FiiO E5 & E3 headphone amps - boost volume, add bass and improve soundstage
At HiFi Headphones we’ve just taken delivery of our first batch of FiiO headphone amplifiers. The brand new FiiO E5 and FiiO E3 are ultra small headphone amplifiers with a price tag that makes them affordable for anyone with an iPod, MP3 player, laptop or mobile phone.
The FiiO headphone amps promise increased output power (to power hard to drive headphones), added bass response and even better clarity of treble notes.
FiiO E3
The FiiO E3 headphone amp is the perfect introduction to improving your portable audio setup - look out, it’s a slippery slope! :) At a price point that makes it possible to try without risking to much cash, the E3 has taken the headphone amp World by storm.
Just connect the FiiO E3 between your portable audio device (iPod, iPhone, laptop, mobile phone, etc) and enjoy the improvement in volume and sound quality.
FiiO E5
The next step up from the E3 in the FiiO line-up is the all new FiiO E5. With an exterior casing that has been redesigned to fit more comfortably in the pocket, and internals completely revised to improve noise figures, the FiiO E5 is a force to be reckoned with.
When compared with higher end headphone amplifiers, such as the iBasso T4 or Graham Slee Voyager, the FiiO E5 does colour the sound to some degree (it definitely warms up the bass response), but with the FiiO E5’s price tag of less than £25 I shouldn’t really be comparing.
More Information
For more information on FiiO Headphone Amps, a range of other Headphone Amplifiers & DACs and iPod Line Out Docks (LODs) please visit the HiFi Headphones shop.
(2 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
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March 15th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
We’ve been working with Stuart at TrustedReviews.com to get the FiiO E5 reviewed and I see the review has just gone live. Check it out below:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/mp3/review/2009/03/15/FiiO-E5-Headphone-Amplifier/p1
It seems they liked the E5 enough to give it the TrustedReviews.com Recommended seal
March 17th, 2009 at 9:19 am
I’m not sure I see the point. The idea behind a dedicated headphone amp for portable devices is to make up for the compromises in power circuitry design that mp3 player makers are forced into to achieve their slim size. Large input and reserve capacitors for better power buffering combined with sonically superior components is what allows a portable amp to actually improve upon sound quality (most noticeably in the bass department). Nobody would or should buy one just to make things louder. Most mp3 players get more than loud enough on their own afterall.
March 17th, 2009 at 9:53 am
There are a number of good reasons to upgrade with a headphone amp.
Many of over-ear headphones and some in-ear earphones have higher impedance ratings and lower sensitivity, making them seem very quiet and muted when driven by a portable audio device, like the iPod. A headphone amp is a useful upgrade in this case.
Also as you mention the amplification circuit in portable audio devices is often poor quality. With the iPod you can actually by-pass the headphone output and take a signal from the dock connector with a Line Out Dock (LOD) cable. This is another great application for a headphone amp.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I agree. An amp is required when it comes to some of the larger over-the-head headphones (at least in my experience). And to get the most out of the sound quality of the headphones themselves you do need enough power to help drive those larger cones.
Cheers,
Maria