[chadbang]

That's a bummer, Jazz. I trust your opinion, too. Well, maybe like some people have said they were lousy MP3s. The iHP-120 displays the Bit rate on the remote. You didn't happen to notice what they were encoded at? Any chance of you going back tomorrow and listening to the iHP-120?

 

[chadbang]

That's a bummer, Jazz. I trust your opinion, too. Well, maybe like some people have said they were lousy MP3s. The iHP-120 displays the Bit rate on the remote. You didn't happen to notice what they were encoded at? Any chance of you going back tomorrow and listening to the iHP-120?

 

[phatty]

If you encoded 3 songs on the same computer using the same software for each then put the songs on 3 different players...

Ipod
iHP-120
RIO Karma

Then use the same set of phones on each player and have 10 different people listen to each player you will most likely get 10 different responses as far as which is best, brightest, flatest, best mids, best lows, etc.... the human ear is like a fingerprint, each one unique. There is no way in hell that everyone is going to agree that one player is superior to another.

 

[headache]

to Jazz:

You can hardly judge the soundquality of the IHP without knowing any details about the music-files (bitrate, encoder etc.) you were listening to.

 

[austonia]

Quote:

Originally posted by headache to Jazz: You can hardly judge the soundquality of the IHP without knowing any details about the music-files (bitrate, encoder etc.) you were listening to.

ya really. this is dumb.

 

[Murasame]

how an audiophile like you can write this kind of thread? you were in a store and not at home, with new ER4, you don't know the bitrate, and you probably listen only a few songs...it's not fair...

(i already ordered mine and i hope you are wrong!)

 

[ProFingerSk8er]

im sure there something didnt go right, even dapreview.com compared iHP's headphone out with HDD100 and they believe iHP is the best in equalizer field (possible sound too?!)

 

[waffenschmidt]

Not to gang up on Jazz, because we really do value your input and effort, but I think we all know that the quality of compressed music varies greatly. A few of us at work have brought in MP3s we've encoded and put them on our network to share. All of this stuff is 160kbps or better, and a lot of it is simply unlistenable (is that a word?) to me.

I suppose in some cases it goes back to the source material, but I think most of the problem is that people used whatever program/encoder they happened to have. None if them is insane about this stuff like we all are. All my stuff is encoded via LAME apx, which is close enough to the original for me for non-critical listening.

Anyone who's been into this hobby for a while has likely increased their sensitivity to audio quality that any problem is going to turn us off immediately.

 

[JaZZ]

Hey, I guess it would have been no problem to nobody if I had reported enthusiastically about the iHP-120 sound, and nobody would have questioned the seriosity of the audition circumstances. I know it's hard to see some of the own expectations disappointed, and the impulse is strong to belittle such a judgement. But I also have to live myself with this disappointment. Well, after all it's just gear.

The bitrate of the songs heard yesterday (from different folders/albums) was not indicated on the display because they were all VBR. They were all loaded from the people at the store, and they don't use low bitrate stuff.

Omega has criticized the use of a «new ER-4». I don't know what your point is, but I have owned an ER-4 before (which has broken) and know its sound very well. Of course I have listened to it extensively the previous day, and it sounded surprisingly good right out of the box. So no break-in issue. What's wrong to audition a DAP in a store? Of course the best thing is to have it at home and enough time to test it with the own music files. But that was not an option. Nevertheless, the few songs I've heard gave me a quite precise image of the player's sonic signature (as to its HP out). MP3s don't sound like what I heard, no matter what bitrate, it was the electronics which made the most part of the sound characteristic.

Today I've been in the store again to verify my experiences. This time the iHP-120 was ready for audition. I controlled all the settings for EQ, Wow, SDS...; I just had to change the EQ from «rock» to neutral. With «rock» engaged or disengaged, there was no difference as to the same metallic or glassy coating I already heard yesterday. I played the iRiver demo song encoded with 320 kbps which I know well from the iFP-395T, and it was very clear. It's not a matter of balance, no treble accentuation or the like. This sound is just not for me... too glossy and synthetic. I'm used to the much more natural and airy sound from my Archos and the iPod which I heard twice, and even the iFP-395T, although with a similar tendency (but much less pronounced), sounds much more to my liking. I'm not comparing it to my home system though...

So sorry for the people who don't like this kind of reports or already have ordered the iHP-120! But everybody's hearing is different, and maybe you like its sound anyway, which certainly is very clear and clean (I just wish it was a bit less so...).

 

[matics]

JaZZ,

Love the fact that you came back and defended your opinion on the iHP-120 after taking the time to address some of the comments on your original methods of testing at the store by going back to re-audition the iHP-120. This is very valuable information. What we need next is a thorough, critical comparison of the iHP-120 to all of the new competitors on the market. By sheer specs, I would say the iHP-120 is a killer HD-based player, but what most of us here are most concerned with in the end is sound. Reiterating what you said, sound is a very subjective thing and baring any obvious deficiencies, each person will have their own opinions and preferences toward one player or another. Thanks again for the update!

 

[headache]

Hi Jazz,

thanks for going back to the store and verifying your first impressions. I was a bit confused by a statement almost like "I dont know anything about the files stored on the player, but it sounds crappy - therefore the player is bad"

I highly regard critical reviews, if they are based on facts and fair comparisons. Even iRiver sometimes introduces products of dubious quality - the iMP-550 is a pretty sad evidence. I gave up on this player, although i really was looking foward to it.

I will order the iHP-120 anyway and - if it doesn't live up to my expectations

- send it back or sell it on ebay.

 

[Stoney]

headache wrote: Quote:

Even iRiver sometimes introduces products of dubious quality - the iMP-550 is a pretty sad evidence. I gave up on this player, although i really was looking foward to it.

Could you please tell me (or PM me or show me a link where posted about) what bothered you about the 550? I have one, and found it pretty good (except for the latest firmware, which I found ). The volume out isn't loud enough for my tastes, and the remote won't work directly with most connectors, requiring their tiny adapter. Did you have other complaints?

 

[phatty]

Thanks Jazz...

We all seem to forget that the human ear is so different in each and every one of us... Jazz prefers the sound of the Archos and Ipod so what? That's what his ear perceives to be the best sound. Someone else may listen to an RCA Lyra and say "that to me is the best of the bunch" Let's just read the posts, state our opinions without knocking anybody else and have fun with our toys.

I prefer Pepsi over Coke out of the can but like Coke over Pepsi from a fast food joint. There, put that in your pipe and smoke it!

 

[clutch]

Quote:

Originally posted by phatty Thanks Jazz... I prefer Pepsi over Coke out of the can but like Coke over Pepsi from a fast food joint. There, put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Dude, you rule. I feel the same way, but only that Coke from a movie theater is best of all...

To the iRiver fans, remember that even if someone doesn't care for the sound of the unit, it doesn't mean that you will not, and it does have some really nice options on it that will still be attractive. Everybody is different, so no biggie. But it is nice to see that it isn't perfect for everyone. Now, if they only had a 40GB+ unit we would have something.

 

[Murasame]

ok Jazz, i trust you

well, hope it will sound better with an amp and line out...