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Let's try to establish once and for all

IS THE SCIPPING/NOISE BURSTS WITH AUDIO CDs A MASS FLAW ON THE IMP550 OR SOME OF US JUST RAN INTO A BAD BATCH

I guess it's important since the 550 seems to be quite a player otherwize.
I am at present in touch with a guy at iRiver. I can pass this information to him. It may be helpful if iRiver are to do something about this.

 

[hlopato]

I have not had this problem with my 550.

 

[Thasp]

It's pathetic with them. I had 3 of them.

 

[bangraman]

Since the problem with the first hour of use, the problems I had hasn't come back.


Just an update: I've been listening to a test CD-R I compiled, a multimode CD-R with MP3's (LAME alt-preset-extreme) and CD Audio of the same material and no static bursts or pops have interrupted me so far.

 

[blr]

For me the problem appears usually when the anti skip is engaged and the player is subjected to a continous movement (walking). Also I discovered that it happens more if the olayer is put vertically (as on a belt clip) and the noise bursts usually appear on the second half on the CD i.e. when tracking outward grooves.
Anyway, I'll be bringing my back.

 

[Thasp]

Quote:

Originally posted by blr For me the problem appears usually when the anti skip is engaged and the player is subjected to a continous movement (walking). Also I discovered that it happens more if the olayer is put vertically (as on a belt clip) and the noise bursts usually appear on the second half on the CD i.e. when tracking outward grooves. Anyway, I'll be bringing my back.

Same here, it'd die more if I put it vertically in my pocket.

 

[zeplin]

it seriously sounds like iRiver has made either a bad batch, which happens all the time with any kind of company that manufactures goods. or, iRiver made a big mistake in engineering the 550, regarding the anti-shock mechanism...which is something that can easily be solved and fixed. kind of like when a company recalls its products to fix an engineering mistake. i know if iRiver didn't have this problem, like with all the previous models, the 550 would be the best portable player out there, IMO, currently. i hope this simple, technical mistake can be resolved without too much trouble and confusion because these players shouldn't be skipping at all...none of the other models do...they all have great anti-shock capabilities. maybe for now, anyone that wishes to buy the 550, should go with the 400 (or any other earlier model)instead...at least until the problem can be fixed!

 

[Ryan1524]

this might be a dumb question, but did you guys turn on the enhanced shock protection for audio cd (long press +10 - vibrating disc symbol)? this feature is on by default for mp3 cds, but not on audio cds. (at least not on my unit)

i tried shaking it with the same intensity for with and without. wihout the iShock, the shakings (positioned vertical - intentionally disturbing disc rotation and simulating player movement in pocket - at least i think so), the player skips (as bad as described) but it was greatly reduced (read: none) when i turn on the iShock. CD esp at 80sec.


btw, i went out today and took it with me in my bag, playing mp3 cd-rs home burned. there was no skip at all when walking, in bus, in street car (if you live in To you'll know how shaky they are), and subway. i'm pretty sure it's postioned pretty much vertical in my bag.

 

[headache]

seems like the problems regarding audio-cds differ very much. My imp-550 is more likely to have a firmware problem. suddenly and for no reason it occasionally stops playing just like a crashed computer. Then the display is going nuts showing strange signs.

But this only happens with Extreme EQ switched on. Maybe I should bring my imp-550 to a psychoanalyst for techniques

 

[blr]

I've emailed iRiver about this problem. Still no answer. Reminded them yesterday. I don't know if they are just ignoring my question (I doubt this since the they've replied to my first posts) or somebody is really working on it.
In any case I'll be bringing my 550 back for repair/replacement.

 

[blr]

Just got a reply from iRiver on this. Here it is

"Sorry to keep you waiting, just received info from our technician It
rarely happens...
Please contact the reseller for an exchange. Let us know if there is any
problem"

So in other words iRiver admitts that there is a problem. I will exchange my player but I'm afraid that the new one will also have this problem.

 

[Ryan1524]

you can assume that the one they;re going to give to you, is of later production date and may not ahve the problem anymore becasue they have fixed the manufacturing problem, or maybe it's not from the bad batch. either way, nothing to lose by exchanging it. except time i guess.

 

[eyeless]

Just contacted support at the online place at iriver.com international -- maybe I should have contacted the Nordic representative? -- That's not good if all they shipped over here to Sweden had some problems (hope is not that kind of "batch"-size we are talking off). But I have problems with skipping on Audio CDs (I do not know if there's much of a problem with burnt discs, but guess there is -- only that my burnt discs are usually totally new or close to) when I am sitting perfectly still with my Cd player. It might be there is some tiny dust or scratch across the disc were it skipss -- often it is not repeatable, though sometimes it is -- it is just that those discs did not skip at all in my previous player apart from one (that skipped more heavily now).

Jerry