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AMP3 - Audiophile MP3 player

Posted 07-04-2009 at 05:09 PM by Sasaki

As the title suggests, this does not read as "amp-three". No Amp1 nor Amp2 here. This is a "Audiophile MP3" player. Also, A is for Affordable, Accurate reproduction and so on. As the name implies, this is a one-piece solution for us portable amp lovers who does not happy with DAP alone.

Here is the hisound web-site.
http://www.hisoundaudio.com/

click picture to see larger.

I got AMP3 from Jaben at $178 include shipping to Japan.
They offered me an intro price. You can also buy this from hisound directory.

The build quality is better than I expected, solid and well built. Small but thick, a bit heavy but that is no actual problem.

As for the spec, please refer to hisound audio web-site. The leftmost picture is AMP3.
I use Transend MicroSDHC 8GB and Panasonic MicroSD 2GB. Both works well.

Sound-wise, surely this is very nice. Detailed, crisp and lively as others stated. Soundstage is wide and impressive, bass is punchy and dynamic. The sound is audio-gear-like, this may be a step beyond from ordinal DAPs, comparable to budget external amps.
I prefer loss-less but I changed my mind a bit with trying this. I thought lossy data is harsh and life-less, but the MP3 sound from AMP3 is vivid and dynamic.

However, there is a flaw. Background hiss/static is fairly evident. Needless to say for UE11, and this is noticeable even with ordinal 16 ohm IEMs. But it's totally gone using YUIN PK1 or OK1. As long as I am listening with PK1/OK1, AMP3 is remarkable.

The accessory ear-buds are also nice. This ear-buds looks cheapish but sounding good. HD25-1 and ESW9/10 is good too. You will have a good bass with them.

AMP3 has a line-in plug and it works as a portable amp.
iMod+AMP3 is better than AMP3 alone. This mean the amp portion of AMP3 is nice but player/dac portion is not so good. So there is a room to improve.
Although works as an external portable amp, hissing still exists. I guess the hissing is come from amp circuit.

Operation-wise, here is another issue. First, screen is too small to display long titles. (though it scrolls)
You need MP3 tags to be correctly filled to navigate, no directory navigation like Rockbox. I use Wave file for AMP3, so this is a issue. But AMP3 works as a "shuffle" DAP using random play mode. I use this mostly.
Responses are not slow, this is a good thing.

I think this is a nice concept product but still has some major issues.
I hope the next version clear them, especially hissing.
I wanted to use this with ES3X or UE11, it would be a great compact combo.

Posted in Other audio gears

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Comments

Very nice review. Is the hiss during music or between tracks?

You said you used MP3 for your trial, but later mention using wav? Did you listen to both? If so, any difference? What bitrate did you use? Type of music?

I believe the maker is pondering/working on some firmware updates, which could address some of the issues you mentioned. Hope so.

But it sounds like the SQ, under optimal conditions, is pretty high.

Posted 07-04-2009 at 05:38 PM by tstarn06 tstarn06 is offline

Hi tstarn06,

> Is the hiss during music or between tracks?
With high effeciency&low impedance IEMs, I hear it during music.

> You said you used MP3 for your trial, but later mention using wav?
Yes, if I have to say the difference is there. But the main reason is, I just do not have MP3 library.
MP3s are 320. I use rock, jazz, classical and several types of music.
I forget to mention, Some good sample MP3s come with the AMP3.

Posted 07-05-2009 at 02:27 AM by Sasaki Sasaki is offline

	Would this solution reduce or eliminate hiss, and if so, which one, 75 ohm or 120? I have Westone 3s, which are rated at 30 ohm impedence. APureSound - Where The Music Is Always Pure - APS Audio LLC. Thanks in advance.
	Posted 07-05-2009 at 03:33 AM by tstarn06

	Good point, I have one at 75ohm and now I am looking for it. .. but .. Sorry for my messy room
	Posted 07-05-2009 at 04:03 AM by Sasaki

	Any luck with the cable reducing hiss?
	Posted 07-06-2009 at 10:23 PM by tstarn06

	after burn in I now love it with my Chinese ue 11S!!
	Posted 07-07-2009 at 08:53 AM by ulsanman

	No hiss!!!
	Posted 07-07-2009 at 08:54 AM by ulsanman

	Great. I can't wait until mine arrives. How did you burn yours in? Just charge it and let it run with music for 100+ huors (with the headphones plugged into it)?
	Posted 07-07-2009 at 02:48 PM by tstarn06

	Used it for about seventy hours and today tried the Chinese Ue11S , Bliss!! I hope you enjoy yours as much!!
	Posted 07-07-2009 at 02:58 PM by ulsanman

	liking mine so far, am transcoding to wav now...sounds pretty good right out of the box, cant get used to the GUI yet mind....
	Posted 07-31-2009 at 11:33 PM by Quaddy

	So this player can handle Yuin PK1 alone without much trouble?
	Posted 08-21-2009 at 07:28 AM by skydro

	Yes, I tried to mod the phones which came with it and now I'm having to use the PK1s and it's aural bliss but you have to use a lot of volume to drive them but it does the job amazingly well. the mod, needless to say, didn't quite work, the drivers came apart!!
	Posted 08-21-2009 at 08:39 AM by ulsanman

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