[Review] Fiio E10

[t0wer]

Decided to pick up a FiiO E10 with this deal going on: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/24282-audio-deal-of-the-day/page-2#entry506035

 

 

 

that price is so tempting.

part of me wants to buy one just for travel use(or to send to linus), but I already have a iBasso D4

[h264]

that price is so tempting.

part of me wants to buy one just for travel use(or to send to linus), but I already have a iBasso D4

 

Guess I'll put my money where my mouth is and grab one too.

 

It'll give my O2 a rest.  It's getting pretty scratched up after a year of plane rides...

[ShearMe]

E10 is abt 80USD here and U7 abt 115USD

 

Unless you specifically want that Mic jack next to the audio jack or the virtual surround effects, I'd save your money and get the E10

[mr moose]

E10 is abt 80USD here and U7 abt 115USD

 

Have you considered anything from Creative,  they tend to get overlooked these days but still produce some good gear, and sometimes cheaper than Asus.

 

I don't know about pricing where you are:

 

http://www.soundblaster.com/products/Sound-Blaster-X-Fi-HD.aspx

[Thunderjolt]

I've got a question, How does the E10 compare to a Xonar DGX or a Soundcard of the same price point? Honestly, I'm not sure what to get. I'm really into my FPS games and when I get my build (hopefully I get to order my parts in a week or so) I want to get the benefits of positional audio and all that jazz.

[NannerBeans]

Well, the E10 is pretty cheap at the moment. I think the cheaper option is the Xonar U3 and you see what that got you. :P

 

I'm going to be building a new computer with an Asus Maximus VI gene board in 2 weeks so I might just bear with my onboard until I get that computer. Is the E10 a significant improvement over the maximus gene onboard that it's worth the $60 it costs?

[mr moose]

I'm going to be building a new computer with an Asus Maximus VI gene board in 2 weeks so I might just bear with my onboard until I get that computer. Is the E10 a significant improvement over the maximus gene onboard that it's worth the $60 it costs?

 

 

The E10 will only be a significant improvement if your on-board has interference (static, crackles and or hiss) or if the on-board has a low impedance output which can cause damping issues when driving low impedance headphones.

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a low impedance output

 

>high output impedance

 

but, yeah, your onboard is probably fine unless you have higher impedance headphones in most cases.  The FiiO E10 is really good for those of us who have to deal with laptops and such.

[ShearMe]

I've got a question, How does the E10 compare to a Xonar DGX or a Soundcard of the same price point? Honestly, I'm not sure what to get. I'm really into my FPS games and when I get my build (hopefully I get to order my parts in a week or so) I want to get the benefits of positional audio and all that jazz.

 

Personally, I don't think sound cards can really justify their cost any more. Much like the recent videos by TTL and Linus regarding overclocking on low end vs high end boards, there isn't a big difference between on board and sound cards other than feature sets. If you don't like the "positional audio" that Razer Surround provides, then I doubt you'll like the other variations provided on sound cards.

 

 

I'm going to be building a new computer with an Asus Maximus VI gene board in 2 weeks so I might just bear with my onboard until I get that computer. Is the E10 a significant improvement over the maximus gene onboard that it's worth the $60 it costs?

 

Pretty much what Mr. Moose said. What I believe to be a typo has been corrected and underlined:

The E10 will only be a significant improvement if your on-board has interference (static, crackles and or hiss) or if the on-board has a high impedance output which can cause damping issues when driving low impedance headphones.

 

Other benefits of an E10 would be it's ability to be used with other computers (you could easily take it with you for a laptop), analog volume control (some people just don't like digital), and no drivers (because soundcard drivers usually suck).

[Thunderjolt]

Personally, I don't think sound cards can really justify their cost any more. Much like the recent videos by TTL and Linus regarding overclocking on low end vs high end boards, there isn't a big difference between on board and sound cards other than feature sets. If you don't like the "positional audio" that Razer Surround provides, then I doubt you'll like the other variations provided on sound cards.

 

I guess it's the E10 then. Thanks for the help

[Focux]

Have you considered anything from Creative, they tend to get overlooked these days but still produce some good gear, and sometimes cheaper than Asus.

I don't know about pricing where you are:

http://www.soundblaster.com/products/Sound-Blaster-X-Fi-HD.aspx

I secretly want the ZXR..but it's arnd 200usd here

[mr moose]

>high output impedance

 

but, yeah, your onboard is probably fine unless you have higher impedance headphones in most cases.  The FiiO E10 is really good for those of us who have to deal with laptops and such.

 

Yes, sorry my bad.

 

Pretty much what Mr. Moose said. What I believe to be a typo has been corrected and underlined:

 

Cheers for picking that up, not so much a typo but a neuronal logic inversion.  :blink:

[Focux]

Decided to pick up a FiiO E10 with this deal going on: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/24282-audio-deal-of-the-day/page-2#entry506035

[spoiler Unboxing Images]

Nice Packaging

IMAG0161.jpg

No USB cable included, but I guess everyone's got a box of various cables lying around.

IMAG0164.jpg

I've heard many people say it's smaller than they expected, but you don't really understand that until you hold it in your hand...

IMAG0166.jpg

Have u tried the Fiio E07K?

[ShearMe]

Have u tried the Fiio E07K?

 

Negative, but I'd assume it sounds the same to humans.

[Focux]

Negative, but I'd assume it sounds the same to humans.

•_•

[mr moose]

Negative, but I'd assume it sounds the same to humans.

 

As it does to some other animal? :P

[Turkatron]

Hey I see this thread is still going.

[ShearMe]

Hey I see this thread is still going.

 

What do you mean, sir?  :rolleyes:

[Turkatron]

What do you mean, sir?  :rolleyes:

That either people are reading this decent review or still discussing about this fabulous product that Fiio totally isn't paying me to endorse THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO

[stevv]

Decided to pick up a FiiO E10 with this deal going on: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/24282-audio-deal-of-the-day/page-2#entry506035

 

 

How does the bass boost on the E10 perform?  The E17's bass adjustment spills over into the mids (wonder if a firmware change can fix it)

[ShearMe]

How does the bass boost on the E10 perform?  The E17's bass adjustment spills over into the mids (wonder if a firmware change can fix it)

 

I guess that depends on where you draw the line between bass and mids, and I don't have any fancy measuring gear.

[Turkatron]

How does the bass boost on the E10 perform?  The E17's bass adjustment spills over into the mids (wonder if a firmware change can fix it)

This usually depends on your headphones of choice. The Bass boost on the Fiio E10 is +3dB if I'm not mistaken.

[stevv]

I guess that depends on where you draw the line between bass and mids, and I don't have any fancy measuring gear.

 

I see what you mean.  I guess if I had to quantify it, I would like it only to boost under 70Hz only, but the E17 seem also boost up the 150Hz range making it feel more "closed".  Though it still does a better job then the software equalizers.

 

I'm judging it using the equalizer in foobar2000. 

 

I think I ended up answering my own question.      The E10's bass boost should sound like the e17... but e11 has a tighter curve as I expect a "bass boost" to be.. too bad it's not a DAC.

 

 

Didn't realize they had frequency response charts for it.   Between the +5 and +7.5 is where I keep it, and the E10's curve is pretty much the same (did a photoshop overlay).  But check out the E11's curve below it.

 

E17 freq. response:

E17 vd E10 (red)

E11 freq. response:

 

 

This usually depends on your headphones of choice. The Bass boost on the Fiio E10 is +3dB if I'm not mistaken.

 

So far going between my M50 and HD650 (warm), they are both equally noticeable.  The HD650 being already warm... starts to sound muddy.  

 

from http://fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000028262517&MenuID=105026003

 

looks like 4dB boost range.

 

[ShearMe]

Oooo spiffy graphs.

[Turkatron]

Those graphs turn me on....