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The Altmann Tera Player - Thread

May 1, 2014 at 4:01 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 2,899
musicday

musicday

Headphoneus Supremus
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Please feel free to join our discussion or ask anything related to the Tera player : developed and made by Charles Altmann in 2011.
The Philips R2R DAC inside sounds so real, like nothing I have heard before. Please  post some photos of your Tera player.
Thank you for visiting and being a part of this thread,
Musicday.
For more info please visit: site: http://www.tera-player.com



New photos of my Tera Player Stealth Edition February 2017.






 
Jun 11, 2014 at 10:29 AM Post #2 of 2,899
Still enjoying my Tera very much - best player ever.
Just noticed that Charles has posted info about "brand new Tera Player LIGHT" for EUR 1680.
And the price of legacy standard TP is back up to EUR 3360.
Not clear to me what the differences are between the two versions.
 
http://www.tera-player.com/
 
Jun 12, 2014 at 4:51 PM Post #3 of 2,899
I don't know the differences either but is good to see a '' cheeper '' version of the Tera Player..
I have been using it nearly every day mine for over a year and had no problems at all with it..
Charles has done a awesome job, my question is how Westone W60 sounds, as W4R was great.
I will not ever want to change it for another DAP, any DAP.
 
Jun 12, 2014 at 6:22 PM Post #4 of 2,899
musicday said:
  I don't know the differences either but is good to see a '' cheeper '' version of the Tera Player..
Click to expand...

 
I don't know about cheaper. Seems like Charles just doubled the price of what used to be standard Tera, and introduced this new light version for the same price standard used to be.
Still, I'm curious what advantage standard Tera has over this new light version - should be something significant given huge difference in price but on Tera web page I don't see list of differences in features between the two versions.
 
Jun 12, 2014 at 11:23 PM Post #6 of 2,899
tgdinamo said:
   
I don't know about cheaper. Seems like Charles just doubled the price of what used to be standard Tera, and introduced this new light version for the same price standard used to be.
Still, I'm curious what advantage standard Tera has over this new light version - should be something significant given huge difference in price but on Tera web page I don't see list of differences in features between the two versions.
Click to expand...

Seems like not much said about how the "light" Tera is different from the "original". Curious to know. 
 
 
Jun 17, 2014 at 9:21 PM Post #9 of 2,899
I don't know how that little piece of doo doo, can sound better than doo doo.  or fantastic like Mamouile is saying.  What the hell is in side?  What is the DAC chip inside, is it custom made?  Just baffled how small it is and how much hype it has around it.  Also, it stinks it only play wave files, it's annoying as beep.
 
Jun 17, 2014 at 10:07 PM Post #10 of 2,899
silverears said:
  I don't know how that little piece of doo doo, can sound better than doo doo.  or fantastic like Mamouile is saying.  What the hell is in side?  What is the DAC chip inside, is it custom made?  Just baffled how small it is and how much hype it has around it.  Also, it stinks it only play wave files, it's annoying as beep.
Click to expand...

 
To answer you question below is some key info from Tera player web page. My theory is that the key to the incredible SQ is the choice of R2R DAC combined with his software (proprietary operating system - ASRS technology Charles discusses on his web page).
 
size: 57 x 57 x 18 mm
weight: 80 grams
case: all aluminum black anodized, laser engraved
front rear plates: 2mm aluminum black anodized, CNC machined
main chip: ARM Cortex, proprietary operating system
DAC: NOS Philips R2R with current output, ASRS element and true 16-bit resolution
oversampling: zero -> no oversampling and no digital filter on the Tera-Player
I/V conversion: Burr-Brown
headphone amplifiers: Burr Brown
oscillators: 2 separate ultra-precision crystal oscillators supplied by Golledge with a phase jitter RMS specification of 1 ps (one pico-second) maximum
battery: Motorola LI-ION 700mAh
 
Jun 17, 2014 at 11:02 PM Post #11 of 2,899
Information available at tera-player.com

This machine is not for everyone. Like cheese or wine it has its own flavor and unfortunately it also has its cost. My Galaxy S4 is cheaper and for some much more convenient. I try to listen to it for almost an hour per week and struggle.

On the other hand, I listen non-stop to Tera for 14 hour flights to Tokyo and forget its even on, like I'm just hanging out it a room with musicians playing. Its surreal.

I don't know the difference and cannot adequately explain why, but after an hour or two iPhone and Galaxy make me feel "packed in", whereas Tera disappears. That difference is particularly noticeable in acoustic music or when clapping is involved, but just generally sounds holographic. I guess I'm kinda hooked on that sort of holographic feeling by now.

If I have the chance to compare it to some of the luxury devices detailed here in HeadFi I would jump at the chance; for now though, I can only compare it to my telephones, but they are used as a musical playing devices as last resort when expecting a phone call.

The difference in sound quality would not seem striking to most people, and perhaps too lacking in visual interface. I actually love the screen less simplicity factor.. It is not the least bit fancy, yet performs flawlessly with the sort of ease that signals a bump-less decade of performance. I use Tera daily as if it were mil-spec job related machinery and my only concern is that a disc might fail. It will never need upgrading, either. Ever............... .

Given most readers' understandable skepticism, I can only present that this is a completely unique approach to digital decoding which is generally unavailable in portable form. Were I in the market for a home based system I might look for similarly designed decoders also. I believe everyone's chances are better auditioning equipment which is home stereo sized instead of portable. Even then, the equipment one might find using the older technology chip on which Tera is based is expensive and rare. How much one values that difference is brought to a crux right in the very existence of Tera.

Like cheese and wines, the differences are subtle... at least for the first hour or two. Most people,will find the latest cell phone far more interesting anyway. After all, all Tera does is play music!









.
 
Jun 30, 2014 at 5:26 AM Post #13 of 2,899
I'm pretty certain that the Tera `Light' is exactly the same player just with a different graphic, as Charles is renowned for his `quirky' marketing methods.
rolleyes.gif
 
 
Quote:
burtomr said:
   
Could be the same as the original just with a new hippie graphic, just the price has been "lightened". There's not many any(?) features in the original Tera to de-content into a 'Light" version...
wink.gif
Click to expand...

 
Jul 1, 2014 at 9:59 AM Post #14 of 2,899
I think you are right.  I think its a price cut!! lol.
 
BTW.  Have just bought a pair of NAD HP50s which are a very good match for the Tera.  Not huge amounts of detail (unlike good IEMs) - but the neutrality of the headphones matches the neutrality of the Tera very well... and it has more than enough bass when needed.  Am about to sell my Philips L2s and Beyerdynamic DT770s as a result of the HP50 / Tera match.
 
Ade
 
Jul 2, 2014 at 3:42 AM Post #15 of 2,899
apmusson said:
  I think you are right.  I think its a price cut!! lol.
 
BTW.  Have just bought a pair of NAD HP50s which are a very good match for the Tera.  Not huge amounts of detail (unlike good IEMs) - but the neutrality of the headphones matches the neutrality of the Tera very well... and it has more than enough bass when needed.  Am about to sell my Philips L2s and Beyerdynamic DT770s as a result of the HP50 / Tera match.
 
Ade
Click to expand...

Yes, the Tera is not about hugely excel in details but good enough to provide musical enjoyment.
 
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