[REVIEW] HifiMan HM602 and HM801 (w/ balanced amp module impression)

[ClieOS]

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Very thoughtful review, thanks for the effort.  I strongly disagree, however, that the HM-801 "doesn't get unbalanced in low volume."  With high-sensitivity custom IEMs and the standard amp module, it's very hard to get a comfortable low volume in a quiet environment without channel imbalance.  The GAME card is only a little better in this respect.  Hopefully, Fang is working on how to make the gain not jump so quickly with each touch of the volume pot.

I guess this need a bit explanation: by low volume, I really mean low listening volume. In my case, 16 ohm IEM (i.e. CX300) does have a little imbalance in the first few degree of the pot, but it is still lower than what I consider my minimum listening volume. Same goes for my UM2 (27ohm).For the majority of IEM and headphone I tested (all 32 ohm and above), I can't say there is imbalance beyond the first two or three degree of pot and it has no effect on minimum listening volume. I don't have any custom, so I won't know how they behave.
 
 
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Another problem I've noted, and which I'm surprised that more people don't complain about, is the high-pitched ringing sound that I hear whenever I pick up the HM-801 or touch it around the top of the player.  It seems like touching that area causes some kind of feedback, it sounds like bad microphone feedback.  I thought it would only be a problem with sensitive custom IEMs, but I hear the noise very clearly with my full-size Edition 8s.  (This is only a problem when using the internal amp, the noise doesn't occur when using the line-out to an external amp.)
 

I don't have that issue with mine.
 
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As for .cue files being the answer to gapless playback, I haven't gotten them to work.  When I open a .cue file, I see the different songs, but I'm not able to skip around within the continuous file to different songs.  Whenever I try to fast forward or skip to the next song, it simply skips back to the beginning of the entire mix.

Thanks for pointing that out. As I have mentioned in the OP, I don't really have anything that need to be gapless, so I didn't test the cue function myself. I'll try to find something to play with and try to confirm your result.

 

[kostalex]

 
Here is my modest setup, HM-602 > Meier Move > HD650 or RE262.
It seems to meet HM-801 size wise. Will HM-801 alone improve on SQ? 
I am sure that HM-801 > Move will be better, but I do not want bigger setup.
 

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Here is my modest setup, HM-602 > Meier Move > HD650 or RE262.
It seems to meet HM-801 size wise. Will HM-801 alone improve on SQ? 
I am sure that HM-801 > Move will be better, but I do not want bigger setup.

Rather good setup you have there. I love my Stepdance, but synergy wise I do think MOVE is the better choice with the HM602.

 

[kostalex]

I also like a synergy. I like this rig more than HDP alone, or Pico DAC/amp > well upgraded WA3.

 

[kostalex]

ClieOS, is this rig better than HM-801 alone?

 

[ClieOS]

Very close IMO. HM602+MOVE is just slightly warmer and fuller compared to HM801 alone, though HM801 is slightly more spacious and detail.

 

[kostalex]

Which is brighter?

 

[sanity8me]

Are the Hifiman 601/602/801 known to be able to read all id3 tags? My 602 isn't reading a few...

 

[ClieOS]

Which is brighter?

HM801 is.

Are the Hifiman 601/602/801 known to be able to read all id3 tags? My 602 isn't reading a few...

HIfiMan is known for not able to read any complex iD3tag as well as not supporting iD3tag besides FLAC, MP3 and WMA. Actually, that's a common problem on most Chinese made DAP based on Rockchip controller.

 

[kostalex]

HM801 is brighter than HM-602 > Move?

 

[Jupiterknight]

Any quick suggestions/software on how to clean out these iD3tag's effeciently, particular on Flac files?        co

 

[kostalex]

Foobar/select files/context menu/Properties or something like this

 

[ClieOS]

HM801 is brighter than HM-602 > Move?

Yes.

Any quick suggestions/software on how to clean out these iD3tag's effeciently, particular on Flac files?        co

I use MP3tag, freeware and support most format.

 

[kostalex]

Hmm, I do not want brighter setup. Thank you.
 
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HM801 is brighter than HM-602 > Move?

 
Yes.

 

[sanity8me]

 
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I use MP3tag, freeware and support most format.

I've been using MP3tag with success, but just now realized that the 602 still isn't reading all of my FLAC tags. What I've been doing in MP3tag is removing the original tags if they appeared to be anything other than "FLAC (FLAC)" in the tag tab and replacing it with a tag so it actually reads FLAC (FLAC) as a tag. Seemed to do the trick until I played NIN's Fragile album and saw that the 602 wasn't reading its FLAC tags. Did I do something wrong or was there a better approach to the tagging?
 
Also, browsing by Artist becomes an issue since it groups and alphabetically/numerically categorizes all the songs instead of first listing albums. I guess I'd have to include the album in the actual file name which sucks. And browsing by Album doesn't categorize by artist.
 
 
 
 
Please don't tell me the only legit viable option is to file by directory...