The Official Echobox Explorer Thread

[avitron142]

@gilly

The feature specs is pretty damn good.

Personally, I like my portables as compact as possible, I use a Shozy Alien, and it basically disappears in my pocket.

From a design perspective, I don't mind the flask shape, I just think my issue, and maybe I'm being super picky, but the gloss screen, and the leather don't integrate together, the screen looks stuck on, and not integrated smoothly into the device. The square shape of the screen doesn't help either.

It's going gloss, to matt.

How is the shozy to your ears? I have one coming to me tomorrow, but is it really as good as people say?

 

[migasson]

How is the shozy to your ears? I have one coming to me tomorrow, but is it really as good as people say?

It's amazing! Though I don't want to be stomping on the OP's thread. PM me

 

[Gilly87]

They're super tiny! I haven't seen the K323 XS, but based on the pictures, I think it's a similar size. The shape is different, though, so it's hard to know for sure.
 
Suffice to say they disappear completely in larger ears, and are barely visible in most.
 
Quote:

  Personally more interested in the IEM's, are they as small as the AKG K323 XS or does it just look that way?

 

[Kreylix]

I think the hipflask design is great. If a second version was made, a steampunk-themed one would be cool if done well.

 

[DaddyMojo]

I probably would get a promotion if I drank at work or even had the appearance that I did.  But I do not see that as an issue, overall, as I manage a team of five and in rare moments am I able to listen to music and normally I do so through a bluetooth speaker as the day is winding down.  Besides, I like a little quirkiness every now and again.
 
I think the product looks interesting and my son and I were talking about adding a digital music player to our collection, so I will be interested to get opinions from head-fiers that give it a try.

 

[Gilly87]

Thanks! We've had a lot of positive feedback on the design here at the show; it's good to see some Head-Fiers showing interest
 
As mentioned, we're still pre-production, so part of the goal here is to source ideas for the product from Head-Fiers. We know that most feature requests we've fielded so far are certainly plausible, and if there is enough interest in features that we don't have yet, we may hold off production for a month or two until we can implement these new features. We're currently looking into the feasibility of options like USB OTG and micro SD card slot(s) as ways to expand the storage. Keep in mind that it's an Android device, so you can always use Spotify, Google Music, and hifi streaming services like TIDAL and Quboz to access lossless music on the go.
 
I'm really glad you're interested! Keep watching the thread, hopefully we'll have good news for you soon on the capacity front
 
Quote:

  I have to say I really like the form factor of this. It makes me smile. 
 
My issue with it is that, as a portable device its streaming capabilities are limited to either work, where I generally can't get away with listening to music, and home where I have better gear already.
 
That leaves it as a relatively small capacity DAP in a very fun package.
 
Still, nice job on the industrial design.

 

[scansp7]

Great idea!

 

[Savant]

 
PS: The flask design is.... not to "my" liking. I hope I am mistaken in thinking that the flask design is what you were referring to, when you mentioned "discretion". 

 

 
I for one quite enjoy the design, it is refreshingly different. I second the desire by others for Expandable Memory, preferably in the form of Standard SD. Much bigger capacities and relatively lower costs.

 

[Uberclocked]

EDIT: YES!!!
P10x tell me you're able to use this thing as a USB DAC.
P10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10xp10x
And that you're actually able fill this up with alcohol.
If so, I won't even care about sq.

 

[Savant]

Here's my question: why can't it be novel AND an audiophile grade DAP? Are you telling me the HD800s don't look novel? Come on...it looks like some kind of crazy futuristic thing left by aliens in the middle of Stonehenge on NYE Y2K! And it's amazing!

Agreed on the HD800. It looks utterly Alien. But contrarily to you, I don't think it looks awesome at all. In fact, I find it quite awful! 

 

[Bansaku]

  Also (four), this announcement doesn't especially highlight what is perhaps my favorite feature: it can connect to another device like a computer or iPad via WiFi or DLNA/Airplay, to act as a DAC/AMP combo instead of a standalone DAP. To my knowledge there is no other player on the market that has this feature.
 
 

 
SOLD!!!
 
Edit: Include straps/clips that can hold the iDevice (or smartphone) to the back of the flask. 

 

 

 

[kryten123]

I think the hipflask design is great. If a second version was made, a steampunk-themed one would be cool if done well.

I like the steampunk idea !

 

[Hifihedgehog]

  One suggestion: crossfeed. There aren't enough players with crossfeed in stock configuration. And the Rockbox project has slowed to a crawl which means getting crossfeed in future DAPs is likely impossible unless they're Android-based.

Not to annoy and needlessly repeat, but I would love a DAP with crossfeed. This is one reason I never bought a Colorfly or FiiO dap, but I would buy the echobox in a heartbeat if it had it. I love headphones so much, but one curious thing I've found is I find headphone listening slightly annoying without crossfeed. I realize it would take some time baking it into the firmware, but it is doable because the resources are out there for taking. The source code for the Meier audio crossfeed is on the Rockbox forum and the source code for the Bauer crossfeed is also publicly available. For the second one, you would likely would have to investigate licensing. Please, be the first to have a digital crossfeed in an audio interface and DAP combo system!

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Yeah, the screen times out by default; it's a full-featured Android-based OS, though, so if you've got it plugged in and you're worried, you can set the screen to stay on for "about 25 days" 

 It's Android? I didn't notice that fact. I thought it wasn't. So Neutron would work, I take it, then, right?

 

[Gilly87]

Believe it or not I brought up the exact same idea with our marketing and social media specialist two days ago! I think we'd have to keep it understated so as not to alienate our broader customer base, but I love steampunk aesthetics as a concept and I think with the right amount of tempering, it could make for a design that's both unique and universally attractive. The fusion of futurism and primitivism is a concept I've always been really interested in; nature meets machine, if you will. We're definitely playing with this idea, and while it will likely have to wait for a future generation of the Explorer to see the light of day, I think you're looking in the same direction we are!

I think the hipflask design is great. If a second version was made, a steampunk-themed one would be cool if done well.

I like the steampunk idea !