Some very quick D-NE700 (European model) impressions

[Lisa]

So I got a chance to order a D-NE700 along with some underwear.

(mailorder company)

With this company you can return without question so I thought I might as well check out what all the fuss is about. The D-NE-700 has the European volume cap of course. 1.5 mw

so I only listened to the line-out.

Some quick conclusion I can draw;
I don't know what the fuss is all about. The line-out sound very alike the my 7 yr. old D-E305 PCDP line-out. Which I consider to be inferior by quite a bit to the line-out of my imp-150. The imp-150 line-out has much better dynamics and is smoother and has more detail. Like a veil is lifted.
I've said this before and I'm gonna say this again.The soundquality of the imp-150 is closer to my NAD than to the sony PCDP. Although the NAD is better and has better bass and treble extension.

Then again the D-E305 has a better headphone out than line-out. And maybe the D-NExxx models have too.

Another thing which might be of interest is that the European Aiwa EV-XP-500 probably doesn't have a volume cap. On the headphone out of the D-NE700 I needed to turn the volume up half way to get normal (in a quiet room) low volume listening. With the EV-XP-500 I need 1 or 2 out of 10 to get that volume.

IMO the imp-150 still is the best PCDP I've ever heard. Never heard the old school models though.

P.S.,
Some things worth mentioning if anyone is wondering, the European D-NE700 has a line-out that has to be activated in the menu (quite annoying). It comes with 2 AA sized rechargeables, 700mah NiMH (could they make it any less!?),an remote with what I think (didn't try it) a one line display, a walwart/charger and the sonic stage software.
All I did was compare the soundquality of the line-outs so don't ask me any questions about the rest of the player.

 

[terrymx]

1.5mw is pretty ridiculous, but what if the headphoen out does sound good?

so.....keep underwears and return cd player? they dont even ask question if you return the underwear after trying them out?

 

[bangraman]

It's ridiculous, isn't it. 1.2mw... what can you do with that? Nothing much, except with an HD25-1, MDR-V700DJ or an E5c.


As I think I said in my NE900 vs iMP550 comparison, I think the Line Out is a little more dynamic on the iRivers too, but the iRivers can't exactly be said to be 'better' either.

 

[Lisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrymx 1.5mw is pretty ridiculous, but what if the headphoen out does sound good? so.....keep underwears and return cd player? they dont even ask question if you return the underwear after trying them out?

You are asked to try the underwear on with your own underwear underneath it. (But I just ordered some singlets anyway, I give out too much info on this board

)
And yes, PCDP goes back. My old D-E305 sounds practicly the same so no use for the D-NE700.


Bagraman, either we have different ears or the imp-150 is better than the 550. Which could be because the imp-150 had the lowest anti-skip setting of the current Iriver line and maybe the 550 has to give away some soundquality for the better batterylife. And I've tried the imp-700 and that one wasn't up to par with the imp-150.

-Edit-
I wasn't done, just hit enter and all of a sudden my post was posted

I also noticed that the Aiwa I mentioned before which sound like a sony, sounded close to the imp-150 in soundquality while listening trough PX100, with the edge to the imp-150 in bass. But the imp-150 is way better when you compare them listening through MS1s.

Now I'm done!

 

[adhoc]

c'mon Lisa, let's have some pics!

 

[Lisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adhoc c'mon Lisa, let's have some pics!

 

[bangraman]

Hmmm... To me the iRiver line out did sound a bit 'nicer' than the NE900, but not necessarily more precise.


I think the European D-NE's are of limited use. The headphone out and the parametric EQ are the nice things about the new machines, and with the HPO crippled it's not much good. As I said I think for various reasons, and I'm not just talking about sound, that the iRivers should be considered as amping platforms more than the D-NE's, and the NE's real advantage is when playing back lots of redbook from the headphone socket.

 

[adhoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa