Fiio E9

[theeyealtering]

Are you guys considering getting the Fiio E9 in?
Anyone know if it is as good as the hype elsewhere suggests?

[ballerificalvin]

Do you have the E7? Otherwise the E9 ends up being more of a pretty paperweight

[theeyealtering]

Do you have the E7? Otherwise the E9 ends up being more of a pretty paperweight

Hmm, I'm not sure what you mean by that. The E9 has a line in just like any amp would.

Anyway, I do have an E7. But I was thinking about using the E9 it with other sources too.

[ballerificalvin]

Do you have the E7? Otherwise the E9 ends up being more of a pretty paperweight

Hmm, I'm not sure what you mean by that. The E9 has a line in just like any amp would.

Anyway, I do have an E7. But I was thinking about using the E9 it with other sources too.

The E9 is a lot more effective when its paired with the E7 rather than being a standalone unit.

[theeyealtering]

You seem to be familiar with this product.
So if I hooked up say an STX to the line-in, what would be the disadvantages sonically of doing that compared to putting an E7 in the dock and connecting via USB?
Would it make an STX sound worse?

I have the E7 and even just using the line-in doesn't seem too bad for the price (granted I am very inexperienced). I assumed that it would be the same with E9.

[Drubbing]

You seem to be familiar with this product.
So if I hooked up say an STX to the line-in, what would be the disadvantages sonically of doing that compared to putting an E7 in the dock and connecting via USB?
Would it make an STX sound worse?

I have the E7 and even just using the line-in doesn't seem too bad for the price (granted I am very inexperienced). I assumed that it would be the same with E9.

It depends on which is the cheaper product. Chances are both amps stages are comparable in quality, and benefits minimal. THe STX probably is a better source going on basic economics. A $200 soundcard is likely to trump a $100 external portable DAC/amp any day of the month. So much extra stuff goes into the cost of a Fiio to case it up and power it, money that isn't spent on the stuff that produces SQ.

[theeyealtering]

It depends on which is the cheaper product. Chances are both amps stages are comparable in quality, and benefits minimal. THe STX probably is a better source going on basic economics. A $200 soundcard is likely to trump a $100 external portable DAC/amp any day of the month.

Yea, the STX is clearly better sounding than the E7 to my ears. Although I've found that the E7 can go louder with my phones (albeit too loud for me).

Nevertheless, I'm more interested in the E9. I've read various opinions elsewhere that it outperforms amps more than twice its price. Of course I read similar claims about the E7, and they clearly they weren't all true.

I just want to know whether anyone here has had any experience with the E9 and could share their thoughts, whether it is as good as all the bloggers say and whether Headphonics is planning on stocking it.

[Marcus]

If we get some demand we'll look at stocking it, but I discourage people from reading into "this amp is a giant killer" comments, because 99.9% of the time they're bullshit.

[Drubbing]

I've read various opinions elsewhere that it outperforms amps more than twice its price. Of course I read similar claims about the E7, and they clearly they weren't all true.

It's never as good as the bloggers say - especially at the sub $100 mark. But you'll hear that about the next newer, cheaper thing to come out too. The people offering such view are usually talking shit, ("I'm so smart dudes, I got masses of SQ for next to fuck all, hey you buy one too, yeah...?") or have either never heard amps many times the price, can't tell the difference, are using/tried hugely mismatched phones/source, or are shills.

[nix3r]

Next question. Has anyone commenting in this thread actually listened to one yet?

[Drubbing]

Next question. Has anyone commenting in this thread actually listened to one yet?

No. But after experience with basic products selling at entry level, what you get for your money doesn't change; audio is not like PC technology where you get better and faster and more, for less.

And most of the comments here were about the hype that gets created around cheap products, not the products themselves. If you go for any giant killer hype, then you're heading for disappointment.