Nokia N900 - Has anyone tried it?
Dec 11, 2009 at 1:13 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 30
sxr71

sxr71

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I got one myself and I found it quite poor driving Sennheiser HD-25-II. I know the Senns benefit from an amp but the iPhone 3GS drives them acceptably.

The N900 was struggling pretty badly with rolled off bass, and sound that sounded to me very congested.

I'd like another opinion here - maybe I had a defective unit. If was hoping to get USB host out of it to drive a DAC but that is not possible due to a hardware limitation.
 
Dec 14, 2009 at 6:37 AM Post #2 of 30
Not one person?
 
Dec 14, 2009 at 5:32 PM Post #5 of 30
I'd also suggest a maemo-oriented forum. The N900 is pretty interesting, it just doesn't seem to materialize anywhere around town. Interesting idea with the DAC btw –*it's a "real" computer, it should be able to do that...
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 6:42 PM Post #6 of 30
Quote:

Originally Posted by Dazed&Confused718 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I've never heard one...but try howardforums....you'll probably find a better answer in the maemo section



I'm kind of from there but those people are clueless on sound. They'll think anything with the Nokia name sounds good. I'd like someone if at all possible to compare this device just so I can make sure I didn't get a defective one.
 
Dec 16, 2009 at 6:45 PM Post #7 of 30
Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver :) /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'd also suggest a maemo-oriented forum. The N900 is pretty interesting, it just doesn't seem to materialize anywhere around town. Interesting idea with the DAC btw –*it's a "real" computer, it should be able to do that...


Unfortunately no. This Nokia marketing will say "real computer" and what not. But they left out USB host functionality on this one due to release pressures and accomodating USB charging. The N810 supports USB on the go and I was following the thread here on Head-Fi but nobody could demonstrate that it works. We heard some story that someone got it working but nothing reproducible came out of it.
 
Jan 2, 2010 at 2:12 AM Post #8 of 30
Linux being linux this is still under debate; some people think maybe some digi out is possible. How much would it improve the sound? We don't have a review yet? I'd like someone with good ears to hook up an amp to the standard microplug out and report back.
 
Jan 2, 2010 at 10:01 AM Post #9 of 30
Wonder what the DAC is? Not to mention the rest of the signal path. Reviews will filter in pretty quickly within about a month I'm guessing. They are selling a lot of them.
 
Jan 2, 2010 at 2:15 PM Post #10 of 30
I've got one. The sound quality directly out of the headphone jack is unusable with my SE530s. When amping the sound through my Pico, it becomes acceptable, but still nowhere near the 3GS. I'm waiting for USB host support (I guess the next model) to use my Pico's DAC section too.

Otherwise it's a great mobile computer and for most people could easily replace a notebook.
 
Jan 2, 2010 at 2:44 PM Post #11 of 30
Quote:

Originally Posted by joonas /img/forum/go_quote.gif
...Otherwise it's a great mobile computer and for most people could easily replace a notebook.


Whats different about it from a regular smart phone?
 
Jan 2, 2010 at 2:56 PM Post #12 of 30
Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky191 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Whats different about it from a regular smart phone?


Nothing apart from the fact that there is poor application support for a new platform like this and of course the advertising campaign stating it s a real computer. Haha, good joke.
 
Jan 2, 2010 at 3:14 PM Post #13 of 30
They'll have to have a better store for it. I don't like Nokia own OVI store, or even their own software at all. Likewise the Apple Store is easy to use, a lot of the apps are rubbish, and few can back up the data within. At least with Windows Mobile or Palm applications, you could usually back up the device properly.

If I sound grumpy its because one of the kids just deleted some of my Touch apps, which I can't backup. Grrrr.
 
Jan 2, 2010 at 6:03 PM Post #14 of 30
Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky191 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Whats different about it from a regular smart phone?


It runs full Linux distribution. No different from any desktop Linux. Mine has Maemo and Debian. I can run all the normal desktop software; OpenOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird etc with all the plugins. I had iPhone 3G S, couldn't decide which one so I bought N900 and after an hour of use sold the iPhone. And I'm invested in Apple in many ways, but for me N900 is superior.

It's not as brain-dead-easy-to-use than iPhone, but my non-techie sister loves it too, so it's not that difficult either. But geeks like me can do anything with it that I can do with my desktop.
 
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