jamato8
Headphoneus Supremus
HM-901s FW Here
HM-901 new Beta FW http://down.hifiman.cn/hm901/beta/2.001/update.zip
Newest FW beta 2.002: http://bbs.hifiman.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=9054&mobile=2
HM-901 V1.085
Firmware Update Instruction
1. Please download the new firmware zip file first and then copy it to your SD card (Do not change the name of the firmware file or decompress it). Only the FAT32 SD card can be used.
2. While pressing the HOME button, hold the Power key up until the HM-901 is power on. After the screen is on, release the power key. Then release the HOME button until the hifiman logo disappears. Now the player will be in recovery mode.
3. Wait until the first picture shows on the screen. The system will be updated automatically.
4. After the update is done, power off the player and then reboot it to finish the whole process.
Bug issued
1. Improve the driving program for the wheel, filter most of the wrong signals caused by aging and fix the wheel reversing issue.
2. The default of the digital chip filter is set as opened and it is shown on the display of the player. (For HM-901 only)
3. CUE support.
4. Fix the playlist disorder issue when the player is rebooted under resume-playing mode.
Note for digital chip filter function:
The function is unique for ES9018 chip. If it is on, there will be slight difference in sound quality for different tastes. The function is closed in the past firmware except for the V1.081 Beta version. As some users prefer that, we add this option.
Download link
HM-901: http://down.head-direct.com/hm901/update.zip
Taken from the HiFiMan site:
Here the new firmware V1.084 is updated. To download the firmware, please click:
1.084 FW http://down.head-direct.com/hm901/update.zip
MD5: 8F62320E4EC53D57A7C3924CEBA68886
SHA1: 1D1EC2A6D3895195946A3D1BF728605C54F92295
CRC32: B0615836
Update Instruction:
1. Please download the new firmware zip file first and then copy it to your SD card (Do not change the name of the firmware file or decompress it). Only the FAT32 SD card can be used.
2. While pressing the HOME button, hold the Power key up until the HM-901 is power on. After the screen is on, release the power key. Then release the HOME button until the hifiman logo disappears. Now the player will be in recovery mode.
3. Wait until the first picture shows on the screen. The system will be updated automatically.
4. After the update is done, power off the player and then reboot it to finish the whole process.
Bug Issued:
1. HM-901 dead because of switching songs
2. Second power off sometimes
3. HM-901 dead because of deleting songs sometimes
4. Battery display
5. Moving logic in the list
6. HM-901 dead because of several wrong CUE files
7. Firmware update issue
Also, the firmware update cannot be completed under a few occasions as a firmware updating bug exist in the previous V1.082. To update to V1.084, please do as instructed below if the following occurs:
1 For HM-901 with the firmware of V1.082/1.083, during the firmware update, if the player freezes on “Recovery and update mode” or the “Recovery and update mode” picture disappears, meanwhile, the screen turns out to be black showing no processing sign, please be patient and connect the charger. After wait for a whole, the update will be completed. Please DO NOT remove the SD card or the battery.
2 Create a new folder in your SD card and add only one song under this folder. Please play the song to the end (make sure the playing mode is not repeat). Then power off the HM-901.
3. If the firmware update is not completed within two hours, please contact our customer service at customerservice@head-direct.com or call directly at 1-201-443-4626. We will help you out with a special tool. No worries.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3 18 2013
Today I received a review sample of the HM-901. I have not used any of the previous HiFIman daps so to those, I can not compare. I did not receive a user guide and with the screen in Chinese, I guess it was a test to see how I would do. :^) It took about 20 minutes to figure everything out and get it into English and then to realize that the SD slot is covered by a hard rubber door that pulls out.
The tactile buttons take me back to the iRiver H120 series. Easy and straight forward to use and intuitive. The volume control is an analog type that has indents and will not change if packed along in a pocket of a coat or large pant pocket.
More as this develops. Oh the packaging is solid as it is the same type as with the HE-6 headphones. Lots of fun awaits.
Going from song to song or from album to album is very fast, almost no lag time, maybe a second if that. I am using micro SD cards in an adapter. With this using SDXC SD cards the sky is almost the limit on what storage will be available.
3 23 2013
This is one of the longer burn-ins to get a handle on the sound. Not that other devices I have listened to haven't taken some time but for me, the 901 has gone through some strange musical contortions. It started off sounding pretty good, then more and more diffuse and kind of staying that way. Today it is more focussed and enjoyable to use but that is later today, in other words, not so much not so much earlier. I just keep it going and going. With two dacs to burn-in with the caps to form and the amp section, well, I listen and then let it play and listen to other daps so I don't form myself to the sound of the 901 but listen objectively.
The sounds are starting to snap back into place and there is layering now and finally, some good dynamics. Bass is also tightening up.
3 27 2013
Comparing the 901 to the AK100 (22ohm resistor bypassed):
I find the 901 projects a better since of distance from the performance. It gets the music more out of your head. The placement of instruments is better defined with more sense of air around them. Also there is a great degree of vibrancy and life to the sound. This is not to say I do not enjoy the AK100 but to my ear, the 901 is better at rendering the pace and life of the recording. Bass has a better foundation and drive and is better focused. Mids are well fleshed out, with both male and female voice sounding realistic.
3 28 2013
I have been listening to Beethoven's 6th Symphony conducted by Norington and I am thoroughly enjoying in. Great dynamics very good imaging with excellent instrument timber. Horns are well fleshed out and the underlying bass is well controlled and natural in the delivery. A nice width and decent depth. Very smooth and yet dynamic. This is on my ATH-ESW10's.
3 30 2013
I am looking forward to trying other amplifier boards with the 901.
At this point, I find that the 901 does excellent with classical music. It retrieves the right amount of detail while preserving the feel of the hall. Strings have that sweet singing sound. Horns sound like horns and wood instruments the right timbre. This goes for small groups to orchestras on a large scale.
4 6 2013
I have been listening with the JH13's and the 901. Very detailed in a good way. On some of my jazz recordings you can hear the slap of the pads on a sax or clarinet. While this isn't needed for musical enjoyment, the sound is there and can lead to a feeling of being up close to the music, which for me, can add to the realism. Bass drive is very good with well balanced approach in that it does not intrude but is seamless. Obviously the highs are there and male voice is not bassy (not a real word but I like it) but controlled and realistic.
------------------------------------
12 27 2013
The 901 has proved out over time. Very solid in all types of music, the frequency response is quite neutral top to bottom. Bass has slam and the balanced card or Mini card seem to power just about any headphone with ease. Truly musical is what the 901 is and to me that is the ultimate complement, as that is what this is all about.
The UI is pretty straight forward. A little wheel on the screen is moved by a wheel on the face of the unit. From there you can go to "folder" and choose an album and it cues up almost instantly. There is no artwork, but then I don't listen to artwork but I know some like it. This goes back to a utility that gets you to the music and lets you go to Now Playing, favorites, SD card, artist, genre, All Songs and Setting.
------------------------------------
Docking station release is tentatively set for March.
Features:
Dual Sabre dacs
Module amplifier boards both single ended and balanced amplification - More on this when I get the balanced and IEM amp boards.
Run time with full charge, approximately 11 hours with the single ended 8397 opamp, Currently I am getting 7 to 8 hours of run time.
UI, simple and straight forward
Tactile button operation, no touch screen
Low and high gain
HD (high definition) Vintage (3db down at high frequencies)
Analog volume control
SDXC SD memory card slot, SD micro cards with SD adapter
Removable battery with upcoming separate battery charger for additional ready charged batteries
5 amp boards to be available:
1.. Balanced board 4Xopa627 and 4Xbuf634
2.. Balanced board 2Xopa8397
3.. IEM board specially tuned for IEM and having less power than the other boards, very quiet for IEM's!
4.. Mini Box ES board 2Xopa627 4X634
5. 801 board - same as in the HM801
HM-901 new Beta FW http://down.hifiman.cn/hm901/beta/2.001/update.zip
Newest FW beta 2.002: http://bbs.hifiman.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=9054&mobile=2
HM-901 V1.085
Firmware Update Instruction
1. Please download the new firmware zip file first and then copy it to your SD card (Do not change the name of the firmware file or decompress it). Only the FAT32 SD card can be used.
2. While pressing the HOME button, hold the Power key up until the HM-901 is power on. After the screen is on, release the power key. Then release the HOME button until the hifiman logo disappears. Now the player will be in recovery mode.
3. Wait until the first picture shows on the screen. The system will be updated automatically.
4. After the update is done, power off the player and then reboot it to finish the whole process.
Bug issued
1. Improve the driving program for the wheel, filter most of the wrong signals caused by aging and fix the wheel reversing issue.
2. The default of the digital chip filter is set as opened and it is shown on the display of the player. (For HM-901 only)
3. CUE support.
4. Fix the playlist disorder issue when the player is rebooted under resume-playing mode.
Note for digital chip filter function:
The function is unique for ES9018 chip. If it is on, there will be slight difference in sound quality for different tastes. The function is closed in the past firmware except for the V1.081 Beta version. As some users prefer that, we add this option.
Download link
HM-901: http://down.head-direct.com/hm901/update.zip
Taken from the HiFiMan site:
Here the new firmware V1.084 is updated. To download the firmware, please click:
1.084 FW http://down.head-direct.com/hm901/update.zip
MD5: 8F62320E4EC53D57A7C3924CEBA68886
SHA1: 1D1EC2A6D3895195946A3D1BF728605C54F92295
CRC32: B0615836
Update Instruction:
1. Please download the new firmware zip file first and then copy it to your SD card (Do not change the name of the firmware file or decompress it). Only the FAT32 SD card can be used.
2. While pressing the HOME button, hold the Power key up until the HM-901 is power on. After the screen is on, release the power key. Then release the HOME button until the hifiman logo disappears. Now the player will be in recovery mode.
3. Wait until the first picture shows on the screen. The system will be updated automatically.
4. After the update is done, power off the player and then reboot it to finish the whole process.
Bug Issued:
1. HM-901 dead because of switching songs
2. Second power off sometimes
3. HM-901 dead because of deleting songs sometimes
4. Battery display
5. Moving logic in the list
6. HM-901 dead because of several wrong CUE files
7. Firmware update issue
Also, the firmware update cannot be completed under a few occasions as a firmware updating bug exist in the previous V1.082. To update to V1.084, please do as instructed below if the following occurs:
1 For HM-901 with the firmware of V1.082/1.083, during the firmware update, if the player freezes on “Recovery and update mode” or the “Recovery and update mode” picture disappears, meanwhile, the screen turns out to be black showing no processing sign, please be patient and connect the charger. After wait for a whole, the update will be completed. Please DO NOT remove the SD card or the battery.
2 Create a new folder in your SD card and add only one song under this folder. Please play the song to the end (make sure the playing mode is not repeat). Then power off the HM-901.
3. If the firmware update is not completed within two hours, please contact our customer service at customerservice@head-direct.com or call directly at 1-201-443-4626. We will help you out with a special tool. No worries.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3 18 2013
Today I received a review sample of the HM-901. I have not used any of the previous HiFIman daps so to those, I can not compare. I did not receive a user guide and with the screen in Chinese, I guess it was a test to see how I would do. :^) It took about 20 minutes to figure everything out and get it into English and then to realize that the SD slot is covered by a hard rubber door that pulls out.
The tactile buttons take me back to the iRiver H120 series. Easy and straight forward to use and intuitive. The volume control is an analog type that has indents and will not change if packed along in a pocket of a coat or large pant pocket.
More as this develops. Oh the packaging is solid as it is the same type as with the HE-6 headphones. Lots of fun awaits.
Going from song to song or from album to album is very fast, almost no lag time, maybe a second if that. I am using micro SD cards in an adapter. With this using SDXC SD cards the sky is almost the limit on what storage will be available.
3 23 2013
This is one of the longer burn-ins to get a handle on the sound. Not that other devices I have listened to haven't taken some time but for me, the 901 has gone through some strange musical contortions. It started off sounding pretty good, then more and more diffuse and kind of staying that way. Today it is more focussed and enjoyable to use but that is later today, in other words, not so much not so much earlier. I just keep it going and going. With two dacs to burn-in with the caps to form and the amp section, well, I listen and then let it play and listen to other daps so I don't form myself to the sound of the 901 but listen objectively.
The sounds are starting to snap back into place and there is layering now and finally, some good dynamics. Bass is also tightening up.
3 27 2013
Comparing the 901 to the AK100 (22ohm resistor bypassed):
I find the 901 projects a better since of distance from the performance. It gets the music more out of your head. The placement of instruments is better defined with more sense of air around them. Also there is a great degree of vibrancy and life to the sound. This is not to say I do not enjoy the AK100 but to my ear, the 901 is better at rendering the pace and life of the recording. Bass has a better foundation and drive and is better focused. Mids are well fleshed out, with both male and female voice sounding realistic.
3 28 2013
I have been listening to Beethoven's 6th Symphony conducted by Norington and I am thoroughly enjoying in. Great dynamics very good imaging with excellent instrument timber. Horns are well fleshed out and the underlying bass is well controlled and natural in the delivery. A nice width and decent depth. Very smooth and yet dynamic. This is on my ATH-ESW10's.
3 30 2013
I am looking forward to trying other amplifier boards with the 901.
At this point, I find that the 901 does excellent with classical music. It retrieves the right amount of detail while preserving the feel of the hall. Strings have that sweet singing sound. Horns sound like horns and wood instruments the right timbre. This goes for small groups to orchestras on a large scale.
4 6 2013
I have been listening with the JH13's and the 901. Very detailed in a good way. On some of my jazz recordings you can hear the slap of the pads on a sax or clarinet. While this isn't needed for musical enjoyment, the sound is there and can lead to a feeling of being up close to the music, which for me, can add to the realism. Bass drive is very good with well balanced approach in that it does not intrude but is seamless. Obviously the highs are there and male voice is not bassy (not a real word but I like it) but controlled and realistic.
------------------------------------
12 27 2013
The 901 has proved out over time. Very solid in all types of music, the frequency response is quite neutral top to bottom. Bass has slam and the balanced card or Mini card seem to power just about any headphone with ease. Truly musical is what the 901 is and to me that is the ultimate complement, as that is what this is all about.
The UI is pretty straight forward. A little wheel on the screen is moved by a wheel on the face of the unit. From there you can go to "folder" and choose an album and it cues up almost instantly. There is no artwork, but then I don't listen to artwork but I know some like it. This goes back to a utility that gets you to the music and lets you go to Now Playing, favorites, SD card, artist, genre, All Songs and Setting.
------------------------------------
Docking station release is tentatively set for March.
Features:
Dual Sabre dacs
Module amplifier boards both single ended and balanced amplification - More on this when I get the balanced and IEM amp boards.
Run time with full charge, approximately 11 hours with the single ended 8397 opamp, Currently I am getting 7 to 8 hours of run time.
UI, simple and straight forward
Tactile button operation, no touch screen
Low and high gain
HD (high definition) Vintage (3db down at high frequencies)
Analog volume control
SDXC SD memory card slot, SD micro cards with SD adapter
Removable battery with upcoming separate battery charger for additional ready charged batteries
5 amp boards to be available:
1.. Balanced board 4Xopa627 and 4Xbuf634
2.. Balanced board 2Xopa8397
3.. IEM board specially tuned for IEM and having less power than the other boards, very quiet for IEM's!
4.. Mini Box ES board 2Xopa627 4X634
5. 801 board - same as in the HM801
