[soundblast75]

The UI is basic and primitive for sure but I don't think it's unresponsive at all. 

It's probably the best DAP I've tried sound wise and a lot better than most unlike what you feel. I think it's pretty good value for money in that respect. 

When was the last time you've used a 901? Which IEMs and amp cards did you use? Very curious because your opinion isn't something seen very often regarding this DAP. 

It was less than a month ago,latest firmware,delay after every button press plus no artwork on most flacs(i am a maniac at tagging
Sound is good but very very similar to 801,so to me with that make quality and ui not worth it.
And this time i am not gonna mention a particular nation coz ibasso's make quality is very very good..

 

[kawaivpc1]

http://www.exportprive.com/en/cowon/38943-cowon-plenue-p1-hd-audio-player-128go-black-.html
 
It's on pre-sale now.
 
Cowon P1's spec isn't so different from AK240. It's battery life is about the same as AK240.
My only concern is they could have used a batter DAC and put a 1/4 headphone jack.
I think a 32bit SABRE DAC could make me more interested in.
 
 

Classification	MP3
Display	3.7 "AMOLED Touch Display (480x800)
Storage Capacity	Built-in memory: 128GB / External Memory : microSD SDXC
Case	Full Metal unibody high strength
Button	POWER/HOLD, PLAY/PAUSE, VOL+, VOL-, FF, REW
CPU	ARM Cortex A9 1.2GHz Dual-Core
File Format	DXD/DSD/FLAC/WAV/AIFF/ALAC/APE/MP3/WMA/OGG
Audio codec	DXD: 352.8/384kHz ~ (1/2 Sampling) DSD: ~ 5.64MHz (DSD64, DSD128) FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC: ~ 24bit/192kHz (352.8/384kHz FLAC, WAV 1/2 Sampling) MP3: MPEG 1/2/2.5 Layer 3, ~320kbps WMA: ~320kbps, ~48kHz APE: Fast compression (Fast), Normal (Normal), high compression (High) 16bit OGG: ~Q10, ~44.1kHz
Lyrics	LRC, LDB, Lyrics3, ID3 Tag Lyrics (time information, yes / no)
JetEfect 7	54 preset, 10 Band Equalizer, BBE +, Chorus (8 models), Reverb (8 models)
DAC	Burr-Brown PCM1792A
SNR	120dB
THD+N	0.0006%
Stereo Crosstalk	-134dB
Output	2Vrms
Impedance	3ohm
Volume	Step 140
Clock	Clock precision TCXO (Phase Jitter 1.0ps)
Battery	3,000 mAh/3.7v built-in lithium-polymer battery
Play time	About 8 hours, 30 minutes
Charging time	About 4 hours (or more input conditions Micro USB DC adapter 5V/2A)
Output terminal	Earphone jack (3.5mm) / optical output (3.5mm)
Player	Various playback screen skins, analog level meters, Matrix Browser, Multi-Favorite
Connect PC Specifications	CPU: Pentium III 500MHz 이상 OS: Window 8/7/vista/XP/2000/ME: All functions supported         MAC OS 10.x / Linux v2.4 or higher: File transfer support USB포트 : USB 2.0 high speed 권장
Size / Weight	64.5 x 116.4 x 13.4mm / 173g

 

[Mimouille]

This has been around for a while and posted already.

 

[kawaivpc1]

can it play music via wifi?

 

[tomscy2000]

  I think a 32bit SABRE DAC could make me more interested in.

 
Why? I, for one, am glad it's not "yet another Sabre" device.
 
The Burr-Brown 1792 is a very, very good DAC chip, and it belongs in the same breath as an ES9018S if implemented properly.

 

[soundblast75]

   
Why? I, for one, am glad it's not "yet another Sabre" device.
 
The Burr-Brown 1792 is a very, very good DAC chip, and it belongs in the same breath as an ES9018S if implemented properly.

+1

 

[SilverEars]

  can it play music via wifi?

I don't know if there are any feature are on this thing that others have such as the usb DAC, wifi streaming(could be useful at home).  Not sure if Calyx M has usb DAC feature.  
 
Would be useful if somebody can compare the SQ of this to X5 as they both have the same chip.  We'll find out if the pricing is worth it based on SQ comparison.  

 

[kawaivpc1]

Not really. I had a Sony PHA 2  with the same PCM DAC chip. I'd say Sabre DAC chip sounds twice better and way more detailed. I sold Sony PHA 2 immediately after listening to my iBasso R10 with Sabre 32bit chip.

 

[AmberOzL]

   
Why? I, for one, am glad it's not "yet another Sabre" device.
 
The Burr-Brown 1792 is a very, very good DAC chip, and it belongs in the same breath as an ES9018S if implemented properly.

How did you find it in X5?

 

[SilverEars]

   
Why? I, for one, am glad it's not "yet another Sabre" device.
 
The Burr-Brown 1792 is a very, very good DAC chip, and it belongs in the same breath as an ES9018S if implemented properly.

What is this S version?

  Not really. I had a Sony PHA 2  with the same PCM DAC chip. I'd say Sabre DAC chip sounds twice better and way more detailed. I sold Sony PHA 2 immediately after listening to my iBasso R10 with Sabre 32bit chip.

I wrote about this before, and I based on the devices I've compared thus far mobile and non-mobile ES9018 sound distinctly different.  The non-mobile version was more balanced sound and treble is superb.  This was based on DX90 and R10 comparison, but I'm hearing that Calyx M which like the DX90 has the mobile version sounds warm?  This could be because of the color of the amp.  Only way to know is compare the LO of DX90 and the Calyx M, and if it's hard to decern the differences, most likely it's the characteristics of the mobile ES9018.  If I had such fund, I would do these comparisons as it fun for me.  I wish I can get loaners of the top portable devices such as Hugo, 240, 901 so that I can get a better idea of the differences of the chips.  

 
 
Hopefully, it's the implementation that makes a whole lot of difference.  I would think so for the amp section changing the sound more significantly, but LO should keep the chip's characteristics(let me know if you think otherwise).
 
Overall, based on LO of X5(PCM1792 like the P1), DX90(mobile ES9018), HDP R10(non-mobile ES9018), I thought the R10's LO sounded the best, so I'm in favor of the non-mobile ES9018.  I hope the P1 and Calyx M proves otherwise. 

 

[soundblast75]

http://www.exportprive.com/en/cowon/38943-cowon-plenue-p1-hd-audio-player-128go-black-.html

It's on pre-sale now.

Cowon P1's spec isn't so different from AK240. It's battery life is about the same as AK240.
My only concern is they could have used a batter DAC and put a 1/4 headphone jack.
I think a 32bit SABRE DAC could make me more interested in.

Classification



[COLOR=666666]MP3[/COLOR]




Display



3.7 "AMOLED Touch Display (480x800)




Storage Capacity



Built-in memory: 128GB / External Memory : microSD SDXC




[COLOR=000000][COLOR=666666]Case[/COLOR][/COLOR]



Full Metal unibody high strength




Button





POWER/HOLD, PLAY/PAUSE, VOL+, VOL-, FF, REW






CPU





[COLOR=666666]ARM Cortex A9 1.2GHz Dual-Core[/COLOR]






File Format





DXD/DSD/FLAC/WAV/AIFF/ALAC/APE/[COLOR=666666]MP3/WMA/OGG[/COLOR]






Audio codec





DXD: 352.8/384kHz ~ (1/2 Sampling)


DSD: ~ 5.64MHz (DSD64, DSD128)


FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC: ~ 24bit/192kHz


(352.8/384kHz FLAC, WAV 1/2 Sampling)


MP3: MPEG 1/2/2.5 Layer 3, ~320kbps


WMA: ~320kbps, ~48kHz


APE: Fast compression (Fast), Normal (Normal), high compression (High) 16bit


OGG: ~Q10, ~44.1kHz






Lyrics





LRC, LDB, Lyrics3, ID3 Tag Lyrics (time information, yes / no)






JetEfect 7





54 preset, 10 Band Equalizer, BBE +, Chorus (8 models), Reverb (8 models)






DAC





Burr-Brown PCM1792A






SNR



120dB




THD+N



0.0006%




Stereo Crosstalk



-134dB




Output





2Vrms






[COLOR=666666]Impedance[/COLOR]



3ohm






Volume





Step 140






Clock



Clock precision TCXO (Phase Jitter 1.0ps)


[COLOR=666666][COLOR=000000]Battery[/COLOR][/COLOR]



3,000 mAh/3.7v built-in lithium-polymer battery




Play time



About 8 hours, 30 minutes




Charging time





About 4 hours (or more input conditions Micro USB DC adapter 5V/2A)






Output terminal





[COLOR=666666]Earphone jack (3.5mm) / optical output (3.5mm)[/COLOR]






Player





Various playback screen skins, analog level meters, Matrix Browser, Multi-Favorite






Connect PC Specifications



CPU: Pentium III 500MHz 이상
OS: Window 8/7/vista/XP/2000/ME: All functions supported


        MAC OS 10.x / Linux v2.4 or higher: File transfer support


USB포트 : USB 2.0 high speed 권장






Size / Weight





64.5 x 116.4 x 13.4mm / 173g


 


 

Could this be an inflated pre-order price, is there an official price confirmation anywhere?

 

[tomscy2000]

  Not really. I had a Sony PHA 2  with the same PCM DAC chip. I'd say Sabre DAC chip sounds twice better and way more detailed. I sold Sony PHA 2 immediately after listening to my iBasso R10 with Sabre 32bit chip.

 
The PHA-2 has the lower-end PCM1795 (the PCM1795 is a PCM1796 with a 32-bit address bus, which really doesn't do anything except accept more bits, but doesn't improve on performance), not the PCM1792 (still TI's highest-performance DAC part, and considered its co-flagship alongside the discontinued purely-R2R PCM1704U-K), and the Sony isn't a great implementation, TBH. With the right parts surrounding the PCM1792, it is nearly as good as the ES9018 and dare I say more natural sounding while still being very detailed. The ES9018 has the tendency to sound a bit bright --- some people have called it the "Sabre glare", though that has a lot to do with the way manufacturers tweak its internal settings. FYI, I own a Concero HP, which uses the ES9018K2M, so I do like Sabre chips. But they need the right kind of engineering around them, just like the right kind of engineering around a PCM1792 will deliver great results as well. While the P1 is a single chip implementation, there are plenty of flagship-level dual mono PCM1792 designs that get 125 dB DNR or more. The Advanced Segment architecture is fairly unique in that it's not purely multiple orders of sigma-delta modulators, but also passes the topmost 6-bits via traditional resistive techniques. Of course, the Sabre architecture is also fairly advanced and unique, but that's why it's good to have variety. There are already plenty of Sabre-equipped DAPs out there --- iBasso DX100/HDP-R10, HiFiMAN HM-901, Calyx M, upcoming LH Labs Geek Wave (which I pledged for, BTW), and upcoming FiiO X7 --- so why go for yet another one? It's good that Cowon isn't merely following industry trends. The PCM1792 is still a very serviceable part.
 

  How did you find it in X5?

 
I thought it was quite nice. The X5 is a great sonic performer, especially for its price. I don't like its styling and ergonomics, though, so I never really gave it a deep look.
 

  What is this S version?

 
It's just the regular ol' ES9018. Actually take a look at the PCB board and it says 'ES9018S' printed on top of the chip. Some datasheets also mark the part as 'ES9018S'. I name it that way to differentiate it from the ES9018K2M.
 

 

[Whippler]

I have been eyeing on this quite a bit, and considering this over zx1/calyx M. Question is, how would this pair up with Shure SE535. Later in few years i might get se846.

 

[Bluebear]

  I have been eyeing on this quite a bit, and considering this over zx1/calyx M. Question is, how would this pair up with Shure SE535. Later in few years i might get se846.

3 ohm output impedance is not going to work well for se846. People already complaining about the 2 ohm single-ended out on the AK240 with se846.
 
EDIT: And why does it take 4 hours to charge its battery on a DC adapter 5V/2A with only a playback time of only 8.5 hours? 2A should be able to charge pretty fast. It really spends half its playtime charging? That is like 50% downtime...

 

[Whippler]

Anyone ordered this from export drive yet? These are in stock now.
 
hmm it has 3000mAh battery, about the same as current top end smartphones. Play time seems quite low for that, maybe the rated value is for DSD/something battery consuming and we might get little bit more with flac?