[Vitor Teixeira]

Have anyone tried the HD-600 with the hp-p1?
Would like to know how they behave together.

 

[DannyBai]

Quote:

Have anyone tried the HD-600 with the hp-p1?
Would like to know how they behave together.

I've used it with HD650's and it drives it with ease.  I've noticed the HP-P1 adds warmth to the sound, the Senns. sound thicker, not sure if I like it together.  I prefer using the SR-71A with the 650's.  

 

[fumi]

Quote:

 
 
 
I have used the exact same setup and did not hear any issue with channel imbalance. I tend to listen at fairly low levels. For the SE535, I set the gain setting at one (lowest) and the volume is usually slightly over the 9:00 position. With my HD-25-1 II, I set the gain to two and the volume is at the 12:00 position.
 

Hi VandyMan,
 
What is your overall impression of using the HP-P1 with SE535? I have these too and am wondering about if I should purchase the HP-P1. Did you find a significant difference in sound quality using this external DAC?
 
Kind Regards
 

 

[Currawong]

Not sure how I missed this thread. 
 
I recently bought a HP-P1 as part of a transportable rig. I'd scratched my head about iMods, ALO rigs and all that before settling on this. Unexpectedly, as I was about to head to Australia for holidays, I found someone there selling a Triad Audio L3, so I caved and got it as well. I just tested going from my iPhone to the L3 with and without the HP-P1 and the difference was significant, the iPhone sounding muffled in comparison. The L3 is an improvement over the HP-P1's headphone outputs, but this isn't a surprise, however it is an expensive jump.  The overall result with my Symphones Magnums is very good though. Now all I need to do is make a more compact cable to go from the HP-P1 to the L3 as I'm using an Audioquest Mini 3, which is a bit large.
 
The photo is with my iPod, which I use on the plane.

 

 

[triodesteve]

I'm probably a bit older than most of you, so I can remember way back when the first sony Walkman was released. The feeling of walking outside and listening to real music was pretty mind altering. I travelled the world with my Sony WMD6C cassette player and a pair of MDRV6's. 
That was pretty serious stuff back in the day. I graduated on to portable cd and then to ipod and diymods and amps, but always felt that the source was always the limiting factor. Does it really matter how good your amp sounds if the digital player you are listening to has crunchy highs like nails on a blackboard.
Enter the Fostex. Holy crap. This is what I've been missing all these years. Digital that sounds like music. Cymbals sound like metal. The dynamics of sticks on drum heads sounds so much more real. I'm really impressed (and that doesn't happen very often.)
No its not perfect. I wish the battery lasted longer. The volume knob seems a little fragile (but I don't think it's too big.) The amp isn't as good as my Burson (d'uh). I'd rather see coaxial digital out. The thing isn't as big as photos suggest but you aren't going to take it jogging (again, d'uh.) The led functions aren't very intuitive.
All in all, along with the Beyer Dynamic DT1350's, I have a road warrior system that sounds just as good at home.
I am a happy camper. 
 
 
 

 

[cooperpwc]

Great post, Steve! I am from your generation. I had the second Walkman (the first with servo controls) and then the first Sports Walkman.  They were revelations. I will have to give the HP-P1 a listen. 

 

[triodesteve]

I forgot a couple of things. First, the carry bag that Fostex includes is a disaster. I'm not sure how someone would use it, I know I wont. 
Second, let me be clear that I haven't heard the competition. No HiFiman (sd cards and gui) or CLAS (too many boxes.) I'm not discounting them for others
I just know for me it's more than I will put up with in real life...we all have our own limits.. And please don't tell me I'm a wuss and not willing to go all out for the "cause".
Anyone else have a home system that runs off of  97 batteries? Yeah, I didn't think so!
 
PS, If anyone is using an alternate carrying case (just to protect it during transportation, let me know.
 
Steve

 

[DannyBai]

I undid all the velcro straps once and said screw it and it has been sitting in a drawer.  I just carry it with the iphone/ipod sitting on top with bands.  Works well for me.  I purchased the CLAS at the same time and used it with SR-71A and decided to keep the HP-P1 instead.  The CLAS and RSA amp sounded a bit too clinical for my taste.  HP-P1 has a warmth that I really enjoy.  

 

[Mkubota1]

Quote:

Great post, Steve! I am from your generation. I had the second Walkman (the first with servo controls) and then the first Sports Walkman.  They were revelations. I will have to give the HP-P1 a listen. 

Oh man.  Getting off topic here, but you guys are really taking me back!  I too had the second gen Walkman (with the servo controls)- with that black belt clip cradle and the optional 2-'D' cell battery pack.  And then I had the Sports Walkman, also with servo controls.  Further down the road, I had the WM10- the one just slightly bigger than a cassette case.  I've always wanted a D6C or even the D3.
 
So going back a bit to the issue of the HP-P1 being able to charge the iPod (in my case, 4G Touch): Since I use mine primarily as a desktop/ around the apartment rig, I have little worry about running out of juice and the constant 'topping off' that the HP-P1 gives to the iPod is perfect for my use.  But for the sake of science, I wanted to see what the effects of that charging would have on the runtime of the HP-P1 itself.  And it seems like the Fostex does make a significant sacrifice in order to charge a dead iPod.
 
Here is what I did:  I ran my iPod alone until it went dead- so dead that it wouldn't turn on by simply docking it.  I had to charge it for about five minutes for it to be able to turn back on.  So essentially from 0%, I connected it to the fully charged Fostex.  Then I ran the two for as long as I could.  In the end, I got about four hours out of the Fostex before the lights went red, and my iPod was about 50% charged (roughly, according to the battery indicator bar).  Keep in mind this charging of the iPod was done while playing music at a moderate-to-loud listening level with my JVC FX700 IEMs.  So if you had less (or more) efficient cans, your results might differ.
 
This is basically a worst case scenario- where you somehow started your day off with a dead iPod.  Of course, if your iPod was only half-charged, you would end up with similar results because you can't prevent the HP-P1 from charging it.  But on the bright side, in either case you end up with an iPod capable of going at least another ~20 hours (assuming IEMs are being used) alone, so you are not completely without music.  For my next experiment, I want to see how long the HP-P1 will run when connected to the fully charged iPod.  In other words, how much life does it take out of the HP-P1 to simply run the iPod?
 
 
 

PS, If anyone is using an alternate carrying case (just to protect it during transportation, let me know.

 
Yeah- for just transporting it, I use an old t-shirt.
 
edit: I thought about one of these Domke 'Wraps': http://www.tiffen.com/displayproduct.html?tablename=domke&itemnum=722-11Y.  But since my rig rarely leaves the house, I'm sticking with the t-shirt for now.
 

 

[Currawong]

I still have my old cassette Walkman. Memories indeed. I couldn't afford the earlier models, but I remember always looking at them in the shops and wanting one. 
 
The HP-P1 case is definitely pretty annoying. The design does make sense if you have an iPod, especially the touch, and intend to hang the unit off your belt, but the internal centre strap prevents insertion of the HP-P1 strapped to the iPod.  At the moment I'm using an old case that I got as "service" with a camera years ago that fits it perfectly.

 

[MezzoBello]

Hello all
 
Subscribed to the thread. My portable rig looks like this, iPhone4 + HP-P1 + ES5
 

 
I couldn't figure out how to use a Fostex's carry case either. So, during transportation I just put it to a ES5 case which perfectly suit.
 

 
and, ready to go
 

 

 

[cooperpwc]

MezzoBello, that is one crazy USB cable. I like it.
 
I am very interested to hear your impressions of the HP-P1 and the ES5.  Thanks in advance!

 

[MezzoBello]

Before I got the HP-P1, I used to pair my ES5 with iPod Classic 160 GB and Whipmod as well as RSA Predator. However, at that time I found myself rarely use my portable rig since I always listen to desktop or speaker system when I want a serious listening session. So, I decided to let them go since I don't want to carry both iPhone and dedicated players during transportation, and keep it simple just use iPhone 4 + ES5 as a portable system for quite awhile. I was fine with them since I didn't expect much from portable system and iPhone 4's sound is fine enough when using as a source.
 
However, lately it turns out to be I have not much chance to listen to my desktop system, and portable system became my main one that I spend time listen to. So, HP-P1 had come to my attention since it seems to be one stop solution. So, I just bet to buy it without any audition, it's hard to find one to try here anyway.
 
Now, move to my impression once I've got the unit. I am impressed and notice myself having a smile on my face since my first try. it is definitely better than the iPhone's DAC and improve sound quality in every aspects, i.e. detail, transparent, tonal balance, naturalness, dynamic, imaging, i.e. what an audiophile is looking for. Lucky me, I won the bet. I'll find some time to share more if anyone is interested to hear.

 

[triodesteve]

Speaking of outrageous usb cables, has anyone else noticed that Audioquest has come out with a set a ipod docking cables that terminate with usb? I think there are 4 different flavors (price levels) even one that uses their version of dc trickling on the cable(with a battery pack attached) it looks like the shortest length is pretty long so I've tried to email them and ask if they do custom lengths. 
Might be interesting. And please no cable flame wars here. 

 

[cooperpwc]

MezzoBello, I certainly am interested. How is low volume control? Do the channels stay balanced at your lowest desired volumes?