Published on 11/20/2008
At first glance, people might mistake the Fiio E5 for some sort of cheap iPod Shuffle clone. Upon closer inspection, however, they will realize that this is not even a digital audio player, but in reality is a clip-on headphone amplifier that functions as a volume booster for your favorite portable media player. It comes with an Apple-style clip, measuring a diminutive 44mm x 38mm x 12.2mm. Despite its small size, it still packs in a pretty impressive performance, capable of 150mW (at 16O; or 12MW to 300O) power output with under 0.009-percent distortion at 10mW. This makes it 30% more powerful than its predecessor, and can last for up to 20 hours of continuous audio playback before requiring a recharge. The Fiio E5 is tipped to retail for less than $20.