HM601 or 602 even 801 anybody using one-how is it??

eclein · « **on:** 28 Apr 2011, 10:19 pm »

I've gone insane, even crazier than before, and discovered the world of IEM's and now I want to hear hi-rez files when I embark for my walk through the neighborhood so I'm debating on whether I get Fiio E7 DAC/Headphone amp (Portable) or a HiFiman HM601, 602 or really be twisted and get the HM-801...the rent rebate check I'm due to get is already jumping out of my bank account--ipad2 ?, Sleek Audio SA-7's ?? (check them out), or get a hirez portable player like a HM601 etc.???..so who's got one??
Is it blow you away good when you first hear playback or just "nice"!! ???

mbakes · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Apr 2011, 10:30 pm »

I have the 602 and in terms of sq, I found it better than an iPod with an amplifier. It's not the most user friendly device or the most portable. I use it mostly as a dac for my office desktop speaker rig.

Send me your address and I can ship it to you to try out. I have an Emotiva XDA-1 I've wanted to try in the office so the 602 won't be missed for a week or two.

santacore · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Apr 2011, 12:36 am »

I also own the HM602 and really like it. Sound wise, it's better then my iTouch and any of the portable amps I've had. Function wise, it's a little quirky, but work-able. The only real negative besides the size is that I have some noise issues. With my Westone ES5's there is a noticeable hiss noise floor. On top of that they is also random high frequency noise, almost like RF. Unfortunately it's random, and I don't know what I'm going to get each time I turn it on. Thankfully the sound is so good that I'm willing to deal with all the issues. YMMV.

saisunil · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Apr 2011, 02:13 am »

I have all three of them and I need to sell two of them

... ya they sound good and no it does not have ipod's super duper user interface ...

eclein · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Apr 2011, 03:00 am »

I really think that my choice would be limited to the least expensive, even it will play hi-rez files 24/96 Flac maybe more by now with latest firmware update. The 801 is more like a total portable hi-fi system rather than a portable player. Fiio is coming out with a player soon...the X3....head-fi is all a buzz over it.

A year from now the size of everything will shrink yet again, so its a toss up either way I think.....

eclein · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 Apr 2011, 02:30 pm »

I now see write-ups on the 602 in Stereophile mag and other places all of a sudden....cool stuff..

eclein · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 May 2011, 08:03 pm »

Just an update and question for owners of these units- What SD card brands did you use with success in any of these pieces?? I understand from my reading that some cards are not compatible even though they should be from what I understand.
Any tips from you guys for me on the HM-602??

saisunil was kind enough to sell me his HM-602 so sometime next week I should be getting this awesome DAP so any and all tips would be greatly appreciated...Thanks!!!

Noseyears · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 May 2011, 06:17 pm »

Quote from: eclein on 1 May 2011, 08:03 pm

Just an update and question for owners of these units- What SD card brands did you use with success in any of these pieces?? I understand from my reading that some cards are not compatible even though they should be from what I understand.
Any tips from you guys for me on the HM-602??

saisunil was kind enough to sell me his HM-602 so sometime next week I should be getting this awesome DAP so any and all tips would be greatly appreciated...Thanks!!!

Congrats for the buy Ed, a fantastic player.. im jealous.

The 602 comes with an internal storage of 16gb from what i know, not enough for ya?

ted_b · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 May 2011, 07:58 pm »

Ed, why do you assume the 602 will not play 88.2k files? It is a simple 16 bit DAC that truncates all 24 bit files, including 88.2k (according to the Stereophile review and Atlinson's test). I would not spend the time converting all your 88k hirez files to 96k for this player; it will play FLAC 88.2k fine, just downrez'd. If you are going to convert, then convert them to 16/48 (if 96) or 16/44 (if 88).

eclein · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 May 2011, 08:31 pm »

Ted...I read in one review, or something that it wouldn't play 88 for this guy, it played 96 and 44.1 but wouldn't play 88, I thought it was odd also. I'll have to find the article.......it might have been in the recent Stereophile. I planned on trying all without touching them first then we tweak. Try it first then tweak---MY MOTTO!!!LOL

ted_b · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 May 2011, 08:47 pm »

Ed,
The 602 uses an older TDA1543 DAC chip that only does 16/44 and 16/48, but the player will down convert your hirez stuff. You should be fine; the only reports I've read is that it downrez's FLAC better than WAV. Frankly, redbook files may sound better than forcing downrez'ing.

eclein · « **Reply #11 on:** 3 May 2011, 08:57 pm »

Quote from: Noseyears on 3 May 2011, 06:17 pm

Congrats for the buy Ed, a fantastic player.. im jealous.

The 602 comes with an internal storage of 16gb from what i know, not enough for ya?

Thanks!!!! and yep, 16gb is like 25 albums when they are hi-rez files, its crazy, hopefully I can fit my 30 or so on the main flash drive and then do cards with everything else. I'm going to be getting an ipad soon and also this airstash thing thats like a mini wifi hotspot that serves your files and you can keep it in your pocket or backpack, glovebox, so I'll serve music with this to my other devices and use the cards with pedestrian file sizes for that piece.
http://www.airstash.com/index.html

eclein · « **Reply #12 on:** 3 May 2011, 11:24 pm »

It doesn't playback 24/96 like I thought, this caps off a great day full of frustration and tomorrow AM I have EMNG test of my legs--shocking and stabbing nerves with needles, quite a lot of fun.

I'm going to sit in front of my JBL's and my system which can't playback much of anything thats any good and totally veg out in true 16/44.1 bliss....LOL....at least I know how to do 16/44

eclein · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 May 2011, 09:08 pm »

Noseyears-you gotta get one of these, really fun to listen to even if the sound is manipulated. I got a bunch of stuff today, a box of tubes and a box of portable goodness...LOL. I got the 602 today and I've been listening to it a bit this afternoon and it sounds really nice, smooth, distinct sound. No ipod is doing this thats for sure....

eclein · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 May 2011, 04:44 pm »

I took my new/used HM-602 out for a serious test drive (major distance walk for me) this morning and I give it an A+ for sound quality. You know that nice tight but super well defined low end a lot of us like when listening to our main rigs along with for me a nice smooth transition between frequencies within the total overall sound-still with me?
Its got all that and more and I knew it had the possibility of shining brightly in my stable of gadgets because my Piano M1 CD player uses the same DAC chip and the Piano is just flatout awesome I think. The one thing I don't get i why advertise this as a DAP that plays back high rez files when in fact it really doesn't as far as I can tell. If you load it up with a 24/96 Flac file it will play but only be output in 16/44 according to all the fine print written about playback that isn't readily accessible to read unless your really digging for it-so to me its a non-feature, but hey I could be wrong. Anyway everything sounds excellent from Electronica to Harmonica and in between.
I walked with cane 12 blocks round trip which is twice as far as I normally go when walking so I'm sure tonite my legs will be in total rebellion mode or "how dare you make us go that far Ed"-it was to the pharmacy for refill of pain meds so I'm covered.

Sunil who was nice enough to sell me one of his extra HiFiMan DAP's even included a 32 GB SD card so over the past few days I've learned dbpoweramp's batch converter option along with the most efficient way to fill this card up with tunes, the 602 has plenty of gain and anything over 4 on the dial is way too loud.
Another great piece of this purchase for me was to have the DAC available to use via USB from my laptop while I sit here typing-its easy to setup and a flick of a switch each time connected gets me there after the initial setup and this use alone was worth buying this DAP-I'm able to finally listen to great sounding music from my laptop while reading AC, email etc.....I was on the fence for some time about investing in a player with this type of price point, well Sunil took that objection away with an outstanding offer I would have been crazy to pass on and now I'm totally enjoying this players full boat of functionality-Thanks HiFiMan and Thank you Sunil for making this possible for me......awesome!!!!

saisunil · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 May 2011, 05:40 pm »

Ed, you should become a reviewer ... makes me wanna buy back 602

...

santacore · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 May 2011, 06:08 pm »

I'm loving the sound of my 602, but agree, way too much gain. I keep my volume dial below 2 with my Westone ES5's, in the low gain setting. Wish I had a bit more range.

milford3 · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 May 2011, 06:41 pm »

Hey eclein, how's your new MP-301MK2 doing?

eclein · « **Reply #18 on:** 13 May 2011, 07:05 pm »

Its got a hum which is now very low level and not heard when music is playing-other then that it sounds great to me.

eclein · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 May 2011, 05:57 pm »

Hey Guys if you want a good case for your HM-601 or 602 I just picked up this little camera case that they fit in perfectly, it also has a compartment for some IEM's to fit and another that would easily hold a few SD cards...not bad for $6
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BN94F8