Altmann Tera Player - Page 33  

Quote:

Originally Posted by fhefhe 

Hi all,

 

I've the Tera player for a few months now and I'm very happy with it. This little box sounds really good !

I use some Earsonics SM3 with it. I'm quite happy with this set up but I'd like to upgrade my headphone for something more "open".

I was thinking about buying a Grado GS1000. Did somebody already test this set up ? Is the Tera Player able to drive this headphone?

Hi,

I have just ordered a Tera Player V0 from Charles and plan to use it with my SM3s.  Can you be more descriptive for this combo?  I will also be using DBA02s and Yuin PK1s so hopefully one or all of these combos will work.

Ade

I've been using The Tera Player with my Yuin PK1 for a while and it plays fine. Volume levels with the V0 is borderline with the PK1. Mostly ok but I would have liked it a little louder on some low level recordings.

Have you tried the Blox TM7? Since it's more efficient, no volume issues with this bud and matches very well with the Tera Player.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flkin 

I've been using The Tera Player with my Yuin PK1 for a while and it plays fine. Volume levels with the V0 is borderline with the PK1. Mostly ok but I would have liked it a little louder on some low level recordings.

 

Have you tried the Blox TM7? Since it's more efficient, no volume issues with this bud and matches very well with the Tera Player.

Thanks for the reply.  I am a bit worried now as the PK1 is the earphone that I was hoping was going to be my main pairing.  I havent tried the Blox - thanks for the headsup - just where to get a pair???  ;-)

Ade

Quote:

Originally Posted by flkin 

 

 

The PK1 sounds wonderful on my Tera Player. It's best attributes of the bud come through just fine (providing the PK1's fully burnt in). 

 

My diet with them are mostly jazz and classical and on some CD rips I find I have to listen at max volume. I think someone else earlier mentioned that you can adjust the volume of WAV files. I haven't done this myself, but this may solve this problem.

 

Getting the V1 may not be the solution as the Tera Player plays efficient buds and other headphones fine and has more than enough volume. It's the PK1 being difficult to drive that causes this. Others here have mentioned that volume isn't an issue for them. So it may be that I just listen a little louder than others?

 

As for the Blox, it's a different way of presentation, closer to the music with far more mids to the sound. Shape of voices are presented twice the size of the PK1 giving the impression of a smaller soundstage but this is not the case if you listen to ambient echoes. Overall I feel it sounds more realistic and closer to a full sized headphone than the PK1. The TM7 is out of stock right now but you can check their website again later at http://bloxearphone.com. Body of the bud is just as bad as the PK1 - horrible looking or if you prefer understated. Head a little larger so less comfortable than the super-comfortable PK1.

 

I like the TM7 for jazz and classical but my wife prefers her PK1 for alternative and pop stuff. Other than that, we get along :-)

Thank you for your informative and helpful reply.  I had the option of switching from the V0 to the V1 as Charles was early in the build but after several conversations and looking at the sensitivity of my IEMs / buds I decided to stick with the V0.  I love the PK1 sound.  A friend of mine listened to them yesterday on my current portable setup and immediately ordered a pair.  Mine have several hundred hours on them and they are sweet.  I will be getting the TM7 when they become available again so thanks for the headsup on that - they sound like a great compliment to the PK1s and most of my portable listening is done through buds rather than IEMs where background noise leveks allow it.

I have been ripping my FLAC files (converting them to 16bit WAV) onto an SDHC card using Foobar.  Have you had any issues with any WAV files during playback (someone mentioned tags causing problems)?

I am looking forward to getting hold of my Tera Player - I loved the process that Charles went through in its design.  My main reason for getting it is that it is properly portable (i.e. pocket sized) and has a decent battery life.  If it has the sound quality that has been referred to it will fit my needs perfectly.  I already have a dap/amp based system with the SFlo2 & Meier Stepdance amp - its just not pocket sized (unless i wear a coat with big pockets!).

My Tera Player V0 was shipped on Friday - so might be here soon.  I will post impressions when it arrives.

Adrian

*.*,

I just received my V0 Tera-Player this past Friday.  I am half-way around the world from Germany.

A summary of my purchasing process:

10/15:  Early Morning Bank transfer

10/16:  Payment Confirmed Received

10/17:  Confirmed Start Of Tera-Player

10/22:  Confirmed Shipment Of Tera-Player

11/09:  Received Tera-Player

I budgeted 3 days for Bank Transfer => Took 1 day

I budgeted 10 days for the Tera-Player to be built =>  Took 5 days (Charles knew I had time contraints, but try to budget 10 days)  Thanks Charles for putting the extra effort to get this out and for making sure I received the player.

I budgeted 3 weeks for delivery => 3 weeks

Overall, I am super happy about the purchasing decision, the purchasing process and the product itself.

As long as you can tune out the hate by some, appreciate the constructive criticism by the respected members and focus on the overall positives, this player maybe for you.

At this stage in this hobby, this is a great fit.  Pocketable portable is the way to go for I from now on.

1st Stage (2005):  iRiver H140 => MicroDAC => SR-71 => UE 1X CIEM  :: Rarely used because transportable

2nd Stage (2008):  iRiver H120 => iBasso D10 => Ultrasone Edition 9  ::  Off and On, but not really pick up and go

3rd Stage (2012):  Altmann Tera-Player => [placeholder for future CIEM or UIEM, still WIP]  ::  Pretty great, pick up and go with excellent sound

This hopefully last stage should be the most portable and best sounding.

My first overall physical impression was the player was smaller than I visualised.  The photos on the net are close-ups.

I will take a 5-month sabbatical from this site, so if I have anything to add concerning the T-P, I will add it around April 2013.

Thanks for everyone's contributions.  And special thanks to Charles for the service and for creating an inspirational device.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KT66 

What is v0? Are there different versions of this player ?

Yes, there are two versions.  The V0 is the standard version that most people seem to opt for - it drives most iems / earbuds and small headphones (estimated to be 3 x louder than an iPod Touch by the maker).  The V1 version is a more powerful version (estimated to be 5 - 6 x louder than an iPod Touch by the maker).  Deciding between the two versions was the most difficult decision in the purchasing process.

Ade

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tera-Fi 

 

I will take a 5-month sabbatical from this site, so if I have anything to add concerning the T-P, I will add it around April 2013.

Happy Thanksgiving / Christmas / New Year & Easter! 

I look forward to your long term impressions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by apmusson 

 

Yes, there are two versions.  The V0 is the standard version that most people seem to opt for - it drives most iems / earbuds and small headphones (estimated to be 3 x louder than an iPod Touch by the maker).  The V1 version is a more powerful version (estimated to be 5 - 6 x louder than an iPod Touch by the maker).  Deciding between the two versions was the most difficult decision in the purchasing process.

 

Ade

thanks for the answer

now the inevitable question - do they sound the same.?

I use a mix of ....

T-50P, ES7 for on the move

HD600 and D2000 at home

and sometimes SR60 at work

so would V0 be suitable.?

having played in loud bands, and spent too much time mixing tape on headphones, my ears must be much much worse than most here, yet I have never found anything to not have enough volume! I normally use a GS Voyager, but even

plugged directly into my N8 or Iphone 5, they never have run out of steam

Quote:

Originally Posted by KT66 

thanks for the answer

now the inevitable question - do they sound the same.?

 

I use a mix of ....

T-50P, ES7 for on the move

HD600 and D2000 at home

and sometimes SR60 at work

 

so would V0 be suitable.?

 

having played in loud bands, and spent too much time mixing tape on headphones, my ears must be much much worse than most here, yet I have never found anything to not have enough volume! I normally use a GS Voyager, but even

plugged directly into my N8 or Iphone 5, they never have run out of steam

I've heard the HD650 with the Tera V1 and it was brilliant (but not a ton of overhead). I would go with the V1 if you're not using IEMs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by apmusson 

 

Happy Thanksgiving / Christmas / New Year & Easter! 

 

I look forward to your long term impressions.

Happy Holidays!  2013!

I created this account to document my experience concerning the Tera-Player since there was/is not much information.

That process is over, so instead of just stopping this account cold turkey.  I thought I leave room for final thoughts, basic impressions and maybe some photos around the beginning of the 2nd quarter in 2013.  The holiday hangover should be over by then along with new IEMs.

Congratulations on your new purchase!  It really seems like a solid device.  It will pair well with your Kramer mod.

It has already paid dividends since I had to leave the flat in a hurry this morning.  I was just able to grab the T-P, put it in the pocket, go and enjoy.  With a DX100, HM-901, other DAP/DAC/AMP combo, no way that this would take place.

I even figured out if I feel for the headphone cord in my shirt pocket, I can figure out where the volume and track buttons are located without looking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by apmusson 

I have been ripping my FLAC files (converting them to 16bit WAV) onto an SDHC card using Foobar.  Have you had any issues with any WAV files during playback (someone mentioned tags causing problems)?

???  Not sure of this ??? But WAV's do not contain tags or metadata.

I am using XLD.  I set the destination path to the SDHC location.  I set it to prepend a track number before the track.  I like to set the Artist and Album to autofill also, but have not checked if that is possible yet.

So now if I have a song.flac file with metadata track number 08.  I open it in XLD and it auto-grabs metadata track number 8 and then auto-extracts as "08 song.wav" on the SDHC card.  I would like it to auto-extract as Artist/Album/08 song.wav in the future.

EDIT:  I just figured out the settings in XLD.

In XLD preferences, set out directory to your SDHC location

In XLD preferences, set Format of filename:   Custom: %A/%T/%n %t

File, Open for single file

File, Open Folder As Disc for whole album, then hit the Transcode button

This will auto-extract to the SDHC in the format Artist/Album/track_number track.wav

No need to manually add folders.