AnAnalogSpirit
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2009
- Posts
- 808
- Likes
- 30
This thing is my FLAC dream come hither. OH, and nice screen btw. Even though you are only MVA LCD, you destroy the COWON O2PMP for video, and then the COWON S9's AMOLED looks paltry. Hey you have better Glass...
Back to the FLAC Capabilities, from the FLACtard...
I've been searching and searching...
COWON D2, iPhone 3G, Sansa Clip v1, iPod Shuffle v1, COWON O2PMP, COWON S9, iriver H120/SysConcept/iBasso D10 Cobra [AD797/(2x)LMH6643], and iriver H140/SysConcept/iBasso D10 Cobra [AD797/(2x)LMH6643]...
While all but the irivers are shanked or DESTROYED or Neutered by the s:flo2, the iriver H140 does give it _some_ competition, rockboxed, with the following setup:
I know I dont do FLAT. I do EQ. Im an EQmeister. I've treid FLAT and its BORING. So shoot me. I DID HOWever, re-compare for this post.
: continuing :
Default iriver H140 Rockbox EQ Setup
Channel Configuration:
Custom
Stereo Width:
55%
Crossfeed:
Crossfeed: Yes
Direct Gain: -0.5dB
Cross Gain: -3.5dB
High Frequency Attenuation: -6.0dB
High Frequency Cutoff: 700Hz
Graphical EQ:
LS: 9.0 dB / 20Hz / 5.0 Q
PK1: -3.0dB /250Hz / 4.0 Q
PK2: 7.0dB / 2500Hz / 3.0 Q
PK3: -2.0dB / 11250Hz / 2.0 Q
HS: 4.0dB / 22000Hz / 1.0 Q
Dithering: Yes
-------------------
and it is still GENTLY >>shoved<< aside by the s:flo2. Which matches the specs fairly closely of iBasso's D4 Mamba Dual WM8740 DAC into a Burr-Brown Opamp Buffer DAC/AMP, just integreated into a lovely PMP... and I have a couple of pics to prove it:
------------------------
The Aluminum or otherwise Metal exterior is hard, textured, and lightweght enough to have premium heft and still be comfy in pants pocket, i.e. not weighing you down.
It is GORGEOUS. The UI looks good. It is simple, utilitarian, cohesive, and straightforward. It doesnt have or have need for tons of bells n whistles. I like the Light Interface, and I'm on Firmware 1.10.
Sidebar: what really killed the S9 for me was the 4 Hour FLAC batt life. Just FYI. Then this thing comes along and CLOBBERS IT. Honest. I always had to output the S9 to the iBasso D10 Cobra.
Back on Topic...
With NORMAL EQ, it sounds as if Im wedged between two huge speakers with excellent sound fields and modeling. SEVERE seperation. It's the way to got to listen to your equipment.
With USER EQ i use the LEVELS from the Clarity.v.1.0 EQ Setup as can be seen here on [http://www.thenakedlife.com Good resource for you S9 users...
Additionally Here is the raw text for the levels:
--------------------------------------
EQ Setup: USER
PlayFX: 3D
User EQ:
* 60HZ @ 9
* 300HZ @ 1
* 1KHZ @ 5
* 3KHZ @ 3
* 6KHZ @ 6
But BE SURE for PROPER line out usage your EQ Preset is set to USER not PlayFX (this option appears and is selectable, beneath the LEFT << button) on the Music Player Screen of the S:FLO2
-----------------------------------------
With this EQ Setup not only is it still WIDE but it sounds a bit more head-centered, and is a bit more fun than 'analytical'.
...
SO...
LINE OUT: silent. absolutely silent to My Ear. HOW killer is THAT. We've all been waiting for something like that, and darn it, if something HAS to shove aside the 650 dollar iriver H140/SysConcept/iBasso D10 Cobra rig for me, it had BETTER have a good or quiet line out. I wasnt COUNTING on silent.
We've all come a long way baby.
SO... FLAC again: my FLAC -8 files which didn't play properly on the RAmos 11TE, play without a HITCH on the Teclast T51/nationite s:flo2...
I was left with the impression that 4 yrs worth of encoding was bad... by a humdrum 1080p player. Not so.
And BOY boys n girls, they sound CLEAN. AGAIN, Please TRY the EQ setup, just to analyze for yourself what a 'good' EQ Setup CAN sound like, even if you do so just to see how much more you LIKE the EQ set to NORMAL.
There's an album i've always been fond of. Front 242's: Front 242 (1993) 06-21-03-11-UP-EVIL ... it was recorded/mastered with this sequence: DDAD Thats Digital for sources, Digital initial mixing, Analog Remixing, and Digital Mastering. It always sounded Epic and Gorgeous (I am still rocked by Industrial Strength Techno or EBM at times), and now I've finally "Heard" it the way I've hoped to. CLEAN. CLEAR. SPOTLESS. not underPowered. and GLORIOUSly. With completely mind-involving non-autopilot As if the band was inside a large Fishbowl stuck OVER MY HEAD isolating me from evil external noises. And it is headphone indpendent... Just what I've been looking for in a DAP...
Here's my "other" post where I discussed the s:flo2:
OTHER POST on Head-Fi.org
HOPE you've all enjoyed READING THIS.
Wishing you to all find your ULTIMATE Playback Device.
BTW, I am saying, in one final sentence:
This thing knocks HiFi to the curb. Its UltFi now.
Back to the FLAC Capabilities, from the FLACtard...
I've been searching and searching...
COWON D2, iPhone 3G, Sansa Clip v1, iPod Shuffle v1, COWON O2PMP, COWON S9, iriver H120/SysConcept/iBasso D10 Cobra [AD797/(2x)LMH6643], and iriver H140/SysConcept/iBasso D10 Cobra [AD797/(2x)LMH6643]...
While all but the irivers are shanked or DESTROYED or Neutered by the s:flo2, the iriver H140 does give it _some_ competition, rockboxed, with the following setup:
I know I dont do FLAT. I do EQ. Im an EQmeister. I've treid FLAT and its BORING. So shoot me. I DID HOWever, re-compare for this post.
: continuing :
Default iriver H140 Rockbox EQ Setup
Channel Configuration:
Custom
Stereo Width:
55%
Crossfeed:
Crossfeed: Yes
Direct Gain: -0.5dB
Cross Gain: -3.5dB
High Frequency Attenuation: -6.0dB
High Frequency Cutoff: 700Hz
Graphical EQ:
LS: 9.0 dB / 20Hz / 5.0 Q
PK1: -3.0dB /250Hz / 4.0 Q
PK2: 7.0dB / 2500Hz / 3.0 Q
PK3: -2.0dB / 11250Hz / 2.0 Q
HS: 4.0dB / 22000Hz / 1.0 Q
Dithering: Yes
-------------------
and it is still GENTLY >>shoved<< aside by the s:flo2. Which matches the specs fairly closely of iBasso's D4 Mamba Dual WM8740 DAC into a Burr-Brown Opamp Buffer DAC/AMP, just integreated into a lovely PMP... and I have a couple of pics to prove it:
------------------------
The Aluminum or otherwise Metal exterior is hard, textured, and lightweght enough to have premium heft and still be comfy in pants pocket, i.e. not weighing you down.
It is GORGEOUS. The UI looks good. It is simple, utilitarian, cohesive, and straightforward. It doesnt have or have need for tons of bells n whistles. I like the Light Interface, and I'm on Firmware 1.10.
Sidebar: what really killed the S9 for me was the 4 Hour FLAC batt life. Just FYI. Then this thing comes along and CLOBBERS IT. Honest. I always had to output the S9 to the iBasso D10 Cobra.
Back on Topic...
With NORMAL EQ, it sounds as if Im wedged between two huge speakers with excellent sound fields and modeling. SEVERE seperation. It's the way to got to listen to your equipment.
With USER EQ i use the LEVELS from the Clarity.v.1.0 EQ Setup as can be seen here on [http://www.thenakedlife.com Good resource for you S9 users...
Additionally Here is the raw text for the levels:
--------------------------------------
EQ Setup: USER
PlayFX: 3D
User EQ:
* 60HZ @ 9
* 300HZ @ 1
* 1KHZ @ 5
* 3KHZ @ 3
* 6KHZ @ 6
But BE SURE for PROPER line out usage your EQ Preset is set to USER not PlayFX (this option appears and is selectable, beneath the LEFT << button) on the Music Player Screen of the S:FLO2
-----------------------------------------
With this EQ Setup not only is it still WIDE but it sounds a bit more head-centered, and is a bit more fun than 'analytical'.
...
SO...
LINE OUT: silent. absolutely silent to My Ear. HOW killer is THAT. We've all been waiting for something like that, and darn it, if something HAS to shove aside the 650 dollar iriver H140/SysConcept/iBasso D10 Cobra rig for me, it had BETTER have a good or quiet line out. I wasnt COUNTING on silent.
We've all come a long way baby.
SO... FLAC again: my FLAC -8 files which didn't play properly on the RAmos 11TE, play without a HITCH on the Teclast T51/nationite s:flo2...
I was left with the impression that 4 yrs worth of encoding was bad... by a humdrum 1080p player. Not so.
And BOY boys n girls, they sound CLEAN. AGAIN, Please TRY the EQ setup, just to analyze for yourself what a 'good' EQ Setup CAN sound like, even if you do so just to see how much more you LIKE the EQ set to NORMAL.
There's an album i've always been fond of. Front 242's: Front 242 (1993) 06-21-03-11-UP-EVIL ... it was recorded/mastered with this sequence: DDAD Thats Digital for sources, Digital initial mixing, Analog Remixing, and Digital Mastering. It always sounded Epic and Gorgeous (I am still rocked by Industrial Strength Techno or EBM at times), and now I've finally "Heard" it the way I've hoped to. CLEAN. CLEAR. SPOTLESS. not underPowered. and GLORIOUSly. With completely mind-involving non-autopilot As if the band was inside a large Fishbowl stuck OVER MY HEAD isolating me from evil external noises. And it is headphone indpendent... Just what I've been looking for in a DAP...
Here's my "other" post where I discussed the s:flo2:
OTHER POST on Head-Fi.org
HOPE you've all enjoyed READING THIS.
Wishing you to all find your ULTIMATE Playback Device.
BTW, I am saying, in one final sentence:
This thing knocks HiFi to the curb. Its UltFi now.
