HIFIMAN HM-901 High Fidelity Portable Music Player w/ Standard Amp Card

no good

ONE VERY IMPORTANT PROVISO: No doubt that everyone is raving about the HM-901 and with good cause... HOWEVER,I received mine in January and waited until now to write this review because I'd read and heard of firmware-related problems dramatically impacting the HM-901's performance. As it turns out, this proved quite true in my case. After four months of intensive use, whereupon I added and deleted numerous MP3,FLAC and APE files, the player simply ceased to work. I'd deleted a 600mb+ MP3 file and replaced it by another similar-sized one when, lo and behold: the HM-901 refused to read and play any music files and, after a short while, refused to boot up. I was running firmware version 1.82 at the time. I tried upgrading the firmware to the new 1.85 version following explicit instructions but that did't work either. I even purchased a brand new SDXC card for the attempted 'revival process' but to no avail.THE REDEEMING FACTOR: I phoned up customer service. Those that answered were extremely courteous and tried to get me to revive my defunct unit. Resurrection, however, was not in the cards. The support personnel then, and without further haggling, told me to send back the defective player -- I was forwarded a brand new replacement unit, loaded with the updated 1.85 firmware, and I'm now back in business. Some might have been discouraged by this setback but the player is that good-sounding that I was willing to stick with it.WHY AM I GIVING 3 STARS? It's still too early in the game to tell whether or not my replacement unit will cut it. I prefer playing it safe; I will report back to you later on performance and possibly change my 3-star rating.NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT, THOUGH: Three stars is the most that the practice of slapping buggy firmware into a $1,000+ high end audio player deserves.

Yes, is the first word that came to mind when I started listen to music on this device. If you do the research you will know exactly what the 901 brings to the table when it comes to portable music players. Apple's customer service is the best when it comes to your average consumer, but I got tired of my headphone jacks on my ipods and iphones going out on me (one earphone would play and the other would not). I would get a re-manufactured device as Apple like to call it and a month or two later same thing, over and over and over etc.....Loyalty can only go so far so I had to look else where and just cut my loses. This device is not the smallest so make sure to check the out specifications for this devices size. What made me purchases the 901 is the two dedicated processors (one for each channel) and Hifiman's reputation for amazing Amps and headphones. You are also able to purchases other amplifier cards for headphones that need up to 4 Volts per channel (more amplifier cards will be available in the future). There was a device prior to this called the 801, and from everything I've read that device had more than it's fair share of issues.The 901 is not the most attractive portable music player on the market, but the sound that comes out is flawless. I'm aware this device and company have had numerous software issues in the past so hopefully the issues stay in the past. If you purchases the 901 you will need to go to Hifiman's website and download firmware updates. It does not connect to the internet, it does not play movies, this device is not an entertainment hub. The 901 is a high quality music player that produces amazing sound. Unfortunately this is not small enough to take to the gym and workout with (my opinion). I would recommend this player to anyone looking for an Excellent music player. The only downside to this player is you will not receive a lot of bass, the frequency response is 20hz-20khz, but the clarity is a yes. If bass is a must for you and you want this player do the research and find a nice pair of cans with a little bass boost. Please, Please, Please do not embarrasses yourself or this company by buying Dre's Beats or any other B.S. headphone. I have the Shure 535's, Shure 846's, Ultrasone Edition 8's (I'm laughing too) and the Fostex 900's. The Fostex's have a little bass boost to them so I would recommend these headphones if bass is a must.Hope this review helps, anyone looking at this player already knows what it is. The only thing Hifiman needs to do with this player is to make a protective case for it.Update: If you purchase this item you will want to get an extra battery or two. I'm assuming the 9hrs of playtime isn't for the High Gain setting or other amplifier cards. It's a new battery so I will have to drain it a few times, but I only got about three and half hours out of the player before having to recharge.

This is a sad day...as I decided to return the Hifiman HM-901. This is a fantastic sounding player but an absolute mess to operate. I have had a FIIO X3 for about two years and I love that player for the money. The sound quality is very good but I was looking for something better. I've been an audiophile for more than 25 years and these portable players have really caught my attention lately.After a lot of reading I decided to go with the HM-901 solely for the sound quality. (I may need to try the upcoming FIIO X7 and or the LH Labs Geek Wave) After using this player for just under a week I cannot stand to use it anymore. I loaded the latest firmware 2.002 and it is just very clunky to use. The center wheel responds very poorly to inputs and especially when fast forwarding or rewinding any tracks. Boot time is very long (maybe 20-30sec). The buttons and switches on the unit are not very representative of a $1000 unit. The headphone connector does not seem very solid or have a very positive connection and seems as though it could wear out quickly. (This connector is very solid on the X3 and for reference I have used my X3 nearly every day for the last two years and is still very excellent) The HM-901 has made an abundance of popping noises when tracking up or down or stopping and starting various tracks. This is really a shame because it simply sounds FANTASTIC!