COMPARISONS (vs E7, T3D, JDSLABS CMOY)
The sound quality was quite good, though being mostly similar to the Fiio E7’s amplifier section (the E7 has an onboard DAC in addition to the amp). The E7 was a little more open sounding with a bigger soundstage and livelier treble, where the E11 is darker and fuller on the mids and lows and being smoother sounding overall. The most significant improvement come with the overall power output of the E11, where it clearly beat the E7’s fairly limited voltage swing.
Compared to the Ibasso T3D, the Fiio E11 again comes out as being darker and bassier sounding of the two, where the T3D had a fuller midrange and a more sparkly lower treble. Soundstage width is narrower on the T3D, but the T3D clearly has a much better depth and a cleaner separation than both the Fiio E11 and E7. Perhaps the killing blow on the T3D is the recessed vocal presentation which kills the presence on a lot of Rock & Pop recordings.
I also compared the E11 to the JDSLabs Cmoy (stock configuration) and found the JDSLabs to sound significantly bigger and grander, both in the soundstage and the overall sound presentation. The JDSLabs also had a smoother sound throughout the frequency range and is clearly my favorite of the bunch, except when I need to drive the monstrous HE-500 headphone, in which the E11 is the only one that can do the job. Many amp builders swear by the quality of through the hole parts when compared to SMD ones, and in this case I think it’s what’s contributing to the overall bigger and smoother sound of the JDSLabs, despite being based on a much simpler design when compared to the E11’s three-channel design.
Left to right: Ibasso T3D, Fiio E11, Fiio E7, JDSLabs Cmoy.
LOW/HIGH POWER SWITCH
Between the low and high power switch, I’m getting a smoother sound (especially on the midrange) with the switch on high power. It’s quite noticeable on the HD800, and less so on the JH16Pro. However, as the difference is quite slight, I’d probably recommend using the low power setting to conserve battery life.
High and low power switch hidden under the battery.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
How the E11 manages to drive the HE-500 out of that tiny 3.7V mobile phone battery is beyond me, but I just love taking the pairing to meets and see people’s impression as they are listening to the HE-500 being driven from this tiny amplifier. I begin to think about running some pseudo-balanced set up (balanced amplifier without balanced signals, using ground signal to feed the inverting amplifiers) with the E11 and see if it can drive the HE-6 with the authority of some of the bigger amps I’ve used. Crazy idea, but one that is worth exploring.
There are some slight “bugs” while using the E11, such as the inability to use the amplifier while charging. Also, the amplifier refuses to be powered on after the battery has been fully depleted and recharged. I need to “restart” the circuit by taking the battery out and back in. Overall they are minor inconveniences to me, though it would be nice to have them corrected on the newer versions.
At the moment I’m being torn between the JDSLabs Cmoy and the Fiio E11 as the JDSLabs clearly gives me the better sound, but the E11 having the functionality (rechargeable battery, USB charging) and form factor that I want in an amplifier. I think having to change 9V batteries after a few days of use is going to be a big turn off for most users, while the difference in sound quality may not matter as much, depending on the headphone that you’re using. But at the moment, the E11 definitely is my amp of choice when compared to the Ibasso T3D and the Fiio E7.
Gears used for review
Headphones: Fostex TH-7B, Sony ZX700, Sennheiser PX100-II, HD25-1, HD800, JHAudio JH16Pro
Source: Hifiman HM-602, Ipod Classic 120GB
[galleria sid=”galleria-1328668814″ width=”561″ height=”520″ speed=”270″ transition=”slide”]
Ardimo Harsa W
Dear Mike
Currently I have an Ordnance .22 amp. If I switched to E11,will it be an upgrade or an downgrade?
Thanks 😀
Anonymous
Ah, I don’t know what the Ordnance sounds like.
rico suave
ola mr.headfonia, can you compare the E11 to the low-z jds labs version? the reason is, the jds cmoy i have is similarly tweaked that way. so i’m just curious if that adjusment is still better sounding than the E11.
Anonymous
Rico,
On my low Z build, the sound quality is not as good as the normal build.
Comparing it to the E11, however, I still find the JDSLabs to have a
slight edge on soundstage size, smooth tonality, and better vocal
presence. The E11 is bassier, slightly less spacious and more slightly
more laid back vocals. The E11 is tighter on the bass, but the JDSLabs
has a slightly looser but clearer bass.
Anonymous
I’m using the JH16 just now for that comparison.
Randius
If I am to choose between the E11 and the Cmoy to pair with iPhone 3GS and 1964 Ears quads, I suppose the Cmoy will be the better choice?
It will be very interesting to see how well does the E11 + D5 combo fare against E7 as a amp+DAC setup.
Anonymous
Depends, strictly on sound quality, yes. But as a whole amp, the E11 is
more user friendly and has better features.
Anonymous
A few quick things you should note – one, the amp is turned off when charging via USB due to the virtual ground. According to Fiio, if you plug it into the computer via a line-out and charge via the computer’s USB port, the two grounds do bad things and destroy the amp, so they implemented a safety circuit to shut it off.
Also, it has an MSRP of $60 or so, not $80 (Fiio said below $60, and the first site to sell them has it around there).
Otherwise, great review, I love the pictures1
Anonymous
I had a CEC
player that had a headphone out. It was really transparent to the
source, but punch and impact was not that good. The entry level Marantz
CD players had a good headphone out though, I can’t remember which
particular model I listened to, but I’ve listened to several different
entry level Marantz (ie CD6003, CD5004, CD5001) and they generally had
good driving power and impact for most of the dynamic headphones out there.
Don’t believe all the myths thrown out there just to make people buy
stuff you don’t need. If it sounds good and you’re enjoying the music,
then it sounds good.
I think the case with CD players headphone out is this:
1. You are always playing from a good source (CD quality)
2. Very short signal path, means very small loss of quality.
These two factors already takes care the most critical aspect in a
system: source quality is very important, garbage in = garbage out.
Now looking at a simple amp like the JDSLabs Cmoy, it actually doesn’t
take too much of a complex design to make an amp that sounds good. Of
course don’t go comparing it to a Burson or a Beta22, but a simple amp
with a great source and a short signal path is actually good enough to
make good music (with the right headphones, of course).
Anonymous
Thanks for the added information. I left out that part about the
charging — but I wasn’t aware that the MSRP is going to be below $60.
Evin Discreet
It IS INDEED going to below 60. It seems as though John had a hard time believing this too. And remember, people can get the E7 for as low as 70, many places 80. It is quite possible that in several months people could pick this up for around 50.
Anonymous
Yes, I wouldn’t doubt it. Fiio has always been about affordability.
James McProgger
Hello Mike, Nice read. I notice you tried it with your HD25-1, were they good together?
I am using the HD25 with a mini3, dunno if you have tried it but I’d appreciate some comparissons, I know the Mini3 is suppose to be top of the DYI portable amps. but i’d like to carry something smaller and easier to recharge.
Thank you!
Anonymous
James,
The E11 paired really well with the HD25-1, much better than the Cmoy BB. Mostly the difference is on the bass impact and PRaT factor, where the E11 is much better than the CmoyBB. I also find that the overall voicing of the E11 matches the HD25-1 better than the mid-centric CmoyBB.
I haven’t listened to the Mini3 for a long long time. I think it’s more spacious and airy than the E11, but again the bass impact and PRaT is not as good as the E11. This talking from memory though.
Evin Discreet
Thanks so much for the review. Yeah, the CMOY sounds intriguing, just not practical enough and the DIY aspect is a bit of a turn off
Anonnymous
“the DIY aspect is a bit of a turn off”
why? aren’t the diy stuff is usually
the one which
has the best price/perf ratio?
Anonymous
You can buy the JDSLabs fully assembled, ready to use.
pixelated
Alright mike thanks for the review! i have a question that may sound stupid(im a newbie) i own the AiAiAi TMA-1 and i know the impedance is 32 ohms will a amp such as the cmoy or the E11 improve the sound my headphones? or should i just get a DAC such as the E7? thank you for your time
Anonymous
What music do you listen to and how do you find the TMA-1 to sound so far?
pixelated
I am completely amazed at the quality of the TMAs. i have compared them to many headphones and i believe that the TMAs are the right pair for me . I have come to the following conclusions: TMA-1 ≥ Audio technica M50s > Bose AE2 > Beats by Dre. like i said i am a newbie and have very limited resources to other headphones. The comfort + non fatiguing sound signature makes them perfect for my daily listening needs. Thank you very much for your reviews they honestly help me a lot. Now the question is if i should get a DAC or an amp, i have heard that sometimes amps do improve or atleast open up the sound on some headphones. What portable or desktop amps/DAC would you say improves the sound on the TMAs. P.S i need something portable that is under 120$ thanks!
Anonymous
Portable DAC and Amp under $120? Youve got no other choice than the Fiio E7. I am not sire if the TMA-1 improves a lot with a DAC though. I’d just get an E11 for it and pair it with an Ipod or something.
pixelated
hehehe oh man i think i totally misread your question! sorry about that, my music prefence is, all music. so i guess i will go with your suggestion. thanks!
Anonymous
Awesome.
May want to look for another, more all rounder headphone though. The TMA-1 is great, but it’s quite specific to dance and trance music IMO.
pixelated
yeah i see were your coming from, the dark sound signature is not the best for acoustics. I am thinking of buying a pair of iems or headphones that are better allrounders. I am thinking fischer audio dba 02 but im open to suggestions.
Anonymous
There is a lot of good choices out there. The DBA-02 is a good onefor acoustics.
mathu
Have you tried Shure 750DJ or Fischer Audio 004?
Anonymous
Nope, not with the E11.
wwenze
Add a trickle charger to the cMoyBB.
Anonymous
Agree. I am asking JDSLabs to do that on the newer CmoyBB.
Anonymous
I added a short paragraph on two glitches I found on the E11:
There are some slight “bugs” while using the E11, such as the inability to use the amplifier while charging. Also, the amplifier refuses to be powered on after the battery has been fully depleted and recharged. I need to “restart” the circuit by taking the battery out and back in. Overall they are minor inconveniences to me, though it would be nice to have them corrected on the newer versions.
Anonymous
Well, guess what. It comes sooner than I expected.
JDSLabs Cmoy now does recharging.
http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=ChgAdpt
Anonymous
Well, guess what. It comes sooner than I expected.
JDSLabs Cmoy now does recharging.
http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=ChgAdpt
Sham
How would you compare the highest bass boost setting on the E11 to the E7? Does it distort at all?
Anonymous
I’ll do a check and get back to you.
Sham
Thanks, I know theres a few bassheads on Head-Fi like me eager for the answer lol. The boost on the E7 was decent, the E5 not that great. So the E11 could be a major plus for the price if it can also do a decent job of bass boosting with the increased sound quality. Or maybe there might be a decibal measure if the box you got it in has some specs.
Anonymous
Well on no boost the E11’s bass is already more than the E7, so I think that’s good.
By the way I wont be able to check the E11 for the next two days. I’ll update you on Saturday.
Sham
Alrighty, thanks.
James
Hi, Mike, I am James from FiiO. Thank you very much for your help about the bug.
We already find the reason and will fix it in the trial production.
Anonymous
Awesome, James.
You Rock.
PS: i’ve gotten the email on the D3 as well. Cant wait to see it in person.
Anony
Hey mike, how about E11 against PPAv2? 🙂
Anonymous
Hehehehe that would be nice wouldn’t it?
I’ll try to make it happen.
Brian Fu
Apparently this thing has AD8397 in signal, OPA690 in ground and TLE2426 as ground reference. That reminds you of a certain DIY portable amplifier doesn’t it?
Can someone confirm this?
Anonymous
AMB’s Mini3?
Brian Fu
Yeah.
Anown
Hi, I have Sony MDR-XB700, is the E-11 will distort the bass if the eq is set to max? Is there any benefit pairing E-11 with my headphone? I’m also planning to upgrade to Denon D2000.
Anonymous
Hmmm… I haven’t tested the E-11 with the XB700. You should just
upgrade to this headphone:
http://www.headfonia.com/bass-to-the-power-of-two-pro700-mk2/
It’ll give you all the bass you need, with kick as well.
Tim Tan
Uhhh…the E11 is so freaking dark, definitely not my thing. It does get less dark on high gain though. I’m listening to them right now with my RE-0, but I guess I really like brighter sound.
Anonymous
Yep it is fairly dark. And as far as most amps go, they do get slightly brighter and more lively at high gain, at the expense of higher noise levels.
The JDSLabs cmoy is more open and livelier, while still sounding warm.
rico suave
ola,
the e11, is it as quiet as the jds cmoy?
Nashobek69
How is the E11 compared to Hippo Box+?Wanna pair it with TMA-1.Cheers.
Anonymous
I’ve never tried the Hippo Box. But if you want additional bass, the E11
is a good addition to the TMA-1.
Francis88
Hi Mike can i know between e11 and and jds labs cmoy which will sound better with a 250 ohm beyer dt880 or other 300ohm headphone like HD800 and HD650. I’m more into the quality than the volume as it can also be outputed from ipod to a loud volume. How will they compare to a p4 warbler. I just saw that you just stated p4 warbler is better than pb2 in single ended mode but cannot find any reviews. So in which part is it better. And also are you still going to do all the budget level amp shootout side by side like the 12 amps? Just wandering can you add in a hippo Amplifier as well because i can’t seems to find much review on it. I have one but i just can’t use it as a reference point in peoples reviews because i’m not really sure what sound they are suppose to carry or how good.
Anonymous
I would go with the JDSLabs for those high impedance dynamics. The E11
can supply higher current levels, but you don’t need that for the high
impedance dynamics, and the JDSLabs’ sound is smoother than the E11.
As for the P4 and PB2, the overall sound is just better and more open on
the P4, there is no contest, unless you need the higher current levels
of the PB2 to drive orthodynamics. I don’t plan to publish a comparative
review, but the P4 is just better.
As for the Hippo amps, I haven’t planned to include it in the amplifier
comparison. The product cycle of Jaben small amps are very fast, and I’d
rather review something that has a longer lifecycle like the JDSLabs or
the PA2V2.
Vj Panaguiton
Which one is better to pair up with my W4? The E11 or the PA2V2?
Anonymous
Mmm… I think the E11 is better function wise as it has a low gain
selector where the PA2V2 doesn’t. It also should help to add bass to the
W4’s fairly anemic bass. But if you can swing the budget, the Pico Slim
is awesome with the W4.
Vj Panaguiton
oh wow thanks! I might try the Fiio e11. If I don’t feel satisfied I might just get the pico slim.
Anonymous
Or get another IEM 😉
aked90
Hello could you recommend a good ipod lod to match fiio e11. Spending up to 30 euros.
Anonymous
Fiio makes excellent quality LODs. I’ve used the L1 (the most basic
model) and the quality is great. The L3 uses a better quality cable for
a better sound quality. You can also get the L9, which is L-angled.
http://astore.amazon.com/headfonia-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=7
aked90
Thank I have already L3 fiio, I want something better around 20 euros. I saw this on ebay http://cgi.ebay.it/iPhone-iPod-Nano-Line-out-Dock-LOD-3-5mm-7N-OFC-Cable-/270702253497?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f071c95b9
Anonymous
I can’t comment directly on that particular LOD, though the build quality seems good enough and the Pailics 3.5mm jack that they use is fairly popular down here with the DIYers as well.
If you’re very particular about the quality of the LOD, I suppose you can get that one and see if the sound is nice. Otherwise the L3 from Fiio is also good.
aked90
Ok thanks
aked90
Hello fiio between e11 and the A10 which soundmagic advise me?
Anonymous
What headphones, what music?
Danardono Anjar
what if bright headphone, and usual music is Rock and RnB ??
Anonymous
Go with the E11.
When the sub $100 amp shootout is published you can read why I said that. 🙂
aked90
To rap and hip hop do you recommend? I took the fiio e11 I have done well?
Anonymous
Yes. e11 is good for rap and hip hop
aked90
Could you suggest an alternative to a battery e11 fiio more powerful?
Jessica
How about digizoid’s zo vs e11 for classical and pop music?
Anonymous
Sorry Jessica, haven’t compared the two yet.
aked90
What are the differences between high power and lower power?
Coolsax78
do you think this would drive a HD650 fairly decently? i’m looking to get some HD 650’s but want a cheap amp to power them with until Schiit has more asgards in stock.. would this work well or should I really step it up to the E9
Anonymous
The power would be plenty, yes.
You can also consider the JDSLabs which IMO does a better job for the HD650. http://www.headfonia.com/music-on-a-budget-sub-100-portable-amps-shootout/
Anonymous
You say the T3D has a fuller midrange but then you say it has a recessed vocal presentation. How can it be both?
Anonymous
I know that sounds weird, and yet, that’s precisely why the T3D sounded so weird.
I don’t think I know of any other amps that have a full mids and a yet recessed vocal.
But if you want me to brake it down further, I think the vocal is somewhere in the upper mids where the fuller mids region is more on the mid-midrange and the low-midrange.
JT_ANDYOUDONTSTAAAAP
shame that their build quality is as shite as it gets, had two of those bad boys and both suffered from buzzing/hissing on eq setting 1 and 2
Lieven V
Weird. never had any problems with Fiio gear.
Mike
That’s too bad. Try get an exchange?
Kiwidave
Hi, came across your site only on Monday — but boy, what a resource. So much information – am going into overload now re selecting an appropriate set of Sennheiser’s.
Anyway – I have just purchased a Fiio E11 an am impressed big the with it’s performance. So far have tried it with my Nuforce uDac 2 –> rca to 3.5 mm / Macbook Pro using Audirvana Plus and 24 / 96kHz files — the E11 improves the sound majorily. (Am driving into my iPhone Bose MIE2i’s — looking g for replacements as these are “worn out”).
Have also being trying it out with a gen 2 iPod shuffle 🙂 — no contest re sound. Will be using it with my iPhone 4 once I can find a LOD that fits with my case.
This is the second Fiio product I own, I also have a Fiio D3 dAC am using with an Apple TV2 to drive into some B&W MM-1s. Also impressed by it’s performance — and it’s price.
Mike
Good to hear you’re enjoying the site and the E11!
Tavs
Hi Mike,
I consider buying a Beyer DT 880 (600 ohms version). Do you think E11 can get enough “power” to feed it?
If not will it be better with the 250 ohm version?
(source will be a macbook or cowon j3 according to your advice)
Mike
I didn’t try it specifically with a 600 ohms Beyer, but since it was able to power the heavier HE-500 headphone (much heavier than a 600 ohm beyer), I think it should be good for the DT880.
What I’m worried about is the refinement of the amplifier. It may not be refined enough for the DT880.
Tavs
Thanks. I may give a try. I will upgrade then for sure (if not satisfying).
Once again thanks.
Tavs
In fact my question comes from your article about E10 where you wrote: “The 600 Ohms Beyerdynamic T1 sounded good at level 5 on the volume control”. As amplification part on E11 is better than on E10 it lead me to my 1st question.
Do you think it is a “non working” thought?
Mike
In that case I did try it with the T1.
Been doing so many reviews it’s hard for me to remember which amp/cans I use during the review. Sorry
Nicolai Schill
Hi Mike,
first of all congratulations for your fantastic website! I really appreciate it. Now my question:
I own an ipod classic 160 GB and Klipsch Image x1 (or Image S2) IEMs and think of buying a Fiio E11. Does this make sense with such “cheap” IEMs (but for my ears very good sounding)? Would the sound be better or just louder?
Many thanks in advance and many greetings from Germany
nicpizza
Mike
Hi Nic,
I think the amplifier wouldn’t be necessary. The IEMs are extremely easy to drive, even an iPod would do fine.
Nicolai Schill
Hi Mike,
thanks for your response.
Janitra Ezra Putra
Hi Mike!
I would like to ask about your opinion if I pair this one up with my MS1i.
Do you have any experience with that?
Thank you.
Mike
Janitra,
I haven’t tried that, but I think the pairing should be good.
asvestion gipson
Hello ,recently bought a pair of Audio-Technica
ATH-M50 for home music production but i am also using them as main
headphones for my desktop.
I never owned before a good pair of headphones so i never used
headphones amplifiers before thus i am not really aware how much
improvement would have and what amp will be good for my case. Does the E11 is good enough for my ath-m50 or do you have anything better to suggest at near the same price?
Also am not sure if it’s important but i would like to mention that since i
am using them as monitoring headphones i wouldn’t want the amp to colorizing my headphones, my first priority is a close to natural
sounding.
Mike
Hi,
So you’re plugging the M-50 directly to your mixer? Usually that works fine enough and yes that’ll give you a more direct signal path hence less coloration.
asvestion gipson
no unfortunately, i am using them direct from my on-board sound-card
Mike
Alright. I think if you’re getting a good sound out of it, I wouldn’t bother adding the E11.
The thing is these portable amps are primarily designed for music listening. So they would color the sound a little bit. What you want is a transparent headphone amp and that usually costs a lot of money. $1K+
asvestion gipson
Thanks alot for the response Mike, Do you think it would be better if i bought a portable audio interface? do you have any suggestions?
Mike
A friend I know uses a Focusrite box for his recording stuff, and it was quite a transparent system:
http://www.focusrite.com/products/
The one he uses is no longer listed there though, perhaps an old product.
asvestion gipson
well, thanks alot for the the help..
The FocusRite Saffire PRO 14 seems like it is a real value for money as I’ve seen from reviews
Mike
Awesome. Sorry couldn’t give you much help.
Romain Martin
Hi,
First, thank you very much for all your work and reviews !I am new in the world of IEM, head amp…etc. I used to have entry level head like the Klipsch S4i.I really want to invest in a very good quality system when I travel and move. I want to use my Iphone 4 with Spotify (160 to 320kb mp3’s). I listen mostly electronic music (not hard one) and rock (Stones…etc).At the moment and according to many tests and reviews, I am planning to invest on Earsonics SM1/SM2 with a Fiio E11 (Iphone dock connected with the Fiio L9 cable).What do you think about this setup ? Do you have any suggestion or better ones for in-ear or amp with an Iphone with a correct budget ?Thanks in advance,
Regards,
Martin
Mike
Hi Romain,
That sounds like a good set up. I’m not too familiar with the SM1/SM2. I’ve only listened to the SM3. You have to remember that each IEMs have a different sound signature and you need to find out what’s best for your type of music.
What type of electronic music, specifically?
Romain Martin
Thanks for your reply Mike !
I listen to middle range RPM electronic music with deep bass and distorsion like Digitalism, Pantha du Prince, Justice…
It is just a question of money actually and I read that SM3 could be a bad choice if the player is not a perfect one (like the Cowon J3). Many people told that Iphone was not that good but I can’t change it right now, all my music is HD streamed (Spotify….).
That is why I chose SM1 or SM2 !
Regards
Mike
I have no experience with the SM1 or the SM2 but generally the bass will be stronger on the three drivers model so I think you should go for the SM3, or the UM3X. Personally I think the bass on the UM3X is better than the SM3 for those electronic music.
I would disregard the comments about needing a perfect player for the SM3.
internetshortage internetshort
Hey Mike,
Would there be a noticeable deference if I pair my E11 which aim about to buy with my Sennheiser HD 448 ?
Because it is not a really powerful headphone compared to other headphones.
Mike
Maybe just a little difference? I’m not sure the HD448 is very easy to drive.
internetshortage internetshort
Well it is. It has very little impedance. It is optimized for iPod. 32 ohms :/
Mike
Yes I’ve used the HD448 before. As I’ve said, maybe just a little difference.
ebm_electro_industrial_lover
I’m planning on getting the e11 to use as a bass booster more than as an amp as my headphones are quite easy to drive (Koss portapro , yeah I know kinda cheap and not that much “audiophile” but , I love them…).
The thing is that my Ipod Classic , whereas it gad a good storage capacity is really anemic and sick-ey sounding and the EQ’s on it are quite crappy.
Do you think it’s a good idea for me to buy the e11 just to use it as a bass booster ?
Or is their any device on the market that are specificaly designed to serve as a bass booster/EQ ?
Thanks , best regards for France.
Mike
Try the Digizoid Zo. It’s not a pure bass booster like what you ask, but it’ll give you more flexibility.
http://www.headfonia.com/the-smartvektor-digizoid-zo/
ebm_electro_industrial_lover
Many thanks to you Mike , the Zo looks really interesting from your review , it might really be something I could like.
Now , I juste have to find a seller who stocks it here in France …
Do you know if the Zo is even available to the europeen market ?
L.
this the official UK dealer: http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/
Ceyer Solomon Waki
Hey Mike,
I’m coming from the Digizoid Z02, would this be a good step up in terms of sound stage, cleanliness, and clarity. Also, does this have any background dampening effect? I’m looking to pair this with the M50, HD25, Miles Davis tribute, Se215, and maybe soon the upcoming m-100.
BTW, a non-secular question, do you have anything planned for the M-100?
Mike
If you really want to improve the soundstage, try the JDSLabs Cmoy instead of the E11. The E11 is more powerful but the JDSLabs Cmoy has a better soundstage and clarity. The Zo actually sounds cleaner than both of them (if you use the word clean the same way I do).
What is background dampening? Sorry I’ve never heard that before.
The M-100 we’re still not sure.
Jorelle Marquez
Sir, what can you say about matching this E11 with my Shure SRH550dj?
What headphone amp do you suggest I use? I only have around 50-80 dollar
budget. Thanks!
Jorelle Marquez
And I’ll be using it with my iPod Classic. Thanks sir! 🙂
Ernest Ramos
Hi Mike,
Good review! I only recently learned of portable headphone amps and it got me interested. Do you think this would pair well with my Shure SE425 driven by an iPod or an Android phone? I’m looking to boost some of the bass and treble a bit and hopefully improve clarity and soundstage. The earphones are great but on this device they sound a bit muffled and I’m wondering if an amp would be the answer.
Thanks for your input!
Mike
Ernest,
Sorry for the slow reply, but I don’t think that this amp would pair good with your SE425.
If you can, try the Digizoid Zo.
http://www.headfonia.com/the-smartvektor-digizoid-zo/
DoorlessPlastic Di
would e11 enough to “drive” akg k702??I just want to know it have enough volume for gaming or not serious music listener??
sorry if i have bad english : D
Mike
I’ve never tried it with the K701/2, however the E11 was able to drive the Hifiman HE-500 which is a much, much harder headphone to drive.
Copper David
Hi Mike, I just discovered your website few days ago. It is great and infromative. I have a question about headphone amplifier. Crrently I have Apple iPod Classic and I listen with a genuine Beats Pro headphone. Will E11 improve my listening experience ? Or you have better suggestion?
Mike
I am going to suggest trying different headphones first. The Beats headphones have always been very efficient and easy to drive. I think you’re not going to need an amplifier for them.
If you like bass, then you can start with something like the:
http://www.headfonia.com/bass-to-the-power-of-two-pro700-mk2/
Benjy
Hi Mike,
This is a great review and I was wondering if you would suggest that the E11 is much better than the E6 for my system- running a Cowon c2 through Shure 440s, which I got as I felt they were the most versatile (in my budget) and I only want one pair of ‘phones. I would like a little more warmth and power for rock music and a slightly livelier sound when listening to recordings from the 20s. It’s a £30 difference here in the UK.
Light Lotus Lettuce Li
hello. i would like to ask if the e11 is compatible with Sony MDR-XB700 headphones. i usually listen to linkin park and the script. can fiio e11 give me better output (sound quality) to my sony headphones?
Allan Daluz
hi mike can i hook these amp to my ipod shuffle?
Mike
Yes definitely
Sent from my mobile device. Sorry for any mistype.
Paul
How’s the sound of the HD 25-1hooked up to fiio e11? Can that amp make the HD 25 fuller sounding?
Mike
Paul it should add some bottom end and low midrange body.
Sent from my mobile device. Sorry for any mistype.
Paul Ignacius Labsan
Ah thanks for the reply! Got another question though, will it tame the highs quite well? I’m having problem with its highs, it kinda piercing my ears ’til it bleed (just an exaggeration)..thanks in advance!
Mike
Yes it happens to tame the highs as well
Sent from my mobile device. Sorry for any mistype.
Paul
Thanks a lot!
Tylan Cariño
is this good for ath-m50? to boost the bass?
Mike
Yes it adds a nice boost.. but better you go for the Digizoid Zo
http://www.headfonia.com/the-smartvektor-digizoid-zo/
Vincent
Hi mike, I have been reading your reviews for a while, I think they are very good.
I bought a pair of k242 hd and I am trying to understand if I need an amp.
My main source is my laptop. I borrowed an e7 for a couple of weeks and surprisingly I could not ear any differences between the following configurations:
-headphone out from the laptop
-laptop usb > e7
Is it possible that my laptop is so good? Am I already getting the best out of my cans with the laptop?
Would I benefit from the e1 or e17?
Thanks
dalethorn
The E17 will not improve the laptop sound much. But a good mini-DAC like the Microstreamer or Audioengine D1 will be much better.
Vincent
That’s a different price range though
Would you use no amp at all with the microstreamer?
Dave Ulrich
No. The microstreamer has a build in amp. Although, to be honest with you, I preferred the e10 to the D1
Vincent
All the suggested device are more expensive than the e17. Some even 3x. But not within my budget.
I recently read some reviews on the HUD-mini do you think is powerful enough for my headphones?
Mike
The Fiios are actually more powerful than the HUD-mini
dalethorn
Same answer on amp as Dave, although I found the E17 to be clearly inferior sonically to the Headstreamer, the Audioengine D1, the Dragonfly, and the Microstreamer, all of which sounded similar to each other.
icecoffemix
Have you tried using E7 exclusively for some days then switch back to your laptop?
Mike
Hi Vincent,
I can’t say what exactly happened with the laptop and E7 comparison. Maybe the laptop is great yes.
George Lai
Hi, what is the purpose of the low/high current switch under the battery? And how does this work with the low/high gain switch on the outside? Thanks.
Mark Ferrosa
You get a smoother sound with better mids on (internal switch) high set. Mike wrote about it.
George Lai
Thanks Mark. I missed that. Cheers
Gabriel
How would you compare the bass boost on the E11 to the JDSLabs cMoy (granted the E11 is a two step boost)?
Mike
They are roughly the same.
tuan
Hello!
Can you help me? plssss
E07K vs E11
Who win in bass questions? Who have more treble soft?
TY!!!!
dalethorn
Would you rather have one bass switch, or fully adjustable controls? How about a volume knob versus digital buttons? Anyway, the E07k is much newer and probably better quality. I use my E07k every day. And it’s also a USB DAC.
Stephen Lumsden
Hi
I am looking at the E11 to go with my AKG 420 and iphone and may be Nexus 7 as the sound is not too high when listening to classical on the train (I listen to spotify and Itunes and intend on listening to apple lossless files also for classical). I intend on getting some Philips L1 or M1s as I can get a good deal on these, most likely the L1s. I also have AKG 530s for home use listening to my Arcam Solo. Is the E12 worth the extra money over the E11? Also I have gigaworks T40s on my PC and am thinking of getting an E07K/E09K combo to improve sound until I upgrade to some better speakers for listening to classical on lossless files, but may be I am thinking just to save some money, buy the L1s and E11 and upgrade my PC DAC speaker setup later on.
Decisions, decisions, any advise would be appreciated.
Pedro Oliveira
Wich would be a better match for the following headphones….
Hd25, amperior, momentum over ear, hd598 and dt770 32ohm…
Mostly for rock, pop and edm…
The fiio e11 or the fiio e07… ?
Cheers…
L.
Of these 2 the E11 but I would wait for the E11K, it’ll be released in a couple of weeks
Pedro Oliveira
Thank L…. The thing is…. I can get the fiio e11 and e07 for 25 euros each…. 😀
Good deal right? The e11k must be much more expensive also no?
The hd25 gets more fun with the e11? The bass gets much fuller? How about the soundstage? Hoew does the e11 would work on the 32 dt770? That way the 32 ohm dt770 would be fun enough to play some edm or the bass is still too light?
L.
The E11 isn’t the greatest of amps, it’s mostly body and volume. You won’t get increased sound stage or level detail. It would work fine to give the DT770 even more body and bass
dalethorn
Personally, in spite of the cost, I’d suggest the E12. The DT770-32 can benefit from the extra power and headroom.
Tim Schutte
I use this with my WS99 and man this is sheer fun my god d^_^b And a good headphone gives proper soundstage and detail in my eyes…..so with the E11 it becomes a real bass monster!!!
Fletch
For getting the best out of an iPad or iPod touch, do you need a Camera Connection Kit? eg, how does it attach to an iPod?
Headfonia_L.
That depends on the device you will be using.
dalethorn
The CCK may work with iPad only, or sometimes the latest iPhones, and only with some DACs – not all DACs. You have to investigate each DAC and its requirements to check compatibility. What I found to be important is, once you start adding more and more components and cables, you lose the extra sound quality the DAC provides. The HRT iStreamer was a perfect example.