FiiO E11

Best upgrade to all types of headphones old or new, in-ear or otherwise, cheap or expensive – Do you get a feeling sometimes that maybe the headphone you're using is not good enough anymore or there is something missing in what you're hearing and it's time to head on down the store to get a better one? Well, it is not the headphone degrading or your hearing is failing, it is the quality of the audio of most mp3 players including the Ipod and Iphone that is in need of help. To be fair and honest, all of them are adequate and more than enough to satisfy the listening demands of 'the great unwashed' happy to use stock-white earbuds--but we are talking about a great leap here for the true enthusiast.

It may well be a totally unnecessary trip and expense, because maybe what you really need is a great little headphone amp called the FiiO E11.

Of course there are other models and other brands that compete in this market but save your money and just get the FiiO E11. Audition the others if you can but the law of diminishing returns apply. A $500 unit should be better but is not always 5 times superior to a $100 unit and at times any gain is only a perception.

Without a doubt, and you will find out, it was all what you needed and wanted. Sure, you probably have a very expensive set of whatever, and it is just great sounding and all that but believe me, this amp will make it better in every manner possible unless you own a Dr.(fashion statements don't need it). Transparency, bass, treble and space, and most importantly musicality, are all imparted by the FiiO E11 in their precise and subtle amounts without compromising the artist's original intent. How that was all possible from a little box no bigger than a stack of calling cards is amazing.

Once Freddie was blind but now he can see. Seems like all is in focus what was once blurred.

If you really want to, there are 2 more extra EQ settings apart from default (which is really sufficiently good for most applications) you can use to change your preference if you really want to have more bass and really more bass. Low to high gain too. Also has high and low power settings to conserve battery life which is already rated at 10 hours minimum. Comes in a nice tin can with accessories to get you going and is very light in weight. This amp has enough grunt to drive most power hungry headphone models. I would not recommend setting the volume pot of the E11 past 5 with the source at 80% to 90% (dependent on variables like bitrate or environment, etc) unless you want to use a hearing aid soon enough. All tech figures are Googable and online.

Sound this good should cost an arm and a few hundred dollars but it doesn't. It is far cheaper than a meal for 4 at a Chinese restaurant with tea and that's really reasonable. Great sound, lightweight, and very affordable. Few charging issues but not major.