[OICWUTUDIDTHAR]

what should I go for the iem or balanced card for my se846? don't want to get both right off the bat

 

[kkcc]

what should I go for the iem or balanced card for my se846? don't want to get both right off the bat

The choice would depends on:
1) is 901 going to be your only DAP
2) are you planning to spend extra to reterminate your cables to 3.5 trrs
3) are you not too concern on very fine volume adjustments
4) are you planning to drive full-size headphones
5) do you like a sound with wider staging compared to more intimacy

If you answer YES to most these questions then you may consider balanced card, else IEM or minibox seems to be the better choices.

 

[Kiats]

The choice would depends on:
1) is 901 going to be your only DAP
2) are you planning to spend extra to reterminate your cables to 3.5 trrs
3) are you not too concern on very fine volume adjustments
4) are you planning to drive full-size headphones
5) do you like a sound with wider staging compared to more intimacy

If you answer most to these questions you may consider balanced card, else IEM or minibox seems to be the better choices.

Agree with kkcc. If you are primarily using iems, then it may be prudent to start with the iem amp card. If not, the balanced amp card offers you the added option of using SE trs plug or balanced trrs plug.

 

[Valuephile]

The line out of HM-901 is pretty impressive for a DAP. Anyone has experience on pairing it with higher grade portable amp?
I am borrowing mass kobo 385 or 395 from Gavin later this week...i hope they gel well..

I listen to my HM-901 with Roxannes (both UIEMs and CIEMs), RE-400s, and SE530s. I also listen with TH-600s, PM-1s, and Alpha Dogs. I own the balanced, iem, and newer standard cards. Unfortunately, I have been very frustrated with the 901's lack of sufficient volume control. IMO, I find the 901 volume with any of those cards too soft or too loud depending on the volume detent positions. So, I purchased the LO cable and mated the 901 to my Vorzuge Pure II. While this two component package is definitely BULKY, I am thrilled with the volume control and my music sounds amazing with the pairing. Please understand that I don't think the pairing necessarily sounds better than the 901 with balanced or iem card output it's just now I have infinitely variable volume control with the Pure II and it sounds wonderful too. Since the two cards together cost more than the Pure II, if I were to do over, I would just buy the 901 standard version, LO cable, and the Pure II and be happy! But YMMV. p.s While I know Fang is very proud of the 901 volume control and it sounds great with IEM and balanced cards, IMHO I just wish he would solve the too loud or too soft volume dilemma I (and others?) face with the 901. Cheers!

 

[kkcc]

This is the trade off of using a technically cleaner, and more expensive DACT type volume control over a traditional POT.

I was a bit bothered when I use my tg334 balanced with the balanced card as it is a very sensitive IEM but the balanced card output so much power. Nonetheless I bear with it and adapted as the balance card give me the widest soundstage with the tg334 I had ever experienced. Don't really have issue with other amp cards and never felt any of them are not loud enough.

But yes it is interesting to see if hifiman would consider request to retro fit the "lesser" hm802/hm650's POT on the 901 for those who prefer continuous volume adjustment over a stepped attenuated.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

I listen to my HM-901 with Roxannes (both UIEMs and CIEMs), RE-400s, and SE530s. I also listen with TH-600s, PM-1s, and Alpha Dogs. I own the balanced, iem, and newer standard cards. Unfortunately, I have been very frustrated with the 901's lack of sufficient volume control. IMO, I find the 901 volume with any of those cards too soft or too loud depending on the volume detent positions. So, I purchased the LO cable and mated the 901 to my Vorzuge Pure II. While this two component package is definitely BULKY, I am thrilled with the volume control and my music sounds amazing with the pairing. Please understand that I don't think the pairing necessarily sounds better than the 901 with balanced or iem card output it's just now I have infinitely variable volume control with the Pure II and it sounds wonderful too. Since the two cards together cost more than the Pure II, if I were to do over, I would just buy the 901 standard version, LO cable, and the Pure II and be happy! But YMMV. p.s While I know Fang is very proud of the 901 volume control and it sounds great with IEM and balanced cards, IMHO I just wish he would solve the too loud or too soft volume dilemma I (and others?) face with the 901. Cheers!

Thanks for sharing... I have minibox and balance cards... I keep hearing positive comments about Pure II
 
I seldom use balance card now because I find out I am not so committed to terminate everything to balance...

 

[OICWUTUDIDTHAR]

This is the trade off of using a technically cleaner, and more expensive DACT type volume control over a traditional POT.

I was a bit bothered when I use my tg334 balanced with the balanced card as it is a very sensitive IEM but the balanced card output so much power. Nonetheless I bear with it and adapted as the balance card give me the widest soundstage with the tg334 I had ever experienced. Don't really have issue with other amp cards and never felt any of them are not loud enough.

But yes it is interesting to see if hifiman would consider request to retro fit the "lesser" hm802/hm650's POT on the 901 for those who prefer continuous volume adjustment over a stepped attenuated.

 
the hm802 uses the same volume control as the 901 I believe, only the 650 uses a pot.

 

[kkcc]

the hm802 uses the same volume control as the 901 I believe, only the 650 uses a pot.

Yes I stand corrected. Forgot they actually changed back to the same stepped attenuator on 802 for production units. The original design and earlier engineering/pre-release/demo samples were built with a POT.

 

[OICWUTUDIDTHAR]

Does anyone know the differences between the 802 and the 650? All I can see is the color and thre volume knob. Yet it's 250-300 cheaper?

 

[Kiats]

I listen to my HM-901 with Roxannes (both UIEMs and CIEMs), RE-400s, and SE530s. I also listen with TH-600s, PM-1s, and Alpha Dogs. I own the balanced, iem, and newer standard cards. Unfortunately, I have been very frustrated with the 901's lack of sufficient volume control. IMO, I find the 901 volume with any of those cards too soft or too loud depending on the volume detent positions. So, I purchased the LO cable and mated the 901 to my Vorzuge Pure II. While this two component package is definitely BULKY, I am thrilled with the volume control and my music sounds amazing with the pairing. Please understand that I don't think the pairing necessarily sounds better than the 901 with balanced or iem card output it's just now I have infinitely variable volume control with the Pure II and it sounds wonderful too. Since the two cards together cost more than the Pure II, if I were to do over, I would just buy the 901 standard version, LO cable, and the Pure II and be happy! But YMMV. p.s While I know Fang is very proud of the 901 volume control and it sounds great with IEM and balanced cards, IMHO I just wish he would solve the too loud or too soft volume dilemma I (and others?) face with the 901. Cheers!

 
Hmmm... Have you tried the iem amp card? That offers slightly better volume control.

 

[Valuephile]

Hmmm... Have you tried the iem amp card? That offers slightly better volume control.

Thanks for asking! Yes. I do own the IEM card and used it for 6 months. The balanced card is volume detent 1.7 or 1.5 with my iem's. The IEM card is 2.3 or 2.5. For my listening taste both cards are either too loud or too soft though the IEM card does offer greater volume adjustability. Thus, my solution so far is the LO cable with my Pure II. Since I've not yet heard a more musical DAP than the 901, bundling with a very high quality portable amp for iem's like the Pure II works great for me. it's just a bit less portable. No worries, I just think it' be neat if the 901 had continuously variable volume control so I could use my Pure II for other applications. Cheers!

 

[bahamot]

  It's a shame that there is no USB DAC option directly on the HM-901. 
 
I think a Mini/Micro Dock for travel would be a nice option that would bring it into equal feature set with the HM-801.  Really liked the swiss army knife aspect of having so many connection options.
 
As it stands, you can't do more than two things without the large desktop dock with the proprietary connector on the HM-901.  Want to recharge and do line out at the same time on the go?  Sorry, can't do that.  Want to recharge and SPDIF input at the same time?  Sorry, can't do that either.  Want to recharge, SPDIF, and Line out to an external amp?  Nope.  Pick one.
 
Also, the HM-901 cuts off a significant portion of the first part of every track played, which is made even worse with gapless,  Hopefully it gets fixed in the next firmware update.  
And the UI while much nicer and more intuitive than the HM-801, is much slower than the HM-801.  There is a 2-5 second delay when trying to play another song when navigating to another folder.  Which is extremely irritating. 
 
That said, I really like the HM-901.  It is a definite improvement in Sound Quality over the HM-801.  But it's a big step backwards in features and UI performance.
But in the end, Sound Quality reins supreme. 

Does the current firmware still cut the first portion of the each track?

 

[Kiats]

Thanks for asking! Yes. I do own the IEM card and used it for 6 months. The balanced card is volume detent 1.7 or 1.5 with my iem's. The IEM card is 2.3 or 2.5. For my listening taste both cards are either too loud or too soft though the IEM card does offer greater volume adjustability. Thus, my solution so far is the LO cable with my Pure II. Since I've not yet heard a more musical DAP than the 901, bundling with a very high quality portable amp for iem's like the Pure II works great for me. it's just a bit less portable. No worries, I just think it' be neat if the 901 had continuously variable volume control so I could use my Pure II for other applications. Cheers!

True true... But I guess we can't have it all.

 

[awry]

  Does the current firmware still cut the first portion of the each track?

The cut is shorten by a lot. Not as obvious anymore. Scrolling is smoother and there's actual circular scrolling now which is a god-send.  

 

[awry]

True true... But I guess we can't have it all.

 So says the man with just about everything in his sig. =]