Rockbox General > Rockbox General Discussion
What platform takes more advantage of Rockbox functionalities?
saratoga:
The hxx0 series actually have fairly poor output by modern standards (but then they are a decade old) so I wouldn't recommend one for line out specifically.
Julian67:
--- Quote from: saratoga on April 07, 2014, 08:43:44 AM ---The hxx0 series actually have fairly poor output by modern standards (but then they are a decade old) so I wouldn't recommend one for line out specifically.
--- End quote ---
I'm not sure "fairly poor" is such a reasonable description. Certainly the headphone output measures less well than modern players if using low impedance headphones and you can hear this in the form of hissing with highly sensitive, low impedance IEMs, but it is very good with slightly higher impedance headphones (such as the 32 ohm impedance buds supplied and typical of the time) and the line out is pretty hard to criticise. This is one of those players that is better if you use the line out to a modern headphone amp and bypass the player's headphone stage, though I have to say that on the go it's easier to just use my Fuze+ as any difference outdoors will usually be more than nullified by ambient noise.
H340 Line out: http://rmaa.dfkt.tk/Single_Players/iRiver%20H340%20-%20Line%20Out.htm
Those measurements are for 16-bit 44.1 kHz. It's hard to see anything amiss. Real life usage does nothing to suggest an error in the measurements.
Using the headphone output on my iRivers is similarly good so long as the attached IEMs are not 10/12/16 ohm impedance (they hiss). With slightly higher impedance IEMs or headphones (I have Koss KSC75 - 60 ohm impedance - and Sennheiser Momentums - 24 ohm impedance) the iRiver H100/300 series still sound really good and they put out a little bit more voltage than the tinier modern players so actually can drive a relatively less sensitive portable headphone.
If I was choosing one of the Rockbox supported players I own or have owned to use as a line out device it would be the H140 every time, immediately next would be the H340. For use with sensitive IEMs with low impedance a Fuze+ or Fuze or Clip+ is better.
monoid:
I would add that H1x0 has digital optical input/output. What more would one wish? Plug it in a hi quality D/A and no quality problém.
saratoga:
--- Quote from: Julian67 on April 07, 2014, 08:19:46 PM ---
--- Quote from: saratoga on April 07, 2014, 08:43:44 AM ---The hxx0 series actually have fairly poor output by modern standards (but then they are a decade old) so I wouldn't recommend one for line out specifically.
--- End quote ---
I'm not sure "fairly poor" is such a reasonable description. Certainly the headphone output measures less well than modern players if using low impedance headphones and you can hear this in the form of hissing with highly sensitive, low impedance IEMs, but it is very good with slightly higher impedance headphones (such as the 32 ohm impedance buds supplied and typical of the time) and the line out is pretty hard to criticise.
--- End quote ---
I should probably have said "fairly average". Its not bad, but not great by modern standards.
--- Quote from: Julian67 on April 07, 2014, 08:19:46 PM --- This is one of those players that is better if you use the line out to a modern headphone amp and bypass the player's headphone stage, though I have to say that on the go it's easier to just use my Fuze+ as any difference outdoors will usually be more than nullified by ambient noise.
--- End quote ---
This is ridiculous. The plots you've just posted are comparable to what most modern players will do into actual headphones.
Julian67:
Perhaps you misunderstood my post?
I didn't post any plots or figures related to directly driving headphones. Those figures are for the line out. It's not even the same physical socket.
The line out is sufficiently better than the headphone out that using a decent external amp gives an audible improvement. What is ridiculous about noting that? I'm referring to the separate physical line out but perhaps you were thinking about the headphone out?
My reference to my Fuze+ doesn't state and wasn't meant to suggest that Hxx0+amp is better than a good modern player into headphones, it is just to point out that any advantage gained by using Hxx0 line out plus amp vs Hxx0 alone is typically negated by external/ambient noise so anyway I tend to pick up my Fuze+ when I go out as it is more convenient and sounds fine. I apologise if this wasn't unambiguously clear and hope this clarifies it.
And in what respect would these line out figures be "fairly average"?
Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB +0.05, -0.03
Noise level, dB (A) -92.6
Dynamic range, dB (A) 92.6
THD, % 0.0023
THD + Noise, dB (A) -84.9
IMD + Noise, % 0.0081
Stereo crosstalk, dB -92.2
IMD at 10 kHz, % 0.0072
The only measure that isn't very good is for THD + Noise, but as the tester doesn't publish the figure for the other players no comparison can be drawn. These figures are good, not poor and not average.
Which portables are there which offer significantly better dynamic range (92.6 dB) with 16-bit? Looking at the same person's meaurements of iPad 2 and Clip+ headphone sockets under load (because they don't have a dedicated line out) the Hxx0 line out is superior in every measure listed. Looking at some players which do have a dedicated line out the Hxx0 measures much better than the Sony A845, is broadly indistinguishable from the Hifiman HM-801 (except the Hxx0 is actually much better on frequency response). It's also better than the Cowon O2.
The Hxx0 line out is very good so long as you don't mistake it for a headphone out and try to use it to drive your 'phones (it will sound real funny).
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