[Eagle_Driver]

Oh, I ran the RightMark tests on oy iMP-350, as well. But compared to the relatively flat frequency response curves of my Panasonics, the iMP-350 is a bit hyped up in both the bass and treble, with the mids on the iMP-350 being a bit sucked-out compared to the Panasonics.

 

[Guyferd]

I might be getting a D777 soon.. wonder if it will slaughter my slim-x

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Here are my results of my iMP-350, Firmware version 2.30 (the newest available for the iMP-350 from iRiver's Global/International Web site), with the EQ set at "normal", anti-skip set to its 45-second non-compressed setting, and off battery power - from its headphone jack:

Frequency response (40-15,000 Hz), dB: +0.85, -0.54
Noise level, dBA: -87.3
Dynamic range, dBA: 87.2
THD, %: 0.059
IM distortion, %: 0.055
Stereo crosstalk, dB: -79.9

Note that the entire lower midrange from the iMP-350 is recessed compared to the (IMHO emphasized) low bass and the treble.

Oh, by the way, D555, which firmware version were you using for the iRiver SlimX iMP-350 that you tested?

 

[D555]

Hello Eagle_Driver,

Thanks for your results!

I'm using 2.20 for the IMP-350. I saw the update at the iriver site. Just haven't downloaded and burned a copy yet. Will do so soon.

Paul

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Yeah, if you're going to use one of Sony's so-called "V-CRAP" headphones on a PCDP, you'd better do so on a SlimX iMP-350 with the latest 2.30 firmware version. The recessed lower mids and the emphasized low-bass and the emphasized treble is nearly ideal for those closed Sony pieces of ****, making them sound somehow less "V-CRAPpy".

By contrast, the relatively flat response of the (non-European) Sony D-EJ2000 PCDP makes it a good candidate for a lot of the GOOD high-efficiency headphones that we've always been recommending for use without an amp.

As for the crappy D-EJ1000, only so-called "Grato" (read: overbright-sounding) headphones would be even remotely acceptable for that PCDP...

 

[D555]

Hello,

We're having fun now!

RightMark results for headphone out from i-river IMP-350 (no EQ):

Frequency Response, db: +0.20, -1.15
Noise Level, dbA: -76.6
Dynamic Range, dbA: 70.4
THD, %: 0.062
Intermodulation, %: 0.087
Stereo Crosstalk, db: -66.3

Frequency Response description:
The IMP-350 is essentially flat from 15hz to 7kHz. A gradual rolloff begins at 7kHz and is -.5db at 10kHz. It is -1.25 at 15kHz and -2.5 at 18kHz. -4.25 at 20kHz and a sharp decline begins at that point. The IMP-350 has superior response in the low bass region with almost no appreciable drop off even at 8Hz. For comparison this region is superior to the D-EJ2000. In the high frequencies, the D-EJ2000 was superior with less rolloff.

Generally, the IMP-350 did worse than the D-EJ2000 in the other graphs: more noise, less separation, etc.

Best regards,

Paul Bigelow