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Ooooh!
I can't wait for Canjam UK and the opportunity to hear these.
I take it that the 2.7" version is 64G-no slot?
64 is still fairly roomy.
[wallet peeks above parapet]-DUCK YOU SUCKA!
The Official Echobox Explorer Thread
- Thread starter EchoboxAudio
- Start date
Ooooh!
I can't wait for Canjam UK and the opportunity to hear these.
I take it that the 2.7" version is 64G-no slot?
64 is still fairly roomy.
[wallet peeks above parapet]-DUCK YOU SUCKA!
Correct. The 2.7" will be a limited pre-release, at an ultra-affordable price point (possibly below $300 for Head-Fiers), with 64GB internal memory and no expandable storage.
The 3.5" expandable version will be our mass-production variant and will be a bit more expensive than our original target $350 USD price point, in the range of $400-450USD / 250-300GBP to accommodate the larger screen and updated circuitry. We will have a few Head-Fi sample and loaner units, and potentially a special Head-Fi-only launch code for early adopters.
SeEnCreaTive
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Cannot wait!!
What's the battery life like on each unit? Is there much difference?
What's the battery life like on each unit? Is there much difference?
I haven't used the 3.5 unit extensively yet, but the battery is the same size. It won't affect the standby or screen-off playback battery life, which should be the most important figure for a DAP. I imagine screen-on time will be affected somewhat, but not substantially.
MarkGL
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I cannot wait for this. I love having the option of both streaming and storage space for my own collection.
When roughly will this be available in the UK?
When roughly will this be available in the UK?
UK will actually be one of our first markets, if not the first! I can't promise a launch date until we've worked out the last couple kinks with the UI and mass production is in full swing, but the way things are looking right now, I'm guessing October/November.
Anyone out there who got a chance to visit our booth? I know I saw Q Mass ^_^ Would love to hear feedback from anyone who dropped by!
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Dammit!
I keep coming on to post, but it's proving impossible while I'm still staying here in London, too much going on:mad:
As soon as I'm back home 'north of the wall' in a day or two I'll be able to devote more than these few seconds, and make some proper comments ASAP.
I have enough time now however to say that I really liked the Explorer!
Walnut for the win!
I keep coming on to post, but it's proving impossible while I'm still staying here in London, too much going on:mad:
As soon as I'm back home 'north of the wall' in a day or two I'll be able to devote more than these few seconds, and make some proper comments ASAP.
I have enough time now however to say that I really liked the Explorer!
Walnut for the win!
Yeah the walnut is very sophisticated. Personally my favorites are mahogany and cherry.
Unfortunately due to cost issues, we may be forced to pare down to 2 options. Our funding is running low due to the long R&D process :\ We may even be forced to do Kickstarter...we want it to be perfect but damn is it taking longer than we ever thought...mobile devices are tricky as hell x_x
Unfortunately due to cost issues, we may be forced to pare down to 2 options. Our funding is running low due to the long R&D process :\ We may even be forced to do Kickstarter...we want it to be perfect but damn is it taking longer than we ever thought...mobile devices are tricky as hell x_x
SeEnCreaTive
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Heh number 1 comment I get in my store "why are they so expensive?"
I always have to explain that some of these phones have more tech and are faster then their laptop, in a package that runs on a battery and fits in your hand. The amount of engineering is mind boggling.
So it's quite impressive when you see just a small start up company being able to design and make a high end mobile device.
That's too bad
Although more funding might make for a smoother more impressive launch. With more finish options (still excited to see kevlar 
) and ironed out bugs.
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Well if you guys do resort to a kickstarter I will certainly consider backing you, I was very impressed with the Explorer
The walnut and mahogany are my favourites, but I wouldn't kick the cherry out of bed either!
I'm not so sure about the pale wood one though, wasn't to my tastes at all.
It was great to finally get a listen to both the DAP and IEM's at CanJam UK, and although it was my first audio show, it won't be my last for sure.
The Explorer came across as detailed and very full.
With my CIEMS (reshelled TF10's with added dynamic drivers) there was loads of room to spare on the volume knob.
BTW your colleague (sorry forgot his name) was saying that the one I was playing with had detents that would be easier to turn on the production models, and allowed me to try another volume knob that was easier to turn as he described.
To be honest the stiffer one wouldn't bother me one bit as it was easy enough, but would give extra security against accidental adjustment in the pocket, it felt nice and solid.
Either is good though IMO.
I did really like the feel of the detents though, my only concern being that there seemed to be a limited number of steps to the volume adjustment, I would personally prefer more, finer steps (not on the knob itself, I mean that I'd like to turn the knob through more detents to make smaller changes to the the software volume, in short - finer control without changing the feel of the knob)
The overall build quality was high, and the interface was nicely familiar from the android phones I've owned.
I'd have liked to try Tidal and Spotify apps too, and intended to return the second day to ask about them, but ran out of time!
I also really liked the simplicity of the physical controls too, it all came together intuitively, the play/pause button on top of the volume 'cap' was particularly nice and helps to maintain the minimalist physical layout.
The small overall size was a pleasant surprise and the unit did feel very good in hand.
Even the small screen was adequate IMO, I could read it just fine (unlike the other excellent sounding DAP which I tried the Questyle, jesus even with my glasses on that thing was a real squintfest, dealbreaker for me I'm afraid, that's the trouble with allowing the control wheel to take up so much real-estate) and I was pleasantly surprised to find what appeared to be an optical out on top of the unit (not that I'd be likely to use this much myself, but it might come in useful sometimes.
Another question I failed to ask was - does the explorer do usb otg out to external DAC's?, this would be more useful to me, but again it's not essential for my use.
The HD600's (?) that were plugged into the Explorer sounded great even if the noisy environment meant that I had to push the volume to within one or two clicks of max to really get a feel for how well it would push bass through full size can's (again these sounded great, top to bottom, but I must point out that this was the first time I'd heard these cans).
I wish I'd got a chance to hear my 'show favourite' full size cans (Ether C) via the explorer!, I know they're in a different price bracket, but I bet they'd have sounded phenomenal together.
Still, the Explorer sounded great through my CIEMS, and that's where I'd expect a lot of Echobox customers to expect highest performance.
I really was delighted with the bass performance, in extension, impact and 'grip'.
I'm a borderline basshead but tightly controlled bass matters as much to me as sheer POWA, and the lower end was VERY satisfactory.
Mids always sound a tiny bit shy through my CIEMS even if they are nice and clear, and the Explorer didn't push them any further forward, but that's a limitation of the TF10's, rather than any criticism of the DAP.
Mids were however everything you'd hope for the proposed price bracket, then some.
Highs are the spectrum that can cause me discomfort if they're sibilant or harsh (I'm quite sensitive to this).
Don't get me wrong, they're not something I can do without (if you see what I mean), as clarity here can make or break any device.
Thankfully sibilance wasn't an issue, and clarity and extension seemed every bit as good as the rest of the spectrum.
Overall I'd be delighted to own a device that sounded this good.
It seemed a decent sonic step up from my current set-up (Xperia phone>iBasso D-Zero MKII), and a HUGE leap in convenience (I've discovered that I can't be bothered with stacks).
It was great to meet you guys (however briefly) and I was glad to see that your table was so well attended (even if that did limit my listening
), and I liked that Noble had an explorer prominently displayed amongst their gorgeous CIEMS, a perfect stylistic combo' IMO).
A streaming DAP, pocketable with generous storage, great looks, and sound like this is right up my street, so I await further news with great interest!
The walnut and mahogany are my favourites, but I wouldn't kick the cherry out of bed either!
I'm not so sure about the pale wood one though, wasn't to my tastes at all.
It was great to finally get a listen to both the DAP and IEM's at CanJam UK, and although it was my first audio show, it won't be my last for sure.
The Explorer came across as detailed and very full.
With my CIEMS (reshelled TF10's with added dynamic drivers) there was loads of room to spare on the volume knob.
BTW your colleague (sorry forgot his name) was saying that the one I was playing with had detents that would be easier to turn on the production models, and allowed me to try another volume knob that was easier to turn as he described.
To be honest the stiffer one wouldn't bother me one bit as it was easy enough, but would give extra security against accidental adjustment in the pocket, it felt nice and solid.
Either is good though IMO.
I did really like the feel of the detents though, my only concern being that there seemed to be a limited number of steps to the volume adjustment, I would personally prefer more, finer steps (not on the knob itself, I mean that I'd like to turn the knob through more detents to make smaller changes to the the software volume, in short - finer control without changing the feel of the knob)
The overall build quality was high, and the interface was nicely familiar from the android phones I've owned.
I'd have liked to try Tidal and Spotify apps too, and intended to return the second day to ask about them, but ran out of time!
I also really liked the simplicity of the physical controls too, it all came together intuitively, the play/pause button on top of the volume 'cap' was particularly nice and helps to maintain the minimalist physical layout.
The small overall size was a pleasant surprise and the unit did feel very good in hand.
Even the small screen was adequate IMO, I could read it just fine (unlike the other excellent sounding DAP which I tried the Questyle, jesus even with my glasses on that thing was a real squintfest, dealbreaker for me I'm afraid, that's the trouble with allowing the control wheel to take up so much real-estate) and I was pleasantly surprised to find what appeared to be an optical out on top of the unit (not that I'd be likely to use this much myself, but it might come in useful sometimes.
Another question I failed to ask was - does the explorer do usb otg out to external DAC's?, this would be more useful to me, but again it's not essential for my use.
The HD600's (?) that were plugged into the Explorer sounded great even if the noisy environment meant that I had to push the volume to within one or two clicks of max to really get a feel for how well it would push bass through full size can's (again these sounded great, top to bottom, but I must point out that this was the first time I'd heard these cans).
I wish I'd got a chance to hear my 'show favourite' full size cans (Ether C) via the explorer!, I know they're in a different price bracket, but I bet they'd have sounded phenomenal together.
Still, the Explorer sounded great through my CIEMS, and that's where I'd expect a lot of Echobox customers to expect highest performance.
I really was delighted with the bass performance, in extension, impact and 'grip'.
I'm a borderline basshead but tightly controlled bass matters as much to me as sheer POWA, and the lower end was VERY satisfactory.
Mids always sound a tiny bit shy through my CIEMS even if they are nice and clear, and the Explorer didn't push them any further forward, but that's a limitation of the TF10's, rather than any criticism of the DAP.
Mids were however everything you'd hope for the proposed price bracket, then some.
Highs are the spectrum that can cause me discomfort if they're sibilant or harsh (I'm quite sensitive to this).
Don't get me wrong, they're not something I can do without (if you see what I mean), as clarity here can make or break any device.
Thankfully sibilance wasn't an issue, and clarity and extension seemed every bit as good as the rest of the spectrum.
Overall I'd be delighted to own a device that sounded this good.
It seemed a decent sonic step up from my current set-up (Xperia phone>iBasso D-Zero MKII), and a HUGE leap in convenience (I've discovered that I can't be bothered with stacks).
It was great to meet you guys (however briefly) and I was glad to see that your table was so well attended (even if that did limit my listening
A streaming DAP, pocketable with generous storage, great looks, and sound like this is right up my street, so I await further news with great interest!
Woooo PCMag covered us!
mobile.pcmag.com/news/59627-tidals-ipod-hands-on-with-echoboxs-flask-shaped-explorer-x1?origref=https:%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
mobile.pcmag.com/news/59627-tidals-ipod-hands-on-with-echoboxs-flask-shaped-explorer-x1?origref=https:%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
Any German Head-Fiers should totally come check us out at IFA - show ends on Wedneday!
csimon
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Ah, this device looks like it's aimed at selling Tidal. Now the initial resistance to expandable storage and inexplicable talking-up of streaming as though it's the future of music makes sense!
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