autumnholy
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2011
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[size=small] (The following review is my impression and opinion on the Hippo Biscuit Premium Music Player, the latest Hippo Audio's DAP)[/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=12pt]Hippo Biscuit? The first thing that pops out of my mind is: I'm Hungry For That![/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=12pt]Previously, Hippo Audio has successfully manufactured a very capable DAP (Digital Audio Player) in Hippo Gumstick. It was a cheap solution for audiophiles who yearn for good quality music playback on a portable device. But then, it has slowly stepped out of the market, and before we all realize, Hippo Audio gave us a pleasant surprise:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=12pt]Hippo Biscuit Premium Music Player![/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=12pt]Here're some of the specification for the player:[/size][/size]
[size=small] *Support Audio Format : MP3, WAV
*Suitable headphone impedance : 16 ohms - 300 ohms
*Charge time : <1.5 hours (By USB)
*Play time : Around 10 hours
*Dimensions : 62.88mm x 35.7mm x 11mm
*Weight : 30g
*Memory type : External MicroSD card
*Free 2 GB kingston microSD card[/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]The very first thing that pops out of my mind is: Why there's no FLAC support?[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]That's what intrigues me, because Hippo Audio is no stupid. They know what they're doing, and therefore, I'm going to dig out the surprises that they've prepared in this mystical music player.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]ALAS, I've visited a local music enthusiast store (S.L.C.G.) in my hometown, and with the smiling permission of the store owner, I took the player and studied its physical appeals before venturing into its sound quality.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]And my verdict?
GRAB it NOW.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Here's why:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Build-Ergonomics:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Sturdy as steel, this DAP has quite a wonderful finishing. The aluminium housing has similar brush as the other highly-acclaimed Hippo Audio gem: The Hippo CriCri amplifier and CriCri+ DAC/Amp. First thing I noticed is that, I can't locate the screen. Well, I asked, how are we going to know what song we are playing? And the answer is: That's why this player is designed not for you to put all your albums and tracks into it, but to pick and select the best songs that you're going to listen over-and-over. I came to agree on that, as we generally spend less time with our portable audio setups. Therefore, there's no need for a screen as we will be enjoying all of our favorite songs along our outings. Worst come to worst, there's still the "Next" button! Besides, I think that having a screen isn't that good, as this player is made for heavy duty usage outdoor activities such as sports. You certainly want a player that can withstand wear and tear for that purpose.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Regarding the file type support, I realized that FLAC isn't that necessary when coming to outdoor usage. It is true that audiophiles pursue the highest quality digital playback in FLAC. However, MP3 at 320kbps has been proven to be as good as the lossless files in normal non-critical listening test. Don't believe me? Google "Blind Test for FLAC vs MP3", or better, try it yourself with your own songs. You'll be amazed that when you're not paying serious attention, you can hardly discern a properly encoded MP3 from its lossless counterpart. Therefore, having the aim of a very durable portable music player at mind, MP3 songs are more than enough to satisfy our on-going crave for good music. However, this is not to downplay the quality of FLAC, and if you insist on your lossless songs, don't worry, WAV files are still supported, at the cost of taking up larger storage space. Anyway, you can always made up with larger capacity SD cards. You can always arrange your music genre preferences on certain SD cards and swap them anytime according to your mood and liking.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Sound Quality:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Now here comes the part where we all concern. I'd like to point out that this player is built for instant music pleasure using high efficiency headphones such as In-Ear monitors and portable headphones. Therefore, it is not advisable to jack an external amp into it. As I tried using the Beyerdynamic XP series earphones, I try to pick up one important thing I find rather annoying: Background hiss. I'm glad I didn't hear anything bothering. And then I clicked the "Play Button".[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]It is GOOD.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Simple and marvelous. That's my praise for Hippo Biscuit Premium Music Player. You don't get the hissing or humming from a badly constructed DAP. You don't get distortion on any frequency as you turn on the volume. What you get is CLEAN, NEUTRAL and BALANCED music playing inside your ears. The DAP has great internal DAC and amp, which translate your songs as how the artists want them to be. There's no magic in it. I want a warm sound, I hook it up on XP1. I want a wide soundstage, I hook it up on XP2. I want a fun sound, I hook it up on XP3. The DAP does its work superbly and stay true to the source. That is a very important strength in this wonderfully crafted music player, as you want maximum transparency for your source and let your headphones dictate your music mood.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]How about picking up flaws on this player?[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]The only flaw is that This Player Is Too Cheap for the price! According to the Law in Economics, the lower the price, the more people will afford the item. That's unfair because normally such gorgeously crafted player has to be bought at RM1000 (Roughly $330) and above! And for the price of RM219 (Roughly $70), we are going to see almost everyone owning it! And before you realize, it will be out of stock![/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]My ratings on this music player:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Build: 4/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](Sturdy Aluminium housing capable of withstanding everyday wear and tear)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Ergonomics: 3/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](All the buttons you need are there, just that the conventional screen isn't there)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Features: 3/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](Strictly for music. No video or picture playback)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Sound Quality: 4.5/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](No distortion. Clean, transparent sound)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Value: 5/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](Nuff Said, this is one good player available in the market)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Thanks for reading.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=12pt]Hippo Biscuit? The first thing that pops out of my mind is: I'm Hungry For That![/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=12pt]Previously, Hippo Audio has successfully manufactured a very capable DAP (Digital Audio Player) in Hippo Gumstick. It was a cheap solution for audiophiles who yearn for good quality music playback on a portable device. But then, it has slowly stepped out of the market, and before we all realize, Hippo Audio gave us a pleasant surprise:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=12pt]Hippo Biscuit Premium Music Player![/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=12pt]Here're some of the specification for the player:[/size][/size]
[size=small] *Support Audio Format : MP3, WAV
*Suitable headphone impedance : 16 ohms - 300 ohms
*Charge time : <1.5 hours (By USB)
*Play time : Around 10 hours
*Dimensions : 62.88mm x 35.7mm x 11mm
*Weight : 30g
*Memory type : External MicroSD card
*Free 2 GB kingston microSD card[/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]The very first thing that pops out of my mind is: Why there's no FLAC support?[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]That's what intrigues me, because Hippo Audio is no stupid. They know what they're doing, and therefore, I'm going to dig out the surprises that they've prepared in this mystical music player.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]ALAS, I've visited a local music enthusiast store (S.L.C.G.) in my hometown, and with the smiling permission of the store owner, I took the player and studied its physical appeals before venturing into its sound quality.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]And my verdict?
GRAB it NOW.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Here's why:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Build-Ergonomics:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Sturdy as steel, this DAP has quite a wonderful finishing. The aluminium housing has similar brush as the other highly-acclaimed Hippo Audio gem: The Hippo CriCri amplifier and CriCri+ DAC/Amp. First thing I noticed is that, I can't locate the screen. Well, I asked, how are we going to know what song we are playing? And the answer is: That's why this player is designed not for you to put all your albums and tracks into it, but to pick and select the best songs that you're going to listen over-and-over. I came to agree on that, as we generally spend less time with our portable audio setups. Therefore, there's no need for a screen as we will be enjoying all of our favorite songs along our outings. Worst come to worst, there's still the "Next" button! Besides, I think that having a screen isn't that good, as this player is made for heavy duty usage outdoor activities such as sports. You certainly want a player that can withstand wear and tear for that purpose.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Regarding the file type support, I realized that FLAC isn't that necessary when coming to outdoor usage. It is true that audiophiles pursue the highest quality digital playback in FLAC. However, MP3 at 320kbps has been proven to be as good as the lossless files in normal non-critical listening test. Don't believe me? Google "Blind Test for FLAC vs MP3", or better, try it yourself with your own songs. You'll be amazed that when you're not paying serious attention, you can hardly discern a properly encoded MP3 from its lossless counterpart. Therefore, having the aim of a very durable portable music player at mind, MP3 songs are more than enough to satisfy our on-going crave for good music. However, this is not to downplay the quality of FLAC, and if you insist on your lossless songs, don't worry, WAV files are still supported, at the cost of taking up larger storage space. Anyway, you can always made up with larger capacity SD cards. You can always arrange your music genre preferences on certain SD cards and swap them anytime according to your mood and liking.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Sound Quality:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Now here comes the part where we all concern. I'd like to point out that this player is built for instant music pleasure using high efficiency headphones such as In-Ear monitors and portable headphones. Therefore, it is not advisable to jack an external amp into it. As I tried using the Beyerdynamic XP series earphones, I try to pick up one important thing I find rather annoying: Background hiss. I'm glad I didn't hear anything bothering. And then I clicked the "Play Button".[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]It is GOOD.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Simple and marvelous. That's my praise for Hippo Biscuit Premium Music Player. You don't get the hissing or humming from a badly constructed DAP. You don't get distortion on any frequency as you turn on the volume. What you get is CLEAN, NEUTRAL and BALANCED music playing inside your ears. The DAP has great internal DAC and amp, which translate your songs as how the artists want them to be. There's no magic in it. I want a warm sound, I hook it up on XP1. I want a wide soundstage, I hook it up on XP2. I want a fun sound, I hook it up on XP3. The DAP does its work superbly and stay true to the source. That is a very important strength in this wonderfully crafted music player, as you want maximum transparency for your source and let your headphones dictate your music mood.[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]How about picking up flaws on this player?[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]The only flaw is that This Player Is Too Cheap for the price! According to the Law in Economics, the lower the price, the more people will afford the item. That's unfair because normally such gorgeously crafted player has to be bought at RM1000 (Roughly $330) and above! And for the price of RM219 (Roughly $70), we are going to see almost everyone owning it! And before you realize, it will be out of stock![/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]My ratings on this music player:[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Build: 4/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](Sturdy Aluminium housing capable of withstanding everyday wear and tear)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Ergonomics: 3/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](All the buttons you need are there, just that the conventional screen isn't there)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Features: 3/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](Strictly for music. No video or picture playback)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Sound Quality: 4.5/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](No distortion. Clean, transparent sound)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Value: 5/5[/size][/size]
[size=small] [size=small](Nuff Said, this is one good player available in the market)[/size][/size]
[size=small] [/size]
[size=small] [size=small]Thanks for reading.[/size][/size]