[ClieOS]

Quote:

1. chinese electronic companies arent really in infant status compared to other companies.  chinese have been making our electronics for a very long time.  and as for infancy, im not talking about brand name, what about a company like schiit? brand new company with A+ CSand QC.  Do i own any of their products? no but i love how they do business becauese its the right way. 

I am not taking about foreign or government invested Chinese companies here, but companies that are started from nothing, by people who have no experience themselves and can't rely on market experience. China adapted the open market policy in 1978/79, but not till the late 80s that economy began to boom, and not till the late 90s that electronics business began to take a center stage (and that was mainly limited to foreign or government invested Chinese companies anyway). It is the last 5~10 years that privately owned electronic companies began to invest time and money for their own brand and products, instead of pure OEM business for oversea companies. Takes Teclast for an example, it is only till recent few years that they start to make digital products. Before that, they were mainly doing OEM business on CD-ROM and CD-R. Others like Meizu or Cube share more or less the same kind of history. People who run these companies do not benefit from growing up or being educated in a free market. They learn by trial and error.
 
Quote:

2. their products should be cheaper for a number of reasons, parts, labor, etc.  but isuppose one they feel they can really get away with is spending less for QC and CS.
....

.... unfortunately that is the true, but there are far greater problem in the China market beyond just QC and CS, though we are not allowed to discuss it here (* involves polity). My advice? Just treats Chinese products as how you would to Korean products 20 years ago, or to Japanese products another 20 years before that.

 

[debitsohn]

.... unfortunately that is the true, but there are far greater problem in the China market beyond just QC and CS, though we are not allowed to discuss it here (* involves polity). My advice? Just treats Chinese products as how you would to Korean products 20 years ago, or to Japanese products another 20 years before that.
 
thast my point, their launching point into tech was faster and with less adversity than japan 20-30+ years ago and korea.. maybe 10 years ago.  all im saying is that, they could take a huge chunk of the retail electronics if they just invest in QC and CS.  they shouldnt let things like that hinder their take over of the market.  those things are easier than innovation.  or maybe not. who knows im no business man

 

[speedingredline]

I was thinking of ordering a new amp, either the Arrow HE, or the new ALO Rx MkII when it becomes available. Are there any current opinions on the use of either of the these amps with the s:flo2? 

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I was thinking of ordering a new amp, either the Arrow HE, or the new ALO Rx MkII when it becomes available. Are there any current opinions on the use of either of the these amps with the s:flo2? 

Yes.  Buy it!  I haven't heard the Rx mkI or mkII fyi.  What the Arrow can do in that package w/ those configurations.  Geez.  When you decide make sure to give us a Sflo2 comparo w/ the DiYMod.  Would be nice.  

 

[Pinnipeds]

I'm really interested in the S:Flo2 but after reading some pretty bad stuff about the interface and such, I'm a bit wary.
 
I play FLAC mostly (a little 320kpbs MP3 here and there).
 
I'm pretty much only interested in the SQ.
 
Can anyone sooth my worries?

 

[sluker]

I have the sflo2 and the Rx MKI. While it does allow you to use the line out I notice only slight improvement using the Rx over the HO. In fact, lately I find myself using the sflo2 without the Rx most of the time, even around the house driving the HF2.
With FLAC and 320 MP3's the sound quality is that good.
 
What people here have been questioning is the reliability and ease of use:

1. Ease of use is 7/10 annoying more than anything. 
2. Reliability? Just keep in mind folks, I paid $200 for mine with the Brainwaves M2 included (all in). My nano 6g cost $195 with Tax (California). 

If you are worried about reliability,...........buy 2.

 

[speedingredline]

Buy it, which part? The Rx mkII or the Arrow? I have the Rx mkI already, but will get the mkII when released.
 
Quote:

Yes.  Buy it!  I haven't heard the Rx mkI or mkII fyi.  What the Arrow can do in that package w/ those configurations.  Geez.  When you decide make sure to give us a Sflo2 comparo w/ the DiYMod.  Would be nice.  

 

[speedingredline]

I did a little testing with the ALO Rx yesterday, didnt notice much a of difference, but I have very untrained ears at this time. I picked up a used sflo2, had it about a week now. I am thinking about buying one on the preorder as a backup. Has anybody else experienced the unit getting warm during use. I am using flacs only and when I have the player in my sweat shirt pocket it gets warm.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I did a little testing with the ALO Rx yesterday, didnt notice much a of difference, but I have very untrained ears at this time. I picked up a used sflo2, had it about a week now. I am thinking about buying one on the preorder as a backup. Has anybody else experienced the unit getting warm during use. I am using flacs only and when I have the player in my sweat shirt pocket it gets warm.

Yes it gets a touch warm.  Thats the Sflo making power.  To clarify I was saying get the Arrow but I hadn't heard the Rx.  If you have a headphone, set you user eq to '0's and select it.  Plug your headphone into the LO and then the HO.  If you notice an improvement w/ th LO use that w/ an amp or adjust the eq as you LO gain adjustment.  If you notice no difference w/ the HO then I would say don't worry about an amp unless you have issues driving something hard.

 

[thesingularity]

Quote:

If you are worried about reliability,...........buy 2.

You must either work for or are somehow a "stakeholder" in Teclast and/or its ancillary companies.
"Better" advice -- if you've got the $$ and you're really into DAPs/PMPs -- would be to get a second unit from QLS. They don't (yet) do FLAC, nor do they have a touchscreen, video, photo, etc. But they are supposed to be WAV super-players. Possibly better than (but not as $$ as) Head-Direct.
 
The best option, IMO, is to go fully DIY. See the topical thread elsewhere in this forum. I've got one on a breadboard right now and am extremly pleased with the results.
 

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

 Has anybody else experienced the unit getting warm during use. I am using flacs only and when I have the player in my sweat shirt pocket it gets warm.

It is normal for s:flo2 to get warm during use. It is the combined result of step-up circuit and DAC section at work.

 

[thesingularity]

Quote:

It is normal for s:flo2 to get warm during use. It is the combined result of step-up circuit and DAC section at work.

Poor heat-sinking and thermal management is NEVER "normal". Indeed all that cookin' may be a big part of the fact that so many of us have reported failure.
 
My S:Flo2 was mailed out yesterday ...based on what debitsohn/others report, it's most-likely on a one-way trip to HK.
 
Some of you mentioned months and months of trouble-free service from this device ... and that us "complainers" are simply that and also outliers. Rubbish! I forgot to mention that I had to Reset-key this piece-o'-junk after every charge. Also, those on/off transients are IEM killers.
 
Arrgg...folks...are you all so friggin' cognitively dissonant and/or confabulated? You're gonna get me banned by hurlin' diatribes. Stop blanketly protecting (and arm-wavingly endorsing) this device and its parent company (ies).
 
Gotta hurl .... (Knew this was the wrong week to give up my crack habit). The $$'s in MP4Nations' bank so the joke's on us
 

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Poor heat-sinking and thermal management is NEVER "normal". Indeed all that cookin' may be a big part of the fact that so many of us have reported failure.
 

It is part of the original design to increase the voltage to get the optimum performance from the specific opamp , the side effect is high heat dispersal. It has been noted on the original T51 even before the s:flo2 has been rebranded, and has been openly discussed by Teclast tech support over various Chinese forums. Could Teclast use a different opamp that works on lower voltage with less heat? Sure they can, but they choose that particular opamp because they believe it worths the effort / compensation in doing so. I am not saying you have to agree on their design ideology, but your assumption that the heat is the source of problem is pretty laughable since s:flo2 only gets as hot as about body temperature or maybe a few degree higher in a tight pouch. If that kind of temperature can damage silicon chip, holding a cellphone in you hand will be classified as dangerous activity. Just so you know, most modern silicon component can go up to water boiling point without problem, not that it is optimum in doing so. A typical notebook computer can easily be 10°C or more hotter than a s:flo2.
 
I hope you do get your s:flo2 back soon enough, if that is not the case, you should come back and warn other again, as part of your own experience with s:flo2.

 

[sluker]

The only "stake" that I have in Teclast is the $200 I spent with MP4, plus the three month wait.
I just simply think this is a good player for the $.
I am sorry yours had a problem, and I agree that these guys need to improve their CS and QC, which in turn will drive the price up for these players.
I have not heard of this QLC players so please provide a link so we can all learn more.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Poor heat-sinking and thermal management is NEVER "normal". Indeed all that cookin' may be a big part of the fact that so many of us have reported failure.
 
My S:Flo2 was mailed out yesterday ...based on what debitsohn/others report, it's most-likely on a one-way trip to HK.
 
Some of you mentioned months and months of trouble-free service from this device ... and that us "complainers" are simply that and also outliers. Rubbish! I forgot to mention that I had to Reset-key this piece-o'-junk after every charge. Also, those on/off transients are IEM killers.
 
Arrgg...folks...are you all so friggin' cognitively dissonant and/or confabulated? You're gonna get me banned by hurlin' diatribes. Stop blanketly protecting (and arm-wavingly endorsing) this device and its parent company (ies).
 
Gotta hurl .... (Knew this was the wrong week to give up my crack habit). The $$'s in MP4Nations' bank so the joke's on us
 

Agreed w/ ClieOS.  The warmth is not doing any damage at all to be concerned about thermal loads on ICs.  That's just crazy talk to equate the Sflo2 w/ a laptop that burns peoples legs.  Your little rant there accussing everyone w/a perfectly functional Sflo2 of basically lying is quite something.  Based on your experience and comments I definitely suspect user error is the root cause of your problems. Probably time for you to leave the thread and buy an iPod don't you think?  Perhaps you like exploding iPods and nanos that burn your hands better.  Good luck crazy person.  Poor heatsinking...ROFL!!