No, perhaps, the company is more contrasting in its products than Xuelin. Three of their latest developments are unlike each other as much as the players at all can be unlike. This applies to both appearance and sound. Their latest model iHiFi800 was no exception and also found, than to surprise me.
Of the entire Xuelin range, I've heard the last three models. The very first of them, under the index 760, did not like me either externally or by sound, there was a lot of bass offered by this player. So I did not even make a review of it. Next, iHiFi 770, completely rehabilitated the manufacturer in my eyes. A good appearance, a decent sound for the price category, all this offered the player this player. Fresh arrival of the model line with the index 800 marked one more step to the side both in the exterior and in the sound. The only thing that unites her with her brethren is the same uncomfortable and ascetic interface.
The new player is very compact in size, using a serious DAC Saber 9018K2M and quite a pleasant price. you can only for 12 900 rubles (the price at the time of publication of the article).
What do the Chinese offer for this money?
Specifications
- DAC: ESS Saber 9018K2M
- Amplifier: Max 9722 + 2 × LME49726
- LPF: OPA1662
- Power supply: LME49726
- Output power (per channel): 105 mW @ 32Ω
- Output voltage: up to 3.5 V
- Signal to noise ratio: ≥105 dB
- Total harmonic distortion + noise: ≤0,006% @ 1 KHz
- Channel imbalance: ≤0.5 dB @ 1 KHz
- Channel separation: > 95 dB @ 1 KHz
- Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 KHz (-2.5 dB)
- Built-in Memory: 8 GB
- Memory Cards: MicroSD up to 128 GB
- Operating time: up to 13 hours when playing WAV files
- Supported audio formats: WAV up to 192 KHz; APE, FLAC, AAC - all up to 48 KHz; OGG, MP3, WMA
- Dimensions: 100 mm × 49 mm × 16 mm
- Weight: 120 gr
Packing and delivery kit
On this point the company worked, but clearly not overworked. The player is sold in a simple white box, inside, in addition to the player itself, you will find a few pieces of paper, a microUSB cable and a gray pouch with a clasp for carrying the player.
Of course, here I would like a greater variety, at least a silicone case instead of a bag, but that is - that is. For a more expensive player, such a package would be a minus, and for the younger price segment - it's quite normal.
Design and management
The most difficult and ambiguous point for iHiFi players. Not the first generation of devices they do on the basis of one firmware, which can not be called a standard of convenience. If we add to this the strange usability of the player, the picture is amusing.
At first glance, the player looks very cool. It is very small, it fits well in the hand and is easily placed in any pocket, which is especially important in the summer. The case is made of aluminum powder coated in black. Everything is collected very well, there are no complaints about quality, and the design is adequate enough. I'll tell you a little about the management bodies.
On the top face is a MicroUSB connector for charging the player and accessing the memory. On the bottom are the line-out jacks for headphones and line-out. The left side, as well as the rear, are devoid of payloads. On the right there is a microSD card slot and two buttons for rewinding and navigating through the menus, and one is a switch, a play / pause button and a confirmation button.
On the front of the buttons is more. There is for some reason duplicated the buttons on the right side, and besides them there are two buttons for volume control and an additional menu button on the playback screen and a button to return from the menu. For what this duplication was needed, to be honest, I do not know. I have never used the side buttons.
The screen in the player inserted the worst one they could find. It does not differ either in resolution or in the number of colors, and it also simply shamelessly blinds the sun. To read something from the iHiFi800's screen on a clear day in the street is not an easy task.
The menu, traditionally for the company's devices, contains three items. The first one allows you to view your music library by artists / albums, etc. There are also favorites and menu items for managing the library. By an amazing irony of fate, this menu item works only for tracks that are embedded in the phone's own memory. A memory card is not included in the library.
The second menu item allows you to view the contents of memory and maps by folders. To life does not seem raspberries, the player displays the tracks, sorting them by the recording date. So, if you want to keep the contents of the memory card in order, you will need a utility like fatsorter.
The third menu item contains different settings. They are common for all players, and quite chaotic. The only really interesting setting is Volume Mode. Here you can switch the volume control mode: normal, with 60 divisions, and fine, having 120 divisions. Thus, you can choose between speed and accuracy of adjustment. By the way, there is a Russian language in the menu, but I do not recommend including it, it strongly reminds of the golden times of Chinese phones with two sims and a TV.
The playback screen is quite simple, there is a choice of playback order and an equalizer, limited to a number of basic options. Screw something into the equalizer itself the player does not allow, but offers a number of fun options such as compression of the dynamic range.
The firmware is stable enough, although occasionally the player starts to reproduce noise instead of the next track. On the Internet they write that this is the old problem of the chipset on which iHiFi800 is built. This is corrected by switching to the next track and back.
The running time for testing was 10 hours and 45 minutes, which is more than good for such a baby. Charging from the iPad has charged the player somewhere in 3 hours.
Of course, with such strange and inconvenient control, the player would be doomed if it were not a product of Xuelin, and their main advantage, of course, is sound.
Sound
To listen to the player, the following headphones were used:
- HiFiMan HE560
- Dunu DN-2000J and Titan 1
- Lear LUF-4F
- Rhapsodio RTi1
- Ambient Acoustics AM10
It's amazing how the developers managed to place such an unusual and classy sound in such a small package. The main thing iHiFi800 is that it does not sound like almost any other player available on the market. It is incredibly detailed, fast and at the same time has a pronounced bright sound. Of course, the amplifying part of the player does not reach the DAC in terms of level, but Xuelin managed to achieve very, very good results, proving once again that it is not the top microchips that are important, but their correct "preparation".
Traditionally I start to describe the sound of players with a description of LF, but in iHiFi it is impossible to unambiguously characterize this part of the range. Here, as in the classical situation, there are two news: good and bad. The bad news is that the bass in the iHiFi800 is trivial lacking in quantity. Its slightly less than it should be even for my taste, and even lovers of low-frequency removal of the brain in general will remain disappointed. The good news is that the bass of this iHiFi product is very, very good quality. It has a good depth, and its speed and control are simply surprising. By these parameters the player can quite compete with many almost top models. A little getting used to the bass 800-ki, you start to catch yourself thinking that the quality is still much more important than the quantity.
The middle frequencies are perfectly worked. Their resolution, speed and dynamics are simply different even without price. Medium frequencies are lively, dynamic, this "locomotive" gives all the accompanying bonuses - emotionality, volume, character of instruments. With well-chosen headphones iHiFi is able to compete with the "tops" and lose them in a worthy fight. I once again emphasize the ability of the player to transfer volume, it copes with it very well for its price, fine-tuning the imaginary scene both in depth and width. Tools are easily positioned by ear and retain their character.
The HF range is also quite pleasing. There is a slight shade of the same branded "chime", typical for DAC Sabers, but iHiFi successfully minimized it. If you do not use very bright headphones, it's almost impossible to hear this problem. In the rest, the HF is detailed, musical and well conveys the subtle nuances of music.
Compatibility
The player, of course, does not shine with record power indicators: 105 mW per channel - this is more modest than usual for competitors, but for most headphones this will be enough. For tight models, in turn, you still need an amplifier. Headphones for this player should be selected not very bright, but without excessive darkness. Thanks to a good study of MF and HF, iHiFi 800 is good for transmitting the character of most headphones.
To the quality of recording the player is very critical, detail in combination with a light sound makes listening to badly recorded tracks by occupation not from among the pleasant ones.
Traditionally, there are a few tracks that worked well for the player:
Interstellar OST - Mountains. Magnificent work of the magnificent composer, an amazing combination of classics and ambience, exactly what was necessary for the extraordinary project of Nolan. The soundtrack takes full advantage of the surround sound effects, for transferring which a player like iHiFi 800 is needed, its MF range is simply created for such recordings.
Whiplash OST - Caravan. Somehow, many soundscreens are attracted lately. Whiplash is one of those films that you will not be able to see which will be unforgivable for any music lover. Instead of getting OST to the collection after that, it's even more illogical. Since the protagonist of the film plays drums, almost all of the OST is built around this instrument. iHiFi with its detailed LF and MF perfectly highlights the best sides of this music.
Django Unchained OST - Freedom. Another good movie, another great soundtrack (and Tarantino's other, perhaps, does not exist). Composition, built on the basis of a very expressive vocal duet. To whom, how not iHiFi 800 to entrust such tracks?
conclusions
That case, when the player can not be called an ideal choice, it's too uncomfortable management, and the lack of LF affects. On the other hand, to say that it is bad - will also be incorrect. Xuelin managed to achieve excellent resolution, crystal-clear midrange and in general a very interesting sound, having its own raisins. At the same time, the player has a compact size and an affordable price. Thus, the model turned out, of course, not for everyone, but fans of monitor feed and honest sound will receive a true friend in the person of iHiFi 800.
The article is based on materials .
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