hardtimes
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2010
- Posts
- 91
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- 11
EDIT, Nov. 4
I changed the title of the thread both to reflect the direction it seems to be taking and to remove the impression that the 602 does not work for Macs. There are plenty of details about the 602 in the threads linked to below; those are more appropriate forums for those discussions.
I'm hoping this thread can evolve into a discussion of Mac DAPs. I've already gotten an education about the some of the built-in limitations, which seem to me to be as follows:
* While the iPod is clearly the most popular DAP out there, there are many DAPs made by other manufacturers that either are unable to support Apple lossless files (they can appear as m4p, m4a, or ALAC), and others that offer spotty or inconsistent support.
* While iTunes can play 24/96 files, iPods -- and many other DAPs -- can not.
Also, this seems to be a more general issue which I'll add in here:
* some players do not support gapless playback -- an issue in instances like the second half of Abbey Road, many concert recordings, some suites, etc.
In my initial post (still included below in its entirety), I was looking for what some other head-fiers referred to as "purple unicorns" -- namely, the ability to play both FLAC and ALAC in native 24/96. As fun as purple unicorns sound, I'm going to be more realistic and try to figure out an option for a player that can handle 24/96 players even if they play them as 16/44 files. (For instance: using iTunes and an iPod, it's not even possible to load on 24/96 ALAC files.)
***
INITIAL POST
Anyone who has been perusing the HM-602 preorder thread or the initial impressions thread knows some Mac users have been unable to use the 602. FWIW, this seems to be limited to notebook users -- either MacBooks or MacBook Pros -- and hasn't been universal. For instance, I couldn't use the 602 on my 2008 MacBook but could use it without any problem on a friend's 2006 MacBook. Also, some other head-fiers haven't had any problems using the 602 with their laptops. According to Fang at Head Direct this is due to a USB power issue. Regardless, I suspect this will be enough to convince some Mac users interested in a high-end DAP to hold off.
That leaves me with a question: What DAP can I get, keeping in mind the following considerations:
1. Obviously, it needs to work with a Mac.
2. It needs to play Apple Lossless files in addition to Flac files. It doesn't need to do things like display album art Apple Lossless. I mention this only because I've seen some discussion about how the Cowons can play ALACs even though it's not a listed format but they don't display the album art.
3. It needs to be able to handle 24/96 files.
Other issues I feel strongly about but which likely aren't deal breakers:
1. Decent storage capacity (or ability to add on capacity). Most of my albums are between 500MB and 1gb, so an 8gb or even 16gb player is tough.
2. A somewhat intuitive interface. I include this b/c as a longtime iPod user, I've become somewhat spoiled in this regard. (I didn't realize how spoiled until I tried to use the 602 after loading on some music off of my friend's computer. Even if it had worked on my computer, it's possible I would have ended up throwing it out the window in frustration.)
3. Support for gapless albums. Another thing I didn't realize was even an issue until the 602: the last half of Abbey Road is a whole different (and by different I mean much worse) experience when there's a 1 second hiccup between each "song."
Compatibility with iTunes makes absolutely no difference to me. In fact, drag-and-drop might even be preferable, but either is totally fine.
Before I get a whole bunch of responses about how I should peruse the forums -- believe me, I've perused the forums. I've read about the battle of the DAPs, but don't have the right generation for an iMod. I've read page after page about the Cowon j3 and about how the j3 was briefly exiled from Amazon -- and I still can't tell if I'll be able to play lossless files. I've read the discussion about whether iPods are a no-go for audiophiles, the debate over the Clip+ vs. the i9 vs. the Fuse+ vs. the Nano and the one over the s:Flo2 vs. the Clip+. I couldn't find any info that was simultaneously up to date and addressed the above. (If there are said answers somewhere, I apologize for this...)
Some other related questions: I know there are a whole host of LOD that can be used with iPods. I also know 24/96 files won't even load on an iPod if you try to do it through iTunes. Is there someway to drag-and-drop into a iPod and use a LOD to connect to a portable DAC (or DAC/amp) that would allow you do play 24/96 and flac files?
A related question, which actually probably should have been asked first: Can you bypass the iPod's internal DAC using a LOD?
My gear: I have a pair of AKG 702s, Grado s80s, and at the moment, HD RE262s (although they might need to get returned if I don't find some way to sell the HM602 on its own).
Finally -- and this is sort of a bonus question I'm throwing out there -- is there a portable amp (i.e., one I can use on the couch or in bed) that would sufficiently power the 702s that comes in at a cheaper price point than the HeadRoom Portable Micro, which is $399? There seems to be some consensus that the Bithead isn't quite up to the task -- although if I do keep the 262s (or buy another pair of IEMs), I would likely just get the Bithead.
I changed the title of the thread both to reflect the direction it seems to be taking and to remove the impression that the 602 does not work for Macs. There are plenty of details about the 602 in the threads linked to below; those are more appropriate forums for those discussions.
I'm hoping this thread can evolve into a discussion of Mac DAPs. I've already gotten an education about the some of the built-in limitations, which seem to me to be as follows:
* While the iPod is clearly the most popular DAP out there, there are many DAPs made by other manufacturers that either are unable to support Apple lossless files (they can appear as m4p, m4a, or ALAC), and others that offer spotty or inconsistent support.
* While iTunes can play 24/96 files, iPods -- and many other DAPs -- can not.
Also, this seems to be a more general issue which I'll add in here:
* some players do not support gapless playback -- an issue in instances like the second half of Abbey Road, many concert recordings, some suites, etc.
In my initial post (still included below in its entirety), I was looking for what some other head-fiers referred to as "purple unicorns" -- namely, the ability to play both FLAC and ALAC in native 24/96. As fun as purple unicorns sound, I'm going to be more realistic and try to figure out an option for a player that can handle 24/96 players even if they play them as 16/44 files. (For instance: using iTunes and an iPod, it's not even possible to load on 24/96 ALAC files.)
***
INITIAL POST
Anyone who has been perusing the HM-602 preorder thread or the initial impressions thread knows some Mac users have been unable to use the 602. FWIW, this seems to be limited to notebook users -- either MacBooks or MacBook Pros -- and hasn't been universal. For instance, I couldn't use the 602 on my 2008 MacBook but could use it without any problem on a friend's 2006 MacBook. Also, some other head-fiers haven't had any problems using the 602 with their laptops. According to Fang at Head Direct this is due to a USB power issue. Regardless, I suspect this will be enough to convince some Mac users interested in a high-end DAP to hold off.
That leaves me with a question: What DAP can I get, keeping in mind the following considerations:
1. Obviously, it needs to work with a Mac.
2. It needs to play Apple Lossless files in addition to Flac files. It doesn't need to do things like display album art Apple Lossless. I mention this only because I've seen some discussion about how the Cowons can play ALACs even though it's not a listed format but they don't display the album art.
3. It needs to be able to handle 24/96 files.
Other issues I feel strongly about but which likely aren't deal breakers:
1. Decent storage capacity (or ability to add on capacity). Most of my albums are between 500MB and 1gb, so an 8gb or even 16gb player is tough.
2. A somewhat intuitive interface. I include this b/c as a longtime iPod user, I've become somewhat spoiled in this regard. (I didn't realize how spoiled until I tried to use the 602 after loading on some music off of my friend's computer. Even if it had worked on my computer, it's possible I would have ended up throwing it out the window in frustration.)
3. Support for gapless albums. Another thing I didn't realize was even an issue until the 602: the last half of Abbey Road is a whole different (and by different I mean much worse) experience when there's a 1 second hiccup between each "song."
Compatibility with iTunes makes absolutely no difference to me. In fact, drag-and-drop might even be preferable, but either is totally fine.
Before I get a whole bunch of responses about how I should peruse the forums -- believe me, I've perused the forums. I've read about the battle of the DAPs, but don't have the right generation for an iMod. I've read page after page about the Cowon j3 and about how the j3 was briefly exiled from Amazon -- and I still can't tell if I'll be able to play lossless files. I've read the discussion about whether iPods are a no-go for audiophiles, the debate over the Clip+ vs. the i9 vs. the Fuse+ vs. the Nano and the one over the s:Flo2 vs. the Clip+. I couldn't find any info that was simultaneously up to date and addressed the above. (If there are said answers somewhere, I apologize for this...)
Some other related questions: I know there are a whole host of LOD that can be used with iPods. I also know 24/96 files won't even load on an iPod if you try to do it through iTunes. Is there someway to drag-and-drop into a iPod and use a LOD to connect to a portable DAC (or DAC/amp) that would allow you do play 24/96 and flac files?
A related question, which actually probably should have been asked first: Can you bypass the iPod's internal DAC using a LOD?
My gear: I have a pair of AKG 702s, Grado s80s, and at the moment, HD RE262s (although they might need to get returned if I don't find some way to sell the HM602 on its own).
Finally -- and this is sort of a bonus question I'm throwing out there -- is there a portable amp (i.e., one I can use on the couch or in bed) that would sufficiently power the 702s that comes in at a cheaper price point than the HeadRoom Portable Micro, which is $399? There seems to be some consensus that the Bithead isn't quite up to the task -- although if I do keep the 262s (or buy another pair of IEMs), I would likely just get the Bithead.