Portable DAC, combined with an amplifier for headphones E17 from Fiio, quickly gained popularity right after the release in early 2012. Since then, it's been a long time, and it's time to upgrade, traditionally for the company that received the E17K index and the code name Alpen 2. What's new in it?
The first thing that Fiio changed in the device is design. Buttons became much smaller, they were replaced by a side wheel that can be rotated and pressed. The dimensions of the case are slightly different, the E17K is slightly higher and wider, but thinner. Both of these changes are beneficial when using Alpen 2 in a "sandwich" with another device: first, the bundle is thinner, and secondly, the volume can be adjusted with the wheel much more conveniently.
The screen became contrast, black and white, it is better read in bright light. The microUSB port located below is combined with a dock connector for use with the E17K future E09S headphone amplifier, which will be announced later (also with Fiio X1 players and future X3K and X7).
E17K lost its optical input, as the number of sources with this output decreases every year, so only USB, coaxial and line inputs remain from the connection options. The company finally refused to use Tenor as a USB interface and took the well-proven last years chip SA9027. This allowed to raise the frequency and bit depth of the supported formats up to 96 kHz and 32 bits respectively, and also add support for DSD (when using the ASIO driver). Also, thanks to the use of this chip, the E17K certainly should work without problems with Android and iOS devices (I personally did not check, but there is little doubt).
Has undergone changes and stuffing. WM8740 from Wolfson has been replaced by PCM5102, the low-pass filter is OPA1622, and the amplifier is built on a bunch of OPA1642 and LMH6643.
Since the E17K replaces the E17 (the latter is already out of production), its recommended price is the same as $ 130. The company plans to allocate portable DACs with amplifiers to a separate lineup with index Q, E17K will receive Q3 index in it and it will be an average model, the Q5 flagship will be announced later, and judging by the fact that its competitor will be Sony PHA-3, waiting for a very interesting.
Specifications
- Output Power: > 200 mW @ 32Ω
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: <0.003% @ 1KHz
- Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 KHz
- Channel separation: > 75 dB @ 1 KHz
- Channel imbalance: <0.5 dB
- Signal to noise ratio: > 113 dB
- Output Impedance: <1,1 Ω
- Maximum output current: > 80 mA
- Maximum output voltage: > 7.8 Vp-p
- Heine: 0, 6, 12 dB
- Recommended headphone impedance: 16Ω - 150Ω
- Battery: > 1500 mAh
- Operating time per charge: > 15 h
- Charge time: <220 min
- Inputs: Micro USB, coaxial, linear
- Outputs: linear, headphone
- Dimensions: 104.1 mm × 62.2 mm × 12.8 mm
- Weight: 110g
Packing and delivery kit
Box E17K - traditional for the company: flat, of white cardboard with the image of the device on it, on the package there is a traditional sticker with the code for authentication. Inside there is one more box of their dense cardboard, in it - the amplifier in a cloth sheath with Velcro and accessories.
With E17K, you get: two spare films on the screen (and one already glued on), a set of self-adhesive silicone feet to protect the underside of scratches, a pair of rubber rings for attaching the device to the source, a microUSB cable, an adapter for coaxial input, a short cable with two angled 3.5 mm jacks and different instructions.
The package is just great, it includes everything you need.
Design and management
The appearance of the E17K is very laconic, a small parallelepiped of black aluminum with a pleasant metal texture. On the front panel there is a small black and white screen, a button for turning on and returning from the submenu, inscribed in a round indicator and the source / lock selection button. The screen is used to display the volume, sampling rate and bit depth of the signal, the battery charge level and the sound source. It is well readable in the sun, in the menu it is possible to set the time when it turns off. The indicator, combined with the power button, glows blue when the device is turned on, red - when charging, purple - if the charge goes along with the work. The second button switches the signal sources (USB / Coax / Aux) with a short press, at long - switches on the hold mode, blocking the control.
Since the use of the Sony J7 phone, I consider the wheel with the ability to click one of the best controls for devices with a simple menu. Therefore, the presence of such a twist on the left panel of the device - very pleased. By default, the rotation of this wheel adjusts the volume (60 steps of digital adjustment), pressing it shows a simple menu with settings. To move through the menu, use the same wheel, click on it selects the desired item, a short press of the power button works as a return to the level above. In the menu you can adjust: bass and treble level (± 10 steps), balance of channels, gain, USB charging, auto-off timer, maximum volume, remembering the selected volume when turning off, view firmware version and reset all settings to default value . It is not necessary to be afraid of accidental clicks on this wheel, firstly, it is covered by a plastic overlay, and secondly - the power of the click is selected very correctly.
Of all the settings, it's worth noting that charging is turned off from USB, this option is useful when using E17K with mobile devices. In addition, disconnecting the battery charge circuits should positively affect the sound when working with a computer via USB.
On the bottom panel there is a MicroUSB connector for connection to a computer, it will also be used as a dock connector in the future. On the top panel there are three sockets of available inputs and outputs.
The right side and the "back" of the player are out of control.
The operating time of Aplen 2 is very good, in my tests it was about 16 hours, the charging time from the charger for iPad is about 3 hours and 25 minutes.
Sound
To listen to the player, the following headphones were used:
- HiFiMan Re600
- Philips Fidelio X1
- Dunu DN-2000
- Lear LUF-4F
- Rhapsodio RTi1
Fans of fortune-telling on chips immediately after the announcement of E17K began to express their disappointment, because in the global "table of ranks" WM8740 listed DAC better than PCM5102, which came to replace it. But in fact, it's hard to call a loss, because the difference between these chips is not so great. In a portable device, while limiting the available size and battery power, to provide the correct "harness" that will allow to disclose this difference, it is unrealistic, and much more important is the amplifying unit that goes after the converter. Moreover, the PCM5102 was initially designed as more simple to "prepare" the DAC, so the E17K demonstrates better results than its predecessor.
When evaluating Alpen 2, it is worthwhile to understand that it is strange for a device for $ 130 to demand the same thing from more expensive ones, but even without an amendment to the price, the novelty shows itself very well. Fiio managed to significantly improve the sound of the E17 in this update, the E17K sounds neutral and transfers more details, it became better and the development of attacks.
The bass is good and quantitative, and qualitatively. Of course, in such a small volume it is difficult to realize LF with ideal control and attack speed, but E17K does a lot to get close to the level of top solutions. Multi-stage bass adjustment allows you to adjust the number of LFs depending on personal preferences and headphones.
Medium frequencies are good for detailing and transferring information, Alpen 2 does not bring any gags in them, which is good for building volume and conveying nuances.
High frequencies are unobtrusive. They do not have enough length, but this is normal for this price category. There is an adjustment of the high-frequency, which helps to cope with bright headphones, achieving tireless sound.
The power reserve of the E17K is sufficient for most non-earphones, with high-resolution solutions and tight overhead models, it certainly can not cope, but its developers have not set such a goal in front of themselves.
For whom?
Considering E17K, it is necessary to understand the purpose for which you acquire it, and to understand that this is not a solution to all problems.
E17K will suit you if:
- You are not satisfied with the quality of the built-in sound card of your computer or laptop
- You want to listen to DSD and high definition recording
- You use headphones with an impedance of up to 100Ω, a price category somewhere up to $ 300 (maximum 400) and do not plan to invest in something more expensive
- You move from place to place and the stationary DAC / amplifier will not work for you
- You are happy with your smartphone / tablet as a music source, but want to get quality higher
- You do not want to spend a lot of money on sound
E17K is not for you if:
- You have "tight" headphones with high impedance or low sensitivity (or both at once)
- You have expensive high-end headphones
- You do not need a portable device
- You want to get the best sound quality and are ready to pay a high price for it
conclusions
Traditionally an interesting device that combines an affordable price, a compact size and functional wealth with a good sound. The application area of the E17K is very large, starting with the use of an external sound card and ending with the functions of a portable amplifier. More modern stuff brought DSD support and higher-resolution records, and the modified design made using the device easier and more convenient. Competitors have few devices, and the largest of them is, oddly enough, the product of the Fiio-E18 itself.
The article is based on materials .
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