CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 11:18:15 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: lowly Fiio e09k  (Read 921 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

lm4der

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +24/-9
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 222
lowly Fiio e09k
« on: June 16, 2015, 07:34:50 PM »
I'm curious what people think of the lowly Fiio e09k amp in terms of SQ.  Is it at all competitive at its price point ($110 on Amazon)?
Logged

ultrabike

  • Burritous Supremus (and Mexican Ewok)
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +4226/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2384
  • I consider myself "normal"
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2015, 07:49:01 PM »
I have the Monoprice Fiio E09 clone (has an internal TI based DAC), which I think is pretty close in terms of specs (not totally sure). Costs about the same but is more bang for the buck cuz it's a 96/24 DAC/Amp. I can give it a wiggle.

I can tell you this these about it though:

1) It does not shut down the preouts when plugging in your cans (seriously WTF!).
2) The blue On led is REALLY bright (minor issue, just put a pillow on it).
3) The volume knob is nice, but could benefit from some further deburring.

Haven't heard it through my cans yet LOL! It's basically providing preouts to my Mackies and it's doing a fine job at it so far IMO.

If it was just a headphone amp one needed then the Magni 2 is what I would get. If you need preouts the Magni 2 Uber is proly an improvement but it's a little more expensive. If you need DAC/Amp/Preamp for $100, not sure what other options are there with headphone outputs under 10 ohms.
Logged

maverickronin

  • Objectively Sound
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +58/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 670
  • Your friendly neighborhood audio skeptic
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2015, 08:07:29 PM »
HA!  I didn't even know this existed.

Regarding the E09K, it still uses the same TI chip amp that the original E9 did which should mean the same 10 ohms of output impedance.  That would limit it's best performance to high Z 'phones like Senns and Beyers and maybe orthos.

I wouldn't have any reservations about using it with suitable 'phones but considering the Magni 2 is about the same price, has better specs, and wider compatibility due to lower output impedance I'd take it instead.

The added DAC in the Monoprice clone makes it a decent deal though.

Logged
Heaven's closed - Hell's sold out - So I walk on Earth.

ultrabike

  • Burritous Supremus (and Mexican Ewok)
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +4226/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2384
  • I consider myself "normal"
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2015, 08:16:49 PM »
LOL! If you only need the headphone amp (no preouts or DAC), then go bananas and grab 4 for the price of one for cheaps:

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=115&cp_id=11504&cs_id=1150404&p_id=615220&seq=1&format=2

Also abouts 10 ohms.

Still. The Magni 2 Uber is probably better across the board by a fair amount.

It could also come down to this: Do you like big black knobs?  :)p8
Logged

rhythm is life

  • Swabbie
  • Brownie Points: +3/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2015, 08:43:31 PM »
I would probably have gotten the Magni 2 if I didn't already have the E07k, which docks with the E09k and functions as a DAC. The combo's SQ is perfectly fine, which is to say it's audibly transparent to my ears. Even cheap amps will put out undetectable levels of noise or distortion. As was mentioned the output impedance is 10 ohms so there are definitely better options for low impedance headphones. The HD600 sounds great off the E09k though, and it gets loud, loud enough that on low gain, I can cut the preamp by 4 dB and still rarely use more than 1/2 volume. The volume knob collects dust and can get a little jerky when it's turned, and the blue power-on light is  for some reason noticeably brighter than in the other Fiio products I have owned or tried (E07k, E11, E11k, E12).

The Magni 2 is the clear consensus choice for an entry-priced desktop amp. I would only get the E09k if you have a E07/E17 that you can use as a DAC and you don't want to buy a standalone DAC, and you plan on using it with high-impedance headphones like the HD600 or 250 ohm Beyers (600 ohm Beyers would probably be OK too unless you listen very loud).

...and just as I'm about to post I see the links to Monoprice. I wish I was more informed of their products. I got a $3 HDMI cable from there back in 2008 and it's still serving me well in all its bright red glory. I knew they made budget headphones, but had no idea they made headphone amps, not to mention a $100 E09k clone...with a DAC built in. And I thought Fiio was cheap.
Logged

altrunox

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +10/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 137
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2015, 10:02:08 PM »
Don't buy it!
Fiio should release the E09S realy soon, AFAIK.
Logged
I really don't know what I'm talking about
#7x1neverForget

ultrabike

  • Burritous Supremus (and Mexican Ewok)
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +4226/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2384
  • I consider myself "normal"
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2015, 10:21:07 PM »
Questions are:

1) Are those balanced/unbalanced line-outs really preouts (controled by the volume knob)?
2) What are we looking at in terms of bits and rate?
3) Specs?
4) PRICE?
5) Does it come in black?

Balanced out is nice.
Logged

altrunox

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +10/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 137
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2015, 12:47:52 AM »
good questions  :-\
they sort of forgot about it because of the release of their new daps...
But usually after they release a new version of their product the price are kept the same
Logged
I really don't know what I'm talking about
#7x1neverForget

ultrabike

  • Burritous Supremus (and Mexican Ewok)
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +4226/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2384
  • I consider myself "normal"
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2015, 05:19:23 AM »
Quote from: maverickronin on June 16, 2015, 08:07:29 PM
HA!  I didn't even know this existed.

Regarding the E09K, it still uses the same TI chip amp that the original E9 did which should mean the same 10 ohms of output impedance.  That would limit it's best performance to high Z 'phones like Senns and Beyers and maybe orthos.

I wouldn't have any reservations about using it with suitable 'phones but considering the Magni 2 is about the same price, has better specs, and wider compatibility due to lower output impedance I'd take it instead.

The added DAC in the Monoprice clone makes it a decent deal though.



I just opened it. It seems it has 3 OPA2134.

It also has the Tenor TE7021L and the PCM1793.

The voltage regulator seems to be an L22676.

It uses a relay for protection.

Edit: Impedance is indeed about 10 ohms.

Edit 2: Sounds pretty good with my HD600s.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 05:51:38 AM by ultrabike »
Logged

maverickronin

  • Objectively Sound
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +58/-2
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 670
  • Your friendly neighborhood audio skeptic
Re: lowly Fiio e09k
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2015, 01:40:03 PM »
Quote from: ultrabike on June 17, 2015, 05:19:23 AM
I just opened it. It seems it has 3 OPA2134.

It also has the Tenor TE7021L and the PCM1793.

The voltage regulator seems to be an L22676.

It uses a relay for protection.

Edit: Impedance is indeed about 10 ohms.

Edit 2: Sounds pretty good with my HD600s.

Could do worse for $100.  the TPA6120 is holding it back though...
Logged
Heaven's closed - Hell's sold out - So I walk on Earth.
Pages: [1] 2
« previous next »