[Mimouille]

Yes. It seems to get 90% of them but it has trouble with multi-disc box sets (its very annoying to have Track 1, Track 1, Track 2 Track 2, etc.).

Ak120 does this too so I already have different folders and album names...adding cd1, cd2 etc.

 

[kkcc]

I think at the end of the day, it's all about the sound. I mainly listen to se5 and 1plus2 and the ak120 drives them well, but they are beasts and I just FEEL they have more under the hood. Thus this 901 connundrum.

Not sure about se5 but 1p2 I do prefer 901. Another data point is the seducer himself had sent in his 120 to vinnie... but, to continue messing with you, the 901 "learning curve" is steep and took me 4 weeks to get from a 30% headtime share to 80%. Caveat emptor.

 

[zachchen1996]

Yes, the 901 needs some work on its UI, but it really isn't that bad IMO, I enjoy using this thing despite some minor quibbles. I'm sure there will be future updates that will fix these problems. Even with the latest beta update, the device got faster. I have hope hifiman will do their best to continue to improve this thing in future updates.

 

[archeryc]

Your experience looks like a horror story. But are actually down to two issues: probably broken charger (can't charge thus shut down etc), not secured amp board (that would caused no sound obviously).

I have had the firmware issue (main gripes is the missing first second or so of first track I play or when navigating to another track mid-track) but none of the built issue for all the amp boards I had and kept. Charger issue was not isolated incident as there were multiple reports of it needing RMA. Hope you had better experience with the AK120.

I would probably sell the ak120 when it still has good value and wait for the next AK, or get vinnie's 8741 mod to get closer to the transparency and resolution I have now gotten used to with the 901.

Thanks kkcc! Any thoughts comparing the RWAK120 and the 901? I'm thinking 2 ways to go:

1. Change my 901 to an AK120 and mod it to the regular RWAK120 (no S version).

2. Send back the 901 but wait couple weeks/months until the 901 have a better quality control / UI then ask StereoDesk to send me back a new 901...(I don't mind waiting).

Need your guys' opinion

 

[kkcc]

Thanks kkcc! Any thoughts comparing the RWAK120 and the 901? I'm thinking 2 ways to go:

1. Change my 901 to an AK120 and mod it to the regular RWAK120 (no S version).

2. Send back the 901 but wait couple weeks/months until the 901 have a better quality control / UI then ask StereoDesk to send me back a new 901...(I don't mind waiting).

Need your guys' opinion

Regardless of the 901 I won't opt for the rwak120 output resister bypass mod. The 3ish OI of stock 120 is not bad at all. Russian modders actually perfer to have some resistor on the output path. It wasn't like rwak100 where the stock ak100 22ohm OI has a big impact to multi BAs IEM.

My reference was to the S mode to get the 8740s replaced by 8741s and use it strictly as a source for desktop/PC use.

I would probably try to sort out the charger/IEM card issue with your dealer plus extending the moneyback/exchange period to whatever days they offered from the day the replacement unit arrived, try them properly, and if you still don't like it THEN get the ak120 exchange.

 

[VisceriousZERO]

You have balanced amp card? Do you really prefer the sq over ak120? No UI or quality issues?

I do use the balanced amp card version and I do prefer the 901 to the AK120... The spacious SS is what got me to the 901 especially with something like the JH13

 

[myared]

Not to derail the great HM901 vs AK120 discussion, but can someone who has experience with both the HM801 and HM901 compare their UIs?  Is the HM901's UI an upgrade compared to that of the HM801, despite it still being in its troublesome infancy?

 

[jelt2359]

The hm801 firmware never crashes, responds faster, and has never given me problems since day 1.

On the other hand the hm901 has better file support. Some files I can't play on the hm801 work fine on the hm901.

That being said the hm901 does sound better.

 

[Mimouille]

Thanks guys for the impressions...really tempted.

@kkcc I am not sure about what you mean in terms of learning curve? You mean it took time to like the 901 sound more? Or to be able to look at it without puking?

@ VZ, using SS for soundstage is confusing...I thought it was a big nazi that made you buy the 901

 

[Trogdor]

Not to derail the great HM901 vs AK120 discussion, but can someone who has experience with both the HM801 and HM901 compare their UIs?  Is the HM901's UI an upgrade compared to that of the HM801, despite it still being in its troublesome infancy?

No, they both suck fairly equally. Foks will nit pick about feature X or Y. But they are both spartan and lack the polish that my Sansa Clip+ has.

Why vendors don't piggy back off of Rockbox, I will never understand. Software for Hifiman is a loss leader, why rely on a small engineering staff that can't possibly keep up with demands to write this spartan GUI?

It makes no business sense unless there is some licensing agreement with the underlying chipset vendors that prevent allowing the public domain a crack at it.

 

[VisceriousZERO]

Quote:

Thanks guys for the impressions...really tempted.

@kkcc I am not sure about what you mean in terms of learning curve? You mean it took time to like the 901 sound more? Or to be able to look at it without puking?

@ VZ, using SS for soundstage is confusing...I thought it was a big nazi that made you buy the 901

HAHA touché, mon ami.
 
But yes, nazis made me do it. I mean SoundStage. Seig Heil, soundstage.

 

[burtomr]

@Trogdor
 
......Hell yeah!

 

[pekingduck]

For one thing Rockbox only does 44.1/16 (maybe 48/16 too, but definitely not higher). But yeah they could have worked with the rockbox team on the software front..

 

[kkcc]

Thanks guys for the impressions...really tempted.

@kkcc I am not sure about what you mean in terms of learning curve? You mean it took time to like the 901 sound more? Or to be able to look at it without puking?

@ VZ, using SS for soundstage is confusing...I thought it was a big nazi that made you buy the 901

This^

I am finally at peace with myself to been seen using a "walkman/cassette player/dab+ radio" in public after 4 weeks. This, plus finding ways to live with some UI quirkiness to not interfere with my listening.

 

[Trogdor]

For one thing Rockbox only does 44.1/16 (maybe 48/16 too, but definitely not higher). But yeah they could have worked with the rockbox team on the software front..

Yeah sadly, that is from what I can gather simply the team's choice. They can certainly use 32-bit precision if they had too. Even though I agree with a lot of why do what they do, with hardware like the 901, there is no reason to limit it to 16/44.1.