[.Sup]

no noise, no hissing with my headphones (see sig)

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

 
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Well, I think I'll be cancelling my preorder. By the look of the impressions coming in I don't think the upgrade justifies the price and usability/portability issues. Not sure I can be arsed with the whole returning it in the post business either. Jumping the gun? Maybe..

 
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Great review, HeadphoneAddict! That contained every helpful comparison I can think of. I'll have my HM-602 in a few days. It doesn't have to be the "end all, be all" DAP in my book for it to be a success. If I can just carry ONE device, no external amp, no stupid rubber bands, LOL, I'll be happy. And it looks like I'll be able to do that!

 
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I don't know, for that kind of cash with it's chunky size and basic UI, it ought to be a significant leap in quality. I appreciate the idea though, a bespoke audiophile DAP is something I've been looking to find for a long time.

The more I use it the more I like it.  Personally I don't like using an amp with my iPhone 4 and keep it in my front pants pocket un-amped.  Lately I have been keeping an 8Gb 3G Nano with Pico Slim or 16Gb 5G Nano with the Slim in my fleece vest pocket or cargo pants pocket, because that sounds better than the un-amped iPhone 4.  But with lossless music I can only fit 20 albums in 8Gb, and often I'm in the mood to listen to something that's not on the device.  
 
I am now carrying the 602 in my pocket with several cheap 8Gb SD card, and I have 24Gb of storage with one card installed - that's about 50 lossless FLAC albums, including 8 24/96 albums on the SD card which I can use with the 801 too.  This is a bit more convenient to transport as well.  I don't bring the Nano/Pico with me anymore, which kept breaking rubber bands and with cases that was thicker in the pocket.  I'm still enjoying the 602 more than my iPhone, with it's great mids and warm punchy sound.  This lets me just keep my 320K Mp3 and movies/games on the iPhone for casual use.
 
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I'm in the same boat as Jimmythemook, as I placed an order for the HM-602 hoping that it would be  a super nice portable DAC coming with a pair of 262 IEMs. 
As i like treble more than anything else I was hoping that the 262 shared the same sound sig. as its' brother 252, but it turns out (based on others impressions only!!) to have a very different sound sig. with somewhat recessed treble and the HM-602 sounds better as a DAP than when using it as a DAC (I really do not know how that is possible, but that's peoples impression so far).
 
Since I don't see myself using the HM-602 as a portable player on the go, (I rather keep it very simple not bulky, like iPhone -> IEM) and mostly need the DAC function to pair it with my laptop while traveling around the world, I am thinking of canceling my order.
 
So putting it in simple way my priority is like this:
1st, a high quality portable DAC to use with my macbook.
2nd, new IEMs are always nice (but in the $200-300 range I could find IEMs i would prefer to try over 262, also since the sound sig. isn't what i hoped for)
3rd new portable player (i'm pretty sure I would use my iPhone over this due to UI, userfriendlyness/iTunes and not having to carry around 2 devices)
 
What do you guys think, should i cancel my order and find a different DAC?

 
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While I have not evaluated the 602 to the extent that Larry has, I do agree with his findings, and consider the 602 to be a really fine "all-arounder".   It sounds excellent with my PK1's and makes for an easy carry in a small, cheap Targus camera case. 
 
I do find that the DAC sounds very good as a "stand-alone" DAC.
 
My only real "con" is that battery life is only about 9 hours and the player gets quite warm during operation, which would give me concern if I were using it in a tight-fitting case.
 
Overall considering fit and finish, versatility, sound quality and price, I certainly consider it to be worthy of one's consideration when shopping for a quality DAP!

I agree that the 602 USB DAC/amp is very good and on about the level of my $250 Meier 3MOVE but with slightly less treble, but the 602 sounds a bit better with my ES5/ES3X and my HD800 that I just unpacked, and also better with my JH13Pro than my Pico Slim.  Like I said in my review, it's an upgrade over all my iPods and Macbook headphone out.  The fact that it can play music without booting up the computer, especially 24/96 files on SD card, is a big plus.  
 
On top of that, copying the music onto the 602 itself and skipping the USB DAC brings it to a higher level of performance, likey 801 does.  In no way is the USB DAC bad or poor, but a Pico DAC-only, DACport or D4 will have a little better micro-detail and extension.  On the other hand, the 602 playing 24/96 music on the SD card sounds about as good/similar to my DACport via USB on my Mac, again with slightly less treble, but it's also more portable.  I hope that clears up a little confusion with comparisons.
 
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I guess it's really those "slightly better" comments of HeadphoneAddict that may set off the crowd

 But let's be honest, we're not looking at portable DAP and $7K home headphone system type of run-up. I always stayed away from reviews that go through "night and day" type of comparisons in terms of sound quality. What is sound quality anyway?... And why bother comparing if it's "night and day"?
It's quite subjective, depends on what setup you're upgrading from, what other components in use and what music you're listening to. Don't be tricked into believing you're gonna hear angel voices by paying 29,5% more. And by paying anything, for that matter...

 

 
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I'd agree it's unrealistic to expect night and day types of vast improvement. It really comes down to what an end user considers value for money in terms of the sound quality and the usability and convenience of the device. 
For me it's about justifying the purchase of a replacement setup for a marginal improvement in the above variables. If this was the first audiophile device I was thinking of aquiring then the small percentage improvement wouldn't be a factor.
I appreciate the hobbyist nature of all this though and it's great getting new toys, that's for sure :0)

 
"Night and Day" is the key word - that implies a revolution, not evolution in differences.  I have to say "slightly better" because it's not as big as the leap between the iPhone ear buds and a nice IEM.  Even a $50 NE-7M or Brainwavz M2 is a big step up from the iBuds, but a Westone ES3X or ES5 is Night and Day different.  If I'm not picking apart the music into bass, mids and treble, the 602 is still more realistic sounding and more immersive in it's overall performance than any of my iPods.  I had to combine a $180 iPod + $120 LOD + $399 amp to come really close!  At that point the 602 is only slightly better, not night and day better, than a $700 iPod/amp combo.  
 
This is the kinda rig you want to listen to with your high end IEM and HD800, which is why I sold my iMod rig once I had the 801.  The 602 offers most of the 801 performance benefits, and I'd likely still pick it over the iMod for portable.  Kinda makes it more attractive when one puts it this way.  

 
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The more time I spend with it, I feel like it will be my new portable solution. I don't feel a need for an external amp (although I will a/b different combos) and I'm loving the DAC. It's awesome. It might be playing the same game as an iPod, but it's in a different league altogether.

Maybe a different game too - the iPod still can't do 24 bit music, function as a USB DAC, or drive HD800.

 

[Chimera-se]

That's true. I'm just running out of analogies

What connector do you use between your HD 800s and the 801/602? I need to order one. I'm exited to see how it is with any of my full size cans!

 

[mrarroyo]

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I will be pairing my 602 with a Meier stepdance as I do with my 801 for the ultimate combo. IMHO. The 801 sounds awesome with the game module but with the stepdance it's like driving a Ferrari on nitrous!

Interest comment, I tried about five portable amps including the Stepdance and found that with my music/gear/ears the use of an external portable amp did not add much and in some cases the sound was worse. The Stepdance has many followers here and although nice was a disapointment since I found it rolled off the highs and thus did not present the music realistically.

 
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Well, yesterday it was misbehaving my first night with it.  But now it hasn't unexpectedly ejected itself even once tonight with 16Gb of files copied onto it.
 
[EDIT - well, the HM 602 now doesn't see any of the 16Gb of FLAC that I've copied onto the internal memory (says No Files!).  I can play the songs on my 8Gb SD card just file.  The internal RAM was corrupted last night according to Mac OS after it ejected one too many times and it could not be modified or have files added, nor could I repair it.  I had to format it as FAT32 with Master Boot Record, but now Disk Utilities is telling me it's with GUID partition, which isn't readable by HM 602.  I don't see why Disk Utilities didn't format with Master Boot Record like I told it.  Now I have to repartition it and start over again!]

Larry, I too have had issues loading the FLAC files unto the internal memory or to SD cards using my 2009 iMac. So now I  use an older Dell since I do not want to make the time to take my iMac to have it checked up.
 
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While I have not evaluated the 602 to the extent that Larry has, I do agree with his findings, and consider the 602 to be a really fine "all-arounder".   It sounds excellent with my PK1's and makes for an easy carry in a small, cheap Targus camera case. 
 
I do find that the DAC sounds very good as a "stand-alone" DAC.
 
My only real "con" is that battery life is only about 9 hours and the player gets quite warm during operation, which would give me concern if I were using it in a tight-fitting case.
 
Overall considering fit and finish, versatility, sound quality and price, I certainly consider it to be worthy of one's consideration when shopping for a quality DAP!

I agree, the HM602 specially after the update of late September sounds superb and it is a very nice substitute for an office rig.

 

[Jonasklam]

Quote:

 
 
 

The more I use it the more I like it.  Personally I don't like using an amp with my iPhone 4 and keep it in my front pants pocket un-amped.  Lately I have been keeping an 8Gb 3G Nano with Pico Slim or 16Gb 5G Nano with the Slim in my fleece vest pocket or cargo pants pocket, because that sounds better than the un-amped iPhone 4.  But with lossless music I can only fit 20 albums in 8Gb, and often I'm in the mood to listen to something that's not on the device.  
 
I am now carrying the 602 in my pocket with several cheap 8Gb SD card, and I have 24Gb of storage with one card installed - that's about 50 lossless FLAC albums, including 8 24/96 albums on the SD card which I can use with the 801 too.  This is a bit more convenient to transport as well.  I don't bring the Nano/Pico with me anymore, which kept breaking rubber bands and with cases that was thicker in the pocket.  I'm still enjoying the 602 more than my iPhone, with it's great mids and warm punchy sound.  This lets me just keep my 320K Mp3 and movies/games on the iPhone for casual use.
 
 

I agree that the 602 USB DAC/amp is very good and on about the level of my $250 Meier 3MOVE but with slightly less treble, but the 602 sounds a bit better with my ES5/ES3X and my HD800 that I just unpacked, and also better with my JH13Pro than my Pico Slim.  Like I said in my review, it's an upgrade over all my iPods and Macbook headphone out.  The fact that it can play music without booting up the computer, especially 24/96 files on SD card, is a big plus.  
 
On top of that, copying the music onto the 602 itself and skipping the USB DAC brings it to a higher level of performance, likey 801 does.  In no way is the USB DAC bad or poor, but a Pico DAC-only, DACport or D4 will have a little better micro-detail and extension.  On the other hand, the 602 playing 24/96 music on the SD card sounds about as good/similar to my DACport via USB on my Mac, again with slightly less treble, but it's also more portable.  I hope that clears up a little confusion with comparisons.
 
 
 
"Night and Day" is the key word - that implies a revolution, not evolution in differences.  I have to say "slightly better" because it's not as big as the leap between the iPhone ear buds and a nice IEM.  Even a $50 NE-7M or Brainwavz M2 is a big step up from the iBuds, but a Westone ES3X or ES5 is Night and Day different.  If I'm not picking apart the music into bass, mids and treble, the 602 is still more realistic sounding and more immersive in it's overall performance than any of my iPods.  I had to combine a $180 iPod + $120 LOD + $399 amp to come really close!  At that point the 602 is only slightly better, not night and day better, than a $700 iPod/amp combo.  
 
This is the kinda rig you want to listen to with your high end IEM and HD800, which is why I sold my iMod rig once I had the 801.  The 602 offers most of the 801 performance benefits, and I'd likely still pick it over the iMod for portable.  Kinda makes it more attractive when one puts it this way.  

 

Maybe a different game too - the iPod still can't do 24 bit music, function as a USB DAC, or drive HD800.

 
Thank you man, I really found your post useful

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

That's true. I'm just running out of analogies

What connector do you use between your HD 800s and the 801/602? I need to order one. I'm exited to see how it is with any of my full size cans!

 
I have a really nice 4-pin XLR to 1/8" plug adapter made by APureSound with the V3 cable.
 
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Interest comment, I tried about five portable amps including the Stepdance and found that with my music/gear/ears the use of an external portable amp did not add much and in some cases the sound was worse. The Stepdance has many followers here and although nice was a disapointment since I found it rolled off the highs and thus did not present the music realistically.

Larry, I too have had issues loading the FLAC files unto the internal memory or to SD cards using my 2009 iMac. So now I  use an older Dell since I do not want to make the time to take my iMac to have it checked up.
 
I agree, the HM602 specially after the update of late September sounds superb and it is a very nice substitute for an office rig.

I haven't had a single file copy problem since that first time I reported it.  Once I re-partitioned the corrupted flash memory it's been fine.

 

[Hero Kid]

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I haven't had a single file copy problem since that first time I reported it.  Once I re-partitioned the corrupted flash memory it's been fine.

 
Could you please PM me the steps you took to re-partion it?
I have made numerous attempts at re-formatting/re-partioning so I want to make sure that I'm not missing something.

 

[cooperpwc]

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The Stepdance has many followers here and although nice was a disapointment since I found it rolled off the highs and thus did not present the music realistically. 

 
Wow. That might get my vote for unusual comment of 2010. Then again, there is no accounting for different perceptions.

 

[warp08]

Quote:

That's true. I'm just running out of analogies

What connector do you use between your HD 800s and the 801/602? I need to order one. I'm exited to see how it is with any of my full size cans!

 
Virtually all my full-size cans are XLR3-terminated because of my Apache so I just use an XLR3 female to 1/8" TRS adapter for both the 802 or 601.  This is not a portable setup, as these Cryo-Parts carbon XLR3s are rather heavy, but I don't use it that way.  Sorry about the Sepia filter, still trying to find my way around iLife '11 in general.
 
On the plus side the sparkle of the TWag cable does compensate to a certain degree for the mid-forward sound signature Larry has correctly described.  The 801 still has more top-end extensions but I do not feel the 602 lacking much in this configuration, specially those sweet upper bass and creamy mids reminding me of my beloved R10s.

 

[swanlee]

Is the upgrade in SQ over the SFLO:2 worth the price of the 602?

 

[Choochoo]

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The more I use it the more I like it.  Personally I don't like using an amp with my iPhone 4 and keep it in my front pants pocket un-amped.  Lately I have been keeping an 8Gb 3G Nano with Pico Slim or 16Gb 5G Nano with the Slim in my fleece vest pocket or cargo pants pocket, because that sounds better than the un-amped iPhone 4.  But with lossless music I can only fit 20 albums in 8Gb, and often I'm in the mood to listen to something that's not on the device.  
 
I am now carrying the 602 in my pocket with several cheap 8Gb SD card, and I have 24Gb of storage with one card installed - that's about 50 lossless FLAC albums, including 8 24/96 albums on the SD card which I can use with the 801 too.  This is a bit more convenient to transport as well.  I don't bring the Nano/Pico with me anymore, which kept breaking rubber bands and with cases that was thicker in the pocket.  I'm still enjoying the 602 more than my iPhone, with it's great mids and warm punchy sound.  This lets me just keep my 320K Mp3 and movies/games on the iPhone for casual use.
 

 
Yes, that happens to me too. The WhipMod rig has been left at home since the arrival of my HM-602. 
 
It is a good match with JH16, which TWag cables compensate the roll-off high of HM-602 well. With HM-602's great mid and full-body bass, my ED8 has become pleasantly lush and warm.  
 

 

[Anaxilus]

This thing has a LO right.  Anyone compare the HO and LO of the 602?

 

[yooss]

I'll find out soon, but how come nobody is talking about the 262s?
Even those who have gotten it few weeks ago arent saying a thing about the free gift. After all, the 262 is the reason I have to wait a few weeks more. How does it compare to other iems?
 
Maybe no news is good news...

 

[SaigonGrandFunk]

Thanks guys, because of your impressions of 602, now I am $439.00 poorer!
After weeks of reading/thinking I just pressed the "buy" button. I m sure the RE262 will be a good bonus as it should be => RE0 that I like.

 

[oldschool]

A quick question before I jump on it - how's the AAC support? There are no official format support specs and I read somewhere it doesn't support AAC ??