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Update I: I have uploaded RMAA results for the Alien Gold along with RMAA results, too.
Update II: I have written about the evolutionary changes from Black to Gold in this article which is illustrated with a number of photographs.
Since a lot of you are here for the SQ question alone, let me copy and paste my thoughts from my longish rant at ohm.
I have since posted RMAA results.
It goes like this:
Sound
Finally, some good news. Indeed, sound is very good. Hiss levels are lower than the iPod shuffle and signal quality is similarly high. Plug in any stupidly sensitive earphone you have, andy stupidly low-Ω balanced armature earphone you have, and whammo! Great resolution, incredible left/right control, great detail.
In every area, its performance edges out the original shuffle, just not by a huge lead. It's hiss levels that really set it apart from the now nine year-old iPod. I guess you could mention, also that the shuffle can't play 24-bit files. I would argue that if you really care about 24-bit, not to mention not blasting your ears by random restarts and blasts of volume, you probably aren't looking for a player like the Alien. I could be wrong.
If I am wrong and all you care about is good-sound and all-else-be-damned, Alien is awesome. But then, you probably are not reading this site.
You can read the rest at the rant. Evidently this is a 'pre-production' unit. However, I think that's an evasion. There's been a first batch out for a while. And it looks the same. Great sound though.
If anyone wants RMAA to back up my claims, I will think of putting some measurements up at ohm.
Ask me anything.