Audiophile/best sounding mp3 players out to date...post here!!!! - Page 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExpatinJapan 

thanks for the quick detailed reply!

No problem, just doing my best to avoid starting doing my Japanese language homework. 

ok i love my sflo2 but(regarding the line out) the fact that there is an active dac output stage in the shape of the opa2604 makes me think this limits the impact of an external amp ,even if you use some high end amp with fully descrete output ,the fact that its passing through a $1 opamp must have some impact.

any thoughts on this?

The HM-801 sounds amazing, and absolutely rips my Cowon S9 to shreds. No contest. Unfortunately its very big and very expensive. Head-direct has just opened up pre-orders on the 602 for $369, which I would expect to sound perhaps 80-90% as good as its big brother. The DAC and op amps used in the 602 aren't quite at the top shelf level of the 801, but they are still considerably better than anything used by Cowon, Sony, or Microsoft. The 602 also has 16GB of internal storage for a maximum of 48GB with SD card, while the 801 I think only has 2GB internal. There will very likely be a 602 in my future.

yes ,the rockgrottos veiw of hifimans opamp

Test Seven:   Burr Brown OPA 627 BP on Browndog adaptor   Price: £28 each (Total £56 for 2 singles) Browndog adaptor £5    Total: £61

Two words sum this chip up........ "absolute class" This is the only single chip in the test (the rest all being duals) and it was necessary to fit two single channel 627's onto a single to dual Browndog adaptor which Adapts two single-channel DIP-8 op-amps to a dual DIP-8 pinout.   These 2 single channel op amps absolutely trounced anything that had gone before them in this test..... the width of the soundstage, the clarity and the sheer presence make this my choice of op amp for use in the Chiarra without a shadow of a doubt. The sound is just so "clean", so "natural", so "musical" and so "detailed" with the 627's on board. I said the AD 823 was "as close to headphone heaven I have yet been" The Burr Brown 627 "is" headphone heaven....... absolute class act. 10 / 10