Oh my stars and garters, a flac player!

[MoonShine]

I'm a bit surprised by some of the negativity I've read on head-fi ...

I'm surprised that your surprised.

[Smeggy]

I'm surprised you find this surprising.

[jinp6301]

I'm kinda surprised too. I would think the head-fi noobs would be all over this. I guess $700 is a bit much most.

[MoonShine]

HFers being morons no longer surprises me.
"No native Rockbox, whaaaaaaa".
What a joke.

[atothex]

That's the criticism? Weak.

I hope this thing finally puts iMod/ALO out of business.

[Smeggy]

Not unless they 'bling it up a notch'

[guzziguy]

I'm a bit surprised by some of the negativity I've read on head-fi about this product. If the DAC and amp sections are Pico quality, and [if] the battery lasts 8 hours playing lossless files, I think $700 is a steal. And if the amp doesn't turn out to be quite right, the modularity of the unit means that if you wait long enough, someone will make one that is. I consider buying this a matter of when, not if.

And if Head-Amp gets involved, this thing's a no-brainer purchase.

With an HM-801 plus JH-13s, I might actually look forward to air travel.

That's a lot of ifs. If the odds of each happening are say 80%, the odds of all of them happening is 33%. If you need all of them to be happy, you'll probably not get it.

For me, it's a no brainer already. I use a minimal portable rig (iPod + PK2) and have no need for anything with a DAC, amp, etc. For some people, this is the answer to their dreams. Maybe the latter is a large enough market segment for this to make a go.

[Edwood]

If the HM-801 somehow gets 24/96 added for the USB DAC part, that will probably put it in my "Must Buy Now" category.

[Tony]

I would expect the dac section to be superior than Pico, at least if the chip used is decently implemented. I am more concerned about build quality, since I have heard of many Minibox E+ needing for warranty (mine too after some weeks of owning it), and shipping back and forth a 700$ "portable dac" is not the healthiest thing to do.

[EdipisReks]

Not unless they 'bling it up a notch'

it also needs a 10 pound regulated power supply for charging.

[elnero]

For some people, this is the answer to their dreams. Maybe the latter is a large enough market segment for this to make a go.

That's what I was trying to get at, a few years ago I think the market would have been large enough for it to make a go, now, I'm sure there's still a market for it I'm just not sure how big it is anymore.

[atothex]

I just randomly checked the HF thread, and this thing officially supports every format that I'd be interested in. It even does 24/96, albeit from coax. If I didn't already have a netbook and Pico, I'd be all over this for sure. But my setup is bigger, fussier, more expensive, and can't do the hi rez.

And $600 introductory price? Pretty damn good. What's not to like?

[Edwood]

Oh, what the hell. I preordered it. Sounded great at CanJam. The UI kind of sucks due to the retarded button positioning, but if I got used to the even more retarded wired remote on my iRiver iHP-120, then this one will be cake.

In the end, it's a lot smaller and lightweight than carrying around even a UMPC and Pico. Although I will most likely carry all three. The part I like about the chunky nature of the HM-801 is it will probably draw little to no attention in muggable situations. Whipping out a netbook / UMPC with Pico on the otherhand would. And not very easy to use that way while walking around.

-Ed

[eugenius]

Let me get this straight:

- no memory inside
- ugly plastic
- "asian" phone style UI
- crap battery life
- crap small screen
- no radio
- no video

AND: it has a 700$ start price + memory card(s) + second battery + better amplification module(s)?

This is so NOT a high end product, it's a ultra tweaky internet audiophile type product. Good luck owning that market, nobody else wants it.

I predict (as with almost everyhing else), version 3 will be usable.

O Karma, Where Art Thou?

[atothex]

My Pico is $500, and it literally does nothing on its own. WTF is your point? Do you know what PCM1704 means? Do you even know what a DAC is?

[Edwood]

Let me get this straight:

- no memory inside
- ugly plastic
- "asian" phone style UI
- crap battery life
- crap small screen
- no radio
- no video

AND: it has a 700$ start price + memory card(s) + second battery + better amplification module(s)?

This is so NOT a high end product, it's a ultra tweaky internet audiophile type product. Good luck owning that market, nobody else wants it.

I predict (as with almost everyhing else), version 3 will be usable.

O Karma, Where Art Thou?

Translation. I don't have $600 to spend on this flac player.

[eugenius]

All I said covers actually USING it, which I consider to be a bad experience.

From my point of view it was better to work on it and make it usable, not plastic and 999$.

PS: You DO know what an 8 hour stated battery life means, don't you?

[Edwood]

All I said covers actually USING it, which I consider to be a bad experience.

Get an iPod then.

From my point of view it was better to work on it and make it usable, not plastic and 999$.

It has anodized aluminum body parts too and costs $600 now, not $999. And see above response again.

PS: You DO know what an 8 hour stated battery life means, don't you?

That it will have up to 8 hours of battery life.

[Fungi]

God I love that gif.

[eugenius]

"Up to" being the key words ...