Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Source Gear › Hifiman HM-801 vs. iPod, Zune: A sound winner?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Hifiman HM-801 vs. iPod, Zune: A sound winner?

post #1 of 19
3/11/10 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
Here's a review by Steve Guttenberg (CNET Audiophiliac) of the Hifiman HM-801 'audiophile grade' portable player:

Hifiman HM-801 vs. iPod, Zune: A sound winner? | The Audiophiliac - CNET News
Reply
post #2 of 19
3/11/10 at 4:06pm
I'm afraid this thread is too simple. Having heard all three players, the 801 is in a completetly different league altogether.
Reply
post #3 of 19
3/11/10 at 4:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by downsize View Post
I'm afraid this thread is too simple. Having heard all three players, the 801 is in a completetly different league altogether.
I think that's precisely what the reviewer said...

Here are a few quotes I pulled from the review:

Quote:
...the Hifiman totally clobbered the iPod...

...The Hifiman's muscular bass made the iPod sound feeble by comparison...

...The iPod couldn't communicate anything like the impact I heard from the HM-801. It's not even close...

...The high-resolution files were more open, effortless and clear sounding. No iPod or Zune can play high-resolution files, so the HM-801's performance lead grows even wider...
Reply
post #4 of 19
3/11/10 at 4:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by downsize View Post
I'm afraid this thread is too simple. Having heard all three players, the 801 is in a completetly different league altogether.
i would hope so at the price of the hifiman dap :P
Reply
post #5 of 19
3/11/10 at 6:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rawrster View Post
i would hope so at the price of the hifiman dap :P
EXPENSIVE AS HELL !!! That's for sure LOL. Even so, I have to get one after hearing it played into a set of Sennheiser HD580s. It was magical !
Reply
post #6 of 19
3/11/10 at 8:54pm
I wonder though: for portable use with Turbine, JH13Pro, UE18Pro, etc., does the thing hiss? If it does, I'd probably not be able to use it portably, but if it doesn't I would. Using an outboard amp with that to control hiss would be so... defeating.
Reply
post #7 of 19
3/11/10 at 10:25pm
I still wouldn't get a HiFiMAN though,...............
Reply
post #8 of 19
3/11/10 at 10:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shigzeo View Post
I wonder though: for portable use with Turbine, JH13Pro, UE18Pro, etc., does the thing hiss? If it does, I'd probably not be able to use it portably, but if it doesn't I would. Using an outboard amp with that to control hiss would be so... defeating.
nope doesn't hiss except on stupidly loud volume which you'd never listen to, but they are releasing another amp for IEM specifically with lower gain that'll hiss even less

best thing I ever bought in my 1 year + on here
Reply
post #9 of 19
3/13/10 at 5:57am
Time to replace my iPhone as source...
Reply
post #10 of 19
3/14/10 at 5:32pm
God, I wish I had the money ! But now I know how to get poor agian
Reply
post #11 of 19
3/14/10 at 6:43pm
But is it leagues above something like an iRiver optical output to a D10 or similar? Still portable.
Reply
post #12 of 19
3/14/10 at 7:04pm
When the next version with better form factor, better battery life and better software comes out. I'll get one.

Or they can just make a slim DAP with a DAC and no amp
Reply
post #13 of 19
3/15/10 at 8:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tim3320070 View Post
But is it leagues above something like an iRiver optical output to a D10 or similar? Still portable.
Yeap. This has been reported long time ago and I was the one who asked the quality of the IC and the head-fier told that the optical IC was best at that time.
Reply
post #14 of 19
3/15/10 at 8:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilney View Post
When the next version with better form factor, better battery life and better software comes out. I'll get one.

Or they can just make a slim DAP with a DAC and no amp
A DAC only version would be great. What I wish is a version that can use SDXC cards.
Reply
post #15 of 19
3/15/10 at 10:10am
A DAC only version defeats the point of an All-in-one device. I personally will never again use LODs or adapters to connect two devices which I have to then hold with some rubber band
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Portable Source Gear
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Source Gear › Hifiman HM-801 vs. iPod, Zune: A sound winner?