above, where I'm trying to see what they're capable of handling. I hear the BRRR on iems (I have CX200s and a151s) on the new unit still, but it's much worse when I have the output at 44khz than at 96khz. At that speed it's more of a hum and I hear it when only I go over 4 on the pot. With music playing, this noise disappears. At first, I thought it was a defect on the first unit, but here it is again 
   
  On my grados, I used to hear the BRRR at 44khz if I pressed the drivers down (like I would be wearing flats) and no longer hear this noise when I force upsample to 96khz. I'm on OSX.
   
  Is this a common phenomenon on USB, no matter the DAC/Amp setup because of the USB power? I've tried different ports & computers, but I am going to assume all usb power is 'dirty.' If I buy a D4 or a D0, is this going to happen there, too? I used a separate amp in the line out and found the same thing happening when I turned up the volume there.
   
  The turn-on pop seems really loud, though, and I'm afraid of that damaging my drivers.
   
  I'm conflicted, it has really nice sound and everything I wanted except maybe portability. But the buzz with iems (I use them about 30% of the time) is disconcerting, unless it's actually universal to usb-powered dac/amps.
   
  At its price point, there really is nothing comparable, but I might pay more for absolute silence on the pot, if a line like the ibasso or similar doesn't have similar background noise. If they do, then I'm happy to stick with this.
   
  Quote: 





clieos said:


> The first thing I will do is to find a good USB cable with ferrite bead. In fact, an USB cable with two ferrite bead is even better (I am using such cable that comes with HifiMan HM801)


 

 I also tried a cable I had with a ferrite bead and didn't notice a decrease in interference.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





oddsratio said:


> Can you post a little more info on this?


 

 Not really sure what I can add more onto it. As far as I can tell, the clicking sound is generated on the PC and pass through the DAC since regardless of what DAC I used, I can still hear it.


----------



## obazavil

Thanks for the comparison *C0rnholio*, really interesting reading.
   
  I wanted to get a bifrost, but after spending on my cans, I'm out of money for a while.
   
   
  I used my Ed8 with HP-P1 and with E10.
   
  E10 does a really good job, really. Ed8 are really revealing, and the music sounds pretty good.
   
  Bad I couldn't auction HP-P1 deeply, but anyway, for the price, I'm really pleased what I hear with both Ed8 and LCD2 (revealing cans)


----------



## semiseco

Quote: 





oddsratio said:


> Is this a common phenomenon on USB, no matter the DAC/Amp setup because of the USB power? I've tried different ports & computers, but I am going to assume all usb power is 'dirty.' If I buy a D4 or a D0, is this going to happen there, too? I used a separate amp in the line out and found the same thing happening when I turned up the volume there.
> 
> The turn-on pop seems really loud, though, and I'm afraid of that damaging my drivers.
> 
> ...


 

 My uDac2 (usb powered) is totally silent from both the line out and headphone out (at least on any listenable volume levels), and the volume pot doesn't make a sound. It's just that at least the headphone out sounds somehow more clear on the E10 (when something's playing and the buzz is not there that is). Oh well, I'll try a replacement E10 if I could get rid of the buzz, then it would definately replace my uDac2
  (should be able to sell it for the price of the E10 ).


----------



## C0rnholio

@oddsratio - the so called "problem" ONLY occurs when music ( or anything audio ) is NOT playing and it's visible ONLY when you have the computer's sound to almost minimum and the E10s amp to the max - so its like pushing it. On the other hand, the BRRR sound on the DAC line out really bothers when you first plug in the E10 on any setting. If you play something, even for 1 second the BRRRR stops completely - I am talking when keeping the E10 set to it's maximum 24/96 or 16/96 but I don't see any reason why not have it set to 24/96 all the time - I have a feeling windows or the playback software changes the sample rate when needed - hence the clicking sound - without any other degradation in noise/quality. So in real life - this should NOT BE anything to be concerned about. I can't think of a scenario in which that would bother you.
   
  @ClieOS - we are not talking about the clicking noise between tracks... from what I have seen, that occurs even on the 5000$ DAC I was testing the E10 against the other night - so everything is cool.
   
  Right now I am on the E10 paired with a pair of Audio Technica ATH M50. I took the cans to play with them for 2 days from a friend. I tested them at his place against my AKGs K181 I own and like but find them VERY uncomfortable. While performing the tests ... I felt the bass - especially on some drum beats ( ie: Michael Buble - Me and Mrs Jones ) to be a bit "broken" and loose on both headphones on a slightly higher volume. Even with the BASS OFF on the E10s panel. We hooked the phones to a Denon CD-Player - headphone out and the drums seemed a bit cleaner - so the amp on the E10 does seem a bit bloated on the low end - nothing to be worried about IMHO - but when having something else to compare it against .. you feel the differences.
   
  Regarding the DAC - I put it up against this guy's rig also - although still an audiophile setup, a much cheaper/lower budget than the monsters I saw last night - don't know all the setup though. Anyway, thing is, the DAC again performed VERY GOOD. Same differences as last night, narrower soundstage, slight less instrument separation on classic music on the E10 but still - a VERY HONORABLE performance. Maybe the differences were a bit bigger on the more expensive setup - as expected - but the E10 sounded very nice nevertheless. The other guys are more used to listening to certain tracks and audiophile testing so they spotted the differences more obvious than I did. Of course having the 80$ E10 against some DACs that cost 10-30-50 times more, that weight a lot more, that use cables that cost as much as a kidney and powered from the main source,  is not fair to say the least. I like to consider myself a music enthusiast and I know a thing or two about sound quality and how stuff should sound but by no means I am a hardcore audiophile being obsessed with insane details regarding music ( like the my 2 friends are  ) - and I couldn't spot too much difference except for the slight bass bloating on the amp part. This product is not for people that spend 20.000$ on music setups  It's for the other 99.99% of us that know to enjoy a nice clean and clear sound.
   
  So all in all - the E10 is absolutely incredible for the price DAC wise. The amp is not BAD either but I could spot some differences between the amps rather than the dacs - but again, I'm don't have my ears trained to hear all the subtilities others hear. E10's main target is to improve the sound output on a laptop/home pc and ALSO power up headphones - and not only it does that SUPERBLY but it can also act like a DAC for some higher end amp/speaker systems. If you don't have a VERY GOOD sound card on your PC or you want to listen to music on your laptop, this product is a STEAL.
   
  PS. all tests were done with AWESOMELY recorded FLACs. For an mp3 guy such as myself ( I get only get the REALLY good stuff in FLAC ) - the E10 is more than you could ever need.


----------



## ACDOAN

Would somebody tell me where I can order this little sweet babe in the US ? I do not like the look of the E11. Thank you.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





c0rnholio said:


> @ClieOS - we are not talking about the clicking noise between tracks... from what I have seen, that occurs even on the 5000$ DAC I was testing the E10 against the other night - so everything is cool.


 


 Of course not, I just thought I should point it out for those who have no idea what we are discussing..


----------



## oddsratio

@*C0rnholio:* Are you getting the background buzz (BRRR) at 100% on the fiio dial, because I start to hear it at 50 w/iems. There are some channel balance issues (as expected with a pot, but not too noticeable) that go away once you get to 1 on the dial, so I try to keep it above that. Also, I do hear it when nothing is playing and the pot's up that far, but it's not dependent on my system volume.


----------



## tim3320070

Quote: 





clieos said:


> It should help, but how much it will help really depends on how 'noisy' your PC is. The good news is ferrite bead is dirt cheap so the investment is minimum.


 

 It did nothing. It's my computer. The noise is fairly minor and about 80% less than the stock sound. The sound quality otherwise is greatly improved. A great little unit, especially at the price.


----------



## oddsratio

On the positive side of things, does anyone listen to this with the dac output only? I think I actually find it more pleasing than the headphone out.


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





oddsratio said:


> On the positive side of things, does anyone listen to this with the dac output only? I think I actually find it more pleasing than the headphone out.


 


  I listen it with lineout only.
   
  E10 -> Lyr -> LCD2
   
  Sounds pretty good.


----------



## LimeANite

Bad news - the headphone out is getting looser.  It's now at the point where if I bump the input cable too much, sound cuts out on the left channel.  This is probably at least partially the fault of the massive 1/4" to 1/8" adapter that Sennheiser uses on the HD555.  It puts a lot of stress on the jack.  But I also notice it with a simple extension cable, so the Sennheiser adapter isn't the only cause.  I may have to send it in if it gets any worse.


----------



## GigaFi

Quote: 





limeanite said:


> Bad news - the headphone out is getting looser.  It's now at the point where if I bump the input cable too much, sound cuts out on the left channel.  This is probably at least partially the fault of the massive 1/4" to 1/8" adapter that Sennheiser uses on the HD555.  It puts a lot of stress on the jack.  But I also notice it with a simple extension cable, so the Sennheiser adapter isn't the only cause.  I may have to send it in if it gets any worse.


 


  You shouldn't have used that adapter to begin with, get one with wire in between the two jacks. (Grado and Sennheiser makes one).


----------



## oddsratio

I picked up one of those from best buy from the hosa brand. 1/3 the cost of the grado adapter and it's working out pretty well.


----------



## alphaphoenix

Quote: 





gigafi said:


> You shouldn't have used that adapter to begin with, get one with wire in between the two jacks. (Grado and Sennheiser makes one).


 

 Shouldn't matter if you use an adapter or not.

  
  Quote: 





limeanite said:


> Bad news - the headphone out is getting looser.  It's now at the point where if I bump the input cable too much, sound cuts out on the left channel.  This is probably at least partially the fault of the massive 1/4" to 1/8" adapter that Sennheiser uses on the HD555.  It puts a lot of stress on the jack.  But I also notice it with a simple extension cable, so the Sennheiser adapter isn't the only cause.  I may have to send it in if it gets any worse.


 

 Exactly the same thing happened to me using the Grado 1/4 to 1/8 adapter.  Micca will replace mine, but I just got a notification that they are out of stock and won't have anymore until the end of this month. So it will be about a month without the E10.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





> Shouldn't matter if you use an adapter or not.


 
   
  Exactly - I knew it wasn't ideal, but it seemed sturdy enough that I wouldn't need to pay an extra $15 for an adapter.  And this is only after about 2 weeks of use with fairly gentle treatment.
   
  Quote:


alphaphoenix said:


> Exactly the same thing happened to me using the Grado 1/4 to 1/8 adapter.  Micca will replace mine, but I just got a notification that they are out of stock and won't have anymore until the end of this month. So it will be about a month without the E10.


 

 Fortunately mine is still functional - I'll just baby it for now.  I'm running everything through a 3.5mm extension cable for now, which seems to be more stable.  I have to actually try to move it to get the sound to cut out rather than it just cutting out at random with the Senn adapter.  Not sure if it's going to get sent in since I was thinking of getting a full-size amp (E9 or Asgard) at a later date to hook into the E10's line out, which would negate the need for the headphone out.


----------



## Marximus

I decided I prefer the functionality of my uDAC-2, so I'm selling my E10.  It's in the FS forum (with bonus cable!).


----------



## learner79

Hi Guys,
   
  I just got the E10 and i tried it on my Macbook but nothing came out form my earphones. Instead, the sound was coming from the macbook. 
  Is there any configuration i need to do for it to work? Thanks.


----------



## rawrster

You have to set your sound to use the E10 instead of your macbook.


----------



## S0onZai

Anyone own Fiio e10 and FiioD3? Hows is the DAC by comparing both of them. As far as i know, fiio d3 has optical port and able to convet to 24/192k sample rate. what fiio d3 is only cost for $30 bucks.


----------



## fatality

Quote: 





limeanite said:


> Bad news - the headphone out is getting looser.  It's now at the point where if I bump the input cable too much, sound cuts out on the left channel.  This is probably at least partially the fault of the massive 1/4" to 1/8" adapter that Sennheiser uses on the HD555.  It puts a lot of stress on the jack.  But I also notice it with a simple extension cable, so the Sennheiser adapter isn't the only cause.  I may have to send it in if it gets any worse.


 

  
  Its not the fault of the adapter, I've had my e10 about two weeks and this morning I lost the left audio stream completely. At first it was just some occasional crackling, but now its shot. i'm running a pair of 770's out of it, and it sits on the desk next to my chair, doesnt get moved at all while i'm using it. I'm sending mine back in to Amazon tomorrow morning. It sucks cause they are out of stock everywhere :/


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





fatality said:


> Its not the fault of the adapter, I've had my e10 about two weeks and this morning I lost the left audio stream completely. At first it was just some occasional crackling, but now its shot. i'm running a pair of 770's out of it, and it sits on the desk next to my chair, doesnt get moved at all while i'm using it. I'm sending mine back in to Amazon tomorrow morning. It sucks cause they are out of stock everywhere :/


 


  I think that my adapter is at least partly to blame - I'm using it with an extension cable now and it doesn't cut out at all unless I push the input jack around pretty firmly.  Just sitting there, it has no problems.


----------



## learner79

New to this so how do i set up the sound to use the E10?


----------



## Dhimay

Quote:


learner79 said:


> New to this so how do i set up the sound to use the E10?


 
   
  Did you try going to System Preferences, then under Hardware click on Sound, choose the Output tab, and select FiiO E10 device? It should be listed there.


----------



## alphaphoenix

Don't mean to sound like a smartass, but did you read the instructions?  It's in English with illustrations.


----------



## chicolom

So, I ordered an E10 last week from Micca (it gets here tommorow!), and I must have gotten the last of the batch b/c they went out of stock after that.

 I've been trying to catch up on this thread, and I've seen some compliants about quality control (headphone out being flaky, buzzing sounds).
   
  Was there a bad batch, or is this just run of the mill for the E10 and I should just roll with whatever the E10 ends up doing ^ ? (versus doing and exchange with Micca)

 Thanks


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





chicolom said:


> So, I ordered an E10 last week from Micca (it gets here tommorow!), and I must have gotten the last of the batch b/c they went out of stock after that.
> 
> I've been trying to catch up on this thread, and I've seen some compliants about quality control (headphone out being flaky, buzzing sounds).
> 
> ...


 

 Just treat it gently.  Don't stress the headphone jack and you should be fine.  Not much you can do if it turns out to be noisy, but that doesn't seem like a common problem.


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





limeanite said:


> Just treat it gently.  Don't stress the headphone jack and you should be fine.  Not much you can do if it turns out to be noisy, but that doesn't seem like a common problem.


 

 Alright, fingers crossed.
   
  I hope the price wasn't _too _right!


----------



## learner79

Did the adjustments on the settings but i could only hear the music and not the lyrics. 
   
  Even tried it with movies but still only music but no dialogue.... Why is that so?


----------



## xxhaxx

Does your IEM/Headphone have a mic


----------



## learner79

Yup.... Maybe that's the problem.


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





chicolom said:


> Was there a bad batch, or is this just run of the mill for the E10 and I should just roll with whatever the E10 ends up doing ^ ? (versus doing and exchange with Micca)


 


  I ordered my first E10 from micca and had the awful headphone output problem losing channels, noise, etc.
  They were really nice to accept my return and refund the cash (amazing service).
   
  I ordered another E10 from amazon with 1-day shipping mainly because I was leaving USA (otherwise I would have asked for a replacement from micca). The 2nd E10 doesn't have the problem.. so far


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





obazavil said:


> I ordered my first E10 from micca and had the awful headphone output problem losing channels, noise, etc.
> They were really nice to accept my return and refund the cash (amazing service).
> 
> I ordered another E10 from amazon with 1-day shipping mainly because I was leaving USA (otherwise I would have asked for a replacement from micca). The 2nd E10 doesn't have the problem.. so far


 

 Hmm... Weren't the E10's on Amazon just coming from Micca still?  Or did it come from somewhere else?  How long ago was this?


----------



## FuzzyD

I'm in the market for a new portable dac/amp on a budget and these reports are really making me consider the iBasso D Zero to the E10. I wonder if they will be addressed on the next batch with the next EQ silk screen.


----------



## JamesFiiO

The second batch of E10 will use new EQ silk screen. and we had already sent to US, UK, Europe , Japan, Asia, so soon you can buy a new E10 !


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





learner79 said:


> Yup.... Maybe that's the problem.


 

 Our E10 have some problem to support IEM for iPhone, you can try to pull out just a little.


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





chicolom said:


> Hmm... Weren't the E10's on Amazon just coming from Micca still?  Or did it come from somewhere else?  How long ago was this?


 

 It was from some guys called GSI I never heard about. Since it was fullfilled by amazon (Prime enabled), I bought it with 1-day shipping.
  http://amzn.com/B005VO7LG6
   
  They had only like 20 units, and in 2 days they were sold out.
   
   
  Quote: 





> Our E10 have some problem to support IEM for iPhone, you can try to pull out just a little.


 
   
  I had problems with Edition 8 and LCD-2 plugs. I think is a problem on the kind of connector they choose. I really hope they fixed this on the second batch


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





obazavil said:


> It was from some guys called GSI I never heard about. Since it was fullfilled by amazon (Prime enabled), I bought it with 1-day shipping.
> http://amzn.com/B005VO7LG6
> 
> They had only like 20 units, and in 2 days they were sold out.
> ...


 


 Fiio said they used the same jack as the one on the E7, and I haven't really heard of that one messing up. 
   
  I haven't see any indication that they're changing the jack, just the mention of the new silk screen.


----------



## MickeyVee

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> Our E10 have some problem to support IEM for iPhone, you can try to pull out just a little.


 

 Yes, thats been my experience..
  I have the v-mode M-80's and using the dedicated iPhone cable is problematic.  Using the standard cable, no problem.  I also can't use my Etymotic HF-3's or B&W C5's with are for the iPhone.
  No problem with the Sennheiser HD25's or 1/4-1/8 adaptors.
  Good thing I didn't buy it for use with my IEM's.


----------



## MickeyVee

Quote: 





chicolom said:


> Fiio said they used the same jack as the one on the E7, and I haven't really heard of that one messing up.
> 
> I haven't see any indication that they're changing the jack, just the mention of the new silk screen.


 

 Not sure that's quite true.. I have absolutely no problems with my E7 on any of the phones.. plug for iPhone or standard all work perfectly.


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Not sure that's quite true.. I have absolutely no problems with my E7 on any of the phones.. plug for iPhone or standard all work perfectly.


 

 Hmm...Just got mine and its working, but I don't have any iPhone plugs to test it.


----------



## zeitfliesst

Oh my god! Finally, after months of waiting mp4nation has shipped my E10. They are still making me wait another month for the free brainwavz beta because they're apparently out of stock. I normally wouldn't care but since I could be IEM-less for a while the brainwavz could really have come in handy.


----------



## scrypt

Yesterday, I was attempting to enjoy my precious FLAC rip of the vintage wax recording of Hank Gruel's 1917 classic, "I Basted Mary Pickford's Omelet," when I noticed a vile and constant hiss emanating from the cranium-side-mounted speakers I refer to as my over-the-skulls. 
   
  It was then that I realized said OTSs -- which had never _hissed at me before_ -- were plugged into the Fiio E10. 
   
  I now have copious bills from my audiologist to verify the extent of the aesthetic trauma caused by that event. 
   
  This "E10," a so-called "amp/DAC" (which I've enclosed in so-called "quotation marks") is nothing less than an aluminum-enclosed abuse against every Head-fi member who has ever cared about fidelity.  I demand that Fiio recall every single device they've made since 70,881 BC --
   
  Wait a minute.  The pre-ripped source happened to be a_ wax _recording.  What if my listening experience was hampered in some way by the naturally produced lavender noise that others on the CYLINDRICAL EAR Forums have praised so highly --
   
  I need to rethink this complaint.  Will post again after I notice some other defect (and I will!) which may or may not be caused by SIBLI (Signal Impinged By Listener's Inattention).


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





scrypt said:


> Yesterday, I was attempting to enjoy my precious FLAC rip of the vintage wax recording of Hank Gruel's 1917 classic, "I Basted Mary Pickford's Omelet," when I noticed a vile and constant hiss emanating from the cranium-side-mounted speakers I refer to as my over-the-skulls.
> 
> It was then that I realized said OTSs -- which had never _hissed at me before_ -- were plugged into the Fiio E10.
> 
> ...


 

 LOL


----------



## chicolom

Well, this is the E10 impressions thread, so my impression of the E10 is that I LOVE IT!  
   
  I was skeptical about the improvements DACs made over the soundcard, but after listening to this I don't want to ever go back to my laptop's HP out.


----------



## antberg

does the HeadRoom Total BitHead Headphone Amp / DAC be  overwhelmed by the Fiio E10??


----------



## ClieOS

antberg said:


> does the HeadRoom Total BitHead Headphone Amp / DAC be  overwhelmed by the Fiio E10??




Pretty much yes. The only two things Total BitHead are good at are the crossfeed and of course battery powered. Use purely as USB DAC + amp, E10 is better.


----------



## ACDOAN

Fiio rules, period.


----------



## LostArk

I'm so excited to get mine! Gonna be my first amp / DAC!


----------



## illy865

Quote: 





lostark said:


> I'm so excited to get mine! Gonna be my first amp / DAC!


 


  I'm so excited to get mine as well, since it's also going to be my first DAC.  Just got my shipping confirmation a few days ago, can't wait!


----------



## FuzzyD

If we order this from Amazon or directly through Micca now, will it be the new silk screen?


----------



## Sentient

Question about powering the E10: I have a converter that I think I got with a phone that allows a normal USB plug to be plugged into it, and it plugs directly into the wall outlet. I use this for charging my phone/kindle/zune since they all use USB. Would this thing be powered by it? I'm just talking about the amplifier here...


----------



## creamsoda

... and what would you be listening to exactly?


----------



## deephile

Quote:


sentient said:


> Question about powering the E10: I have a converter that I think I got with a phone that allows a normal USB plug to be plugged into it, and it plugs directly into the wall outlet. I use this for charging my phone/kindle/zune since they all use USB. Would this thing be powered by it? I'm just talking about the amplifier here...


 

 Yes, theoretically it could power it. However, since the E10 only has audio-in via the USB port, what would you amplify/listen to then? The AC(/DC
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)?


----------



## Sentient

I missed the audio through USB only part.. either that or I want to amplify the silence 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.. thanks for the answers
   
  Quote: 





creamsoda said:


> ... and what would you be listening to exactly?


 
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *deephile* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Yes, theoretically it could power it. However, since the E10 only has audio-in via the USB port, what would you amplify/listen to then? The AC(/DC
> 
> ...


----------



## GigaFi

How big of a difference do you guys notice off the DAC from an integrated laptop soundcard? Is it subtle or mind-blowingly better?
   
  I'm having a hard time justifying an $80 purchase to use with my $120 HD 558s but the curiousity is killing me.


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





gigafi said:


> How big of a difference do you guys notice off the DAC from an integrated laptop soundcard? Is it subtle or mind-blowingly better?
> 
> I'm having a hard time justifying an $80 purchase to use with my $120 HD 558s but the curiousity is killing me.


 

 I guess it would depend on your soundcard, but...the improvement is worth the $80 IMO. 
   
  I wouldn't call it mind-blowing, but its definitely noticeable.  Things sound cleaner, clearer, more open, tighter bass, bigger soundstage, etc.  Its like your un-bottle-necking the sound.  And I noticed the improvement with all my headphones, even my KSC75 got clearer with a bigger soundstage, so the 558s would surely benefit.


----------



## FuzzyD

Sorry to quote myself but I would like to order soon. Does anyone know?
  
  Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> If we order this from Amazon or directly through Micca now, will it be the new silk screen?


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> Sorry to quote myself but I would like to order soon. Does anyone know?


 


  Yes, the first batch had been sold out for quite some days!


----------



## ACDOAN

I have one question regarding either the FiiO E6 or the E10.  Instead using the headphone, If I use the Y  RCA connecting   the line out to my Pio Elite Receiver CD analog input, would I risk to damage the receiver. The reason is both the E6 and the E10 have their own amplifiers and by hooking up to another amplifier ( receiver) could overload the analog input.
   
  Your 2 cents, please.


----------



## ClieOS

At worst, the second amp will clip / distort at the output. It shouldn't cause any real damage.


----------



## LoveKnight

Are there 2 version of FiioE10? A version with silk screen and other version with no silk screen 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





? A shop near my house which is selling Fiio E10 but I have no idea which version it is. 
   
  Here is the website http://v2kpc.vn/?module=product&act=detail&id=760&icatid=98


----------



## chicolom

After the first batch sold out they changed to a different one, so all E10s after that point have the new one.  It just depends on whether that store is still selling E10s from the first batch.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





loveknight said:


> Are there 2 version of FiioE10? A version with silk screen and other version with no silk screen
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The silk screen doesn't look like the one on mine, but it's pretty hard to tell since the picture is really low quality.  Mine is out of the first batch.  There's no change to the actual unit though between the two versions, just the way the text is printed on the exterior.


----------



## chicolom

Edit:  deleted post


----------



## LoveKnight

I intend to buy a Fiio E10 and a Sennheiser HD555. I think this is a good combination and it is not too much expensive to enjoy Audiophile. Oh by the way, HD555 could be modded to improve the performance so is there anyone here please confirm that modding?


----------



## GigaFi

The remove-the-tape mod has been proven to make the HD 555 better, just do a search


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





gigafi said:


> The remove-the-tape mod has been proven to make the HD 555 better, just do a search


 


  I didn't notice much of a difference.  The bass might open up a little, but it's hard to do a comparison when it requires taking the headphones apart and putting them back together every time.


----------



## jipan

This is what I heard from my E10 vs onboard soundcard on my laptops too.... Clearer, better separation, soundstage-depth, better bass, and smoother sound. And blacker background.
  
  Quote: 





chicolom said:


> I guess it would depend on your soundcard, but...the improvement is worth the $80 IMO.
> 
> I wouldn't call it mind-blowing, but its definitely noticeable.  Things sound cleaner, clearer, more open, tighter bass, bigger soundstage, etc.  Its like your un-bottle-necking the sound.  And I noticed the improvement with all my headphones, even my KSC75 got clearer with a bigger soundstage, so the 558s would surely benefit.


----------



## DudeBro

I have a couple of questions.
   
  My laptop has a crappy sound card and I'm thinking of buying this so that I can increase the volume higher when using my ath m50. I would plug them to my speakers (pro media 2.1) except that when I do so, I can hear the sound coming out of my speakers too (the volume is lower than if my head phones weren't plugged in). I am wondering if I can use this amp/dac to fix this problem by plugging the speakers and my head phones to the fiio e10 in the hopes that it would manage the sound output accordingly depending on if my head phones are plugged or not. Would that work and would the fiio function properly with my speakers?
   
  Also if I were to buy these where would be the best place to get them shipped to Canada? Mp4Nation has free shipping but the wait time to receive products is long. Should I go with headphone bar instead? Also has anybody that got them from mp4nation paid duty fees? Thanks.


----------



## hamburgerladdy

I had the Promedia 2.1s and kinda miss them. Now I have the E10 and headphones.
   
  If MiccaStore can ship them to Canada, it seems like a good buy.
   
  Just plug the speakers in on the back "line out " as the Klipsch unit is amped.
   
  If the sound stinks on your laptop, I think it's a good deal.
   
   
  Quote: 





dudebro said:


> I have a couple of questions.
> 
> My laptop has a crappy sound card and I'm thinking of buying this so that I can increase the volume higher when using my ath m50. I would plug them to my speakers (pro media 2.1) except that when I do so, I can hear the sound coming out of my speakers too (the volume is lower than if my head phones weren't plugged in). I am wondering if I can use this amp/dac to fix this problem by plugging the speakers and my head phones to the fiio e10 in the hopes that it would manage the sound output accordingly depending on if my head phones are plugged or not. Would that work and would the fiio function properly with my speakers?
> 
> Also if I were to buy these where would be the best place to get them shipped to Canada? Mp4Nation has free shipping but the wait time to receive products is long. Should I go with headphone bar instead? Also has anybody that got them from mp4nation paid duty fees? Thanks.


----------



## DudeBro

Quote: 





hamburgerladdy said:


> I had the Promedia 2.1s and kinda miss them. Now I have the E10 and headphones.
> 
> If MiccaStore can ship them to Canada, it seems like a good buy.
> 
> ...


 

  
  Well, I have a thinkpad. Their are not really known to be strong in the multimedia departement. But do you think I'd still hear the sound coming out of my speakers when I plug my head phones in the e10? This is my main concern right now.
   
  I think someone mentioned here that Micca ships to Canada, but only through money orders. I want to use my paypal account to buy them since I have some extra cash in it.


----------



## chicolom

My E10 "docked" on top of my E9


----------



## JamesFiiO

great!


----------



## PaulV

Dont really know what thread to post this into, but see if any one can help.
  I am new to the HiFi world but have been discovering new stuff.
  My current setup is a Denon m38DAB, Seinhesser hd 595, Fiio E5, Fiio E6 and now a Fiio e10.
  At the Girlfriends place the computer -> Fiio E10 -> Denon m38 is a pretty good combo.
  At home the Xonar d1 -> Fiio E6 -> HD595 is a pretty good combo.
  On the move i use a sony S706 -> either Igrado or Etymotic hc2 and they are a pretty good combo, though i`m getting a Clip+ after recomendations on here.
  Now the problem, the E10 setup at the Girlfriends is really nice but using the headphone amp on the Fiio E10 with the Igrado, HC2, HD595 and a pair of HD270 all distort. 
  I`m no Hi-Fi buff but the highs sound fine and the bass sounds good, only problem is as soon as theres a kick drum, the drum sounds distorted. I`m hopeing this will die down with `burn in` but has any one else had this?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





paulv said:


> Dont really know what thread to post this into, but see if any one can help.
> I am new to the HiFi world but have been discovering new stuff.
> My current setup is a Denon m38DAB, Seinhesser hd 595, Fiio E5, Fiio E6 and now a Fiio e10.
> At the Girlfriends place the computer -> Fiio E10 -> Denon m38 is a pretty good combo.
> ...


 

 That isn't normal.  Do you have the bass boost on?  Are the songs distorting through other sources (such as without the E10 and using the computers headphone output instead), or is it only happening with the E10?  Do you have replay gain boosting the songs?


----------



## PaulV

Quote: 





chicolom said:


> That isn't normal.  Do you have the bass boost on?  Are the songs distorting through other sources (such as without the E10 and using the computers headphone output instead), or is it only happening with the E10?  Do you have replay gain boosting the songs?


 
  I'm a little concerned as the sound from the e10 to the Denon is really clear and nice.
  The sound from the headphone output is nothing as `clear` due to distortion.
  At your suggestion I tried the E10 -> denon then the headphone out of the denon and the distortion is not there.
  Bass on or off does not matter, still distortion.
  Its not overly distorted, its just `there` on every single kick drum. Its listenable but when you know how clear it sounds via the Line out, why does the headphone amp distort?
  When i used to Dj i had to copy vinyl to CD to mix with (i used cd decks) and the phonostage i used (Project phono box) had no gain control. On a few 45 rpm songs the output would distort and it sounds an awful lot like that the headphone amp is doing here.
  The output is from Foobar with no Eq using Asio4all output. Foobar = max volume, windows = max volume (as recomended).
  Tracks are studio masters WAVs (i know a few producers who pass me their orginals) or WAV downloads from Juno or Flac CD copies.


----------



## ClieOS

You should bring the E10 and the distorted headphone to your GF's house and listen to her collection just to check if there distortion is still there.


----------



## hamburgerladdy

I have a new and old ThinkPad.
   
  If the E10 becomes your primary sound card in the Windows Control Panel, the laptop speakers should no longer emit sound. The thing is silent unless you plug your headphones in the front or the Klipsch in the line-out.
   
  The only time the laptop speakers will go off with the E10 is when WASAPI mode or another exclusive mode takes control of the device like in foobar or Jriver media players. Then, a YouTube video, for example. will by default play on the speakers as you listen on headphones.
   


> Well, I have a thinkpad. Their are not really known to be strong in the multimedia departement. But do you think I'd still hear the sound coming out of my speakers when I plug my head phones in the e10?


----------



## JoetheArachnid

I got some odd distortion in something like the spectrum you mentioned and fixed it by just unplugging and then reconnecting the E10. It had me worried for a good ten minutes, though.


----------



## LostArk

I just got my E10 in the mail today, and all I can say is:
   

   
  SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY
   
  99% of the time I listen to my DT 770 Pro 80's on my MacBook (which is also my desktop). Compared to the mini jack on the MacBook, the E10 is leaps and bounds better, even surpassing my expectations. When plugged directly into my MacBook's mini jack, I found the 770's bass noticeably loose with a tendency to drown out the rest of the spectrum at low volume. With the E10, the bass on my DT 770 has now been tamed, with well defined stoccato at all volume levels. I am most impressed by this improvement while listening to heavy metal with blast beats. I can hear and feel every individual kick. Further, the E10 has brought out the mids which I found were quite recessed un-amped. Now I find they are almost balanced, but not forward by any means. And my favorite part of the DT 770 hasn't changed: non-fatiguing highs. I can listen to the TEESH-TEESH of cymbals and heavy metal singers wailing in falsetto all day without getting a headache. To think that people pay $50-$150 more for just a pair of Beats headphones than I paid for both my 770's and E10. Shudder.


----------



## Splungeworthy

I've had my E10 for about two weeks and I love it.  Using it with my XB-700's, with Foobar and WASAPI, and I can't believe how great this sounds.  I'm looking to get the ATH-M50's from Amazon (the price keeps going down!)-and I'm sure it will get even better.  The E10 is truly one of the great buys in audio today.


----------



## DudeBro

Quote: 





hamburgerladdy said:


> I have a new and old ThinkPad.
> 
> If the E10 becomes your primary sound card in the Windows Control Panel, the laptop speakers should no longer emit sound. The thing is silent unless you plug your headphones in the front or the Klipsch in the line-out.
> 
> The only time the laptop speakers will go off with the E10 is when *WASAPI mode or another exclusive mode takes control of the device like in foobar *or Jriver media players. Then, a YouTube video, for example. will by default play on the speakers as you listen on headphones.


 


  I've never heard of that. Is it possible to manually control it?. I really only have this concern since like I said before my pro media 2.1 are messed up. There has to be a problem with its circuitry.


----------



## hamburgerladdy

I forgot about that part of the speaker:
   

   
  Okay, I never put a headphone there when I had it.
   
  So, forget about that WASAPI mode part.
   
  If you were to get the Fiio, you would insert the ATH M50s in the front and the Klipsch in the back when needed.
   
  If you are having problems like I had with the sound of the Klipsch 2.1s, you may want to order what I did a few years ago:
   
http://www.ebay.com/itm/REPAIR-ONLY-DIN-PLUG-Klipsch-ProMedia-2-1-Control-Pod-NOT-selling-control-pod-/110781314671?pt=PCA_Speakers&hash=item19cb14b66f#ht_663wt_1290
  
  Quote: 





dudebro said:


> I've never heard of that. Is it possible to manually control it?. I really only have this concern since like I said before my pro media 2.1 are messed up. There has to be a problem with its circuitry.


----------



## sheenyourlife

i have then E10 and i love it =)


----------



## shibainuo

Great review, great unit


----------



## donunus

Has anyone compared an ms2i and a 325i on the E10?


----------



## C0rnholio

Is anyone feeling any improvement by using WASAPI vs the regular DS on Foobar with the E10 ?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





c0rnholio said:


> Is anyone feeling any improvement by using WASAPI vs the regular DS on Foobar with the E10 ?


 


  I dunno, but I use WASAPI exclusive mode anyways.  I use MusicBee BTW http://getmusicbee.com/ awesome program.


----------



## GigaFi

Current $69.50 @ MP4nation and they have the new silk screen that just came in today (according to my online chat with one of the agents).


----------



## Ultrainferno

silk screen ~ E10 ?


----------



## GigaFi

They use C now instead of A I believe.
  
  Quote: 





ultrainferno said:


> silk screen ~ E10 ?


----------



## Ultrainferno

Quote: 





gigafi said:


> They use C now instead of A I believe.


 


  oh, I see. thanks
  Mine is A


----------



## nmxdaven

Love my E10 for my laptop setup. Only one issue.
   
  When I leave my computer a significant amount of time (10-15mins) and come back, the sound has quite a bit of static in it. I have to disconnect and reconnect the device in order for it to work properly. I havnt figured this one out yet. Every power saving configuration is turned off (usb suspending, ext.) so I cant figure out what would be causing it.


----------



## oldmusicguy

I can use help with my new E10. It works fine on a friends windows computer but not on my iMac 27" with Lion. I see the entry for the E10 in the list of audio devices in Audio Midi Setup, so the Mac sees it, but the E10 doesn't produce sound thru my headphones. Can you tell me what I am doing wrong? [BTW: same headphones used successfully on Windows machine.]
   
  Sorry to be such a dummy.


----------



## LostArk

Quote: 





oldmusicguy said:


> I can use help with my new E10. It works fine on a friends windows computer but not on my iMac 27" with Lion. I see the entry for the E10 in the list of audio devices in Audio Midi Setup, so the Mac sees it, but the E10 doesn't produce sound thru my headphones. Can you tell me what I am doing wrong? [BTW: same headphones used successfully on Windows machine.]
> 
> Sorry to be such a dummy.


 

 Try restarting your computer.
   
  I don't mean to sound snarky, I had the same problem and restarting fixed it.


----------



## BuddyRich

Just got my E10 in the mail last night.  I am using it to drive Ultrasone HFI-580s for right now (not a particularly demanding pair of cans) but am less concern with the headphone amp and plan to use this as a cheap USB DAC for my HTPC to feed my 2 channel system sporting B&W CM9s via the coax out.
   
  Sonically I do notice an improvement over the PC headphone jack in my limited critical listening but I have only given them a brief demo.
   
  However, I did notice one annoying thing.  When I set foobar WASAPI plugin to use the E10 device for output, I find it becomes a bit delayed at default 1000ms buffer.  Lowering the buffer to 50ms seemed to fix it.  Anyone else have the same experience?  Is there an optimal buffer size?  The Realtek integrated worked fine with 1000ms.


----------



## donunus

Thats typical especially for a USB DAC


----------



## rmappita

My E10 was sent 45 days ago.....


----------



## FuzzyD

and you still haven't received it?? Who did you order from? Can anyone with a new one post a picture? I'd like to see the next Bass graphic.


----------



## andrewberge

So what exactly is the difference between the new silk screen batch? Is the label on the front the only difference?
  I'm thinking about ordering from headphone bar, but i'm hesitant because the holidays are coming up and i always seem to buy things shortly before they go on sale


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





andrewberge said:


> So what exactly is the difference between the new silk screen batch? Is the label on the front the only difference?
> I'm thinking about ordering from headphone bar, but i'm hesitant because the holidays are coming up and i always seem to buy things shortly before they go on sale


 


  Scroll up the page ^
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/575084/impression-fiio-e10/405#post_7924559
   
  That's all that's changed.


----------



## rmappita

Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> and you still haven't received it?? Who did you order from? Can anyone with a new one post a picture? I'd like to see the next Bass graphic.


 


  I ordered from MP4 Nation, but I'm almost 100% sure, this is a Brazilian's Post office delay.


----------



## oshia86

Didn't really want to start a new amp thread.
   
  Will the E10 give better sound through a set of Grado 325i's, vs a Creative xfi xtremegamer sound card? Looking at various options to up the sound quality of my pc, and didn't get any help in the computer audio section. I'm ready to pull the trigger on something now, but can't seem to find a straight answer. I'm looking for something with a line out for my Klipsch PM 2.1's and something to power my Grado's. It seems the E10 fits the bill, but no point in it if the sound quality is the same.
   
  I'm not even really stuck on the E10, but it seemed to fit pretty well. I will spend up to $200 on a amp/dac combo. The little dot mkII looks pretty good as well, then I lose the line out, which isn't that big of a deal. I am more just wanting better music quality, while using my pc. Portability doesn't matter.


----------



## xxhaxx

just wondering if anybody got their free iems from mp4nation yet


----------



## ericp10

Got the E10 today and only been listening to it with the FA-011 headphones. WoW!! Miles Davis' "So What" (Lossless) is freaking incredible!! What a great investment!! Will hook it to the E9 a little later.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





ericp10 said:


> Got the E10 today and only been listening to it with the FA-011 headphones. WoW!! Miles Davis' "So What" (Lossless) is freaking incredible!! What a great investment!! Will hook it to the E9 a little later.


 
   
  I agree, the E10 has excellent synergy with the FA-011.


----------



## onesome

Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> and you still haven't received it?? Who did you order from? Can anyone with a new one post a picture? I'd like to see the next Bass graphic.


 

 Ordered from mp4nation.


----------



## chicolom

Dat plug ^


----------



## tfizz

Just received the E10 from Amazon--things sound much cleaner on my MS1000s versus my macbook/macbook+cmoy. The E10 is very clear and undistorted--it does a good job of delivering a neutral sound, with no frequencies overrepresented. The bass boost is a nice addition, and it really adds a solid bass at the lower frequencies (and does not color higher freqs). Overall it sounds great, especially for $80.
   
  Now when I connect my cmoy through the line out on the E10, WOW. It sounds very smooth and enjoyable--full, warm, just great. The E10 is fine on its own, but when I switch back to it from the combo I find it slightly clinical. I am curious if the E10+E9 also has a nice synergy?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





tfizz said:


> Now when I connect my cmoy through the line out on the E10, WOW. It sounds very smooth and enjoyable--full, warm, just great. The E10 is fine on its own, but when I switch back to it from the combo I find it slightly clinical. I am curious if the E10+E9 also has a nice synergy?


 


  E10 alone is warmer than E10->E9  IMO.


----------



## tfizz

I just changed out the USB cable I was using with the E10--sounds a TON better. Definitely worth the investment!


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





tfizz said:


> I just changed out the USB cable I was using with the E10--sounds a TON better. Definitely worth the investment!


 


  Changed it out to what?


----------



## oshia86

So, can anyone answer if this amp, or something comparable, will deliver better sound than a dedicated sound card in a pc?


----------



## C0rnholio

What do you mean by Dedicated exactly ?
  It will sound A LOT better than ANY integrated sound card or laptop sound card. If by Dedicated however you mean some hi-end Asus Xonar Essence STX card - things might change a bit - don't know in who's favor - maybe some other memebers could answer that.
  On the DAC side ( and that's pretty much what you're asking ) - I compared the E10 with some high end ( $5K ) DACs on some crazy priced setups, although it was surclassed by the "big boys" the performance was absolutely impressive.
  So this should be an item ANYBODY with a PC/Laptop should buy.


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





tfizz said:


> I just changed out the USB cable I was using with the E10--sounds a TON better. Definitely worth the investment!


 


  Oh, I am very curious about what USB cable you changed. Did you use the original USB Cable with Fiio E10 or you used other better USB cable such as gold-plate USB Cable. Please confirm this because I know the original USB cable with E10 is good but not best. If you replaced it with better USB cable then I should do the same ^^.
   
  Oh by the way, may I ask Fiio E10 uses synchronize USB cable or asynchronize USB ?


----------



## oshia86

Sorry, yes, the term "dedicated sound card", in the pc realm, referres to a add-in card like the Asus. In my case, it's a Creative X-Fi xtremegamer. I have been looking at amp/dac combo's in the $200 and less range, and this seems like the popular option. I've also looked at the little dot mkII and the ibasso d2+ boa. Using these on a set of Grado 325is by the way.
   
  Another quick question, how long is the usb cable that comes with this amp? I would look it up myself, but the site is blocked at work.


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





oshia86 said:


> Sorry, yes, the term "dedicated sound card", in the pc realm, referres to a add-in card like the Asus. In my case, it's a Creative X-Fi xtremegamer. I have been looking at amp/dac combo's in the $200 and less range, and this seems like the popular option. I've also looked at the little dot mkII and the ibasso d2+ boa. Using these on a set of Grado 325is by the way.
> 
> Another quick question, how long is the usb cable that comes with this amp? I would look it up myself, but the site is blocked at work.


 


  Your Creative X-Fi xtremegamer is a suitable sound card for games and movies but it could play music fine, not so good not so bad I mean it is so so when you use it to play many kinds of music.
   
  For your question I think the original Fiio E10 USB cable is about 1.5-1.8m.


----------



## curtisinoc

Quote: 





tfizz said:


> *I just changed out the USB cable I was using with the E10--sounds a TON better. Definitely worth the investment!*


 
   
  Quote: 





chicolom said:


> Changed it out to what?





   
   
  Quote: 





loveknight said:


> Oh, I am very curious about what USB cable you changed. Did you use the original USB Cable with Fiio E10 or you used other better USB cable such as gold-plate USB Cable. Please confirm this because I know the original USB cable with E10 is good but not best. If you replaced it with better USB cable then I should do the same ^^.
> 
> Oh by the way, may I ask Fiio E10 uses synchronize USB cable or asynchronize USB ?






  
   
  Also waiting for this answer . . . would changing the stock usb cable really make a difference in sound / performance??


----------



## onesome

Quote: 





oshia86 said:


> Sorry, yes, the term "dedicated sound card", in the pc realm, referres to a add-in card like the Asus. In my case, it's a Creative X-Fi xtremegamer. I have been looking at amp/dac combo's in the $200 and less range, and this seems like the popular option. I've also looked at the little dot mkII and the ibasso d2+ boa. Using these on a set of Grado 325is by the way.
> 
> Another quick question, how long is the usb cable that comes with this amp? I would look it up myself, but the site is blocked at work.


 

 Approx.  100 cm /40 inches/.  And while E10 is great playing with my HD598 I couldn't find any real benefit with MS1i. But being honest after I paired it with HD 598 I didn't give my other cans a chance. Maybe later I'll give them another try but for now I'm stucked.


----------



## Bacon Butty

Quote: 





nmxdaven said:


> Love my E10 for my laptop setup. Only one issue.
> 
> When I leave my computer a significant amount of time (10-15mins) and come back, the sound has quite a bit of static in it. I have to disconnect and reconnect the device in order for it to work properly. I haven't figured this one out yet. Every power saving configuration is turned off (usb suspending, ext.) so I cant figure out what would be causing it.


 


  Have you figured it out yet?
  Just got my E10 today (ordered from Amazon.co.uk) and I'm having the same issue. A simple reconnect fixes the problem straight away


----------



## zeitfliesst

At last, I finally got my E10 from mp4nation. I bought these mainly for use with my speakers (M Audio AV40), and at first I did not know whether the new sound was due to just increase in volume or improved quality, but it soon became pretty clear. The E10 has imbued life into these speakers! The sound is much clearer and instrument separation is now astounding. Very happy with these.


----------



## Ikelmonster

I just got mine also, I am really happy that the slight hiss that came from my Macbook pro's audio jack is finally gone thanks to the E10. I am also still shocked by how small it is...really doesn't look that small in photos, hard to tell how small it is until you see one in person


----------



## onesome

Quote: 





zeitfliesst said:


> At last, I finally got my E10 from mp4nation. I bought these mainly for use with my speakers (M Audio AV40), and at first I did not know whether the new sound was due to just increase in volume or improved quality, but it soon became pretty clear. The E10 has imbued life into these speakers! The sound is much clearer and *instrument separation* is now astounding. Very happy with these.


 
   

[size=10.5pt]I think the instrument separation is where E10 shines. That's why it is good partner  with HD 598 let alone dedicated speakers. Personally I can't find any big improvement over my sansa clip SQ but only additional space between instruments. And that's what makes sound clearer. Also I think E10 doesn't make the soundstage wider, it affects [/size]its deepness. But once again the musical perception is personal so it could be just me.


----------



## niranhopper

Just got my E10. Quite suprised that they are so small yet have a lot of power.  I am driving my HD800 and i dont even feel the need to use the hi gain mode.. They are quite loud in lo gain mode..


----------



## jipan

Wasapi is louder than regular DS. Wasapi also bit brighter to me, make those treble happy record a tad sharp. Wasapi separation a tad better, but that could be because the volume difference (wasapi is like, twice louder than regular ds), or maybe placebo effect.
  
  Quote: 





c0rnholio said:


> Is anyone feeling any improvement by using WASAPI vs the regular DS on Foobar with the E10 ?


----------



## Ikelmonster

Quote: 





niranhopper said:


> Just got my E10. Quite suprised that they are so small yet have a lot of power.  I am driving my HD800 and i dont even feel the need to use the hi gain mode.. They are quite loud in lo gain mode..


 


  Yeah its damn powerful. I have yet to turn it past 1 hahah. granted im using hd25-1's which are pretty easy to drive, but still, impressive


----------



## scoopbb

i just received it today. with music it sounds great, especially flac etc...
   
  when i listen to normal stuff, like streaming videos and hbogo i keep getting clicks and noise non stop...any ideas?


----------



## AFRO insomniac

I don't know if it has been asked already but does anyone have any impressions of the E10 with the Denon D2000?  Strictly running the Denons off of my laptop PC (HP Envy) and FLAC files, will I get better sound from this E10 DAC/AMP or do you think there is a better alternative for around this price range?  Appreciate the input.


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





niranhopper said:


> Just got my E10. Quite suprised that they are so small yet have a lot of power.  I am driving my HD800 and i dont even feel the need to use the hi gain mode.. They are quite loud in lo gain mode..


 


  How does it compare to your main rig? Does your HD800 sound just as good?


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





chicolom said:


> E10 alone is warmer than E10->E9  IMO.


 

 E9's relatively high output impedance is likely causing some bass roll-off in some low impendance headphones. E10 could just be more flat in FR.


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> E9's relatively high output impedance is likely causing some bass roll-off in some low impendance headphones. E10 could just be more flat in FR.


 


  True, but this is with Q701s using the 1/4 jack, so the impedance effect is probably minor.  And it's not so much bass roll off, just brighter treble/less mids with E9.


----------



## scoopbb

this thing is so damn frustrating. cant listen to youtube music even on 1080p videos. theres just constant noise and static clicks.
   
  pretty useless if i have to plug my headphones into the computer for everything, and then when i wanna listen to music through foobar i have to plug it into the 10.


----------



## niranhopper

My Main rig (DACMagic + M-stage) sounds a bit darker with heavier bass and bigger soundstage. Maybe the FIIO E10 lacks some refinement but it is not burnt yet (<2 hours usage). It looks good for a portable alternative with my laptop. 
  Quote: 





kingpage said:


> How does it compare to your main rig? Does your HD800 sound just as good?


----------



## kingpage

Thanks for that. It'd be interesting to hear your opinion after enough burn-in.
   
  I find it hard to pull the trigger on E10 when Voldemort hasn't measured E10 for us yet.


----------



## bowei006

I would really like one of these  would the HFI 580's benefit from this?


----------



## Spr33y

I recently received my e10. Love it but I was wondering if other e10 owners are experiencing a sort of loose 3.5mm jack. Like, I can easily wiggle the headphone jack around while its plugged into the e10. Dunno if mine is defective or if that's how they all are. Thanks in advance ^^


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





spr33y said:


> I recently received my e10. Love it but I was wondering if other e10 owners are experiencing a sort of loose 3.5mm jack. Like, I can easily wiggle the headphone jack around while its plugged into the e10. Dunno if mine is defective or if that's how they all are. Thanks in advance ^^


 


  May I ask what headphone have you been using?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





spr33y said:


> I recently received my e10. Love it but I was wondering if other e10 owners are experiencing a sort of loose 3.5mm jack. Like, I can easily wiggle the headphone jack around while its plugged into the e10. Dunno if mine is defective or if that's how they all are. Thanks in advance ^^


 


  Mine is sort of wiggly.  But the audio isn't affected.


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





spr33y said:


> I recently received my e10. Love it but I was wondering if other e10 owners are experiencing a sort of loose 3.5mm jack. Like, I can easily wiggle the headphone jack around while its plugged into the e10. Dunno if mine is defective or if that's how they all are. Thanks in advance ^^


 


  is defective. If you lose audio channels when moving it, exchange it for a new one.
   
  My first E10 had a problem with the plug, the 2nd didn't (so far)


----------



## kite7

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> I find it hard to pull the trigger on E10 when Voldemort hasn't measured E10 for us yet.


 

  
  I see what you did there


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





obazavil said:


> is defective. If you lose audio channels when moving it, exchange it for a new one.
> 
> My first E10 had a problem with the plug, the 2nd didn't (so far)


 

 I don't know that it's defective.  I think it could just be normal play in the jack.  If your channels are messed up, _then_ it may be defective.


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





chicolom said:


> I don't know that it's defective.  I think it could just be normal play in the jack.  If your channels are messed up, _then_ it may be defective.


 


  May I ask how quality of E10 + E9 and AKG Q701 are?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





loveknight said:


> May I ask how quality of E10 + E9 and AKG Q701 are?


 

 Sure. I think they do pretty good with the Q701 for the price.  Enough to get them up and running.  A nice improvement over the sound care for sure.  Both certainly have enough power/volume for the Q701, but I haven't heard anything else to compare their _quality _with. 

 I'll have an HRT Music Streamer II and a Matrix M-Stage in the next couple weeks, so I'll have to compare them. 
   
  For the price, I think the E10 is a very nice little box.


----------



## LostArk

Quote: 





tfizz said:


> I just changed out the USB cable I was using with the E10--sounds a TON better. Definitely worth the investment!


 


  The USB cable is transmitting a digital signal. No USB cable is going to change the way the unit sounds.


----------



## semiseco

chicolom said:


> I'll have an HRT Music Streamer II and a Matrix M-Stage in the next couple weeks, so I'll have to compare them.




*Very* interested in this comparison! First E10 to M-Stage to hear how much a bigger amp does, and then swapping E10 for the Music Streamer to hear how much the dac does.  Pretty please?? Do you mean after christmas or before?

Anyone else have similar comparisons?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





semiseco said:


> *Very* interested in this comparison! First E10 to M-Stage to hear how much a bigger amp does, and then swapping E10 for the Music Streamer to hear how much the dac does.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  Ya, I will compare them.  The M-stage is getting here either late this week or the week after.  The Music Streamer won't get here until Christmas (waiting for "Santa" to bring it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





chicolom said:


> Sure. I think they do pretty good with the Q701 for the price.  Enough to get them up and running.  A nice improvement over the sound care for sure.  Both certainly have enough power/volume for the Q701, but I haven't heard anything else to compare their _quality_ with.
> 
> I'll have an HRT Music Streamer II and a Matrix M-Stage in the next couple weeks, so I'll have to compare them.
> 
> For the price, I think the E10 is a very nice little box.


 
  Thank you for your answer. However I am a little confused here. What is the difference between K701 and Q701? I have already known that Q means Quincy Jones but does this version have better quality or it is just an edition with a new look or a new name? In addition, many people said that it is hard to choose a right Amp to drive AKG-K701's performance? Sound like your combo is my wish now ^^.


----------



## ericp10

Well so far the E10 has had great synergy with every IEM/headphone I've thrown at it. I've hit it with the FA-011, TF10, FXT90, GR07, 7550 and my custom 1964-Q.

 Now, most of these phones I have used the E10's output going into the E9 amp's input. Wonderful soundstage and just the right amount of warmth and instrument separation with all (of course, some phones do better than others).
   
  The two phones that really shine with the E10 are the FA-011 (E10/E9 combo) and my 1964-Q. Ironically, I prefer listening to my custom Quad IEM plugged straight into the E10. It gives the IEM very nice spacing, deepness and glorious detail. One of the best investments I've ever made in audio that not an IEM or headphone (will probably test it with the M-50 tonight).


----------



## cute

Is the E10 Asychronous USB 24/96?


----------



## ericp10

Quote: 





cute said:


> Is the E10 Asychronous USB 24/96?


 


  yes


----------



## curtisinoc

Quote: 





ericp10 said:


> Well so far the E10 has had great synergy with every IEM/headphone I've thrown at it. I've hit it with the FA-011, TF10, FXT90, GR07, 7550 and my custom 1964-Q.
> 
> Now, most of these phones I have used the E10's output going into the E9 amp's input. Wonderful soundstage and just the right amount of warmth and instrument separation with all (of course, some phones do better than others).
> 
> The two phones that really shine with the E10 are the FA-011 (E10/E9 combo) and my 1964-Q. Ironically, I prefer listening to my custom Quad IEM plugged straight into the E10. It gives the IEM very nice spacing, deepness and glorious detail. One of the best investments I've ever made in audio that not an IEM or headphone (will probably test it with the M-50 tonight).


 
   
  What output music source are you using for these comparisons?  (Computer/iTunes, portable device - ipod, etc...)
   
  Looking forward to your review of the M50's  with E10/E9 combo and also plugged directly into E10


----------



## uaciaut

Real shame these aren't readily available in Romania, i'll try to find another outside dealer or get them through a friend in Germany and hope they're fine so i don't have any return problems.
  Eagerly expecting to listen to them though


----------



## ericp10

Quote: 





curtisinoc said:


> *What output music source are you using for these comparisons?  (Computer/iTunes, portable device - ipod, etc...)*
> 
> Looking forward to your review of the M50's  with E10/E9 combo and also plugged directly into E10


 
  Just my my iMac desktop (three years old...320gb....I don't know which soundcard is in it)...through iTunes (most current version).


----------



## curtisinoc

Quote: 





ericp10 said:


> Just my my iMac desktop (three years old...320gb....I don't know which soundcard is in it)...through iTunes (most current version).


 


  Cool.  I'll check back for your review.
   
  I'm using the M50's directly with the E10 on my iMac and looking forward to your comparisons of E10 direct vs E10/E9 combo.


----------



## gnolnait

So I've also had the distortion problem using the headphone out. I've noticed that the distortion is exacerbated when I have the line-out plugged in, and it's not as strong when I unplug it. As was said before, unplugging the usb solves the problem temporarily, but it's quite annoying to have to keep doing that. Anyone have a clue what's wrong? The sound from the line-out is beautiful, but I want to use the headphone output without all this hassle.


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





gnolnait said:


> So I've also had the distortion problem using the headphone out. I've noticed that the distortion is exacerbated when I have the line-out plugged in, and it's not as strong when I unplug it. As was said before, unplugging the usb solves the problem temporarily, but it's quite annoying to have to keep doing that. Anyone have a clue what's wrong? The sound from the line-out is beautiful, but I want to use the headphone output without all this hassle.


 


  Your not going through a usb hub?


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





ericp10 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 While E10 is USB 24/96, it can't be asychronous. If it was, wouldn't FiiO advertise that feature? I read asychronous transfer would need proprietary drivers.


----------



## cute

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> While E10 is USB 24/96, it can't be asychronous. If it was, wouldn't FiiO advertise that feature? I read asychronous transfer would need proprietary drivers.


 

 I don't own the E10...I was just curious if it was asychronous (digitally clocked), as my Musical Fidelity Vlink is Asyncronous as it makes a huge difference when transferring USB to SPDIF.  The clocking keeps the data in sync, resulting in clearer cleaner sound from computer USB.


----------



## ericp10

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> While E10 is USB 24/96, it can't be asychronous. If it was, wouldn't FiiO advertise that feature? I read asychronous transfer would need proprietary drivers.


 


  I'm sorry, you're correct....I just saw 24/96, not asychronous... That's all I was saying yes to @ cute>>> 24/96


----------



## ericp10

Quote: 





curtisinoc said:


> What output music source are you using for these comparisons?  (Computer/iTunes, portable device - ipod, etc...)
> 
> Looking forward to your review of the M50's  with E10/E9 combo and also plugged directly into E10


 

 Real quick with the M50 and the E10 (haven't had much time with these two but I'm listing to the M50 directly from the E10): The E10 really tightens up the bass and brings the mids more forward. I don't sense, however, the nice space between instruments as I do with the FA-011. Treble is tamed and clarity is boosted (especially in vocals). the M50 kind of sounds like a headphone SM3 to me (but not as warm or as close to a person as the SM3). You are put close to the music. It's different but sounds nice. I'll try to the E10/E9 combro tomorrow. The mids were a bit too much recessed for me wit the M50...but not at all when playing it through the E10.


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





gnolnait said:


> So I've also had the distortion problem using the headphone out. I've noticed that the distortion is exacerbated when I have the line-out plugged in, and it's not as strong when I unplug it. As was said before, unplugging the usb solves the problem temporarily, but it's quite annoying to have to keep doing that. Anyone have a clue what's wrong? The sound from the line-out is beautiful, but I want to use the headphone output without all this hassle.


 


  Wait a minute. Did you use the line out for headphone or you use the headphone out for headphone?


----------



## Kimimaro

Christmas came early.
   

   
  First time I used a E10... first time I fell in love.


----------



## gnolnait

I'm not using a usb hub, I'm going directly from my laptop usb out. I use my headphone out for headphones and simultaneously use the line out for my stereo receiver to my speakers. On a side note, the E10 + Fischer FA-011 = bass heaven


----------



## Ikelmonster

im using same setup, its awesome...hd-25's and e10 with bass boost = saweeeeet
  
  Quote: 





kimimaro said:


> Christmas came early.
> 
> 
> 
> First time I used a E10... first time I fell in love.


----------



## cheesyravioli

Hi, I was wondering if the E10 is an upgrade over my current laptop soundcard, HP Beats IDT High Definition Audio Codec...the headphones that I'm using are the Shure SRH840. Thanks.


----------



## chicolom

I'm sure it is.  I have an IDT High Definition Audio card (HP laptop) as well.


----------



## rmappita

Just got the E10 today, and It has a great synergy with my Denon D5000 , they just came alive


----------



## curtisinoc

rmappita said:


> Just got the E10 today, and It has a great synergy with my Denon D5000 , they just came alive




Good to hear. I'm seriously thinking about buying the D5000 and was wondering if my E10 will drive those nicely. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## gEaK

Hi all, I ordered the E10 after reading this thread amongst others. Like some people have mentioned in this thread my headphone jack is a little "scratchy" when moved around, sometimes resulting in audio drops. The sound is fine if the unit is kept relatively still. When the jack is plugged in it does seem a little loose and can be "wobbled" around a bit, not sure if this is just down to the build quality or what?
   
  Another issue I've noticed is when using Foobar, there is a tiny audio delay/fade in at the beginning of every new track played. This is not down to any of the settings/buffering etc as I've experimented with them all, and it sounds fine when using my laptop soundcard. Also this does not occur when using the E10 with any other software, so it must be Foobar at fault.
   
  Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this?
   
  Many thanks, Jay


----------



## intendedUser

Hi. How does the E10 compare to the soundcard on a MacBook Pro? I have an ATH M50 and I'm wondering if the E10 will make a noticeable difference. I've just started my .flac collection and I listen mostly to alternative rock and classical music.
   
  Also, is a Shure SE210 is too sensitive for the E10?
   
  Peter


----------



## Jack Nicholson

anyone tried the e10 with fischer audio fa-003? willing to comment?


----------



## semiseco

semiseco said:


> I received the E10 today, and a noise got me worried. Has anyone else noticed a low frequency, but easily audible buzz like a small idling motor present in both the headphone out and the line out? Through the headphone out it becomes audible and distracting around volume setting 2, louder in the right channel, and gets pretty loud by maximum volume. From the line out it's easily heard through my speakers.
> 
> It's there with different usb ports, usb cables and audio settings. Sample rate setting seems to change the buzz frequency a little, but the volume stays the same. Bit depth does nothing. My uDac2 has no noises in the same setup, totally silent background. Otherwise the E10 sounds clearer and less harsh compared (just quick impressions). Any help or experiences appreciated!




Ahh, a quick update: I finally received my replacement E10 (this one's from the second batch) and the noise is gone! Was obviously just a bad unit. This one is silent all the way to maximum volume (and thankfully silent only when nothing's playing!). Thanks to everyone on this thread and specifically *ClieOS* for helping me convince myself to try a replacement and not just get a refund and move on... The uDac2 is facing retirement!




intendeduser said:


> Hi. How does the E10 compare to the soundcard on a MacBook Pro? I have an ATH M50 and I'm wondering if the E10 will make a noticeable difference. I've just started my .flac collection and I listen mostly to alternative rock and classical music.




At least with my Ultrasones I definitely notice a difference from the macbook soundcard (and even the uDac2). The E10 has the cleanest sound, most defined instruments, most depth and warmth (the best description I can give for now, not being very experienced hi-fi reviewer :rolleyes.

The uDac2 headphone output sounds more gritty, and I actually found one (1!) sound where I liked it: a saxophone solo in a Pink Floyd song. But saxophone should sound gritty, you know? Everything else considered it's bye bye uDac2, hello E10.


----------



## intendedUser

Thanks a lot! Good to know that it goes well with your Ultrasones.


----------



## andychen

I have an E9, and I am trying to decide if I should buy E7 or E10 to go with it, apparently I don't care about the amp section of either. I see that they both have the same DAC chip, E7 can do 16/44 and E9 can do 24/96. The thing is everyone said the DAC section of E10 is and sounds better than E7. Is it really the case? or just hype? I just cannot believe the two DACs based on the same chip can sound that much different.


----------



## ericp10

Quote: 





andychen said:


> I have an E9, and I am trying to decide if I should buy E7 or E10 to go with it, apparently I don't care about the amp section of either. I see that they both have the same DAC chip, E7 can do 16/44 and E9 can do 24/96. The thing is everyone said the DAC section of E10 is and sounds better than E7. Is it really the case? or just hype? I just cannot believe the two DACs based on the same chip can sound that much different.


 


  Sounds way better to me... I don't know about the same chip or not, but it sounds much much better than the E7/E9 combo to me.


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





geak said:


> Hi all, I ordered the E10 after reading this thread amongst others. Like some people have mentioned in this thread my headphone jack is a little "scratchy" when moved around, sometimes resulting in audio drops. The sound is fine if the unit is kept relatively still. When the jack is plugged in it does seem a little loose and can be "wobbled" around a bit, not sure if this is just down to the build quality or what?


 


  If you are having problems with the plug (that is, noise or losing channels audio), I would just ask for a replacement. That's what I did.and I had no problems so far with the 2nd E10, when with the first one I had to spend 1-2 minutes moving the Jack.


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





andychen said:


> I have an E9, and I am trying to decide if I should buy E7 or E10 to go with it, apparently I don't care about the amp section of either. I see that they both have the same DAC chip, E7 can do 16/44 and E9 can do 24/96. The thing is everyone said the DAC section of E10 is and sounds better than E7. Is it really the case? or just hype? I just cannot believe the two DACs based on the same chip can sound that much different.


 


  E10 DAC is better, amp is better, and supports 24/96, just go for E10 if you don't care por portable or docking.


----------



## andychen

This type of comment always cannot convince me. yes, E10 should be better than E7, but better than E7/E9 combo? I thought E9 is a much better amp than the one on E10.
  
  Quote: 





ericp10 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## andychen

I don't care about the amp section. yes, E10 may have better DAC on paper, but how about actual listening, especially when they are used as DAC only connected to the same amp? Since I have E9, E7 may have better form factor because of the dock on E9.
  
  Quote: 





obazavil said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## kingpage

E9 is a more power amp than the one in E10, but its highish output impedance ruins it for lower impedance cans or IEMs. E10 is better in that way.


----------



## curtisinoc

kingpage said:


> E9 is a more power amp than the one in E10, but its highish output impedance ruins it for lower impedance cans or IEMs. E10 is better in that way.




Good point. The E10 set on low gain works really nice for lower impedance cans. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## andychen

I would agree on this one. I have HD650, so I think I will use E9 as main amp and E7 or E10 as DAC only.
  
  Quote: 





kingpage said:


> E9 is a more power amp than the one in E10, but its highish output impedance ruins it for lower impedance cans or IEMs. E10 is better in that way.


----------



## JoetheArachnid

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> E9 is a more power amp than the one in E10, but its highish output impedance ruins it for lower impedance cans or IEMs. E10 is better in that way.


 
   
  Every time anyone says this I die a little inside.


----------



## ACDOAN

Can someone testify that by using the FiiO 10 that hooks to the power ( active monitors) speakers that will not distort or damage the active monitor?
   
  My recent set up is:   HP all-in-one touch PC ( headphone jack out ) to M Audio BX5a deluxe. I want to use the Fiio 10 as a DAC only between the PC and the active monitors.


----------



## kingpage

E10 acts like a sound card, so it won't damage your active speakers.


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





acdoan said:


> Can someone testify that by using the FiiO 10 that hooks to the power ( active monitors) speakers that will not distort or damage the active monitor?
> 
> My recent set up is:   HP all-in-one touch PC ( headphone jack out ) to M Audio BX5a deluxe. I want to use the Fiio 10 as a DAC only between the PC and the active monitors.


 

 No damage would occur :] currently feeding my Promedia 2.1 with the E10 Line out


----------



## Matbest

Just picked up my E10 initially experienced the jack problem with distorted sound and volume drops when using cheap ifrogz headphones. Had same experience with apple phones. Plugged in my ATM-H50s and the problem went away. Wondered if some of the problems people are finding is with very cheap headphone jacks.


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





matbest said:


> Just picked up my E10 initially experienced the jack problem with distorted sound and volume drops when using cheap ifrogz headphones. Had same experience with apple phones. Plugged in my ATM-H50s and the problem went away. Wondered if some of the problems people are finding is with very cheap headphone jacks.


 


  Oh may I ask a question please. Did you buy Fiio E10 the first batch or the second batch?
   
  I have noticed these complaints about distorted sound, headphone jacks issue, the cable is unstable. I really want to buy Fiio E10 at the shop near my house but I am afraid I have to wait until they sell Fiio E10 the second batch. Hopefully there is no issue in the second batch.


----------



## gEaK

Hi, I believe I have one of the new batch with the "Bass - On/Off" (Type C in the graphic posted earlier in the thread) though someone please correct me if that's wrong.
   
  I'm still undecided on this issue. I'm using Alessandro MS-1 cans so not exactly a cheap jack.
   
  The problem is intermittent and only occurs when there is a lot of movement in the unit, but it is still frustrating.
   
  Just for comparison I can fiddle the jack around in my laptop socket constantly without any affect.
   
  I purchased my E10 from Amazon so I think I will try and contact them to see about getting a replacement as I love this unit.
   
  I was skeptical before buying a headphone amp which is why went for a more low end model, but using Foobar/WASAPI to play my Flac files I notice a definate improvement when compared to my standard laptop soundcard (which is apparently "Dolby HD" or something)


----------



## LoveKnight

Look like the built quality or durability of Fiio E10s are unstable, I will wait until the third batch or fourth batch. Meanwhile I will buy a good headphone such as Audio-Technica ATH-AD900 and Audio-Technica usually is known as do not need a good amp to play most of potentiality.
   
  I have read the review of Fiio E10 on heafonia.com and Mike said that the Fiio E10 has good and bright soundstage so it could support well for AD900. Does anyone please confirm this?


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





matbest said:


> Just picked up my E10 initially experienced the jack problem with distorted sound and volume drops when using cheap ifrogz headphones. Had same experience with apple phones. Plugged in my ATM-H50s and the problem went away. Wondered if some of the problems people are finding is with very cheap headphone jacks.


 
  I have a feelling you are using a headphone with a built in mic?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





loveknight said:


> Look like the built quality or durability of Fiio E10s are unstable, I will wait until the third batch or fourth batch. Meanwhile I will buy a good headphone such as Audio-Technica ATH-AD900 and Audio-Technica usually is known as do not need a good amp to play most of potentiality.
> 
> I have read the review of Fiio E10 on heafonia.com and Mike said that the Fiio E10 has good and bright soundstage so it could support well for AD900. Does anyone please confirm this?


 

  
  I wouldn't worry about the quality too much.  Mine is from the first batch and is perfect.  If you have a local shop just get it and return it if its messed up, which is unlikely. 
   
  The AD900 don't need much amping, but will surely beneift from the DAC.  The E10 would probably pair well with the AD900, especially since it has a *bass boos*t and a smooth sound.  It will add some depth to the soundstage.  I don't know what you mean by "bright soundstage"?


----------



## LoveKnight

Oh I am sorry for my bad English, I mean open soundstage not bright soundstage.
   
  I really like Fiio E10 because it is easy to use, appropriate price for a beginner like me and it is good too. The owner of the shop near my house stated that Fiio E10 has one year warranty so I hope it will be okey for me to buy it and if something bad occurs to it, I can change another one.
   
  Another solution is I will buy E10 + E9 as a combo so that I can bypass the E10's issue such as distorted sound, cable or jack problem but it will cost me more surely. However it is a good combo for a long term use.
   
  Anyway, thanks chicolom.


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





loveknight said:


> Oh I am sorry for my bad English, I mean open soundstage not bright soundstage.
> 
> I really like Fiio E10 because it is easy to use, appropriate price for a beginner like me and it is good too. The owner of the shop near my house stated that Fiio E10 has one year warranty so I hope it will be okey for me to buy it and if something bad occurs to it, I can change another one.
> 
> ...


 

 Your welcome.  However, I wanted to point out that the E9 has high output impedance which makes it a bad pairing for low impedance headphones such as the AD900.  The E10 should match better with AD900s then E10 + E9


----------



## LoveKnight

Oh, I am so confused. Are you sure chicolom because at this picture E9 can be used for earphone too?

  Yes, you are right. I should not buy E9+E10 for ATH-AD900.


----------



## kingpage

Technically you can use E9 for whatever you want, be it IEMs or portable headphones. The 47ohm (10ohm for the 1/4 jack) is too high for most headphones except one with an impedance of 600ohm (80ohm if you used the big jack).


----------



## Matbest

Mine is the second batch. I am beginning to think the problem only occurs with headphones that have a mic built in for use with the iPhone. This was mentioned by an earlier poster.


----------



## Hosoi

Quote: 





matbest said:


> Mine is the second batch. I am beginning to think the problem only occurs with headphones that have a mic built in for use with the iPhone. This was mentioned by an earlier poster.


 


  Not only mentioned by some,but confirmed by Fiio as well.I'm too lazy to look it up and quote though.

 On another note,i have this *tiny* beauty for nearly a week now but i avoided writing anything since i'm using it with low impedance stuff.My thoughts have already been written by you guys,the soundstage improvement etc.But i'd really like to emphasize how awesome this dac's instrument seperation is,compared to onboard realtek.Seriously it's night and day.Although the difference in other areas might not be dramatic,the seperation really is miles better.One last thing is the bass boost.Despite reading how good it is,i was skeptical about how clear it can be.Believe me,it does not muddy up the sound *at all*.Now with a medium bass headphone like Samson SR850,it gives the headphone a fresh breath of air without overpowering other frequencies.But like i said it's hard to make samson sr850's bass overpowering.The real surprise was with a bass heavy(and sensitive) iem like shure se215.I was already thinking that they had enough bass but boy was i wrong.The bass got tighter,better controlled without being muddy even one bit(not deeper though,since 215 is not able to produce sub bass).Sooo,yeah;these are my thoughts about this little value model.Now i'm itching for a portable haha


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





matbest said:


> Mine is the second batch. I am beginning to think the problem only occurs with headphones that have a mic built in for use with the iPhone. This was mentioned by an earlier poster.


 
   
  Not really.
   
  I tested my first E10 with Edition 8 and LCD-2, and we can agree that those headphones are not build for iphone, nor are of bad quality. I had the awful lose of channels issue no matter what I did. The 2nd E10 is working ok so far
   

  
  Quote: 





kingpage said:


> Technically you can use E9 for whatever you want, be it IEMs or portable headphones. The 47ohm (10ohm for the 1/4 jack) is too high for most headphones except one with an impedance of 600ohm (80ohm if you used the big jack).


 

  
  You can, however I don't see the point of having an E9+E10 combo if you are not going to plug hard-to-drive headphones


----------



## DudeBro

For you Canadians around here, I asked HeaphoneBar which version of the e10 they had and they told me they had the most recent version with the Bass written vertically on it.


----------



## andrewberge

Good to know, thanks!


----------



## niranhopper

I have been using the FIIO E10 for over a week now with the HD800. I am forced to use the FIIO because i am out of town and cant carry my desktop rig. Anyway the E10 does a very good job with the HD800. It is very much listenable and has loads of power. I use low gain setting and mostly listen between 3-4 in the dial. Maybe lacking a bit of refinement but it doesnt bother me. It is still high quality for the price.


----------



## curtisinoc

niranhopper said:


> I have been using the FIIO E10 for over a week now with the HD800. I am forced to use the FIIO because i am out of town and cant carry my desktop rig. Anyway the E10 does a very good job with the HD800. It is very much listenable and has loads of power. I use low gain setting and mostly listen between 3-4 in the dial. Maybe lacking a bit of refinement but it doesnt bother me. It is still high quality for the price.




Which desktop rig do you use? How does it compare to the E10?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Ikelmonster

Had the 2nd batch E10 for about 2 weeks now and had been loving it but today started having the distortion problem. The jack seems really loose, and now anything played through the E10 is really distorted. I am pretty positive it is a jack problem b/c messing with the jack can solve the distortion, but then when I let go it starts distorting again. Anyone else had this happen with non-iphone capable headphones on the 2nd batch? I've emailed Micca to see if they've had probs with this 2nd batch as well, will probably have to return mine...
   
  (fyi i use senn hd 25-1s and have e10 plugged in my macbook)


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





ikelmonster said:


> Had the 2nd batch E10 for about 2 weeks now and had been loving it but today started having the distortion problem. The jack seems really loose, and now anything played through the E10 is really distorted. I am pretty positive it is a jack problem b/c messing with the jack can solve the distortion, but then when I let go it starts distorting again. Anyone else had this happen with non-iphone capable headphones on the 2nd batch? I've emailed Micca to see if they've had probs with this 2nd batch as well, will probably have to return mine...
> 
> (fyi i use senn hd 25-1s and have e10 plugged in my macbook)


 


  problems with plug? return/exchange it.
   
  I think they really screwed up with the plug they are using. I have not read anywhere that they changed the plug from batch 1 to 2.
   
  My 2nd E10 doesn't have this plug problem, thanks god.


----------



## Ikelmonster

Quote:


obazavil said:


> problems with plug? return/exchange it.
> 
> I think they really screwed up with the plug they are using. I have not read anywhere that they changed the plug from batch 1 to 2.
> 
> My 2nd E10 doesn't have this plug problem, thanks god.


 


  Hmm, you'd think they would of fixed the issue b/c I read people had this issue with 1st batch. Is yours (or anyone elses) headphone jack loose though? I agree it seems they messed up in having such a loose/wobley headphone jack. Really annoying


----------



## gEaK

As I have stated my second batch E10 appears to be suffering the jack issue and I have decent headphones, not ones with built in mic.
   
  My jack does seem a bit loose, earlier I tried it again connected to my speaker setup and when I moved the jack to one side I got a loud cracking/distorting sound.
   
  Definately going to arrange a replacement now.
   
  I wouldn't discourage anyone from purchasing the amp as I think it's excellent value for money, just make sure you buy it from a retailer that will gladly accept returns/refunds to be safe.


----------



## MickeyVee

I've been using the E7 & Senn HD-25's in the living room with my MacBook Air and tonight I pulled the E10 out of the office for a change.  All I can say is WOW again.  I'm probably going to get another E10 and retire the E7.
  BTW.. My E10 is an early one from the first batch and no problems.. with the exception of plugs with the Apple remote but I don't use the IEM's with an amp any way. Awesome with the HD-25's and v-moda M-80's.  Just OK with the Senn HD650's.


----------



## ztreb185

I just got my Fiio E10 and Im pairing it with my HD 598s.  For some reason my realtek onboard audio ALC888s has quite a bit more bass than my E10 even with bass boost on, weird.  Equalizer is normal.  Maybe its naturally colored for bass.  There's definitely more clarity and depth with the E10, but way less bass than onboard audio.  This is only <1 hour impression.  Maybe the E10 needs burn in?


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





geak said:


> As I have stated my second batch E10 appears to be suffering the jack issue and I have decent headphones, not ones with built in mic.
> 
> My jack does seem a bit loose, earlier I tried it again connected to my speaker setup and when I moved the jack to one side I got a loud cracking/distorting sound.
> 
> ...


 


  You are right, in this clip when the owner was moving his or her Fiio E10's cable, the sound is distorted (you could hear e e sound).
   
  I will wait for the third batch or fourth batch for sure. However, did anyone complain this problem to Fiio yet? Anyone who has good Fiio E10 products please try to move your Fiio to check if this issue happens to your Fiio or not?
   

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R600xGw-O8s


----------



## unixdog

Hello,
  First time poster here.  I just received my e10 from Amazon this week. (seller Electronica Direct)
  @LoveNight:  I just watched the youtube video that you posted and I'm unable to produce any
  distortion whatsoever when wiggling the headphone jack.  I can physically see the jack move
  on the e10 but the sound remains clear and steady.  For what it's worth, I'm using the m50s and
  the silkscreen matches "C" from one of the previous posts (batch 2?).  To my newbie ears, the e10
  seems to be a significant improvement over the e7 as far as SQ goes.  Best of luck to anyone who
  is having a problem with their device.
   
  Cheers,
  - Bill


----------



## ineedmorebase

Anyone have any idea bow this sounds with the xb500? They sound pretty good on my iPhone 4 but ****ty with my inboard audio...will this make it sound better than iPhone 4?


----------



## Supergleep

First time poster, long-time lurker.
   
  I bought some AT M50's and have been listening to my music collection through the Realtek 889 onboard sound card on my mother board for the last few weeks now. The cans have been been playing non-stop since I got them for the most part, so they've now got a couple hundred hours on them.
   
  Tonight the E10 showed up. It's one of the newer silk-screen ones. First impression - WOW! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 This definitely tightened up everything and the bass-boost is just fun. I'm going through and listening to all my music again and really liking what this little DAC/AMP is doing for it. Big thumbs up from this Head-fi newbie.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





supergleep said:


> First time poster, long-time lurker.
> 
> I bought some AT M50's and have been listening to my music collection through the Realtek 889 onboard sound card on my mother board for the last few weeks now. The cans have been been playing non-stop since I got them for the most part, so they've now got a couple hundred hours on them.
> 
> ...


 
  You should upgrade to the 700 pro MKII and post your impressions!


----------



## swbf2cheater

Does anyone feel the E10 to be worthy of comboing with a Lyr and an He500? I'm looking for a cheaper dac solution and not sure what to go for. 
   
  -mike


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> Does anyone feel the E10 to be worthy of comboing with a Lyr and an He500? I'm looking for a cheaper dac solution and not sure what to go for.
> 
> -mike


 


  My setup:
   
  Home: foobar (FLAC/ALAC) -> Fiio E10 -> Schiit Lyr (Lorenz) -> LCD 2.2 (with Q-cable)

 I'm pretty happy with what I hear. I know I will get a new DAC next year, but so far, E10 does the job pretty good.
   
  Just go for it. No complains when listen to  E10->Lyr->LCD-2


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





obazavil said:


> My setup:
> 
> Home: foobar (FLAC/ALAC) -> Fiio E10 -> Schiit Lyr (Lorenz) -> LCD 2.2 (with Q-cable)
> 
> ...


 

 Good to know; I've been thinking of hooking the E10 into an Asgard some time next year.  What do you use for an interconnect?  3.5mm to RCA, or do coax to RCA cables exist?


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





limeanite said:


> Good to know; I've been thinking of hooking the E10 into an Asgard some time next year.  What do you use for an interconnect?  3.5mm to RCA, or do coax to RCA cables exist?


 


  I use the cable that comes with the Lyr: 3.5 to RCA


----------



## Digital-Pride

A word of caution to those interested in the E10.  Make sure you purchase it from a place with a return policy.  I took delivery of one today and immediately noticed the loose headphone jack.  Wiggling the headphone plug in the jack produced the same noises and static that others have reported.  Needless to say back to Amazon it goes.  It's disappointing as the E10 sounded great but this jack issue is quite troubling, especially when one considers the stellar track record Fiio's products generally have.


----------



## swbf2cheater

I got mine from BH photo, I don't know their return policy but I hope its a good one :\


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> I got mine from BH photo, I don't know their return policy but I hope its a good one :\


 

 Not sure about their return policy for audio gears, but they are among the best for camera gears IMO :]


----------



## kingpage

Fingers crossed mine won't have a loose socket.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Has anyone here compared the E10 to a sound card? They both do the same functions...  would liek to know; thanks!


----------



## ClieOS

ineedmorebase said:


> Has anyone here compared the E10 to a sound card? They both do the same functions...  would liek to know; thanks!




Which sound card? Sound card can go from $25 to $250+.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Which sound card? Sound card can go from $25 to $250+.


 


  essence stx, but was also curious about the general diferences...ty


----------



## kingpage

STX's power output is more comparable to E9, E10 will not drive hungry headphones as well as E9 or STX, based on specs.


----------



## ineedmorebase

kingpage said:


> STX's power output is more comparable to E9, E10 will not drive hungry headphones as well as E9 or STX, based on specs.


 I guess it docent matter to me much , the most I would use is 250ohm, how about sound quality guys? Because most people say e10 sound better than e9 eventhough not as much power


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> I guess it docent matter to me much , the most I would use is 250ohm, how about sound quality guys? Because most people say e10 sound better than e9 eventhough not as much power


 

  
  http://headfonics.com/2011/10/fiio-e10-review-a-lot-of-boxes-have-been-ticked/
   
  Precisely why I ordered one. We won't find anything as good without spending hundreds of dollors, the DIY ODAC might be technically superior for close to $200.


----------



## antberg

i going to buy the fiioe10 because the hard way to buy an amp around here where i live and because i simply got no wallet.but from what i did read in the past days,there were find a lot of problem and issues form too many people.
  fiioe10 should take concern about this,there are full of enterprises going to failure for less...


----------



## Quest4theBest

I ordered it ^_^! 75 shipped on ebay! Any idea how different my songs will sound from my iphone 4? The bass is incredible on the iphone4, and crap with onboard audio, any ideas with the e10 guys?


----------



## kingpage

E10 should have better sound quality than your iphone, and definitely will be much better than your onboard if what you're saying is true.


----------



## creamsoda

the e10 is more detailed than my j3 with BBE settings (BBE MP + regular BBE)... and the j3 already sounds significantly better than my ip4.  definitely a big step up with my earphones at least.  really depends on how well your earphones/headphones scale up.  friend couldn't hear a difference between macbook onboard audio vs the e10, but that was through portapros.


----------



## Quest4theBest

Quote: 





creamsoda said:


> the e10 is more detailed than my j3 with BBE settings (BBE MP + regular BBE)... and the j3 already sounds significantly better than my ip4.  definitely a big step up with my earphones at least.  really depends on how well your earphones/headphones scale up.  friend couldn't hear a difference between macbook onboard audio vs the e10, but that was through portapros.


 


  Hard to imagine the xb500s sounding better than from my iphone, but im sure there will be a MAYOR diference between phone and e10 with the dt990 pro 250 ohm


----------



## creamsoda

i have a friend with the xb500, yeah i'm pretty sure you'll be hard pressed to find a difference at that level of transparency, dt990 will be no problem though, their potential for detail will definitely be better realized through the e10, not to mention better driven by the amp in the e10 vs the iphone!


----------



## swbf2cheater

I am not really an amp expert and wanted to know if PC > E10 > Lyr > HE500 will sound different than PC > E10 > E9 > Lyr > HE500
   
  I ask because with dacs in this price range I always found their soundstage to lack in comparison to something like the E9.  The Lyr will sound different depending on the source, if it is double amped through something cheap like the E9 do you think the soundstage will be audibly bigger than if it were absent and running through only the E10?


----------



## kingpage

Probably not, you should either get E9 or Lyr as amp to connect to E10's line-out.


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> I am not really an amp expert and wanted to know if PC > E10 > Lyr > HE500 will sound different than PC > E10 > E9 > Lyr > HE500
> 
> I ask because with dacs in this price range I always found their soundstage to lack in comparison to something like the E9.  The Lyr will sound different depending on the source, if it is double amped through something cheap like the E9 do you think the soundstage will be audibly bigger than if it were absent and running through only the E10?


 

  
  Why not just get a DAC with bigger soundstage and amp that from the Lyr?


----------



## swbf2cheater

I'm cheap.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> I'm cheap.


 


  That is not an excuse, my friend.  This _is _Head-fi after all.


----------



## JoetheArachnid

If anything I'd expect the double amping to lead to greater distortion and increase any possible channel imbalances, which would kill soundstage pretty nicely.


----------



## ClieOS

joethearachnid said:


> If anything I'd expect the double amping to lead to greater distortion and increase any possible channel imbalances, which would kill soundstage pretty nicely.




E10 has line-out, so double amping isn't a problem.


----------



## djevoultion

How do I set the E10 to 96/24bit? (Using Windows 7)
   
  Also in Properties > Supported Formats in Sample Rates I tick 44.1Khz, 48.0Khz and 96.0Khz? Right?
   
  At the moment in Properties > Supported Formats > Advanced under Default Format I have it set to "2 channel, 16bit, 96000 Hz Studio Quality"


----------



## JoetheArachnid

Quote: 





clieos said:


> E10 has line-out, so double amping isn't a problem.


 

 swbf2cheater  was talking about putting the E9 in the chain between the E10 and the Lyr though. If that's not double-amping then I've been doing things wrong for a while


----------



## ClieOS

joethearachnid said:


> swbf2cheater was talking about putting the E9 in the chain between the E10 and the Lyr though. If that's not double-amping then I've been doing things wrong for a while




Good point, I misread the E10 > E9 > Lyr to just E10 > Lyr. In that case, there is certainly no point of adding an E9 in between.


----------



## Quest4theBest

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Good point, I misread the E10 > E9 > Lyr to just E10 > Lyr. In that case, there is certainly no point of adding an E9 in between.


 


  Hey ClieOS, can you do this? 
   
  Computer onboard audio (bad quality) ---> E10 DAC (pretty good quality) (via headphone out??)-----> a 2.1 amp (or receiver?) (with a subwoofer out)  to power Bookshelf speakers at about 20~watt 8ohm 88db sensitivity for a quite decent 2.1 PC setup? Thanks!


----------



## ClieOS

quest4thebest said:


> Hey ClieOS, can you do this?
> 
> Computer onboard audio (bad quality) ---> E10 DAC (pretty good quality) (via headphone out??)-----> a 2.1 amp (or receiver?) (with a subwoofer out)  to power Bookshelf speakers at about 20~watt 8ohm 88db sensitivity for a quite decent 2.1 PC setup? Thanks!




You can, but you should use the line-out on E10 instead, unless you want to use E10 like a pre-amp.


----------



## kingpage

E10 doesn't take in analog signal, as it only has USB as input. PC>USB>E10>Line-out>power amp>speakers


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





djevoultion said:


> How do I set the E10 to 96/24bit? (Using Windows 7)
> 
> Also in Properties > Supported Formats in Sample Rates I tick 44.1Khz, 48.0Khz and 96.0Khz? Right?
> 
> At the moment in Properties > Supported Formats > Advanced under Default Format I have it set to "2 channel, 16bit, 96000 Hz Studio Quality"


 

  
  I have the Default (shared) format set to 24bit/44.1 khz.  The downside to setting it to 24/96 for default is that most stuff which is not 96khz will have to undergo sample rate conversion (not up-sampling) to 96khz which can potentially degrade the sound.
   
  Setting up WASAPI or ASIO in a music player should make it bypass the default shared sample rate and instead use the native rate for each song.  So if you jump from a song with 44.1khz to a song that has a 96khz sample rate, the player will switch to send that sample rate the E10. 
   
  I have all the same boxes ticked in supported formats.  I'm not sure what happens if you don't tick them as the FiiO doesn't have any indicators on what sample rate it's receiving AFAIK.


----------



## Quest4theBest

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> E10 doesn't take in analog signal, as it only has USB as input. PC>USB>E10>Line-out>power amp>speakers


 


  What do you think would be a more....enjoyful experience? 2 bookshelf speakers with 8" woofers plus a 10" sub or DT990 pro with the buttkicker? both with E10


----------



## kingpage

I have never had nice speakers before, but I'd imagine a proper speaker set up will be more accurate. I actually only heard of the buttkicker recently. I think it would be a different experience from a sub.
   
  How about speakers+woofer+sub+buttkicker? Or a sub+DT990 pro+buttkicker?


----------



## Quest4theBest

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> I have never had nice speakers before, but I'd imagine a proper speaker set up will be more accurate. I actually only heard of the buttkicker recently. I think it would be a different experience from a sub.
> 
> How about speakers+woofer+sub+buttkicker? Or a sub+DT990 pro+buttkicker?


 


http://www.amazon.com/PTAU23-Stereo-Power-Amplifier-Inputs/dp/B003NVOWJS/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1324185632&sr=1-4 ----Can you use that for a sub? Cant seem to be finding any cheap 2.1 amps :/ help me ?! 25 Watt is enough per chanel at 8ohm/88db sensitivity.
   
  Also, ive heard that the sub kind of drowns out the Buttkicker, and dosent the Sub + headphones kind of affect the sound? the dt990 pro are open...dunno...


----------



## Quest4theBest

If i cant use those cheap ones, then ill just have to go with http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sherwood-2.1-Channel-Stereo-Receiver-w-200-Watts/10740572?ci_sku=10740572&ci_src=14110944&sourceid=1500000000000003142050#Product+Reviews ....unless you know any 2.1 amplifier/receivers under 100?


----------



## kingpage

Sub is sound whereas buttkicker is not sound but physical or tactile vibrations, so I fail to see how the sub can drown it out.
   
  Under certain frequencies, sound is non-directional. The sub would be used to fill in the bass roll-off of any headphones, to give you the heart thumping bass. If you are able to use subs, why not some nice speakers as well since you're not on a tight budget.
   
  You're talking to the wrong person as I'm kind of a headphones guy, that is until I can afford a bit more and have my own place. I moved from IEMs to headphones after I was able to increase the $30-50 budget over $100. I will move to speakers when I can allow myself to spend over $200-300. Every type of product has a sweet spot.


----------



## Quest4theBest

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sherwood-2.1-Channel-Stereo-Receiver-w-200-Watts/10740572?ci_sku=10740572&ci_src=14110944&sourceid=1500000000000003142050#Product+Reviews
   
  Guys! I noticed it has Dolby Headphone, it that good? Also, the e10 will affect the audio a lot right? 
   
  crappy onboard audio---->USB--->E10 lineout--->Sherwood--->Speakers and sub.


----------



## Quest4theBest

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> Sub is sound whereas buttkicker is not sound but physical or tactile vibrations, so I fail to see how the sub can drown it out.
> 
> Under certain frequencies, sound is non-directional. The sub would be used to fill in the bass roll-off of any headphones, to give you the heart thumping bass. If you are able to use subs, why not some nice speakers as well since you're not on a tight budget.
> 
> You're talking to the wrong person as I'm kind of a headphones guy, that is until I can afford a bit more and have my own place. I moved from IEMs to headphones after I was able to increase the $30-50 budget over $100.


 


  Well mr. panda, they both cost about 125, so what would you buy?
   
  Oh and by "drown out" is that if the sub is loud enough, the "vibrations" it creates will be higher than the ones from the buttkicker, therefore defeating its purpose.


----------



## kingpage

One is sonic vibration heard by ears, another is tactile vibration felt by your body. I don't think they will overlap that much as you say. It's like saying the shaking of a stationary car would be drowned out by the sound of the engine.
   
  I would get the speakers+sub+buttkicker if the environment permits, otherwise headphone+buttkicker sounds good too. You can always get speakers/headphones at a later date.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> That is not an excuse, my friend.  This _is _Head-fi after all.


 

 It saddens me that this is the truth.


----------



## Quest4theBest

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> One is sonic vibration heard by ears, another is tactile vibration felt by your body. I don't think they will overlap that much as you say. It's like saying the shaking of a stationary car would be drowned out by the sound of the engine.
> 
> I would get the speakers+sub+buttkicker if the environment permits, otherwise headphone+buttkicker sounds good too. You can always get speakers/headphones at a later date.


 


  "tactile vibration" and vibration heard by ears? Well, you do know that subwoofers make things vibrate right? As in if i put it in my desk, it would be like an earthquake shaking my mouse, the buttkicker seems to do that, withought the sound, but....on my butt...haha
   
  Guess i'm going subwoofer, its easier to get too.


----------



## Quest4theBest

So last thing; could you tell me how to effectively connect a subwoofer and my headphones to the fiio e10? Should I simply use both line out from the e10 and the headphone at the same time? Is it possible? Or from the headphone out to a splitter and then to the headphones and RCA in the back of the sub? Do splitters affect quality that much?


----------



## Quest4theBest

"I use a subwoofer with my open headphones (SR-225, HD650) with a crossover set to 50Hz so that I can get the realistic bass response (as we know, bass is way more than just sonic) while still enjoying the incredible sound quality offered by the cans. Also, 50Hz and under have no problems going right through the foam surrounding the ear, which goes a long way to mitigate phase problems."


^ That sounds pretty good!


----------



## swbf2cheater

Just got my E10, sounds wonderful with the HE300.  Definitely a keeper.


----------



## jaykay

Got an e10 coming in two days. I'm expecting these to be a step up from my icon mobile, but a step down from my former 2move. Hopefully my headphone jack works fine with my hfi-780 and westone 3's. Thanks for all the reviews and impressions, guys.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Sure, you can use the headphone out and the line out at the same time!


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> Sure, you can use the headphone out and the line out at the same time!


 


  Yup, you can.
   
  Used HO for Ed8 and LO for Lyr


----------



## Flagellin

Anyone know if the current batch that amazon is selling has the new front silkscreen?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





flagellin said:


> Anyone know if the current batch that amazon is selling has the new front silkscreen?


 


  It should, since they went out of stock on the first batch a long time ago.


----------



## ztreb185

Yeah its the new screen.  Got mine from amazon about a week ago and it has the ' Bass -On -Off' '


----------



## FuzzyD

Does it have the new gold plug that Fiio tweeted about today?


----------



## ardilla

Just got the E10
   
  There is a rattling sound when I shake it, like something is loose inside it, is this normal??


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





ardilla said:


> Just got the E10
> 
> There is a rattling sound when I shake it, like something is loose inside it, is this normal??


 


  I just shake my E10 and hear the same... something loose, but it sounds great, no problems detected so far with my 2nd E10.


----------



## Splungeworthy

Had my E10 since the end of October.  Today I noticed the noisy headphone jack.  Too late for an exchange (purchased through Amazon from Sound Around)?  This sucks, because I really like this amp.


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





splungeworthy said:


> Had my E10 since the end of October.  Today I noticed the noisy headphone jack.  Too late for an exchange (purchased through Amazon from Sound Around)?  This sucks, because I really like this amp.


 

 We can contact FiiO I suppose for warranty, I wonder what the process is?


----------



## swbf2cheater

I have a question for you guys who have issues with looseness..._are you all running down the street with your laptop or pc strapped to your back while you are using the E10?  _I ask that because I do notice some looseness but if it is sitting safely on my desk or table, my cats head or on my xgfs back, it is perfectly fine. 
   
  Are people experiencing serious looseness ( gigiddy ) because I really don't have that much toggle on my E10.  There is a little bit, but no where near enough to complain over.  What am I missing?


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> Are people experiencing serious looseness ( gigiddy ) because I really don't have that much toggle on my E10.  There is a little bit, but no where near enough to complain over.  What am I missing?


 

 If you move your headphone cable while inserted on the HO even on "normal" units, a small movement will happen, but the sound will be the same (no problem at all)
   
  But on defective units, you connect your headphones, start enjoying music, and let's say, you move you head, or your body position, or even the cable a little, you will suffer from the sympthoms already described. In my case even from the moment I connected the headphone plug, I had to play with it like 1-2 minutes to be able to hear without any problems and find the sweet spot.
   
  If yours doesn't suffer from any distortion whatever you do, then you are lucky  You got one of the good ones (accordingly to fiao the 99% or so)


----------



## swbf2cheater

Wow, I feel bad for those who had the problem.  I can shift my headphones plug around in circles as well as back and forth with no hint of any distortion or typical busted input jack sounds.  :[ 
   
  *salutes


----------



## gEaK

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> I have a question for you guys who have issues with looseness..._are you all running down the street with your laptop or pc strapped to your back while you are using the E10?  _I ask that because I do notice some looseness but if it is sitting safely on my desk or table, my cats head or on my xgfs back, it is perfectly fine.
> 
> Are people experiencing serious looseness ( gigiddy ) because I really don't have that much toggle on my E10.  There is a little bit, but no where near enough to complain over.  What am I missing?


 


  In many cases the "looseness" appears to be causing this to happen:
   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R600xGw-O8s
   
  As you can see there is minimal movement in the jack, I know this because I had the exact same problem.


----------



## RED-404

Warning I think i rambled a bit.





No sleep one take and yes I mispronounced some names and its a crappy encode.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Sexy Beard...envious


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





red-404 said:


> Warning I think i rambled a bit.
> 
> No sleep one take and yes I mispronounced some names and its a crappy encode.


 


  Thanks for the review!


----------



## RED-404

I just noticed something I'm using mumble for voice chat and if I have no audio playing and someone starts talking the first word has a fade-in like the first part of the word is un-amplified


----------



## gEaK

Quote: 





red-404 said:


> I just noticed something I'm using mumble for voice chat and if I have no audio playing and someone starts talking the first word has a fade-in like the first part of the word is un-amplified


 
   
  This is an issue that I and someone else found too. I think somebody said it was possibly due to the E10 not being asynchronous but there hasn't been a definate explanation.
   
  Again, the issue seems to be that when any new audio source is played there is a tiny fade in/lag/audio dropout/however you want to desribe it at the very beginning.
   
  Can somebody help explain why this is? I tried reading about asynchronicity but I don't think I understood it enough to figure out how that would cause the problem.


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





red-404 said:


> [embedded video]


 
  Thanks for the video review.
   
  I think I will fix it myself if I do get a loose jacket, by opening it up and resoldering the socket or putting on some epoxy.


----------



## antberg

its already hard to find any headphone amp here where i survive,the for the price they are selling the e10 is a bargain for a mid range HP like the sr80i,so i was thinking in buy directly on amazon and wait a month or more to the product to be delivered.
  but with all the problems with it i`m reading around here i`m not so sure if is worth the buy.what a lame they can be consistent.


----------



## higgsbison

Was sold on the E10 but having second thoughts. Have decided on the AKG 242HD as my new cans and thinking that there may be better synergy with the cleaner more neutral D-zero.

Possibly will get the O2 amp down the track to cover future needs/upgrades so its the DAC component that is more important to me. My other cans and iems will run fine off all three.


----------



## FuzzyD

I wonder if the new gold plugs will fix that. Seems like they can't make up their minds with their product line. Changing the graphics, changing the plugs, changing the names now.


----------



## ardilla

My wife is getting the E10 for Christmas to go with the AKG HD242 she got for her birthday 
  Quote: 





higgsbison said:


> Was sold on the E10 but having second thoughts. Have decided on the AKG 242HD as my new cans and thinking that there may be better synergy with the cleaner more neutral D-zero.
> Possibly will get the O2 amp down the track to cover future needs/upgrades so its the DAC component that is more important to me. My other cans and iems will run fine off all three.


----------



## higgsbison

ardilla said:


> My wife is getting the E10 for Christmas to go with the AKG HD242 she got for her birthday




Nice. You have a very understanding wife.

Let us know how it sounds, mine wont be here until mid next month.


----------



## Splungeworthy

My e10 sits on a desk, unmoved.  The problem is more prominent with ATH-M50's, but it is also loose with XB-700's and Portapros.  I already ordered another one from Micca (who, by the way, turned my order around in TWO HOURS!).


----------



## swbf2cheater

Quote: 





higgsbison said:


> Nice. You have a very understanding wife.
> Let us know how it sounds, mine wont be here until mid next month.


 

 Mail Order Bride?  Usually wives are a bit naggy as time goes by jk jk jk


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





swbf2cheater said:


> Mail Order Bride?  Usually wives are a bit naggy as time goes by jk jk jk


 


 Cool new avatar Swbf!  Is that Goten or a young Goku?


----------



## funkmeister

For the AKG's with an O2 amp, you'll want to set the gains at 1x and 1.6x. Any higher and you'll be too low on the volume pot.


----------



## swbf2cheater

Thats Goten


----------



## RealSlimSeto

This might be a silly question, but is it safe to place the DAC on top of my PC tower? Would there be any chances of heat damage(from conduction)?


----------



## kingpage

The metal case can act as an insulator.


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> I wonder if the new gold plugs will fix that. Seems like they can't make up their minds with their product line. Changing the graphics, changing the plugs, changing the names now.


 


  Do you know when they will change the gold plug instead of silver plug on the E10? Thanks!


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> There are 3 versions of E10,
> 
> 1, The original with old silk screen, had been sold out in 2 months ago .
> 
> ...


 

  
  But the old stock needs to be sold first.


----------



## LoveKnight

Oh I have found the picture of new Fiio E10's appearance on their website. Hope the third batch or fourth batch will improve the quality of E10.


----------



## wheelzat

I just got the E10 from B&H and it is the previous model. No problems yet with the connector. Sounds great compared to my Realtek onboard sound. More defined bass more open sound and of course much louder with no distortion. Using it with my Sennheiser HD598. The bass boost is nice too. Nice boost without sounding bloated.


----------



## Flagellin

I'm using my new E10 with ATH-M50s, and I'm noticing some crackling that isn't there when I use the headphones directly with my ipod. I've only so far heard it on one song. It's "When Water Comes to Life" by Cloud Cult, and it's a 320 kbps mp3. Thing is, I don't think it's the file because it doesn't happen when I use the ipod. Anyone have anything like this? 
   
  If this doesn't go away, it's definitely getting returned.


----------



## Pelotonjon

If it's only on that one song, I wouldn't imagine it's anything with the E10.


----------



## Flagellin

Thing is, with that one song, it's really persistent. And it's not there AT ALL with my ipod. I'm going to try to listen to more of my music to see if I can observe this effect with other music.


----------



## Flagellin

Okay false alarm. I tried it directly through the computer's output jack, and got the same thing without the E10, must be a file issue. 
   
  I wonder why the exactly same file isn't like that on the ipod though. Hmm. 

  
  Quote: 





flagellin said:


> Thing is, with that one song, it's really persistent. And it's not there AT ALL with my ipod. I'm going to try to listen to more of my music to see if I can observe this effect with other music.


----------



## Syrk

I got mine today and the first thing I noticed was that the volume would get loud and crackle when I applied slight pressure turning the knob with one finger on the top or the right (though if i do it from the bottom or left, it doesn't do it). It doesn't happen when i hold the knob on 2 sides and turning the volume thus applying no pressure.
   
  Does this happen to you guys as well or is the knob on mine not seated very well and I should return it?


----------



## boxthorn

Their quality control isn't very good, as I've experienced channel imbalance issues with mine, but I got a replacement.
   
  Try to contact the seller and see if they'll send you a new one.


----------



## Syrk

Quote: 





boxthorn said:


> Their quality control isn't very good, as I've experienced channel imbalance issues with mine, but I got a replacement.
> 
> Try to contact the seller and see if they'll send you a new one.


 


  Yeah, they accept returns at the cost of return shipping. Also, speaking of imbalance issues, it seems my left ear is louder than my right ear on low then balances as I make it louder. I guess you don't have the same issue I'm having, so I'll definitely go and return it. I don't want to think twice on turning the volume being scared that it'll suddenly get loud.


----------



## ClieOS

boxthorn said:


> Their quality control isn't very good, as I've experienced channel imbalance issues with mine, but I got a replacement.




To FiiO's defense, it is not about quality control, but the scale of operation.

A typical portable amp maker in the forum, say RSA, Headamp and even iBasso, etc. probably make less than hundred per week (and likely per month). A typical amp maker sells around thousand of amps the whole year. For what I know (as told by their authorized dealer), some of them sell only a few hundred a year. Only the most popular of portable amp maker sell over thousand unit. Because they sell so little in number, they can have the time to take care of every thing. Guess how many amps FiiO typically makes a month? Answer: Over 5K easily, and over 15K in a busy month. Even with just 1% of failure rate passes over QC in the slowest month, there are still around 50 bad amps in the market - and that is half the production number of many other small headphone amp maker out there.

Now if you think about it - if FiiO received 50 complaint in Head-fi per months, everyone will think FiiO has bad QC. Yet if another amp maker who makes only 100 amp per month get only one complaint, everyone think he has really good build quality. The fact is, they are both in the same 1% failure rate. Even with the best of QC, you will still see a lot more defected FiiO than any other amp maker simply because they are the largest portable amp maker in the world right now, and probably produce more headphone amp than all the other headphone amps maker combined.


----------



## Syrk

Well, either their QC isn't the best or I need to start playing the lottery considering I was one of the lucky 1%.


----------



## ClieOS

syrk said:


> Well, either their QC isn't the best or I need to start playing the lottery considering I was one of the lucky 1%.




That's is what the warranty is for - to take care of that 1%.


----------



## LoveKnight

Calm down men! We know that Fiio is a good company and it has responsibilities for its products too. That is why we can return Fiio products when they have issue at Fiio's official retail shop.
   
  However I am a hard and annoying customer who only accept good or best product that is why I want to wait for the better products (the result of patience 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





). Therefore, I trust Fiio and know that it not let me down.
   
  If Fiio can sell thousand products means it is really a good company but we are customer and we always expect or want better quality as much as possible and Fiio know that.(of course, the employers at Fiio want to earn more money from our wallets too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).
   
  Better and better quality after day by day and we, customers are happier and happier day by day. It is a win - win result.
   
  No need to offense each other.
   
  Final words. If they can improve the quality and tackle issues which happen to their products then we need to compliment Fiio's Employers, right?


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





clieos said:


> To FiiO's defense, it is not about quality control, but the scale of operation.
> A typical portable amp maker in the forum, say RSA, Headamp and even iBasso, etc. probably make less than hundred per week (and likely per month). A typical amp maker sells around thousand of amps the whole year. For what I know (as told by their authorized dealer), some of them sell only a few hundred a year. Only the most popular of portable amp maker sell over thousand unit. Because they sell so little in number, they can have the time to take care of every thing. Guess how many amps FiiO typically makes a month? Answer: Over 5K easily, and over 15K in a busy month. Even with just 1% of failure rate passes over QC in the slowest month, there are still around 50 bad amps in the market - and that is half the production number of many other small headphone amp maker out there.
> Now if you think about it - if FiiO received 50 complaint in Head-fi per months, everyone will think FiiO has bad QC. Yet if another amp maker who makes only 100 amp per month get only one complaint, everyone think he has really good build quality. The fact is, they are both in the same 1% failure rate. Even with the best of QC, you will still see a lot more defected FiiO than any other amp maker simply because they are the largest portable amp maker in the world right now, and probably produce more headphone amp than all the other headphone amps maker combined.


 

 I'm glad you pointed this out. I was thinking it for a while, but didn't have any numbers to back it up.


----------



## obazavil

I think they need to improve their QA.

But I also think E10 is very good, that's why I took the risk with my 2nd E10 that works flawlessly so far


----------



## andrewberge

So would it be worth it to wait until February to get the newer design?
  The only difference should be less chance of defective jack, right?


----------



## Matbest

I have also noticed that the E10 sounds better on the first usb port of my macbook pro  as opposed to the one near the sd card. Any one else found this?


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





andrewberge said:


> So would it be worth it to wait until February to get the newer design?
> The only difference should be less chance of defective jack, right?


 


  If you live in USA just exchange it if you get a defective unit. In my opinion the problem is if you live somewhere where the return policy is not that good.


----------



## Flagellin

Quote: 





clieos said:


> To FiiO's defense, it is not about quality control, but the scale of operation.
> A typical portable amp maker in the forum, say RSA, Headamp and even iBasso, etc. probably make less than hundred per week (and likely per month). A typical amp maker sells around thousand of amps the whole year. For what I know (as told by their authorized dealer), some of them sell only a few hundred a year. Only the most popular of portable amp maker sell over thousand unit. Because they sell so little in number, they can have the time to take care of every thing. Guess how many amps FiiO typically makes a month? Answer: Over 5K easily, and over 15K in a busy month. Even with just 1% of failure rate passes over QC in the slowest month, there are still around 50 bad amps in the market - and that is half the production number of many other small headphone amp maker out there.
> Now if you think about it - if FiiO received 50 complaint in Head-fi per months, everyone will think FiiO has bad QC. Yet if another amp maker who makes only 100 amp per month get only one complaint, everyone think he has really good build quality. The fact is, they are both in the same 1% failure rate. Even with the best of QC, you will still see a lot more defected FiiO than any other amp maker simply because they are the largest portable amp maker in the world right now, and probably produce more headphone amp than all the other headphone amps maker combined.


 


  Solid post, mate. Nicely thought out.


----------



## NoRoadtrippin

Quote: 





intendeduser said:


> Hi. How does the E10 compare to the soundcard on a MacBook Pro? I have an ATH M50 and I'm wondering if the E10 will make a noticeable difference. I've just started my .flac collection and I listen mostly to alternative rock and classical music.
> 
> Also, is a Shure SE210 is too sensitive for the E10?
> 
> Peter


 

 Hey I didn't read every post after your above message, but thought I would respond since I can speak to it. I am using a mid 2009 MBP with the E10 and M50 just as you would be. Just opened my E10 from Santa today. At the moment I am working the through the Carter III and it sounds like Lil Wayne is in the room with me. Right off, vocals are much crisper and have more separation. I have everything from Weezy to Alison Krauss to get through to try it out so more to come I am sure. At the moment I am going straight through iTunes but I prefer Audirvana. It will also make a noticeable difference to my ear. I am also new to this and am busily upgrading to .flac or ALAC.
   
  ETA: The bass is kicking that ass! Definitely a fan of this little thing.


----------



## boxthorn

Quote: 





clieos said:


> To FiiO's defense, it is not about quality control, but the scale of operation.
> A typical portable amp maker in the forum, say RSA, Headamp and even iBasso, etc. probably make less than hundred per week (and likely per month). A typical amp maker sells around thousand of amps the whole year. For what I know (as told by their authorized dealer), some of them sell only a few hundred a year. Only the most popular of portable amp maker sell over thousand unit. Because they sell so little in number, they can have the time to take care of every thing. Guess how many amps FiiO typically makes a month? Answer: Over 5K easily, and over 15K in a busy month. Even with just 1% of failure rate passes over QC in the slowest month, there are still around 50 bad amps in the market - and that is half the production number of many other small headphone amp maker out there.
> Now if you think about it - if FiiO received 50 complaint in Head-fi per months, everyone will think FiiO has bad QC. Yet if another amp maker who makes only 100 amp per month get only one complaint, everyone think he has really good build quality. The fact is, they are both in the same 1% failure rate. Even with the best of QC, you will still see a lot more defected FiiO than any other amp maker simply because they are the largest portable amp maker in the world right now, and probably produce more headphone amp than all the other headphone amps maker combined.


 

  
  I agree with you on that the number of failures are certainly higher because of the amount of amps they produce.
   
  However, the fact that Fiio has gone through 2 revisions in just 3 months of time, and the fact that they have now changed the audio jack on the rev. 2 tells me that they are in a rush to sell their amps as soon as it's made available, instead of taking the time to analyze and test their products and coming out with a refined, mature product.
   
  And it doesn't seem fair that some have to pay the additional cost of return shipping and wait time to get an RMA.
   
  I'm not trying to argue with you, just presenting my viewpoint


----------



## ClieOS

boxthorn said:


> I agree with you on that the number of failures are certainly higher because of the amount of amps they produce.
> 
> However, the fact that Fiio has gone through 2 revisions in just 3 months of time, and the fact that they have now changed the audio jack on the rev. 2 tells me that they are in a rush to sell their amps as soon as it's made available, instead of taking the time to analyze and test their products and coming out with a refined, mature product.
> 
> ...




Lets go through the fact first.

The first (current) reversion has nothing to do with build quality. The only thing that has been changed is the silkscreen laser printing for the bass boost switch. The reason to change it is because some user think it is confusing to use words like "ON / BASS" for on and off of bass boost. So the decision is to change it to "ON - BASS - OFF" to make it clear of which way is on and which way is off. So why does FiiO chose to use "ON / BASS" in the first place? Because they are not native English speaker, so they are trying to make it as simple as it can be (which turned out to be the wrong way). It is a silly language error, not a build quality issue.

The next (2nd) reversion will have two changes: One is the mini jack in the front, and another is the use of new gold plated RCA jack. The mini jack issue is the problem of jack being not compatible to not-up-to-spec mini plug. Though we all call it 3.5mm jack, the fact is it often varies from 3.45mm to 3.55mm. Coupled with the fact that the mini jack itself is metal and not quite as flexible as plastic jack, some headphone plug doesn't fully contact with the pins which result in static or signal lost. For the few thousand units they have sold so far, some do report back with bad jack issue. But if you read this whole thread, you will know the number of report are relative small compared to the units they have sold. This is the only build quality issue we have here. As for why they used the metal jack - it is because they have use it before and it turns out to be fine on other amps. But regardless, they are will to change it to another jack to eliminate the issue once and for all.

The change of RCA jack on the other hand is, again, not a build quality issue. They are doing a simple upgrade of RCA jack on most of their production line up, including E10, D3, D5, and E9 (and the later three has been in market for a few months now without any RCA failure). The old RCA jack works just fine - the upgrade is simply to make the amp and DAC look shinier and has nothing to do with whether these amp / DAC are mature product or not.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Thanks for the content from ClieOS, he had explained what I want to tell you all, and hope that everyone can understand that we will keep improving the quality of our products, and I can understand that everyone 
   
  wants a perfect products. and of course, we will recall all our products if there are any mass problem. for anyone who feel the headphone socket have any quality problem ( not includes the problem that it can not
   
  compatible with some earphone with mic),  as I know, you can send back and get refund for free ( on Amazon ).


----------



## Splungeworthy

Feiao,
  So what is the warranty for the E10?  Bought mine off of Amazon 2 months ago but the headphone jack problem only started recently.  I assume I now have to return it to Fiio.  That being the case, do you guys fix the one I'm returning, send me one of the new revisions, or send me a refurbished older model?


----------



## ClieOS

splungeworthy said:


> Feiao,
> So what is the warranty for the E10?  Bought mine off of Amazon 2 months ago but the headphone jack problem only started recently.  I assume I now have to return it to Fiio.  That being the case, do you guys fix the one I'm returning, send me one of the new revisions, or send me a refurbished older model?




Warranty is one year and you should contact the Amazon seller first.


----------



## chicolom

I thought someone here asked me to compare the E10 with the HRT Music Streamer II....not sure, but here is my comparison:
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/587526/three-dac-comparison-fiio-e10-hrt-music-streamer-ii-m-stage-usb


----------



## AZ Greg

I've been planning to grab one of these in the next couple weeks, but came across YouTube impression videos mentioning the jack issues. Now I see in this thread they are planning a revision for February? Is this confirmed? Should I hold off a few extra weeks?


----------



## TiEx

> Originally Posted by *feiao* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> There are 3 versions of E10,
> 
> ...


 
   
  This is original information from FiiO


----------



## Mbeeching

Loving my Fiio E10, bought mine in November (new silk screen) and it fits my needs perfectly.
  I only purchased an E7 in September but it was slightly lacking and not suitable to drive my Sennheiser 590's ([size=8pt]120Ω[/size]).
   
  If I could make one change to the design, I would prefer the volume wheel to physically click into an off position.
  Also, the volume wheel has already started to grind slightly. Any suggestions?
   
  Aside from that, great sound. Better than the headphone out on my receiver and far more convenient : )


----------



## boxthorn

Try with different headphones, different files, and try on different amps such as your iphone or your computer.
  If you are sure it has imbalance problems you should return for RMA.
  I've had channel imbalance problems with mine, so I returned it and got a new one.

  
  Quote: 





sharing said:


> Hi guys, I ordered my E10 about a week ago, received it today, and my computer audio sounds much better, maybe even a little bit better than on my iphone 4, plus the amplifications gives it a little boost! But it seems I feel and detect more bass coming from the right side of my sony XB500s...anyone ever notice this? Have had no real problems with the HP socket even though its a little loose, moving it or rolling it dosent make any sounds.
> 
> Also, I clashed a little with my chair in the afternoon and the high/low gain switch fell off!!! I think theres still a mini-switch there though, but yeah, it fell off on a little impact.
> 
> ...


----------



## headphonatic

Will the e10 and the e3 line out doc work for my iPad? thanks


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





headphonatic said:


> Will the e10 and the e3 line out doc work for my iPad? thanks


 


 E3 is an amp, not a LOD. But in any case, E10 is designed to use with PC only.


----------



## headphonatic

Thanks, so is there an amp that works for my iPad, something that plays well along with my brainwavz hm5


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





headphonatic said:


> Thanks, so is there an amp that works for my iPad, something that plays well along with my brainwavz hm5


 


  I remember reading some time ago that with the ipad's camera kit, one could use usb dacs/amps like the E10.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> I remember reading some time ago that with the ipad's camera kit, one could use usb dacs/amps like the E10.


 

 Even it E10 does work with iPad with the camera kit, it will likely suck the battery dry pretty fast since E10 has no battery of its own.


----------



## headphonatic

Good enough for me, lol thanks!


----------



## Splungeworthy

After seeing various positive reactions, I want to pair my e10 with the e9, using the L2 cable.  2 questions:  Does the usb out from my laptop go into the e10 first, then line out from there to the e9?  And does this disable the e10's bass boost? I know the e17 will have a preamp out function that preserves the bass boost.  The main reason I'm doing this is to be able  to drive higher impedance headphones than the e10 alone is capable of.  Actually a third question-who is using this configuration and why?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





splungeworthy said:


> After seeing various positive reactions, I want to pair my e10 with the e9, using the L2 cable.  2 questions:  Does the usb out from my laptop go into the e10 first, then line out from there to the e9?  And does this disable the e10's bass boost? I know the e17 will have a preamp out function that preserves the bass boost.  The main reason I'm doing this is to be able  to drive higher impedance headphones than the e10 alone is capable of.  Actually a third question-who is using this configuration and why?


 


 Yes, Yes...and, because desktop amps tend to be better than usb-powered ones


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





splungeworthy said:


> After seeing various positive reactions, I want to pair my e10 with the e9, using the L2 cable.  2 questions:  Does the usb out from my laptop go into the e10 first, then line out from there to the e9?  And does this disable the e10's bass boost? I know the e17 will have a preamp out function that preserves the bass boost.  The main reason I'm doing this is to be able  to drive higher impedance headphones than the e10 alone is capable of.  Actually a third question-who is using this configuration and why?


 
   
  It will go like this: PC - E10 (line-out) - E9. Bass boost will be disable on the line-out.


----------



## Splungeworthy

Thanks!


----------



## Splungeworthy

Actually, one more question: is the L2 cable long enough to connect these two, or should I go with the L-shaped L8?


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





splungeworthy said:


> Actually, one more question: is the L2 cable long enough to connect these two, or should I go with the* L-shaped L8*?


 


  Definitely the L8.  The L2 isn't long enough.


----------



## kagomebear

Does this mean the E10 cannot connect to my Iphone4 using an L3 LOD?  I just got all this stuff in the mail and the E10 is not responding when I connect to the iphone4.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





kagomebear said:


> Does this mean the E10 cannot connect to my Iphone4 using an L3 LOD?  I just got all this stuff in the mail and the E10 is not responding when I connect to the iphone4.


 


  Unfortunately, the E10 is a usb powered DAC/amp only.  So you can only use it with a laptop or pc.  The LOD is meant to be used with portable amps.


----------



## clarence35

I bought an E10, but returned it: any time i moved, there would be pops/crackles in the sound. I bought another one in hopes that the first unit was defective. This second unit is better, but when i wiggle the headphone cable near the plug (or rotate the headphone plug inside the jack), i still get some pops/crackles.
   
  It's not nearly as bad as the first unit, but I find that I can't use the E10 on my lap or hanging off my laptop. Unless it's sitting stationary on a desk, if I move around, it creates noise from the jack. Both units were the second revision silkscreen models. I've read some reviews here saying they don't have this issue, but I bought my units from two different sellers, and neither is perfect.
   
  Is this just a problem inherent with the E10? Should I try purchasing a third unit, or should I just give up on getting a perfect unit?


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





clarence35 said:


> I bought an E10, but returned it: any time i moved, there would be pops/crackles in the sound. I bought another one in hopes that the first unit was defective. This second unit is better, but when i wiggle the headphone cable near the plug (or rotate the headphone plug inside the jack), i still get some pops/crackles.
> 
> It's not nearly as bad as the first unit, but I find that I can't use the E10 on my lap or hanging off my laptop. Unless it's sitting stationary on a desk, if I move around, it creates noise from the jack. Both units were the second revision silkscreen models. I've read some reviews here saying they don't have this issue, but I bought my units from two different sellers, and neither is perfect.
> 
> Is this just a problem inherent with the E10? Should I try purchasing a third unit, or should I just give up on getting a perfect unit?


 

 Unfortunately, it seems to be a common problem with the current batch of E10s(I had a similar issue with mine).  In February, Fiio will releasing a new batch with updated gold plated headphone jacks that shouldn't have this problem.


----------



## TiEx

Oh my god guys are you serious. You all here with problems should visit DIY section more often. Is it so hard to buy a new headphone jack for around 1-2$ and solder it in place of the old one. Because it is worth it for such a cheap device. Go and try to find a Tenor TE7022L + WM8740 + AD8397 for 80$. If you want a similar performance good dac/amp combo out of the box then go with iBasso D7 but remember its 180$ price tag. If you are cheap then try to be more creative and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. It kinda feels fair enough to get a good and cheap product with few flaws that can be fixed in a few minutes with minimum expenses. Try to calculate at least the components price of E10 and realize the clean income of Fiio from it. It is far less then bigger brands out there. I am looking forward to get myself an E10 soon and bad HP socket dosen't scares me a bit as long as I have my DIY tools and a radiomarket around. Good luck future owners of E10!


----------



## andrewberge

Though i have the tools to do that, doesn't that void the warranty?


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Unfortunately, it seems to be a common problem with the current batch of E10s(I had a similar issue with mine).  In February, Fiio will releasing a new batch with updated gold plated headphone jacks that shouldn't have this problem.


 

 It is not about gold plated or not. It is the incompatibility of the current jack with some headphone plug. If you can get a short 3.5mm female to male extension, you will likely fix the problem. The Feb. batch will change the whole jack all together to another design so it should fix the issue once and for all. If your headphone has an incompatible plug, it will almost always has issue with the current E10. The problem comes from both side.
   

  
  Quote: 





andrewberge said:


> Though i have the tools to do that, doesn't that void the warranty?


 
  As said, a short extension could be an easy fix, or you could just wait out till the next batch arrives.


----------



## clarence35

Thanks for the update, ClieOS. I think I'll return this unit and wait until February. Do you know if there will any exterior changes to distinguish the current batch of E10's from the new revised version with the different jack?


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





clarence35 said:


> Thanks for the update, ClieOS. I think I'll return this unit and wait until February. Do you know if there will any exterior changes to distinguish the current batch of E10's from the new revised version with the different jack?


 

 The headphone-out will not be metal anymore and it will have a lower position on the front plate.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





clieos said:


> It is not about gold plated or not. It is the incompatibility of the current jack with some headphone plug. If you can get a short 3.5mm female to male extension, you will likely fix the problem. The Feb. batch will change the whole jack all together to another design so it should fix the issue once and for all. If your headphone has an incompatible plug, it will almost always has issue with the current E10. The problem comes from both side.


 


  Ah, okay.  Thanks for the info CliesOS!


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





andrewberge said:


> Though i have the tools to do that, doesn't that void the warranty?


 

 I think it will destroy the warranty. You can do it at your own risk. Maybe if it is the only problem that you have with E10.


----------



## Personnel Jezuz

I'm listening through my E10 now and get a very slight hick but only if I twist the male headphone jack around or tug at it quite strongly. Its a desktop amp and with that in mid the design team must have thought it would stay that way, i.e. sat stationary.


----------



## ACDOAN

Just received  the E10 from B & H and I am again very pleased with the budget headphone amp/DAC from FiiO.  I also own the E9 and awaiting for the E11 coming up for sale.
   
  Thank you FiiO for making these hobby fun and affordable.  Again from the price/ performance ratio, I give you a thump up for another fine piece.


----------



## chengdude

Sorry if this beating the proverbial dead horse, but the socket on my E10 (rev. 1.5 with on-bass-off) is solid at the ring on the faceplate, but inside, the spring/clip thing allows whatever 3.5mm I try plugging in to easily wiggle in all directions.   So basically when the headphones are plugged in, I can move the jack around in all directions.  I don't have much in the way of gear...AKG K420, Sennheiser MX471, Superlux 668B, but all have the same issue.  Definitely not what I'm used to and a bit disconcerting.  Is this the issue that everyone's discussing?  And yeah, I can induce noise by moving the plug around.
   
  Happy otherwise with the unit and, in Fiio's defense, they offered to repair mine, presumably by replacing the socket.  Shipping paid both ways as well.  I just want to make sure I'm experiencing the same thing as others before sending the E10 back.  Don't want to waste Fiio's time & money either if I'm in the wrong here. 
   
  By the way, the Fiio guy I spoke with in China said the E10 2.0 is due in March.


----------



## kingpage

Really? You contacted FiiO directly and they said they were willing to fix it for you? Well, if that's true, I might do that if my E10 has a similar jack issue.


----------



## curtisinoc

Quote: 





chengdude said:


> Sorry if this beating the proverbial dead horse, but the socket on my E10 (rev. 1.5 with on-bass-off) is solid at the ring on the faceplate, but inside, the spring/clip thing allows whatever 3.5mm I try plugging in to easily wiggle in all directions.   So basically when the headphones are plugged in, I can move the jack around in all directions.  I don't have much in the way of gear...AKG K420, Sennheiser MX471, Superlux 668B, but all have the same issue.  Definitely not what I'm used to and a bit disconcerting.  Is this the issue that everyone's discussing?  And yeah, I can induce noise by moving the plug around.
> 
> Happy otherwise with the unit and, in Fiio's defense, they offered to repair mine, presumably by replacing the socket.  Shipping paid both ways as well.  I just want to make sure I'm experiencing the same thing as others before sending the E10 back.  Don't want to waste Fiio's time & money either if I'm in the wrong here.
> 
> By the way, the Fiio guy I spoke with in China said the E10 2.0 is due in March.


 

 I've had my E10 for a little over a month - the 2nd batch with new silkscreen (on-bass-off).  Like yours (and guessing all of the E10's), the plug had lots of wiggle room with the headphones plugged in, but _*initially*_ I didn't get any static or noise when I moved the E10 around, or when I manually moved the plug/connection . . . . until recently.
   
  A few days ago (about 5 weeks of having the device), the static and noise appeared when the plug was moved.  I bought the item from amazon.com (30 day return policy), and I've had the E10 for over 30 days.  Contacted amazon and they accepted the return and gave me a full refund without any problems.  I returned the E10 and purchased a different dac/amp for myself (NuForce Icon HDP)
   
  For the price, I can't really say too much negative things about the E10, other than this minor issue. The E10 does need a bit more tweaking (which is being addressed by FiiO).  When this issue is fixed, the E10 will be a great product.  In fact, I can't  see many other dac/amps at this price working as well as the E10.


----------



## shadowmanpl

I've got fiio e10 batch 2 and I've got no problems with it at all. HP jack is solid as is the line-out. Sound quality is brilliant and I'm very happy of my purchase. Thanks Fiio for making this cool piece of hardware


----------



## Tocksheen

Hey guys! 
  
 I need your opinion here please 
  
 I have the E10 too, the first batch I think since I got it as soon as it came out. Great product for the price, I dont have the jack issue when moving my headphones  but an other one. When I plug in my DAC, I dont hear any noise except for some hiss. Until now that s normal cause I dont play any music. But after 10 seconds, I start earing a crackling noise in the left ear, nothing on the right ear. It gets softer when I turned the E10 volume button down but still noticeable. It sort of bothers me since I m not constantly playing music but like keeping my headphones on... 

 I tried to switch players and switch usb, it does the same. It feels like after a few seconds without any signal coming in, something in the DAC shuts off. I can't hear any hiss anymore but this crackling noise instead
  
 Does someone have this issue too? What could it be? I m relatively new to the hi-fi equipment field and I dunno every subtilities of DAC/Amps. Please give me some indications
  
 by the way sorry for my average english, I m from France.


----------



## xxhaxx

Is your playback set to the Fiio E10?
  
  Quote: 





tocksheen said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> I need your opinion here please
> 
> ...


----------



## Tocksheen

By playback, you mean my computer settings? yeah the E10 installed itself. I can listen to music through it, there is no problem with this. But if I m not listening to any music and I have my DAC plugged in and my heaphones on, I hear a crackling noise   (which is not a hiss). So I wonder whether my DAC is deffective because this sound doesnt seem normal..


----------



## ClieOS

Try it on another PC and see if the same thing happens.


----------



## funkmeister

clieos said:


> Try it on another PC and see if the same thing happens.




That's good advice. My Icon HD has pops and split-second stutters which sound crackly on my wife's computer but it's perfect on mine.


----------



## chengdude

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> Really? You contacted FiiO directly and they said they were willing to fix it for you? Well, if that's true, I might do that if my E10 has a similar jack issue.


 


  If you happen to be in China and buy from Fiio's storefront, it makes things a bit easier (aside from the language barrier 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ).


----------



## Flagellin

Just shipped mine off back to Amazon.
   
  To those who get the February revision, please let us know if the jack problems have been fixed.


----------



## Wepeel6

I've been using the Fiio E10 for a few weeks. It's sounds good and all but there is one problem I just can't seem to figure out.

When I set it to 16 bit everything is fine but as soon as I switch to 24 bit, there is a 1 second delay on my music and even the OS sounds. The sample rate doesn't causeany issues like this.

For example, if I play any song that starts out right away it will skip the first beat.

Any ideas?


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





wepeel6 said:


> I've been using the Fiio E10 for a few weeks. It's sounds good and all but there is one problem I just can't seem to figure out.
> 
> When I set it to 16 bit everything is fine but as soon as I switch to 24 bit, there is a 1 second delay on my music and even the OS sounds. The sample rate doesn't causeany issues like this.
> 
> ...


 

 You better switch to 16 bit by default. Because it is common bit depth for most of system sounds and CD quality music. 24 bit is commonly used by lossless music or blu-ray video. You don't need to change 16 bit in system settings. As soon as you start your foobar or whatever music player with say 24/96 music E10 will play it in 24/96.


----------



## kingpage

24/44 is the best for music; 24/48 for movies, unless the delay really bothers you.


----------



## noobandroid

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> 24/44 is the best for music; 24/48 for movies, unless the delay really bothers you.


 


  there is no rules of thumbs about that, each song has their own mastering and there is no guarantee that 24/44 is the best in music


----------



## kingpage

The rule of thumb is just that. It is independent of mastering.
   
  You do know I was refering to CD music with 44kHz sampling rate, right? 24/44 is always better than 16/44, unless the product is flawed. The 24bit mode will give you 16bit full resolution for playback (more for HD music), whereas using 16bit won't. You get less depending on what volume it is on your computer and how good the device is in the 16bit mode. It's typical that you get about 14bit resolution for 16bit playback using a 16bit DAC.
   
  The main thing is to match the sampling rate with the recording, but always choose the highest bit (24bit) whenever possible.


----------



## djvkool

I just bought this thing, absolutely amazing, thought I can't seem to set it to output 24/96 because it crashes my windows and gives me BSD (windows 7)
   
  other than that, wow, absolutely zero hiss, nothing...


----------



## KimChee

I think I'm going to get this to listen to tunes on my computer, my computer speakers and sub are pretty sad too, so I'm sure it'll bump those up too.


----------



## Wepeel6

Quote: 





tiex said:


> You better switch to 16 bit by default. Because it is common bit depth for most of system sounds and CD quality music. 24 bit is commonly used by lossless music or blu-ray video. You don't need to change 16 bit in system settings. As soon as you start your foobar or whatever music player with say 24/96 music E10 will play it in 24/96.


 


  Really? I didn't know the E10 settings were dynamic. Is there any proof for that?


----------



## andrewberge

The specs say the maximum it can handle is 24/96, implying it can handle other, lower settings.
   
  I don't have the E10 yet, but if i try and force my current soundcard to play 33Khz audio i get an error message. So basically just the fact that it makes sound at all is proof that it can handle it.


----------



## funkmeister

djvkool said:


> I just bought this thing, absolutely amazing, thought I can't seem to set it to output 24/96 because it crashes my windows and gives me BSD (windows 7)
> 
> other than that, wow, absolutely zero hiss, nothing...




Woah! You get bluescreens? I can't remember the last time I got a bluescreen on Windows. It's been a couple years. It's a totally different world my kids are growing up in where Macs crash and PCs don't.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





funkmeister said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 Ironic isn't it?


----------



## shadowmanpl

Mac crashes? lol


----------



## creamsoda

yes they do, from time to time. but having had a macbook for 4 years and treating it quite roughly, i'm surprised at its durability and OS stability.  i've crashed more with my 1 year old pc than with my 4 year old macbook.  this is probably because apple specs for their own hardware whereas microsoft can't possibly account for every single permutation of hardware that exists that can run PC.
   
  anyway, about everyone with the jack defects... i had a fiio e10 and it was perfectly fine, there was buzzing in the right channel if it was not playing anything, and i turned it way past what my ears can possibly handle.  so for all practical purposes, when i was actually using it, the e10 had a black background.  and no losing channels from wiggling the jack, either!
   
  you'll always hear more from the people who had negative experiences about any given product than people who got a working one.
   
  instrument separation was better than my macbook HP out, and that was obvious when some songs that got congested through the HP out but not through the e10.  and it's true about the fat, round bass and full mids - probably tuned that way by Fiio.  So i'm guessing it's not very flat, but it has a bit of a bump in some of the lower frequency ranges that make it sound that way.


----------



## shadowmanpl

Quote: 





creamsoda said:


> yes they do, from time to time. but having had a macbook for 4 years and treating it quite roughly, i'm surprised at its durability and OS stability.  i've crashed more with my 1 year old pc than with my 4 year old macbook.  this is probably because apple specs for their own hardware whereas microsoft can't possibly account for every single permutation of hardware that exists that can run PC.


 


  This is absolutely and completely TRUE! xD


----------



## Nick R

Sorry, this may sound like a dumb question, but does the e10 have to be plugged in to use it, or does it have a battery, or run off my iDevice's battery.


----------



## dL.

Quote: 





nick r said:


> Sorry, this may sound like a dumb question, but does the e10 have to be plugged in to use it, or does it have a battery, or run off my iDevice's battery.


 


  The E10 is a desktop/laptop device only. There is no built in battery nor do you need to charge it or use external power to drive it. One USB cable will do it all, and it has to plug in to a computer. I don't know if it will work with a camera connection kit for an iPad though.
   
  dL


----------



## dL.

Are there a lot of E10's with the headphone jack problem?
   
  dL


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





dl. said:


> Are there a lot of E10's with the headphone jack problem?
> 
> dL


 


  Fiio ppl here said is a very small % compared to the units sold.
   
  If you can return it easily (amazon) you can try it.
   
  In my case, i got 1 defective E10, returned it, and the replacement is working perfectly.


----------



## dL.

Another question,
   
  Has anyone used the E10 with an E9 pairing? What gains would one get for getting an E9 with an E10 as the DAC?
   
  dL


----------



## Tocksheen

Quote: 





> * *Originally Posted by *creamsoda*
> 
> 
> 
> anyway, about everyone with the jack defects... i had a fiio e10 and it was perfectly fine, there was buzzing in the right channel if it was not playing anything, and i turned it way past what my ears can possibly handle.  so for all practical purposes, when i was actually using it, the e10 had a black background.  and no losing channels from wiggling the jack, either!


 


  You had that buzzing too! What do you think it is? It's not that bad on mine but since I don't know where it comes from, I only fear it gets worse and I start hearing it while playing music! You say you "had" an e10. Have you returned it because of the buzzing?
   
  Also the jack is loose, with a 3.5mm jack it's alright but with 6.35 mm + 3.5 adapter... Dont you guys think that's too much weight ?


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





creamsoda said:


> So i'm guessing it's not very flat, but it has a bit of a bump in some of the lower frequency ranges that make it sound that way.


 

 It is actually as flat as you can wish it to be. What you are hearing has nothing to do with frequency response, but a combination of speed, power, damping, etc, the other factors that don't show up in a FR curve.
   


  Quote: 





dl. said:


> Another question,
> 
> Has anyone used the E10 with an E9 pairing? What gains would one get for getting an E9 with an E10 as the DAC?
> 
> dL


 

 Do read the first post please.


----------



## creamsoda

Quote: 





tocksheen said:


> You had that buzzing too! What do you think it is? It's not that bad on mine but since I don't know where it comes from, I only fear it gets worse and I start hearing it while playing music! You say you "had" an e10. Have you returned it because of the buzzing?
> 
> Also the jack is loose, with a 3.5mm jack it's alright but with 6.35 mm + 3.5 adapter... Dont you guys think that's too much weight ?


 


   
  no idea, for all practical purposes i wouldn't hear it. only when it's a good amount over what i could possibly tolerate (and i'm a drummer who usually doesn't use hearing protection, my threshold is pretty high).  i believe this buzzing to be acceptable, and that i didn't receive a defective unit.
   
  as for what happened to mine, i upgraded to an audinst (i needed the pre-amp out for studio monitors) so i had no use for the e10, sold it.  not a huge difference in SQ, really. a teeny bit better for separation and bass is more impactful and less bloated.  perhaps, more refined?


----------



## dL.

This is a really weird problem.
   
  Anybody who uses an E10 with an Mac can help me out. Ever since I got the E10, all the Mac sound alert (Funk, move to trash, clear trash etc.) sounds really weird. If I change the output source to the built in speakers of the Mac then it sounds fine. It only sounds weird through the E10. I have absolutely no idea why. I did change the MIDI setup to 24/96 but when I change it back to 16/44 it is still like that.
   
  Other than that, the E10 sounds perfectly fine. I wonder if I got a defective unit or if it is a defective driver?
   
  dL


----------



## ClieOS

Probably it is the sound driver on the mac. If it is the E10, everything will sound bad all thing time.


----------



## deadbone

Has anyone else noticed the E10 cutting off the first several milliseconds of audio when it starts playing? This makes tracks that begin right at the zero mark sound off, but it only seems to occur if a new audio stream is being opened ... cueing a track directly. If such a track comes up sequentially in a playlist while the DAC is already outputting audio, it plays correctly.
   
  I believe this problem occurred on my Linux PC as well as my Mac, so I question whether it's a driver/software issue or a flaw of the E10 itself.


----------



## MickeyVee

I haven't noticed it on my MacBook Air or Mac Mini.. just tested to make sure.  If it's a few milliseconds, is that really a problem?


----------



## deadbone

Yes, it is a problem...aside from being annoying. I do audio editing and it renders the E10 somewhat useless for that because the beginning of any audio I play gets chopped off. It's subtle, but there.
   
  Here's a file I made to illustrate the problem. It's the first couple seconds of the song "White Sky" by Vampire Weekend, then a moment of silence, then the beginning looped again.
   
  http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4480311/white_sky_test.mp3
   
  When I play the file, the first beat comes in soft, after the attack...does not sound correct. It sounds like a very quick crescendo occurs, as though the DAC is ramping up to full volume. The second loop plays correctly with the full waveform being played.
   
  Can anyone else reproduce this?


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





deadbone said:


> Yes, it is a problem...aside from being annoying. I do audio editing and it renders the E10 somewhat useless for that because the beginning of any audio I play gets chopped off. It's subtle, but there.
> 
> Here's a file I made to illustrate the problem. It's the first couple seconds of the song "White Sky" by Vampire Weekend, then a moment of silence, then the beginning looped again.
> 
> ...


 

 Listened to your test track about a half dozen times and it all sounded the same to me.  No difference between the beginning of the file and the repeat.  This was on a Windows PC though.


----------



## dL.

Quote: 





deadbone said:


> Yes, it is a problem...aside from being annoying. I do audio editing and it renders the E10 somewhat useless for that because the beginning of any audio I play gets chopped off. It's subtle, but there.
> 
> Here's a file I made to illustrate the problem. It's the first couple seconds of the song "White Sky" by Vampire Weekend, then a moment of silence, then the beginning looped again.
> 
> ...


 

 This reminds me of the problem I was describing on the previous page about the sound effects of the Mac cutting off at the beginning.
   
  dL


----------



## erted

Hi everyone!
   
  I'm looking to get the Fiio E10 but I have a question: will it actually improve things? Currently, I'm using the Creative Aurvana Live! headphones, driven form my integrated sound card (the motherboard in quite old, and the integrated sound card is quite poor). I like the way the CAL! sounds, but since I mainly listen to rock/metal the mids (guitar track) is IMO pushed too far into the background, thus reducing the level of detail, and making it as if the drums and vocals are overwhelming (to my ears!). I also like to listen to music at quite high volumes, and the CAL! tends to distort the highs, causing hissing (which I really HATE).
   
  Is the Fiio E10 a good investment? 
   
  I'm planning on getting some higher grade headphones in the (distant) future, should I get the E10 then?
   
  Thanks.


----------



## obazavil

Do you people have used the coaxial out?
   
  Since my laptop doesn't have optical out, I'm thinking of using the E10 coaxial out for 5.1 doby encoded output (using it as pass-through).
   
  Has anyone used the E10 to feed a receiver with 5.1 encoded signal?
   
  I read E10 uses the Tenor TE7022L USB receiver, so it should, in theory, have NON-PCM (Dolby Digital/dts) Pass Through support...


----------



## hamburgerladdy

The older your integrated sound card is, the better it will likely sound.
   
  For me it's an excellent laptop sound card for the price.
   
  Very little hiss.
   
  The separation of tracks is very good, but it has a darker presentation which may not be everyone's cup of tea.
   
  If it's a desktop, an upgrade of the sound card for a better SNR with the CALs works too.
   
  You may also consider equalizing your system.
   
  Quote: 





erted said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> I'm looking to get the Fiio E10 but I have a question: will it actually improve things? Currently, I'm using the Creative Aurvana Live! headphones, driven form my integrated sound card (the motherboard in quite old, and the integrated sound card is quite poor). I like the way the CAL! sounds, but since I mainly listen to rock/metal the mids (guitar track) is IMO pushed too far into the background, thus reducing the level of detail, and making it as if the drums and vocals are overwhelming (to my ears!). I also like to listen to music at quite high volumes, and the CAL! tends to distort the highs, causing hissing (which I really HATE).
> 
> ...


----------



## Splungeworthy

Re: cutting off the beginnings of songs: Yes I've noticed this! I thought it was JRiver's fault-but maybe it's the E10?  Why would this occur? It's especially noticeable on Rush tracks like "Tom Sawyer"-the beginning is cut off ever so slightly but it is definitely there, and kind of ruins the song.


----------



## erted

So should I get it? How big of an improvement is it?
  I have a 5 year old PC, the motherboard is Intel's DP965LT.
   
  I've considered buying a new sound card (Asus Xonar DG), but the thing is I have 2 PCs as I'm attending an university, which requires me to stay away from home during the week, and the PC I have at home is around 10 years old and doesn't even support modern sound cards, thus a transportable amp is desired.
   
  I've worked with the EQ a bit, and it's a bit better, mainly I've managed to push the guitar track a bit more into the foreground. 
  
  Quote: 





hamburgerladdy said:


> The older your integrated sound card is, the better it will likely sound.
> 
> For me it's an excellent laptop sound card for the price.
> 
> ...


----------



## Splungeworthy

Quote: 





deadbone said:


> Has anyone else noticed the E10 cutting off the first several milliseconds of audio when it starts playing? This makes tracks that begin right at the zero mark sound off, but it only seems to occur if a new audio stream is being opened ... cueing a track directly. If such a track comes up sequentially in a playlist while the DAC is already outputting audio, it plays correctly.
> 
> I believe this problem occurred on my Linux PC as well as my Mac, so I question whether it's a driver/software issue or a flaw of the E10 itself.


 

 OK, so I listened to "Tom Sawyer" twice.  Once through the headphone out of my laptop, and once through the headphone out of the E10.  Media player is JRiver with WASAPI event mode.  Through the laptop out the song plays perfectly from the beginning.  Through the E10 the first couple of milliseconds is cut off.  Very frustrating-could there be a compatibility problem between the E10 and JRiver?  I tried every output mode JRiver supports and it doesn't change anything.  Using Win7, E10 is the default music device, and output is set at 16/44.1 (changing that does nothing for this problem).  Problem does not occur with foobar or WMP.   Help!


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





erted said:


> So should I get it? How big of an improvement is it?
> I have a 5 year old PC, the motherboard is Intel's DP965LT.
> 
> I've considered buying a new sound card (Asus Xonar DG), but the thing is I have 2 PCs as I'm attending an university, which requires me to stay away from home during the week, and the PC I have at home is around 10 years old and doesn't even support modern sound cards, thus a transportable amp is desired.
> ...


 

 I'd say yes, the improvement probably won't be huge, but it should be more than noticeable.  Though, I would suggesting waiting 'till February when Fiio will be releasing a new batch with improved headphone jacks.


----------



## deadbone

Quote:


dl. said:


> This reminds me of the problem I was describing on the previous page about the sound effects of the Mac cutting off at the beginning.
> 
> dL


 

 I just tried what you described and you're right; we are experiencing the same issue. The "Funk" sound effect's beginning is truncated...the "Frog" sound above it is so short that it barely plays by the time the E10 starts outputting sound. Any new audio stream seems to be silenced at its beginning. Try this: play a song or any sound in the background, and try playing an audio file that is normally truncated. Works fine, since the sound gets "embedded" into the stream that is already playing.
   
  I have contacted FiiO to see what they say about the issue.


----------



## LimeANite

I'm still not able to repeat it using Tom Sawyer.  I'm using Foobar2K with WASAPI, switching back and forth between headphone-out and the E10.  Could be a problem specific to JRiver, or perhaps my ears aren't quite good enough to catch it.


----------



## deadbone

I received a response from FiiO, for those interested:
  ---
   
_[size=12pt]​[/size]_Thank you for your mail and support to FiiO!   Yes, you are right , our E10 will cut off the music about 0.7mS to solve the phase shift distortion of the WM8740 with the TE7022 USB receiver.   and it can not solve by any firmware or fixed it by hardware. but our E17 have not such problem because the  structure is different, the digital signal   will go through wm8804 so we don't need to reset the WM8740 each time when there are new signal to make sure it work perfect.   If you have any other question, please feel free to contact us!  


 --------------------------------------
 Time:01/17/2012 07:28:36
 To:market@fiio.com.cn
 Cc:
 Subject:E10 cutting off beginning of audio stream
 Hello, I placed an order for an E10 in September and received it from
 MP4Nation at the end of November. I am very pleased with the quality
 of the DAC except for one issue: the beginning of any new audio stream
 that opens and is outputted to the E10 is cut off. The amount of the
 waveform that is cut off is small, but the E10 is definitely not
 outputting streams entirely correctly. I use my computer for audio
 editing and this problem is particularly frustrating for this
 application. I have a PC with Linux and a Macintosh, both using the
 default USB audio drivers, and have experienced the problem on both
 computers. I asked about the problem on Head-Fi (
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/575084/impression-fiio-e10/705#post_8059306 )
 to see if it was just my setup or if other E10's exhibit this behavior
 and several other owners have confirmed the issue.

 Is this a problem that can be fixed with a software or firmware update
 for the device, or is it a flaw of its design and unchangeable? If it
 is not fixable for the E10, is a future FiiO DAC going to address the
 problem? Since I purchased the E10 for audio editing and it is
 currently not suitable for this, I would be interested in returning
 the product if possible.

 Thank you for assisting me.
   
   
  ---
  It's a shame that a company would produce such an otherwise excellent product with a flaw like this.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





limeanite said:


> I'm still not able to repeat it using Tom Sawyer.  I'm using Foobar2K with WASAPI, switching back and forth between headphone-out and the E10.  Could be a problem specific to JRiver, or perhaps my ears aren't quite good enough to catch it.


 


  Yes, it is hard to notice it because the time is less than 1 second and hard to affect your enjoyment of the music unless you have special request for it.


----------



## Splungeworthy

It's very noticeable, but what is more ominous is that the E10 is_ designed _to not play tracks from the very beginning!  Looks like I'm ordering an E17/E9 combo, because the E17 does not have a 3.5mm line out for powered speakers (like the E10 very handily does), so I need the E9 for that.


----------



## ACDOAN

I need some understanding the behavior of my Sony Viao and the E10. I use the combo solely for Spotify premium.  If I format the sampling at 24/48, the sound is very loud and I have good bass of out my Senn HD280. If I change the format to 24/96 the the sound is much cleaner but I have to crank the E10 volume louder to have the same dynamic effect. 
   
  What's do I do wrong here?


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





splungeworthy said:


> It's very noticeable, but what is more ominous is that the E10 is_ designed _to not play tracks from the very beginning!  Looks like I'm ordering an E17/E9 combo, because the E17 does not have a 3.5mm line out for powered speakers (like the E10 very handily does), so I need the E9 for that.


 

 Get a FiiO L7 dock then you can get line-out from E17 without E9.


----------



## dorino

I'm quite glad I'm waiting on the E17 considering the cut-off problem on the E10 and the apparent lack of it on the E17 (as per that email to FiiO). It definitely seems minor, but it'd be enough to upset me, no doubt.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> Yes, it is hard to notice it because the time is less than 1 second and hard to affect your enjoyment of the music unless you have special request for it.


 

  
  It is easy to notice when listening to live concerts that have no delay between tracks.
  I hear a pause/skip when the track changes, but music is continuous.
   
  If I pair the e10 with an e9 will this issue be resolved? or is the problem with the e10 DAC, so the e9 will not fix it?
   
  Also, I have the first batch of e10's. My headphones wiggle in the jack, but the sound remains excellent (no hiss, buzz, crackle).
  However, I wonder if the issues others are having might happen to me later on. *Are people with a good sounding first batch returning their products? *


----------



## onesome

Quote: 





bee inthe attic said:


> *Are people with a good sounding first batch returning their products?*


 


   
  Mine is from second batch /with new silk screen/ and has the same problem. Of course I opened it to see what cause the problem and it seems the sheet iron is not tighten up enough /see red circle/. I don’t think it will cause further problems but I’ve returned mine for repaire because the Betas which came   with E10 were broken. But still think in terms of quality control E10 is a failure and the mass production could not excuse this.  Add the E10 sound cutting issue and you’ll find why Fiio is a  mass company for a low to mid products only.  Hope they will improve. Luckily  MP4Nations has great customer support.


----------



## Splungeworthy

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Get a FiiO L7 dock then you can get line-out from E17 without E9.


 

 Will the EQ functions still be available through the headphone out when using the L7?  Because you may have saved me $100.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





splungeworthy said:


> Will the EQ functions still be available through the headphone out when using the L7?  Because you may have saved me $100.


 

 Yes,


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





onesome said:


> Mine is from second batch /with new silk screen/ and has the same problem. Of course I opened it to see what cause the problem and it seems the sheet iron is not tighten up enough /see red circle/. I don’t think it will cause further problems but I’ve returned mine for repaire because the Betas which came   with E10 were broken. But still think in terms of quality control E10 is a failure and the mass production could not excuse this.  Add the E10 sound cutting issue and you’ll find why Fiio is a  mass company for a low to mid products only.  Hope they will improve. Luckily  MP4Nations has great customer support.


 


  I will say that despite the issues many users have had with the E10, Fiio products by and large have been quite reliable.  I think we sometimes forget that Fiio is still a relatively young and emerging company.  Not excusing the E10's problems, but given Fiio's track record I think we can safely assume better results from future products.


----------



## onesome

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> I will say that despite the issues many users have had with the E10, Fiio products by and large have been quite reliable.  I think we sometimes forget that Fiio is still a relatively young and emerging company.  Not excusing the E10's problems, but given Fiio's track record I think we can safely assume better results from future products.


 

  
  Not sure if Fiio is known for its products reliability but I admire company attempt to make mid classes DAC/Amps accessible for many. Apart of its issues  E10 deliver decent sound and justify its price.


----------



## ClieOS

I guess how important this 'design flaw' is different for everyone. I never know about it till I read about it a page back, since I don't have any album that has no silent gap / fade-in. So the natural fade-in (usually a second or two) on the beginning of most of my music collection will mask the 7ms, which is a much shorter time.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





clieos said:


> I guess how important this 'design flaw' is different for everyone. I never know about it till I read about it a page back, since I don't have any album that has no silent gap / fade-in. So the natural fade-in (usually a second or two) on the beginning of most of my music collection will mask the 7ms, which is a much shorter time.


 

 Same here, and I wasn't able to pick it out even listening for it in the examples that other people gave.  I don't have any live albums with seamless track transition either though, and I think that's really the only situation where most people would notice the break.  According to Fiio, it's 0.7 milliseconds (there are 1000 milliseconds in one second, so it's less than 1/1000th of a second).
   
  And while mine does have the jack problem, it's not an issue unless I move it around.  Since it lives on my desk and has an extension cable permanently plugged in, it never moves and I never lose channels or hear static.


----------



## 3dbATinf

The excellent commentary on this form led to my purchase of an E10 and ATH-M50s recently, and I couldn't be happier with the sound quality from the pair especially with my 24/96 collection. The response is very flat and the noise floor is nearly nonexistent!
   
  There is one problem, though, which I have not seen mentioned in this thread. I have very sensitive hearing; the last time I had it checked I had zero hearing loss out past 20kHz. So I tend to listen to music at very low levels (<30dB SPL, about as loud as a whisper or less). I have noticed on the E10 that the channel balance is heavily biased to the left until the volume knob gets past the 0.75 mark (E10 goes up to 8), and I would like to listen around the 0.5 mark for a  portion of my regular CD collection. Is this occurring for other E10 owners as well or is mine defective? As a side note I ave noticed this same behavior on many (if not most) low and mid-end amplifiers over the years, exceptions being my Rotel RA-02 and other similar and better quality amplifiers.
   
  I suppose I could put a resistor or similar in the path of the headphones, allowing me to turn the volume knob past 1 and still get a low volume in the headphones. Has anyone done this?
   
  Oh, and the gain is set to low on the E10.
   
  Thanks!


----------



## xxhaxx

^ There is some channel imbalance for my E10 but disappear once the knob is around 0.5
Not really an issue though


----------



## LimeANite

You could maybe try turning the computer volume slider down as a quick fix.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

I've noticed some channel imbalance as well at low volumes.
   
  -you can set your computer volume to its lowest setting and raise the e10 volume a bit-
  -adjust the computer balance
  -buy a balance volume control (I bought this one to use my cans with the line out on my tv, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H0K8VY/ref=oh_o06_s00_i00_details)


----------



## LimeANite

Just to expand on the channel imbalance issue, I'm pretty sure most amps have this problem at very low volumes.


----------



## 3dbATinf

Ah, thanks for the replies about the channel balance issue. Glad to know I am not the only one experiencing it.
   
Bee inthe Attic's suggestion about reducing the signal amplitude before it is sent to the E10 seems like it might be okay. I tried reducing it by 15dB (mplayer option '-af volumne=-15') and I can turn the knob up past 1 to remove the channel imbalance issue without the volume getting too high for me. I was worried about higher quantization noise by doing that but I guess it is a small tradeoff to make for the few pieces where/when I listen to them that low.
   
  If I get a chance I will give one of those balance volume control devices a try.
   
  Thanks!


----------



## Splungeworthy

Quote: 





limeanite said:


> Same here, and I wasn't able to pick it out even listening for it in the examples that other people gave.  I don't have any live albums with seamless track transition either though, and I think that's really the only situation where most people would notice the break.  According to Fiio, it's 0.7 milliseconds (there are 1000 milliseconds in one second, so it's less than 1/1000th of a second).
> 
> And while mine does have the jack problem, it's not an issue unless I move it around.  Since it lives on my desk and has an extension cable permanently plugged in, it never moves and I never lose channels or hear static.


 
  Maybe it has something to do with my files(192kb WMA and MP3), but you definitely can hear the beginning of "Tom Sawyer" (and many others, though not all tracks) being cut off when directly accessed.  I also think there may not be good synergy with JRiver. Anyway, even with all of these quirks (don't get me started on the noisy volume wheel), the E10 is extremely sweet sounding.  I hope the E17 sounds as good.


----------



## FuzzyD

The volume dial causes noise too?


----------



## dorino

Quote: 





splungeworthy said:


> Maybe it has something to do with my files(192kb WMA and MP3), but you definitely can hear the beginning of "Tom Sawyer" (and many others, though not all tracks) being cut off when directly accessed.  I also think there may not be good synergy with JRiver. Anyway, even with all of these quirks (don't get me started on the noisy volume wheel), the E10 is extremely sweet sounding.  I hope the E17 sounds as good.


 


  I'm going to out on a limb and say when they said 0.7 milliseconds they meant 0.7 seconds.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





dorino said:


> I'm going to out on a limb and say when they said 0.7 milliseconds they meant 0.7 seconds.


 

 I'd like to think that my hearing is good enough to detect a 0.7 second silence at the beginning of a track.  It's actually a pretty significant amount of time.  0.7 ms would just be a little blip in between tracks on a seamless live album, which is more like what people were describing.  Heck, even 7 ms wouldn't register much.
   
  That said, I have yet to hear it myself despite spending about 30 minutes looking for it last night, so I can't say for certain.


----------



## Wepeel6

Quote: 





deadbone said:


> Has anyone else noticed the E10 cutting off the first several milliseconds of audio when it starts playing? This makes tracks that begin right at the zero mark sound off, but it only seems to occur if a new audio stream is being opened ... cueing a track directly. If such a track comes up sequentially in a playlist while the DAC is already outputting audio, it plays correctly.
> 
> I believe this problem occurred on my Linux PC as well as my Mac, so I question whether it's a driver/software issue or a flaw of the E10 itself.


 


  I have that too, I made a post about it earlier. It's like the first half second is unamplified.


----------



## Bee inthe Attic

I may have jumped the gun here......
   
  the audible pause/bleep between seamless tracks could be due to my music players, instead of the e10.
  VLC (the player I was using) doesn't offer gapless playback, and the same problem was there with my Play music player.
   
  Itunes, which I never use, seems to fix the problem.
  Thought I'd clear this up on my end.


----------



## deadbone

To clarify why this problem only seems to occur on some setups and with some players and not others...because according to what FiiO said, the 0.7ms cut-off is actually designed into the device via some tricky engineering to get the USB receiver chip to talk with the DAC chip.
   
  The cut-off is only noticeable if the first 0.7ms of audio contain sound information rather than silence, which isn't the case for most tracks. Furthermore, audio players that support gapless playback don't open a new audio stream for every track but prebuffer the next track in their playlist so that they basically send one continuous bitstream to the E10--only the first song played would be affected. Still, things like system alert sounds, certain songs, non-gapless players can be subject to the issue. That aside, the WM8740 chip the E10 uses is a great-sounding DAC and the E10 is an aesthetically well-designed device; I wish the functional quality was of the same level.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





deadbone said:


> To clarify why this problem only seems to occur on some setups and with some players and not others...because according to what FiiO said, the 0.7ms cut-off is actually designed into the device via some tricky engineering to get the USB receiver chip to talk with the DAC chip.


 

 Here lies an interesting note - E10 is not the only USB DAC out there with the TE7022 + WM8740 chipsets. How do others solve the same phase issue? Do they implement the same way as E10, use a more advanced setup like E17, or simple allow the phase error to occur (which might not be that noticeable on hearing)? Hmm...


----------



## JamesFiiO

I am very sorry about that, but it is the only solution we can find because we are not the designer of TE7022 or WM8740. The reason why E17 will have not such problem, it is because the TE7022 output SPDIF signal to WM8804 first, and them WM8804 output the IIS to WM8740.
   
of course, this small bugs can be solved at the same way but it will add the cost. in fact, the first user who report such bugs is use E10 to music edit but not for listening.
   
   
BTW, We will try to do our best to make a perfect products, but please give us time to do that, and thanks for report any bugs or mistake, we will fix it if we can. And I hope you can understand that sometimes it is just small bugs or sometimes it is just few case in 10 thousand users.
   
we had sold out more than 500,000 units in last year. of course, it is not a reason to make any mistake , so you can contact our sales agents or contact us directly if our products is not suitable for you can we are apologize to any of our user that feel disappoint .


----------



## Splungeworthy

When will the new batch of E10's be available?  The ones with the improved headphone sockets?


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





splungeworthy said:


> When will the new batch of E10's be available?  The ones with the improved headphone sockets?


 


  Sometime in February.


----------



## dorino

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> I am very sorry about that, but it is the only solution we can find because we are not the designer of TE7022 or WM8740. The reason why E17 will have not such problem, it is because the TE7022 output SPDIF signal to WM8804 first, and them WM8804 output the IIS to WM8740.
> 
> of course, this small bugs can be solved at the same way but it will add the cost. in fact, the first user who report such bugs is use E10 to music edit but not for listening.
> 
> ...


 

 So, just for clarification, over USB there wouldn't be any cut-off with the E17?


----------



## gEaK

Myself and a couple of other users mentioned the pause issue a few times way back in the thread to no avail, glad to finally get an answer to this problem.
   
  After returning my E10 due to the jack issue I was waiting for the February revision, now I'm thinking of going for the HUD-MX1 instead.
   
  Has anyone had the chance to do a direct comparison of these units, and what are your thoughts?


----------



## onesome

Mike from Headfonia recommended it over E17. Fiio products are average - they benefit from lower price and vast functionality and although they are using decent components,  bad quality control is an issue. BTW I also waiting for replacement/repair my E10 but I'll keep it as a DAC for LittleDot Mk III I've recently ordered.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





geak said:


> Myself and a couple of other users mentioned the pause issue a few times way back in the thread to no avail, glad to finally get an answer to this problem.
> 
> After returning my E10 due to the jack issue I was waiting for the February revision, now I'm thinking of going for the HUD-MX1 instead.
> 
> Has anyone had the chance to do a direct comparison of these units, and what are your thoughts?


 

 According to Mike(Headfonia) the MX-1 overs a more spacious sound with better instrument seperation.  You do lose a bit of that mid-range fullness that the E10 has.


----------



## diamonddust

Quote: 





deadbone said:


> The cut-off is only noticeable if the first 0.7ms of audio contain sound information rather than silence, which isn't the case for most tracks. Furthermore, audio players that support gapless playback don't open a new audio stream for every track but prebuffer the next track in their playlist so that they basically send one continuous bitstream to the E10--only the first song played would be affected. Still, things like system alert sounds, certain songs, non-gapless players can be subject to the issue. That aside, the WM8740 chip the E10 uses is a great-sounding DAC and the E10 is an aesthetically well-designed device; I wish the functional quality was of the same level.


 
   
   
  I've noticed it with iTunes on Mac, If I listen to gapless tracks from beginning the prebuffer will hide the problem, but if I start the track from almost the end the gapless will be interruped with the cut-off.
   
  Now the you mentioned system allert sound, I've noticed that my allert system sound very funny, now I know why…
   
  For me it's not a real problem and i have to say I realy like the E10, no jack problem here
   
  ciao
  Davide


----------



## ACDOAN

I do not have any issue with the E10 . I have to say for less than $100.00 , I really enjoy the E10. I listen mostly to Spotify premium ( off-line mode) and I do not experience and gap from the beginning of any tracks and the same with CDs. Mylaptop is the Sony Viao.
   
  Frankly, I do not expect these Fiio's devices last a long time. If they do last over a year or so, I am okay with the money that I 've spent on the Made in China gadgets. So far , the only issue I have is the E7 when docking with the E9, one of my E7 works perfect and the other E7 has sound only in one channel. I will have to send the E7 back for a replacement. Other than that, FiiO guys , keep on doing a good job. Champaign for beer budget, simply cannot beat that.


----------



## higgsbison

Quote: 





geak said:


> Myself and a couple of other users mentioned the pause issue a few times way back in the thread to no avail, glad to finally get an answer to this problem.
> 
> After returning my E10 due to the jack issue I was waiting for the February revision, now I'm thinking of going for the HUD-MX1 instead.
> 
> Has anyone had the chance to do a direct comparison of these units, and what are your thoughts?


 


  Bought the MX1 as my first dac/amp and think if you don't have a lot of experience you will be very happy with it. Heck, a lot of people with heaps of experience are happy with it and the E10/17. Certainly appears to be better quality control on the Audinst though but this has been discussed extensively and put down to the volume of units put out by Fiio. 
   
  I was originally planning on getting an E10/17 to compare it with and keep the one i preferred. Will now probably just spend that money on new cans as i am very happy with the performance of the MX1 and will likely see a bigger change getting new headphones. The MX1 and K240 MkII is very nice but i guess it comes down to your sound signature preference which is hugely subjective.


----------



## gEaK

Cheers guys, however I'm really intrigued by what I've read about the E17 so I'm going to give that a try.


----------



## F900EX

I skimmed though the 50 pages, but I would like an answer to this question ....
   
  This is quoted from another review E10, I can't even link it since its from a Ex Headf'ier 
   
  "The big players like Apple have locked up the best manufacturing in China and the smaller companies, like FiiO, are often having to really struggle to maintain quality at a decent price"
   
  Maintaining quality is the important part here. Hence the reason customers are having problems with the products that are made in China, I'm not singling out FiiO has they are not the only one having quality control issues.
   
  If E10 is a killer, as said in the OPs review, how come a lot of people are having problems ?


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> I skimmed though the 50 pages, but I would like an answer to this question ....
> 
> This is quoted from another review E10, I can't even link it since its from a Ex Headf'ier
> 
> ...


 

 The problems are, as a whole, not terribly serious and don't effect that many people.  There are a few problems with the headphone jack coming loose, but people have had those replaced with no problems and Fiio is releasing a new version with an improved jack next month.  Just treat it gently and it should be fine though.  The brief cutoff issue is designed in (not the result of poor QC), and very few people have noticed it.  They have a solution for it in the E17, but my guess is that it would increase the price of the E10 too much to add it in.


----------



## ClieOS

To my knowledge, FiiO has sold well over 10k units of E10 last year alone. Even if there is 100 users reporting issue (and so far I haven't see that many, at least in Head-fi), it is still just 1% faulty rate. Unfortunately, most people only see the number '100', but not the '1%' . You can go out as ask most electronic manufacturers about their faulty rate, I'll bet it is well over 1% (just check Apple's or Sandisk's forum). Of course, even at 1% rate, it is still 100% faulty for that 100 unlucky user, and 100 complaints on the internet are A LOT. I can't blame people for starting to question the build quality, but people never see pass the number for the meaning behinds it. To make it worst, we never quite see enough posting form those 9900. It is all going downhill from that point onward.
   
  E10 has became my main desktop DAC for my PC since I got it 4 months ago. I have had no problem with either the headphone jack or noticed any cutoff issue (I don't even know about it until someone mentioned it here). I am just happen to be one of the 9900 users, why shouldn't I think it is a killer product?
   
  p/s: just to get the fact straight, most manufacturers that do OEM works for Apple in China are no China companies. They are Taiwan company that have factories in China because the cost of labor has became too expensive in Taiwan since late 90's. Most of them don't even sell their product directly in China. A good example will be Foxconn.


----------



## ericp10

I have had no problems with my E10 except with the JVC FXT90 IEM (the fault of the IEM than of the UDAC/amp). Playing the W4 through it now as I type and it sounds glorious!!


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





clieos said:


> To my knowledge, FiiO has sold well over 10k units of E10 last year alone. Even if there is 100 users reporting issue (and so far I haven't see that many, at least in Head-fi), it is still just 1% faulty rate. Unfortunately, most people only see the number '100', but not the '1%' . You can go out as ask most electronic manufacturers about their faulty rate, I'll bet it is well over 1% (just check Apple's or Sandisk's forum). Of course, even at 1% rate, it is still 100% faulty for that 100 unlucky user, and 100 complaints on the internet are A LOT. I can't blame people for starting to question the build quality, but people never see pass the number for the meaning behinds it. To make it worst, we never quite see enough posting form those 9900. It is all going downhill from that point onward.
> 
> E10 has became my main desktop DAC for my PC since I got it 4 months ago. I have had no problem with either the headphone jack or noticed any cutoff issue (I don't even know about it until someone mentioned it here). I am just happen to be one of the 9900 users, why shouldn't I think it is a killer product?
> 
> p/s: just to get the fact straight, most manufacturers that do OEM works for Apple in China are no China companies. They are Taiwan company that have factories in China because the cost of labor has became too expensive in Taiwan since late 90's. Most of them don't even sell their product directly in China. A good example will be Foxconn.


 

 I bought all my Fiio's piece ( D3/E6/E7/E9/E10) from B & H and I did not experience any of the symptoms described. I did get paranoid after reading a few complaints but so far so good, no complaints at all.
   
   
  Clieos, I owned 2 E7s and I use one E7 hooked straight to the RCA output of my CDP. It's sound great BUT I did hear a little short " tick" at the beginning of the track after a silent from previous track. It does not interfere with the SQ of music, but I am curious to know why. It does not happen on some CDs though .


----------



## ClieOS

If you are using the AUX-in (fed by CD's RCA), E7 will be in analog mode (purely as an amp). It shouldn't tick or pop on its own. It is most likely from the CD player.switching from one data stream to another. I notice the same on some DAP as well, but generally is is very fade.


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





clieos said:


> If you are using the AUX-in (fed by CD's RCA), E7 will be in analog mode (purely as an amp). It shouldn't tick or pop on its own. It is most likely from the CD player.switching from one data stream to another. I notice the same on some DAP as well, but generally is is very fade.


 


  Okay, I need a bit help here. I have one of the E7 dock on the E9 using USB port of my HP One touch. I have an extra E7 that I want to use as a DAC and an amp BUT I want to use my CDP as a source. What's " L" cable to i need? or it cannot be done that way?


----------



## TheGooze

Hi!
   
  I had an E10 [2nd version] which I since returned to Amazon because of the jack problem.
  The other problem that I had was that I noticed a slight click at the end of every track regardless of whatever format or quality the file was. No problem with cut off at the beginning of tracks though.
  Hopefully the revised version due out in Feb? will improve the situation as the unit is good value for money even here in the UK!


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





thegooze said:


> Hi!
> 
> I had an E10 [2nd version] which I since returned to Amazon because of the jack problem.
> The other problem that I had was that I noticed a slight click at the end of every track regardless of whatever format or quality the file was. No problem with cut off at the beginning of tracks though.
> Hopefully the revised version due out in Feb? will improve the situation as the unit is good value for money even here in the UK!


 


  That's exactly the way my E7 behaves with  CDs when I use the E7 as a stand alone amp.  I tried 2 different CDPs but the "clcik" still exist, so the issue is with the E7 if it is used as a stand alone amp and in your case the E10. When i use the E7/E9 combo  as DAC/AMP via USB port, there is NO small "click" when I play the same CDs via my laptop CD rom.  ANW, it does not bother me much since it just a "click" but no distortion, no missing information.  My E10 and E7/E9 are using as USB DAC/AMP and they are doing just fine for now..


----------



## ACDOAN

Fear not, my friend. I have tested both the E7 and the E10 as the USB DAC/AMP and there is no distortion, no scratchy volume pot, no pops, no clicks ( between songs) , no missing gap of any information.
   
  CD: I use the The Girl In The Other Room ( Diana Krall ) via my Sony laptop CD/Buray drive, HP onetouch PC, Imac PC/
  INTERNET SOURCE: Spotify Premium and Pandora Premium.
  HEADPHONES : Shure SRH 840, SRH440, Senn HD280/ HD598.
   
  If using as stand alone amp, either the E7 or the E10 will produce one  faint click or pop between each  track. My sources are the Onkyo and the Rotel CDP.
   
  There you have it.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





acdoan said:


> Okay, I need a bit help here. I have one of the E7 dock on the E9 using USB port of my HP One touch. I have an extra E7 that I want to use as a DAC and an amp BUT I want to use my CDP as a source. What's " L" cable to i need? or it cannot be done that way?


 


  It can't be done. E7 only works as USB DAC for PC. The DAC won't work with CDP. If your CDP has SDPIF output, then you can use E17 as it has SPDIF input.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





acdoan said:


> If using as stand alone amp, either the E7 or the E10 will produce one  faint click or pop between each  track. My sources are the Onkyo and the Rotel CDP.


 


  Are you sure? E10 can't be used as a standalone amp.


----------



## ACDOAN

My bad. I did test only the E7 and the E9 with the CDPs. Sory for the E confusion. I have too many E from Fiio ( E6/E7/E9/E10 & D3) .
   
  I still do not understand why so many people complaint about distortion, gap between tracks(?) , pops or tacks (noise between track).
   
   
  As far as the little money I put into these little inexpensive gadgets, I am very pleased. These are disposable pieces at a reasonable price, not like I have spent thousand of dollars into some Hi-end piece which I would be pissed off if they pops or cracks during listening session.


----------



## Melvins

is their any possible way to make the e10 a portable option? Like even to say, use a micro usb charger in a wall plug to get the lil' buggered powered?


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





melvins said:


> is their any possible way to make the e10 a portable option? Like even to say, use a micro usb charger in a wall plug to get the lil' buggered powered?


 


  E17?


----------



## Melvins

too late. already bought the e10...


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





melvins said:


> too late. already bought the e10...


 


  I don't know a lot of technical stuff but since both audio signal and power comes from USB, I find it hard to make it a portable option...


----------



## Melvins

see I didn't realize that sound also had to come through the USB, thought maybe there was a way around that. Thanks for clearing it up


----------



## PanicoNFL

who's better in DAC section: FiiO E10, X-Fi Titanium or Xonar DX ?

 thanks ^^


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





melvins said:


> too late. already bought the e10...


 


  Enjoy the E10. I love this little guy.


----------



## Melvins

I am man. It's great, and I have the ability to upgrade to a high impedance can without having to go out and search high and low with something to properly drive them...
   
   
  when I already owns it.


----------



## MickeyVee

It will it drive high impedance phones.. well, yes.. it drives my HD650's to decent levels but he SQ sucks and I wouldn't really recommend it.  Dull and boring. Great for my HD25's and v-Moda M80's.
  BTW, just pre-ordered the E17.
  
  Quote: 





melvins said:


> I am man. It's great, and I have the ability to upgrade to a high impedance can without having to go out and search high and low with something to properly drive them... when I already owns it.


----------



## PanicoNFL

A FiiO E10 can easily drive an HD598 (The bass impedance curve) ?
 tks


----------



## davidgotsa

I got the E10. 
   
  I notice a little "pop" sound in between songs or whenever I skip a part of a song or a youtube video for example. It's not really bothering me though as long as it doesn't become louder or comes up more often. 
   
  Would adding an E7 make it sound better though? As far as sound goes... not the "popping" sound...


----------



## Radioking59

Quote: 





davidgotsa said:


> Would adding an E7 make it sound better though? As far as sound goes... not the "popping" sound...


 
  There is no way to add an E7.  It does the same thing as the E10, but is not as good as the E10.


----------



## Melvins

What he said. You could get another Amp but adding another DAC on a DAC doesn't make any sense.


----------



## kingpage

It's tinier than I thought. FiiO didn't have to make it so small, as it's not portable anyway.


----------



## Melvins

I really dig the smallness of it, makes it portable in regards to the fact it's easy to bring with you anywhere you'd want your laptop.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Transportable is the word you guys are looking for


----------



## Melvins

transportationible>


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> It's tinier than I thought. FiiO didn't have to make it so small, as it's not portable anyway.


 


  My E10 and the E7/E9 combo when using via the USB ports of the Sony Laptop and the HP OneTouch PC, they have not produced any abnormal pops. clicks or static noise.
   
  When I use the E7 with two different  CDPs via the CDP RCA jacks and the E7 as an amp, the E7 clicks or pops between every single tracks.
   
  I tried the E7 with the D3 with the same CDPs using Toslink cable, wow my problems with the E7 has been solved. The E7 is quiet as it can be. No pops, no clicks, no hissing...I don't have the background in EE but it may have something to do with the clocking jitter of the build in DAC in the CDP but not with the D3.


----------



## kingpage

So far, my E10 has none of the problems that were mentioned by others. It doesn't seem to have the initial delays. The headphone jack is okay too. It works great with my HM5s and speakers both playing at the same time. I like the ruler flat FR as measured; no more bass roll-off or treble peaks like my onboard. It makes the slightly harsh speakers sound better.
   
  Using the line-out didn't affect the headphone-out, subjectively speaking. I keep the headphones plugged in all the time, but turn the volume to zero when I want to use my speakers. The line-out's volume can only be controlled by Windows (XP), but then my speakers have a volume knob. I have set the E10 to 24bit on both my foobar and potplayer, and maximum volumn on Windows.
   
  2 to 3 on low gain is pretty good for my HM5s.


----------



## djevoultion

Is it safe to use the headphone out of the E10 while using the Line out to another amp? 
   
   
  I'm switching between the cmoy's amp and E10's amp to test which is better


----------



## kingpage

It was designed that way so we could use both.


----------



## djevoultion

Quote: 





kingpage said:


> It was designed that way so we could use both.


 


  So it won't effect the sound?


----------



## obazavil

Quote: 





djevoultion said:


> So it won't effect the sound?


 


  nope
   
  I used this way to do A/B testing with E10->Ed8 and E10 (LO)->Lyr->LCD-2, and no problems at all


----------



## davidgotsa

I just noticed that my headphone jack is a little loose. I believe I have a 45 day return policy from where I bought it so I still have time to return it. 
   
  And in my previous post I asked about adding an E7, I meant the E9. Would E9+E10 sound better than E10 alone? I'm using HD650's. 
   
  Any input appreciated.


----------



## obazavil

If plug is a little loose, but no sound quality is affected, you are OK.
   
  I think HD650 are not that hard to drive (300 Ohms)? I think you are OK with E10, but maybe someone else can answer better ...


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





davidgotsa said:


> I just noticed that my headphone jack is a little loose. I believe I have a 45 day return policy from where I bought it so I still have time to return it.
> 
> And in my previous post I asked about adding an E7, I meant the E9. Would E9+E10 sound better than E10 alone? I'm using HD650's.
> 
> Any input appreciated.


 


  Adding the E9 would give you a more dynamic sound with better controlled bass, but you do lose a little bit of the E10's midrange fullness.


----------



## chicolom

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Adding the E9 would give you a more dynamic sound with better controlled bass, but you do lose a little bit of the E10's midrange fullness.


 


  x2.  Adding the E9 gives better dynamics, greater soundstage, a little less mids, a little more treble (clarity?).


----------



## chrislangley4253

it should be noted that the E9 doesn't have a very good impedance at around 9 or 10 ohms.. Meaning it will work just fine for sennheisers, but if you try to plug anything with a lower impedance (think grado or other portables) it won't sound too great.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





chrislangley4253 said:


> it should be noted that the E9 doesn't have a very good impedance at around 9 or 10 ohms.. Meaning it will work just fine for sennheisers, but if you try to plug anything with a lower impedance (think grado or other portables) it won't sound too great.


 


  You would think so, but I've read users who had pretty good results using Denons, which are low impedance.


----------



## chrislangley4253

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> You would think so, but I've read users who had pretty good results using Denons, which are low impedance.


 


  *shrugs* take it how you will.


----------



## LimeANite

It's not so much that it "won't sound good" as it has the possibility of introducing distortion, which may sound good or bad depending on your tastes.


----------



## davidgotsa

What do you mean? Why would it add distortion?     
   
  If you could explain it like you would to a 10 year old it would be great. I´m new to all this. 
   
  I'm not exactly poor so in the future I will buy more stuff to get the best sound quality possible but for now this is overwhelmingly good. 
   
  (Drunk as ****  enjoying the **** out of my HD650's with only E10 connected to Macbook Air)  
  
  Quote: 





limeanite said:


> It's not so much that it "won't sound good" as it has the possibility of introducing distortion, which may sound good or bad depending on your tastes.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





davidgotsa said:


> What do you mean? Why would it add distortion?
> 
> If you could explain it like you would to a 10 year old it would be great. I´m new to all this.
> 
> ...


 

 This article explains it fairly well: http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/discuss/feedback/newsletter/2011/12/2/0-ohm-headphone-amplifier-sonic-advantages-low-impedance-headphone-amp
   
  The author uses an amp with a 30-ohm output impedance, which is much more than most amps these days, to make the differences more apparent, but the basics still apply.  I believe that the E9's is 10 ohms, which won't make a difference with your HD650s.
   
  Actually, if you search Google for "Fiio E9 output impedance", the first link that comes up should be to NwAvGuy's blog (I can't link it directly since he's banned here).  According to his measurements, the E9 should only be a problem with headphones that have an impedance of less than 80 ohms.
   
  On the other hand, the E10 has very low output impedance - less than 1.  It can drive pretty much any headphones well, as long as it doesn't run out of power.


----------



## LoveKnight

Hi long time no see you guys, today I just wandered around youtube a little bit and I found out this clip. What happened to this Fiio E10 and why he could not choose other settings? Can anyone succeed to choose other settings without any problems?
   
  Here is the clip.
   





   
  Oh by the way, is there any more information about the new golden jack of Fiio products such as the new Fiio E10s will be released in next month, February? I am very curious about the new Fiio E10s and hope someone will buy and do the review of them hopefully.
   
  Thanks for reading this post.
Clear the Editor


----------



## Melvins

Small buzzing in the background, which ceases to happen when playing music, but if music is paused on my laptop the buzzing is there. Is directly from e10, as I moved it from being fed from my amp and it persisted. Can go away if I turn the volume down directly on the E10. ANything I can do to fix this? Not even a real problem because all I do is listen music from this thing. Also it's just music but when anything is being played on my laptop.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





melvins said:


> Small buzzing in the background, which ceases to happen when playing music, but if music is paused on my laptop the buzzing is there. Is directly from e10, as I moved it from being fed from my amp and it persisted. Can go away if I turn the volume down directly on the E10. ANything I can do to fix this? Not even a real problem because all I do is listen music from this thing. Also it's just music but when anything is being played on my laptop.


 

 Do you hear the buzzing when music is stopped? E10, by design, will go into 'silence mode' when it doesn't receive any data stream from the PC. So when there is no music playing, it should be really quiet. If you heard buzzing, I would imagine it could be a bad case of dirty USB (power from USB port is high in EMI or ripple, which isn't that uncommon on laptop because of their size). You should try the E10 on another PC and difference USB port to see you can still hear buzzing or not.


----------



## Melvins

that is very likely the case. My laptop is going on five years old.


----------



## ixllxi

I'm not sure if I'm in the right forum, but here goes:
   
  I've recently bought a Fiio E10 (the second version I believe, no problems so far, but have only used the headphone socket to see if it's noisy). I've been using it about a month with a laptop. It compares very well with an Indigo Echo I/O (PCMCIA) that I've been using with my old laptop.
   
  I'm currently using the Line Out socket to connect the E10 to a pair of Creative amplified desktop speakers, but later I will be connecting it to a NAD amplifier and Wharfedale speakers - I will still use the Line Out socket.
   
  Can someone please clear up a point that is confusing me - it doesn't apply to my set-up, but I would like to clear up the confusion.
   
  It is regarding the Digital Output Coaxial RCA connector. The Fiio E10 product information leaflet and fiioe10decoder.pdf suggest connecting the E10 to the digital input socket of a Fiio D3.
   
  The E10 is a decoder. The analogue audio output is via Line Out, or the Headphone socket - why would I need to effectively by-pass the E10 decoder and connect the digital output to another decoder (the D3)?
   
  What is the difference between Output Stereo PCM Digital Audio (E10) and the output from a Coaxial decoder (D3)?
   
  I will appreciate it if someone would clarify this for me please.
   
  Regards


----------



## ixllxi

Apologies - I've read this again and can see that it doesn't make sense:
   
  "What is the difference between Output Stereo PCM Digital Audio (E10) and the output from a Coaxial decoder (D3)?"
   
  I should have asked: "What is the difference between the analogue audio output (Line Out) from the E10 and the analogue audio output from the D3?"
   
  Why would I want to not use the analogue audio output from the E10? In what circumstances would I need to take the digital output from the E10 and pass it to the D3 for decoding?
   
  Until I read the note in the Fiio E10 instruction leaflet (suggesting that the E10 coaxial RCA digital output be connected to the D3) I had assumed that the E10 coaxial RCA digital output was intended for connection to an AVR receiver with digital input capability/connections.


----------



## LimeANite

The only reason I can think of is that perhaps the D3 has slightly higher quality output (with no USB input).  So the E10 would just be used as a USB converter.  According to the manual, it's an output, not an input, and it outputs a digital signal for the D3 to convert.  I'm not sure why you'd want to do that though since the D3 probably isn't much better as a DAC than the E10 and there are plenty of 3.5mm to RCA adapters on the market, so you don't need the RCA outputs on the D3.
   
  Edit: I suppose it could be used to give yourself a third output from the E10, but with no way to switch between the outputs, it seems a bit pointless.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





ixllxi said:


> Apologies - I've read this again and can see that it doesn't make sense:
> 
> "What is the difference between Output Stereo PCM Digital Audio (E10) and the output from a Coaxial decoder (D3)?"
> 
> ...


 

 The coaxial output of the E10 allows it to connected to _any _DAC that has coaxial inputs.  They're quite a few DAC that don't have usb inputs(the D3 for example).  So, the coaxial output of the E10, allows users to use the E10 as a usb digital transport to another source or DAC.  PC- via usb - E10- via coaxial - another higher-end DAC


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> The coaxial output of the E10 allows it to connected to _any _DAC that has coaxial inputs.  They're quite a few DAC that don't have usb inputs(the D3 for example).  So, the coaxial output of the E10, allows users to use the E10 as a usb digital transport to another source or DAC.  PC- via usb - E10- via coaxial - another higher-end DAC


 

 Seems alike a bit of a waste to get the E10 just as a USB transport though.  I'm sure there are less expensive ones out there, or higher quality options for a similar price.


----------



## ixllxi

Thanks for the replies.
   
  I can see the point of connecting the E10 digital coax output to a higher-end DAC that does not have USB capability.
   
  If the D3 is no better a DAC than the E10 I can't really see the point of the suggestion in the Fiio instruction leaflet (E10 coax digital output to D3 digital input for decoding).
   
  Gaining a third output from the E10 is maybe the point of the suggestion, but as you have said, without no means of switching it does seem a bit pointless.
   
  Thanks again.


----------



## andrewberge

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Do you hear the buzzing when music is stopped? E10, by design, will go into 'silence mode' when it doesn't receive any data stream from the PC. So when there is no music playing, it should be really quiet. If you heard buzzing, I would imagine it could be a bad case of dirty USB (power from USB port is high in EMI or ripple, which isn't that uncommon on laptop because of their size). You should try the E10 on another PC and difference USB port to see you can still hear buzzing or not.


 


  I have this problem with my current external sound card (Creative USB X-Fi 5.1), and was hoping it was the card's problem and that an E10 wouldn't have that.
  Since it probably won't help then, what are my choices? I guess i have to look for a DAC/Amp with it's own power supply?


----------



## ClieOS

andrewberge said:


> I have this problem with my current external sound card (Creative USB X-Fi 5.1), and was hoping it was the card's problem and that an E10 wouldn't have that.
> Since it probably won't help then, what are my choices? I guess i have to look for a DAC/Amp with it's own power supply?




You might want to try an USB isolator first. A barebone (no casing) one can be bought on eBay for $35, but you need to supply your own casing and power supply.


----------



## andrewberge

Oh, that's interesting. If i get that i probably wouldn't need to change DAC, then. Thanks 
   
  For the sake of simplicity, though, are there any 'all-in-one packages' i can get? I was hoping to keep my setup portable, so that i can just have a DAC velcro'd to the back of my laptop's screen. If i get this i'm starting to have a mess of cables and it won't be worth the trouble taking it on trips.
   
  If not, i guess i'll just go for the first option.


----------



## ClieOS

There are a few more expensive option (>$50) that has everything included, just google USB Isolator and you will find them.


----------



## andrewberge

Oh sorry, i meant like a DAC that would work off it's own battery even if it's plugged into a computer, or even with an isolator built in.
   
  ...Perhaps i should start a new thread. This is all pretty off topic.


----------



## ClieOS

andrewberge said:


> Oh sorry, i meant like a DAC that would work off it's own battery even if it's plugged into a computer, or even with an isolator built in.
> 
> ...Perhaps i should start a new thread. This is all pretty off topic.




I don't know USB DAC with isolator built in, but some USB DAC that works on battery are: FiiO E7, iBasso D-zero, and FiiO E17 (by order of SQ from least to best)


----------



## andrewberge

Alright, i'll look into those. Thanks for all the help


----------



## tattare

Any news if the rev3 e10 is shipping yet? (the one with plastic headphone jack)


----------



## Namkung

Hello..
  first post here.
  I have gotten myself into audiophile headphones recently after initially starting out my obsession with downloading music in FLAC.
  After looking through a bunch of reviews on different DAC/Amps on this site, I have decided to go with the e10. (I have the HD598)
  While the e10 has yet to arrive, I was just wondering once I have it connected to my computer what settings I should have it at.
  I figure the best would be to turn the bass boost switch OFF and keep the gain control switch OFF as well.
  I am looking through the PDF manual of the e10 from Fiio's site and was wondering what kind of settings (if any) I need to fiddle with once it has been connected to my computer other than selecting the output as the fiio device . On their manual, I see a screenshot with buffer length / output data format adjustments. Would I need to adjust any of those at all or just leave it the way it is? Also, would one use the volume controller on the fiio e10 to adjust volume or the computer settings? If it is best to adjust from the computer, what should I leave the volume at on the e10 or if it's the other way around what should the volume be on the computer? Sorry with all the questions. I have not even received the e10 yet but I am just so eager haha.
  Lastly.. I noticed this has a line out on the back which I am assuming I could use to connect my crappy logitech computer speakers into? Would it be ok to leave it in there at all times even when I am listening through my headphones?
   
  Thanks a lot.


----------



## LimeANite

Quote: 





namkung said:


> Hello..
> first post here.
> I have gotten myself into audiophile headphones recently after initially starting out my obsession with downloading music in FLAC.
> After looking through a bunch of reviews on different DAC/Amps on this site, I have decided to go with the e10. (I have the HD598)
> ...


 

 Yep, you should keep the gain on low for the HD598s (it's low or high, not off or on).  Bass boost is up you you - you can switch it off and on whenever.
   
  The only computer setting I changed was the audio quality - I set it to 24/96 from the default 16/44.  This is done in the device properties (open your sound devices window, select the E10 and hit Properties, it's in the Advanced Options section).  You can leave it the way it is if you want, but it does make everything sound a tiny bit better if you use the higher quality settings.
   
  You'll want to max out the volume on your PC and adjust the volume with the E10.  Only situation where you wouldn't is if you're hearing a channel imbalance because you can't turn the volume knob high enough - then just lower the PC volume to 1/2 or 3/4 and do the same as before.
   
  Yes, your Logitech speakers can be plugged into the line-out jack at all times.  They'll always have signal going to them though (there's no way to switch between outputs), so you'll have to turn them off if you don't want them making noise.


----------



## Namkung

Great!
  Thank you so much. Answered all my questions.
  can't wait!!


----------



## Melvins

impressions?


----------



## kingpage

http://www.head-fi.org/t/594437/latest-review-for-e10-from-soundnews
   
  In case you didn't know about this.


----------



## KillTheNoize

Think I finally found a new amp for my desk.  
   
  Ive been using my e5 with my laptop lately, and I think its time to step it up to an amp/dac combo.  Ill definitely be following this thread, I appreciate the thoughts and reviews posted!
   
  At the current price it sure sounds hard to beat


----------



## headphonatic

Wow the drop after 10khz kinda scares me, heard it does sound dark, any thoughts? Going to pair these up with my Hm5's, but I'm not a treble head.


----------



## GskillAU

I have a question. I am having serious issues with my e10 including: loose headphone jack, clicking sound between songs and also static that requires a replug to fix. Also my sound quality just seems to be degrading over time. I bought thid product through ebay on release and was wondering if i could get a refund or replacement through fiio? Or since i bought it through ebay am i stuck with this broken product?

Just thought i would add that i cant seem to find a warranty in the tin it came with. I have the instruction pamphlet but unless its the part written in chinese i see no sign of warranty.


----------



## jiggawhat

Can someone explain to me why one would get the Fiio E10 over the Fiio D5 when the Fiio D5 is only 20 bucks? What does the Fiio E10 do better if anything?


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





gskillau said:


> I have a question. I am having serious issues with my e10 including: loose headphone jack, clicking sound between songs and also static that requires a replug to fix. Also my sound quality just seems to be degrading over time. I bought thid product through ebay on release and was wondering if i could get a refund or replacement through fiio? Or since i bought it through ebay am i stuck with this broken product?
> Just thought i would add that i cant seem to find a warranty in the tin it came with. I have the instruction pamphlet but unless its the part written in chinese i see no sign of warranty.


 


  What's the deal with the "click" sound between songs? If I play CDs, the E7 ( as stand alone amp)  will click between every track and high distortion on HF but the E7 would not do that if I run the CD player Toslink to the D3 as a DAC, then everything is fine. ANW, I have the RA to send the extra  E7 back, so so long goodbye to the E7.
   
   I still love my E10, E7/E9 combo via my IMac and my Sony laptop. No click, no pop, no distortion...just fine.


----------



## DudeBro

When is the new version of the e10 getting released?


----------



## THKTHK

Quote: 





gskillau said:


> I have a question. I am having serious issues with my e10 including: loose headphone jack, clicking sound between songs and also static that requires a replug to fix. Also my sound quality just seems to be degrading over time. I bought thid product through ebay on release and was wondering if i could get a refund or replacement through fiio? Or since i bought it through ebay am i stuck with this broken product?


 
  Yes, I know what you mean by clicking sound: just received mine, and have the same issue: exactly 20 seconds after stopping music playback on my computer, there's a click/crackling sound from the left channel, as if DC level changes suddenly, probably because of some part of the device goes into a power-save or mute state.
  I also wonder if this is normal, otherwise I'd send back mine, because just received it.
   
  (your other problems are most likely because of the bad jack socket: wrong connection makes it loose sound quality. But clicking/crackling between/after songs is a different issue, it should affect all E10s)


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





dudebro said:


> When is the new version of the e10 getting released?


 


  Sometime this month.


----------



## CurseTheSky

After sitting idle for a while, my sound seems to be getting distorted. Unplugging the USB cable from the E10 and plugging it back in fixes the problem.
   
  Mine is a "version C" I believe, with the bass boost on / off graphic on the front.
   
  Is this a common problem, or something that can be fixed? I love this little thing, but having to plug and unplug it is a major PITA.


----------



## Dhimay

Quote: 





cursethesky said:


> After sitting idle for a while, my sound seems to be getting distorted. Unplugging the USB cable from the E10 and plugging it back in fixes the problem.
> 
> Mine is a "version C" I believe, with the bass boost on / off graphic on the front.
> 
> Is this a common problem, or something that can be fixed? I love this little thing, but having to plug and unplug it is a major PITA.


 
   
  Mine will occasionally distort (and it's not subtle) when I initially plug it in, but as you said, replugging fixes it. But, in my case, because it doesn't happen so frequently and the fix is rather instantaneous, I don't mind it. I suppose the sound makes up for it the most. Btw, I've the bass on/off silk screen version (which I believe is the 2nd revision, with the 3rd one still on its way). 
   
  It think someone else mentioned it, but it would've been nice if the volume pot clicked on/off.


----------



## hifip

Hi all,
   
  Just got some DT770 80 ohm and Fiio E10.
   
  I have a 2010 Macbook Pro i7 top spec (£2500 machine)
   
  And for the life of me I cannot hear a single difference between my Mac and the E10. Apart from the E10 goes louder, but my Mac goes loud enough!
   
  I have tried it with very dynamic music also, and still no difference!
   
  Looks like I'll be sending it back to amazon...


----------



## kite7

Quote: 





jiggawhat said:


> Can someone explain to me why one would get the Fiio E10 over the Fiio D5 when the Fiio D5 is only 20 bucks? What does the Fiio E10 do better if anything?


 

  
  The output on the D5 is only 70mW into 32 ohm, while E10 is more than double at 150mW. What headphones will you be using? Also the DAC chip on the E10 has better specs with 24-bit support. Another benefit of analog control is for more precise volume adjustments especially with earphones with high sensitivity ie IEMs. Generally, you shouldn't expect the same fidelity from a $20 device compared to a higher priced one offered by the same company. When you compare one company's product against another company's product then it's a whole new ball game that can't always be told by the price.


----------



## eltocliousus

Is there a way to stop the "popping" between sounds? Very annoying for general computer usage with every sound being accompanies before hand with a pop, although it's only really audible when you have the FiiO itself turned up (for example, having the source volume at 10% with the FiiO at 100% rather than having it the other way around).


----------



## scoopbb

im getting channel imbalance through the loose headphone jack. using a bigger 3.5mm plug that has some weight is pretty much causing the unit to be unusable unless you want to sit and fiddle with the plug every 5 minutes. i definitely regret getting this through mp4nation since i have to ship worldwide to get this fixed. will not be purchasing another fiio product.


----------



## incog

I think I'm in love, my first USB DAC purchase and I've never heard music so crisp and clear.. FLAC format on foobar2k wasapi output 24-bit/96000Hz (of course I only have a couple of albums in this format.) 
   
  I too am having a little bit of channel imbalance only because of a recent modification I made to my HD 25-1 II (actually worked out fine), replaced original cable with stock 650 replacement ([size=small]092885). The problem is it has 1/4" termination, so I needed an adapter. I'm afraid it might eventually effect the jack, so far tapping the adapter causes imbalance and static. Trying my best to find a decent price stock cable replacement that actually fits this headset, preferably the stock Sennheiser [/size]81435. I've been searching around and I just can't seem to find any under $40 including shipping prices..


----------



## ACDOAN

Quote: 





incog said:


> I think I'm in love, my first USB DAC purchase and I've never heard music so crisp and clear.. FLAC format on foobar2k wasapi output 24-bit/96000Hz (of course I only have a couple of albums in this format.)
> 
> I too am having a little bit of channel imbalance only because of a recent modification I made to my HD 25-1 II (actually worked out fine), replaced original cable with stock 650 replacement ([size=small]092885). The problem is it has 1/4" termination, so I needed an adapter. I'm afraid it might eventually effect the jack, so far tapping the adapter causes imbalance and static. Trying my best to find a decent price stock cable replacement that actually fits this headset, preferably the stock Sennheiser [/size]81435. I've been searching around and I just can't seem to find any under $40 including shipping prices..


 


  I have tried a few USB DAC/AMP, this little guy E 10 is a keeper.


----------



## Wepeel6

Will the E10 change settings depending on what sample rate och bits per sample are playing at the moment? I don't feel like switching between different settings whenever a new album comes on in my playlist. Example, if I set it to 24bits at 96000Hz in the settings, will it force a 16bit 44100Hz track up to the higher setting? I don't really want that.


----------



## ClieOS

wepeel6 said:


> Will the E10 change settings depending on what sample rate och bits per sample are playing at the moment? I don't feel like switching between different settings whenever a new album comes on in my playlist. Example, if I set it to 24bits at 96000Hz in the settings, will it force a 16bit 44100Hz track up to the higher setting? I don't really want that.




It can play up to 24/96, not always in 24/96.


----------



## mystaku

Has anyone tried this with the ATH M50? If so, was there a significant change in the SQ?


----------



## FuzzyD

Is the newest batch in stores yet? If we order now, can we expect revision 3?


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





mystaku said:


> Has anyone tried this with the ATH M50? If so, was there a significant change in the SQ?


 


  For 80 dollars I think the E10 is worth a shot.  It should at the very least be cleaner and more dynamic than your laptop or PC's headphone out.  I would suggest waiting to buy the E10 a bit first, just until the newest batch(with the gold plated headphone out) is confirmed to be out.


----------



## nipit

Would E10 be enough to drive FA-011 to its full potential?


----------



## Wepeel6

Well, I was wondering if it will change the settings automatically or if I need to have it on 24/96 at all times in Windows sound settings.


----------



## hamburgerladdy

It's just like a regular sound card with 24/96 as the max sample rate. If you're asking about the shared mode, 24/44.1 is what I use because only a small sample of the audio I have is 96. I may even go to 16/44.1 today to see if it is better. Oops, it was already at 16/44.1.
   
  Exclusive mode, like WASAPI in foobar, will "communicate" with the card and adjust sample rate accordingly to the source of the files.
  
  Quote: 





wepeel6 said:


> Well, I was wondering if it will change the settings automatically or if I need to have it on 24/96 at all times in Windows sound settings.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





nipit said:


> Would E10 be enough to drive FA-011 to its full potential?


 


 Absolute full potential?  Maybe not, but it will get you a fair bit of the way there.


----------



## Mbeeching

Am I the first person to have their E10 stolen? Going a bit spare at the moment.
   
  Used mine as a Dac for a karaoke setup and my E10 has 'gone missing'.
  I setup and disassembled everything so I'm fairly upset at the moment.
   
  Why do people do this?


----------



## ACDOAN

I have another question about the E10, please .I do not want to spend more than I should for a USB/SPDIF converter. Would it be advisable to use the E10 as a USB/SPDIF converter or get something like the V link or Hi face converter?
   
  I have collected enough music in the hard driver of my laptop and I want to use my laptop as music server which will connect to my integrated amp via Toslink or digital Coaxial.


----------



## ClieOS

Sure, you can use E10 as SPDIF converter but it only has coax, not toslink and limits to 24/96.. I feed it to HM801 from time to time.


----------



## ClieOS

Sure, you can use E10 as SPDIF converter but it only has coax, not toslink and limits to 24/96.. I feed it to HM801 from time to time.


----------



## everlong

Anyone using this with T50rp?


----------



## antberg

Quote: 





mbeeching said:


> Am I the first person to have their E10 stolen? Going a bit spare at the moment.
> 
> Used mine as a Dac for a karaoke setup and my E10 has 'gone missing'.
> I setup and disassembled everything so I'm fairly upset at the moment.
> ...


 


   
  sorry about the inconvenient bro,you know,it is a crazy world we living in...sorry for you
  i have been living in London for about one year,and honestly i did not pass any time with this kind of social problem,fortunately.Even as a big city,the criminality rate are higher the inner country regions,it was a great experience,although i found London to be too big for my tastes ,anyway i just like the British accent very cool.
  Hope the person that stole your E10 to lose one of his hand.
   
  Btw i was really,really interested in buying the E10,but because some popular issue and the fact i cannot return it if i dont like it or it have a problem (there is not "audiophile" or Budget "audiophile" market here in brazil) i had to choose the Nuforce icon Udac2,hoping i wont be disappointed.
  Salute


----------



## washedupred

Still holding out for the newest version but haven't heard any news of people reporting they have received the new version. I have noticed the price lowered to 76$ at amazon but i will stay patient until i hear about the revised e10.


----------



## FuzzyD

There's been basically no talk of it for some time now and I'm wondering if 3 revisions in the few months it's been out has essentially killed any interest or confidence in the product.


----------



## Cla55clown

Well I received my E10 earlier this week and I'm loving it so far. Like others have said, you don't realize how tiny it is until you open that little tin it comes in (which I will use to transport in a backpack or whatever). Stamped on the instruction leaflet is the date '15 November 2011' so apparently they are still shipping the old stock. I do, in fact, have the silver headphone jack but report NO problems in the week I've been using it. Got mine through Micca store and for $76 USD it's hard to beat. I consider this my initiation into the world of headphone amps so I am happy. Thanks again ClieOS for the excellent, succinct review. Your review is the reason I purchased this product. FiiO should really consider putting you on the payroll (if they haven't already) since I'm sure you have sold a bucket of these things from your review alone. Lovin' this new hobby!!


----------



## phloored

HI. I have a question for you that have the E10. My buddy has a nice pair of powered studio monitors and he is using a secondary computer for music in his den. The sound card on his set up is not powerful enough . Will this headphone amp work as a volume control to be placed on a side table for the music as the computer is in a closet and not on a desktop. I thought I read somewhere that when the line out is used the volume control is bypassed.  I guess he could just run the speakers off the headphone out jack to maintain the use of the volume knob?One of the main purposes of getting it is an external volume contol/line driver type application. If this won't work can somebody make a suggestion to something more appropriate?
   
  Thanks.


----------



## Eschaton

The only reason to use the line out would be if he was then going to pass it to an amp.  This is a DAC+AMP with no line in, meaning it can either function as a sound card plus an amp (volume control) or just a sound card which passes to another amp, so he'll have to connect it to his PC with USB.  Using the headphone out is what he would do with his monitors (although there is only a 3.5mm jack) provided they're not extremely high impedance.  The e10 can drive 350 Ohm cans, for sure.  And yes, using the headphone jack will give him fine volume control.  He'd probably be quite happy with it, if it's intended to be a gift.  If you just want something to recommend, point him at this thread.


----------



## phloored

Thank you Eschaton. I thought it may work. If the computer is running say windows xp will this still be no problem ?
   
  Thanks Again.


----------



## Eschaton

No problem at all, it'll work right when he plugs it in, worst case he might need to select it as his choice for sound output, though he might want to change some of the audio settings to suit him.


----------



## phloored

Alright. Its looking good. I was looking at the Fiio E9 too. It seems to have more output. Not sure if this matters as the studio monitors have a input gain/cut attenuation and the E10 is available for 78 dollars or so right now. Thanks again for the help. Much appreciated.


----------



## Melvins

have had my e10 for a month or so now. works great with my set up. adds a veil of transparency that normally wouldn't exist, and combined with my LD1+ it offers a nice warm blanket over the music


----------



## VitOne

I am using the FiiO E10 on a MacBook Air 13" i7 256Gb SSD.
  Testing it with SEMJ591 Pioneer HeadPhones. I am happy with this combo but I am not really convinced. I was expecting maybe a bit more.
  I am using .APE .MP3 320 and .FLAC files.
  I would like to know if you can suggest me some setting. At the moment I am using L gain and bass off. As player I am trying both VLC and Vox, at the moment without EQ or other "effects".
  What I noticed is that if I use the USB on the right side of the screen I experience some disturbing sounds during reproduction. Maybe that is a shared USB port?
 With the right side USB port I have no particular problems, although it happend that I had to plug off and in the device because it stopped working without any apparent reason.
  Thanks.


----------



## b0000

when the volume is really low on the e10, the right side fades away much faster until i can only hear the left channel. is this normal?


----------



## ClieOS

b0000 said:


> when the volume is really low on the e10, the right side fades away much faster until i can only hear the left channel. is this normal?




Yes, it is perfectly normal. All analog pot of similar kind to that inside of E10 will exhibit similar behavior in low volume because they are generally not perfectly matched in low position.


----------



## b0000

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Yes, it is perfectly normal. All analog pot of similar kind to that inside of E10 will exhibit similar behavior in low volume because they are generally not perfectly matched in low position.


 


  thanks! i was getting worried that i had a bad unit


----------



## Melvins

what's everyone using their e10 with?


----------



## ClieOS

I mainly use it to feed into my Creative Gigawork T40 Series II speaker and a Creative powered-sub. I don't really listen to music that much on my PC so it is mainly for movies and games.


----------



## Cla55clown

Quote: 





melvins said:


> what's everyone using their e10 with?


 


  Laptop and Ultrasone DJ1. Might pick up a LD I+ and pair the DAC with it. Sort of as an intro to valve amps and tube rolling.


----------



## hcabrita

Desktop - Fiio E10 - Sennheiser HD555's


----------



## Tu13es

Quote: 





washedupred said:


> Still holding out for the newest version but haven't heard any news of people reporting they have received the new version. I have noticed the price lowered to 76$ at amazon but i will stay patient until i hear about the revised e10.


 

 Anyone get the new version yet?  I just returned mine to Amazon for a flaky headphone jack.  Not sure how to tell whether I'll get the new version or if I just have to keep buying and returning them..?


----------



## Papander

If you are talking about the 3rd batch of E10, mp4nation has them in stock according to their forums.
   
  Edit: It turns out that they don't have the 3rd batch. They just think they do


----------



## RealSlimSeto

Quote: 





clieos said:


> I mainly use it to feed into my Creative Gigawork T40 Series II speaker and a Creative powered-sub. I don't really listen to music that much on my PC so it is mainly for movies and games.


 


   
  Sorry if this is a dumb question, but do you connect your speakers to the headphone out or the line-out?


----------



## ClieOS

realslimseto said:


> Sorry if this is a dumb question, but do you connect your speakers to the headphone out or the line-out?




Line-out of course. Both Creative are self-powered and have their own volume control, so line-out makes best sense.


----------



## RealSlimSeto

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Line-out of course. Both Creative are self-powered and have their own volume control, so line-out makes best sense.


 

 Thank you. Looks like I'll be able to connect my T3 to it as well.


----------



## Fizz

Well after having my E10 for a few weeks I feel ready to give my initial impressions on it.
   
  I really wanted an upgrade on the stock sound I was getting out of my desktop rig. I had splurged on every aspect of building the damn thing, except for the soundcard. I decided using the on-board realtek was good enough. WRONG.
  After hooking up my M-Audio AV-30's to it I was less than impressed and felt that I had made a mistake in my speakers. It wasn't until I got brave one day and hooked up my Cowon J3 to the Aux In on them that I found out that they were VERY capable little boxes. So what now? Search for a better on-board. However after a lot of looking I decided that a DAC/Amp might be a better fit, since I would like to move it back and forth between my laptop and desktop. 
  When I first got it hooked up I originally tested in with just my headphones, despite my main use of it being for use as a USB DAC as opposed to an amp.
  I tried out everything in reach, and was mighty impressed. I even plugged in my brothers Aviators and held down the mute button on the inline just to hear what it would sound like. The story was the same. A very strong but detailed low end, with a great level of separation between everything. Nothing sounded messy, and I was able to pick out a lot of new detail. The mids were very clear and vocals sounded fantastic. How you Like Me Now by The Heavy was a great first track to try out.
  After sampling through various headphones including my Monster Turbine Pro Coppers, I was very pleased. So I plugged my AV-30's through the line out, and found a very satisfying sound coming through. Detailed mids, pleasing lows, and the highs sounded more refined and less shrill. When I through on LMAO's Party Rock Anthem for my niece to listen to I found that Lauren Bennett's voice lacked the hiss that it had previously contained.
   
  Taking what the E10 had done for my computer sound I got to thinking that I should buy a portable amp to use with it, instead of using the EQ on my J3 to listen to my music. 
  So the hunt begins again.


----------



## Syrk

Do I have to unplug my headphones whenever I want to use my speakers through the line out? I don't want the headphones playing when I'm not using them.


----------



## ClieOS

syrk said:


> Do I have to unplug my headphones whenever I want to use my speakers through the line out? I don't want the headphones playing when I'm not using them.




Line-out and headphone-out operate independently. If you don't want you headphone to make sound, unplug or turn the volume all the way down.


----------



## mogwhye

Hi everyone
  Just got my E10 a couple of days ago to go with my Acer 5920 and Senn HD497s.
  The Acer has a Realtek ALC888 soundcard and I've been fairly happy with it using the 497s.
  I'm using Winamp in Vista to listen to 320 cbr mp3s.
   
  After reading lots of views on how an external DAC is generally a step up to an onboard soundcard, I decided to go with the E10.
  Initial impressions out of the box was that I couldn't hear any improvement in SQ at all doing back to back tests.
  I also tried comparing the same songs in flac and 320 mp3 - no difference.
  The only difference is that I get less interference from other programs opening and closing.
   
  Does anyone else use a similar setup who did or didn't hear an improvement?
  Is the Realtek ALC888 card so good that I didn't need the E10?
  Does anyone know for a fact whether the E10 will improve with burn-in ?
  Have I got lousy ears and I'm going to save myself lots of money in the future by not upgrading ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Great thread, keep it going.
   
  mogwhye


----------



## Papander

Hi there,
   
  I have the exact same ALC888 chipset on my few years old MSI motherboard. And just like you I notice little to no difference in the sound with my Fiio E10. I even invited two of my friends over to test it. One guy would change the source and the other two would then try to guess correctly, which audio source was being used. We could not with high percentage tell the difference between ALC888 and Fiio E10.
   
  If you listen really carefully you can distinguish that the E10 is just slightly warmer sounding and doesn't sound that open thanks to that, when compared to ALC888. But like I said the difference is very subtle. I would also like to point out that last year I had my hearing checked and the result was that I have near perfect hearing. So hearing isn't the problem. I don't know if the ALC888 is just really good audio chipset or if the E10 is just really over-hyped product.
   
  E10 does amplify your signal quite well. It allows you to turn the volume a lot louder than the motherboard would. So I don't know, I have kind of mixed feelings about this product. It does amp well, but the change in sound quality that people have been praising about, just isn't there.
  Quote: 





mogwhye said:


> Hi everyone
> Just got my E10 a couple of days ago to go with my Acer 5920 and Senn HD497s.
> The Acer has a Realtek ALC888 soundcard and I've been fairly happy with it using the 497s.
> I'm using Winamp in Vista to listen to 320 cbr mp3s.
> ...


----------



## ClieOS

I don't think anyone in this thread (or any E10 thread) has proclaimed E10 as an absolute upgrade to any other soundcard, on-board or external. Hype is where someone is blindly believe in one product and trying to convince / mislead others to believe so, and so far I don't think that's the case here. I certainly believe there are other much better sound card out there. But just like any review, you can't assume a product is going to be great just because it has found to be great for 99.99% of all the user (*just a figure of speech, which can be any number). You'll never know whether you are the 0.01% or not without trying out for yourself. If you simply doesn't think E10 has done it for you, I'll suggest you to return or resell it and perhaps move on to something better. There is no point of dreaming that burn-in will magically make everything better.


----------



## mogwhye

Thanks for your replies Papander & ClieOS.
   
  I've seen a few posts here and elsewhere, where an E10 has not yielded any improvement
  in SQ over an onboard Realtek card. I've also seen posts claiming night and day results.
  With such a subjective subject, as ClieOS rightly says, you have to try it for yourself.
   
  I've got a 30 day return policy, so I'll give it another week and then make a decision. Perhaps it will burn itself in by then !
  I'll then decide whether to try another (more expensive ?) DAC or maybe I'll try an upgrade to my HD-497s instead.


----------



## vampy

I got my E10 today, i really like this little sweet Monster xD
   
  Before i had a Creative X-Fi Music with a solderd [size=x-small]LM4562 opamp. [/size]The E10 sounds a LITTLE bit better.
   
  Pros: cheap, little, nice sound, great design.
  Cons:  no mic input, headphone in is awry, bass boost button (What there should be a mic input instead), "short" usb connecting cable.
   
  Edit: headphones -> DT770 250 Ohm


----------



## RealSlimSeto

Any more inputs of how the E10 sounds compared to a onboard Realtek soundcard?


----------



## Fizz

Honestly I'd really like to reiterate my experience with it versus Realtek.
   
  What I found switching over using the DAC side to power my speakers, I found a low end that was more detail but only slightly stronger, while I found that I was then able to turn off my equalizer in Foobar 2k and get my mid range back into the music. The highs were no longer as harsh as well. It more or less just made things more controlled.
  The difference wasn't night and day, but it definitely made a difference.


----------



## tattare

The people that just got theres can you post a picture of the front of it?  really like to see if they changed the jack yet.


----------



## mogwhye

tattare - the E10 I got in the UK last week looks like this
   
  http://cdn.apple-gadgets.de/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/fiio-e10_008-584x328.jpg
   
  The headphone jack is silver and metallic.


----------



## LoveKnight

Then I could say that Fiio has not changed the Fiio E10s' design yet, because they announced that the headphone jack will be gold instead of silver in reversion 3 (i think).


----------



## JamesFiiO

Very sorry,  reversion 1 has silver RCA  jack. reversion 2 has golden RCA jack, reversion 3 has not released yet.


----------



## Tu13es

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> Very sorry,  reversion 1 has silver RCA  jack. reversion 2 has golden RCA jack, reversion 3 has not released yet.


 


  mp4nation is saying they have the 3rd revision...?


----------



## JamesFiiO

I think they think the first batch as revision 1. but it is not.


----------



## tattare

Quote: 





loveknight said:


> Then I could say that Fiio has not changed the Fiio E10s' design yet, because they announced that the headphone jack will be gold instead of silver in reversion 3 (i think).


 


  I thought I read somewhere that it was going to be a plastic jack.   Ohh well we will find out if rev 3 ever releases.


----------



## sunnymushrooms

Hi everyone,
   
Sorry if this has been asked. I have searched this thread and it seems like the FiiO e10 is indeed compatible with Macbook Pros.
For some reason there is no response when I plug in my new FiiO to my Mac. The blue light switches on, but my Mac doesn't recognize/realize a new device has been plugged in, and no sound comes out when I plug in my headphones to the jack (well, sound comes out of my laptop, but not from the FiiO).
   
Can anyone tell me what is going on/if there is anything I should do?
   
Thanks,
   
*EDIT*: Found out what it was *slaps forehead*
  For those who are newb like me, basically go to "Sound" on System preferences, click the Output tab and switch the device.
   
  Cheers  Everything sounds good.


----------



## ricerocket

Just got mine. I got some pretty wicked distortion out of it no matter if it's on headphones or into my home amp. I recorded this from the line out to the input on my Mac.
   
  http://soundcloud.com/jimmy-5-3/What-fiio-e10
   
  Pretty safe to say it's broken, right?
   
  It's a 1st gen btw.


----------



## ClieOS

ricerocket said:


> Just got mine. I got some pretty wicked distortion out of it no matter if it's on headphones or into my home amp. I recorded this from the line out to the input on my Mac.
> 
> http://soundcloud.com/jimmy-5-3/What-fiio-e10
> 
> ...




Not necessary. I have an incident where E10 becomes distorted after a computer crash and restart. Everything seems well except the audio driver was corrupted and E10 will distort all the time. Once I reinstall the driver and restart the PC, everything went to to normal. The quickest way to check is to try E10 on different PC and see it will distort or not. If it doesn't, then the problem is in your PC.


----------



## ricerocket

There's no drivers though, it's a Mac.


----------



## ClieOS

ricerocket said:


> There's no drivers though, it's a Mac.




There is still a driver inside, you just need to find it. It is the driver for USB Audio Class 1, an universal audio driver supported by all modern OS, including Mac.


----------



## RealSlimSeto

I just purchased the E10s(should be the rev 2 because of the silver headphone jack). However, I have encountered a problem where music occasionally freezes/pauses for a fraction of a second in Foobar2000 with the WASAPI plugin installed. I have it connected directly to my laptop via USB, and both the line out and headphone out has the same problem.
   
  Does anyone know what's the issue here?


----------



## Mrtn77

Quote: 





realslimseto said:


> I just purchased the E10s(should be the rev 2 because of the silver headphone jack). However, I have encountered a problem where music occasionally freezes/pauses for a fraction of a second in Foobar2000 with the WASAPI plugin installed. I have it connected directly to my laptop via USB, and both the line out and headphone out has the same problem.
> 
> Does anyone know what's the issue here?


 
   
  Try playing with buffer lengths on the "playback / output" tab ?


----------



## RealSlimSeto

Quote: 





mrtn77 said:


> Try playing with buffer lengths on the "playback / output" tab ?


 
   
  How do I access it? I don't see a setting to adjust the buffer length under Preferences->Playback.
   
  On another note, how do I access the E10's driver software? When I connect the device to my PC, it pretty much started working immediately,without the driver setup popping up as depicted in the instruction manual.


----------



## Mrtn77

Quote: 





realslimseto said:


> How do I access it? I don't see a setting to adjust the buffer length under Preferences->Playback.
> 
> On another note, how do I access the E10's driver software? When I connect the device to my PC, it pretty much started working immediately,without the driver setup popping up as depicted in the instruction manual.


 
   
  The "Playback" section is followed by two further menus : DSP Manager and Output. Clicking on Output gives you the "Device" selection. Below that, you'll find "Buffer Lengths". I've set it, somewhat randomly, to 220 ms and have had no freezing.
  To access drivers, if I understand you correctly, go to your configuration panel, audio hardware, and click on sound. The E10 should show up as SPDIF interface. Bear in mind I don't use Windows in English, so the terms I've used might be awry.


----------



## RealSlimSeto

Quote: 





mrtn77 said:


> The "Playback" section is followed by two further menus : DSP Manager and Output. Clicking on Output gives you the "Device" selection. Below that, you'll find "Buffer Lengths". I've set it, somewhat randomly, to 220 ms and have had no freezing.
> To access drivers, if I understand you correctly, go to your configuration panel, audio hardware, and click on sound. The E10 should show up as SPDIF interface. Bear in mind I don't use Windows in English, so the terms I've used might be awry.


 
   
  Thanks! Your tip to access the drivers work. Might have to experiment with the buffer settings.


----------



## Johannes Freed

Did anyone get it working with an iPad?


----------



## RealSlimSeto

Well, I tried the E10 on my desktop, and the pause/freezing problem was non-existent. So it's probably my laptop's issue or a software conflict....


----------



## cgg123321

So I have the 2nd version of this and I think my headphone jack is starting to give out  I bought this from MP4Nation around November. 
   
  Does anyone have experience dealing with MP4Nation? Will they replace/fix my e10, and if they do will they charge me shipping or fees? The crackling isn't too bad but I can forsee it getting worse.


----------



## GskillAU

Quote: 





cgg123321 said:


> So I have the 2nd version of this and I think my headphone jack is starting to give out  I bought this from MP4Nation around November.
> 
> Does anyone have experience dealing with MP4Nation? Will they replace/fix my e10, and if they do will they charge me shipping or fees? The crackling isn't too bad but I can forsee it getting worse.


 
   
  It does get worse and worse because I have the same issue with the loose headphone jack. Mine is beyond bearable now (especially during youtube videos) and I really regret buying this product. Kinda sad because originally I really loved my e10 but this has really put me off the brand.


----------



## kingpage

It seems FiiO didn't implement any circuits to get rid of interferences from mobile phones. It's kind of annoying at times.


----------



## BlutoSlice

I have a second preorder batch E10 from Mp4nation it is the silver jack which is fine even with a heavy denon d2000 cable jack in it.  
   
  Heres My 2c on onboard vs fiio, I noticed a improvement in SQ upgrading from dell onboard (***** base SQ, harddrive noises, pops etc) to the E7 and a set up again to the E10.  Could decent onboard be just as good maybe but an E10 is entry level.
   
  One factor to mention the bass boost is far better than using software EQ and IMO is worth the DAC price alone.
   
  The E10 is my work set up, is it as good as my home system (Essence STX and Matric M-stage) no but that cost several times more but its not a million miles away.
   
  I've been a fan of Fiio because I think they offer good value and for me been totally reliable (E7,E11,E10) the quick revisions should put more confidence in Fiio not less as they are identiying and acting on issues found.
   
  I 've just ordered the e17 I hope this offers a further step up in SQ which most reviews suggest.


----------



## eke2k6

I just bought a Fiio E10 Dac/amp to use at my desk. Going from my iPhone to the E10 is about a 10% improvement in SQ with the GR07. I wasn't expecting a world of change because I know that the GR07 doesn't really need to be amped, but it's refreshing not to have to deal with my laptop's noisy HPO anymore. SQ wise, it's pretty darn good. Imaging is great, timbre is great, and it adds some air to the sound that helps with clarity. Maybe that's the effect of the added  power.
   
  Thanks for yet another great product Fiio.


----------



## keyweez360

Quote: 





wepeel6 said:


> I've been using the Fiio E10 for a few weeks. It's sounds good and all but there is one problem I just can't seem to figure out.
> 
> When I set it to 16 bit everything is fine but as soon as I switch to 24 bit, there is a 1 second delay on my music and even the OS sounds. The sample rate doesn't causeany issues like this.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I have this same issue, was it ever figured out? Also trying to decide if the E10 sounds any different than my onboard audio. I do notice some distortion.


----------



## smrky

My E10 has arrived on Friday (5 days ago), I ordered it from MP4 Nation. As someone here have already mentioned: *MP4 is currently shipping the 2nd version*, i.e. gold plated coax RCA socket, silver jack in front (with the vertical "BASS" label on its side). Is is kinda sad, because I was delaying the order, waiting for the 3rd batch, from January (I was pretty impatient ). I asked the admin on the MP4 Forum if they ship the 3rd batch, he said they do, I ordered E10 and 2nd version has arrived  It has printed 08-02-2012 in the date column on the quality certificate.

Anyway here is my 'review': I am using Sennheiser HD595 - the E10 jack socket has some problems with the big bulky 6.3 -> 3.5 jack adapter on my headphones cable. It is not plugged in straight, but is kinda askew. When I touch the jack adapter or try to switch the bass boost I get crackles immediately :/ Not that bad, because I use E10 for desktop PC so I do not need to touch it often, but still sucks, since it is doing this from the arrival...

About the sound - it may be a little subjective, but: before E10 I was using an old Sound Blaster Live! Gold (all jacks + electrical paths are golden). I was using the old (1998) soundcard, because I though it was still somewhat better then the onboard Realtek. Personally I would say the E10 is a great upgrade - it gives my HD595 really much bigger soundstage, the bass is also better. I do not consider myself an audiophile, and haven't been doing A/B tests between the SB and E10, but the E10 sounds definitely better, even from the first listening.

One strange thing though: when I first plugged the E10, I set the 'Default format' tab settings in Windows 7 to 2 channel, 24 bit, 96000 Hz



I had my Windows volume somewhere around minimum to middle and was getting some random pops and cracks when playing music (like listening to an old vinyl record) - it was pretty annoying and I was afraid I would have to go through the RMA process with MP4 Nation. Try it yourself, I later found out, that it is most noticeable here (set the sound settings as described above): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gogobeat.ogg. Notice even the fade-in between the beats. The pops get a little bit better, when you set max volume in Windows and use the volume knob on E10.

I ended up with setting 2 channel, 16 bit, 44100 Hz, this gives me no crackles nor pops in music, whatever Win volume I use. Only the pops when you pause/stop music playback (which are still sort of annoying when playing games or windows sounds).

One last question to end this long post: *Did anyone try to open the E10?* I am thinking of resoldering the jack when it eventually breaks, instead of RMA...

Thanks everyone in this thread for valuale info, in general I don't regret getting E10 at all


----------



## haroldlloyd

So since buying a new pair of IEMs (the PureSound ClarityOne) as an upgrade from an old pair of Shure SE115, I've been hearing more static and hiss from the audio on my macbook pro than I used to. I think it was always there, just the new earphones bring it to the fore. Will the E10 be able to get rid of that? Or at least reduce it? If I'm not going through my on-board laptop sound driver, I assume it should just disappear.... or is that too much to ask?


----------



## eke2k6

Quote: 





haroldlloyd said:


> So since buying a new pair of IEMs (the PureSound ClarityOne) as an upgrade from an old pair of Shure SE115, I've been hearing more static and hiss from the audio on my macbook pro than I used to. I think it was always there, just the new earphones bring it to the fore. Will the E10 be able to get rid of that? Or at least reduce it? If I'm not going through my on-board laptop sound driver, I assume it should just disappear.... or is that too much to ask?


 
   
   
  Onboard noise is the primary reason I got the E10. Happy to say, it's DEAD silent. There's also a boost in audio quality over my onboard realtek card too. Get it!


----------



## haroldlloyd

Quote: 





eke2k6 said:


> Onboard noise is the primary reason I got the E10. Happy to say, it's DEAD silent. There's also a boost in audio quality over my onboard realtek card too. Get it!


 
   
  Just did get one! Thanks for that. Looking forward to hearing this now.


----------



## Textfeud

Hi guys,
   
  How is the Fiio E10 with the Beyerdynamic DT990 250ohm? Just ordered them both, but not sure I made the best decision


----------



## lemons

Could anyone comment on the Fiio E10 compared to the Xonar DG?  I have a rebranded CD-880 headphone, and although I experience no crackling with the on-board sound, I feel that I could surely get better sound from this headphone.


----------



## DudeBro

Would having this improve the sound of laptops with crappy sound cards (such as a thinkpad t510)?


----------



## eke2k6

Quote: 





dudebro said:


> Would having this improve the sound of laptops with crappy sound cards (such as a thinkpad t510)?


 
   
   
   
   


> haroldlloyd said:
> 
> 
> > So since buying a new pair of IEMs (the PureSound ClarityOne) as an upgrade from an old pair of Shure SE115, I've been hearing more static and hiss from the audio on my macbook pro than I used to. I think it was always there, just the new earphones bring it to the fore. Will the E10 be able to get rid of that? Or at least reduce it? If I'm not going through my on-board laptop sound driver, I assume it should just disappear.... or is that too much to ask?
> ...


----------



## H20Fidelity

My E10 arrived today, I'm mighty impressed. Very welcome change from my USB Sound Blaster. 




 EDIT: I have a quick question. I want to use my Fiio E10 some distance away from my computuer. I shouldn't have any problems using a 5 meter USB cable with it should I?


----------



## ClieOS

5 meters is the max limitation of USB cable length under USB 2.0 full speed. It will probably be safer if you have an USB booster cable which usually can be found under $10.


----------



## H20Fidelity

Quote: 





clieos said:


> 5 meters is the max limitation of USB cable length under USB 2.0 full speed. It will probably be safer if you have an USB booster cable which usually can be found under $10.


 

 Thank you ClieOS. I shall look into the booster cable.


----------



## 257wby

Just ordered one. It will be my first amp or DAC, so I'm pretty excited. Hoping to experience no troubles using it with a Mac


----------



## C0rnholio

I am having a new issue with the E10 - I am not entirely shure it's it's own fault per say but whenever I use it with my Brainwavs ProAlpha IEMs - and most of the time that's what I use - I get a constant static even if the music is not playing. It's not the one reported some posts ago that shuts off if something starts to play. This is constant whether the music is playing or not. It's not volume related - even on 0 I can hear it. What's even more strange is that if I move my hand around - it changes in intensity and if I put my hand on the E10 unit - it pretty much becomes silent. Also it's not the Jack either - its irrelevant if I rotate the plug or anything - nothing changes. If I use a pair of AKG K-181 - it's pretty much DEAD SILENT - so it has something to do with the IEMs being so sensitive. It doesn't matter what USB port I use - or if I use another USB cable or an extension cable - same thing. Ahh also - it doesn't matter if my laptop is connected to the AC Source or on Battery  What !!


----------



## eke2k6

Quote: 





c0rnholio said:


> I am having a new issue with the E10 - I am not entirely shure it's it's own fault per say but whenever I use it with my Brainwavs ProAlpha IEMs - and most of the time that's what I use - I get a constant static even if the music is not playing. It's not the one reported some posts ago that shuts off if something starts to play. This is constant whether the music is playing or not. It's not volume related - even on 0 I can hear it. What's even more strange is that if I move my hand around - it changes in intensity and if I put my hand on the E10 unit - it pretty much becomes silent. Also it's not the Jack either - its irrelevant if I rotate the plug or anything - nothing changes. If I use a pair of AKG K-181 - it's pretty much DEAD SILENT - so it has something to do with the IEMs being so sensitive. It doesn't matter what USB port I use - or if I use another USB cable or an extension cable - same thing. Ahh also - it doesn't matter if my laptop is connected to the AC Source or on Battery  What !!


 
   
  Does your ProAlpha have noise from any other source?


----------



## ClieOS

c0rnholio said:


> I am having a new issue with the E10 - I am not entirely shure it's it's own fault per say but whenever I use it with my Brainwavs ProAlpha IEMs - and most of the time that's what I use - I get a constant static even if the music is not playing. It's not the one reported some posts ago that shuts off if something starts to play. This is constant whether the music is playing or not. It's not volume related - even on 0 I can hear it. What's even more strange is that if I move my hand around - it changes in intensity and if I put my hand on the E10 unit - it pretty much becomes silent. Also it's not the Jack either - its irrelevant if I rotate the plug or anything - nothing changes. If I use a pair of AKG K-181 - it's pretty much DEAD SILENT - so it has something to do with the IEMs being so sensitive. It doesn't matter what USB port I use - or if I use another USB cable or an extension cable - same thing. Ahh also - it doesn't matter if my laptop is connected to the AC Source or on Battery  What !!




It seems like a grounding issue. I'll guess either the USB cable is picking up a lot of noise or the noise is coming from the USB port. One way or another, there must be a lot of electronic noise around your E10. The indication is it goes away when you are touching it, which effectively is you help grounding the unit and cut off the noise.


----------



## H20Fidelity

My 5 meter USB booster cable arrived today to use with my E10. I can report all is working perfectly fine from any distance.

 Now I can wear my roller blades around the house again.


----------



## ClieOS

Ha, good to know it is working out alright.


----------



## asderferjerkel

I assume everyone's familiar with the E10 cutting off when nothing's playing, resulting in a slight delay before playback starts, but I've just discovered that setting the default bit depth (in shared mode) to 24-bit in Windows 7 seems to result in a longer delay that also kicks in more quickly - so audio files with some absolute silence get bits cut out. Here's a test file:
   
  http://asdfghjkl.me.uk/files/fiiocutofftest.mp3
   
  Does anyone else get the same effect, or is it just me?


----------



## Mrtn77

Quote: 





asderferjerkel said:


> I assume everyone's familiar with the E10 cutting off when nothing's playing, resulting in a slight delay before playback starts, but I've just discovered that setting the default bit depth (in shared mode) to 24-bit in Windows 7 seems to result in a longer delay that also kicks in more quickly - so audio files with some absolute silence get bits cut out. Here's a test file:
> 
> http://asdfghjkl.me.uk/files/fiiocutofftest.mp3
> 
> Does anyone else get the same effect, or is it just me?


 
  I haven't found the delay you mention very noteworthy (haven't payed much attention to be honest), but I did find 24-bit playback (WASAPI in Foobar) to degrade SQ quite a bit, with my 16-bit CD rips sounding "flabby" and duller than usual.


----------



## Tu13es

So is Fiio just not released the version with the fixed headphone jack? I've been waiting for a few months now. Maybe I need to look into another DAC


----------



## maxpain12

Quote: 





deadbone said:


> I received a response from FiiO, for those interested:
> ---
> 
> _[size=12pt]​[/size]_Thank you for your mail and support to FiiO!   Yes, you are right , our E10 will cut off the music about 0.7mS to solve the phase shift distortion of the WM8740 with the TE7022 USB receiver.   and it can not solve by any firmware or fixed it by hardware. but our E17 have not such problem because the  structure is different, the digital signal   will go through wm8804 so we don't need to reset the WM8740 each time when there are new signal to make sure it work perfect.   If you have any other question, please feel free to contact us!
> ...


 
  Thanks for sharing this info!


----------



## Lausers

For the Canadians on this forum,  Headphonebar out of British Columbia is selling Revision 3 of the Fiio E10 with the name "Olympus" displayed on the case: http://www.headphonebar.com/fiio-e10-olympus/
   
  No issues with static while moving the headphone cable and cracking/popping noises in between songs.  Definitely can notice the difference in sound quality compared to the onboard DAC of my desktop.  Big thing i noticed is that the mids have more depth.  Everything is more controlled.   Pretty happy with my purchase.


----------



## LoveKnight

I bought a Fiio E10 last month and now Fiio has released a new version of Fiio E10 and renamed it as Olympus. Poor me but fortunately my Fiio E10 works well without any problems.


----------



## ClieOS

loveknight said:


> I bought a Fiio E10 last month and now Fiio has released a new version of Fiio E10 and renamed it as Olympus. Poor me but fortunately my Fiio E10 works well without any problems.




It is just a rename, not a reversion.


----------



## Lausers

Quote: 





clieos said:


> It is just a rename, not a reversion.


 
  It is in fact a revision.  The headphone jack is now gold plated.


----------



## bosiwollig

http://www.head-fi.org/t/597062/question-on-e10-revision#post_8403765
  It's unclair if it is a revision or just a renamed fiio e10 :/


----------



## Lausers

Quote: 





bosiwollig said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/597062/question-on-e10-revision#post_8403765
> It's unclair if it is a revision or just a renamed fiio e10 :/


 

 Its their latest batch.  It has the writing "Olympus" on it.  I would consider it a revision because of the gold plated headphone jack which was not present before.


----------



## ClieOS

Hopefully less problem with the jack then. I'll confirm it with FiiO and see what has/hasn't changed.


----------



## H20Fidelity

I received a faulty E10 today.

 The volume pot doesn't work properly. When you plug it in sound comes straight out of it at 0 on the volume control, this continues until you turn it past 2 then it starts to perform normally. When turning the volume back down it does the same thing and continues to put out sound. After trying another USB cable I then noticed the amps input mini usb port is also loose and effects the sound if wiggled lightly. I have sent it back to be checked and replaced which I had to pay for.  

 This is unfortunate, as I already had one in perfect working order and sold it. This was a repurchase.


----------



## LoveKnight

Quote: 





lausers said:


> Its their latest batch.  It has the writing "Olympus" on it.  I would consider it a revision because of the gold plated headphone jack which was not present before.


 
  If yours is a reversion than you how you could notice that there has an sound improvement on old Fiio E10s? Do you have two Fiio E10? Is it better than the old version? I find out my Fiio E10 is fine as a DAC but the ampli function is just normal. My Fiio E10 can drive HD598 at decent volume but the smooth, mellow of HD598 are the parts that Fiio E10 can not bring it out. Maybe that is why I am saving money and looking for a new separate AMP.


----------



## ClieOS

h20fidelity said:


> I received a faulty E10 today.
> 
> 
> The volume pot doesn't work properly. When you plug it in sound comes straight out of it at 0 on the volume control, this continues until you turn it past 2 then it starts to perform normally. When turning the volume back down it does the same thing and continues to put out sound. After trying another USB cable I then noticed the amps input mini usb port is also loose and effects the sound if wiggled lightly. I have sent it back to be checked and replaced which I had to pay for.
> ...



Sound like something bad happens in shipping that would cause that much damage. Hopefully yours will get replaced soon.



loveknight said:


> If yours is a reversion than you how you could notice that there has an sound improvement on old Fiio E10s? Do you have two Fiio E10? Is it better than the old version? I find out my Fiio E10 is fine as a DAC but the ampli function is just normal. My Fiio E10 can drive HD598 at decent volume but the smooth, mellow of HD598 are the parts that Fiio E10 can not bring it out. Maybe that is why I am saving money and looking for a new separate AMP.




Even if it is reversion, it is most likely just using a new brand of headphone jack (FiiO already talks about replacing the old jack with a different brand a few months back). It won't really affect the sound in that case,


----------



## ClieOS

Confirmed with FiiO that the new batch is just a headphone jack change. The new jack will work with headphone that have the TRRS jack (iPhone mic, etc). The 7ms mute issue has also been solved. However, not on the new batch but on the previous batch. Other than these, the new E10 should sound just like the old E10.


----------



## zeitfliesst

I have an early version (but certainly not the first one) without the gold plated jack but I have no problems with the jack or anything, except maybe it feels a bit flimsy. Am I one of the lucky few or what?


----------



## H20Fidelity

My new E10 arrived! everything is working fine. I had a new one arrive in four days including the weekend.


----------



## FreemanPhD

I'm planning to buy an E10 in a couple of weeks, but I'd love if someone could confirm if the small delay or muting has been, in fact, fixed in the last batch. I thought it was a design problem and was not easily fixed.


----------



## ClieOS

freemanphd said:


> I'm planning to buy an E10 in a couple of weeks, but I'd love if someone could confirm if the small delay or muting has been, in fact, fixed in the last batch. I thought it was a design problem and was not easily fixed.




That is a comparability issue between the USB chip and the SPDIF chip as they are not fully in sync. I believe FiiO redesigned the circuit to address that issue.


----------



## DudeBro

Quote: 





lausers said:


> For the Canadians on this forum,  Headphonebar out of British Columbia is selling Revision 3 of the Fiio E10 with the name "Olympus" displayed on the case: http://www.headphonebar.com/fiio-e10-olympus/
> 
> No issues with static while moving the headphone cable and cracking/popping noises in between songs.  Definitely can notice the difference in sound quality compared to the onboard DAC of my desktop.  Big thing i noticed is that the mids have more depth.  Everything is more controlled.   Pretty happy with my purchase.


 
   
   
  Are you getting this problem: http://www.head-fi.org/t/575084/impression-fiio-e10/930#post_8447677


----------



## semmio

I need a replacement cable for my e10 . Would this do? http://www.meritline.com/usb-a-male-to-usb-min-5-pin-male-cable---p-40103.aspx


----------



## ClieOS

semmio said:


> I need a replacement cable for my e10 . Would this do? http://www.meritline.com/usb-a-male-to-usb-min-5-pin-male-cable---p-40103.aspx




Yes.


----------



## H20Fidelity

Quote: 





semmio said:


> I need a replacement cable for my e10 . Would this do? http://www.meritline.com/usb-a-male-to-usb-min-5-pin-male-cable---p-40103.aspx


 

 Yep, it sure will. As long as it's a DATA cable, just be careful because some cheaper cables on ebay only run power not data.

 It's exactly the same cable you would use to charge your PS3 controller.

 Edit: ClieOS beat me to it. Hi ClieOS! *waves*


----------



## PDOT

Mod.

   
  Elna Silmic 2 + Wima FKP-2. 4.7UF was used Panasonic BP. It sounds much better now.


----------



## ClieOS

I don't suppose it will fit in the original case anymore?


----------



## PDOT

Everything is fitted into the original box.


----------



## Lausers

Quote: 





dudebro said:


> Are you getting this problem: http://www.head-fi.org/t/575084/impression-fiio-e10/930#post_8447677


 

 Hello,
   
  I can confirm that with the new Fiio E10 Olympus that there is no 0.7 ms delay.  Hope this helps.


----------



## mingamo

I have never bought an amp or DAC... Im running my CALs just through my windows and while its juuuusst loud enough, im wondering if the e10 would sound alot better than a decent soundcard on a computer and low impedance phones like mine.


----------



## Lausers

Quote: 





mingamo said:


> I have never bought an amp or DAC... Im running my CALs just through my windows and while its juuuusst loud enough, im wondering if the e10 would sound alot better than a decent soundcard on a computer and low impedance phones like mine.


 
   
  From my personal experience, the improvement is not as some people may have suggested as "night and day". It is a subtle improvement in the audio quailty. The mids sound fuller and the bass is more controlled.


----------



## Fizz

Just posted this in the JH10X3's appreciation thread, but felt the need to bring the relevant part about he E10 here.
   
  "What I'm actually most impressed with though is using them at my desktop, as they play really well with my Fiio E10.
  Recently I've taken to using it when I'm gaming on my computer at home, and I have to say that it is a pleasure to be able to hear every little detail designers put into the games I like. Today I was playing Battlefield 3 and was able to take out guys trying to sneak up behind me because I could hear them coming from a good distance off. I was also able the hear a cat meowing at me at Seine. 
  Red Orchestra 2 I'm able to tell the difference between Russian rag boots, and German Jack boots.
  Also the soundstage through my Fiio seems HUGE. Accurate too. 
   
  Sitting down listening to music at my computer used to be a rather bland experience due to having only a pair of M-Audio AV-30's to listen out of. Now I can Plug in my 10X3's to my E10 and blast music for my niece to listen to out of my speakers, while being able to actually lose myself in the music through my 10X3's. It's audio bliss."


----------



## TehJam

Well, just ordered an E10 today because my laptop's headphone out is loose or something and sounds very weird. 
   
  Can't wait until it comes, sucks having to listen to music on laptop speakers...


----------



## ChicaneBT

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Confirmed with FiiO that the new batch is just a headphone jack change. The new jack will work with headphone that have the TRRS jack (iPhone mic, etc). The 7ms mute issue has also been solved. However, not on the new batch but on the previous batch. Other than these, the new E10 should sound just like the old E10.


 
  This is good news. Because of the 0.7 seconds I had written the E10 off my list. How can I be sure to get a new E10?


----------



## ClieOS

chicanebt said:


> This is good news. Because of the 0.7 seconds I had written the E10 off my list. How can I be sure to get a new E10?




If it comes with the new golden jack, obviously it should be the newer batch.


----------



## TehJam

Well, got mine a few days ago. Really liking it, but didn't get the newest version, although the time delay issue isn't there and the headphone jack is fine. Sound has improved, bass is tighter and highs are better separated. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase.


----------



## clone1008

Thanks! Your info helped me a lot.


----------



## Kani

Thanks, very helpful review


----------



## tgdc

I'm having this same problem.   I've RMA'd the unit once already and same issue.   Sounds good when I first plug it in, but if left plugged in (to the USB) for more than a few hours it becomes severely distorted.   This is resolved by unplugging the USB and replugging.   
   
  Does anyone have a solution to this?   I'm wondering if it is some kind of grounding issue since it seems to build up over time.   Perhaps a properly placed resistor shunt could solve?  Note: even my RMA'd unit has a silver jack though I haven't seen it get loose yet.


----------



## tgdc

Quote: 





dhimay said:


> Mine will occasionally distort (and it's not subtle) when I initially plug it in, but as you said, replugging fixes it. But, in my case, because it doesn't happen so frequently and the fix is rather instantaneous, I don't mind it. I suppose the sound makes up for it the most. Btw, I've the bass on/off silk screen version (which I believe is the 2nd revision, with the 3rd one still on its way).
> 
> It think someone else mentioned it, but it would've been nice if the volume pot clicked on/off.


 
   
  I'm having this same problem.   I've RMA'd the unit once already and same issue.   Sounds good when I first plug it in, but if left plugged in (to the USB) for more than a few hours it becomes severely distorted.   This is resolved by unplugging the USB and replugging.   
   
  Does anyone have a solution to this?   I'm wondering if it is some kind of grounding issue since it seems to build up over time.   Perhaps a properly placed resistor shunt could solve?  Note: even my RMA'd unit has a silver jack though I haven't seen it get loose yet.


----------



## kishorfarm

Just to put my 2 cents. I emailed Fiio to ask if the new model (labeled Olympus) still have the 0.7ms delay issue. This is the answer:
   
   


> Thank you for your mail and support to FiiO!
> 
> Thank you for writing to us. Sorry ,The new  edition still have the problem which the 0.7ms delay  .It will bring a big troble if we  solve the problem.
> 
> If you have any other question, please feel free to contact us!


 
   
  Anyway I still will be buying one, as the E17 is pricey for me. Hope is not a big issue in practice (0.7ms seems to be not much of a delay).


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





kishorfarm said:


> Just to put my 2 cents. I emailed Fiio to ask if the new model (labeled Olympus) still have the 0.7ms delay issue. This is the answer:
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway I still will be buying one, as the E17 is pricey for me. Hope is not a big issue in practice (0.7ms seems to be not much of a delay).


 
   
  Sorry, need to explain again.
   
  1, The old E10 will cut off the beginning of each track, the delay time is about 0.7S ( noted it is not 0.7ms), and in the new batch , we succeed in control the delay time to about 0.1S, So, the delay time still there, but it is unnoticeable. 
   
  2, We need to reset the WM8740 each time when the digital music stream stop and appear again, because it may cause phase distortion if we don't do that. the TE7022 has a little bugs to pair with WM8740.
   
  So, Don't worry about the delay time again, you can't find it.


----------



## kishorfarm

Thank you feiao for your note, now almost everything is clear. Only one point, when you say "new batch" ¿you mean the one with the "Olympus" text in the box and the golden connectors? ¿or just having the golden connectors is enough for being a new batch with the improved delay (0.1s)?.
  
  I just contacted the Spanish distributors, and the E10 they supply has golden connectors but not the "Olympus" label in the box. I'm rather confused about this.


----------



## Negative818

Just got my E10 today. I have it connected between my computer and H&K Soundsticks III. The mids are heavily recessed almost to the point I can't hear the vocals in some songs. I've tried not EQing them and tried all of the EQs that I like and nothing really improves the mids enough to allow me to enjoy the music. Even when using headphones the mids are recessed, but not as bad as they are using my speakers.
   
  On top of this I can't get any headphones to work unless I first disconnect the Soundsticks from the 3.5mm jack in the back. is this by design? If so it's a pretty bad design to make the user have to unplug their speakers every time they want to use their headphones.
   
  Do I have a bad E10 or is there something wrong with my setup?


----------



## nasratnaea

There is something wrong with YOU.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





kishorfarm said:


> Thank you feiao for your note, now almost everything is clear. Only one point, when you say "new batch" ¿you mean the one with the "Olympus" text in the box and the golden connectors? ¿or just having the golden connectors is enough for being a new batch with the improved delay (0.1s)?.
> 
> I just contacted the Spanish distributors, and the E10 they supply has golden connectors but not the "Olympus" label in the box. I'm rather confused about this.


 
   
  The delay time bug is fixed when we change the RCA to golden RCA connectors.


----------



## Negative818

nasratnaea said:


> There is something wrong with YOU. :blink:




Thanks for the helpful response and insight to my question.


----------



## PanicoNFL

How would the FiiO E10 SQ compare with a X-Fi Titanium ?
 Just sound quality, I don't care for the effects (x-fi)


----------



## tdockweiler

Been loving this E10, but it sounded really bad at first. I won't go there...
   
  Can someone please tell me why the headphone out to my amp sounds way better than the line out?
  With the headphone out I get a much larger soundstage and a more neutral sound. Still very good treble, but not overkill.
  With the line out to my amp it feels like the mids are way too forward and fatiguing and the soundstage is much smaller.
   
  Is there any technical reason why the headphone out sounds better with my amp?
   
  I'm glad to report that the E10 sounds more neutral than my HRT MSII. With the headphone out jack to my Micro Amp, the soundstage actually sounds larger than the HRT MSII.
   
  What's nice about my Micro Amp is that when I hook the DAC up I can kind of hear it's signture and not so much the amp. Mostly just minimal improvements with no extra coloration.
   
  So far the E10 is a lot more neutral sounding than I expected. I prefer it's amp part to the E11.
   
  It'll be some serious competition for my favorite Total Airhead (I only like with the harder to drive stuff).
   
  BTW this also seems to have more treble than my HRT. It's not harsh and fatiguing though.
   
  Hopefully the E17 has a similar signature, but even better. I love the mids on the E10.


----------



## Negative818

Quote: 





tdockweiler said:


> Been loving this E10, but it sounded really bad at first. I won't go there...
> 
> Can someone please tell me why the headphone out to my amp sounds way better than the line out?
> With the headphone out I get a much larger soundstage and a more neutral sound. Still very good treble, but not overkill.
> ...


 

 This is the complete opposite of what I experienced. The vocals are so far recessed in some songs that it sounds like I am listening to instrumentals.


----------



## LoveKnight

Hey me too, I paired my Fiio E10 with HD 598 and felt the same feeling with some songs. The mid is still their but looked like it has less impact, or lifeless. That is why I ordered a C421 OPA2227 amplifier to improve the situation by using Fiio E10 as a DAC only.


----------



## tdockweiler

Quote: 





loveknight said:


> Hey me too, I paired my Fiio E10 with HD 598 and felt the same feeling with some songs. The mid is still their but looked like it has less impact, or lifeless. That is why I ordered a C421 OPA2227 amplifier to improve the situation by using Fiio E10 as a DAC only.


 
   
  I tried the 598 and it didn't seem to sound nearly as good with the E10 (as a DAC ONLY) as the Q701 and DJ100.
  The mids were really forward on the 580 and then when I switched to the 598 my first reaction was "where did my mids go?!". Very strange.
   
  So far I prefer the E10 as a DAC only.
   
  The mids on the HRT MSII are definitely more forward IMO. The E10 has much better mids than my E11 definitely.
  What's interesting is that I saw a review saying the E10 had forward mids, but they seemed just right where they sound be. Fairly neutral. The E10 does seem to give my DJ100 a tiny bit of extra bass, but so little that it doesn't bother me at all.


----------



## tdockweiler

I don't know, but a day after using the E10, my opinion of the E10 has gone downhill further and further...
  It seems too focused on the mids and then all my headphones have much more bloated mid-bass. I find this kind of annoying.
   
  The treble seems all there, but yet it's not.. I know this makes no sense.
   
  The line out to my amp is also horrible. It makes the mids even MORE forward and the bass is still rather bloated.
   
  The person who found the mids recessed must have had a bad unit. This one has VERY forward mids to my ears.
   
  So..looks like my Realtek onboard sound, X-Fi Go Pro DAC and my full sized CD players are the most neutral sounding right now.
  Sadly my HRT MSII seems similar in signature to the E10. Mids not as forward though.


----------



## H20Fidelity

tdockweiler said:


> I don't know, but a day after using the E10, my opinion of the E10 has gone downhill further and further...
> It seems too focused on the mids and then all my headphones have much more bloated mid-bass. I find this kind of annoying.
> 
> The treble seems all there, but yet it's not.. I know this makes no sense.
> ...




I kind of agree with the treble statement, I'm listening right now with GR07 and it does appear a little muted, reminds me of Monster Turbine without EQ. High gain brings the mids forward even more than low which to me appears rather upfront. I never really took much notice and simply enjoyed it compared to the crap that comes my laptop's HO.


----------



## Negative818

So I ordered myself a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro thinking I had a defective E10. Well, I still get recessed mids on the same songs as I did with the E10, but they're not as bad. I now have to assume that it's the songs themselves (which are Apple Lossless files), however, I don't experience the same recession in the mids on these songs when using my iPod classic/E10 combo. The songs sound great actually. My only conclusion is that the better DAC in both the E10 and X-Fi are bringing out the flaws better in these recording than my iPod/E11. 
   
  All in all, I am still going to return the E10. It does have a stronger headphone amp then the X-Fi (neither can really push my DT 990 Pro 250 ohms though like the E10 can), but the features that the X-Fi offer out weigh the simplicity of the E10 for me. Not to mention that I still have to unplug my speakers from the back of the E10 just to use my headphones through it. Is this same for anyone else?


----------



## kishorfarm

Just received a brand new E10 today, so far very happy with it, and with the fact that I got a new batch unit (golden connectors and the "Olympus" label). Regarding the delay issue, no delays here at all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. Great sound paired with my modded Panasonic HTX7. Day and night in comparison with the laptop headphone jack (Thinkpad T520). Summing up, a must have product and a great value at 65€.


----------



## kishorfarm

As an update, after some use, the only annoying thing it is the presence of micro sound pulses (sound glitches) when stopping a track and also when dragging the track bar to change the time position while playing.
   
  Configuring the player with DS instead of WASAPI fixes (mostly) the glitches when dragging but not when stopping.
   
  All in all, I can live with that, it happens only when I stop a track, although I wonder if the E17 has the same issue.


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Hi all, 
   
  1.) What should my buffer length be set to when using the E10?
   
  2.) Should my gain be on low or high for a Grado SR60i?
   
  3.) Should I use 16-bit or 24-bit?
   
  4.) Does the gold RCA connector completely fix the time delay?
   
  Thanks,
  Shane


----------



## ClieOS

sennheiserhd485 said:


> 1.) What should my buffer length be set to when using the E10?
> 
> 2.) Should my gain be on low or high for a Grado SR60i?
> 
> ...




1. Don't know it myself. I leave it on default.

2. Low. Always start to listen to any amp with low gain first as it usually is the least noisy setting.

3. 24bit, but it shouldn't matter if you don't have any HD music files.

4. Supposedly yes.


----------



## kishorfarm

> 1.) What should my buffer length be set to when using the E10?


 
   
  I set the buffer length to the minimum (50ms). This works well and avoids sound glitches when dragging the seek bar while playing. This minimum buffer length also has the effect of minimizing the delay when adjusting the volume.


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Does anyone know what batch Headroom currently has?
   
  If I understand this right, the gold RCA connectors reduces the delay down to .1S?


----------



## kishorfarm

sennheiserhd485 said:


> Does anyone know what batch Headroom currently has?
> 
> If I understand this right, the gold RCA connectors reduces the delay down to .1S?


 
   
  When i bought mine, I asked the seller just to ensure that the offered units were tagged as "Olympus" (along with the golden connectors). This is the newest batch and I can confirm that there is no perceptible delay. Did you ask Headroom about this?.


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Quote: 





kishorfarm said:


> When i bought mine, I asked the seller just to ensure that the offered units were tagged as "Olympus" (along with the golden connectors). This is the newest batch and I can confirm that there is no perceptible delay. Did you ask Headroom about this?.


 
   
  I did ask Headroom about it. They told me that they has the latest batch. I'm not really sure which on the "latest" is. I was asking on here to see if anyone had bought one from them lately. 
   
  Does anyone know if Windows Media Player will work well with the Fiio E10? Sound quality wise.


----------



## ClieOS

Windows media player will work just fine. As mentioned earlier by James @ FiiO, any E10 with the gold RCA connector shouldn't have the delay problem anymore. If it is the latest batch, then it should be fine as well.


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Windows media player will work just fine. As mentioned earlier by James @ FiiO, any E10 with the gold RCA connector shouldn't have the delay problem anymore. If it is the latest batch, then it should be fine as well.


 
   
  Do you think I should use WMP with the Asio plug-in, or just leave it how it is? I want to make sure that there is a pure signal going to the Fiio (with no computer interference).


----------



## kishorfarm

sennheiserhd485 said:


> Do you think I should use WMP with the Asio plug-in, or just leave it how it is? I want to make sure that there is a pure signal going to the Fiio (with no computer interference).


 
   
  As far as I know, the E10 does not support ASIO, but it does support WASAPI (both give a direct and clean bit to bit link between the player and the DAC). Of course, the E10 also supports DS (Direct Sound) output (Windows processed).
   
  If you are concerned about sound quality, I would recommend foobar2000 (with the WASAPI plugin). It is really great, lightweight and powerful.
   
  NOTE: I tried both (WASAPI and DS) and could not tell any difference in sound quality.


----------



## eke2k6

If anyone is interested, I'm selling my e10. PM me for details.


----------



## ClieOS

sennheiserhd485 said:


> Do you think I should use WMP with the Asio plug-in, or just leave it how it is? I want to make sure that there is a pure signal going to the Fiio (with no computer interference).




As far as my opinion, I am generally doesn't bother with ASIO or WASAPI.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





sennheiserhd485 said:


> I did ask Headroom about it. They told me that they has the latest batch. I'm not really sure which on the "latest" is. I was asking on here to see if anyone had bought one from them lately.
> 
> Does anyone know if Windows Media Player will work well with the Fiio E10? Sound quality wise.


 
   
   
  Don't worry about it, all the old batch should sold out in months ago.


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





kishorfarm said:


> As far as I know, the E10 does not support ASIO, but it does support WASAPI (both give a direct and clean bit to bit link between the player and the DAC). Of course, the E10 also supports DS (Direct Sound) output (Windows processed).
> 
> If you are concerned about sound quality, I would recommend foobar2000 (with the WASAPI plugin). It is really great, lightweight and powerful.
> 
> NOTE: I tried both (WASAPI and DS) and could not tell any difference in sound quality.


 
   
  Will release the ASIO driver for E10 in the coming soon, sorry for the delay.


----------



## Ultrainferno

I'm surprised as I've been using the E10 + Asio4all on Foobar for a while now. Or am I dreaming all this?


----------



## kishorfarm

Ultrainfern said:
			
		

> I'm surprised as I've been using the E10 + Asio4all on Foobar for a while now. Or am I dreaming all this?


 
   
  Useful info. I didn't know about Asio4All until now, I will give it a try.


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Quote: 





kishorfarm said:


> As far as I know, the E10 does not support ASIO, but it does support WASAPI (both give a direct and clean bit to bit link between the player and the DAC). Of course, the E10 also supports DS (Direct Sound) output (Windows processed).
> 
> If you are concerned about sound quality, I would recommend foobar2000 (with the WASAPI plugin). It is really great, lightweight and powerful.
> 
> NOTE: I tried both (WASAPI and DS) and could not tell any difference in sound quality.


 
   
  Hmm... This isn't good. I need to use WMP with ASIO because of my Zune Pass files. Foobar won't play them. Can I use ASIO4All with WMP?
   
  Someone needs to work out a solution for me!


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> Don't worry about it, all the old batch should sold out in months ago.


 
   
  The old batch sold out in all of the retailers?


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





sennheiserhd485 said:


> The old batch sold out in all of the retailers?


 
   
  I think so but can't guarantee it.


----------



## kishorfarm

Quote: 





sennheiserhd485 said:


> Hmm... This isn't good. I need to use WMP with ASIO because of my Zune Pass files. Foobar won't play them. Can I use ASIO4All with WMP?
> 
> Someone needs to work out a solution for me!


 
   
  I just tried WMP with the E10 but could not find an option to select WASAPI or ASIO as the audio output, it seems to work only with DS. Did a quick search on Google and found this ASIO plugin for WMP, but did not try it:
   
http://sourceforge.net/projects/asiowmpplg/
   
  If it works, supposedly, both the ASIO plugin for WMP and Asio4All should solve your problem.


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Quote: 





kishorfarm said:


> I just tried WMP with the E10 but could not find an option to select WASAPI or ASIO as the audio output, it seems to work only with DS. Did a quick search on Google and found this ASIO plugin for WMP, but did not try it:
> 
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/asiowmpplg/
> 
> If it works, supposedly, both the ASIO plugin for WMP and Asio4All should solve your problem.


 
   
  I have tried the download at that URL. Unfortunately, there was no option available in WMP for ASIO. Thank you for your help.


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Okay...I just got my Fiio E10 and I am already having problems. The first time I tried it there was clipping, hiccuping, skipping, popping, static, and distortion. I used a different USB and it sounded perfect. I unplugged it and then later I plugged it back into the working USB and now I hear the same thing again. I have tinkered with all the settings and nothing is working. I have tried plugging and unplugging to no avail. This is a problem with all of my media players. What is wrong? 
   
  Shane
   
*Edit: *After installing another driver, this thing sounds beautiful now. I'm happy with it.


----------



## ClieOS

Have you tried another PC?


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Have you tried another PC?


 
   
  Everything is great, now. I installed another driver to use with it.


----------



## kuroshi

Just got this the other day and unfortunately got an old batch model with the loose and noisy headphone jack. Planning on returning this one and ordering from another retailer. Does anyone know which amazon retailer is guaranteed to have the latest batch with the gold headphone out? Thanks.


----------



## hardinthepaint

Quote: 





kuroshi said:


> Just got this the other day and unfortunately got an old batch model with the loose and noisy headphone jack. Planning on returning this one and ordering from another retailer. Does anyone know which amazon retailer is guaranteed to have the latest batch with the gold headphone out? Thanks.


 
  Which Amazon retailer did you order it from originally?


----------



## kuroshi

It was SMICORP that still had the older stock. MP4Nation should have the latest batch if the email they sent me is to be believed.


----------



## sennheiserhd485

Quote: 





kuroshi said:


> It was SMICORP that still had the older stock. MP4Nation should have the latest batch if the email they sent me is to be believed.


 
   
  Headroom has the newest batch.


----------



## chococya96

Just wondering is the occasional popping sound normal? its getting a little bit annoying...
   
  Also, my headphone (AKG-K701) says rated impedance is 62 ohms. Does that mean I have to set it to high gain on the back of the amp?


----------



## Cla55clown

Quote: 





chococya96 said:


> Just wondering is the occasional popping sound normal? its getting a little bit annoying...
> 
> Also, my headphone (AKG-K701) says rated impedance is 62 ohms. Does that mean I have to set it to high gain on the back of the amp?


 
   
  Mine doesn't pop at all if it is still lying on the surface. Maybe you are getting some interference where the headphone cable plugs into the amp. Are you moving it around a lot? Second question: Only need to turn the gain to high if you can't get enough volume on the Low gain setting. If you have the volume pot at like 8 and it's just loud enough I would switch to high gain.


----------



## LoveKnight

I can hear poping sound, noise when I play video song on some movie player such as Windows Media Classic but not on youtube. However if I play songs from Foorbar2000 there is no noise at all. More addition, when I turn the volume knob up or down I can hear noise too.


----------



## deftonez

fiio e10 or e11 or d-zero for um3x? which is preferred? i listen to metal and hard rock


----------



## chococya96

Quote: 





cla55clown said:


> Mine doesn't pop at all if it is still lying on the surface. Maybe you are getting some interference where the headphone cable plugs into the amp. Are you moving it around a lot? Second question: Only need to turn the gain to high if you can't get enough volume on the Low gain setting. If you have the volume pot at like 8 and it's just loud enough I would switch to high gain.


 
   
  I don't move my cable a lot as I'm using it on a desktop. I've made a thread about this problem though it seems that I can't get any definite answer...
   
  Oh I see, so the purpose of low/high gain switch is to control the volume level.


----------



## etweb

Hi guys,
  
 I am new here. I got one of the new E10s but unfortunately lots of crackling sounds with both my Sony MDR-V6 and my Shure SRH440
 headphones. I tried some alumnium foil for shielding and it seemed  to help a little but not great still. The crackling was especially present
 when I was not playing music but also during playing. I d like the E10s' sound over my mac mini's headphone jack but the noise is not acceptable.
 Will send it back to amazon and I might try a E7, maybe that is better?
  
 Since I am using Mac OS Lion I could not try and switch some of the settings to see if that would fix the issue.


----------



## SIDWULF

What is the reputation of the E10 matched with the Pro 900?
   
  It seems like a perfect match, I don't need the portability of the E17.


----------



## hamburgerladdy

etweb said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> 
> 
> ...





I'd order a M USB to M Mini-USB adapter for a couple of dollars.

Made the E10 much better and if you attach it to a powered USB slot, even nicer.

The E7 is a step down per Headfonia's Mike.


----------



## etweb

Quote: 





hamburgerladdy said:


> I'd order a M USB to M Mini-USB adapter for a couple of dollars.
> Made the E10 much better and if you attach it to a powered USB slot, even nicer.
> The E7 is a step down per Headfonia's Mike.


 
  are you implying that the supplied USB cable is faulty? That s what I heard about the E7, but if the E10
  crackels and has interference I would not call that good either.


----------



## hamburgerladdy

etweb said:


> are you implying that the supplied USB cable is faulty? That s what I heard about the E7, but if the E10
> crackels and has interference I would not call that good either.




Received the first batch E10 awhile ago with a flimsy cord which I later added to an unpowered usb irocks hub.

Perhaps if the E10 had a better cable at the time, or a ferrite cable, it would not sound so much better after a $2.50 adapter was plugged into the powered USB slot.

My E10 was on 16-bit output as it has been claimed that its 24 bit is only 16.2 bits effective.

Again, we are talking about the first batch which was a step up from my nice connexant laptop audio.


----------



## etweb

Quote: 





hamburgerladdy said:


> Received the first batch E10 awhile ago with a flimsy cord which I later added to an unpowered usb irocks hub.
> Perhaps if the E10 had a better cable at the time, or a ferrite cable, it would not sound so much better after a $2.50 adapter was plugged into the powered USB slot.
> My E10 was on 16-bit output as it has been claimed that its 24 bit is only 16.2 bits effective.
> Again, we are talking about the first batch which was a step up from my nice connexant laptop audio.


 
  well I can report that it helps a little bit. But unfortunately I can only get it 99% silent if I wrap it in aluminum foil.
  You might see where that is a little inconvenient. (it is enough that I have to wrap the cables going to the amp in my lab in foil..)


----------



## Maxrunner

Just got my Fiio E10 but the bass is really almost imperceptible, i'm currently using it in Ubuntu so i don't know how to really get better results...


----------



## Maxrunner

Anyone?


----------



## eyal1983

I have Fiio E10, and the bass switch makes the bass sound more..sometimes it lacerates the mids.
  but it really depends on your headphones..


----------



## Maxrunner

hi there. Yes i'm using an old pair of AKG 240 right now. I will try some grado 125 in the next few days.


----------



## Maxrunner

Also when you turn the lever to 0 there's no click right? i thought that you could really turn it off when reaching the 0 position, but the light still stays on.


----------



## ClieOS

No, there is no real turn-off switch on the E10.


----------



## Hark3n

I recently got hold of one of the older E10's, with the loose headphone jack. Has anyone on head-fi tried to replace the jack with something from the local electronics shop? It doesn't bother me at the moment (I only notice it when I'm actually removing my headphones), but I read a couple of guys found it annoying.
   
  I asked uncle Google if he knew of someone that did this, but he came up empty handed.
   
  PS, I love the sound. I'm new to the whole audiophile game and this, together with my headphones, was my first serious buy.


----------



## hisnibs

tried outputting the e10 to a lp 2020A+. Don't know if its my cable or the line out jack is loose but I need to angle the lineout wire slightly downwards to get stereo sound (using the uber thick 3.5mm to rca from monoprice). 
   
  Still having no problems with the headphone jack but I seldom remove my phones from the e10.


----------



## Maxrunner

Does the line out jack get affected by volume/gain/bass? it doesn't seem so. i tried to connect to another amp and if i turned the volume up on the e10 nothing happened. is this supposed to be like this?


----------



## hisnibs

no it doesn't. The line out bypasses the internal amp I think. Switch the cable to a thinner one and still no joy... guess my line out connector is loose.


----------



## Maxrunner

Quote: 





hisnibs said:


> no it doesn't. The line out bypasses the internal amp I think. Switch the cable to a thinner one and still no joy... guess my line out connector is loose.


 
  It bypasses both the dac and amp? Figures since i cant seem to control nothing from the lineout. Also what do you mean by the switch cable stuff?can't you connect the jack to the line out plug?
   
  regards,


----------



## hisnibs

the jack is loose so I have to adjust the line out with some downward pressure.


----------



## jakobdm

Quote: 





obazavil said:


> Do you people have used the coaxial out?
> 
> Since my laptop doesn't have optical out, I'm thinking of using the E10 coaxial out for 5.1 doby encoded output (using it as pass-through).
> 
> ...


 

 I know this question is old, but this is still the first result on Google for "E10 coax pass-through", and it's not answered yet here or on any other page I could find.
   
*Yes, the E10 coax will pass through non-PCM signals such as Dolby Digital (AC3)** or dts unchanged and will thus allow computers with no digital output to be connected to digital receivers which have a coax input**.*
   
  I have tested this with my [Xubuntu 12.10 (PulseAudio) -> E10 -> 5.1 AC3/dts decoder] setup. Simply start the PulseAudio volume control (pavucontrol), set the output profile in the "Configuration" tab to "Digital Stereo (IEC958) Output", and select the codecs your decoder can handle in the "Output Devices" tab. While passing through anything that's not PCM the E10 analogue out will output garbage though, so turn down the amplifier.


----------



## max pl

is the E10 just a DAC or is a DAC/Amp combo?
   
  i see it referenced everywhere as simply a DAC so I want to be sure.
   
  thanks


----------



## ClieOS

max pl said:


> is the E10 just a DAC or is a DAC/Amp combo?
> 
> i see it referenced everywhere as simply a DAC so I want to be sure.
> 
> thanks




First post?


----------



## max pl

so the amp is powered by usb along with the dac right?


----------



## nasratnaea

Yes.


----------



## max pl

The E10 cant be connected to an ipod and be used on the go, right?
   
  I thought i read someone mention doing this, but based on most of the material Ive read it doesnt have batteries so you cant use it as a portable.
   
  Can someone provide some input on this?


----------



## pathway

Correct Max,

The E10 is USB powered only (from a PC/Mac etc) - it has no batteries and no other way to be powered by a portable device e.g. iPod/iPhone

If you need a portable DAC/AMP in one box solution then the E17 would suffice. If you only need/want an amp them the E11 would do the job for less outlay.

Note - I only have very brief exposure to the E10 and have not heard the E11 or E17 so I am only commenting on the portability and NOT offering any comparison of the sound quality etc

O


----------



## max pl

thanks for all the info.
   
  i was initially planning to get the e17, but since i dont need portability and heard that the e10 and e17 have similar SQ, I may go for the E10 to see if I want an amp at all.  if i'm impressed i'll move up to the much better stuff.


----------



## snowbrdr464

So today I received a Fiio E10. My M80's work fine using the line out port, but when plugged into the headphone port, the sound is super warped, like there is no trebble. The sound however does sound fine if I stick in the jack like halfway and turn it in a certain position.
   
  However, when testing my Brainwavz M2's on the E10, I found that they sound perfectly fine when plugged into the headphone port. To complicate matters further, I tried both cables that came with the M80s, and both result in warped sound.


----------



## monoglycer

The E10 doesn't work well with mic'd cables.
   
  Much like old nokia and some  samsung phones the ground prong on the headphone jack is reversed from the standard. The simple way to fix this is to have a inverted adaptor (http://www.meelec.com/MEElectronic_TRRS_Adapter_for_P_Version_Headphones_p/adptr-trrs-35.htm). That or have the mic depressed the whole time.
   
  Although I thought Fiio fixed the newest batch of e10s for this issue...


----------



## NAPONAPO

I just bought a fiio e10 from adorama during its black friday sale. when i plugged it in, i was honestly amazed. i have it connected to a lepai 2020A+ for my speakers and sennheiser hd 280's. however i have been hearing a clicking/hissing/popping sound from my right ear phone, I only hear it from time to time and only when I'm not playing anything or if the volume is low on my itunes/media player classic. suffice to  say it is incredibly frustrating, b/c i hear the potential of the e10 but I cant fully enjoy it b/c of the sound that i hear.
   
  I apologize if this question was addressed already, I read about 10 pages from 50 - 60 (I googled fiio e10 popping sound) and brought me to this head-fi thread, but it seems as if that question went unanswered from where i started reading.
   
  EDIT: I have the olympus version of the fiio e10 (presumably this is the new batch)


----------



## syndromx

Hi, I am going to buy Audio Technica ATH-AD700 headphones that will be used mainly for gaming / movies on my desktop. Therefore I would like to upgrade my on-boar sound card (realtek HD). Do you think that it is better to buy Fiio E10 or some Internal sound card (like ASUS Xonar DX/XD Retail or something similar) for +- same money ? Or, I am thinking about Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional as well, is it worth the money?
   
  Thanks for help.


----------



## Saraguie

Quote: 





naponapo said:


> I just bought a fiio e10 from adorama during its black friday sale. when i plugged it in, i was honestly amazed. i have it connected to a lepai 2020A+ for my speakers and sennheiser hd 280's. however i have been hearing a clicking/hissing/popping sound from my right ear phone, I only hear it from time to time and only when I'm not playing anything or if the volume is low on my itunes/media player classic. suffice to  say it is incredibly frustrating, b/c i hear the potential of the e10 but I cant fully enjoy it b/c of the sound that i hear.
> 
> I apologize if this question was addressed already, I read about 10 pages from 50 - 60 (I googled fiio e10 popping sound) and brought me to this head-fi thread, but it seems as if that question went unanswered from where i started reading.
> 
> EDIT: I have the olympus version of the fiio e10 (presumably this is the new batch)


 
  Has anyone answered you via PM?


----------



## gus6464

Got my E10 today from Adorama as well. So good with my AD700's and COPs.


----------



## Hal Rockwell

The volume pot of my Fiio E10 started making crackling noises so I contacted Fiio and they offered to send me a replacement pot for me to install on my own.
  The only problem is no matter what I tried I couldn't take the PCB out of the chassis. I only managed to open the back cover.
  Does anyone have any idea how to extract the Fiio E10 PCB so I can replace the pot?
   
  I have the latest E10 revision. It doesn't have the screw on the bottom to hold the PCB in place.


----------



## TulianJan

I'm about to purchase one of these.. and I too would be interested in the ease of disassembling the e10 if I ever had to replace anything?


----------



## Cardiel

Is the fiio e10 a dark sound signature? I wouldnt like it if it would add treble to my Sennheiser HD 598.


----------



## Seekky

have clicking noise only on my desktop, but not laptop, dunno why.


----------



## asko

Quote: 





seekky said:


> have clicking noise only on my desktop, but not laptop, dunno why.


 
  I have crackling noises on my laptop too but there is no crackling on my gf's laptop. When I choose 32000 kHz, crackling is gone, when I choose greater frequency on bit depth... crackling increases and sounds make slower. Looks like my laptop is too slow to decode musical signals (actually I have 2 core AMD with 2.1 MHz).
   
  Quote: 





cardiel said:


> Is the fiio e10 a dark sound signature? I wouldnt like it if it would add treble to my Sennheiser HD 598.


 
  Yes.


----------



## Seekky

I dunno how, but my issue is gone. Maybe I disabled my x-fi soundcard


----------



## asko

Could you reproduce this bug to understand the cause of it?


----------



## Seekky

you can try to disable your soundcard as i did. and see what happen


----------



## Bboy500

Quote: 





syndromx said:


> Hi, I am going to buy Audio Technica ATH-AD700 headphones that will be used mainly for gaming / movies on my desktop. Therefore I would like to upgrade my on-boar sound card (realtek HD). Do you think that it is better to buy Fiio E10 or some Internal sound card (like ASUS Xonar DX/XD Retail or something similar) for +- same money ? Or, I am thinking about Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional as well, is it worth the money?
> 
> Thanks for help.


 
  I know I'm probably late since this post was 3 weeks ago, but do *NOT* buy the FiiO E10 if your planning on gaming.
   
  I have to constantly switch to my Xonar DG before I start gaming if I want to hear the difference between Left/Right or any positional sounds in general.
   
  CS:GO + E10 = No idea where enemies are coming from
  CS:GO + Xonar DG = Amazing positioning, almost pin-point.
   
  The E10 is not made with gaming in mind. Music is awesome on it though.


----------



## asko

Quote: 





seekky said:


> you can try to disable your soundcard as i did. and see what happen


 
   
  It just doesn't fix the problem.


----------



## POKeefe

Quote: 





bboy500 said:


> I know I'm probably late since this post was 3 weeks ago, but do *NOT* buy the FiiO E10 if your planning on gaming.
> 
> I have to constantly switch to my Xonar DG before I start gaming if I want to hear the difference between Left/Right or any positional sounds in general.
> 
> ...


 
  Do you have any recommendations for a USB card/DAC to pair with AD700's then? I have an ITX system, so I cannot get a Xonar DG.


----------



## Terran

Quote: 





bboy500 said:


> I know I'm probably late since this post was 3 weeks ago, but do *NOT* buy the FiiO E10 if your planning on gaming.
> 
> I have to constantly switch to my Xonar DG before I start gaming if I want to hear the difference between Left/Right or any positional sounds in general.
> 
> ...


 
  Are you using the soundcard without any of the virtual surround things enabled?
  And is the HT Omega Claro+ a good enough soundcard for gaming?


----------



## Arkyle

I just got mine a few hours ago. Pretty good. I really needed a DAC; my sound cards are really mediocre. It makes a world of difference, specially with IEMs when it comes to sound quality. The bass boost isn't as bloated as I feared and I have been using it constantly. Pretty good investment. I'm currently building a hybrid desktop amplifier based on the basic framework of the starving student amp; I hope they end up being a good pair. It doesn't sound so good with the other pure solid state amplifiers I've built. I have no clipping problems...yet. Lets see how it goes. 
   
  Oh...wow, and it actually makes the klipsch S4 more tolerable.


----------



## Seekky

Nvm,The clicking issue is back to me..
  But i notice that the problem only exist on my desktop.
  With my Alienware M11x R2 laptop, it has no clicking at all.
   
  WEIRD


----------



## asko

Quote: 





seekky said:


> Nvm,The clicking issue is back to me..
> But i notice that the problem only exist on my desktop.
> With my Alienware M11x R2 laptop, it has no clicking at all.
> 
> WEIRD


 
   
  Good news =). This problem is in your PC, ha ha. I checked several DACs on my old laptop and they were all with clicking (new drivers, Ploytec USB ASIO, another OS, etc. don't help). Just bought a new laptop to solve this problem. But until now I have no idea what is causing the problem: some slower laptops work well with USB DACs, that is really weird.


----------



## Seekky

asko said:


> Good news =). This problem is in your PC, ha ha. I checked several DACs on my old laptop and they were all with clicking (new drivers, Ploytec USB ASIO, another OS, etc. don't help). Just bought a new laptop to solve this problem. But until now I have no idea what is causing the problem: some slower laptops work well with USB DACs, that is really weird.



I will try em on my friends desktop today and see whathappen


----------



## Seekky

With this setup, no problem.
  details in my signature


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





seekky said:


> With this setup, no problem.
> details in my signature


 
   
  What a beautiful setup!


----------



## Seekky

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> What a beautiful setup!


 
  actually i posted on fiio weibo event last night


----------



## mpowerhax

Just purchased a E10 from b&h for $52, which i think is a killer price, because the E10 is composed of the same kind of electronics parts as other head amp that are triple the price (I got DT 880 250 ohms for Christmas, so i'm quite new to headphones)! Lately, everywhere i looked everyone was saying to buy O2 + ODAC combo (this thing cost like $280). I'll try the E10 first and see if i'm happy with it. I'm still not believing that a $300 electronic piece would greatly improve the output sound. I remember going to an electronic shop, where i could listen to a set of speakers with different amplifier. The guy was trying to convince me that the sound coming out from the $2000 (vs the $1000) amplifier was way better, but actually, i couldn't even tell the difference. 
   
  Anyway, my concern is if the E10 output will be enough for the 250 ohms of the DT 880?


----------



## seiferoth10

Unfortunately my E10 has developed issues. It's been a faithful servant for about a year now (manufactured Nov. 16 2011), and now the headphone jack is incredibly loose and the volume pot crackles when changing the volume. I'm really doubting this headphone jack can last much longer. It's been a year and a month since I bought it, so seller support is a no no. Think I can get help from Fiio for an exchange? I might as well give it a shot before I replace the headphone jack myself. Just wondering if other people have tried getting help directly from Fiio for the headphone jack issue.


----------



## mpowerhax

Quote: 





seiferoth10 said:


> Unfortunately my E10 has developed issues. It's been a faithful servant for about a year now (manufactured Nov. 16 2011), and now the headphone jack is incredibly loose and the volume pot crackles when changing the volume. I'm really doubting this headphone jack can last much longer. It's been a year and a month since I bought it, so seller support is a no no. Think I can get help from Fiio for an exchange? I might as well give it a shot before I replace the headphone jack myself. Just wondering if other people have tried getting help directly from Fiio for the headphone jack issue.


 
  Is not volume crackles caused by not using it that much? Always happens on old stereo amplifier I buy. Just need to move and clean it.


----------



## Arkyle

Well, after a few days of using it constantly I haven't experienced the cracking issues. I guess mine is the second revision, without the better quality headphone jack (it actually moves when I plug or unplug something). I don't think it will need any fixing if I just go with this route: plug in a neutral connector and leave it there, FOREVER. I'm starting to love these things...so useful.
  Anyway, I really like this little thing, even when the amp section is not the best part of the package. Tomorrow I'll borrow a few small desktop amps and see how it behaves with them. I tried using the line out for a moment and I noticed that the sound is quite different to that of the HJ (specially with full sized headphones. IEMs reproduce a more comparable signature).


----------



## seiferoth10

Okay, here's a summary of my interaction with Fiio customer service:
   
  I explained my situation to them, stating that the seller in the US refused to accept my RMA (which is reasonable, seeing as they only offered 30 days, and I've had the unit for 1 year 1 month). Responses were very prompt (3 emails, all responded in less than 12 hours), in understandable English. They offered to repair my E10 despite it being 1 month past the manufacturer's warranty. I asked about the repair service and the possibility of sending the unit to a US location to get it repaired. Unfortunately a US location was a no go, and the only location I could send it to was in Guangzhou, China. As you can imagine, the cost of freight to China from US was so incredible that I could straight up buy two new E10 units instead, so I had to decline.
   
  Still, their customer service was very prompt and courteous, overall a positive experience (even though I didn't get my E10 repaired!). I'll just go the short extension route so that I don't have to mess with the jack anymore.


----------



## mrcrazyshoes

so i think I've found a solution to the clicking noises that some people are experiencing. If you don't know what they are, from what I understand, it is like a shut off function that when no sound is coming out of the e10, it shuts off the signal, causing a slight popping or clicking sound, then when the signal is resumed, there is a slight delay, which is quite annoying. You can hear this the most when the volume on the e10 is all of the way up and when you are doing something where the sound is constantly interrupted (if you play minecraft walking around usually is the most obvious example of this, the sound effect created with walking always makes this problem super obvious). I installed a new motherboard and so i was playing with the settings for the e10 and noticed that when the default format of the sample rate (under the advanced tab in the e10 interface properties) is set to 16 bit instead of 24 bit, the clicking noise reduced significantly. It seems like the 16 bit leaves a longer period of silence before the shut off function kicks in. This might just be a performance thing that may only be a fix on my computer, but if you are having the same issue, give it a try, I think its worth the drop in sound quality (you can always change it back when listening to music).


----------



## seiferoth10

Okay, I made a small interconnect to leave in my E10 to help prevent further issues. It was pretty fun for my first DIY project. The only annoying part was trying to insert the small clump of wires into the small holes of the Neutrik connector... 6 times. 
   
  I used the black metal gold contact Neutrik connectors for both ends, and cannibalized a Monoprice extension cable for the cable. Total cost was ~$5 for the connectors, and ~$3 for solder, I had the rest of the necessary tools laying around.
   
   

   
  And a side note, whoever said to just play with the volume pot to fix the crackling was right on. I played with it for a little bit and the crackling cleared up.


----------



## mortimerhobbs

I need a DAC for my laptop because my on board audio jack needs replacement.
 My phones are only 32 ohm though.
 Do you think I'd need the e10's amp? If I don't need an amp, the crackling,popping, distortion problems people are having makes me just want to play it safe with a more reliable, DAC only device.


----------



## MrEleventy

Quote: 





mortimerhobbs said:


> I need a DAC for my laptop because my on board audio jack needs replacement.
> My phones are only 32 ohm though.
> Do you think I'd need the e10's amp? If I don't need an amp, the crackling,popping, distortion problems people are having makes me just want to play it safe with a more reliable, DAC only device.


 
   
  That depends on your music files. If your stuff is 16 bit, then you don't "need" the amp portion as long as you run the DAC at 24bit mode. Then you can control via windows slider without sacrificing audio quality, up to a point. Someone in the modi threads mention anything above 25% is ok going from 16bit audio into 24bit DAC. The e10 can be used as a DAC only too if you use the line-out in back. That's what I use for work. e10 >> objective2 >> HPs. I'm upgrading to a e17 so if you're looking to buy a e10... pm me.


----------



## HolyCheese

Quote: 





pdot said:


> Mod.
> 
> 
> Elna Silmic 2 + Wima FKP-2. 4.7UF was used Panasonic BP. It sounds much better now.


 
   
  Does this mod sound good? I have disassembled some electronics and yielded some caps and stuff. How could I mod this thing? Anyone any idea or how to?
   
  I have caps ranging from very low to very high. And A lot of component which I don't know what it is 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I have some 100 uF caps. I have them in 16V and 50V. What is better? Might it be better to use 120uF caps? Or would that damadge the e10?
  What are those green things? I can't see to what it is connected.


----------



## Arkyle

Updated impressions:
   
  I finally got the cracking issue when I turn the pot, but it goes away by turning it a little a couple of times; a really really minor annoyance. I love this thing. This is my first portable DAC and now I take it everywhere with me. I have used desktop DACs several times the price of this and I can say for sure that they don't cost nearly as several times as good. It works specially well with IEMs, and BA drivers get a real boost to their sound quality when compared to dynamics headphones, although I preffer dynamic ones with the bass boost option turned on since they don't get such a hump in the graph, but get warmer. Using it as a DAC only device works reasonably well, but it lacks dynamics that become evident when using higher quality amps. Still, the real deal here is the whole Amp/DAC package and as it is and at that price, this is the one to beat, not only on SQ alone, but in build quality and design. FiiO is doing really amazing things and now I'm officially a fan.


----------



## roguegeek

I'm currently using a FiiO E07K at work and will need to replace it because I actually need to use the E07K as a portable amp now. The one at work does not need to be portable at all, but it should be small and good enough to power my Sony MDR-1R and Beyerdynamic DT 770 80ohm. The E07K has done a good job so far and I generally like the sound I've gotten from it, so the easy thing to do would be to just pick up an E10. Still, I'm wondering what else there is out there to pick from.
   
  How does the E10 stack up against something like the Hifiman EF2A? Is there something else I should be looking at as well? Also, where in the world can I even find something like the Über Muzik Tiny Tube DAC for sale? Can't seem to find it anywhere.
   
  Thanks for the feedback people.


----------



## MrEleventy

Quote: 





roguegeek said:


> I'm currently using a FiiO E07K at work and will need to replace it because I actually need to use the E07K as a portable amp now. The one at work does not need to be portable at all, but it should be small and good enough to power my Sony MDR-1R and Beyerdynamic DT 770 80ohm. The E07K has done a good job so far and I generally like the sound I've gotten from it, so the easy thing to do would be to just pick up an E10. Still, I'm wondering what else there is out there to pick from.
> 
> How does the E10 stack up against something like the Hifiman EF2A? Is there something else I should be looking at as well? Also, where in the world can I even find something like the Über Muzik Tiny Tube DAC for sale? Can't seem to find it anywhere.
> 
> Thanks for the feedback people.


 
   
  If you're set on using the E07K as a portable amp, then I would just get a E10. I find using the E07K as an amp only is overkill. It can do so much more. It might be cheaper/cost effective to get a portable amp like an E6 or E11 or maybe a cmoyBB. No experience with the Hifiman EF2A but I liked the sound of the E10. Only reason I sold it is to help pay for an E17. For a TubeDac, I just picked up a Aune T1 from a fellow Head-Fier. It gets in Wed. Can't wait. :O~


----------



## elito

morning guys! - haven't visited the forums here in a long time - and just recently got a pair of akg 550's - and noticed how weak my soundcard is - cannot drive my headphones at all. and i've been seeing for the past year 2012 - of how much hype Fiio products are making - so atm im a bit stuck/confused - E10 vs E9 - which is better and why... from what i can understand - the e10 is a combo of AMP+DAC vs. e9 is just AMP right? then when hooked up to a e7/e17 it can then do both - but the e9 uses higher quality parts as compare to the e10 correct?
   
  -back on track; so would getting this e10 be a good investment? im just gonna use this at home so PC>xx>k550's/speakers. will this be enough or search/wait and get the e12 montblanc? your advise/input is greatly appreciated. thanks again.


----------



## Seekky

elito said:


> morning guys! - haven't visited the forums here in a long time - and just recently got a pair of akg 550's - and noticed how weak my soundcard is - cannot drive my headphones at all. and i've been seeing for the past year 2012 - of how much hype Fiio products are making - so atm im a bit stuck/confused - E10 vs E9 - which is better and why... from what i can understand - the e10 is a combo of AMP+DAC vs. e9 is just AMP right? then when hooked up to a e7/e17 it can then do both - but the e9 uses higher quality parts as compare to the e10 correct?
> 
> -back on track; so would getting this e10 be a good investment? im just gonna use this at home so PC>xx>k550's/speakers. will this be enough or search/wait and get the e12 montblanc? your advise/input is greatly appreciated. thanks again.


 just get the E10 and done with it. If u have $200 budget, then get a modi stack.


----------



## HolyCheese

Personally, the E10 and k550 weren't a good match. Or the k550 weren't a good match with me. I've heard them sound better with a higher quality dac.


----------



## elito

Quote: 





seekky said:


> just get the E10 and done with it. If u have $200 budget, then get a modi stack.


 
  thanks for the response. am itching to go grab one right now! what is this "modi stack" you speak of? 200budget is not a problem, but just don't want to throw money away first and then not like - hence i'm trying to start off @ e10's pricepoint.
  Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Personally, the E10 and k550 weren't a good match. Or the k550 weren't a good match with me. I've heard them sound better with a higher quality dac.


 
  really..will keep that in mind.


----------



## Seekky

depends on what u like. E10 gives you a fuller sound,but it's not neutral. Modi stack is way more neutral & transparent.

I'm talking about the Schiit Modi DAC + Magni Amp.


----------



## Seekky

personally i don't like E10 that much. but it's a great amp to begin with.


----------



## elito

Quote: 





seekky said:


> depends on what u like. E10 gives you a fuller sound,but it's not neutral. Modi stack is way more neutral & transparent.
> 
> I'm talking about the Schiit Modi DAC + Magni Amp.


 

 got it. well i guess i'll start with this e10, then when i'm done with it, i'll pass it along to my gf or what not. ^ ^;; thanks for your inputs.


----------



## Seekky

elito said:


> got it. well i guess i'll start with this e10, then when i'm done with it, i'll pass it along to my gf or what not. ^ ^;; thanks for your inputs.


THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I DID. LOLLOL


----------



## HolyCheese

To be honest I really suggest to do something else.
  Maybe the Stoner Acoustics UD100 or this little thing: 
  http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Hifimediy-Sabre-USB-DAC-ES9023-Tenor-TE7022-96khz-24bit-96-24-/140911022146?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20cef39042#ht_1314wt_1271
  Should good for it's price and since the sabre has a built in amp thingy it can directly drive headphones. It beging 24 bits gives you enough room to digitally control the volume. 
  It's cheaper too.


----------



## elito

so a quick update - went to a local shop - Adorama - picked it up, boy..what a EFF'ING DIFFERENCE~! after trying it out with my k550's i decided to plug the speaker into the headphone jack - man, my klischp ifi speakers are finally being pushed. never knew these speakers REALLY could sound this good. omg. this thing is definitely worth the 75-80.


----------



## Seekky

Quote: 





elito said:


> so a quick update - went to a local shop - Adorama - picked it up, boy..what a EFF'ING DIFFERENCE~! after trying it out with my k550's i decided to plug the speaker into the headphone jack - man, my klischp ifi speakers are finally being pushed. never knew these speakers REALLY could sound this good. omg. this thing is definitely worth the 75-80.


 
  good to hear!


----------



## MrEleventy

yeah, that little device for me interested in other things they made like the e17. love that thing. I can plug it up to my tv's optical port and get hp output. great for xbox gaming w/o using the crummy gaming headphones.


----------



## HolyCheese

Glad you like it. You know you can connect the speakers trough the line out on the back of the e10.


----------



## elito

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Glad you like it. You know you can connect the speakers trough the line out on the back of the e10.


 

 yes, but i wanted the speakers to get the full punch - since volume and bass doesn't affect the line out on the back. now the question is how to properly seat this thing..my speaker 3.5mm cable is a massive heavy duty cable..its got some serious weight to it.LOL i'm gonna need to find something/somewhere and permenantly make the e10 stay...


----------



## yearsofwisdom

Wow, the reviews on this thing sound amazing. I have TF10s, and ATH A900x as my top 2 IEM and Cans. What other options do I have in this range other than E10s? I don't know anything about amps, full size or portable. Which one should i be looking at? I plan to use the amp on a desk


----------



## elito

Quote: 





yearsofwisdom said:


> Wow, the reviews on this thing sound amazing. I have TF10s, and ATH A900x as my top 2 IEM and Cans. What other options do I have in this range other than E10s? I don't know anything about amps, full size or portable. Which one should i be looking at? I plan to use the amp on a desk


 

 look no further, for 80bones after tax, this thing is worth every single penny.


----------



## roguegeek

yearsofwisdom said:


> Wow, the reviews on this thing sound amazing. I have TF10s, and ATH A900x as my top 2 IEM and Cans. What other options do I have in this range other than E10s? I don't know anything about amps, full size or portable. Which one should i be looking at? I plan to use the amp on a desk




Technically, you don't need an amp for either of those headphones you listed due to their low impedance (32ohm and 40ohm). If those are the particular headphones you're buying, I suggest purchasing them first and seeing how they sound without an amp. If it reaches levels of volume that are good for you (which I believe it will), you don't need an amp and you've saved yourself some money. If they don't, the E10 will increase the loudness without changing the signature too much.


----------



## Saraguie

Quote: 





roguegeek said:


> Technically, you don't need an amp for either of those headphones you listed due to their low impedance (32ohm and 40ohm). If those are the particular headphones you're buying, I suggest purchasing them first and seeing how they sound without an amp. If it reaches levels of volume that are good for you (which I believe it will), you don't need an amp and you've saved yourself some money. If they don't, the E10 will increase the loudness without changing the signature too much.


 
  Do not forget that the E10 is a DAC also which is it's most important feature.


----------



## roguegeek

saraguie said:


> Do not forget that the E10 is a DAC also which is it's most important feature.



Yup, but the poster I was responding to did not indicate the DAC was important. Just the amp, in which case, they don't need one.


----------



## Saraguie

Quote: 





roguegeek said:


> Yup, but the poster I was responding to did not indicate the DAC was important. Just the amp, in which case, they don't need one.


 
  Agreed


----------



## acti0n

A few questions...
   
  1) Have the quality control issues in previous revisions been fixed yet (noise, channel imbalance, jack issues)?
   
  2) Do authorized dealers such as Headroom only sell the latest revisions?
   
  3) How does this affect the sound of the DT770 Pro 80 vs unamped from a Macbook Air (the Air easily drives it to sufficient volume)?
   
  4) How bright is that blue LED?


----------



## JamesFiiO

Quote: 





acti0n said:


> A few questions...
> 
> 1) Have the quality control issues in previous revisions been fixed yet (noise, channel imbalance, jack issues)?
> 
> ...


 
   
  1), Yes.
   
  2), Yes
   
  4), very soft and will not hurt your eye at night,


----------



## acti0n

A couple more questions...
   
  1) My Macbook Air drives my DT770 Pro 80 well enough so that only 20% volume in OSX is ideal for listening. Unfortunately, this means I only have a small range of volume that is actually useful to me, since the other 80% would be too loud. I'm afraid that the E10 will only make this worse -- that even with low gain, only the lowest of settings on the knob will be a listenable volume. Will this be the case?
   
  2) Even though the headphone jack issues have been reportedly fixed in newer revisions, is it recommended that I use an adapter that I keep permanently plugged in so that I don't wear out the E10's jack by plugging and unplugging headphones every day (such as http://cdn.head-fi.org/3/32/900x900px-LL-3255e8c0_DSC00122.gif)? Or, is it durable enough now that this won't be necessary?
   
  3) Would either the E07k or E17 be a better match than the E10 for my setup in terms of sound quality? I won't be using it portably, just plugged into my laptop.


----------



## HolyCheese

Just go with the e10. I have used it ALOT and even hung large connecters at it and it's still good. Don't worry.
  The e10* I think *will be better than macbook out. That connection is really, really bad haha. 
   
  And to be honest I found the blue led to be too bright. It lit my room at night (slightly) But it's very easy fixable. I opened it up and slightly bent the led and put something in between. It's hardly visibile now but you can still see if it's on.


----------



## roguegeek

Quote: 





acti0n said:


> A couple more questions...
> 
> 1) My Macbook Air drives my DT770 Pro 80 well enough so that only 20% volume in OSX is deal for listening. Unfortunately, this means I only have a small range of volume that is actually useful to me, since the other 80% would be too loud. I'm afraid that the E10 will only make this worse -- that even with low gain, only the lowest of settings on the knob will be a listenable volume. Will this be the case?
> 
> ...


 
   
  If you're happy with the signature and the volume is good for you, why are you looking into an amp at all? Are you not happy with the way the Air is driving them?


----------



## acti0n

Quote: 





roguegeek said:


> If you're happy with the signature and the volume is good for you, why are you looking into an amp at all? Are you not happy with the way the Air is driving them?


 
  The near unanimous consensus here that amping them vastly improves the sound quality.


----------



## acti0n

Actually, nevermind. Just read about the cut-off it does at the beginning.


----------



## roguegeek

Quote: 





acti0n said:


> The near unanimous consensus here that amping them vastly improves the sound quality.


 
   
  I have heard the same thing as well. I will say I've run my DT770 Pro amped and unamped from my MacBook Pro and with an E07K and E09K and have only noticed an increase in volume vs signature. Maybe my ears aren't very honed yet for that particular can. I have no experience with the E10, so maybe your results will be different, but the E09K that I do use is clearly a more powerful amp.


----------



## acti0n

Quote: 





roguegeek said:


> I have heard the same thing as well. I will say I've run my DT770 Pro amped and unamped from my MacBook Pro and with an E07K and E09K and have only noticed an increase in volume vs signature. Maybe my ears aren't very honed yet for that particular can. I have no experience with the E10, so maybe your results will be different, but the E09K that I do use is clearly a more powerful amp.


 
  I've read the occasional post saying the same thing -- that the only difference was volume. However, I've read so many posts from people saying the DT770's bass is a horrible, bloated mess unless amped, and that they really need an amp to reach their potential. So far, I've only heard them unamped and I think they sound great and am only considering the amp because so many people have proclaimed a night and day difference -- making a good can much better. It could be placebo, who knows...


----------



## roguegeek

Quote: 





acti0n said:


> I've read the occasional post saying the same thing -- that the only difference was volume. However, I've read so many posts from people saying the DT770's bass is a horrible, bloated mess unless amped, and that they really need an amp to reach their potential. So far, I've only heard them unamped and I think they sound great and am only considering the amp because so many people have proclaimed a night and day difference -- making a good can much better. It could be placebo, who knows...


 
   
  Do it! Can't wait to read your feedback!


----------



## yearsofwisdom

Cool! Well i find that plugging my A900xs into my headphone jacks produces a noticeably worse sound than plugging into my desktop. Would an amp make my desktop sound even better too?


----------



## roguegeek

Quote: 





yearsofwisdom said:


> Cool! Well i find that plugging my A900xs into my headphone jacks produces a noticeably worse sound than plugging into my desktop. Would an amp make my desktop sound even better too?


 
   
  "Better" is subjective, but it will at least be more powered which should raise the volume levels and will likely affect the signature in what is generally considered a positive way.


----------



## acti0n

Quote: 





jamesfiio said:


> 4), very soft and will not hurt your eye at night,


 
  Was the LED brightness reduced in the latest revision? From what I'm reading in reviews, the LED is extremely bright and distracting -- so bright in fact it can hamper one's ability to read the control markings.


----------



## HolyCheese

It is prety bright with mine but easy to fix, open it up and put a piece of paper between. Now it's a very soft gentle light.


----------



## acti0n

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> It is prety bright with mine but easy to fix, open it up and put a piece of paper between. Now it's a very soft gentle light.


 
  Could you post a picture of the end result?


----------



## HolyCheese

Quote: 





acti0n said:


> Could you post a picture of the end result?


 
   
  As you can see it shines veeeery soft. You can make it as bright as you want ofcourse. You can bend the led a bit farther or closer depending on what you want. Or add more or less paper. It's all reversible and easy to do. You do have to remove the knob which is on it a bit tight but don't worry, you wont break it.  Just try to get it off evenly.


----------



## NaderD

I just recently got an E10 along with a set of Grado 225i's and couldn't be happier! Old headphones i used on the PC always had terrible static / interference due to the crappy on board sound card but this has completely eliminated any noise. As you can see its my first post, but Ive done a lot of lurking on the site and if anyone is on the fence about getting the E10, it is well worth every penny you spend. The bass boost is a nice feature, but with the cans I have there has been no need to enable it unless listening to some hip hop in a few cases. 
   
  http://i.imgur.com/fUyf6Jj.jpg
_not so subtle dinobot_
   
  Do you guys have any recommended settings for the E10 within Windows 7 hardware properties?
   
  For example, Sample Rates, by default it has 48.0kHz selected only. Should 96.0kHz be enabled?
   
  Same goes for the Default Format windows has selected to 2 channel, 16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality). I've since changed that to 2 channel, 24 bit, 48000 Hz (Studio Quality)


----------



## elito

Quote: 





naderd said:


> I just recently got an E10 along with a set of Grado 225i's and couldn't be happier! Old headphones i used on the PC always had terrible static / interference due to the crappy on board sound card but this has completely eliminated any noise. As you can see its my first post, but Ive done a lot of lurking on the site and if anyone is on the fence about getting the E10, it is well worth every penny you spend. The bass boost is a nice feature, but with the cans I have there has been no need to enable it unless listening to some hip hop in a few cases.
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/fUyf6Jj.jpg
> _not so subtle dinobot_
> ...


 
   


 yes you should change all that to the maxium supported rates.


----------



## Arsis

Love my E10 with my Sennheiser HD598! I've had mine about 6 months. I bought the E10 and a uDAC2 at the same time. After a week of head to head comparison the uDAC2 was returned. The E10 was the clear winner to my ears. 24/96 source from my Mac Pro. Other phones include AKG K240 Monitor, Superlux HD681, Sennheiser HD439, AKG K55. I also feed the line out to my Eico ST70 tube amp which is driving Polk Audio Monitor 70. Excellent sounding little DAC/amp. I also bought one for my brother. A very impressive improvement to his MacBook Pro/ Koss DJ Pro 100 combo. If you've been considering the E10, don't hesitate. Highly reccomended.


----------



## andresgomes

Sooooo, this or E12 with D07k?


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





acti0n said:


> Actually, nevermind. Just read about the cut-off it does at the beginning.


 
   
  Not sure if that was an 'early release' problem but I have a 6 month old one that does not do that.  And sounds great.  And is worth every penny.


----------



## Saraguie

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> Not sure if that was an 'early release' problem but I have a 6 month old one that does not do that.  And sounds great.  And is worth every penny.


 
  X2


----------



## C0rnholio

Im having a bit of an issue with my E10 - it's been reported before but I think there's something I'm missing here.

 I have a early version of the E10 .. bought in nov 11. If I go through the sample rate / bit options I hear a certain BUZZ in the headphones. However if I choose 24/96 or 16/96 nothing is heard. So you might think : why not leave it on 24/96 and call it a day? Well I am in a period when I test some speakers I recently got and I kept trying it out with either my sound card ( a pretty old but still awesome Hercules Fortissimo IV - envy24 ) or the Fiio. So I installed ASIO4ALL and WASAPI on foobar trying to squeeze as much quality as possible from the little FIIO. When the output is set to either Wasapi or ASIO I get the buzzing noise no matter what sample/bitrate I try. I have also installed the FIIO ASIO Driver, thinking it might  help.
   
  However, if I use ASIO4ALL as output when a song is played the buzzing stops but it's pretty obvious between tracks. I usually have mostly FLACs 16/44.1  and some 320kbps mp3s. It's the same with either type of files. If I use WASAPI - the buzzing is present all the time, it doesn't matter if a song is playing or not.

 The headphones I am using are AKG K550 and very rare the Brainwavz ProAlpha IEMs which make the buzzin even more obvious. The Gain on the Fiio if off and the volume I use it on is at about half ( 5 out of 8 ).

 This is very annoying, if nothing is playing I hear it - what's funny is that if I double click a folder it's gone. Then comes up if I open winamp for example or if I double click a song on foobar it starts again for 1-2 sec till the song starts and then shuts up again. If I stop the song or it reaches the end it's back on. And then I do the double click in windows explorer so it's gone again. So it seems that it's triggered on and off by a certain type of song that is played ( when I open a folder the windows plays a short click sound ).

 Is my unit defective? What's important is that it's not audible WHEN a song is played but that is only true if ASIO4ALL is used. If Wasapi is used it's there all the time. I also have a pretty new Sony Vaio F2 series laptop and it does the exact same thing on it too so it's not a computer issue for sure.
   
  But if I use DS output - there are no problems , unless I screw up into the sample/bit options.

 Can you guys please do a little test and see if your FIIO copy does the buzzing when changing through sample/bit options for starters? It could help to have the volume a bit higher as maybe your headphones are not sensible enough.

 Thanks


----------



## MrEleventy

c0rnholio said:


> Im having a bit of an issue with my E10 - it's been reported before but I think there's something I'm missing here.
> 
> I have a early version of the E10 .. bought in nov 11. If I go through the sample rate / bit options I hear a certain BUZZ in the headphones. However if I choose 24/96 or 16/96 nothing is heard. So you might think : why not leave it on 24/96 and call it a day? Well I am in a period when I test some speakers I recently got and I kept trying it out with either my sound card ( a pretty old but still awesome Hercules Fortissimo IV - envy24 ) or the Fiio. So I installed ASIO4ALL and WASAPI on foobar trying to squeeze as much quality as possible from the little FIIO. When the output is set to either Wasapi or ASIO I get the buzzing noise no matter what sample/bitrate I try. I have also installed the FIIO ASIO Driver, thinking it might  help.
> 
> ...




I think your usb ports might be going to sleep / power down by Windows. try changing that setting and see if that fixes anything. Someone else had the same issue I think so try searching the thread. cheers


----------



## DongDong

fell in love with the e10 first listen  so much better than straight from the laptop


----------



## C0rnholio

@MrEleventy - I think that someone might have been me ( in 2011 when I got it ) )
 The problem occurs on 3 computers I tested it on so it's not a PC hardware issue.
 I wrote to Fiio - they said the E10 is out of warranty ( purchased it in nov 2011 ). However their ASIO driver was out in 2013 so no way for me to realize the problem with ASIO output BEFORE my warranty expired because there was no way of testing it up until nov 2012.
 Let's see what they answer.


----------



## MrEleventy

c0rnholio said:


> @MrEleventy - I think that someone might have been me ( in 2011 when I got it ) )
> 
> The problem occurs on 3 computers I tested it on so it's not a PC hardware issue.
> 
> ...




Ahh, I c. that sucks then. hopefully things get resolved. gl 

e: hmm, just re-read your issues. are you using just the usb cable that they supplied? I don't remember whether it was ferrited or not but if it's not, I would give that a try and pick up a ferrited cable.


----------



## C0rnholio

Tried changing the cable - a lot of options were tried. Plus if it would be a cable issue, how come the buzzing stops when a song it's played


----------



## MrEleventy

True... I think your only option is to just upgrade!  Hehe. 6 months since I've really started getting into head-fi stuff and I've upgraded way more than my wallet would like.


----------



## roguegeek

Can anyone who has experience with both the E10 and E07K draw any comparisons in terms of power and sonics?


----------



## MrEleventy

sound should be close to the e17, so I would find a e10 vs e17 and scale back expectations from there. from my memory of e10 to e17, e17 is more neutral. I think soundstage is wider too but can't say for sure, no longer own the e10.


----------



## eonsend

I have the E10 and I am loving it, especially the bass boost function.  I'm planning on upgrading to a better amp in the future but I don't know if you can still use the bass boost through the line out or optical out.  Does anyone know if either of those will pass on the boosted bass signal or not?
   
  Thanks!


----------



## HolyCheese

IT doesn't


----------



## chococya96

Just a question: how do you set up your volumes correctly?
   
  I've been using like this:
  - Adjust my volume knob on value 7 and set it low gain
  - Then use my computer to control the volume
   
  Is this the right way? or do I do it other way around (something like setting your volume on desktop to 90% and use volume knob on E10 to control)?


----------



## HolyCheese

The theoretical best way is windows volume on 100% and using wasapi/asio to bypass all windows factors and using the knob on the fiio for adjustment. It's not likely audible unless you put windows volume on 1% or something
  But to me it all comes down to which is the most practical. I prefer turning a knob then having to adjust that small meter on your screen.


----------



## chococya96

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> The theoretical best way is windows volume on 100% and using wasapi/asio to bypass all windows factors and using the knob on the fiio for adjustment. It's not likely audible unless you put windows volume on 1% or something
> But to me it all comes down to which is the most practical. I prefer turning a knob then having to adjust that small meter on your screen.


 
   
  Wouldn't bypassing only works for audio players? not universally like when gaming, browsing or doing normal stuff on desktop.
   
  But if it all comes down to practical, I guess I'll stick with what I'm doing atm. I have a volume control wheel on my keyboard so that is why I'm using the desktop volume to control the sound.
  Just one more thing, for my case what is the best position to place knob on my E10? or would it matter either way?


----------



## frikase

Would i have any compatibility problems with windows 8?


----------



## HolyCheese

It doesn't matter. I suggest you put your windows volume at 100% then set the knob at a level you don't want to exceed. Let's say for games you use a higher volume, set it at a level you need. Or perhaps a little bit lower to preserve your hearing. 
   
  This way you don't go too loud and you have the most fine tuning steps. And theoretically the best sound. 
   
   
  And for windows 8 compatibilty, i'm not really sure. In the demo version (pre-release) it worked for me. You can always download the upgrade utility from microsoft itself which checks all the connected hardware's compatibility.


----------



## ClieOS

On Windows 8, If you get a normal sound when first plugging in a (*any) USB DAC, then get a distorted sound after a while, you'll need a powered USB hub. It is not the problem of the USB DAC but the problem of Windows keeps trying to reset its USB power scheme. There isn't anything you can do on Windows 8 but a powered USB hub will solve the issue all together.


----------



## MrEleventy

Hmm that's odd. I have an Aune T1 running for 8hrs a day for about 2 weeks now on a Win8 laptop and it's been running fine. But I wouldn't put it past MS to screw something up.


----------



## frikase

I was actually afraid that there would be driver compatibility issues for Win8. There would be additional problems? damn....


----------



## ClieOS

E10 uses common USB Class 1 audio driver built into almost all OS, so there shouldn't be any driver issue.


----------



## frikase

So i bought one because it matched exactly the budget i had. It is in fact my first ever dac.
   
  But. Mine has the mountain ''olympus'' labeled on the top side and and ''usb dac headphone amplifier'' on the bottom side. And the high/low gain switch rattles a little bit when i handle the device.
   
  Is that a sign of counterfeit?


----------



## Saraguie

Quote: 





frikase said:


> So i bought one because it matched exactly the budget i had. It is in fact my first ever dac.
> 
> But. Mine has the mountain ''olympus'' labeled on the top side and and ''usb dac headphone amplifier'' on the bottom side. And the high/low gain switch rattles a little bit when i handle the device.
> 
> Is that a sign of counterfeit?


----------



## frikase

Quote: 





saraguie said:


>


 
   

 I dont really understand why that would start a fight...


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





frikase said:


> So i bought one because it matched exactly the budget i had. It is in fact my first ever dac.
> 
> But. Mine has the mountain ''olympus'' labeled on the top side and and ''usb dac headphone amplifier'' on the bottom side. And the high/low gain switch rattles a little bit when i handle the device.
> 
> Is that a sign of counterfeit?


 
   
  Check the serial number in the counterfeit sticker on the box with FiiO website. Most likely it is genuine though.


----------



## Saraguie

Quote: 





saraguie said:


>


 
   
  Quote: 





frikase said:


> I dont really understand why that would start a fight...


 
  A fight? No, no, I wanted to know if it could be a fake or not. I have one at work and will check when I am in my office again.


----------



## HolyCheese

Quote: 





mreleventy said:


> Hmm that's odd. I have an Aune T1 running for 8hrs a day for about 2 weeks now on a Win8 laptop and it's been running fine. But I wouldn't put it past MS to screw something up.


 
  Maybe that's because the T1 uses external power, if you cut the v+ and v- of the cable it should still work (as far as I have read in the t1 thread) 
   
   
  What would be a good and cheap powered hub? I need one anyway. (not that I have any troubles)


----------



## CheeseWithWorms

Which FiiO is able to power some more power hungry headphones, the e07k or the e10?


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





cheesewithworms said:


> Which FiiO is able to power some more power hungry headphones, the e07k or the e10?


 
   
  E07K, though E10 sounds better overall.


----------



## CheeseWithWorms

Quote: 





clieos said:


> E07K, though E10 sounds better overall.


 

 Can you please explain in more detail what do you mean by that?


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





cheesewithworms said:


> Can you please explain in more detail what do you mean by that?


 
   
  Well, power is voltage x current. Voltage is the result of gain, which E07K can go higher. As for current output, they are roughly on par. Therefore E07K is the more powerful of the two. As for SQ, it is simple - E10 just sounds better than E07K, especially on the overall balanced. Of course, you'll get a better EQ system on E07K to play with, but it is not going to make up for the difference in SQ.


----------



## roflcoptor

do recent E10s still click between tracks? got one 3 months ago and it was clicking at the start of every sound played (windows sounds, tracks in foobar2000, etc) so had to return it.


----------



## HolyCheese

Mine doesn't have the problem and might be more then a year old


----------



## Oregonian

Quote: 





holycheese said:


> Mine doesn't have the problem and might be more then a year old


 

 Ditto.  No issues and mine is about 18 months old.


----------



## roflcoptor

Quote: 





oregonian said:


> Ditto.  No issues and mine is about 18 months old.


 
  Okay, I think I'll try ordering a new one.
   
  Thanks.


----------



## roguegeek

I had been using my E07K at work and needed to pull it because I wanted it on my portable rig instead. There was a sale on the E10 and so I picked that up because, well, why not. Been using it for the last couple of hours and, I know the E07K is suppose to be stronger, but the E10 seems a decent amount stronger when set to the same gain levels. Strange. Liking it so far.


----------



## CheeseWithWorms

I swear, every time i rest my fiio e10 on my couch it starts making a static noise!
   
  I works perfectly fine on my desk. It's just my couch where the noise shows up.


----------



## jbl772

Everytime I boot up my PC my e10 has static that requires a replug to fix.  Most of the time the replug doesn't even fix the static.  The static eventually goes away after 5-10 minutes.  Anyone know why?


----------



## roguegeek

This is an impressive little desktop amp/dac for sure. Not powerful or impressive next to a true desktop amp, but definitely not a bad way to spend $60.


----------



## Lespectraal

Hey guys, mind if I ask about this problem I'm having, I've tried ASIO4ALL, WASAPI, KS and even Fiio's own ASIO drivers for the E10 on Foobar, and all of them work as in I can play music with no glitches, but the thing is, if I recall correctly if you are bypassing Windows audio or something the normal Windows volume control will not affect the volume of the DAC but for me it does. Am I doing something wrong? I'm using Windows 8 though. Thanks.


----------



## HolyCheese

I guess it's normal? I can still use windows volume control too and I did notice a small improvement in quality with wasapi.


----------



## Hal Rockwell

What DAC will act as a better line out to connect to powered speakers, the D03K or E10?


----------



## MrEleventy

Depends on your input. E10 can only take USB while the D03K is coax/optical.


----------



## Hal Rockwell

I'm using a PC with foobar as an input.


----------



## MrEleventy

Well..... are you using USB or Coax/optical? If you can use either, go D03K since it can support a higher sampling rate(192 vs 92)


----------



## Lespectraal

Guys anyone of you have a any of this error

"Unrecoverable playback error: Sample rate of 88200 Hz not supported by this device"

on Foobar through Fiio's own ASIO driver?


----------



## HolyCheese

Yes, I have that too, I guess the device doesn't allow it. You can use windows direct sound if you need to listen to it. Most music is in another format anyway.
   
  Masterfromtheirdays?


----------



## MrEleventy

lespectraal said:


> Guys anyone of you have a any of this error
> 
> "Unrecoverable playback error: Sample rate of 88200 Hz not supported by this device"
> 
> on Foobar through Fiio's own ASIO driver?


I still get that occasionally when I hit something 88.1 hz. Either sample down the track yourself or you can use the foobar plugin to resample as it's playing.


----------



## Lespectraal

mreleventy said:


> I still get that occasionally when I hit something 88.1 hz. Either sample down the track yourself or you can use the foobar plugin to resample as it's playing.



Seem to found two resamplers for Foobar, the PPHS one and SoX one. Which one is better? Or should I just resample it myself using Audacity?


----------



## MrEleventy

I use Resampler PPHS and upsample to 96khz. It's always better to add empty bits than to take away actual data.


----------



## Hal Rockwell

What is the correct drive ability (headphone impedance) of the E10?
   
  In the specification tab of the product page it says 16~100ohm. The comparison tab of the product page says 16~150ohm.
   
  The first post of this thread says 16~300ohm.


----------



## Jolltax

Holy cow, 79 page thread, I am new to the forums and just bought one of these (Fiio e10) to sit on my desk at work and will be looking for some mid priced headphones with which to pair it.
   
  I am hoping to improve on the currently awful onboard sound from my PC / laptop.  It's definitely going to take me a while to work my way through this thread unless there is a synopsis!
   
  Is there a preferred or 'most popular' match of headphones with the e10?
   
  Jolltax


----------



## Cla55clown

Quote: 





hal rockwell said:


> What is the correct drive ability (headphone impedance) of the E10?
> 
> In the specification tab of the product page it says 16~100ohm. The comparison tab of the product page says 16~150ohm.
> 
> The first post of this thread says 16~300ohm.


 
  I see 16-300ohm on the main product page so there's your answer.
http://fiio.net/products/index.aspx?ID=100000028262517&MenuID=105026003


----------



## MrEleventy

jolltax said:


> Holy cow, 79 page thread, I am new to the forums and just bought one of these (Fiio e10) to sit on my desk at work and will be looking for some mid priced headphones with which to pair it.
> 
> I am hoping to improve on the currently awful onboard sound from my PC / laptop.  It's definitely going to take me a while to work my way through this thread unless there is a synopsis!
> 
> ...



 You should choose based on your sound and music preference. The majority of how it sounds is going to come from the hps itself, dac is at most 5% and you can eq some of the issues away.


----------



## chococya96

I'm getting this constant buzzing noise when I'm not doing anything (i.e dead silence). This only happens when I use my PC for a long time and the noise will stop when I plug/unplug my DAC or headphone. I've tried using different USB ports as well as swapping headphones (I have AKG 701 and annie) however the noise is still there.
   
  After skimming through this thread, it seems like the problem was caused by the USB cable. The stock cable that comes with the DAC is causing a lot of issues for some people. I'm not sure if this relates to my current problem but can anyone recommend me any good USB cable for my DAC? OR will something like this suffice?


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





chococya96 said:


> I'm getting this constant buzzing noise when I'm not doing anything (i.e dead silence). This only happens when I use my PC for a long time and the noise will stop when I plug/unplug my DAC or headphone. I've tried using different USB ports as well as swapping headphones (I have AKG 701 and annie) however the noise is still there.
> 
> After skimming through this thread, it seems like the problem was caused by the USB cable. The stock cable that comes with the DAC is causing a lot of issues for some people. I'm not sure if this relates to my current problem but can anyone recommend me any good USB cable for my DAC? OR will something like this suffice?


 
   
  It might not be the USB cable, but the OS itself. Windows 7 and 8 (and as far as I know some version of MacOS too) will reset the USB audio driver after a while of idle. The original purpose is to save power, but it has the side effect of causing the DAC to lose sync to the PC, and result in buzzing noise. The fix is to use a powered USB hub, since Windows can't reset its power and the DAC won't lose sync again.


----------



## chococya96

Quote: 





clieos said:


> It might not be the USB cable, but the OS itself. Windows 7 and 8 (and as far as I know some version of MacOS too) will reset the USB audio driver after a while of idle. The original purpose is to save power, but it has the side effect of causing the DAC to lose sync to the PC, and result in buzzing noise. The fix is to use a powered USB hub, since Windows can't reset its power and the DAC won't lose sync again.


 
   
  It's not just idle. It also happens when I use the computer for a long period of time (such as gaming).
   
  Isn't getting an USB hub same as just plugging straight into the desktop? Since I will have to plug the hub into desktop USB port.
  I'll try out the cable first since it's a lot cheaper. If this dosen't work, I'll get a cheap hub and see how it goes.
   
  With that being said, do you know any good brands that works well with DAC or should I just get any cable to test it out?


----------



## MrEleventy

chococya96 said:


> It's not just idle. It also happens when I use the computer for a long period of time (such as gaming).




Are you using the E10 while gaming for audio? When Clie said "idle", he meant the E10 and not the computer itself. 



chococya96 said:


> Isn't getting an USB hub same as just plugging straight into the desktop? Since I will have to plug the hub into desktop USB port.
> I'll try out the cable first since it's a lot cheaper. If this dosen't work, I'll get a cheap hub and see how it goes.
> 
> With that being said, do you know any good brands that works well with DAC or should I just get any cable to test it out?




It is but the power portion is being managed by the OS while an "external" hub that you plug into the wall itself isn't.


----------



## chococya96

Quote: 





mreleventy said:


> Are you using the E10 while gaming for audio? When Clie said "idle", he meant the E10 and not the computer itself.
> It is but the power portion is being managed by the OS while an "external" hub that you plug into the wall itself isn't.


 
   
  Yes, I'm using E10 for everything that I use on my PC.
   
  So you want me to get the one that is powered via AC adapter? not those with just USB powered?


----------



## ClieOS

Yes, the USB hub must be AC (self) powered.


----------



## shogen

In all honesty the best way to eliminate the USB idle issue is to go inside the power management settings of Windows..pretty easy...  
  What you're looking for is the *Power Options* in the *Control Panel*.... Also setting the drop-down menu to *High Performance* first, then modify the *USB setting* to '*Disabled*'
   
  (image attachment no working for me) lol ... lame!
   
  https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rERTkQuOX1Q/UdzGQvpSz5I/AAAAAAAAOso/ZIvk8SSfviQ/w419-h450-no/USB+power.jpg
  Quote: 





chococya96 said:


> Yes, I'm using E10 for everything that I use on my PC.
> 
> So you want me to get the one that is powered via AC adapter? not those with just USB powered?


 
   
  Quote: 





clieos said:


> Yes, the USB hub must be AC (self) powered.


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





shogen said:


> In all honesty the best way to eliminate the USB idle issue is to go inside the power management settings of Windows..pretty easy...


 
   
  Tried that before, doesn't work. Powered USB hub does.


----------



## shogen

hmm... possibly issue with mobo, not issue but a quirk really... my mobo let's me keep the USB powered on as well in the BIOS utility... maybe check there?
  Quote: 





clieos said:


> Tried that before, doesn't work. Powered USB hub does.


----------



## Saraguie

Get a MAC


----------



## shogen

true... that does usually solve everything. lol
  Quote: 





saraguie said:


> Get a MAC


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





shogen said:


> hmm... possibly issue with mobo, not issue but a quirk really... my mobo let's me keep the USB powered on as well in the BIOS utility... maybe check there?


 
   
  It is Windows (OS) issue. It first appeared in Vista, but fixed in an update. Then it showed up later in W7 and W8. Requests were submitted to MS years ago for a fix but it was ignored so far. It is not really a new problem. I know because I have done some research into it. I have the same PC running Vista before without any problem, then upgrade to W8 pro and have to use a powered USB hub to keep the OS from messing with the USB DAC. Same PC, same BIOS, same hardware, different OS. The problem lies in how the OS deals with USB Audio Class 1 hardware, especially those in higher than 16/44.1 resolution. The quick fix is to implement native support for Audio Class 2 driver inside the OS, which MS doesn't want to do for whatever reason.


----------



## chococya96

Quote: 





shogen said:


> In all honesty the best way to eliminate the USB idle issue is to go inside the power management settings of Windows..pretty easy...
> What you're looking for is the *Power Options* in the *Control Panel*.... Also setting the drop-down menu to *High Performance* first, then modify the *USB setting* to '*Disabled*'
> 
> (image attachment no working for me) lol ... lame!
> ...


 
   
  Thank you, I'll try this first before getting a hub/new cable.


----------



## shogen

worth a shot... no PC works exactly the same depending on it's build/options... I have access to my USB ports power even when my desktop is shut down... not every computer can do this.... 
  Quote: 





chococya96 said:


> Thank you, I'll try this first before getting a hub/new cable.


----------



## Justlog

Hey there CeliOS I've been meaning to ask, do you think that the E10 will be a good match for the Brainwavz B2?


----------



## ClieOS

Quote: 





justlog said:


> Hey there CeliOS I've been meaning to ask, do you think that the E10 will be a good match for the Brainwavz B2?


 
   
  Should be good. I don't see why they won't work. E10 slight warmness should compliment B2 well.


----------



## chococya96

Yeah, the buzzing noise is back.
   
  Tried using different ports/cables however, it didn't fix the problem.
   
  It seems like getting a hub is the only option atm... unless frequent plugging/unplugging is a viable option.


----------



## chococya96

Alright, I got the hub and after testing it out the problem was still there... in fact, the noise is very audible and loud compared to when I just plug it straight to PC. 
   
  I bought this one http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=262&products_id=24292. I doubt the hub itself was defective as all of the ports worked as well as any USB devices hooked up to this hub works perfectly fine.
  I also tried plugging the hub USB to other ports on my PC as well as use different ports for DAC (there are 4 ports on the hub) however, the result was the same.
   
  At this stage, I'm not sure what to do atm. I'll get that USB to mini cable I've mentioned before and test it out. If this still doesn't work, then I guess the problem is either my mobo or DAC itself.


----------



## ClieOS

Try it on another PC (if you haven't done so). If the problem persists, better just return the USB hub while you still can and claim warranty on the E10 if it has any.


----------



## chococya96

Quote: 





clieos said:


> Try it on another PC (if you haven't done so). If the problem persists, better just return the USB hub while you still can and claim warranty on the E10 if it has any.


 
   


 Tried it on my friend's laptop and the noise was still there.
   
  I'll keep the hub since my sister needed it anyway and as for the DAC, I'll send an email to the seller and FiiO. I'm still under the warranty however, judging by my previous experience with FiiO's customer service it will take them months (we're talking about three or more months) to fix/replace the DAC. FYI, this is the 3rd FiiO DAC I've owned as the previous two had all sorts of problem and it resulted in more than six months of waiting for the refund.
   
  With that being said, I think getting a new DAC would be a wise option. After doing some research I've found various DAC/amp combo such as Schiit Magni + Modi, Aune T1, O2 combo, Matrix M-stage etc however, I'm not sure which to get. Also, there seems to be no DAC that is equal to or better than E10 in terms of price and quality.


----------



## MrEleventy

m-stage I think is closest to what you're used to with the e10. as for just a inexpensive dac, looking at the hifimediy sabre. 40-50. ppl have said that it's similar to the odac. if you're in the states, I'm about to post my modi+magni combo on the for sales thread for what I feel is a reasonable price, pm me if you're interested.


----------



## chococya96

Quote: 





mreleventy said:


> m-stage I think is closest to what you're used to with the e10. as for just a inexpensive dac, looking at the hifimediy sabre. 40-50. ppl have said that it's similar to the odac. if you're in the states, I'm about to post my modi+magni combo on the for sales thread for what I feel is a reasonable price, pm me if you're interested.


 

 I was thinking of getting M-Stage initially (before getting FiiO) but the price is just too high.
   
  Unfortunately, I don't live in the states though I'd love to get a modi+magni combo.


----------



## sundancer

Hi, first post here.
   
  After reading this forum for quite some time I finally decided to go with the Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro with the FiiO e10 for my desktop. The sound of these is simply amazing, so thanks for your helpful posts! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  But there is one problem that was already mentioned. The e10 seems to go into idle when nothing is playing, so there's a delay of a few split seconds before you can hear the sound. I find it most noticeable with the windows sounds (the sound for changing directories in the explorer is completely gone). Also, for example if you listen to the Mario theme on youtube, it's extremely choppy. But if I have music on while doing something, everything is perfectly fine. I already tried disabling the option for usb idle in the energy options, that didn't help.
   
  So my main question is: Would a powered usb hub fix the problem? Or is there no way to fix it


----------



## niko96

sundancer said:


> Hi, first post here.
> 
> After reading this forum for quite some time I finally decided to go with the Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro with the FiiO e10 for my desktop. The sound of these is simply amazing, so thanks for your helpful posts!
> 
> ...



Nice, I have the same "rig"! Had you tried conecting it to a 3.0 Usb?


----------



## sundancer

Yes, I tried every port on my PC, it's the always exactly the same.


----------



## MakeNine

Quote: 





sundancer said:


> Yes, I tried every port on my PC, it's the always exactly the same.


 
   
  Try this:
   
  Control Panel - Hardware and Sound - Device Manager - Universal Serial Bus Controllers
   
  Look for 'USB Root Hub' right click and Properties
   
  Select 'Power Management' tab
   
  Uncheck 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power'
   
  You need to do this for all hubs if more than one appear.


----------



## sundancer

I checked it, but this option you mentioned was already disabled for every single hub, so still no luck. I guess my only option at this point is buying a self powered hub. I just hope it actually fixes my problem.


----------



## HolyCheese

How about an RMA?
   
  Maybe the dac itself is at fault?


----------



## Textfeud

Is there a DAC/AMP out there that is better then the Fiio E10 for around 200$?


----------



## swspiers

Great review- thanks for all the hard work!
   
  Mine should be here Wednesday.  Just looking to power iGrados and Sennheiser PX-100II's out of our PC's.  Looking forward to my fist Fiio experience.


----------



## Hal Rockwell

Help needed!!!
   
  The Fiio E10 has four 100uf electrolytic smd caps on its circuit board. Can anyone please tell me what each leg of those caps is connected to?
   
  If anyone has the schematics for the E10 it will be extremely helpful too.


----------



## Tecumseh

Hey, I was thinking about buying the Fiio E10 for my Logitech UE 600's. Fiio has 16ohm ~ 300ohm headphone impedance range but my UE 600's have 13ohm impedance. Will this cause problems?


----------



## vayuu

how much hiss do you get out of this with sensitive iems(meelec a161p)? or something like a brainwavz hm5?


----------



## jburn244

I have UE 700s and there is some hiss with those. But it's tolerable for me. I have PortaPros and Bose AE2s that don't really his with the E10.


----------



## dmng825

Hi,
  
 Is this normal when I set bitrate at 24bit/96000hz all sounds starts somehow "fading in" or something... I really can't explain, it's like a lag. But when it's on 16 bit, everything's fine. Should I be worried? I'm a total noob, I know. Just want to make sure if everything's ok.
  
 And WTH is this??!:
http://i.imgur.com/K4JagIO.jpg
  
 It was ticked only on 48khz when I first plugged in, so I left it. (it lets you tick the other ones too)


----------



## onlynormalone

swspiers said:


> Great review- thanks for all the hard work!
> 
> Mine should be here Wednesday.  Just looking to power iGrados and Sennheiser PX-100II's out of our PC's.  Looking forward to my fist Fiio experience.


 
  
 I am considering a Fiio E10 was wondering how it is with the PX100ii's?


----------



## Alamei

sundancer said:


> I checked it, but this option you mentioned was already disabled for every single hub, so still no luck. I guess my only option at this point is buying a self powered hub. I just hope it actually fixes my problem.


 
 Is your model the newest revision (with "Olympus" on the case)? I was thinking of picking one of these up, since discussion earlier in this thread made it sound like the delay issue had been resolved with v3, but now I'm worried that the issue is still present even on the latest version. Can anyone else with a recent purchase of the newest version chime in on the delay effect?


----------



## swspiers

onlynormalone said:


> I am considering a Fiio E10 was wondering how it is with the PX100ii's?


 
 I think it is a very good and sensible match.  Enough power to give them the juice they need without going overboard in money or watts.
  
 Infinitely better than the soundcard in my main PC: no noise, very clean.
  
 I do have the Olympus version, and I have never noticed a delay of any kind.


----------



## onlynormalone

swspiers said:


> I think it is a very good and sensible match.  Enough power to give them the juice they need without going overboard in money or watts.
> 
> Infinitely better than the soundcard in my main PC: no noise, very clean.
> 
> I do have the Olympus version, and I have never noticed a delay of any kind.


 
 Sweet thanks. When using headphones I want something to bypass the IDT setup on my dell.


----------



## Alamei

onlynormalone said:


> Sweet thanks. When using headphones I want something to bypass the IDT setup on my dell.


 
 I'd be interested to hear about your experience is when you get your E10 in. I use the PX 100 IIs a lot (currently just being run out of my sound card through an inline volume control), and they sound nice without any amp, so I'd like to know whether you experience a notable sound quality improvement, or if it just lets you drive them louder.
  
 Looking through some responses from FiiO in various threads, it sounds like they lowered the kick-in delay after idling from 0.7s to 0.1s with the newer models, but that the delay is still present, so it all comes down to how sensitive you are to that sort of thing. A 100ms start-up delay wouldn't really impact most music (especially if you have a continuous playlist, where you would only hit the delay on the first song), but it could definitely impact other general sounds coming from your computer, since some notifications/click sounds may only be 100-200ms long themselves.


----------



## onlynormalone

alamei said:


> I'd be interested to hear about your experience is when you get your E10 in. I use the PX 100 IIs a lot (currently just being run out of my sound card through an inline volume control), and they sound nice without any amp, so I'd like to know whether you experience a notable sound quality improvement, or if it just lets you drive them louder.
> 
> Looking through some responses from FiiO in various threads, it sounds like they lowered the kick-in delay after idling from 0.7s to 0.1s with the newer models, but that the delay is still present, so it all comes down to how sensitive you are to that sort of thing. A 100ms start-up delay wouldn't really impact most music (especially if you have a continuous playlist, where you would only hit the delay on the first song), but it could definitely impact other general sounds coming from your computer, since some notifications/click sounds may only be 100-200ms long themselves.


 
 Yeah I've heard about the delay too. I'll keep you posted.
 I'm in contemplation between the E10 and the E07K at the moment.


----------



## Arsis

alamei said:


> Is your model the newest revision (with "Olympus" on the case)? I was thinking of picking one of these up, since discussion earlier in this thread made it sound like the delay issue had been resolved with v3, but now I'm worried that the issue is still present even on the latest version. Can anyone else with a recent purchase of the newest version chime in on the delay effect?




I've had no issues with mine. loving it. I bought one for my brother too. He's had no issues either.


----------



## Alamei

arsis said:


> I've had no issues with mine. loving it. I bought one for my brother too. He's had no issues either.


 
 After reading a few other forum threads, it sounds like whether or not the delay is bothersome comes down to how sensitive the listener is to that sort of thing. When FiiO reduced the delay from 0.7s to 0.1s, it seems to have become imperceptible to 95% of users. I have a feeling that @sundancer is just one of the 5% that's bothered by the remaining 100ms delay (assuming it's on the new "Olympus" model). Unfortunately, since minor things like that tend to bother me more than most, I'm still not comfortable picking one up without being able to try it out first.


----------



## leslie5610

My audio jack on my laptop has been acting odd these days, and I'm considering either getting it fixed or just buying a usb dac. From what I've been reading, a usb DAC is much better than on board sound cards. How does the e10 pair with the GR07?


----------



## garcsa

Hi there! Does the E10 capable to play multi channel audio  files through digital coax out with my 7.1  192/24 receiver?  Thanks.


----------



## ClieOS

No, E10 only does good old fashion stereo.


----------



## garcsa

clieos said:


> No, E10 only does good old fashion stereo.


 
 Thanks, I'm just trying to listen one of mine favorite album , Dark Side Of The Moon first time in four channel version, as issued in 1973 on SQ  Quadraphonic LP....
 Never mind, anyway prefer 2 ch. regordings. Ordered.


----------



## YYZ88

It's my first time posting in this forum but I read it quite often.
  
 I want to share how I fixed the silence at beginning of sounds problem and also I think I fixed a "plop" I used to hear sometimes at the ending of some sounds (it's not actually a fix but a way to keep the Fiio constantly active).
  
 I generated a wav with silence with Audacity and played it in loop in background. That seems to be enough (at least in Mac) to keep the DAC active. So I programmed in 30 minutes a tiny app for Mac that stays at the menu bar and plays the wav infinitely.
  
 If anyone is interested in trying it out I can share a link, but the app is far from being professionally finished, it's just a small tool I build for myself.


----------



## Joo52

yyz88 said:


> It's my first time posting in this forum but I read it quite often.
> 
> I want to share how I fixed the silence at beginning of sounds problem and also I think I fixed a "plop" I used to hear sometimes at the ending of some sounds (it's not actually a fix but a way to keep the Fiio constantly active).
> 
> ...


 
 Wow that is a really ****ty way to have to solve this problem. I came here with the same issue not really expecting anyone to have known about it/addressed it. Lo and behold, the latest post on this thread is about this very issue. Have there been any solutions other than what you're doing? Is it only with a specific model (I have the one with Olympus stamped on it)?
  
 I just about went crazy with the click noise. I noticed it happened very regularly (e.g., if you pause a youtube video, it clicks at almost exactly 10 seconds thereafter) and so I figured it was some sort of issue with the design that might be fixed by a software solution. Didn't expect what you came up with. So yea, any other thoughts?
  
 EDIT: After reading through the thread a bit, I tried disabling all the USB power save options to know avail. I'm not really willing to buy a USB hub for something that ought to just work, out of the box. I sent FiiO an email about a return. We'll see how this goes...


----------



## YYZ88

joo52 said:


> Wow that is a really ****ty way to have to solve this problem. I came here with the same issue not really expecting anyone to have known about it/addressed it. Lo and behold, the latest post on this thread is about this very issue. Have there been any solutions other than what you're doing? Is it only with a specific model (I have the one with Olympus stamped on it)?
> 
> I just about went crazy with the click noise. I noticed it happened very regularly (e.g., if you pause a youtube video, it clicks at almost exactly 10 seconds thereafter) and so I figured it was some sort of issue with the design that might be fixed by a software solution. Didn't expect what you came up with. So yea, any other thoughts?
> 
> EDIT: After reading through the thread a bit, I tried disabling all the USB power save options to know avail. I'm not really willing to buy a USB hub for something that ought to just work, out of the box. I sent FiiO an email about a return. We'll see how this goes...


 

 Yeah, this solution sucks monkey butts, but it's the only one I found so far hahahah
  
 Why would a USB hub work? Should it be externally powered or just a normal USB hub?


----------



## Joo52

yyz88 said:


> Yeah, this solution sucks monkey butts, but it's the only one I found so far hahahah
> 
> Why would a USB hub work? Should it be externally powered or just a normal USB hub?


 
 If you look further back in the thread some people talk about plugging it in through an independently powered USB hub (powered by AC) to solve the issue of it essentially going into standby between inputs. I can't really say if it worked off hand, but even if it did, I'm not _that _desperate. I'd sooner get something of higher quality than worry myself with band aids.


----------



## Joo52

So I contacted FiiO customer service about possibly getting a refund for the E10 because of the popping issues that I (and YYZ88) described above, but they said that the only option would be to send it in for a repair. I said alright and checked it out with shipping companies and found that sending it to China would end up costing more than what I paid for the thing originally, so I said no thanks. They came back and said they'd send an E07K too for my troubles if I sent the E10 back for repairs. I don't really have much use for it though, so I decided to just move on from FiiO. I ordered the Schiit Magni/Modi combo to replace the E10.
  
 I can't knock FiiO customer service because they're doing what they can under the circumstances of crappy quality control, but I still don't want to have much to do with them for that same reason. Their products are great performers for the price... when they work. But when they don't, the fact that they're in China and are likely only offering those low prices because of their economy of scale and lack of quality control, it's just not worth the risk imo.
  
 That is all. Not dealing wif it.
  
 EDIT: Made a post on the next page chronicling the process of their eventually offering me a new E10 free of charge. I didn't even ask for one, but I won't say no.


----------



## ClieOS

Just an extra note - If you want a refund / return / exchange, you need to contact the seller, not FiiO. The way their business is setup is that the seller is taking the responsibility to handle everything except warranty repair. So if something is wrong when you first received your device, you ask the seller for help. That's also why it is better not to save a couple of bucks to buy FiiO from oversea seller, especially if they are not authorized dealer and tend to ignore the buyer if anything goes wrong. FiiO has no control over third party seller and the best thing FiiO can do is offering an warranty repair where you have to send the item all the way back to China.
  
 Also note that FiiO sale figure on amps is >10K a month, so there will be quite a few lemon even if the defective rate is very low.


----------



## Joo52

clieos said:


> Just an extra note - If you want a refund / return / exchange, you need to contact the seller, not FiiO. The way their business is setup is that the seller is taking the responsibility to handle everything except warranty repair. So if something is wrong when you first received your device, you ask the seller for help. That's also why it is better not to save a couple of bucks to buy FiiO from oversea seller, especially if they are not authorized dealer and tend to ignore the buyer if anything goes wrong. FiiO has no control over third party seller and the best thing FiiO can do is offering an warranty repair where you have to send the item all the way back to China.
> 
> Also note that FiiO sale figure on amps is >10K a month, so there will be quite a few lemon even if the defective rate is very low.


 
  
 Well hold the phone. After going back and forth with their customer service for a few days, they just offered to send me a new one: no charge, no sending back the defective one. That's something. They seem to be very protective of their reputation.
  
 Reason I contacted them in the first place was that the reseller I bought from had a one month return policy and the defect wasn't present till about 2 months in. They weren't considered one of their authorized resellers, so I don't know how it would have been otherwise, but their Chinese based customer service really came through. They treated it as a bit of a bargaining process, but as a result they're sending me a new E10, free of charge.
  
 I didn't really push the subject. I just said after the original "we're not going to pay the shipping" email that I was just going to buy a different product because of the shipping expense. Then they offered me a free E07K if I sent it back for repair, to which I declined. I have no use for it, didn't want to go through the shipping hassle, and figured it wasn't worth the risk to continue with FiiO products, considering my first experience (and the fact that Chinese manufacturers don't have the best reputations for quality control). After all that, they said that they'd just send me a new E10, with no charge. Can't exactly say no to that. Thus, here I am revising my opinions on their customer service. I'm not sure if the rep I was going back and forth with was essentially following a playbook for this sort of situation or if this is a unique case, but it certainly felt that they were doing everything in their power to keep me from speaking ill of their brand on the internet. The rep said "*Hope you can accept our this offer. O(∩_∩)O". *They're on a mission.
  
 Considering the circumstances, I don't really think I could have asked much more of their customer service. Pretty much as good as it gets considering that I'm on the opposite side of the world as them. I certainly don't deserve what they're giving me (because I didn't really read the fine print before buying), but they're setting things right anyhow.


----------



## Wheelzz

What issue were you having?
  
 EDIT: Don't know how to delete this.


----------



## Wheelzz

obazavil said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 What was the issue you had with your one defective unit? Was it a touchy/static headphone jack?


----------



## bobcow120

How's the E10 for driving the DT880 pro. Would I be better off getting the magni/modi


----------



## Joo52

bobcow120 said:


> How's the E10 for driving the DT880 pro. Would I be better off getting the magni/modi


 
 I was using the E10 with DT990 250ohm headphones and it was definitely loud enough. You wouldn't ever want to to go all the way to the max gain after flipping the "high gain" switch. On the low gain setting, the max volume is very loud, but tolerable.


----------



## isagreg

*Quick question:*
  
 My E10 is connected to my desktop at work, which is always on.
 The E10 doesn't have an ON/OFF switch, the only way to disconnect it is to pull the USB cable out.
*Is it OK to leave E10 ON for 24/7?*
  
 Thanks.


----------



## bobcow120

It should be fine to leave on 24/7 since it's SS


----------



## isagreg

Thanks
  
 SS - Solid State?


----------



## alterndog

So I am looking at the Fiio e10. I have an opportunity to get one for $45. I was also looking at the audioquest dragonfly for $100. Which would you guys suggest is a better buy?


----------



## isagreg

alterndog said:


> So I am looking at the Fiio e10. I have an opportunity to get one for $45. I was also looking at the audioquest dragonfly for $100. Which would you guys suggest is a better buy?


 

 Where can you buy E10 for $45?


----------



## alterndog

isagreg said:


> Where can you buy E10 for $45?


 
  
 Off of craigslist. Going to check it out tomorrow to check if it works and if it's a genuine product (product verify it on fiio's website)


----------



## bobcow120

I'd think the E10 is since it seems to already be a good value even at it's regular price of ~$75


----------



## Oregonian

bobcow120 said:


> I'd think the E10 is since it seems to already be a good value even at it's regular price of ~$75




For sure. I'm running mine --->PC--->E-10--->Realistic vintage receiver--->Denon D600 phones. Outstanding synergy. I love this little DAC. Used to use it as an amp too, and was very happy with it and that bass boost thumps for such a little unit.


----------



## isagreg

I have a real problem here with E10:
  
 The E10 is connected to my desktop. It worked great all day. Last night I shut down my PC and E10 turned off by itself as well.
 This morning I tried to start my PC, the fans start, the E10 blue light comes on, but after that the PC just hangs. As soon as I disconnect the E10 the PC starts normally.
  
 What should I do? How can I solve this problem?
  
 Thanks


----------



## bobcow120

Try disconnecting the E10 when you're turning on the computer then plugging it in after it turns on?


----------



## isagreg

bobcow120 said:


> Try disconnecting the E10 when you're turning on the computer then plugging it in after it turns on?


 

 That's the only way I can make it work, but it's not a solution. I wanna connect it and leave it on and forget about it.
 Any more ideas?


----------



## isagreg

I flashed the BIOS of my motherboard.
 And it took care of the problem I had with FiiO E10.

 EVERYTHING WORKS NOW!


----------



## guywithtwohands

Just got mine today. The sound quality definitely seems better/clearer with more detail than my Xonar DG. I have one issue, though. The infamous "popping", or "crackling", is present. It seems to occur at relatively random intervals, possibly only when there is no other audio playing (or it's just because I can't hear it with other audio playing - EDIT: The popping/crackling is present even with audio playing). Mostly it's a relatively quiet kind of crackle, so it doesn't bother me that much right now (ok, maybe a bit), but it's still a little disappointing.
  
 Any ideas? I'm running an i7-2600k, so it definitely shouldn't be a CPU issue (~5% CPU usage when I've checked while listening via the E10). I think I'll just have to live with it until I decide/can afford to get a better amplifier. Don't think I'm gonna bother with expensive return shipping which might not even get me what I want (judging from other, older posts I've seen) - not for an item at this price at least. I'll try it on my laptop later and see if it yields the same result.
  
 EDIT:
  
 So that's odd... Tried another pair of headphones + some in-ear ones. No popping sound. Huh. I have no issues with the pair I primarily use if I plug them into my sound card. Also just tried plugging them into my phone - works fine. So I plugged them back into the E10, and for over 5 minutes I have heard nothing at all. So uh...
 -------
 I just realised that I'm an idiot who let the cable rest close to/on top of my network switch... Moved it after plugging the headphones into the phone. Now there's nothing... Upon moving the cable close to the switch again, it happens within a couple of seconds... So yeah, interference... Disregard everything I said, I suppose. No reason at all for me to get mad!


----------



## Sasasd

I got mine today. Compared to Xonar DGX it's not day and night difference but I didn't expect that. I still think I could say which I'm listening with blind test. Bass is so much better with Ultrasone 580s, I can hear 20 Hz now  After I find good EQ settings it will be much better. And no hiss nor other weird sounds. Headphone jack is very tight. I can say I'm pretty happy.
  
 With 100% Windows volume I could only go max 2 on volume pot, reduced to 50%... Cannot hear difference still.


----------



## atarim

Got mine yesterday. Using with sens hd518. First impression vs my ****y creative sound card - not that big of the difference really. But then I think that I equalized the **** of my creative card, commited few days to get every frequenze right for my 518 and e10 reproduce the same sound with better clarity (fiio e10 to my ears sounds very very clean, no his or diz) without any equalization software. So yay for that. Second, creative stuggled to power 518, I almost always was listening to it at almost full volume and e10 is powering it without any problemo. The weekend is ahead so I will try to equalize the **** of e10 and see that I will it sound then. Cheers.


----------



## atarim

Well, what can I say... After an evening playing with fiio e10 I got first wow then listening for my 518 in a long time. My creative equalization setup works miracles to it. Soundstage opened up, vocals got foward and sounds very clean, bass tightened up ( I use bass boost on fiio e10). Very nice upgrade from my sound card. Looking to upgrade my 518 to dt 770, so I'll see what happens when


----------



## SteamLocomotive

I just received my brand new E10 Olympus a couple of days ago and right from the start I noticed there was a delay on the audio signal. As far as I have understood by reading from this thread, the Olympus should be Fiio's newest revision of the E10 and that the delay problem should have been fixed on this model. The delay that occurs on my unit is not the usual 0.7ms but rather 0.2s. I came to this result by playing around in Audacity, trying to measure the length of the delay. Additionally I have tested the unit in both OS X 10.9 and Windows 8, running on the same machine, tweaking at the audio settings but with the same result. My current conclusion is that the device is faulty and I should have it replaced by Amazon where I bought it, but what are your thoughts on this matter?


----------



## PurpleAngel

There is a rumor going around that the E10 is being discontinued, any truth to that?


----------



## ClieOS

purpleangel said:


> There is a rumor going around that the E10 is being discontinued, any truth to that?


 
  
 I don't know any discontinuation, but I think it is probably due for an updated version. FiiO usually keeps a 2 years update scheme for their models.


----------



## Gregory_WE

According to here (http://www.head-fi.org/t/710952/what-happened-to-the-fiio-e10) the word is that the E10k will be out in the middle of this year.
  
 I was looking around and noticed that the E10 was becoming hard to find. I may have to buy another one because the jack broke on my E10 and I had to ship it back to Fiio in China for repair, and that was over 2 months ago and they haven't received it, so who knows what happened.


----------



## SSSN

I've ordered an E10 explicitly described as "Olympus" from Accessoryjack and after concerns about genuinity, I wrote them an email. The support sent me a picture of an E10 from their stock that has gold-plated jacks but no Olympus writing on the unit itself nor mention of this word on its box or its manual. I'm really worried now that I will get an older batch of the item and all its issues. Or, god beware, even a fake product. Now, question is: Is there an official batch of "golden" Fiios without being explicitly called Olympus?


----------



## YYZ88

yyz88 said:


> It's my first time posting in this forum but I read it quite often.
> 
> I want to share how I fixed the silence at beginning of sounds problem and also I think I fixed a "plop" I used to hear sometimes at the ending of some sounds (it's not actually a fix but a way to keep the Fiio constantly active).
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm quoting myself to let you all know that I made the tool a little bit better so I could release it. It's only for Mac OS X, so anyone with this OS and a problematic Fiio E10 might want to give it a try. It's been working great for me so far.
  
 Here is the link to the project: https://github.com/danieldabate/FiioE10Fixer
 And here the download link: https://sourceforge.net/projects/fiioe10fixer/
  
 Hope it helps someone else!


----------



## _PsiFire_

gregory_we said:


> According to here (http://www.head-fi.org/t/710952/what-happened-to-the-fiio-e10) the word is that the E10k will be out in the middle of this year.
> 
> I was looking around and noticed that the E10 was becoming hard to find. I may have to buy another one because the jack broke on my E10 and I had to ship it back to Fiio in China for repair, and that was over 2 months ago and they haven't received it, so who knows what happened.


 
 Funny to see this, the jack on my unit broke last week... For the past few months actually, I was hearing the hiss people complain about - which I found odd because I didn't have the hiss for a year. Last week all of a sudden I lost the right channel so when I opened it up I noticed the crappy glue Fiio uses to hold the jack down more securely had cracked; one solder point was loose and another broken right at the jack.
  
 You should see my unit now, I epoxy'd the jack down so that it's resting on the solder points perfectly.
  
 The copper ring also broke so I broke it off, bought me a splitter and epoxy'd THAT onto the front.
  
 I figured, what the hell..  I'll do a cheap $5 job and try to fix it or end up buying another DAC that I can use at work.
  
 If/when I ever buy a new E10K I'll be sure to open it right away and epoxy the jacks down so the weak points in the unit are rock solid.


----------



## MuZo2

I am having problems with headphone out the channels are mixed, doesnt happen with line out.


----------



## Gregory_WE

_psifire_ said:


> Funny to see this, the jack on my unit broke last week... For the past few months actually, I was hearing the hiss people complain about - which I found odd because I didn't have the hiss for a year. Last week all of a sudden I lost the right channel so when I opened it up I noticed the crappy glue Fiio uses to hold the jack down more securely had cracked; one solder point was loose and another broken right at the jack.
> 
> You should see my unit now, I epoxy'd the jack down so that it's resting on the solder points perfectly.
> 
> ...


 
  
 The sense that I got from talking with FiiO and the little bit of info they were willing to disclose was that the E10k should be more durable and reliable. It remains to be seen whether there will be any DAC or amp changes. Expect it to be out later this year.


----------



## PurpleAngel

Wish there was more info on the E10K.


----------



## ClieOS

purpleangel said:


> Wish there was more info on the E10K.


 
  
 Micro USB input, different DAC chip, similar outer design, better headphone amp section.


----------



## Abouna

Is it just my experience or is the E10 really fussy? 
  
 I bought mine in 2012 and have loved it.  Other than a dirty volume pot (which I'm not sure how to fix) it's never had a problem.
  
 Now I build a new PC and it's skipping and dropping all over the place.  I've moved it away from the PC and it improved.  I also discovered that having my headphone cable touching the USB cable was causing drops.  It seems totally stable now but I had no idea it was so touchy.
  
 I'd love to have a more robust desktop DAC/Amp.  Something with a little more body.


----------



## ClieOS

abouna said:


> Is it just my experience or is the E10 really fussy?
> 
> I bought mine in 2012 and have loved it.  Other than a dirty volume pot (which I'm not sure how to fix) it's never had a problem.
> 
> ...


 
  
 For volume pot - disconnect the E10, turns the pot all the way up, then all the way down. Repeat for a minute or two, then connect back and see if it improves.


----------



## Abouna

clieos said:


> For volume pot - disconnect the E10, turns the pot all the way up, then all the way down. Repeat for a minute or two, then connect back and see if it improves.


 

 Thanks, will do.
  
 Unfortunately I spoke too soon.  Still getting drops and skips.  It;s really maddening!


----------



## VXAce

abouna said:


> Thanks, will do.
> 
> Unfortunately I spoke too soon.  Still getting drops and skips.  It;s really maddening!


 
 Have you checked the cables? And the motherboard? I do recall there being a problem with new "power-saving" functions on newer motherboards that won't power a DAC or amp properly. Someone I know has problems with the Schiit Modi because of that.


----------



## Abouna

I've checked everything.  It's driving me nuts.  I never had this problem before.


----------



## Crzomgwtf

Maybe its a sign!


----------



## ClieOS

abouna said:


> I've checked everything.  It's driving me nuts.  I never had this problem before.


 
  
 If it happens right after you leave the PC for awhile then came back, then it could very well be the power saving mode. There is no way around that but by putting a self-powered USB hub between the DAC and the PC.


----------



## PurpleAngel

Any recent news on the E10K?


----------



## Abouna

clieos said:


> If it happens right after you leave the PC for awhile then came back, then it could very well be the power saving mode. There is no way around that but by putting a self-powered USB hub between the DAC and the PC.


 
 I hope your'e wrong.  The whole point of an external DAC/AMP is to avoid this crap!


----------



## ClieOS

abouna said:


> I hope your'e wrong.  The whole point of an external DAC/AMP is to avoid this crap!


 
  
 Well, you can complain it to Microsoft. But they probably will just ignore you since this is a known issue from the Vista time.


----------



## 80smusicboy

I just noticed that when I connect or disconnect the analog line out cable while listening through the headphone output the sound fails, like it would if I was partially removing the headphone plug. Is this normal?


----------



## adyra

Anyone manage to diy the jack problem? Replacing the jack? Mine out of warranty...


----------



## PurpleAngel

purpleangel said:


> Any recent news on the E10K?


 
 Any resent news on the FiiO E10K?


----------



## ClieOS

purpleangel said:


> Any resent news on the FiiO E10K?


 
  
 Better ask FiiO directly. I have tested the prototype and I can say I am quite happy with it, which I think it is a more mature sounding product compared to the original E10. It is not a revolution but it is an evolution.


----------



## PurpleAngel

I'm guessing FiiO will not be releasing any info on the new E10K until they have it in production.
 Just hate the wait.


----------



## Crzomgwtf

Yup, just have to wait for the official announcement of announcement.


----------



## ClieOS

Well, mostly they are trying to avoid giving the impression of hunger marketing. So now they prefer to announce when the products is fully ready to hit the market.


----------



## PurpleAngel

clieos said:


> Well, mostly they are trying to avoid giving the impression of hunger marketing. So now they prefer to announce when the products is fully ready to hit the market.


 
  
 I have no want or need to buy the new E10K, but part of me really want to see reviews on it (when it on the market).


----------



## PurpleAngel

The new Fiio E10K is now listed on FiiO website
 http://fiio.net/products/index.aspx?ID=100000059783139&MenuID=105026003


----------



## Saraguie

purpleangel said:


> The new Fiio E10K is now listed on FiiO website
> http://fiio.net/products/index.aspx?ID=100000059783139&MenuID=105026003



For its category It looks like they took an already nice gear (I have) and made it better.


----------



## ClieOS

saraguie said:


> For its category It looks like they took an already nice gear (I have) and made it better.


 
  
 Yes, that's exactly what E10K is about.


----------



## Kangman

Hello everyone, I've spent the last day trying to search for a solution over the internet and I can't find one with my situation and I came across this forum and it seems some people may have had a similar issue.

I just bought a new pair of Kraken Pro Headphones and it sounds amazing. However, whenever it is plugged into the Headphone Output of my Fiio E10 while the Mic is connected to the Mic input of my PC (mobo) it gives a buzzing noise regardless of volume setting on either the Fiio and PC OR Default sound selection in windows settings for that matter.

Whenever I unplug the Mic the noise completely disappears, however I want to use my Headphone DAC/AMP while the Mic is plugged in. 
Another thing to note, if I completely do not use the Fiio E10 and just plug in the headphones directly to the PC's mic input and sound output everything is fine. (So it can't be the Headphones? Maybe its the E10 causing the issue)

Some more information: 
- If the PC is shutoff but still powered I still hear the buzzing noise. 
- Used a different PC (Laptop) I get the same but it is white noise instead of buzzing
- I've used the same setup with a different pair of Headphones (Steelseries H7) and it is fine. (But wait I thought the headphones are not the problem?)
- If I plug my Fiio E10 to a different usb port I get whitenoise instead of the buzzing
- If I use the line out instead of the headphone out of the E10 It works fine. But then it is not using the AMP and I cannot use volume or bass boost on the E10.

I suspect that my kraken headphones are picking up electrical interference going around between the sound output via the Fiio E10's headphone AMP, mobo, and mic input.

I am trying to determine what exactly is causing the noise so that I can replace that component but due to the combinations that I listed above it can be anything.

Unfortunately I do not have another DAC/AMP to test if that is causing the issue. 

Thanks for reading and I hope someone has some suggestions on what I can do going forward.


----------



## ClieOS

The problem is probably caused by the different ground of the two devices (the E10's USB and the mic's port) shorting out in the headphones' internal wiring. Other headphone's mic can have a separated ground wiring and therefore doesn't have any problem. Anyway, I don't think there is a fix if that's the problem.


----------



## Michael1026

I have a question. If I go to playback devices, my E10, properties, then advanced, I have an option for "Default Format". It's currently at "2 channel, 16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD quality)". Should I change this? Or leave it how it is?


----------



## ClieOS

michael1026 said:


> I have a question. If I go to playback devices, my E10, properties, then advanced, I have an option for "Default Format". It's currently at "2 channel, 16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD quality)". Should I change this? Or leave it how it is?


 
  
 Just select the highest sampling rate and you are good to go.


----------



## Michael1026

clieos said:


> Just select the highest sampling rate and you are good to go.


 
 Thank you for the reply. Would you recommend changing any other settings for the best results?


----------



## ClieOS

michael1026 said:


> Thank you for the reply. Would you recommend changing any other settings for the best results?


 
  
 Not really. Having the highest sampling rate is usually the best setting.


----------



## mindbomb

michael1026 said:


> I have a question. If I go to playback devices, my E10, properties, then advanced, I have an option for "Default Format". It's currently at "2 channel, 16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD quality)". Should I change this? Or leave it how it is?


 
 Use a wasapi plugin that allows you to use exclusive mode. That makes this option not relevant. Most video and all popular audio software should have that.
  
  
 Though in general, do select 24 bit if the dac supports 24 bit. The sampling rate option will resample everything that uses a shared renderer.  If you have to resample and use a shared renderer, there are excellent plugins for that for most players. Just make sure it is the same as the windows setting so you arent resampling twice.


----------



## desaturated

Hi does Fiio E10K works well for IEM like the RE-400?


----------



## Arsis

desaturated said:


> Hi does Fiio E10K works well for IEM like the RE-400?



i don't have re-400 but it sounds great with my ttpod t1e iem's.


----------



## swspiers

Wow.  I'm having a great experience with the E10 running the HFM HE-400i's for the past couple of weeks.  I have not used my main rig since then.
  
 What a great amp/dac.  I'm really impressed. Again.
  
 oh yeah- yesterday it did a respectable job with the Alpha Dogs at low volume.


----------



## Trunksleo

Would you recommend this for krk rp5??? or its better some DAC?? My budget is 200u$s.


----------



## Neccros

trunksleo said:


> Would you recommend this for krk rp5??? or its better some DAC?? My budget is 200u$s.


 
 I stopped using my E10 due to scratchy background noise and degrading quality while using it... I LOVE my Audioengine D1 as a comparable DAC/Amp


----------



## swspiers

neccros said:


> I stopped using my E10 due to scratchy background noise and degrading quality while using it... I LOVE my Audioengine D1 as a comparable DAC/Amp


 

 Hate to admit it, but after about a year and half, I'm getting some distortion and noise as well.
  
 Oh well, for the price it was fun. But I see a Schiit Fulla in my future.


----------



## Neccros

swspiers said:


> Hate to admit it, but after about a year and half, I'm getting some distortion and noise as well.
> 
> Oh well, for the price it was fun. But I see a Schiit Fulla in my future.


 
  
 I just end up unplugging it and plugging it back in and it seems to clear up but I still hear random background distortion. Its sad I was hoping to support this company more.  They offered to test my 2 DACs but I don't know if I want to bother paying to stick them on the slow boat to China (Or Taiwan) to have them fix it.
  
 Brian


----------



## swspiers

neccros said:


> I just end up unplugging it and plugging it back in and it seems to clear up but I still hear random background distortion. Its sad I was hoping to support this company more.  They offered to test my 2 DACs but I don't know if I want to bother paying to stick them on the slow boat to China (Or Taiwan) to have them fix it.
> 
> Brian


 

 Naah.  I never ignore an opportunity to buy new gear  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 edit: I have nothing against FiiO.  That was a year and 1/2 of heavy use and abuse.


----------



## Bboy500

Sooo I think my FiiO E10 is unusable at this point...
  
 I started having issues with it recently that no matter what volume setting, it always seemed to randomly start playing at the loudest volume. I got around that by just twisting the knob to max and controlling it through my sound in Windows. Now it's randomly shutting down USB ports.
  
 If I plug this in a USB port, it will work for all of about 5 seconds, turn off and anything plugged in the USB Port after it will not work. Restarting the PC causes the USB to be functional again, but I cannot even plug this in anymore without it shutting down the port.
  
 Anything I can do or am I out of luck?
  
 Had this for about a year, year and a half? Love this little thing


----------



## Neccros

I have a couple of E10's Im not really using if you think you want to buy one.
  
 I got a Audioengine D1 from another member here and been pretty happy with it.


----------



## myemaildw

swspiers said:


> Hate to admit it, but after about a year and half, I'm getting some distortion and noise as well.
> 
> Oh well, for the price it was fun. But I see a Schiit Fulla in my future.


 

 does it include e10k or only older version of the dac? do you think that fulla shiit is a better dac in comparison to e10k? thanks


----------



## TheGiantHogweed

I have been using the E10 for about a year now. Before I was using the E11 with the D03K DAC. The E10 does sound a little better than that did but strangely the E11 sounds even better than the E10 does when it is connected to the line out of the E10. The E11 seems to boost the lower end bass.
 What I really like about the E10 is how good the line out is. I have it at my desk and I have my amplifier and speakers plugged into it. They sound much better than they did before. At the moment I have a splitter in the line out. One going to my amplifier and speakers and the other is just an audio cable that I use with my E11. Another useful thing about the E10 is that the line out can also be used as an aux-in for some reason. I can plug that cable into my FiiO X3 and use the E10 as my headphone amplifier. So long as it is still powered by my computer, that seems to work really well.


----------



## PeterMac

I have question does it normal behavior in this amp that I hear both sounds from Windows and from ASIO ?
 When playing through ASIO Driver Status in driver showing Active but still I can play something from Windows sound and hear them both.


----------



## TheGiantHogweed

My E10 is now starting to do strange things. Often, just moving my headphone jack, I get quite a lot of crackling. Also, when I move the volume pot or even just touch it, I seem to hear all this strange hissing and interference. Even when my computer is left alone not doing anything, I keep hearing some quiet sounds that I can't really describe. It is just starting to sound a bit more like listening to my headphones directly from my PC. It used to be totally quiet with no background hiss at all. What is most strange though is that this problem comes and goes. The other day, it was so bad that if I touched any metal part of the X3, I would hear interference.
  
 The sound quality is still as good as it was though.
  
 What worries me more it what happened with my FiiO X3 the other day. While listening to my X3 at the same time as it being on charge, I just happened to gently contact metal to metal with the E10 and normally, nothing should happen. My X3 got forced off and I heard a loud pop through my headphones. That was either my X3 being sensitive or more likely, my E10 becoming faulty. I will just have to see how I get along with it.
  
 My E10 is about 18 months old now but it is the only FiiO device that I have had big problems with. I have had my E11 for about twice as long and it is much more cheaply made and is covered in dents and yet is still working fine.


----------



## Neccros

My 2 E10's dont sound that great so I gave up on them.  I dont feel like mailing them to China to be looked at so I am sticking to my Audioengine D1 
  
 They tend to get scratchy after being on pause so then I have to disconnect the USB and reconnect it.... its a pain in the ass Im sick of dealing with it...


----------



## TheGiantHogweed

Does anyone else have issues with the E10 in a USB 3.0 port? When I had just given my PC a blow out to remove the dust, I put everything back as normal but I couldn't remember if I had my E10 in a USB 2 or 3 port. I put it in USB 3 and my PC was just totally unresponsive. (mouse and keyboard wouldn't do anything) My computer is a few years old and didn't come with USB 3 so I had to install that separately. However, it really doesn't work with it which makes me wonder how the E10 works with more up to date PCs/laptops that only have USB 3. Unless it is the USB 3 I installed that was causing the issue.
  
 This problem isn't to do with the fact the my computer was dusty at all though as it is clean now..
  
  
  
 Another issue I am having with my E10 is the amount of crackling when turning the volume dial when music is playing. It is so loud and distorts the music at times.
 Shame my E10 is having issues so soon. I haven't had it that long.


----------



## Hudson

Anyone have issues with crackling when adjusting the volume on these? I bought one about 6 months ago as my MB PSU is very noisy.
 Anyway, this hasn't really had much use, but this crackling is very annoying, any common fault?


----------



## TheGiantHogweed

hudson said:


> Anyone have issues with crackling when adjusting the volume on these? I bought one about 6 months ago as my MB PSU is very noisy.
> Anyway, this hasn't really had much use, but this crackling is very annoying, any common fault?


 
  
 If you look at my posts towards the bottom of page 87, you will see my issues with it. It seems to have been better over the past week though.
  
 The good thing is that is still sounds very good but just when I am not moving the dial. It sometimes makes some very loud crackling then turning the dial as you say.


----------



## Hudson

Yes the thing sounds fine, but the whole reason I bought it was to reduce noise. And here I am with a noisy volume knob.
 This it the second fiio product that has died prematurely on me, and will be the last product I buy from this company. Not impressed.


----------



## TheGiantHogweed

hudson said:


> Yes the thing sounds fine, but the whole reason I bought it was to reduce noise. And here I am with a noisy volume knob.
> This it the second fiio product that has died prematurely on me, and will be the last product I buy from this company. Not impressed.


 

 I think you have just been unluckey. What was your other FiiO product?
  
 I have have the E5, E10 E11, D03K and the X3 all by FiiO and they are still all working fine accept the odd noise issue with my E10. FiiO are getting much better with their customer service. I had an issue with my E11 the first year I got it and it got sorted out. My E11 is now several years old and looks pretty damaged, dented and scratched but it is still working fine.
  
 The one thing that is a shame is the 1 year warranty on FiiO products.
  
 You could try sending FiiO an e-mail about your issue even if it is out of warranty and see what they say. I am sure they will reply.
  
 Try e-mailing: support@fiio.net


----------



## ClieOS

hudson said:


> Anyone have issues with crackling when adjusting the volume on these? I bought one about 6 months ago as my MB PSU is very noisy.
> Anyway, this hasn't really had much use, but this crackling is very annoying, any common fault?


 
  
 It is fairly common when a potentiometer being stored for awhile or not used very often that oxidation will develop on its conductive membrane that will cause 'noise' when use. Just do this: disconnect the E10, turn the pot from one end to the other, then back. Repeat for 1 minutes or two. Check and see if it helps.


----------



## TheGiantHogweed

clieos said:


> It is fairly common when a potentiometer being stored for awhile or not used very often that oxidation will develop on its conductive membrane that will cause 'noise' when use. Just do this: disconnect the E10, turn the pot from one end to the other, then back. Repeat for 1 minutes or two. Check and see if it helps.


 

 That is strange! I have just tried what you suggested and it seems to have removed all the crackling when moving the dial. It seemed to be worse when music was playing as when I moved the dial, it sounded like it was distorting the music. Now I have done as you said, I don't get any of this irritating crackling when adjusting the volume while listening to my music.
  
 I will have to remember that this sometimes can help


----------



## ClieOS

thegianthogweed said:


> That is strange! I have just tried what you suggested and it seems to have removed all the crackling when moving the dial. It seemed to be worse when music was playing as when I moved the dial, it sounded like it was distorting the music. Now I have done as you said, I don't get any of this irritating crackling when adjusting the volume while listening to my music.
> 
> I will have to remember that this sometimes can help


 
  
 It is a good habit to occasionally turn the volume pot from end to end just to keep it 'healthy', so to speak, even though you might not use the whole range of the pot.


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## Hudson

thegianthogweed said:


> I think you have just been unluckey. What was your other FiiO product?
> 
> I have have the E5, E10 E11, D03K and the X3 all by FiiO and they are still all working fine accept the odd noise issue with my E10. FiiO are getting much better with their customer service. I had an issue with my E11 the first year I got it and it got sorted out. My E11 is now several years old and looks pretty damaged, dented and scratched but it is still working fine.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 My previous one was an e7 I think. Similar dac/amp, the display died on that one, along with one of the volume buttons.
 I'm living on a different continent to where I bought the e10, so I don't think I'll bother trying to return it. Cheers anyway.
  


clieos said:


> It is fairly common when a potentiometer being stored for awhile or not used very often that oxidation will develop on its conductive membrane that will cause 'noise' when use. Just do this: disconnect the E10, turn the pot from one end to the other, then back. Repeat for 1 minutes or two. Check and see if it helps.


 
  
 Thanks for the suggestion, but alas, no luck. As a last resort I think I'll take it to work, dismantle it and give it the beans with the compressed nitrogen gun.
 Cheers


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## TheGiantHogweed

My computer is several years old now and it didn't come with USB 3. The E10 however makes my computer totally unresponsive when plugged into a USB 3 port. Even the data cable won't work with any USB 2 device if plugged unto a USB 3 port. So something makes my think that the E10 and it's cable was designed to work with USB 2 only.
  
 If I use another Mini USB cable in a USB 3 port with a different device, that works fine. They all just don't like the FiiO cable if it is in USB 3.
  
  
 I will keep using the cable for other things but I will just have to remember that both the E10 and the cable don't like USB 3.
  
 Has anyone else has this issue?
  
 This is the USB 3 card I use if it is useful to know:
  
 http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005LV3Z0A?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00


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## ClieOS

thegianthogweed said:


> My computer is several years old now and it didn't come with USB 3. The E10 however makes my computer totally unresponsive when plugged into a USB 3 port. Even the data cable won't work with any USB 2 device if plugged unto a USB 3 port. So something makes my think that the E10 and it's cable was designed to work with USB 2 only.
> 
> If I use another Mini USB cable in a USB 3 port with a different device, that works fine. They all just don't like the FiiO cable if it is in USB 3.
> 
> ...


 
  
 It is a known issue for some USB 3.0 controller to be very buggy with USB DAC.


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## Dimon Hell

Will be E10K better choise over E10?


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## TheGiantHogweed

dimon hell said:


> Will be E10K better choise over E10?


 

 FiiO claim the E10k is better and I somehow thing it will be too. For me, the E10's volume pot crackles quite lot at times when just touching it. It could be something they have improved with
 the newer E10k.


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## myemaildw

thegianthogweed said:


> FiiO claim the E10k is better and I somehow thing it will be too. For me, the E10's volume pot crackles q lot at times when just touching it. It could be something they have improved with
> 
> the newer E10k.



My e10k didnt make any noise when touch, thats the reason i bought external dac cause my macbook kept making noises when connected to charger. my iphone still makes hum when connected to charger and speakers, not on iems though.


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## TheGiantHogweed

I have recently bought a new desktop PC and I seem to hear what my PC is doing through my E10. Every time I open a program, I hear a a whole load of popping, crackling and hissing. It reminds my of the sounds my old laptop made when it was working hard. The E10 didn't have this problem with my old desktop PC. The USB 3.0 on this new one seems to bring all the PC noise to the E10. It is very noticeable throught the line out going to my amplifier and hi-fi speakers. Not quite as much with my headphones using the E10 headphone amplifier.

Does anyone know why this could be? I also have the FiiO D03K and I notices that it made a big difference to the sound depending on where I plugged the USB cable to power it into. If I plugged that into my PC, The sound from the DAC had similar sounds to what my PC produces now. If I plugged the DAC into a my portable USB charger, that seemed to be the quietest option.

However with the E10, I have not other option as the input for the sound and the power is the same mini USB cable that pluggs into my PC. I just don't know why this PC lets so much more of the internal noise go thought the USB ports compared to my old one. I also thought the E10s job it to filter this noise out. I'm not really sure what could be a better option.


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## Neccros

thegianthogweed said:


> I have recently bought a new desktop PC and I seem to hear what my PC is doing through my E10. Every time I open a program, I hear a a whole load of popping, crackling and hissing. It reminds my of the sounds my old laptop made when it was working hard. The E10 didn't have this problem with my old desktop PC. The USB 3.0 on this new one seems to bring all the PC noise to the E10. It is very noticeable throught the line out going to my amplifier and hi-fi speakers. Not quite as much with my headphones using the E10 headphone amplifier.
> 
> Does anyone know why this could be? I also have the FiiO D03K and I notices that it made a big difference to the sound depending on where I plugged the USB cable to power it into. If I plugged that into my PC, The sound from the DAC had similar sounds to what my PC produces now. If I plugged the DAC into a my portable USB charger, that seemed to be the quietest option.
> 
> However with the E10, I have not other option as the input for the sound and the power is the same mini USB cable that pluggs into my PC. I just don't know why this PC lets so much more of the internal noise go thought the USB ports compared to my old one. I also thought the E10s job it to filter this noise out. I'm not really sure what could be a better option.


 
 My first experience was with 2 E10's and I had nothing but noticeable noise and Fiio was being difficult about helping me with them. So since then I have moved on to better brands for the same or slightly more money and couldn't of been happier...  
  
 Got a Audioengine D1 from a Head-fi member for $50 and it changed what I used on a daily basis... The E10's are collecting dust in the bottom of my trashcan.
  
 I recently picked up a Objective2/ODAC combo and love this even MORE than the D1, but the D1 is still my go to at work or on my laptop...
  
 Sure this is more than the E10 but even used I've seen these for about 180 which isn't bad for the level of amp/DAC your getting... Heck you can build one yourself for less money still...
  
 Bottom line is there are better options out there w/o killing your wallet. Just need to look.


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