[vrapan]

   
my last contribution here for a while....
 
1. There's still quite a few countries around where you pay for your internet and an allowance of 500gb is very common
2 As I said earlier, coverage of streaming services out of the US of A isn't that substantial yet.
 
Good luck with the device!

500GB would be immense for music streaming, I am assuming you mean 500MB. I live in the UK, most allowances are not very high ( a few GB) but we do have unlimited plans. However I do not see the streaming over 3G/4G as the main use for it. When you are out and about you can to listen to any music you have set for the service to download to your device for offline listening. The streaming comes on its own when you are on WiFi. On my Phone very rarely I use streaming when outside of WiFi, and I do not see how this would change with something like the Echobox.

 

[Gilly87]

I dunno, I do a lot of streaming on the go; T-Mobile doesn't count streaming music towards my data plan so I go for the gold ^_^

Also I get 5GB of hotspot usage on my phone for only a few bucks a month, so I've been using that to feed the explorer ^_^

500GB would be immense for music streaming, I am assuming you mean 500MB. I live in the UK, most allowances are not very high ( a few GB) but we do have unlimited plans. However I do not see the streaming over 3G/4G as the main use for it. When you are out and about you can to listen to any music you have set for the service to download to your device for offline listening. The streaming comes on its own when you are on WiFi. On my Phone very rarely I use streaming when outside of WiFi, and I do not see how this would change with something like the Echobox.

 

[waynes world]

 
wow.....its looking like theres not a lot reasons to not buy it....  also when you think of streaming...wifi = streaming................................not to mention, most phones have this really cool feature....thats called...a hotspot...and it allows us to turn our (unlimited data) into unlimited wifi for our devices....in 5 seconds WOW. so my music..anywhere i go. 

 
You have a cell phone data plan with unlimited data? I don't think you can get that here in Canada without paying up the ying yang for it (anyone, please correct me if I am wrong). My cell phone data plan includes 6GB of data, and streaming music gobbles that up pretty quickly (and if I go over, it costs me dearly).

 

[Datstrayan]

@waynes world - dont know if you heard of this company but you should check out wind mobile. Unlim data,text, and talk for $60 a month

Honestly the data allowances and plans are increasing daily. Look at the blu phones that are unlocked for world wide use with 4g data (announced at ces) also you have data companies such as t-mobile innovating to make data plans better. I have the same plan btw. 5g hotspot ftw!. Eventually all carriers will catch up so dont fret so much. Data is the future, you can be sure as hell that coverage companies are going to improve data. I mean just last week t-mobile released a new plan called data-safe. Its quite litteraly roll over data. Just my .02 cents but my point is that eventually everyone will have these data features(very soon if reports are accurate)

 

[waynes world]

Honestly the data allowances and plans are increasing daily. Look at the blu phones that are unlocked for world wide use with 4g data (announced at ces) also you have data companies such as t-mobile innovating to make data plans better. I have the same plan btw. 5g hotspot ftw!. Eventually all carriers will catch up so dont fret so much. Data is the future, you can be sure as hell that coverage companies are going to improve data. I mean just last week t-mobile released a new plan called data-safe. Its quite litteraly roll over data. Just my .02 cents but my point is that eventually everyone will have these data features(very soon if reports are accurate)

 
I wasn't fretting. I was just curious about your "unlimited" data plan which turns out to only be 5GB (which would probably be gobbled up in a day or two of hi res audio streaming).
 
Unfortunately, I don't share your optimism about how soon truly unlimited cell phone data plans here in Canada will be affordable.
 
At any rate, I have access to wifi much of the time, so I am still very interested in a high audio quality streaming device like Explorer regardless of my cell phone data plan.

 

[Datstrayan]

Well just something i found online guys. Just check if out if it interest you but this is pretty sweet

 

[warrior1975]

They do lots of trick marketing with data plans, a ton of people have unlimited data, but limited high-speed. Once you use you high speed allowance, you get downgraded to traditional "g" speeds which is usually unlimited,but failed useless.

 

[Gilly87]

Their unlimited 4G data plan with 2GB hotspot is only $30 per month; 2GB is $10. So $20 extra and you have unlimited 4G plus hotspot.

Also streaming doesn't count towards your data plan

They do lots of trick marketing with data plans, a ton of people have unlimited data, but limited high-speed. Once you use you high speed allowance, you get downgraded to traditional "g" speeds which is usually unlimited,but failed useless.

 

[Datstrayan]

deleted - question was already answered above

 

[SeEnCreaTive]

Their unlimited 4G data plan with 2GB hotspot is only $30 per month; 2GB is $10. So $20 extra and you have unlimited 4G plus hotspot.

Also streaming doesn't count towards your data plan

In the US, but if this is a global product you need to take into account not everyone will be able to stream. Here in Canada we have some of the most exspencive phone plans and phones in the world. ( I sell cell phones for a living) if you want 1gb of data, that's going to run you $85 (depending on what phone you want on a 2 year tern)m)

Now normally we could suggest a different player, but the Explorer is shaping up to be the best period, not just "a player for streaming in today's connected world". So people that can't stream (there is always WiFi though) will want more space. Which is good you guys are working on it but I just mean it shouldnt nessesarly be past off as " it was designed for streaming, we could get away with 64gigs"

 

[wijnands]

In the US, but if this is a global product you need to take into account not everyone will be able to stream. Here in Canada we have some of the most exspencive phone plans and phones in the world. ( I sell cell phones for a living) if you want 1gb of data, that's going to run you $85 (depending on what phone you want on a 2 year tern)m)

That's what I tried to point out but I'm running into the usual problem with that. Somehow it's always people from certain countries that have a serious challenge trying to imagine that things are different in other countries. At times it even seems like they need reminding there's a world outside their own country.

 

[Gilly87]

Not at all! This is part of why we're doing the research to implement the expandable storage! We know not everyone wants to pay for more streaming, whether that be a subscription or the data. That's why expandable memory is our priority in R&D right now, as stated several times ^_^

I just think its good that people know what options are out there; it's definitely unfortunate not everyone can have them, but I personally see the mobile broadband market getting a lot more competitive, and cable companies sh***ing their pants at the stuff that Google, and now Elon Musk (anyone else hear his recent announcement? Dude is going to change things *everywhere* if he's pouring money into planet-wide wireless internet...), are planning.

The fire is lit; now we just have to wait for big data's lazy, calloused ass to start losing some fat and feeling the heat!!!

That's what I tried to point out but I'm running into the usual problem with that. Somehow it's always people from certain countries that have a serious challenge trying to imagine that things are different in other countries. At times it even seems like they need reminding there's a world outside their own country.

In the US, but if this is a global product you need to take into account not everyone will be able to stream. Here in Canada we have some of the most exspencive phone plans and phones in the world. ( I sell cell phones for a living) if you want 1gb of data, that's going to run you $85 (depending on what phone you want on a 2 year tern)m)



Now normally we could suggest a different player, but the Explorer is shaping up to be the best period, not just "a player for streaming in today's connected world". So people that can't stream (there is always WiFi though) will want more space. Which is good you guys are working on it

but I just mean it shouldnt nessesarly be past off as " it was designed for streaming, we could get away with 64gigs"

 

 

[SeEnCreaTive]

Not at all! This is part of why we're doing the research to implement the expandable storage! We know not everyone wants to pay for more streaming, whether that be a subscription or the data. That's why expandable memory is our priority in R&D right now, as stated several times ^_^

I just think its good that people know what options are out there; it's definitely unfortunate not everyone can have them, but I personally see the mobile broadband market getting a lot more competitive, and cable companies sh***ing their pants at the stuff that Google, and now Elon Musk (anyone else hear his recent announcement? Dude is going to change things *everywhere* if he's pouring money into planet-wide wireless internet...), are planning.

The fire is lit; now we just have to wait for big data's lazy, calloused ass to start losing some fat and feeling the heat!!!

Haha that's why I said I'm glad you guys are working on storage

But I agree, most of the time there's no reason to charge what some companies do. Doesnt cost them any more if you use 2 gigs vs 250 mb. My girlie pays $45 in the US for unlimited everything. Here (at least the carrier I work for) the most we can offer is 15gigs for $105 that is not including the phone plan you need to attach it to.
(Heh I get a company line, I can't complain too loudly)
But look at texting, use to be an exspencive add on, and now you can't get a plan at all without unlimited text. Let's hope someday data will go that route

 

[Uberclocked]

  [snip]
Question #1 (most frequently asked)
"Will there be expandable memory?" 
 
A - Why? i don't really see the point of expandable storage.... i mean i do in the sense of storing high res music, 88.2khz, or 192khz (for those that can hear it, not saying you can't, just saying many of you can't, science proves it. there are however some people that can, only cause they grew up with high fidelity since birth...and i mean like they were born during the middle of an audiophile meetup. if this is true...you looking at 88.2khz vs lossless/flac/1411 kbp vs 320 kbps vs 128 kbps. (look i understand that some people have really tuned ears "golden ears" as they're called but trust me when i say, that the differences between upscaled flac and flac are slight...so slight that only studio's recording them care...and even then, many don't. 44.1 kHz is pretty much the limit that most ears and when i say ears i mean audiophile ears can hear. so when you tell...hey i have 500 to 1000 carefully selected 88.2 kHz tracks that i have to listen with my super high end home-only rig.
 
..my reply is ....... good for you *pat on the head* you have fun doing that, in the meantime ill enjoy my 25 million (and steadily increasing) high quality 1411 kbps songs that i can enjoy from anywhere i am, regardless of place, time, or event.(again i understand that we all have preferences but honestly..... 88.2 khz vs 44.1 kHz....is scientifically proven to be not noticable...and while i may be insane to buy enough headphones to sell for mortgage payments....im not so open to ignore obvious facts that have more data behind them than IBM cloud servers.
 
Well, let's say that you don't have access to good mobile data plans.  You can't just use it at home for streaming, as it's intended as a mobile device, and only going to places that have public internet connections isn't going to work.  Having your entire (or at least partial) music library on the go is going to be fun.  Also, hot swap SD cards!
88.2 KHz???  Naw man, that's pleb tier.  It's all about that DSD512 now.
 
 
Question #2 (second most frequently asked - kind of dying down a little bit, thank god.)
"Why the flask design....thats so...novelty?"
 
A - Since when are audiophiles guests on project runaway?all joking aside....the flask design?? Stupendous! is what i say. So what if people see using something that looks like a flask? i obviously have headphones and and touchscreen attached to it...(otherwise I'm using the worlds craziest touchscreen gesture beerhat). and if they do believe its a flask...then clearly they shouldn't breed and thats just natures way of telling us to avoid them. In all honesty though...i love the design on the EchoBox...its clean..its modern..and its totally a conversation starter (be it good or bad). I can't wait to get my hand's on these...walk into my professor's class pull them out plug in my headphones and pretend to take a swig of whiskey in front of his face... then when he comes to see me ill be like "whats up proff? these? oh, they're just these new fangled alcohol testers, that allow you measure your alcohol content and also play music"...how wasted am i? i don't know lemme check....it says 0.15....here you try...."oh snap...proff your at 0.50 intoxicated....what did you do last night...." ill prob use them to play tricks on my friends and mom and girl and everyone else...god I'm going insane thinking about all the ways i can mess with people with these bad boys/girls (got to be politically correct you know)
 

 
Question #3
"Why buy them at all....?"
 
A - lets go down a quick list. assuming everything is up to snuff your looking at SQ that is mind-blowing for a portable device that can drive full studio monitors , can fit in your pocket. is under 500, has high res screen and awesome design (thats quite the conversation starter...my swiss army knife can attest to that) brings full android capabilities...meaning using players like neutron and crossfader support not to mention it has native support for high res music and it can STREAM HIGH RES MUSIC. i hope you understand that no matter how many songs you have right now, your not even close to scratching 25 million songs. (i used TIDAL btw and there isn't a song or artist i haven't found yet). also the DLNA feature i mean COME ON!!! THATS CRAZYYYYY. you mean i can retrieve music from a wifi enabled device....like i don't know....my older dap or maybe my NDA setup at home o;!!!?...with its high res 88.2 kHz files !!!! 

 
 
wow.....its looking like theres not a lot reasons to not buy it....  also when you think of streaming...wifi = streaming................................not to mention, most phones have this really cool feature....thats called...a hotspot...and it allows us to turn our (unlimited data) into unlimited wifi for our devices....in 5 seconds WOW. so my music..anywhere i go. with the ability to drive studio monitor headphones in a lightweight easy to put in my pocket device that has a... touchscreen...android....dlna....airplay....and a super high quality dac and amp........hmm....well...better be.....GRYFFYNDOR!!!(in all honesty though i don't see many problems with this amazing beautiful flask... i love the design, the features are smart and innovative(in a market thats stale and weak) look at the past 20 amps+dac's.under 500...streaming...nope....dlna...nope.......Hi-Fi DAC+AMP....maybe....android....hahahaha...nope...high res screen......hahahaha nope....in this regard this product is what i believe to be a solid winner in all aspects and i really hope to hear more about it at the CANJAM (too bad i can't fly there if not i would personally do a 2 hour video review of everything about them)
 
Is there Bearforce1?  Or Tuvan throat singing?  Or the Shuriken Sentai Ninninger OST?  Thing is, Tidal won't have everything I want to listen to, and that's where the music I pirated purchased comes in to fill the gaps.
 
[snip]

 

[Gilly87]

DSD...meh...We support up to 192, but I really feel like 24/96 is as good as I need, personally (especially on the go), and I know DSD files are usually like three times the size of 24/96k FLAC files. Personally I'd rather have 3x the music ^_^ Some day when we have 512 PB mini-SS flash cards, and I can find anything I want in DSD without paying an arm and a leg for it, I'll switch over, but until then it falls in the category of "Schiit I don't want to wring out my brains or wallet caring about"
 
The favorite track among audio buffs who stopped at our booth @ CES was Money in 24/96k off a vinyl rip of DSotM, and we had plenty of stuff in 24/192k: John Coltrane, Eagles, Jethro Tull played by the London Symphony Orchestra, and plenty of other vinyl rips in 24/192. That about says it, in my opinion ^_^