AMP3 in-depth review (long)

[tstarn06]

Read the Amp3 thread for details. It's all there. In portable audio forum (this one).

 

[kyudave]

Hi all,

Anyone knows where can I get this AMP3 in Hong Kong?

Thanks

 

[Alex_Nsk]

Hi everybody! Yesterday, I had recieived the famous AMP3 DAP from owner who want to tweak it to the highest possible (if possible) level.
At first I try to listen it, to see what kind of sound it could reproduce to (in terms of quality) but unfotunatelly it is just don't want to work!
It could turn ON/OFF, begin to play files when turning ON and let me to increase the volume , but don't let to navigate and decrease the volume.
It's left/right and down buttons just don't work!
So I disassemble the unit to see on what hardware it is built and what's going ON by the way..
The quality of build is awfull!
You can see it on the photos which I present some time latter.
Buttons couldn't operate because of bad soldering of buttons sub-plate.
When resoldering, buttons return to life and I can test the item.
So, this DAP is based on SoC (system on the chip) made by Sigmatel copmany as many-many other chineese DAPs whit different names.
The Li-Po battery is really HUE so big times of playing isn't a joke!
So what make it's radically different from another descent chineese DAPs?
The one thing: AMP3 is the first SoC I see in which everyone could see the output buffer to power the headphones!
And that is unusual for an ordinary DAPs!
There is an operational amplifier chip (in SOIC) under the metal box with Hisonic LOGO.
As I think it is a rail-to-rail OA in 2x buffer configuration , so at the output there is aprr +/-2v RMS signal which is strong enough to drive almost any portable and monitor headphones.
That's really good!
What isn't that good are tantalum DC-blocking capacitors at the headphones output.
At first 100uF output CAPs perfoms the high-pass filters with low impedance HP (for example: -3дБ@50Hz for 32Ohm impedance HP, -3dB@100Hz for 16Ohm ones, -3dB@25Hz for 64Ohm.. )
At second theese tantalum electroitycs isn't a good thing for sound quality.
So yesterday was ended by a kind of DIYMODDING of AMP3. I had remove the beformetioned SMD caps with ELNA PURECAP 220uF ones. When working with voltage polarisation it performs good enough. To use nonpolar ones isn't nessesary there...

Stay tuned!

 

[headfever]

It is very interesting. Another one again try to mod AMP3. I remember clearly, Germania have down this work in JUly(?), it seems she failed ( she withdraw all her posts), And some wanted to mod the stocked phones of PAA1. it seems all of them failed.

I find AMP3 has never boasted what parts they have applied. This personality is not like other products, some products like to boast their player made up of XXX expensive parts.

In my knowledge, Sigmatel is an established American brand which has the same reputation as TI in chip industry. Sigmatel chip is famous with the good sound quality and stable performence. also very expensive. 3 times expensive than other many chip brands.

what's chip and what's capacitor and whats parts it applying is not my concerning. what I am care about is the final sound quality.

Up to today, None deny the superb sound quality of AMP3. If you can mod AMP3 to other high level, it will be the good news for all of us. For I can't imagine AMP3 still could be better. wow, AMP3-MOD, What a superman!!!

 

[Alex_Nsk]

As for the quality I must to say that this item isn't in the HFM or my aleXmod league.
In short it can play LOUD & VIVID but can't play ACCURATE.
The music sounds fine and colorfull but isn't exact, definitive and intimate.
There is a loss of microdetails, sometimes it is sound harsh, just as a kind of screaming, not singing.
If you know what I mean, of cause...
Anyway there are a lot of listeners who will love it I think. And overall it sounds much better than ordinary descent DAPs, but not much more ))

 

[Anouk]

Thanks for opening your amp3 up and sharing the info on the insides with us, alex. Its always very interesting to actually know what is INSIDE a product and not just go after what manufacturers claim there is. I wonder if the sansa clip for example is soic too and what chip they use?
Please let us know what your modding experiments bring you.
A pity your unit did not come well-soldered, where did you get it?
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[Booda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex_Nsk /img/forum/go_quote.gif As for the quality I must to say that this item isn't in the HFM or my aleXmod league. In short it can play LOUD & VIVID but can't play ACCURATE. The music sounds fine and colorfull but isn't exact, definitive and intimate. There is a loss of microdetails, sometimes it is sound harsh, just as a kind of screaming, not singing. If you know what I mean, of cause... Anyway there are a lot of listeners who will love it I think. And overall it sounds much better than ordinary descent DAPs, but not much more ))

I would like to cite other Heafier's words on you.I think it is also suitable to use in here. You want to promote yourself, it is very clever way to bite the fomous brand ( your word) ,

if it were DIY then yes; but you are clearly selling a product. To advertise a product on this forum (especially so blatantly) you must first apply to become a member of the trade (MOT) and then pay for a sponsored thread in which to flog your wares. if you werent selling this, but simply sharing it with the community, then there would be no problem and the DIY forum would be perfectly fine, but as you are not doing that, you are in breach of the rules. it is not fair to the paying sponsors that you advertise for free.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f15/al...x5-dap-445384/


nice mod though and once you sort it all out, then i'm sure you'll do fine

 

[rebski]

Quote:

You can see it on the photos which I present some time latter.

@Alex_Nsk, I look forward to the photos. It is disappointing to hear that the build quality is as poor as you describe.

At this moment, so far as i can see, you are not actually selling anything related to the Amp3, what you say is informative only. For the time being at least.

Also you seem to be very clear in your methodology, even proving photos in respect of the Cowon X5, so your modifications could be carried out by a reader with the requisite soldering skills. It is not like you are keeping them to yourself as a trade secret.

Of course I am not a moderator but then neither are the members who see fit to pull you over. So my opinion is as good as theirs but it does seem unfair that you should be burdened with costs when all you are doing at the moment is making freely available your own observations and assessments.

Once you have a clearly defined service to offer then I am sure you would want to promote that in the appropriate Section.

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex_Nsk /img/forum/go_quote.gif At first I try to listen it, to see what kind of sound it could reproduce to (in terms of quality) but unfotunatelly it is just don't want to work! It could turn ON/OFF, begin to play files when turning ON and let me to increase the volume , but don't let to navigate and decrease the volume. It's left/right and down buttons just don't work! So I disassemble the unit to see on what hardware it is built and what's going ON by the way.. The quality of build is awfull! You can see it on the photos which I present some time latter. Buttons couldn't operate because of bad soldering of buttons sub-plate. When resoldering, buttons return to life and I can test the item.

Hmmm, this is the first post I have seen with an AMP3 not working.

Interested to see the photos, and interested to know who the original owner is and where it came from (seller, purchase date, etc.).

Not saying it isn't true, just skeptical for now.

 

[Anouk]

Hello, I agree with what Rebski said above. At this moment Alex is just providing information, this could change in the future of course.
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[fatman]

quote: As for the quality I must to say that this item isn't in the HFM or my aleXmod league.

Do you mean HFM is HIFIMAN? I am curous, for Hifiman only shipped 3 samples out, were you one among the three? You are very lucky!!!! Please tell me the answer. thank you.

 

[GreenLeo]

I believe that the 3 samples were send to Jude, Sasaki and Immtbiker.

 

[Anouk]

Yes, indeed I dont really think he can compare it to the hifiman because I doubt very much he has listened toit yet.
For me personally even though a modded x5l (sorry i know this is off-topic) would have speech I would still not just buy it if there are other alternatives (which there will be in a few months) because the x5l is nolonger produced and at least the hifiman and the amp3 do offer official warranty.
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[fatman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenLeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe that the 3 samples were send to Jude, Sasaki and Immtbiker.

oh, That mean you still have no HIFIMAN? Then how do you know AMP3 is not the league of Hifiman? Did you imagine?

 

[Chef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anouk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for opening your amp3 up and sharing the info on the insides with us, alex. Its always very interesting to actually know what is INSIDE a product and not just go after what manufacturers claim there is. I wonder if the sansa clip for example is soic too and what chip they use? Please let us know what your modding experiments bring you. A pity your unit did not come well-soldered, where did you get it? Greetings, Anouk,

hisound does give you some pretty good pictures of the guts if you look for them.

ÉîÛÚÊкºÉùÒôÏìÓÐÏÞ¹«Ë¾

They don't so much tell you that they do a crappy job of soldering

But they do show and talk about the huge battery they jammed in there. Not saying his post wasn't insightful, indeed it's hard to tell anything about the build quality from those pictures, but at least you know what's in there, essentially.

Cheers,