[fark]

First off, I´m sorry if I have posted something that I could probably find information about on the forum.
My engllish isn´t good + slow and I need help very fast, though I do know that is no excuse for not reading everything you can find first.

 
Anyway, I´ll try to explain what I need help with as simple and fast as I possibly can.   I´m new in this "buisseness" and have no tech skills reguarding what´s good and what´s not, but I need a new portable rig since the one I reacently bought doesn´t really do it for me.  I have as we speak a Sansa Clip+ and a Icon Mobile that I use as both portable amp and usb dac at home, to that I connect either HD555 or DT770 Pro/80 depending on if I´m out in public or at home.  The 770 pro have approximately 130h on them now and I belive (fingers crossed) that they start to sound slightly better, I know thats not enough but its a start and I will later mod them with cable etc.. 
 
So it is specificly the 801 vs imod I want oppinions on right know.
 
1: Whitch is the better buy? (SQ, userinterface, problems etc..)
 
2: Where I can order one via Paypal towmorrow (if that is possible 

)
 
3: Where is the best place to buy one from if I´m in Sweden, and of course if there are multiple trustworthy good suppliers, whitch place is the cheapest when it comes to shippinmg fee.  Preferably within EU since tax/customs fee is like 1/4 on the total amount if customs pick it up.  (Those DAP´s are expensive enough as it is and I´m a poor man, have been working hard for a long time to be able to put aside money for this)
 
I was thinking, imod doesnt have any unnessesary electronics between line out and dac, right or wrong?
 
Is the hifiman 801 designed the same way but with better dac?  
 
I don´t know much about portable players such as imod, but I know basicly nothing at all about 801?  The only thing I do know basicly is that dac/components is better on 801 but it still is IMHO ugly as #[@"¤%¤ , way to big, have no video/photo support (?), and also can´t even run for one complete day at work when if I dont have access to charger.  Need I say I hardly work 9-17 in an office, I work outside and rarely have access to electricity.  But on the other hand I don´t work every day either and when I do I can see myself havin the small Clip+ with me as a backup, I´m not one of those persons that can use different set ups for different occations. I´m simply going to use the best one I have as much as I can, we are all different I´ll guess.
 
Is there a DAP that I havn´t even consider yet pherhaps?  Either way, plese guide me in the right direction someone?
 
/Jimmy
 
 
 
 

 

[mobayrasta]

Hi Fi man is the way to go, there are a couple in the used forum. You could pay  pal straight to them.. It really sounds better than any portable that I have heard, and I have heard most. Another to consider is the  SFlo 2 has two great DACS and is pretty cheap. HAS GREAT AND i MEAN GREAT SOUNDSTAGE. still does not compete with the HI  fi. But cost vs performance is pretty darn good.
 
Chris

 

[fark]

Thanks mobayrasta, I haden´t even seen that SFlo 2 before. But I can´t seem to find it anywhere?

 
I´v heard only good of the hifiman 801, even tho it is expensive!
 
I just PM´d Nankai (spelling?) about 801 and he responded fast, then again so did Jorge at headroom, but Head Direct seem to have free shipping if I understood him correct?  That is approximately 50$ off whitch is great for me cause if hifiman should get stuck in customs that can be very expensive for a Swede!   Absolute best would be a reseller of 801 within EU cause of the customs/tax.
 
Do you personally think it´s a bad ide to have the value written down for customs sake?  It can be as much as 1/4 of total value for me in customs/taxes, but it might be better than losing everything?  I don´t know how shipping works when package get lost, and how often that happens?
 
I had some VERY BAD experiencesbying from a few China based companies before tho, didn´t receive anything for all those hundreds of $$$, I couldn´t stand it if that would ever happen again.   But from the Chinese based companies here at head fi such as iBasso and Head Direct I´v been in contact with seem very solid to me, great and fast servise when mailing them as well.  I just love it when mail is answered in minutes, then again I´m always in a hurry, hahaha!   Others here that have bought from iBasso and Head Direct seem to think they are good very good companies as well.
 
Ohh man I really do want one of these hifiman 801´s, but then I can´t buy amplifier for a few months do drive my DT770 pro.  Maybe 801 can do at least a similar (or even better???) job as my Icon Mobile I have right now?
 
/Jimmy

 

[fark]

Ohh, fogot!
 
Most 801 in forum I can see is SOLD!  I´m guessing why?

If i´ll find any they can´t be close to normal asking price tho, in such a case I prefer new from retailer if it´s only some few extra $$ that splitt them apart. But I will say no moore cause I don´t know what people have been asking for their 801´s here. Was just refering to a few otherthings I´v seen in market place that is way to close to retailers price for my taste.
 
About amplifier built in to 801, I don´t know if it´s enough for my 770 pro/80 (soon to be modded/recabeled)?
 
But I also have plans to look at a new set of headphones in pherhaps 3-4 month when I have some moore money again, don´t know for sure or what headphones tho?  I do know however that I´m going to go and listen to Ultrazone Pro 900 at nearest shop in Stockholm that have them cause I´v heard good thing about them.  I have to try them at least, I owe that to my self.

, then pherhaps I also owe myself to not eat, go to cinema, buy cloths, smoke cigaretts, etc... for 2 month until I have them, haha..
 
Thanks yet again Mobay.

 

[fark]

Well, thanks again for help mobayrasta.
 
I went with hifiman 801 and can only sti back and wait for it to arrive now, no just kidding thats a lie!
 
I´m hypernervous and can´t sit still right now, I´v read that customs here in Sweden have goon from being thoroughly to now behave like on speed or something?  Apparently no matter where in Swedish forums I read there´s crawling with people that had their packages with chinese hifi getting stuck in customs.  I have no ide how much people from other countrys are paing for customs, but Sweden has taking it to faar, here we apparently gladly pays fees and tax upon tax and some moore fees till cost up through the roof.
 
Please let my hifiman  801 arraive here on a day when the customs people are in a mood where they only want to take long brakes and sleep all day, haha!

 
Ohh, by the way do any of you know how large the entire package of the hifiman 801 is?

 

[warp08]

I'm working on a review between the HM-801, RWA iMod and possibly the HiSound Studio 1.   Hopefully I'll be able to complete it by the end of next week, which should help people being on the fence.

 

[fark]

Quote:

I'm working on a review between the HM-801, RWA iMod and possibly the HiSound Studio 1.   Hopefully I'll be able to complete it by the end of next week, which should help people being on the fence.

Ohh, I´m looking forward to it alredy warp! 
 
That kind of reading should suit my needs perfectly,

the HiSound Studio 1 i don´t even know what it is, I´m too new to this game for that I think.  But it doesn´t matter cause I´ll find out anyway, and yes I do belive your review could help people that are at the crossroads. 
 
To bad I couldn´t wait and just had to jump the gun, on the other side I do think the hifiman HM 801 will fit me like a glow from what other here has written about it. It seems to be a a step in the right direction for this portable market.
 
Looking forward to the review.

 

[Hero Kid]

From someone who hasn't heard either players I think it boils down to what you prioritize.
The HiFiMan offers arguably the best sound quality of any portable DAP, the iMod offers the best sounding large capacity player. What are you willing to pay for... and for that matter lug around?

 

[White Lotus]

Quote:

I'm working on a review between the HM-801, RWA iMod and possibly the HiSound Studio 1.   Hopefully I'll be able to complete it by the end of next week, which should help people being on the fence.

The Hifiman users on this forum are absolutely ferocious, I hope your review is non-bias and takes important things like user interface and battery life into consideration..

 

[mrarroyo]

Original post contents removed to appease the sensibilities of a fellow member. Hopefully the individual will be happy now. 

 

[White Lotus]

Quote:

 the HM-801 comes on top.

This is a arguable topic, and one I don't personally want to get involved with. I've read far too many threads about this exact topic that i'm sick of hearing about it. But, it is the thread title, so i'll just sit back and let everyone bicker about it. 

 

[GreenLeo]

Between the IPod Classic and the HM-801, the SQ of the latter comes on top.  There is little doubt about mrarroyo's statement.  
 
I've heard the IPod nano 2G, 3G, IPod 4G, ITouch, IPhone 3GS, IPad, Korg MR1 and Korg MR1000.  When playing at 16/44.1, I think none of them match the HM801 (note Korg MR1 and MR1000 can play other formats which results a better SQ and much bigger files).  The ability of playing 24/96 FLAC is a real merit of the HM-801.  I owned an IMod 4G before and the 801 beats it clearly.  As an all-in-one DAP, the SQ of the 801 is hard to beat so far but at a price.  I heard the T51 and the Amp3 pro (version 2) and the 801 is a clear winner, at least for my ES3X.  
 
The 801 with the Lisa III XP is a real enjoyable combo but sizable.  I notice you used to combos rather than just an all-in-one solution.  Hence I mentioned this combo.  The 801 with pico Slim was told to be an excellent combo and the addition of size is minimal.  801 with Protector balanced is a better combo according to some of the head-fiers here.  I really depends on how you weight between SQ, COST, battery life, portablity, UI, ...
 
I don't mind the 8 hour playing time of the 801 because I charge it daily.  The real drawback of the 801 is that it can't create self-defined playlists and only one "playlist" called "My favorite" can be used.  I hope that this can be solved in the future firmware updates.  If gapless is essential, you'd better wait a bit.  One last thing that I should mention is that Fang cares his product.  The firmware has been ever updating and incorporating the users' voice.  It may not be as quick as what one desires it to be but this is a kind of service that I values highly.

 

[White Lotus]

mrarroyo is such a gentleman. I wasn't that upset, just making a point. my apologies 

 
My interface comparison is being drawn when using rockbox modified firmware, and either DIYmod or RWA modifications to the ipod.

 

[mrarroyo]

 
Since it bothers you so much I have erased my post. Is that better? 

Quote:

I don't know why mrarroyo has brought the original iPod into the discussion.

 

[White Lotus]

I wasn't that bothered 

 
"Fark", how are you finding the 801?