Hey, everyone!
I recently got a lucky opportunity to obtain one of the (if not the) first Little Dot DP_I's shipped internationally. I have to thank David ZheZhe and Sword Yang at Little Dot for being willing to part with one so I could do a bit of a preview/review. Little Dot has been selling these within China for a good month or so, but hadn't started international shipping because the documentation is still being worked on and translated. As soon as the documents are ready, they will be shipping abroad. Little Dot was kind enough to send me a unit so I could review it (without documents at first, then following-up as the docs become available). So this will be broken down into three parts; first, unboxing and initial impressions of the DP_I hardware. Next, impressions of the sound and functionality as best I can. Finally, follow-up impressions with the documentation and of any features I couldn't figure out previously.
DISCLAIMER: Please understand that these are all my opinions and impressions, and while Little Dot was kind enough to provide the DP_I earlier than planned, I actually did purchase it with my own funds and am not beholden to LD in any way. So, I feel I can be honest.
OK, enough of the preamble...
I got a nice little package delivered to me today from China. In it was a non-descript box, and what was inside? Well, I'll show you...
Delivered in two days! Little Dot Rocks!
The start of the goodies...
I do not know if everything here is included in the final shipping package, but based on some Chinese forums I have (attempted to) read,
I believe so. Please note the paper included is in Chinese. The documentation is being finalized and translated. That's all LD needs to do before shipping internationally.
Notice the Optical (yes, optical) Cable plug ends look like 1/8" mini-plugs. That's because the Line-Out and Headphone-Out sockets also function as Optical Digital S/DPIF In/Out.
Standard USB charger with USB-to-mini USB cable. Makes life much easier using standard cables for charging and hooking up to your computer.
Ahh, the player box. Very nice packaging...
...Nice. Flap is held down by a magnet.
...and finally...
The DP_I. Well packaged in dense foam, the player is all that's in the box (at least, mine)...
If you have seen the engineering prototype on the LD Web Site, this will look very familiar.
Don't worry about how the screen looks, I haven't removed the clear vinyl cover yet.
A lot of speculation on different sites suggested the DP_I would be a monster. With it next to my Cowon J3, reality is a bit kinder.
A little bit taller? Yes. Thicker? Definitely...
Oh yeah! It's thick! However...
My Cowon J3 with it's leather case is just about the same size.
Now, to the DP_I itself...
No Serial Number...I guess I'm special...
With 8GB of flash memory on-board, you need to have some SD cards available if you have a larger audio library. The LD_I will support up to 32GB SDHC cards. SDXC 64GB SD cards are not supported, but with the cost, are you really surprised? A 32GB SD card is about a third the price of a 64GB SDXC card (at the time of writing). The hold button will come in handy to prevent accidental pressing of the front buttons.
Headphone Out and Line Out. Both function as optical digital S/DPIF input/output (Headphone-Out jack as Digital Optical output, Line-Out jack as Digital Optical input). Oh yeah, for the record, Google Translate sucks for Chinese.
And let's not forget the USB port which does reportedly allow you to hook up and play from external storage (oh yeah, I will be testing that one...
).
Not content with only checking out the outside...
I do believe there is a battery in that there player!
How long it lasts is the real question...
Sorry, not the best picture, but here is the removable/swappable headphone amp. I believe the micro switches are for gain settings.
Another fuzzy picture, but I wanted to show you the headphone amp is attached to the main pcb by two 8-pin sockets (like the jumper pins in your computer)
The battery is removable
thus, replaceable.
I wish I had a better camera to get close-ups...but, here's the headphone amp again...
and the back with the pins (One note: it's a bear to figure out which direction to plug the amp back in...very easy to do it backward). On the front of the amp there are two labels (CON3 and CON4). The main pcb plugs have the same labels. Make sure you match them up when re-installing the amp.
The main pcb in all it's glory! Note the amp sockets on the bottom.
Close-up of the bottom via a crappy camera...
...and of the top...
...and catching the middle as well.
As best as I could make out, all the chips in the player are the same as currently listed on the Little Dot Web Site for the DP_I specs, so there's no surprise there.
A word about the fit and finish:I believe this will also be available in black in the future (since several sites show it that way), so those allergic to Bare Aluminum Color will not suffer.
The DP_I is not the most stylish DAP I've ever seen, but I am a function over form type person...and it's not butt-ugly either. (6 Aug 2011 Update: Refer to my comments at the end of the post...let's just say that the player's appearance has grown on me. ...especially in black!
) Choosing to make the enclosure out of aluminum instead of plastic presents some challenges. It really is light without the battery, but when installed, the battery gives it some heft. It's heavier than my Cowon. Some may be concerned over the size, but I lived in the age when pocket calculators literally stuffed the pocket. That's what the DP_I strikes me as. I would consider it portable, but not something I might carry around in a pocket with earbuds. Durability is another question. There was initially some concern about the screen...I saw some forum posts that suggested the screen is very delicate (it is not a touch screen) and prone to damage. The DP_I that I received has protective glass covering the screen. The enclosure's aluminum feels softer than "aircraft grade" meaning it appears to be easier to scratch and dent (sorry, but I do not intend to test it). Also, be careful with the backplate when removed, it appears to be easy to bend. Lastly, the back edges of the enclosure feel a bit unfinished. After the final machining, somebody needs to go over the edges with a bit of emery cloth to smooth and round them. To me, these are not deal-breaking criticisms, just suggestions for improving the player. (6 Aug 2011 Update: please see my comments below the newly added Black DP_I pictures as the comments in blue have been addressed)
I have been a customer of Little Dot for some time and I have seen their products develop. I didn't expect them to deliver the consummate DAP, but I expected exactly what I got as far as the hardware goes; solid build and good quality that will be refined over time into a truly excellent product. I'm sure Sword Yang at Little Dot has a vision of where he would like to take digital audio (as referenced by the hint of a tabletop DAP in a Chinese forum). I believe he has made a daring step into the world of digital audio and intends to take Audiophiles and Head-Fi'ers like us along for the ride. Say what you will about the sudden explosion of Chinese DAP makers, I really think the folks behind them are trying hard to deliver a quality product that appeals to a very demanding crowd. Time will tell who will succeed. I hope David, Sword Yang and the folks at Little Dot are in the group that does.
Next up (it's charging as I write this), can I get this to work without documents and if so, how does it sound?...
Cheers!
-HK sends
The opinions expressed here are HK's only...YMMV...
P.S. - One thing I would like to see made available is a nice leather case for transporting the DP_I.
6 August 2011 Update: Little Dot was kind enough to allow me to swap my silver DP_I for a Black on and I must admit that it looks WAY cooler!
Presenting:
Conservatively designed and not ostentatious at all...
The Black DP_I shows that two of my critiques were unfounded; the finish on the edges of the enclosure surrounding the rear access plate are much smoother and the screen cover looks to be made of "Gorilla Glass" (based on the logo on the side of the glass). I discovered the silver player had the same protective glass but I couldn't really see it well.
Bottom line: Little Dot has produced a fine looking Digital Audio Player! Please read on as I discover more about its functionality...
-HK sends
I recently got a lucky opportunity to obtain one of the (if not the) first Little Dot DP_I's shipped internationally. I have to thank David ZheZhe and Sword Yang at Little Dot for being willing to part with one so I could do a bit of a preview/review. Little Dot has been selling these within China for a good month or so, but hadn't started international shipping because the documentation is still being worked on and translated. As soon as the documents are ready, they will be shipping abroad. Little Dot was kind enough to send me a unit so I could review it (without documents at first, then following-up as the docs become available). So this will be broken down into three parts; first, unboxing and initial impressions of the DP_I hardware. Next, impressions of the sound and functionality as best I can. Finally, follow-up impressions with the documentation and of any features I couldn't figure out previously.
DISCLAIMER: Please understand that these are all my opinions and impressions, and while Little Dot was kind enough to provide the DP_I earlier than planned, I actually did purchase it with my own funds and am not beholden to LD in any way. So, I feel I can be honest.
OK, enough of the preamble...
I got a nice little package delivered to me today from China. In it was a non-descript box, and what was inside? Well, I'll show you...
Delivered in two days! Little Dot Rocks!
The start of the goodies...
I do not know if everything here is included in the final shipping package, but based on some Chinese forums I have (attempted to) read,
I believe so. Please note the paper included is in Chinese. The documentation is being finalized and translated. That's all LD needs to do before shipping internationally.
Notice the Optical (yes, optical) Cable plug ends look like 1/8" mini-plugs. That's because the Line-Out and Headphone-Out sockets also function as Optical Digital S/DPIF In/Out.
Standard USB charger with USB-to-mini USB cable. Makes life much easier using standard cables for charging and hooking up to your computer.
Ahh, the player box. Very nice packaging...
...Nice. Flap is held down by a magnet.
...and finally...
The DP_I. Well packaged in dense foam, the player is all that's in the box (at least, mine)...
If you have seen the engineering prototype on the LD Web Site, this will look very familiar.
Don't worry about how the screen looks, I haven't removed the clear vinyl cover yet.
A lot of speculation on different sites suggested the DP_I would be a monster. With it next to my Cowon J3, reality is a bit kinder.
A little bit taller? Yes. Thicker? Definitely...
Oh yeah! It's thick! However...
My Cowon J3 with it's leather case is just about the same size.
Now, to the DP_I itself...
No Serial Number...I guess I'm special...
With 8GB of flash memory on-board, you need to have some SD cards available if you have a larger audio library. The LD_I will support up to 32GB SDHC cards. SDXC 64GB SD cards are not supported, but with the cost, are you really surprised? A 32GB SD card is about a third the price of a 64GB SDXC card (at the time of writing). The hold button will come in handy to prevent accidental pressing of the front buttons.
Headphone Out and Line Out. Both function as optical digital S/DPIF input/output (Headphone-Out jack as Digital Optical output, Line-Out jack as Digital Optical input). Oh yeah, for the record, Google Translate sucks for Chinese.
And let's not forget the USB port which does reportedly allow you to hook up and play from external storage (oh yeah, I will be testing that one...
Not content with only checking out the outside...
I do believe there is a battery in that there player!
Sorry, not the best picture, but here is the removable/swappable headphone amp. I believe the micro switches are for gain settings.
Another fuzzy picture, but I wanted to show you the headphone amp is attached to the main pcb by two 8-pin sockets (like the jumper pins in your computer)
The battery is removable
I wish I had a better camera to get close-ups...but, here's the headphone amp again...
and the back with the pins (One note: it's a bear to figure out which direction to plug the amp back in...very easy to do it backward). On the front of the amp there are two labels (CON3 and CON4). The main pcb plugs have the same labels. Make sure you match them up when re-installing the amp.
The main pcb in all it's glory! Note the amp sockets on the bottom.
Close-up of the bottom via a crappy camera...
...and of the top...
...and catching the middle as well.
As best as I could make out, all the chips in the player are the same as currently listed on the Little Dot Web Site for the DP_I specs, so there's no surprise there.
A word about the fit and finish:
I have been a customer of Little Dot for some time and I have seen their products develop. I didn't expect them to deliver the consummate DAP, but I expected exactly what I got as far as the hardware goes; solid build and good quality that will be refined over time into a truly excellent product. I'm sure Sword Yang at Little Dot has a vision of where he would like to take digital audio (as referenced by the hint of a tabletop DAP in a Chinese forum). I believe he has made a daring step into the world of digital audio and intends to take Audiophiles and Head-Fi'ers like us along for the ride. Say what you will about the sudden explosion of Chinese DAP makers, I really think the folks behind them are trying hard to deliver a quality product that appeals to a very demanding crowd. Time will tell who will succeed. I hope David, Sword Yang and the folks at Little Dot are in the group that does.
Next up (it's charging as I write this), can I get this to work without documents and if so, how does it sound?...
Cheers!
-HK sends
The opinions expressed here are HK's only...YMMV...
P.S. - One thing I would like to see made available is a nice leather case for transporting the DP_I.
6 August 2011 Update: Little Dot was kind enough to allow me to swap my silver DP_I for a Black on and I must admit that it looks WAY cooler!
Presenting:
Conservatively designed and not ostentatious at all...
The Black DP_I shows that two of my critiques were unfounded; the finish on the edges of the enclosure surrounding the rear access plate are much smoother and the screen cover looks to be made of "Gorilla Glass" (based on the logo on the side of the glass). I discovered the silver player had the same protective glass but I couldn't really see it well.
Bottom line: Little Dot has produced a fine looking Digital Audio Player! Please read on as I discover more about its functionality...
-HK sends