# [REVIEW] Fiio E17 - A Very Solid Little Device



## Swimsonny

*Fiio E17 USB DAC and Portable Amplifier Review *
   
*Introduction:*
   
  Fiio are one of the biggest brands in the industry regarding audio enthusiasts. I say one of the biggest because although they are no household brand along with the likes of Sennheiser, every real audio enthusiast will have had an item of theirs along the way even if just one of their extremely cheap interconnects. They are generally a budget company that concentrates on amps and DACs and has a great reputation for them.
   
  Well this is there current flagship USB DAC and portable headphone amplifier. It boasts a lot of features, a great looking design and to compliment this a cheap price at around £90. Anyway I am going to be telling you all about it now so lets skip the small talk and get on with this review.
   
   
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*Authenticity:*
   
  Lately Fiio have had so problem with counterfeits of their products (another sign they are a big company) so they have established a method to let you distinguish if your Fiio product is real so I though as I am doing a review of this product and this a brand new feature, why not give it a try and let you know how it worked. First you scratch (like a scratch card) the Fiio scratch query next to the barcode and you will get a 20 digit number. You then have to take this over to the Fiio website and enter it in. After you input it, you get a little smiley face to confirm it is genuine and if we get a sad face then that is not good. It worked smoothly and is handy to confirm if yours is real or not quickly.
   
   
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*Accessories:*
   
  You do get a nice bunch of accessories inside the rather low profile packaging, in fact I would go as far as saying that they spoil you. First off the amp comes in a nice little velvet pouch so that you can store it somewhere safe. First off we get some nice little screen protectors, you know like the ones that you can get for your phone and just stop scratches. It was really welcome because I had not idea that the E17 would come with these and I will not complain that you get them.
   
  Secondly as one of the many things this can do is be a portable amp, you get two rubber bands branded with Fiio so that you can easily connect your DAP (whatever it be) to the E17 and so that they stay together.
   
  As the E17 has so many features and inputs/outputs we get some adapters including a Coaxial one and a RCA adapter.
   
  Fiio are kind enough to also include one of there interconnects (mini to mini/3.5mm to 3.5mm) so that right out of the box we can get rocking with this as an amp. Also we need to charge this and connect it to USB so we also get a USB to mini USB cable.
   
  Lastly we get some little rubber feet which is for if you intend to use this solely as a desktop USB DAC which I have not decided too do so I have not given the feet any use yet but if this was your aim for the E17 then they would really be great.
   
   
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*Design and Features:*
   
  Well where do we start on this section, I really do not know as there is so much. I will highly recommend watching my guide video for all of the features as it will make a lot more sense.
   
  Basically one of my favourite things about this is the OLED screen because it makes something that could be complicated, simple. On the edges of the E17 we have a mini USB input, AUX input and the Fiio dock for use with the E09K on the bottom, on the side we have a LO bypass for use with the E09K and on the top we have a Headphone out, SPDIF input and finally a reset button. Then on the face of the E17 we have On/exit button that turns it on with a click and off when you hold it. It has a blue ring around it when on, purple when charging and both when doing both. It also acts as the exit or back button when in the menu. I will get back to the menu in a second but the other buttons are input, which cycles through the input options you have with this device (Auxillary, USB, Coaxial and Optical) that is a nifty feature. You then have a hold switch that works like the lock switch on the iPods and disables all of the devices buttons. You then have the menu button that takes you into the menu. In the menu you use the + and – buttons (which otherwise control volume) to navigate through the menu and then select options once in the menu.
   

   
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  In the menu you have the following options:
·      System – This is where you can go back from your settings to the default ones.
·      Treble and Bass – You can EQ up and down 10 db each way. However the bass distorts after adding very little and is only really usable at 2 or 4 db. Treble is a little better however but gets sibilant when you hit 6 db with most earphones.
·      Balance – This is a cross feed setting in which you can send the music to a specific channel until it is pretty much either just right or just left.
·      Gain – This is the gain setting and you effectively have a gain of 0, 6 and 12 which as you can guess is super handy as they can work with al ranges of headphones.
·      USB CHG – This is whether you want the device to charge when using it as a USB option. I have this off as although it may be in my head, I think it sounds best when off.
·      Sleep – This is where you can choose if you want the device to auto sleep and you can choose a time up to 90 minutes in increases of 10 minutes or just have it off.
·      Max Vol – This basically means you can set the maximum volume of the device, maybe in case a younger in the house gets there hands on it et. Quite a nice feature.
·      Vol Mem – Lastly you have the option for it to remember the volume you last had it on whish is great when using the same headphones again etc.
   
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  That is the main feature of the amp itself. You can also hook this up to Fiios E09K desktop amplifier to make a nice desktop set up but I have not got the E09K so I cannot comment on this.
   
  What I really love about this is the amount of inputs however as this thing can hook up to such a wide range of set ups because of this, be it in you full hi fi rig, speaker rig, desktop headphone rig or even you portable rig, the possibilities are endless.
   
*Compatibility:*
   
  This section is where I say if it will happily suit any portable device or computer that you throw at it.
   
  Starting with portable devices, this has a low amount of EFI so that you can use it with your Smartphone’s in confidence of now huge amounts of interference but you will get the very odd bit. The size of this is smaller (and thicker) than most smart phones so you will also be able to comfortably sit this next to any Smartphone that you may have and also most portable players, just not the smaller ones like my mini iPod Nano 3G.
   
  As for computers this will work with both Mac and PC with ease and is as simple as plugging into the USB port and selecting it as an output. So yes do not worry if your computer will be able to connect with it!
   
*Size and Portability:*
   
  While this is easily a fully portable headphone amplifier, it is on the larger side of things.  I say this because the other amps that I have are a lot smaller in some cases but also a tiny bit bigger in other cases. The main concern with this devices size is the depth as it is almost double as deep as my iPhone 4 and I do see this as being a problem as it does really add some bulk to the rig. It really does depend how portable you want you it, if you want something ultra portable with a small player then you will want another option but if this is a pairing with the likes of Smartphone’s, as they tend to be a bit bigger. At the end of the day though it is portable.
   
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  As for the actual size here is how it measure:
   
  Height - 9cm
  Width - 5cm
  Depth - 1cm
   
   
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*Driving Power:*
   
  With the variety of gain options I had some higher hopes in what this could driver so I stuck it on 12 gain and powered it up with my 300 ohms Sennheiser HD580. So yes it could get them to loud listening levels but it is clearly not good powerful enough to driver these correctly (a phrase I am getting used to saying) but I have seen worse jobs been done. But at the end of the day you should not be thinking of buying this for you’re powerful hard to driver headphones. However as a DAC feeding into my Objective 2 and with the HD580’s it was awesome!
   
*Hiss:*
   
  I actually was hoping for this to be absolutely perfect because of the gain options. Obviously with a sensitive IEM or likewise, the 12 gain option obviously hissed but the 6 were very silent and on 0 there was dead silence. I mean I paired these with the Shure SE535 that are known to be prone to a nice little hiss and they were as good as dead silent, very nice work here!
   
*Build Quality:*
   
  When I first opened this up (you will see from my expression in the unboxing video) I was instantly amazed by the build and overall quality of this amp. I cannot fault the build, everything is flawless, solid metal, the 4 screws are rather hidden and you get a screen protector. I do not think the worlds strongest man could do much damage to this. Nice work here Fiio.
   
*Overall Sound:*
   
  The overall sound of this is very similar as both a DAC and an amp. However it works better as a DAC than an amp by a long way. Its sound is just over the border of neutral on the warm sound. The slight warmth does have a hint of a mask over the sound if I am being very picky and this stops there from being close to a great transparency but it is not bad either. The sound is however very un-fatiguing and smooth and will really not ever be thought to be harmful. Soundstage does take a bit of width and depth extra but it is far from something to really write home about.
   
  The sound compared to other portable amps I have is that it ends up sitting pretty mid park. Personally I would take it any day over something like the digizoid Zo that is way to bassy and muddy and this is a lot more transparent and neutral and nowhere close as coloured. On the other side of the scale however, my smaller hippo cricri sound so much more transparent and it over neutrality and un-coloured tone make sit a much more enjoyable experience and it is not only cheaper but I will say again, cheaper.
   
  As for against any other DACs, I was really impressed with how it sounded over the Audioengine D1 that was so much more coloured and also darker in presentation. However the DAC in the Hippo cricri+ has the upper hand for the same reasons that the amp did.
   
  Now I will compare to the Terra Player that I really do not have a lot of hours with but will use it as a reference. It is jitter free as far as I can tell, no distortion and what must be close to flawless neutrality and transparency. This really does bring out the presence of some distortion with it and the warmth also. However even when comparing the too, I still found the Fiio to sound un-fatiguing and smooth though and I think that is a great thing.
   
  Lastly when synergy comes to mind, with this being rather neutral, it is actually not too picky but it does really shine with a slightly bright IEM like the Fischer Audio DBA-02 as the touch of warmth really fills up the sound nicely and they really compliment each other.
   
*Conclusion:*
   
  We have something that is beautifully well made, beautifully simple and can be used by anyone and does not sound bad either. Okay it is far from the best in the price range on size alone and size for that matter, the hippo cricri+ is smaller and sounds better, but the overall package from Fiio makes it in my eyes a very good product. 
   
*This is a thing of beauty!*
   
  I do not think that the images i have so far uploaded really do this device justice so check these out


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## bowei006

Nice review mr swimmy!


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## Swimsonny

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Nice review mr swimmy!


 
  Thanks panda! What did you think of what i had to say?


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## bowei006

Quote: 





swimsonny said:


> Thanks panda! What did you think of what i had to say?


 
  I think that while it isn't normal, its coloration of sound adds an easier way for newer members to hear the difference and not just that, but the default sound along with EQ adds options for people to truly get into the game of audio.


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## Swimsonny

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> I think that while it isn't normal, its coloration of sound adds an easier way for newer members to hear the difference and not just that, but the default sound along with EQ adds options for people to truly get into the game of audio.


 
  Yes it does help it become noticeably different indeed. I did not think of that way of looking at things. Did you agree with my opinions in the review though or did you have different findings?


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## 149700

Hmm.. I just received mine 1 week ago and I never got a authenticity scratch card.
   
  Do you know where it's supposed to be? Also, where did you purchase your item?
   
  Thanks.


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## Swimsonny

Hmm it is likely that they will not instantly begin to circulate so I would not worry about your product. As mine was a review unit from Fiio I guess it would have been made sure I got the latest one with scratch card. The authenticity thing has only been around a week or two!


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## jammerlee711

i'm guessing u r from malaysia =) have a great day


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## Swimsonny

jammerlee711 said:


> i'm guessing u r from malaysia =) have a great day



Hey! I am actually in the UK! You too


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## GSARider

I have the E17 too, have been more or less happy with it, but will most likely move to a 'made for iPhone ' device to get the DAC usage too.

Btw I pass by Colchester at least two or three times a month on my way to Clacton on the A12... still keeping an eye out for the Lion....


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## Swimsonny

Added some glamour pics to the OP!
    
  Quote:


gsarider said:


> I have the E17 too, have been more or less happy with it, but will most likely move to a 'made for iPhone ' device to get the DAC usage too.
> Btw I pass by Colchester at least two or three times a month on my way to Clacton on the A12...
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Yeh i want one of those but they are so silly expensive!
   
  Awesome, do you live in Clacton then, nice to see a local head fi-er!


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## XxDobermanxX

Good review


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## StratocasterMan

One of the things I love most about the E17 is the lo bypass (line-out bypass) switch. It isn't just for use with E09!
   
  I leave my E17 connected to my laptop all the time and only use it on the desktop, not as a portable. I also have the FiiO L7 line-out dock. This allows me to leave the E17 connected to my amplifier and speakers for my 2.1 desktop speaker rig all the time, but only send a line-out signal to the amp and speakers. In this way it acts only as a DAC for my desktop speaker rig.
   
  However, if I plug in my headphones, then it's acting as a DAC and headphone amp. Controls like the volume control and tone controls on the E17 only affect the headphones. They don't affect the speaker rig at all because of setting it for line-out. This is exactly the way I want it to work, since I have volume and tone controls on my speaker amplifier and subwoofer and I don't want to "double-amp" the signal going to them. I only want to amp the signal to the headphones. I never have to touch the lo bypass switch. I only had to set it to the proper position once.
   
  In this way the E17 pulls double-duty for me. DAC only with a line-out for my 2.1 speaker rig and DAC + amp for my headphones, both at the same time. It's great!


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## JonnyRocket

Great review!


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## D4rknessR3igns

Great review you have there! I am actually considering of getting either E7 or E17. I am more of a basshead. Which one should I get, considering that there are no problems with budget?


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## Swimsonny

Thanks! If you don't need a DAC and are a basshead, then get a Digizoid Zo. If you need a DAC as well then I would go for the E17 as it is the upgrade to E17 so will generally be better.


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## D4rknessR3igns

Alright! Thanks for the advice! Will try both of the Digizoid Zo and E17 before deciding which one to buy!


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## Swimsonny

Sounds like a good idea, let me know what you go for!


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## D4rknessR3igns

Hey man! In the end I settled with E17. No regrets. I don't need the DAC, but I found out that E17 suits me better, considering I just got myself a Future Sonics Atrio M5 with MG7 drivers. Thanks for the review, helped me a bunch in making that decision.


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## Swimsonny

Atrio will give you enough bass anyway and i am glad that your liking it!


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## SpaceInvaders

Thanks for the review!
   
  Will this power the AKG Q701 and other full-sized headphones (don't know what to get yet)? Or is there another cheap amp/DAC more preferable for laptop/PC use?


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## bareyb

Quote: 





d4rknessr3igns said:


> Great review you have there! I am actually considering of getting either E7 or E17. I am more of a basshead. Which one should I get, considering that there are no problems with budget?


 
  I have both and I like the E17 better for Bass because it has a true Bass and Treble controls versus a 3-way switch. Seems to have a little better soundstage to me too, but that could be wishful thinking. Either way, I love it. It's the most sophisticated portable amp I've seen. I don't think there's another one made that has Bass and Treble controls plus Balance.


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## nadstar

+1 i have these and do recommend,
   
  they power my Ultrasone Pro 900's through USB on the computer
   
  and I use it whilst travelling to power my iphone/ipod


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## char0x

Quote: 





spaceinvaders said:


> Thanks for the review!
> 
> Will this power the AKG Q701 and other full-sized headphones (don't know what to get yet)? Or is there another cheap amp/DAC more preferable for laptop/PC use?


 
  I would also like to know this because im considering upgrading to akg q701 from my ad700s.
  Awesome review btw, the amp is great value for money and can be used with pretty much any multimedia devices.


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## koiloco

Quote: 





char0x said:


> I would also like to know this because im considering upgrading to akg q701 from my ad700s.
> Awesome review btw, the amp is great value for money and can be used with pretty much any multimedia devices.


 

 Per jasonb's recommendation of the E17, I bought this little unit.  I am impressed and very happy with the E17 with my Q701 so far.  Just make sure you get the new production batch with authenticity sticker.  These have not sit in the warehouse for too long.  The old batch might be DOA cuz the battery in them lost all power during storage.  I had to return my 1st unit from Amazon because of this problem.  I switched to a different vendor who luckily had newer stock.  Everything works great so far.


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