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[REVIEW] HifiMan HM602 and HM801 (w/ balanced amp module impression) - Page 7

post #91 of 104
9/8/11 at 1:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by javahut View Post

What I'm wondering is how do you tell where it's made without opening the package?


Packaging is clear I can see everything.

 

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post #92 of 104
9/13/11 at 6:03am

anyone know the difference between the 16gb and 8gb flavours, or why hifiman seemed to have stopped selling the former?

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post #93 of 104
9/13/11 at 7:21am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by avexdevil View Post

anyone know the difference between the 16gb and 8gb flavours, or why hifiman seemed to have stopped selling the former?


I believe it is because of the general shortage / unstable supply of memory chip in China that cause HifiMan to make the 8GB version. Though it should be noted that the price also went from $439 to the current $399.

 

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post #94 of 104
1/17/12 at 2:28am

 

Hello!
 
Quick question about the HM-602:
 
Why the same song (same file) has better sound quality when played through the DAC than when played by the player itself (DAP), using the same headphone?
 
Cheers,
 
Peter
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post #95 of 104
1/17/12 at 3:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cardozo View Post

 

Hello!
 
Quick question about the HM-602:
 
Why the same song (same file) has better sound quality when played through the DAC than when played by the player itself (DAP), using the same headphone?
 
Cheers,
 
Peter


I believe it's because the headphone amp itself imparts a sound signature that rolls off the low and high end. I know I love the sound of the 602, but only through the line out powered by my Ray Samuels P-51 Mustang amp. And then only using Sensorcom PureSound eartips. Otherwise, the low end is not nearly deep enough, and the top end not quite extended enough for my taste. But using that combo with the Westone W4 IEM is as close to "portable" audio perfection I've experienced so far.
 

 

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post #96 of 104
1/17/12 at 4:30am

 

I do not think I was clear with my question ...
 
Using the HM-602, only in relation to sound quality (regardless of  wich output is used), the question is: Why the same music sounds beter when using this device as DAC, feeded by a desktop with Foobar? The sound quality should not be the same when the music is played from the player´s memory?
 
Using the HM-602 as a DAC, the difference for me is a more expansive sound, with better separation between instruments and soundstage. A more lifelike sound, in the end.
 
The Foobar may have something with this difference?
 
Sorry about my poor english!
 
Cheers,
 
Peter

Quote:
Originally Posted by javahut View Post


I believe it's because the headphone amp itself imparts a sound signature that rolls off the low and high end. I know I love the sound of the 602, but only through the line out powered by my Ray Samuels P-51 Mustang amp. And then only using Sensorcom PureSound eartips. Otherwise, the low end is not nearly deep enough, and the top end not quite extended enough for my taste. But using that combo with the Westone W4 IEM is as close to "portable" audio perfection I've experienced so far.
 

 



 

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post #97 of 104
1/17/12 at 4:58am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cardozo View Post

 

I do not think I was clear with my question ...

 

 

Can you tell me something about the music file itself (bitrate and such)?

 

 

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post #98 of 104
1/17/12 at 5:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cardozo View Post

 

I do not think I was clear with my question ...
 
Using the HM-602, only in relation to sound quality (regardless of  wich output is used), the question is: Why the same music sounds beter when using this device as DAC, feeded by a desktop with Foobar? The sound quality should not be the same when the music is played from the player´s memory?
 
Using the HM-602 as a DAC, the difference for me is a more expansive sound, with better separation between instruments and soundstage. A more lifelike sound, in the end.
 
The Foobar may have something with this difference?
 
Sorry about my poor english!
 
Cheers,
 
Peter


 

 

I would think that, if you're using the exact same file from the 602 and from Foobar, with neither having any EQ engaged, and listening through the same output (line out/heaphone out) from the 602 through the same audio equipment... then the sound quality should be pretty much identical. If not, there would seem to be something different or wrong somewhere. I don't use the 602 as a DAC, so haven't experienced any problem with this.

 

 

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post #99 of 104
1/17/12 at 5:30am

Dear ClieOS,

 

with any type of file, like MP3 or Flac.

 

The file type does not matter, in this case. The player working as DAC always has the best sound quality, when compared with the player playing these same files.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ClieOS View Post

 

Can you tell me something about the music file itself (bitrate and such)?

 

 



 

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post #100 of 104
1/17/12 at 5:58am

 

ClieOS and Javahut,
 
I had, some time ago, a HM-801 and found this same characteristic.
 
To be clear, the computers were different in these cases, with almost default configuration in Foobar, without any equalization.
 
Mystery... :o)
 
Cheers,
 
Peter
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post #101 of 104
1/17/12 at 8:03am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cardozo View Post

 

ClieOS and Javahut,
 
I had, some time ago, a HM-801 and found this same characteristic.
 
To be clear, the computers were different in these cases, with almost default configuration in Foobar, without any equalization.
 
Mystery... :o)
 
Cheers,
 
Peter


HM801 is another story as the USB receiver held back the SQ a lot and makes the USB DAC not nearly as good as the SPDIF-in or the DAP playback itself. Still, I think the SPDIF-in doesn sound better than the DAP itself. My guess is, it has something to do with the controller chip (Rockchip) which isn't the most transparent sounding in the world, or something to do with the firmware (or maybe both). If you don't think it matters because it is all digital, you ought to reconsider. The controller still handle the basic decoding of different codec, so the quality of the decoding will affect SQ (especially on digital gain, which I do notice a difference between the DAP and  USB- DAC).

 

 

 

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post #102 of 104
1/19/12 at 12:49am

Dear ClieOS,

 

 

Thanks for the clarification.
 
Anyway, the HifiMan saga is about to end. I've had HM-801, HM-601 and HM-602 models, and I am putting for sale the last one, HM-602. I am a armature driver IEM guy (UM3X/ER4S) and the sound signature of these players have never been married very well with my preferred sound.
 
And life goes on... : o)
 
Obs: I have a deep respect for your opinion here on the forum. Good job! And also learned, after reading a lot written by you, you like the clear and defined sound, open, perhaps leaning a little on the bright side of the sound. A natural sound, as stated here.
 
I, on the other hand, like a warmer, colorful and analogic/organic sound, perhaps hanging for something darker.
 
I take these differences into account  when I read their texts and I believe it is important to know the tastes of the people we follow here in the forum, so that we can choose your equipment properly.
 
If I've made a mistake in my assessment, feel free to make the corrections.
 
Cheers,
 
Peter
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post #103 of 104
1/19/12 at 3:33am
Thread Starter 

You are right about me :) When it comes to source, my preference does tilt toward clear and open, instead of warm and thick.

 

Of course, you are right about getting a perspective on reading review as well. Knowing the reviewer is halfway on reading the review correctly.

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post #104 of 104
5/7/12 at 7:56pm
Thread Starter 
Updated the first post with my impression of the balanced amp module..
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