FiiO E5 Headphone Amplifier
FiiO E5 Headphone Amplifier Review
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I’m a bit torn on my rating of the Fiio E5 headphone amp, only because it performs as advertised, is economically packaged and priced, and provides some amplification – although therein lies my rating dilemma – just not that *much* amplification. But who would expect it to, given its diminutive size and power output? For that reason, I’d give the E5 four out of five stars – competent and amazingly affordable, but perhaps not entirely compelling.
For clarification, I’m using the E5 in conjunction with my Zune 120GB and Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones. These headphones are easily driven by the Zune alone, given their 38 ohm impedance rating, but the Zune’s lack of equalizer leaves some sound customization to be desired, hence my desire to find a compact, affordable headphone amp. After researching the E5’s frequency response, I decided to give it a try, primarily for the bass boost feature. I’m obviously not an audio ‘purist’, but I’m not a bass freak either – I just wanted to fill out the sound of my ATH-M50’s beyond the output of my Zune alone.
And to that end, the E5 performs admirably. The bass-boost feature is mild, to say the least, and does not push the lower frequencies into sounding artificial or distorted, nor does make the mids muddy or noticeably attenuate the highs. The added fullness from the bass boost is highly noticeable over the unamped output of the Zune, and for that reason alone, for me, it’s a keeper. Like others have mentioned, the volume increase is somewhat minimal, but that’s not what I wanted it for. There is some hiss toward the highest volume settings on the amp, but with the headphones I use it’s almost inaudible except between tracks or in extremely quiet passages within a song, so this is a non-issue for me.
The built in rechargeable battery is handy and the overall design and build quality are great for the price. My only reason for docking the E5 one star is that it probably just isn’t a compelling purchase for most enthusiasts considering it is marketed toward a somewhat niche group with high expectations. The performance and expectations of a device such as this are based both on perception and the audio equipment being used, but at this price, most mild enthusiasts should give it a shot if they feel that their portable audio player doesn’t provide enough output for their headphones.
FiiO E5 Headphone Amplifier Feature
- Designed for high impedance and low sensitivity headphones
- Signal to Noise Ratio: >= 98 dB (A Weight)
- Power Supply: build-in 200mAh rechargerable battery
- Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 60 kHz
- Distortion: < 0.009% (10 mW)
FiiO E5 Headphone Amplifier Overview
FiiO E5 is a Portable Headphone Amplifier designed to improve the sound quality and volume of any portable audio source such as MP3 players, iPods, personal media players, mobile phones, laptops, notebooks/netbooks, or portable CD players. The E5 retains all of the advantages of the popular E3 while adding many new features and a substantial boost in performance, all inside a very small and slim aluminum case. With built-in volume controls, the E5 can be used with the line-level output of audio sources for even better sound quality.
More than just a refresh, the E5 offers higher power output, better signal to noise ratio and lower distortion. Built on an entirely new amplifier platform, the E5 provides superior sound qualilty and works well with high impedance headphones. Two EQ profiles are available for flat or bass-boost response, allowing additional flexibility in obtaining optimal tonal match with different headphones.
Highlight Features
- Robust design handles high impedance and low sensitivity headphones
- Easy to carry and use both indoors and outdoors
- Increases your music player’s battery life
- New amplifier design with high S/N and low distortion
- Very high PSRR for superior supply noise rejection
- Metal case reduces interference when used with GSM mobile phones
- Discreet power switch
- Built-in electronic volume control for ultra low noise
- Two EQ profiles: flat response and bass-boost modes
- Built-in rechargeable battery provides up to 20 hours of normal use
- Mini USB charger port can be used with any USB power source
- Built-in metal clip conveniently attaches to clothing, bags, and etc
Specifications
- Output Power: 100mW (32ohms Load) 18mW (300ohms Load)
- Signal to Noise Ratio: >=98dB (A Weight)
- Power Supply: 200mAh rechargerable battery
- Frequency Response: 10Hz – 60kHz
- Distortion: <0.009% (10 mW)
- Voltage: USB DC 5V
FiiO E5 Headphone Amplifier Specifications
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jan 05, 2010 08:39:03
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