Altmann Tera Player - Page 14  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tera-Fi 

Thanks, it gives me a little bit more confidence in this player.

 

I think I read that to keep the small form-factor, the 1704 was eliminated early in the design decision.

 

Are these 1704 chips out of supply?  No longer manufactured?  Not in the know, but heard only good things on the Audio-GD and HM-801 threads.

I think they are officially old stock but not completely out of production. Means they cost more and linited.

^^

It's a shame.  Would be nice to have these in every smartphone and iDevice.

I understand now why HiFiMan is allowing trade-in's on the HM-801 if you buy a new HM-901.

PCM1704 is an asset.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFlight 


Random play is only one option. You can also select and play by album and artist. Both list alphabetically, so navigation is quite easy even without a screen.

Did not know this.  So not much different on how I use a DAP.  Just have to prepend your track name with the track number to emulate a playlist.

Album: 01 Music1.wav 02 Music2.wav 03 Music3.wav... You can have your Album sorted like the CD track listing.

Custom playlist:  01..10 11..99 100..200... So in theory, you can have it play sequentially by just prepending a dummy track value with random tracks that you select in advance and putting it in the root folder. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tera-Fi 

Did not know this.  So not much different on how I use a DAP.  Just have to prepend your track name with the track number to emulate a playlist.

 

Album: 01 Music1.wav 02 Music2.wav 03 Music3.wav... You can have your Album sorted like the CD track listing.

 

Custom playlist:  01..10 11..99 100..200... So in theory, you can have it play sequentially by just prepending a dummy track value with random tracks that you select in advance and putting it in the root folder. 

I just use my phone to take a screenshot of the file directory from my laptop and navigate from there, when need be.    No hassle at all.   Random play shuffle all your music and not just limited to folders and so it is pretty neat.        

1704 is the only semi available 24bit R2R dac (integrated circuit version anyway), only noise free dac? did he really say that or are you paraphrasing? if he did… bollocks.... another one of his convenient over simplifications/tunnel vision, like the Koss thing.

He clearly only likes R2R dacs and it dominates his decisions, motivating him to choose a 16bit dac to use with digital volume… when there are rafts of 24bit dacs.

ipods use 24bit dacs, they just dont play 24bit files. I think you would have trouble finding any modern device that doesnt, particularly when they do digital volume

the 1704 requires quite a bit of babying to sound its best, just as most high end dacs do, so yes its all about the implementation and frankly it takes a lot of effort for a portable, proper external digital filters, properly low noise analogue references (not just filtered zener diodes) well executed IV stage, clocking and power supply. its also a mono chip.

anyway guys, i'll leave you to it, I cant say i'm not a bit baffled, but hey enjoy!

^^

I'm paraphrasing, but it is complicated reading and I could easily misinterpret.  Plus, I did not think when the article was dated until after I posted.  The article can be as old as 2006.

http://www.mother-of-tone.com/conversion.htm

It is at the very bottom of the page.  I hope to keep things within the scope of the 'Big 3' DAPs or portable/transportable DAPs.

Yes, he explains his design decisions on the same link.

But are there varying qualities of 24-bit like anything else?  Not all 24-bit DAC's are equal?

Wow, thank you for the executive summary of the 1704.  I learned so much just from that summary.  In a perfect world with readily available 1704's, I wonder how small a form-factor one can get with a couple of 1704's, battery life and near-perfect implementation... excluding HM-801 in the discussion.

Well, thanks for your knowledge.  It is too bad there are not more choices out there.  Will consider what you have taught us and whether to wait for that 'near-perfect' DAP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by evolutionx 

 

I just use my phone to take a screenshot of the file directory from my laptop and navigate from there, when need be.    No hassle at all.   Random play shuffle all your music and not just limited to folders and so it is pretty neat.        

That is a good idea.  Will remember that.

I think I made an error when I chose to use the word 'random'.

What I was trying to get at was if you want a Top100 of your tracks in specific order like your favorite track is #1, your can create a Top100 folder and sort your tracks to play from 01..100.  You can play it sequentially with your #1 track to play first and so on or randomize it at your will.

I took a look at the manual again and the examples shown are CD tracklistable 01, 02, 03...

I was just trying to emulate a hard-coded custom playlist as some mentioned that this player does not do playlists.  But, I think you can hard-code one. Could be easily wrong.

Apologies if this is out of scope.  I learned a new term 'sigma-delta' chips on Charle's website.  Then I just read an Audio-GD thread that had a link to this article.  I was like 'wow', I know this term now.

http://www.tonepublications.com/macro/audio-gd-reference-10-2-dac-and-more/

The first four paragraphs or so are interesting.  The rest lost me.

I think it coincides a bit with Charle's philosophy so I thought I post.  Sorry if I derailed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tera-Fi 

^^

 

I'm paraphrasing, but it is complicated reading and I could easily misinterpret.  Plus, I did not think when the article was dated until after I posted.  The article can be as old as 2006.

 

http://www.mother-of-tone.com/conversion.htm

 

It is at the very bottom of the page.  I hope to keep things within the scope of the 'Big 3' DAPs or portable/transportable DAPs.

 

Yes, he explains his design decisions on the same link.

 

But are there varying qualities of 24-bit like anything else?  Not all 24-bit DAC's are equal?

 

Wow, thank you for the executive summary of the 1704.  I learned so much just from that summary.  In a perfect world with readily available 1704's, I wonder how small a form-factor one can get with a couple of 1704's, battery life and near-perfect implementation... excluding HM-801 in the discussion.

 

Well, thanks for your knowledge.  It is too bad there are not more choices out there.  Will consider what you have taught us and whether to wait for that 'near-perfect' DAP.

My understanding is that the 901 uses a different DAC. While I'm a big fan of the 1704, part of the reason is that you can get at different portions of it independantly and do some neat things around it. The sort of things not capable in the context of a portable. It also costs more is bulky and less energy effecient. It can still be used simply with VG as it is in the 801 results but at that point, it's just trade offs with the competition.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tera-Fi 

Apologies if this is out of scope.  I learned a new term 'sigma-delta' chips on Charle's website.  Then I just read an Audio-GD thread that had a link to this article.  I was like 'wow', I know this term now.

 

http://www.tonepublications.com/macro/audio-gd-reference-10-2-dac-and-more/

 

The first four paragraphs or so are interesting.  The rest lost me.

 

I think it coincides a bit with Charle's philosophy so I thought I post.  Sorry if I derailed.

It's nothing like what Charlie is doing.

Decided that along with unexpected costs of textbooks I just found out I will need to get before my classes start in two weeks, I also may be able to be suited for the HiFiMan HM-901. Gonna wait it out while I raise the funds to get either player. Good luck to all of you guys, Maybe I'll jump back to here for a Tera Player if the HM-901 doesnt fit my needs or has bad reviews. 

Yeah, hate those unexpected expenses.  Good luck with the classes.  Make sure you challenge yourself on the http://stackoverflow.com/ and it's sister sites.

I am going to slow my roll also.  Will know somewhere near the end of Sept. where I stand.  Hopefully, reviews will be out on 901 by then.

I was reading this on the Steve Hoffman forums:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=293329&page=2

Seems link a good deal for recording lectures & stuff:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PR10rec

Can play some wav files too. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodvibes 

It's nothing like what Charlie is doing.

Does not seem like he is a big fan of sigma-delta's and has a fondness for the older DAC's.

Not to compare to the Home Audio space, just his philosophy or as they call it in the article, 'design ethos'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodvibes 

My understanding is that the 901 uses a different DAC. While I'm a big fan of the 1704, part of the reason is that you can get at different portions of it independantly and do some neat things around it. The sort of things not capable in the context of a portable. It also costs more is bulky and less energy effecient. It can still be used simply with VG as it is in the 801 results but at that point, it's just trade offs with the competition.

So 1704 is more relegated to the Home Audio space?  Pity it uses more energy and complex in it's implementation.  But I can see why if you throw clean power at it, it will perform optimally.

I'm a bit of a flip flopper. I think I may be staying strong to get the Tera Player. From the information I have read and from remembering how large the device was in my hand at a Head-Fi Meet up, the HM-901 isn't for me. The volume control bothered me so much. Big hands + recessed rolling knob = not fun. Also was hard to move the roller, but that was a demo unit so you never know. Also, the additional price of the amp cards is a major detraction as if i had a HM-901, I would want to have a balanced amp card so I had balanced sound on the go. Looks like it's gonna be pricey. Already starting to see what materials I have around the house to scheme up some accessories to go with the Tera Player. I wanna also get a case that can hold the tera player, some SD cards or some microSD cards, and my CIEMs. Should have plenty of time to find it though. BTW, If you're really serious about the Tera Player. Charles may be willing to put you on the list of Tera Players to build, ahead of your payment. He's away on a mini holiday, but i got my name put down a few days ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tera-Fi 

Yeah, hate those unexpected expenses.  Good luck with the classes.  Make sure you challenge yourself on the http://stackoverflow.com/ and it's sister sites.

 

I am going to slow my roll also.  Will know somewhere near the end of Sept. where I stand.  Hopefully, reviews will be out on 901 by then.

EDIT:

Status is instead of being 3/4th the way to a tera player, i'm about 5.5/10th the way. Gonna see what else I don't need around to see if I can get some money for it.