[Chinchy]

I wanted to upgrade the firmware on my iRiver IMP-550, and I looked on the iriveramerica site, and found the 1.10 version firmware upgrade. Since this didn't work on my system, I looked on the international site, and lo and behold I see that there is a new firmware update (1.20) released yesterday.

http://www.iriver.com/company/news_view.asp?idx=345

(driver info and download)
http://www.iriver.com/support/downlo...egory=Firmware & Drivers

So why am I posting this? Because this patch apparently adds:
- "Xtreme 3D mode is added to provide a stereophonic sound quality"
- DBE (Dynamic Bass Enhancement) function is added. There are 5 levels, from 0(off) to 5.

From their news announcement:

Quote:

Firstly, iMP-550 uses a same Philips chip as the iFP series. Therefore the Xtreme 3D (developed by iRiver & Philips) can be and will be soon supported for iMP-550. Please wait patiently for the Firmware upgrade. The products that can support Xtreme 3D are: iFP series, iMP-550

Quote:

There are many customers who are wondering why the iMP series below 400 (iMP-50, 100, 150, 250 and 350) do not support Xtreme 3D or SRS. The technical answer for this question is that the products under iMP-400 do not have DSP but MP3 Decoding RISC CPU. Since the iFP series and iMP-550 have a DSP chip that allows high quality sound like Xtreme EQ and Xtreme 3D function. Unfortunately, RISC CPU can not produce high quality sound like DSP can do. iRiver will continuously upgrade to maximize the sound quality of RISC CPU products but they can not technically support Xtreme 3D.

Just wondering if anyone else has upgraded their 550, and what your impressions of this new Xtreme 3D are...

 

[slunk007]

I have v.1.20 on my iMP-550 but I do not use the Xtreme 3d. My thoughts when using it were that it increases the low end, and kind of gives it a warmer sound. Still, I prefer flat EQ.

Also, take note that there is yet another firmware upgrade now (v.1.40). Looks like they skipped v.1.30 altogether?!?

http://www.iriver.com/support/downlo...p_name=iMP-550

I have yet to try this firmware out since it means I'll have to reset all my preferences again (I'm lazy). You however may want to upgrade since they have fixes for the Xtreme EQ settings, and "other miscellaneous bugs have been fixed".

Cheers dude!

 

[bangraman]

For even budding audiophiles, Xtreme 3D can be described in one four letter word. And it's not a nice one.
Upgrade your firmware anyway... As you may have realised by now, iRiver's commitment to firmware updates is necessary because they release bug-ridden stuff to begin with

 

[johncorleone]

I've got an imp-550 and I'm using px-200 cans. The Xtreme3D is about the only setting that I can listen to, the rest are all pretty awful. (Ubass comes second but has no real feeling of depth).

On a side note, the extreme EQ is pointless since there's only 5 bands you can change, this simply isnt enough to get decent sound. To be honest I'm quite disappointed with the quality of sound from the imp-550 on all settings, for 200 Euro I had expected more.

 

[austonia]

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman For even budding audiophiles, Xtreme 3D can be described in one four letter word. And it's not a nice one.

ah haha ... no doubt. Creative is still obsessed with it too. EAX environmental effects are dumb -- a "bathroom" setting? What?

 

[SpoonMan]

Quote:

Originally posted by austonia ah haha ... no doubt. Creative is still obsessed with it too. EAX environmental effects are dumb -- a "bathroom" setting? What?

Lol, havn't you ever been out and about and said "man I wish I could make it sound like I was in a bathroom"

 

[bangraman]

Quote:

Originally posted by johncorleone I've got an imp-550 and I'm using px-200 cans. The Xtreme3D is about the only setting that I can listen to, the rest are all pretty awful. (Ubass comes second but has no real feeling of depth). On a side note, the extreme EQ is pointless since there's only 5 bands you can change, this simply isnt enough to get decent sound. To be honest I'm quite disappointed with the quality of sound from the imp-550 on all settings, for 200 Euro I had expected more.

Although the iMP-550 is not the best sounding PCDP around it is not that bad and at flat settings, it doesn't really lack that much compared to many hard disk players, MP3 players, Minidiscs, etc, especially with the class of headphones that we seem to be discussion.


What you write about and and what you want seems to have nothing to do with sound quality but with teh bass as in car sub style. Regardless of quality, no other PCDP currently on the market offers the level of bass that you can tune in with the iMP-550. What you need in that case is the UBass setting with a pair of headphones which offer more bass than the PX200, as well as being slightly easier to drive to get maximum sound.


Try the Sennheiser HD212 Pro, or if you you do want something that can at least satisfy some of the elements that this board generally considers "Head-Fi", then try the Sony MDR-V700DJ. I think they will be more your taste. A headphone amp might also help to make the most of the

experience.


What you're also probably looking for if you find the Xtreme mode the most suitable on the PX200 is probably an extended treble response. Both the 212 and the V700 will provide this. The Sennheiser HD25-1 would go several steps better in terms of clarity and efficiency, but won't offer the 'wall of flabby bass' that you seem to be after... it'll be a lot tighter and although for the majority of Head-Fi members I suspect this is better, you may feel short-changed in the lows.

 

[pank2002]

Quote:

Originally posted by bangraman Try the Sennheiser HD212 Pro, or if you you do want something that can at least satisfy some of the elements that this board generally considers "Head-Fi", then try the Sony MDR-V700DJ. I think they will be more your taste. A headphone amp might also help to make the most of the experience.

Oh dear god, I still got nightmears about V700DJ and HD212. Never in my life have I heard so much bass, especially the DJ's were horrible (IMO.) And that was with a "reduce bass" on !

If one like bass these are defently a good choice, and the HD212 aint that expensive either.