SOUND
The sound signature of the Fiio E17 is very similar to the Fiio E7. A nice texture to the bass without it being recessed and an enjoyably energetic experience while not deviating too far from neutral. The low frequencies may still be more about weight than detail but there is a nice improvement to the detail here. The mid-tones have a bit more finesse and the treble is a touch better articulated and this means moderately higher volumes can be appreciated without discomfort. The soundstage was a noticeably more three dimensional experience that is much easier to sink into and enjoy compared to the E7.
On paper the E17's can seem like a box-ticking specifications refresh of the E7 but I think it's much more than this, Apart from adding an alternative digital input and supporting HD audio, the sound quality has been give a decent boost. It feels like the amplifier is mostly responsible for these improvements too, so the benefits carry over for portable use as well, in that sense it's a great all-round upgrade. The improved amplification could be one reason why the battery life has taken such a dive, but it can still survive a reasonable amount of time away from the computer and I wouldn't describe this as a deal-killer.
COMPARISONS
The Fiio E7 is a great unit but the E17 is decent step up from that in terms of audio quality and features. If you already have the E7, use all it's features and can just about afford the E17 then it's a fairly safe upgrade. If however you don't need the amplifier on it's own, would like more outputs and have a bit more money to spend then I recommend looking into the competition.
The Audinst HUD-MX1 can't be used as an amplifier only, it only has one digital input and no tone controls but it can work from USB power (can be powered separately as well), supports HD audio and is priced similarly to the E17. The MX1 is also limited to the 24bit / 96khz sample rate through USB but when it comes to sheer audio quality I found it to outperform the E17 noticably in almost every area. The MX1 is also a bit more enjoyably forward with it's midrange which feels more alive and engaging for vocals without much of a down side. If you can live without the Fiio's battery then it is heavily out-gunned by the Audinst.
The HRT Headstreamer makes a few subtle audio improvements over the E17. The bass is a touch nicer but it suffered from yet more recessed midrange and the treble was nowhere near as sparkly and this made it struggle to sound so impressive with most of my headphones. The HRT's detail resolution was very closely matched with the E17 but the soundstage was a more substantial improvement. Overall the HRT does offer an improvement in audio quality compared to the Fiio E17 but if it's worth 50% more to loose so many features is debatable.
FEATURES
Like the E7 the Fiio E17 is a very easy device to use. With a PC you simply plug it in and it works, no drivers, no restarting - that really is it. As mentioned above it now supports stereo audio up to 24bit / 192khz (96khz through USB) so HD audio downloads are now an option. The battery charges via USB and can still be disabled through the menu to save constant recharging. The time it lasts on a charge has been reduced from the E7's 40 hours to a meagre 15 hours. This is due to the improved amplification and inclusion of the HD audio. The bass can now go up in 5 levels (opposed to 3 with the E7) but it can now also be reduced in 5 levels too. Even bigger news here is the inclusion of treble control (+/- 5 levels), Balance (+/- 5 levels) and 3 levels of gain. I still don't like to touch these features much, but for some people they will be a god send and even I like to know that they are there.
ACCESSORIES
As with the Fiio E7 a felt case is included to protect the E17. Unfortunately the rubber housing of the E7 has not made it into the E17's box and this is a big shame. You do get two rubber bands this time, but with all that extra metal I can't help fearing the scratchfest that would ensue if it was paired with the iPhone 4.
Of course you get a USB and an analogue cable but you now get a 3.5mm toslink adaptor for the S/PDIF socket too, it just doesn't quite feel like the complete package you got with the considerably cheaper E7 and that feels like a step backwards at twice the price.
All the optional extras for the E17 are the same as the E7 so I will just repeat this section. The first is a 'line out' attachment (Fiio L7) so you can use another amplifier with the E17's Wolfson WM8740 DAC. The E17 can still be docked on top of the E9 powered desktop amplifier although it's much less likely that you will want to considering the E17's improved internal amp. Lastly there are some cables to connect Apple i-devices to the E17's aux input (Fiio L3, L9 or L10). This is where the E17's internal batteries come into play. In this configuration the E17 becomes an amplifier only. It can be used with any portable media player but the i-device cables enable a 'line out' so that double amplification does not occur and this helps improve sound quality. Unfortunately the E17's DAC can only be used with computers, currently i-device DACs are considerably more pricey!
BUILD
Although the E17 is more than twice the price of theE7, the standard of construction is still fantastic. Perhaps this shows just how stunning the build quality and package value of the E7 is for it's price. As well as the back and sides most of the front is now metal too, making it almost a complete box of brushed black metal. The only thing breaking with this is the small OLED screen, which is the only small area to remain a finger print magnet. The weight gets a small increase over the E7 from 100g to 120g, this is probably due to the extra metal but it feels good, not too heavy but it's quite noticeable.
SUMMARY
As mentioned in the comparisons the Fiio E17 could offer a nice upgrade path from the E7, mostly if you want the amp only feature as well as combined with the DAC. The versatility, build and features of the E17 are really amazing! This combined with it's audio quality make it really stand out at this price. If you had a little more to spend (say up to £150) the competition really begins to step on the E17's audio quality, but that's taking everything else out of the equation.
There are several nice features to the E17 that are not seen on many rivals. A great quality battery powered amplifier, a S/PDIF digital input as well as a USB that both support HD audio, a display and superb tone controls. If you are interested in most of these features and your budget is £100 or less then the Fiio E17 is an easy choice.
There are several nice features to the E17 that are not seen on many rivals. A great quality battery powered amplifier, a S/PDIF digital input as well as a USB that both support HD audio, a display and superb tone controls. If you are interested in most of these features and your budget is £100 or less then the Fiio E17 is an easy choice.
