Amp3
Jan 13, 2010 at 6:12 PM Post #1,923 of 2,090
Quote:

Originally Posted by musically_jaded /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Some people make the amp3 sound like a unicorn ****ting out rainbows.


Thanks for that helpful, informative first post. You joined HF to say that?
 
Jan 13, 2010 at 7:06 PM Post #1,924 of 2,090
While I agree with headfever's sentiment...

Quote:

Originally Posted by headfever /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Someone paired AMP3 with DT 880 and made a conclusion that AMP3 is weak on power. The conclusion is also unfair to AMP3. it is wellknown that DT880 is the one of the most difficult boosting phones. even few dest top amp can have enough power to propel well it.

In fact, AMP3 one of the most powerful DAP in the market, if there is a DAP have stronger power, please list it. Because AMP3 has a buit in seperat amp circuit.



Correct me if I am wrong but in terms of power the amp3 only has 20mW per channel (or was it total?). I forget where I read it. I'm pretty sure there are more powerful players, at least the cowon d2? But the point is people haven't claimed the amp is technically powerful so much as it sounds very good. I have seen a few people say it sounds good with some full phones like hd600 and having tested this myself these comparisons are better interpreted as a comparison to an iPod and other portable DAPs. People must remember that what is considered "good" for portables is often mediocre at best compared to even low end home gear. Especially considering the $150 price tag on this. Anyone who has spent any amount of time on this site should know that $150 isn't exactly that much for stuff like this. The best thing about the Amp3 is the bang for the buck. The SQ for the price tag is astounding.

That said, it does sound fantastic with my se530 and I could see it working as good with a variety of portable phones as people are saying. For powering phones geared for portables, this does compete with some pricier portable amps (especially factoring in the increased portability over carrying dap+amp). Plenty of people will tell you that portable amps simply cannot power full size headphones to their potential. So of course it is weak on power with such phones. There is nothing inaccurate with such a statement. But for what it is, it does sound okay with my hd600. I wouldn't use them over my se530 with it though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by headfever /img/forum/go_quote.gif
AMP3 is designed with 100 hours battery and built in AMP, it is clearly designed for the travel and out door usage.


Mine has never gone much beyond 48 hours. Certainly never three days, even with nothing playing the entire time.

Reports of battery life have varied greatly, it would seem it can vary significantly. Anyone considering this device should keep that in mind.
 
Jan 13, 2010 at 7:07 PM Post #1,925 of 2,090
Quote:

Originally Posted by anadin /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What exactly are the missing letters to this conunderum.


It rhymes with Brit I think.
tongue.gif
 
Jan 13, 2010 at 8:45 PM Post #1,928 of 2,090
Indeed.

That is a pretty epic ****. Or at least an epic fake ****. I know what I'll be making next time I am on a beach...

Now to post something relevant to the thread to get things back on topic!

I really wish hisound could improve the loading time from reset or power off. I would be willing to use a firmware that had only source manager and no music browsing if only it would load significantly faster. It wasn't a big problem when I got it but mine has recently been randomly resetting (not while in use, but sometimes I pick it up and it has turned off and takes the full time to scan after power on which tells me it has reset. This is without the battery even being low) and also resetting when I get statically charged and touch it. The nearly 8 minute wait can be excruciating. I'm still using 5.41 as the update has the higher gain which would probably not be an improvement with my IEMs. Anyone think updating firmware would be worth trying? Did anyone notice an improvement in loading time with it?
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 1:57 AM Post #1,929 of 2,090
Quote:

Originally Posted by shw24 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hi headfever,

I'm agree... I personally owned AMP3 and agree of its strength and I have no problem with hissing....
My question is just a matter of whether modded ipod such as RWA Imod if paired with external amp of baby stax will bring it to another level than if amp3 paired with baby stax...

I've been using amp3 unamped and i have no problm... I migh be lucky to get a good stock but happy with my purchase so far. So if I want to go ultraportable, amp3 paired with my modded IM716 with added resistor will have no issue with me, nothing beat it even my nano from HPO. It just I have baby stax which is not ultraportable and thinking of investing in RWA Imod if it will bring to another level and better synergize with baby stax...
smily_headphones1.gif



Thank you for sharing your experiences with AMP3.

The reason I make the previou statment is that I want to tell the exactly truth to the stange viewers who have never heard AMP3.

Some comments on AMP3 with " special way" is unfair to it. you can said AMP3 has hiss, no one deny it. But it must under some conditions to explain how the hiss is. Or the viewer will be confiussed. the same to the power decribed. I usually use 4 level volume to listen music at night, 6 volume at day time, it is enough louder, While AMP3 has 31 volumes,I only use 1/7 of it's power. So my judgment is that AMP3 is the strongest powerful DAP. If I miss some other DAPs , please point out.

My standpoints on the sound qualilty between AMP3 and Nano is very very clear. I am shame to compare AMP3 with NANO,they are not the same league player. If it is offence to Nano fanboy, I appologize here. Nano to my standard, is a toy, not a music instrument. Maybe everybody here agree that what basical music representation a player should have.

I do not justify AMP3. I am not misleading every viewer to buy AMP3. Many users has said, AMP3 is a niche player. I also agree it. AMP3 is only fit for these who only care for the perfec musical performance and can compromise some negatives.

I also shame on Hisoundaudio. They can design such a decent player in term of sound quality. The class A amp integrated in a DAP, portable earphone amp function and other unique design is a really break through technology, up to today, I still don't see any DAP can do it. it is not so easy to just to put an amp inside the DAP. in fact, many DAP makers have attempted to do it, but failed. While, Hisoundaudio don't make the AMP3 to be more perfect with every aspects. just as other post said, besides decent sound quality, the customers also need others to be more attractive. to my understand, to improve the slight hiss, and other non-audio flaws is much more easy than to improve the sound quality.

I blame Hisoundaudio for they are too confindent on their audio strength. They could have thougt that autiophiles only care for sound quality. But the market reaction tell us it is a mistake.

there are at least 5 detail reviews on AMP3 on this forum, the authors are Sasaki, Abellaw, Hiflight, MAODI, and David.All of them are the specialist on DAPs. I think so many detailed reviews can tell the truth of AMP3. if some body still say AMP3 is more distortion and lack of instruments seperation than NANO, I think it is biased opinion. the other previous AMP3 posts have verified my conclusion.

Most of AMP3 users agree AMP3 is good at classical, vocal, and acoustic. I can say , up to today, AMP3 is one of the DAPs can perfectly present well the complexed symphony. if there is other DAP can play better symphony than AMP3, which I have missed, please list it. To avoid effect other brands, I don't like to mention them. But I can responsible say, I have compared with many current mainstream DAPs, AMP3 is really good at the musicality interpreting.

Piano, violine and vocal can be employed to test which player is good or bad, If I am uneducated, Please tell me which DAP can be more authority to duplicate these sounds?

AMP3 has it's contribution to DAP industry,which set up a new standard for DAP as a hifi musical instrument.

Any way, I am not saying AMP3 is worth to recommend to every body. AMP3 has flaws which have reported on the posts and reviews. We welcome the unbiased and more specified comments. I think Hisoundaudio must know what we are talking about. There are many works need them to work with on AMP3 before it become a popular product. I want to see what they can do with the upcoming Studio, and PAA-1s and ROCOO( Whiplash audio has announced the up coming new products)
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 2:32 AM Post #1,930 of 2,090
Fever, again, I don't understand you very well.

Yes, the AMP3 sounds good. But it is no more an instrument than another player. It has a good circuit which never goes off. Some get 100 hours, some never get even close. It is built with a warbled treble which is like an added EQ layer giving atmosphere. The warbled layer is about ~1 dbl in strength, at points just more, at points less.

The DT880 is actually a very easy to drive headphone in terms of volume. It can get way too loud with even a nano. And, I don't really care for a Nano much at all. The point is that the AMP3 sounds good or very good for a narrow range of phones. I don't care to hear what doesn't hiss and does in some list.

Every one who has heard my AMP3's (two units) immediately says, "what's with the hiss"? That is with a variety of earphones from custom iems to phones like v-Jays.

Flowery words don't make a player sound better. Neither does saying it does music better. It has a good almost linear sound when an earphone is over 100 ohms. Then, there is also much less hiss. But it still runs down to preferences. It isn't a tactical sounding player. It is tweaky yet warm and has measurably higher distortion than a number of other players. I am not saying that is bad. The X5 also has pretty high distortion when driving earphones and it is considered to be a great sounding player by some.

I know you love to listen to it straight from the jack, but if you pair it with an external amp, all of the problems inherent in its inability to drive the narrow band of earphones which it does nearly perfectly is alleviated. It sounds good with the DT880 - I said this. It doesn't however drive the DT880 with power like other portable amps: Voyager, ALO Rx and certainly not as well as desktop amp. The DT880 is an EASY to drive large headphone unless by some flowery word, you have a new definition for what is easy or hard to drive.

The included earphones too are best when given a lot of resistance.

As for reviews: there are a number of very good reviews. But then, you only take "good" ones to heart, calling the reviewers 'specialists'. Abellaw I think gave one of the best exclamations about the AMP3 that I have heard. It was from the heart from a non-partisan. Sasaki is a very good reviewer: just read his blog. He has reviewed many many portables. I have presented on a number of occasions evidence that it sounds good but only really sounds good for critical listeners under the most perfect of circumstances. You however, ignore reviews like mine; if you just want to hear: OMG it is great, OMG the mid range; OMG the sound!, then look no further than those 5 reviews which you mention.

Calling a person a specialist on DAP on what account? I would rather hear reviews from DFKT - someone who has reviewed every non-Apple product. His reviews I would trust more than anyone on these boards though he and I don't see eye to eye regarding a few points. His reviews tackle realistic goals: how well a player drives a headphone, not how well he thinks it might maybe because everyone else says so.

The point is this: from the beginning, the AMP3 has had a strange following. I like the machine, but anyone who says that it isn't as was so eloquently stated above, unicorn crap, is cut down by you and a few others who came to these boards about the same time as the AMP3 became popular.

If the AMP3 could fix: impedance matching with realistic aims of less than 100 ohms, it would be a realistic amp/dap for customers earphones. As it is, it works best for the headphones which it cannot fully drive, or as a preamp/source for outboard components.
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 2:50 AM Post #1,931 of 2,090
Quote:

Originally Posted by acolyte289 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Indeed.

I really wish hisound could improve the loading time from reset or power off. I would be willing to use a firmware that had only source manager and no music browsing if only it would load significantly faster. It wasn't a big problem when I got it but mine has recently been randomly resetting (not while in use, but sometimes I pick it up and it has turned off and takes the full time to scan after power on which tells me it has reset. This is without the battery even being low) and also resetting when I get statically charged and touch it. The nearly 8 minute wait can be excruciating. I'm still using 5.41 as the update has the higher gain which would probably not be an improvement with my IEMs. Anyone think updating firmware would be worth trying? Did anyone notice an improvement in loading time with it?



wow... I got it only 1 months ago and still never experience that long loading time... but of course it is only 2GB used in there at this moment and the loading time is something below 10Sec. The long loading time I'm experience normally after uploading new album, the first time would be the longest one, after that, it is below 10sec...Still waiting sometime to load more and we'll see.

Regarding battery life.. mine only get around 50 hours listening at volume 10... not major issue for me
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 3:07 AM Post #1,933 of 2,090
Thanks guys for some additional option on how I can optimize my amp3.... To be honest, I love amp3 at the moment for office use and travel purpose as i have no issue with my set up, but again, I will not say the SQ of amp3 is perfect as i still find myself open for better alternatives. Currently I have no clue with my very limited experience and still looking for one. I'll try shigzeo option and see how it will go
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 3:09 AM Post #1,934 of 2,090
Average Joe has found luck with a much cheaper option: adding a lot of impedance. His amp3 is stacked with about 200 ohms of resistance before earphones. I have tried 75 and found hiss to still be rough, but otherwise, it has been good.

I am sure as Abellaw has said, the PK1 is excellent with the AMP3.
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 3:23 AM Post #1,935 of 2,090
AMP3 and PK1... it does make sense as PK1 has 150ohm.. but if I remember correctly to drive PK1 you need to put the volume around 20 points....

Last time I try PK1 with Amp3... but in the noisy environment... it is not ideal to judge the SQ
 

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