I agree with your review. The HP-P1 sounds great. I did a quick comparison to my Benchmark DAC-1 USB with IEMs and the HP-P1 sounded much better to me, far more detailed. (It was not a perfect comparison since I used different sources and did not experiment with other headphones.) My complaints are the carrying case (the designers must never have actually tried to use it), the lack of a digital input, and the lack of a computer USB input. Otherwise, I'm very please with it.

I wish it cost less. 700 bucks is ALOT..

??? I've never heard the DAC-1, yet I've heard it is a major quality DAC with phenomenal sound. It surprises me the HP-P1 is even mentioned in the same breath, and would like other DAC-1/Fostex owners to chime in on that one. I have the HP-P1, and feel it is adequate, and love the sounds in the night. Yet it needs more amp, and much lighter weight and smaller size.

As I said, I compared to the DAC-1 using easy to drive IEM (Shure SE-535s). I don't think that says anything about what the performance will or will not be with the harder to drive Fostex headphones you are talking about. Also, the DAC-1 is only $250 above the retail of the HP-P1 and is now an at least five year old design. So I see no reason that the HP-P1 should not compare favorable with well matched phones (and, in fact, it does).

Thanks VM. Glad to hear it actually. My friend thinks DAC-1 is cats ass, and I'm a Mhdt Havana fan. I find the Fostex sweet and open. Getting better all the time. As far as speakers, which I wasn't referring to, the Fostex paper drivers are very efficient and would go well with this little DAC on a bookshelf system like Tekton OB4.5's with a little tube amp.
Can anyone tell me about this DAC chip in HP-P1, as I have been an R2R NOS guy forever, and this is lots of sampling. Cheers!

i'm not criticizing the DAC-1. I own two of them and use the HDR model in my main system. My point was *not* that the design of the DAC-1 has aged badly, but that it has been around for a while now and it is therefore not surprising to find competitive products now at lower price points. Keep in mind that we are talking about small differences at this quality level.

Nice review. Thanks. I'm edging ever closer to picking one up. I have just a 160GB iPod Classic and the Shure SE535's. Is there a noticeable difference from just using the iPod?

Love the proliferation of quality interfaces now for iOS devices.

I'm using mine with Westone ES5s and Sennheiser HD650s and an iPod Classic 160. I have also been comparing it over and over again with a Gen 4 iMod iPod paired with my RSA Hornet.
What I'm hearing is that the HP-P1/Classic sounds great, but the iMod/Hornet sounds better. The bass on the Fostex combo is tighter, but the overall presentation of the iMod/Hornet is more open and dimensional. I hear voices and instruments in space on the iMod/Hornet, while the Fostex/Classic may spread a somewhat wider image, but it's shallower, and sound sources in the mix seem flat or two-dimensional and less alive.

Oh, and yes -- a HUGE difference compared to just the iPod!!!

Thank you for the review, it's good to hear the HP-P1 has a capable amp on top of the quality Dac.
Are you planning a review of the ALO Continental V2? May we hope for a comparison to the L3?

I have a Triad Audio L3 now, which I hope to write about in the future.

I know, that's why I'm hoping for a comparison with the Continental.
As far as I learned from reading they should be in or near the same class.
Both of them are on my mind as an addition to the Fostex as well as to be used on a laptop with a Centrance Dacport LX.

Is this the only DAC/Amp that can connect to an iDevice that way? Wonder how it sounds with Grados and Pearl Jam...
I have been looking for something just like this and have not been able to find it, until now. Having the Fostex connect to an iPad via the Apple 30 pin connector is a great way go get great sound without having to go through that crappy camera connector, because of the USB.

This one is the only Dac/Amp combo, yes.
There is also the Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo which is an iPod Dac only and connects in the same way.
You need to add an amp then.

OK thanks
I guess this is it for me, I'll pick one up soon

Great review, Currawong. Thank you. I'm curious to hear more from stvgray about the interface with ES5's as that's a combination I'm considering as well. One of my concerns about the large volume knob is that if mounted on a belt and moving around one might inadvertently rub up against it and get blasted with volume - is that a possibility? Is it a click-stop volume; I cannot recall? Is the volume knob easily replaceable with something different or does the shaft actually protrude as far as the knob does? I had the chance to try it out at CanJam recently, but the interface with my iPhone 4 was yielding strange digital artifacts in the form of occasional clicks. The two guys from Fostex made several calls after realizing the phone was completely up to date on OS and firmware. They could not figure it out. That was a bit discouraging since what I was otherwise hearing was a significant step up from straight out of the iPhone.

One further pressing question I have for anyone who might know - is the rechargeable Lithium battery replaceable once it stops holding a charge? Typically on rechargeable devices like portable phones, at some point they will need replacement. My iphone battery started going way down after two years of steady use. I haven't found anyone offering replacement batteries as an accessory, and no input thus far on the ability to do this. Anyone know what the procedure and cost is to do this? DIY or send it to Fostex?

The Centrance Dacport can now also be used with the iPad after installing this firmware update.

I've got a HP-P1 and in my view the size of the volume knob isn't a problem as the usb connector and your headphone connector sticks out on the same side.