[bumblebeezack]

Hifiman Megamini 1^st Impressions

             I was fortunate to be approached by AV One in Singapore to review the new Hifiman Megamini. Frankly, I really have no idea what to expect from such a diminutive player. To be honest, I didn’t know Hifiman had such a player in the works! However, I am not going to let such an opportunity slip by and I promptly said yes! A week later I was to pick it up and here is my initial impression of it.

              The main box was ensconced in a cardboard box with words Megamini handwritten on its side. Cutting through the cellophane sealing the cardboard box I was greeted with a white box with the brand Hifiman in orange yellow on it. Lifting the cover and I am greeted by the player standing out in silver sitting in black foam protected by thick plastic sheet. There is also a micro usb cable included.  Pretty much a simple packaging through and through. Without wasting more time, I lifted the player out of the box.

              The pleasant surprise I had is that the player is really light. I have always like the idea of having a player that could give good sound, in a light and small package. So the Megamini’s weight or lack thereof is really welcome. The aluminium is well machined and I don’t see any flaws worth mentioning. So that’s’ good. Although I must mention that the edges are a little pointed. Not exactly sharp but it’s there. The glass screen is also well fitted to the player’s body. So all good, construction wise.

On the left of the player, the volume up/down buttons reside, and the power button is found on the right. Along the bottom, there’s a normal 3.5mm female jack (no balanced output here), an exposed microsd slot and the micro usb connection. 4 buttons (return, back, forward and enter) are arranged in a straight line on the front of the player and that pretty much describes the player physically. I like its simplicity. I think it fits nicely with what I think a lightweight portable player should be like.

Upon switching on the player, the Hifiman logo will show and the boot up time is reasonably fast. Don’t expect to see some fantastic high resolution screen here but that’s ok. I wouldn’t want such a screen to affect the player’s play time. The basic menu and navigation is here and it’s pretty much intuitive.

Ok, let’s hear some tunes… I inserted a micro sd card that came from a iBasso DX50 and nothing! For some reason, the player won’t read the card. Ok, I tried another card that came off a Fiio X3 2^nd gen and that worked. Hmm, interesting. Anyways, I decided to buy a 32GB microsd to use with the Megamini, formatted it in player and transferred some songs into it. I transferred some FLAC, MP3 (320 kbps) AAC (256 kbps) and DSD. Scanning time was fast enough but I only loaded about 20GB of songs.

I need to spend more time listening to it but for now, I must say that I am impressed by what I hear so far! I’ll update this again when I’ve spent what I feel is enough time listening on the player. Later!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

[candy287]

can you do a quick comparison with the same price range such as xduoo x3? I need a dap since my sansa clip+ died and the seiun player is still delayed.

 

[RockStar2005]

Hey Bumble, 
 
Is the entire body made of aluminum, or just the front (like the Sony Walkman A Series)? Just wondering. 
 
Thanks. 

 

[bumblebeezack]

can you do a quick comparison with the same price range such as xduoo x3? I need a dap since my sansa clip+ died and the seiun player is still delayed.

I don't have the xduoo x3 so a comparison would be difficult.

 

[bumblebeezack]

Hey Bumble, 

Is the entire body made of aluminum, or just the front (like the Sony Walkman A Series)? Just wondering. 

Thanks. 

Hi, I don't have the exact specs but the front and back is cool to the touch in room temperature so I am inclined to think it is fully made from aluminium. However, there's a finishing on it. Like paint. So there's a little bit of texture if one was to look closely.

 

[RockStar2005]

Hi, I don't have the exact specs but the front and back is cool to the touch in room temperature so I am inclined to think it is fully made from aluminium. However, there's a finishing on it. Like paint. So there's a little bit of texture if one was to look closely.

 
Ok cool. Sounds like it's full aluminum then I guess? 
 
Looks nice. Hope you're enjoyin' it! I used to have the Sony Walkman A17, but then I decided I'd rather just play music off my phone vs. having a dedicated device for it. So now I play off my phone through my Oppo HA-2 to my headphones. But it's good to know there are other options in case I change my mind or am asked to give a suggestion to someone. Plus the Megamini looks pretty cool too!
 
Looking forward to your review. 

 

[candy287]

if you could compare to any other dap that would be great. Im on the fence on getting one but haven't found any review. thanks

 

[Jackpot77]

Hi guys - got the Megamini as part of a review pack from Hifiman so will be writing up a full review in the next few weeks (currently on holiday). Initial impressions are very promising- solid all metal build, simple but functional UI and very good sound quality. Driving power is also pretty good for something so small - definitely has more juice than the Sony A15/A25 (owned the former, still own the latter).

Comparing it side by side with the Supermini (which I also have for review), the only major difference id's the lack of balanced output and the slightly weaker driving power (you need a few notches more on the volume scale to achieve the same result). More to follow - have a Plenue D to compare against both as well. Sound be a good entry into the lower end of the DAP price bracket.

 

[Jackpot77]

Forgot to say - basic SQ is definitely on par with the Sony at the very least. Too early to make any final judgements yet tho.

 

[RockStar2005]

Forgot to say - basic SQ is definitely on par with the Sony at the very least. Too early to make any final judgements yet tho.

 
Hey Jackpot77, 
 
Before you compare the Megamini to your A25, can you first make the adjustments listed below to the A25? They were suggestions I'd posted in my A17 thread to get the BEST sound possible, and I'm sure they also apply to the A25 as well. This will give you the BEST version of the Walkman so that you can give us (and yourself) the BEST comparison results possible vs. the Megamini. Thanks!!
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

With regards to EQ and other sound settings: 
 

On the Walkman, I had no extras enabled at all really. Only thing I had done was I'd turned up the 2.5 kHz band in the Custom EQ by 2 notches. That was it........all else was on 0, even Clear Bass. Doing so made the vocals a bit louder and more clear, and somehow it even gave the drums a lil more punch too it seemed. I learned this "trick" from my Sony Xperia Z3's walkman app which has this setting already in an EQ preset labeled "Soul". The A17 Walkman doesn't have this preset, so I had to do it manually. All the other stuff like DSEE HX, Clear Audio+, even VPT was off. On my phone, I play around with Clear Bass and I def think it sounds better with VPT (Surround Sound, "Studio") on, where on the Walkman when I enabled "Studio", it sounded good on some songs, but others it sounded kinda compressed.​

 

[candy287]

Thanks for a quick comparison, i am about to get the sony a17 this weekend but i guess ill go towards the megamini. Hope to see the indepth review of this product soon.

Hi guys - got the Megamini as part of a review pack from Hifiman so will be writing up a full review in the next few weeks (currently on holiday). Initial impressions are very promising- solid all metal build, simple but functional UI and very good sound quality. Driving power is also pretty good for something so small - definitely has more juice than the Sony A15/A25 (owned the former, still own the latter).

Comparing it side by side with the Supermini (which I also have for review), the only major difference id's the lack of balanced output and the slightly weaker driving power (you need a few notches more on the volume scale to achieve the same result). More to follow - have a Plenue D to compare against both as well. Sound be a good entry into the lower end of the DAP price bracket.

 

[genclaymore]

Here's my review of the mega-mini, again head-fi linked me to this thread to put it in if you don't mind.
 

 

 

The button layout on the mega-mini is slightly different then it is on the super-mini, with the back button being directly under the screen instead on the right side, the buttons are also labeled this time. The GUI on the mega is also different. The only problem I see with the screen that is an issue for both is that they can get a bit smudged with finger prints, but you can simply wipe the screen off with a led safe wrap. The mega mini only has Single ended jack, and not Balanced and SE like the super-mini. Other then that it has a micro-SD and a micro-USB connection, which shares the same functionally as the plug on the super mini.

 

In comparison I found the Nuforce Hem2 to pair well with the mega because of it sound signature in compared to the super-mini which it did not, well for me. The mega headphone amp doesn't do the HD700 justice because it did not sound right as it was way too detailed and was not smooth like it wasn't being powered that well.

 

I Have some Edifier H850’s which does work well with the mega-mini as long you turn the volume up to around 16ish, but not great pairing due to the headphones it self. With the H850 I found it bass to be bloated but it had a lot of details and only a tad bright. I really don’t like the way it sound. The details is just too much, with the bass sounding bloated but that's the fault of the headphones and not the mega mini.

 

With the Nuforce HEM 2 I would say the first thing I notice was the bass as it hits hard while every thing else comes thru clear and detailed. Seems like the Mega-Mini is neutral. In fact the detail is what I notice quickly and then the bass being projected depending on which type of song is being played. Some songs the bass hits hard and others it hit soft for example. The separation is good as I can hear all the different interments being used. While it does sound good with the mega, as I do like it a little bit, But not as much as I did the super-mini. 

 

I do like the mega-mini with my Nuforce Hem2 where I like the super-mini with the included earphones. I guess I prefer the sound signature of the super over the mega. Even Thought the Hem2 sounded alright with the mega other then the fact I have to raise the volume higher, then I did on the super. I did not get an chance to plug my JBL 305's to the mega or the super. I actually think the super may be an good match for my speakers because of the way the super sound.

 

[Falconlistener]

1.First impressions
The player felt very light in my hand, very sleek with a very simple layout and design. There are not many buttons on the player as its kept minimal. It fits any micro SD card up to 256GB, only a single 3.5mm dia output jack and it does not have a balanced output like the Supermini.

2. User Interface
The player does not run an Android interface, simple layout with minimal settings to play, there is no equalizer to tune your sound wave. You still get all the standard necessities like Album, Artist and more. It lags a little whenever I play from the start of the song. The player does not have a line out function to external amplifiers and DACs. Its also a non touch screen player, the more songs I put in, the more I have to press the directional button to search for my album and songs. I need some patience when it comes to searching or just hold down the directional button for a faster scroll. A simple black background with white texts, no choices of wallpapers. It does not have a brightness setting or adaptive brightness for various weather conditions and environments.

3. Battery life and power output
It has a decent battery life that can last up to around 7 hours of normal playback with standard mp3 files. Given its low profile design, the battery is small and quick to charge up. To last for a day, its best to turn off the player when not in use rather than to leave it in standby mode. Amplification is enough to power iems and low impedance headphones as the player can deliver the power. It has a total of 32 incremental steps of amplification to suit various earphones and headphones. Each step amplifies uniformly, does not give out a big step in power.

4. Sound in general
After listening to some tracks from various artists like Adele,Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, Bon Jovi, Luciano Pavarotti and many more. Listened to them using my Sennheiser HD598 and Cypherlabs C6iem paired with Thor Silver 2+ from Effect Audio. The player sound aggressive, fun sounding and balanced.

5. Sound in Detail
i) Lows
The bass has a good impact, tight and never over presented. Its detailed as it hits low but it does not go too deep. The bass will not decay that much,its not muddy either. It does not interfere with the mids and highs.

ii) Mids
The mids is where the player excels because it sounds a little forward when I play vocal songs. It can get addictive because it excited me on how detailed the voices are. I will not say the mids are laid back, its aggressive.

iii) Highs
Highs will not roll off quickly, there are no spikes in the treble region. It is enjoyable to listen to and the highs does not produce a cymballic highs.

iv) Background
It is relatively clean though not the cleanest one I have heard so far. However, the background details are rather define and noticeable.

6) Summary
This baby player that Hifiman has created is worth it, an amazing player. Do not let its size disappoint you, the sound is what you are paying for. A player that is simple in design, user friendly, very portable and plays high resolution files that smartphones are unable to. The player is towards vocals but its lows and highs are also great. Highly recommended.

 

[RockStar2005]

1.First impressions
The player felt very light in my hand, very sleek with a very simple layout and design. There are not many buttons on the player as its kept minimal. It fits any micro SD card up to 256GB, only a single 3.5mm dia output jack and it does not have a balanced output like the Supermini.

2. User Interface
The player does not run an Android interface, simple layout with minimal settings to play, there is no equalizer to tune your sound wave. You still get all the standard necessities like Album, Artist and more. It lags a little whenever I play from the start of the song. The player does not have a line out function to external amplifiers and DACs. Its also a non touch screen player, the more songs I put in, the more I have to press the directional button to search for my album and songs. I need some patience when it comes to searching or just hold down the directional button for a faster scroll. A simple black background with white texts, no choices of wallpapers. It does not have a brightness setting or adaptive brightness for various weather conditions and environments.

3. Battery life and power output
It has a decent battery life that can last up to around 7 hours of normal playback with standard mp3 files. Given its low profile design, the battery is small and quick to charge up. To last for a day, its best to turn off the player when not in use rather than to leave it in standby mode. Amplification is enough to power iems and low impedance headphones as the player can deliver the power. It has a total of 32 incremental steps of amplification to suit various earphones and headphones. Each step amplifies uniformly, does not give out a big step in power.

4. Sound in general
After listening to some tracks from various artists like Adele,Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, Bon Jovi, Luciano Pavarotti and many more. Listened to them using my Sennheiser HD598 and Cypherlabs C6iem paired with Thor Silver 2+ from Effect Audio. The player sound aggressive, fun sounding and balanced.

5. Sound in Detail
i) Lows
The bass has a good impact, tight and never over presented. Its detailed as it hits low but it does not go too deep. The bass will not decay that much,its not muddy either. It does not interfere with the mids and highs.

ii) Mids
The mids is where the player excels because it sounds a little forward when I play vocal songs. It can get addictive because it excited me on how detailed the voices are. I will not say the mids are laid back, its aggressive.

iii) Highs
Highs will not roll off quickly, there are no spikes in the treble region. It is enjoyable to listen to and the highs does not produce a cymballic highs.

iv) Background
It is relatively clean though not the cleanest one I have heard so far. However, the background details are rather define and noticeable.

6) Summary
This baby player that Hifiman has created is worth it, an amazing player. Do not let its size disappoint you, the sound is what you are paying for. A player that is simple in design, user friendly, very portable and plays high resolution files that smartphones are unable to. The player is towards vocals but its lows and highs are also great. Highly recommended.

 
 
Good review! 

 

[candy287]

its too bad the early bird is soldout. i wanted to get my hands on it but could find any review.