[shigzeo]

No, not at all. My Sony 828 which costs more hisses, but not as much. The Sony X which here costs 400$ for 16GB also hisses way more than I would use for inner ear monitors of any flavour.

Hiss is still coming out in recent circuits, but is mostly forgotten because other companies: Cowon, Meizu, for instance, reduced their hiss. Microsoft and Apple's is almost non-existent in the current map of players.

If you use CD players or MD players, coming to a current Sony or HiSound is really, really hard because they hiss so much even with semi-sensitive earphones.

I agree with DFKT on this point: the AMP3 Pro (mine is 2) is the hissiest player I've heard and its a shame because otherwise, it performs pretty typically: Cowon ain't any better (in terms of driving earphones), that's for sure. But it offers great enhancements to help bury its poor low Ω earphone performance.

HiSound need to do off-site testing with people like DFKT as a touchstone for hard-to-please buyers. If they get a scathing review, they need to take it to heart. Until now, I was probably the hardest to please (that I know of), but I enjoyed other aspects quite a lot.

Reducing the problems to the level of the market is important if you are going to use the word: 'audiophile' and 'professional' in your product.

I like the idea of the AMP3, but feel it was a beta product and to some extent, unfair to the market. HiSound have spent more time with their next batch which I will be getting from a local to test.

 

[saintalfonzo]

I always thought the amp3 seemed kind of suspect, and I'm not really surprised the sq matches the aesthetics.

 

[stingx]

It really sucks that there are so many posts gushing over it. I can only image how much they drummed up in sales due to the buzz here. In all fairness, it's not just with their product either. So many posts about how this crushes that and how that crushes this. I think the number one rule here is take most of what you read with a grain of salt...

 

[fuzhenyun]

hi, DFKT, I am pity on you, Could you tell us what did Hisoundaudio displease you?

 

[shigzeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stingx /img/forum/go_quote.gif It really sucks that there are so many posts gushing over it. I can only image how much they drummed up in sales due to the buzz here. In all fairness, it's not just with their product either. So many posts about how this crushes that and how that crushes this. I think the number one rule here is take most of what you read with a grain of salt...

And even doing so, you may want to pepper in good, common sense.

 

[rymd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stingx /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think the number one rule here is take most of what you read with a grain of salt...

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfkt /img/forum/go_quote.gif Too bad it actually sounds worse than your average decent brand player. I've tested it against the Sansa Clip and the Cowon S9, volume-matched to within 0.5dB - and both sound better than the AMP3, no matter what phones.

Dunno about this. My AMP3 sounded significantly better than my Clip.

 

[ulsanman]

I have added my grain of salt to your review, as advised !! I love the AMP3 , always have never had a hiss problem and thought it was excellent for the music I enjoy, acoustic.

 

[shigzeo]

^^ indeed - I think people are forgetting that music comes down to preference. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so much bashing of one product or another. DFKT showed that the AMP3 doesn't have exemplary performance against 16 bit benchmarks, but that doesn't mean it sounds bad - on the contrary, I think it sounds good. It would be much better if it didn't hiss though. And if it could drive portable earphones better, it would be even better. It sounds great feeding an amp and that is my benchmark for its output, but it isn't good enough for low Ω earphones - not yet.

 

[Jupiterknight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^ indeed - I think people are forgetting that music comes down to preference. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so much bashing of one product or another. DFKT showed that the AMP3 doesn't have exemplary performance against 16 bit benchmarks, but that doesn't mean it sounds bad - on the contrary, I think it sounds good. It would be much better if it didn't hiss though. And if it could drive portable earphones better, it would be even better. It sounds great feeding an amp and that is my benchmark for its output, but it isn't good enough for low Ω earphones - not yet.

I couldn't agree more....


The HiSoundAudio AMP3 PRO1 "Audiophile" MP3 Player: A Pathetic Piece of Garbage: "Quatsch"

 

[newfier]

Thanks for the timely review before the eve of the launching of STUDIO and ROCOO.It is the great method to use a previous model which has been stop selling since last August to predict the problems of the up coming products.

 

[yo43]

As an Amp3 owner who enjopys the SQ with several of my phones, it seems the reviewer believes the Amp3 is garbage. Well, I guess it's about how I feel about the review. Garbage. Interesting how most of those thanking the reviewer for his "truth telling" don't own or have never heard the Amp3.

I was so upset with that "review" I stopped lurking and joined HF. But if that review is any indication of what's the norm, it's pretty sad.

I bought the Amp3 based on the thread, and I knew there were issues, but when I hook it up to certain of my fullsize cans and even some of my IEMs, it sounds fantastic. I could care less what the "truth" might be according to someone who uses some lame graphs to prove his point.

You can go on Headroom and use their graph generator to prove Skullcandys sound better than the IE8.

This review is a slap in the face of anyone who owns the Amp3 and hears it for what it is, a flawed DAP/Amp that can deliver excellent SQ. I have been researching Mr. dfkt, and it seems he has no problem touting the Phonak PFEs (why he even seems to have visited the home office). Yet, there are those who call the PFEs an overrated piece of junk. I guess all's fair when it comes to opinion, but it's got nothing to do with telling any absolute truth.

 

[7swell]

A few months ago I couldn't decide between the amp3 pro1 and the sony s639. After reading this I am glad I went with the walkman. Thanks for the review.

 

[yo43]

The Amp3 is not the same type of player as a Sony DAP. Choosing between one or the other makes little sense. Even those who own the Amp3 would say choosing the Sony makes more sense if it is going to be your only DAP. If that was your decision, then you didn't do your homework.

 

[7swell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo43 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Amp3 is not the same type of player as a Sony DAP. Choosing between one or the other makes little sense. Even those who own the Amp3 would say choosing the Sony makes more sense if it is going to be your only DAP. If that was your decision, then you didn't do your homework.

And what makes you think the sony is my only dap? Also, please elaborate on how choosing between one or the other makes little sense.

 

[shigzeo]

I think there are better ways to explain it: the Sony is smaller and for practical reasons: much less hiss and a funner frequency response, it is better for on the go use. The AMP3 has the advantage of housing an internal 100% volume matched L/R headphone amp circuit which goes all the way to 0.

I won't comment in its quality as that is silly to get into now, but if all you want is a portable, the Sony seems to be a better decision. If you are looking for a do-it-all DAP/amp, then the AMP3 might be better. But, as it has been discontinued, I think we can call this argument moot.

HiSound hopefully fixed the errors of the AMP - if they did then we shouldn't be arguing which is better: Sony or AMP3; the question might be better put: which is better, the Rocoo or the Sony?