[BrahmaBull9813]

I got the Cowon A3 portable media player about a year and a half ago. To accompany it, I bought the Sennheiser PX100 headphones.

I listen to only FLAC files which, for the most part, are ripped using Exact Audio Copy with the best possible reproduction. I also have a good amount of Vinyl (24-Bit Lossless) music, which even on this rig, really really amazes me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digression I used to use the iPod with those dreadful earbuds. I eventually learned about FLAC and the like so I upgraded to the PX100 headphones (mind you, I've run through about 3 pairs and I'm on my 4th -- the wire would always end up getting damaged and I'd lose audio through one ear). I installed Rockbox in my 80 GB iPod and, like an idiot, the Gameboy Emulator. One day, I plugged it into my computer and the player started to vibrate vigorously and the screen blanked out. It would not turn on again once it ran out of battery. With much research done, I bought this player.

I'm now very, VERY interested in buying a HiFiMan HM-801 player.

I'm a musician (who plays guitar and sings) who is devout to sound quality. However, I'm in medical school which doesn't allow me to settle down and listen to tunes, so when I saw a player like this which delivers the ultimate in sound quality and is dedicated to only audio playback, I decided that I have to get it.

If anyone can direct me to images, reviews, videos, and other things of the like which reveal the HiFiMan in an unbiased way I'd also appreciate it.

Enough digression though, what do you think of my audio rig?

 

[PiSkyHiFi]

I had a pair of PX-100s which I recently lost - I think they are some of the best value portable phones around, full sound spectrum, nice crisp trebles, feel the quake bass - just what you need for travelling. I called them my hat phones, since I could wear them comfortably extended over my hat, placing them nicely only my ears with no pressure. If its one thing that brings these down its the way the headband needs to be loosened for comfort.

My friend plans on buying the PX-100 II when they he can get his hands on them with the "only one side" cord instead of the 'Y' cord.

Looking for a good sounding portable source ? I just posted in the PK1 appreciation thread about the Teclast T51 - considering you are thinking of the HiFiMan, with the money you save, you can afford a decent portable amp to go with the T51.

The T51 in the PK1 appreciation thread

 

[BrahmaBull9813]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiSkyHiFi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had a pair of PX-100s which I recently lost - I think they are some of the best value portable phones around, full sound spectrum, nice crisp trebles, feel the quake bass - just what you need for travelling. I called them my hat phones, since I could wear them comfortably extended over my hat, placing them nicely only my ears with no pressure. If its one thing that brings these down its the way the headband needs to be loosened for comfort. My friend plans on buying the PX-100 II when they he can get his hands on them with the "only one side" cord instead of the 'Y' cord. Looking for a good sounding portable source ? I just posted in the PK1 appreciation thread about the Teclast T51 - considering you are thinking of the HiFiMan, with the money you save, you can afford a decent portable amp to go with the T51. The T51 in the PK1 appreciation thread

Teclast T51 PMP promises audiophile quality - SlashGear

Is this better than the HiFiMan HM-801?

The Sennheiser PX100-II looks really tempting to buy. However, it's not too much different than the ones I have right now and it's a whopping 62 bucks (back to the introductory price of the original). I can wait on that til another time.

However, the HFM HM-801 looks like pure temptation. I have to admit, what you showed me also looks nice, but it seems a lot like the Cowon A3, in that, it's not a genuine dedicated audio player. It does pack the same kind of punch though.

I'm tentative to buy this kind of player again, especially considering that the HM-801 seems to be everything I've ever wanted in a music player, and that's just it. All it does is play music, which makes it seem that much more powerful for its purpose.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrahmaBull9813 /img/forum/go_quote.gif the HM-801 seems to be everything I've ever wanted in a music player, and that's just it. All it does is play music, which makes it seem that much more powerful for its purpose.

I believe you have answered your own question - you are a PayPal transaction away from total nirvana. Do it.

 

[LingLing1337]

HM-801 and RE0. Do it. Now.

 

[BrahmaBull9813]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LingLing1337 /img/forum/go_quote.gif HM-801 and RE0. Do it. Now.

Thanks for the peer pressure guys.

It seemed like PiSkyHiFi was implying that the player/amp combination he suggested is better than the HiFiMan. I'm going for pure audio fidelity, which is why I was asking about whether it is or really isn't better than the HM-801.

What's 'RE0'? I'm only buying the player, considering I have the convincing power to get it done. Nevertheless, I have no idea what it is.

I'm from the US, but I'm studying medicine in India right now. I'm going back in February for about a month, which is when I anticipate that I'll purchase it.

I haven't really gotten much of an opinion. Does anyone have anything to say about the Mid-Fi rig I have setup?

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrahmaBull9813 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I haven't really gotten much of an opinion. Does anyone have anything to say about the Mid-Fi rig I have setup?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with what you have now, but you are clearly wanting more or you wouldn't have posted. Its called upgraditis and its the single most common disease on Head-Fi, alongside purchase remorse.

The RE0 are good VFM IEMs,. but they are not the be-all and end-all of detailed headphones that *some* here would have you believe : mine have sat unused for weeks because I'm not happy with the quality control - given that HiFiMan make both the RE0 and your dream player, this would be my sole concern. There is an extensive thread here on the HiFiMan : I can only suggest that you read through it. We might be flogging a dead horse, but you came here with a post that asked about the HiFiMan - having people suggest that you buy something you have expressed an interest in doesnt strike me as undue peer pressure ...

If you are really switched on, you will enjoy what you have and never return to Head-Fi. This is a hobby that can quickly consume obscene amounts of money, and upgraditis only gets worse the further you move up the chain from my experience.

 

[larryhudson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrahmaBull9813 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What's 'RE0'?

He's talking about the HiFiMan RE0 IEMs.

 

[BrahmaBull9813]

Quote:

Originally Posted by estreeter /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is absolutely nothing wrong with what you have now, but you are clearly wanting more or you wouldn't have posted. Its called upgraditis and its the single most common disease on Head-Fi, alongside purchase remorse. The RE0 are good VFM IEMs,. but they are not the be-all and end-all of detailed headphones that *some* here would have you believe : mine have sat unused for weeks because I'm not happy with the quality control - given that HiFiMan make both the RE0 and your dream player, this would be my sole concern. There is an extensive thread here on the HiFiMan : I can only suggest that you read through it. We might be flogging a dead horse, but you came here with a post that asked about the HiFiMan - having people suggest that you buy something you have expressed an interest in doesnt strike me as undue peer pressure ... If you are really switched on, you will enjoy what you have and never return to Head-Fi. This is a hobby that can quickly consume obscene amounts of money, and upgraditis only gets worse the further you move up the chain from my experience.

Thanks larry!

I was a bit confused at what your post entailed about the RE0, and then I clicked on the provided link. I've got to be honest when I say that I absolutely hate in-ear buds. I'm sure these sound amazing, but I speak for myself when I say that the Sennheiser PX100 made me realize that I was losing my hearing from the in-ear buds I was using. I haven't said the phrase 'What did you say???' in a long time outside of crowded places... or ever since I switched to over-the-ear headphones.

The 'Do It, and Do It. Now.' statements were of peer pressure origin and that's what the image referred too. That and it's a sick smiley face. And a joke.

I did intend to buy the player, but I just got done ranting about it in the appreciation thread for it. Its new price tag is too overbearing and what led to my ultimate decision not to bother with it at this point.

It is everything I've ever wanted, but of course, after reading about it I was insecure about my current audio rig. I was blown away by this rig a long time ago when I switched over from the iPod. Now they're not giving me the same listening pleasure.

I suppose I sort of succumbed to the inflammation of my upgrade (upgraditis). Heck, I had the impression that my audio rig was the best portable rig possible upon seeing those others had for a long time and hearing their nonsense setups. It wasn't until a few days ago that a student who was finished with this portion of his meducation was leaving and I discussed audio fidelity with him. I was shocked about all he knew, although I knew more about formats and source audio. He told me that he got all this knowledge from Head-Fi and he told me about the AMP3 and HiFiMan (saying that those would be the only two to possibly beat or contend with my setup because of the built-in amps).

I've got all my music ripped to the closest possible lossless reproduction or just 100% ripped correctly on this thing so it still delivers since source audio is always the most important, then the equipment. I was just curious to see how nice I could get it all to sound while carrying my music around with me (the point of music these days being to transport it and listen, starting with cassette until the point of CDs to the now flimsy, but popular MP3s).

Nevertheless, your logic did make a lot of sense and impressed me in the sense that I didn't look at it that way. I still want to know what other audiophiles think of my current setup. That's the best way for me to learn new things about high fidelity audio.

 

[PiSkyHiFi]

I had a look at the Cowon A3 just then - it does look like a similar player, but don't be fooled by the hype.

Why the Teclast T51 ? well, many audiophiles will tell you the S/N ratio does not reveal the feel of the sound quality, it is possible to have a high S/N ratio and have a very dry unattractive sound, but... it is a place to start - the Cowon A3 has audio specs similar to that of any other regular player/iPod around. The S/N ratio is less than 100dB - around 95 they claim which is entirely believable and representative of a single chip DAC going through a cheap in-line headphone amp.

If you want to buy a CD player with a S/N ratio starting at 110 dB and going up, you will need to spend at least $600 USD to get a good enough power transformer to be that transparent. Teclast have designed this device specifically for audio - its not their popular device because of its price tag and power consumption. Price in Beijing is around $120 USD, from Ebay in Hong Kong, around $170 USD

The line-out that bypasses the internal headphone amp is an ultra-clean line level output equivalent to a mid range CD Player, with a Litium Ion battery to avoid the need for a heavy power transformer.

You get around 8-10 hours of audio driving the 5 chip system that uses dual WM8740 audio chips and a TI Burr Brown OPA2604 OP Amp.

As I said, the Total bithead has a nice DAC/Amp combo, but the T51 wipes the floor with it in terms of precision and clarity from those well managed high quality English designed DACs. The best thing to do from my point of view is to add the Total bithead in via a nice quality analog connection and give the T51s clarity some warmth from a nice headphone amp. There are even better headphone amps available which would do a better jo. Bass well defined and strong with crystal trebles you just can't get with an iPod or equivalent - the trebles are open with no harshness. It made me realise that 16-bit 44.1KHz is not the problem with harsh trebles, its accurate mastering and reproduction that is the key.

T51 - sensible design, shortest signal path and best audio specs of any current PMP and better than most home gear as well - I use it as my main source now at home and on the go.

Don't expect too much from the video support - it works and does playback H264, but not full HD without losing framerate, it is designed for sound quality.

Here is the equivilant S/N ratio from NAD (bound to be a little warmer than the stock T51with no external headphone amp, but the same level of accuracy)

They drive my phat cabled Sennheiser HD650s with ease, in fact the line level is a little too much for the Total bithead with some loud recordings producing a little overload distortion in the external amp - in that situation, I enable the T51s hardware EQ, which cuts the line level down for the external amp.

I hope this helps you - as you can see I'm a big fan of the T51.

 

[PiSkyHiFi]

Just a quick note - Here you can see the DAC used in the T51 is the best Stereo DAC that Wolfram make presently and the T51 uses 2 of them in mono mode for best separation.

No doubt the TI PCM1704U-K is a better DAC - it has the same S/N ratio with an improved dynamic range over the Wolframs best - 112 compared to 104 dB.

The DAC alone It is 7 times the price though - and the HiFiMan only uses 1 of them. food for thought.

 

[BrahmaBull9813]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiSkyHiFi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just a quick note - Here you can see the DAC used in the T51 is the best Stereo DAC that Wolfram make presently and the T51 uses 2 of them in mono mode for best separation. No doubt the TI PCM1704U-K is a better DAC - it has the same S/N ratio with an improved dynamic range over the Wolframs best - 112 compared to 104 dB. The DAC alone It is 7 times the price though - and the HiFiMan only uses 1 of them. food for thought.

It allows you to switch out the amps through a module bay. It's also noted to be worth the price by those who own it.

Can you just elaborate on the 'and the HiFiMan only uses 1 of them. food for thought.' part? I'm a little baffled because so far I've only seen players with one DAC.

 

[PiSkyHiFi]

Yes, the HiFiMan is very nice piece of work. It uses 1 Burr Brown 1704 high end DAC in stereo mode - a modular bay for tweaking with different amps, an enthusiasts nirvana. The price tag is to match.

The T51 uses 2 of the same DAC chip to achieve great channel separation - this is often employed in outboard DACs. It is however an iPod replacement, being about 11mm thick and designed for optimal sound quality. It has no hard drive or FM receiver, just TF, as these would introduce too much noise.

The 2 DAC chips are Wolfsen's finest currently available (I said Wolfram before, my mistake). used in mono mode they improve the S/N ratio by 3 dB - sacrificing battery life for another 3dB headroom and improved channel separation is a sign of a quality hardware design.

I think the HiFiMan uses the best DAC available full stop, although someone may be able to point to a better one, I couldn't find it.

The HiFiMan is maybe the ultimate sound source box, way out of my price range for another 8dB of dynamic range though and then you just want more modules!

I would say there are 3 levels, the first being an iPod and all other generic PMPs - all have a S/N ratio less than 100dB, even my Total bithead only has 98dB of S/N in its DAC, great warm amp though, military grade caps, good design etc.

The second is the T51, raising the bar for all other PMPs giving a minimum 110 dB S/N through the line-out.

The third is the HiFiMan, in a class of its own as far as I know.

 

[testrichard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiSkyHiFi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, the HiFiMan is very nice piece of work. It uses 1 Burr Brown 1704 high end DAC in stereo mode -

better~ hifiman 801 use "PCM1704U(UK) x 2, DF1704E, DIR9001 and PCM2707　is used for HM-801."

i think the Japanese owner take it apart and inspect the inside

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f87/up...3/index49.html

 

[PiSkyHiFi]

ahh I see, The HiFiMan uses dual DACs plus the external digital filter - basically no holds barred.

Now I'm beginning to want one - still I am happy with the punchy, accurate, clean warm sound I get from the T51 for now. Its a perfect match for the Yuin PK1 I believe - travelling unamped is fine for this combo, as portable as an iPod and its fine to add a little loudness with the high quality EQ for street use.

The HiFiMan would be nice with the big cans at home - plugged into an external amp might be the cream.