[RobertR]

just did a quick listen to this unit at a local COMPUSA store. Although this thing is a beauty to behold its sound is lacking in low end heft . Not very loud for 12mw. out using er4p. I was using my own nicd gumsticks which are only rated at 750ma. I think the gums. that come with the unit are nimh with a higher rating and this could account for the rather weak sound. Bear in mind that I'm comparing this to a Sony D-t401 and D-303.
I would not use this unit without ext. amp. Then youv'e got a remote with dangling cord plugged into right angle er4 plug etc. too much of a hassle.
I'll stick with my 303 for now and maybe consider an ext amp for a cool semi portable system.
The slimx is just so pretty and that remote almost lets you control the world with so many features. Their price; 179.00
.

 

[shafu]

The SlimX is now $149 direct from iRiver and Amazon.

 

[penvzila]

I hope the new low price lasts. I've been drooling over them for a few days now, and I should be able to scrape together 150 bucks in the next month.

 

[purk]

guys,
J & R is selling the slimx for 139 dollars. Shipping may be free or a little less than 2 or 3 dollars. However, this is a "quoted" price.

Have fun,
Purk

 

[Khazim]

I would really like a SlimX, but I don't like the idea of the remote. I hate remotes on pcdp's. I have a ChromeX (iMP 150) and I can't use the remote because that + my Sony MDR-V6 phones is waaaaay too long.

 

[sTaTIx]

Try dropping by your local Costco and you'll see the SlimX for $139.99. Here's their site. I'd still take the Sony D-JC01 over the SlimX, tho.

BTW, I love Costco.

 

[FilmAddict]

This has been an issue for me as well. In addition to the length of the cord, the weight of the v6 plug is enough to unclip the remote. I've found that the easiest thing to do is run the v6 cord back to wherever the cd player is and then let out just as much as you need. The coiled cord on the v6 is great for that, doesn't hang all over the place. My roommate and I both have the slimx and both love it. I can't imagine listening to music anymore without being able to look at the remote and flip through directories, it's so much easier than pulling out the cd player or reaching into a bag and hitting buttons blind.

If you're going to get a cd-mp3 I can't recommend the slimx highly enough (though if you don't care about the size/lcd remote then the 250 will save you some money and I think it runs the same firmware).

 

[Odie]

Quote:

Originally posted by RobertR I was using my own nicd gumsticks which are only rated at 750ma. I think the gums. that come with the unit are nimh with a higher rating and this could account for the rather weak sound.

Yes, the ones that come with it are 1400ma NiMH.

OT: Anyone know of any places that sell these NiMH slim batteries (other than the iRiver Store)?

 

[RobertR]

I shortened the cord on my v6 cutting it off just above the last coiled section. A little tricky soldering a radioshack plug but is ideal for using remotes.
Even without the added length of remote cord the v6 cord is too long and bulky for portable use.
Has anyone considered this option?

 

[jayzen]

Hie there! I have to say that I've been very lucky to come across this website. Very cool products and forums. This is the first time I've heard of a portable amp. and have since read many online reviews of Etymotic earphones....... until now, I always thought BOSE produced noise-cancelling products.

I'm interested in purchasing the iRiver SlimX, but I've read from many forums and ppl's reviews that the amp included in it is very noisy, and is barely audible even at the 40% mark b4 distorting.

I would like to find out if purchasing a portable amp eg the Total AH, along with good earphones eg ETY4S will solve the problem of the background hissing sound.

Any replies is very much appreciated - I've spent my days debating whether to get the SlimX, but only to be put off by the bad sound volumes! Cheers!

 

[Peddler]

Hi Jazen

Welcome to the madness that is Head-Fi.

I have the SlimX, Airhead and Etymotic 4P and can vouch that when you listen to this combination the hiss really isn't a problem.

Even when the Ety's are used directly with the headphone out, the hiss really isn't that bad - it certainly never bothered me anywhere near as much as listening to a 128K MP3 - that's far worse.

Be warned though, even with the new firmware the SlimX isn't as skip-proof as the Sony G-Protection models. The player works fine if you carry it around in a coat pocket for example but not if strapped to your belt or carried around in your trouser pocket. I hope you find this helpful.

 

[AngusMcToon]

I have this combo, sort of, and, um, well, an opinion. I have SlimX, TAH 9V, and ER-4P and the Fixup 4S adapter.

And actually, I do think that in 4S mode, at least with the fixup cable, the Slimx + TAH combo isn't quite up to powering the 4S to complete satisfaction.

The only real issue, and it doesn't bother me personally all that much, is that to drive the 4S you're going to crank the line out a bit, so before the music starts playing, you probably are going to hear a minor amount more of the infamous hiss. In 4P mode, this this is less necessary, though hiss is certainly still perceptible, so I'd suggest you consider the 4P if you've got any portable sources you might be using without the amp in addition. (TAH+4P by the way is a very satisfying combo with the amp contributing quite dramatically, imo.)

And then when I put the SlimX through my Headroom Little e.g., this isn't much of an issue at all. I had found the 4S adapter's mode quite disappointing until I added the better amp. Suddenly, the phones started to sing anew when powered by the Little.

Personally, the SlimX has so many virtues that this minor hiss issue has not put me off the machine at all. And I walk with mine in an Airbag relatively successfully without skipping. The SlimX does allow you to set the mode for skip protection, and has an option to reduce the shock protection to improve the sound. It's buried a bit in menus, but not too hard to alter. By default, I believe it's not set to full skip mode, but rather an intermediate setting, so don't forget to set it up if you're going active. (I love the options the remote provides--eq for example--the player is very configurable in many defaults--but I do find the UI of this thing vexatious at times. It's no IPod, but then, it's a much cheaper.)

I have a lot of mp3s with a lot of different encoding schema, including VBR, and it deals with a variety of formats quite impeccably.

 

[jayzen]

Quote:

Originally posted by AngusMcToon I have this combo, sort of, and, um, well, an opinion. I have SlimX, TAH 9V, and ER-4P and the Fixup 4S adapter. And actually, I do think that in 4S mode, at least with the fixup cable, the Slimx + TAH combo isn't quite up to powering the 4S to complete satisfaction.

Thanks for all the input!

I'm looking for a very portable amp, at the same time cheap (I know, that's a tough combination, but I'm on a budget). Would you recommend the Porta Corda instead of the TAH 9V, or even the META 42?

I'm under the inpression that the Porta Corda n TAH are about the same size. How about the META 42? Does the META 42 have a link to it's website?

 

[AngusMcToon]

Quote:

Originally posted by jayzen I'm looking for a very portable amp, at the same time cheap (I know, that's a tough combination, but I'm on a budget). Would you recommend the Porta Corda instead of the TAH 9V, or even the META 42? I'm under the inpression that the Porta Corda n TAH are about the same size. How about the META 42? Does the META 42 have a link to it's website?

The PortaCorda and the TAH are definitely close in size, and arguably pretty close in sound too, though DanG and a few other head-fi folks typically give the Corda a slight edge. I heard, and liked, the PortaCorda at the Headroom show in Boston, and it's a great option for a portable amp. I am relatively happy with the TAH as a portable amp (though again, when I go walking with my slimX I don't use the 4P->4S adapter, since I rather prefer the 4P with the TAH, which has in this config a very fast and satisfying sound.) Got mine used here on head-fi, both these amps do come up occasionally, so watch the For Sale board.

If cost is a big issue, then in addition to the readymade portables, you should consider a DIY amp, and you can find several folks in Mall-Fi who can build you a CMOY, a CHA-47, a Meta42 portable--these are amp designs named after their inventors. The great thing is, these folks can customize your amp to meet your needs and match your target phones, and generally, you'll get more bang for the buck. And then you might decide, e.g., to put two 9V batteries in a separate compartment and give yourself more power, or to optimize strictly for size and portability.

There's not really a single source for these amps, but search for CHA, CMOY or META42 on the boards and you'll find hundreds of helpful discussions. Too many, probably.

JMT, Eric343, and Tangent are three prominent members here who assemble DIY amps...they typically have waiting lists, and costs vary depending on how you configure your amp but you're usually getting very good bang for the buck...a CMOY or CHA can often be made for something well under $100. (I just got my own Meta42, a non-portable made for me by Tangent, last Friday. Initial listens have been euphoric...)

This is all pretty much FAQ stuff, but read around this board and you'll see that you've got great options for a killer portable rig.

 

[jayzen]

Thanx again! I guess I'll contact these 3 members and ask what they can do for me. I'm not too fussy about it being too small, as long as it's about the size of a CD walkman - that way I can find a carrying case that fits the size and shape of both.

So META42 isn't a company name...... IC........

Yeah.... if I can save here and there, it would be good on my account!