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All true. Though the one feature that I hope they implement is gapless. I know I sound like a broken record saying this, but IMO it's the most important feature a player can have. Just imagine having several lengthy gaps in the middle of your favorite rock songs. That's what it's like for classical listeners (or any album featuring tracks that blend together). The lack of gapless = low fi, regardless of sound quality.

Gapless aside, the major complaint I have for this player is the battery life. Of course, I can always bring chunks of battery and SDHC cards. However, I wonder how "portable" this thing will be since the quoted package weight is 2000g. If this player comes with no accessories, it's awfully heavy

I have tested the time length between two wav tracks: track 5 and 6 of Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl [SOUNDTRACK] .I tried to use a stop watch to record how long the time will be, but before I finish the first touch, the track has been changed from 5 to 6. The time is shorter than my reaction time, and the average reaction time of human being is about 0.2 second. Maybe this mp3 player does surpport gapless but nobody told me this.

To ilney: Shipping weight 2000g is only an estimated numer because the packing box is not ready yet, and accessories will include an heavy E-core transformer as external power supply and charger. In additon, there will be another shipping box to protect the packing box.

If you complain battery life, then buy another battery. If you complain SDHC cards capacity, then buy two cards or more.

Nankai, I will be purchasing the HM-801 Portable Player. I just want to ask a few questions.

I will be not be using the built in amp module because I will be using the line out to shoot the audio signal from the high quality built in DAC straight to a Triad Audio Lisa III semi-portable amplifier. Would the battery time increase in the HM-801 Portable Player?

Do you even think a portable amplifier like the Lisa III will provide a signifact sound quality boost? Or are the amp modules for the HM-801 Portable Player of very high quality just like the DAC?

...the beauty of modularity...

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For a definitive answer, test two tracks that lead into each other - "Intro" and "Apocalypse Please" from Muse's Absolution would work. If it sounds like one continuous song, it's gapless.

Also, I know I've asked twice already, but will this be a limited production run or a permanent product?

Wow, the more I think about this item, the harder it is not to order it. No one has even mentioned the future possibility of the 24/96khz firmware update. Are you kidding me?? No one is interested in a portable player that may be able to play hi-rez music? Also, why would you be worried about not having a digital out when you have an internal DAC with the capabilities of this player! Soundcards huh? No biggie, you now have interchangeable playlists. (labeled small anti-static bags). I don't know but I think you will probably end up paying as much or more if you decide to go the iMod route(& this DAC appears to better the Wolfson). If the best attainable playback SQ from a PDAP is what you are looking for this may be it. Time will tell I suppose. A bit pricey? you bet! Probably not something you would slap on to go jogging with, we have more than enough DAPs you can use for that! (Now, comes the hard part, justifiying spending this much. Decisions,decisions... I know I'm going to die poor anyway!)

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Part of the issue is for the money why should we have to sacrifice anything? With this device we will have to sacrifice storage space, battery life and audio customization options. I fully support the endeavor to make a high end portable audiophile device but why does that have to entail stripping out some very basic and very necessarily features?

If we are willing to pay for it why can't we have our cake and eat it to?

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I think you're correct that it will end up being a niche product. This thread has shown that there are many people who share your perspective on the importance of the customization stuff. I think anyone expecting this to be as streamlined and user-friendly as a mass-produced commercial product is going to be disappointed.

From my perspective, with what I value in a portable set-up, this seems to hit on all of my most important criteria. It's truly a quality-first device. It's designed to give you the absolute highest quality sound in a portable medium as is technically possible.

My other biggest criteria is size. Personally, I believe that the portable audio niche offers extremely poor value for the dollar. There is truly no good solution for a high quality portable source- you have people modding Ipods and digging for 5 year old Irivers to output them to a portable DAC.

When I look at the size of some of these portable rigs (having owned one), it's almost humorous. People dragging around these portable bricks of layered DAP/DAC/Amp/Vcap etc... for what is a relatively minor sound improvement, IMO.

The level of sound it seems one could get out of one of these devices, with say, a custom IEM, is every bit as good as some of the best home rigs. That's revolutionary, in the context of the size of the player...again IMO.

If you care more about some of the features that are available on some other players that don't have the playback SQ capabilities I really think you might be missing the whole point of this player. As a genre,true hi-end equipment isn't normally "feature" ladden. Once you start adding features to make everyone happy you start complicating the circuit. I really hate it when someone trys to call "Universal" players "Audiophile". So how long is battery charge good for before recharge is necessary? The battery is easily replacable after it refuses to charge anymore correct , so what's the issue? Someone had an issue about EQ? I haven't used EQ on anything for at least 20 years! It might be time to get a little choosier about your source material! How's that old saying go "You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear". If you do have to use EQ fairly often you might be better served using your current playback setup as once you do start using EQ w/ better equipment the equipment starts sounding pretty average. So now the dicussion goes full circle; Why would someone pay a premium price for a premium quality player that once you implement additional features may start sounding pretty average? Sure as hell, someone would try to blame the manufacturer should things not turn out well, & then have the "Nerve"(actually Stupidity) to say "See, I said it was overpriced"

Podtweaker, your reaction to a lot of the criticism to this point perfectly mirrors my own response. I can honestly say that I've never been as confused about the initial response to what seems by all accounts to be a revolutionary product in my time at head-fi.

When I first read this thread last night, I was literally sitting there wondering what it was I was missing. I started to feel concerned that head-direct would read some of this stuff and wonder whether he'd made a big mistake.

I'm not trying to predict the future, but I don't think I've ever seen a product with as much potential to totally change portable audio. All you have to do is go and look at the "portable amps" and "portable sources" sections of this website to start to really wonder whether this is a game changer.

When will this baby be released?? I can't wait!!

June is promissed.

Also most of the features missing like eq, gapless etc. don't require complicating the circuit, it is all in the software implementation and so will be happening in the digital domain and therefore should not adversly affect sq if one does not want to use it. This naturally also implies that while it may not be there in the original release it could be something that might arrive as a software update at a later point as might additional codec support. I wont bite for now but will continue to see how this plays out.

I'd really like to get 1..but then for 600 ...hmmm..

Is EQ really that big a deal-breaker?

With the exception of the Cowon D2 (which, in the few hours I've listened to it, I just haven't 'got'), I have never felt the need / urge to EQ any of my players...

...I don't feel that I've missed anything as a result of that though...

I'm looking forward to someone A/B'ing the HM-801 to the Sony X1000... - In the meantime, until that comparison comes out - I will be saving some money...