We want to thank everyone for the amazing response to the campaign! To paraphrase what the mentioned in our comments,"a revolution is nothing without our revolutionaries"and everyone here has been amazing throughout the campaign. You all have contributed amazing ideas (not all of which we can implement now- but trust us, we haven't forgotten).
Like we've mentioned, we want Hi-Res Audio to become the standard - because everyone deserves better sound. Hi-Res Audio shouldn't be a premium reserved for few.
News on 9/10/2016 Some components took a longer lead time than we expected, so it took a little while before we organized everything. Our team just finished the 1st production, and do assembly now. Please kindly check out the video of production:
We will keep the most update to you. Thank you!
News on 8/18/2016
Hi all, we just complete 2 AV docking designs. Which one you like the most?
More details will be released on the weekend. We will update the latest specs for you later.
type A : design by fixed docking TYPE C jack , slide in the Pro X into the docking Type C jack ,
Type B : fixed the PRO X into the locker and slide in the Type C jack
We prefer to develop the type B design . tooling will start next week. We will do both way to test which is better design for production.
The detail specs are final as product spec description section .
News on 8/6/2016
Dear ALL ,
In the past several days, we have announced the option to buy Hi-Res Music Box to extend your Pro/Pro X & PHA use into your home, and the additional development of a Audio/Video station, as well as a stereo speaker set to complete your high quality music station at home.
We're working diligently on the details for all three of these products and bring Hi-Res audio into your home.
Here are the updates, and you can read more product specs in the campaign:
1) Hi-Res home Music box
As we have announced, there will be options to buy either 3", 4", or 5" speaker box for your Pro/Pro X & PHA.
2) Audio /Video docking
to extend the Pro X for home (we will offer this as an option for the gift - backers pick between DSD DAC or A/V docking)
3) Hi-Res Stereo Speaker set ( Design concept not final )
The highest quality stereo speaker to accompany your Pro X + AV docking with many size options.
Let's make the dream of a Hi-Res Home come true .
Cyberdrive team
News on 8/3/2016
Dear all, after we sent out the message regarding the Music Box add-on, we got many of your feedback very quickly. Since the Pro X has such amazing audio, we won't stop at the Music Box - in addition, we decided to release our newly designed stereo speaker set to accompany the Pro X.
After our internal discussion from a development standpoint as well as the user expectations standpoint, we've finalized our decisions.
To sum up the updates from a past few days -
1) Instead of giving all backers the DSD DAC as the gift, we're considering giving everyone a higher-value Audio/Video Docking station for the Pro X. We need your feedback on this - please let us know if this is what all of you will prefer.
- The AV docking spec will be provided in 2 days.
- we will finalize the the product design for this AV Docking in a week - we'd like to be able to deliver at the same time with your Pro X.
2) We will now add in our newly designed Hi-Res Stereo Speaker Set (as a new add-on option to buy), to best match the performance of Pro X 384K/32 Bit audio output quality.
3) As always, we commit to our principle to provide you the best with affordability.
For more detailed information, please check the product description and specifications below.
Cyberdrive team
News 08-01-2016
Message from project leader ---Thomas Chen
1) My team and I are pleased to thank you for all your support. You have persisted with us, in order to reach the quality of our final product today.
2) We have now begun mass production. From demoing our Pro X and PHA at The Japan Earphone Festival (7-16/7-17 Akihabara), we received many positive feedbacks, which prompted us to go straight for production and pass over the beta testing stage (we will offer the beta tester a surprise gift!).
3) We will start revising the perk prices. As we've promised you at at the beginning of the campaign, to thank you for believing in us and supporting us early on, we have offered you an unrepeatable low price as a token of appreciation, and we're happy you can really enjoy the product performance and quality. We will only be able to offer this price to you early backers and this price will not be repeated in the future.
4) We have planned for Pro X docking at the beginning of this campaign, and now is the time we put that in action. Not only are we here to bring portable Hi-Res to your personal enjoyment, we also want to bring you Hi-Res Home to share with all your family. If you were excited by the quality and affordability of our Pro X, we're sure you'll be blown away by our Hi-Res Home Systems to come.
Thank you all again, and see you soon!
Thomas Chen
News on 7/31/16
1. Only 5 hours left to move to the end for in-demand perks, we will only keep PHA & Pro X after 7/31/16 on regular MSRP. We thanks everyone's supporting on Cyberdrive!
2. We will keep Pro orders if backers would like to receive their Pro devices, but the schedule priority may be later than Pro X. If anyone who has Pro is interested in upgrading to Pro X, please send us an email to contact@cyberdrive.co and we will reserved Pro X for you. Thank you.
3. Our team prepare a surprise to our Seiun Pro X family. Here is the preview for our 3", 4" 5" docking renders: (More detail will be released next week)
News on 7/25/16 Pro X demo _2 Enjoy the current Pro X demo, thanks! News on 7/20/16 about the (7/16-17) Japanese show. Thanks for many backers visiting us on the show. Our team have received a lot of great feedback from our performance. Thanks again for all the positive opinions! We also appreciate your understanding and patience on the delivery schedule. We are almost there, and hope we can deliver all the best to you all in August.
(Also, a big thanks to Headpie & the super model! )
News on 7/15/16 -The PHA & Pro X are completed everything, such as designs, qualification testings during these days.
-About the beta testing: The beta testing devices will be delivered in 2 weeks. We are working on 30-35 days after some possible minor alternations from feedback of beta testers and we will start the regular delivery.
-All the In-Demand perks will be closed at the end of July and the price will be changed to the regular MSRP: PRO X- $499 PHA- $499
-Cybedrive continues contributing on Hi-Res audio and we are going to step forward from "Personal" to "Home." A new team has been started on a new project to create HI-RES Home with affordable price.
The latest pic of PHA & Pro X
Pro X
News on 6/24/16 The current PCBA for Pro X, the version 7, which has been completed this weekend. Here are the final product photos of the PCBA board, the current production process: (The Front PCBA) (The Finished Front PCBA)
Our pilot run 60 pcs will be ready in 2 weeks, which means the beta testers probably will receive their beta devices in early July. In the meantime, we also hope to receive beta testers' feedback in 2-3 weeks after we ship the beta devices, so we can improve and start the mass production at the time. We really hope to catch the shipping schedule soon, and the specific delivery date of the final product will be released when they are ready.
NEWS on 6/03-2016
PRO X Status Report
Final Hardware Design & Circuit Design Release
As we commit, today we release the full hardware design circuit. We are happy to invite you to review all design with us and also appreciate your opinions to make our products perfectly.
If your are interesting the design review , please down load the design circuit file .
Password : Our company's Name (10 words) "Hint:c********e"
NOTE : We may have some minor change if needed, (and without noticed responsibility)
The each different country may have different regulation request, your beta test devices are not certificate the progress of this requirements.
We start to prepare the long lead time parts now, and it may take 30-60 days to start for mass production. we sincerely appreciate your supporting and patience .
For those of you that have been asking, about what our MSRP pricing will beafter the InDemand phase is over here it is:
MSRP $70 - Seiun Player $300 - Seiun PRO X $350 - Seiun PHA
We are please to announce our second Crowdfunding Campaign!
We’re sick of listening to low quality audio and we wanted to create products that are versatile and easy enough to use in your everyday life.
Our goal as is to push the whole industry into adopting Hi-Res Audio as the new standard for music.
The first big audio break through this millennium came when Apple introduced its Music Store. They revolutionized the way we purchase, collect, and consume our music.
Unfortunately, Apple never took the opportunity to improve upon the existing sound quality standards – though they were in a great position to do so. Thus a huge potential to improve audio quality for everyone went untapped.
Since the launch of the Music Store we've seen the industry stall. Music quality got worse as streaming music platforms like Spotify and Apple Music became more widely available. As a result, we feel someone has to step in and push the industry into the right direction.
That is why we are so excited to announce our new Seiun Line of Hi-Res Portable Media Players.
Why does UHD 4K Video always get paired with 44.1 / 48KHz (16-bit) Audio?
Music is a huge part of life. We’ve seen the audio industry struggle to offer customers the best products possible.
In the past 15 years we’ve seen video resolutions go from 480P standard definition all the way up to UHD 4K which has over 24 times more pixels compared to standard DVDs.
Video tech has progressed rapidly in the past decade, however audio tech has failed to keep up!
It frustrates us that audio quality (for both music & film) has stalled at 44.1KHz/16bit Audio as its standard when audio technology and storage space are no longer a limiting factor.
Up until now, Hi-Res Audio has been a niche market for those with enough money to invest in Audiophile grade systems, while the rest of us have been subject to lower quality audio.
We hope this project inspire both musicians and fans to demand more from the industry as people start to recognize they’ve been paying more for less.
We truly believe that with your support we can start to correct the trajectory of audio technology and push the industry to improve its standards.
Our goal with the Seiun line is to make better technology available to the average person without breaking their budget. We believe you should pay for technology & quality not for brand-development & marketing.
We intend on building a brand by providing high quality products, not just paying for advertising to build name recognition.
Featuring Ultra 4K Video and PCM 384KHz/32bit Audio + Native DSD 256 Audio
• Seiun Pro X is the flagship product for the Seiun line, our goal is to make this a beast to be reckoned with.
• Featuring a powerful 8-Core CPU and the latest version of Android OS.
• It’s a Portable Media Player capable of playing Audio up to 384KHz/32bit PCM and Native DSD 256.
• It can also decode Ultra HD 4K Video out via the Type-C to HDMI (2.0) port.
• The USB Type-C port will also serve as a SPDIF out connection supporting up to a 384KHz/32bit digital audio signal. (We are also testing a 768KHz/32bit mode, however this is yet to be confirmed)
• With a spectacular 5.5” 1920x1080px Capacitive Touch Screen you’ll be able to view your favorite content on the go!
• You’ll be able to connect to all your favorite streaming video services through the Google Play Store (i.e, Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, Vimeo, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Crackle, HBO Go, Vudu & more!)
• We are working with our partners to integrate robust Local homeserver and Global cloud technology through future software updates. So you'll be able to access your collection anywhere you have a WiFi signal!
• An ultra-low distortion ESS Sabre DAC featuring a Hyperstream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator.
• The Seiun Pro X also features a Bluetooth 4.0 Chip for added connectivity.
• The Seiun Pro X will come with 64GB of built in storage {NOW WITH THE OPTION TO UPGRADE TO 128GB} and a Micro SDXC slot (for cards up to 128GB).
• The 3.5MM Jack will serve as a Headphone Amp connection supporting up to 384KHz/32bit Audio out! (We are also testing a 768KHz/32bit mode, however this is yet to be confirmed)
• Built on Android OS so you’ll have access to all your favorite games and content through the Google Play Store.
• You will also be able to upsample non-Hi-Res Audio up to 384KHz/32bit.
• The Seiun Pro X will have a 3000mAH battery
• The Seiun Pro X will feature an aluminum body combined with a sleek glass screen.
• Your choice of Gold, Silver, Gunmetal or Rose finishes.
n The Box: Player, Type-C Charging Cable, Power Adapter, USB Type-C Mobile Media Adapter and User Guide
The current status for Pro/ Pro X design:
Current update -04/28/16 The team has been working on the 2 different specs, (ES9018S & ES9018K2M) and found out the different results. Compared to both specs and the performance, and the ES9018S has better performance & quality that we are truly looking for. Previously, ES9018K2M was the advice from ESS agent, and they concerned that portable device power consumption to compromise the performance. The solution for the power consumption issue will be solved by more powerful battery to keep the device work longer. After many testing and performance evaluations, we decide to stick with ES9018S for final PHA specs to present the best performance to our backers and more details will be released soon! Can't wait to share this to you all.
The latest Design-02/23/16
GREAT FEATURE – FREE ADD ON
We have added the following powerful features for our SEIUN PHA PX-1 :
1) The PCM 192K content decode capability with PCM 384K audio output, and it can run more than 300 hours of music with stereo headphone, So the SEIUN PHA can be considered a Hi-Res PLAYER as well.
2) Inside the PHA device , we added in 64G memory space for music contents.
3) SRC (Sampling Rate Converting) – This converts your normal audio quality to Hi-Res audio output quality with up-sampling technology. This also works the other way – it also does down-sampling to help play your Hi-Res music more smoothly on your current home audio devices.
Great News on 03-15 -2016
We are pleased to share with all backers , the new progress for PHA PX-1
PHA PX-1 FINAL PRODUCT OUTLOOK (Current Design - modifications may needed)
PHA PX-1 --- INPUT SIGNAL SOURCE ---- OUTPUT SIGNAL
The Seiun PHA is a Mobile centric Headphone Amplifier made for power users!
Many of our customers are power users. They require the best possible tech for uncompromised sound. For you, we've decided to develop the Seiun PHA.
Enjoy a more authentic audio experience. Head sound that's closer to the artist's original intention with Cyberdrive power Audio DSP system paired with the legendary ESS 9018S DAC TI OPA4134 OP Amp & TI TPA6120A2 Phone Amp to deliver crisp, undistorted sound even at high volumes.
The power to outlast the competition. With a built in 10,000mAh battery pack, the Seiun PHA doubles as a high capacity powerbank for your Seiun Pro/ PRO X and mobile phones. The Seiun PHA is capable of recharging your iPhone 6S over 5 times.
Full compatibility. Capable of connecting to the Seiun Pro / PRO X, Android, PC, Mac OS X, iOS Devices, External HDDs & many more sources (via both SPDIF in and LINE-IN). The PHA will drive Hi-Res Audio to all your power hungry Headphones.
GREAT ADD-ON ---
Hi-RES Home MUSIC BOX -
The above design is "MUSIC BOX" for extensions of Pro X to Hi-Res music home. The product will provide 3", 4" and 5" full range speaker with JAS Hi-Res specs approved. Hi-Res ultra-High frequency speaker (Specs are 5 Hz--50 K Hz).
Our team had done most testings for our music box and qualified each size of speaker.
Specs and features are here:
1) Audio source input
a: USB Digital audio in : The DSD decoder Xmos chip will provide through USB audio 2.0 for iPhone lightning (Apple iOS, the MFi cable will be needed). It also provides to adapt to Android OS (smart phone), PC windows, and Mac iOS. It supports the highest quality of digital audio sound through USB audio 2.0.
b: 3.5 mm jack for Pro X earphone in: (Aux line in, 384K /32bit audio sound quality) to optimize the best sound quality for Pro X.
c: 3.5 mm jack AUX LINE in: Analog audio in,
2) Audio source output a: Line out for add on Amp if user needed (384K/32bit AUDIO quality if Pro X selected) or ADD-on Active SW needs.
3) The power adapter provided DC - 19 V or DC - 21 V to support the Dynamic range of speaker driver quality.
4) Dual Knobs for Volume & BASS control & IR remote control all functions.
5) A simple text type LED display.
Stereo speaker ---
Specs and features are here:
HI-Res Home Stereo Speaker set
In addition to the Music Box, we also received many backers' request to design a much higher quality stereo speaker set to pair with the Pro X audio quality. To reach the goal, our team have done and studied to come up the best solution for your request. Our solution can provide the AV docking with qualify audio power amplifier and top-class speaker driver.
We will never compromise our quality .
We plan to have the Hi-Res stereo speaker 3", 4" and 6", to fit into any type of space. This speaker set will be best match with our AV docking for Pro X to have the best audio performance for movies, games, and music.
The following photo shows the design ideas ( not FINAL )for our stereo speaker set.
The schedule for Hi-Res Music box and Hi-Res speaker (with AV docking) may delivery individually (unfortunately will not be able go with Pro X together by air) and the estimated schedule for them will be around October.
The Hi-Res Music box, AV docking , and Hi-Res Stereo speaker set will have live video demos provided in 2 weeks. We will start working on the deigns and qualify the key speaker driver at the same time.
The best performance speaker driver will provide you world's top class performance to accompany our Pro X 384K/32bit sound quality. We have done samples and are working on qualify approval in 2 weeks. It will be 1/2 MSRP price to support for our backers.
AV-docking
Specs and features are here:
1) 4K /2160P HDMI : Supported by HI-SPEED HDMI CABLE to LCD display ( CABLE included with Avdocking )
2) USB port * 2 : to extended Pro X connectivity
3) 50W*2 amplifier : 384K /32bit audio --digital SPDIF signal to AV docking provided the 50W * 2 amplifier for R-out /L_out to speaker
4) Remote IR : To support USB HID interface to provide TV display UI operation .( Remote Control included)
The Pro X AV-docking set included
1) AV-docking --AVD-Px1
2) 21V * 4A power adapter
3) High speed HDMI cable (4K/2160P)
4) IR Remote control
This is a modern problem that has arisen because most consumers prefer convenience over quality. Because of compression the music we regularly listen to is highly clipped and we miss many of the details and thus we end up with only a shell of the artist's original vision.
We don’t realize it, but low-quality, compressed music has a way of making you feel tired. This is because of temporal distortion created by compression.
With Hi-Res music you feel fully immersed in the music. The sound stage is perfectly clear and free of distortion. The harmonics are crisp and accurate. You can feel the bass going through your body with unparalleled detail.
By definition of the Japan Audio Society Hi-Res Audio files have a sample rate of at least 96KHz / 24bit.
All of our players will be capable of playing back music up to a (minimum) of 192KHz PCM/24bit Audio.
Types of Hi-Res Audio Formats:
PCM – PCM stands for Pulse Code Manipulation. PCM WAV & FLAC are the most common forms of uncompressed music for consumers. Both Major Studios & Indie Music studios are setup to record PCM audio. Additionally, almost every movie is mastered in PCM before being compressed into Dolby Digital 5.1 or other Lossy Audio formats.
Native DSD - DSD stands for Direct Stream Digital. DSD is an alternative audio processing technique used for recording studio masters. DSD audio files have much higher sampling rates when compared to PCM Audio. The most common DSD files have 64 times the sampling rate of CD quality audio. That allows for audio playback that is truly out of this world! Native DSD requires hardware specifically designed to handle the ridiculously high frequency rates that DSD Audio calls for.
DoP – DoP stands for DSD over PCM. It’s a method of playing back DSD Audio by transcoding it into PCM Audio. Letting you play DSD files without the special hardware required for Native DSD playback.
If you don’t have a collection of Hi-Res Audio, we highly recommend you download some Hi-Res Music and check it out.
If you don’t feel like buying new music just yet don’t worry there are still options.
All three Seiun models have upscaling capabilities, which when combined with the headphone amps in all our devices will make your music sound better.
Additionally, with the Seiun Pro and Seiun Pro X, you’ll have access to Hi-Fi Streaming services like Tidal and Deezer via the Google Play Store (They are not quite Hi-Res but still offer better sound quality compared to Apple Music, Spotify and Pandora).
However to unlock the best quality we still recommend downloading some Hi-Res content.
You'll feel fully immersed in your music
1. Technology should provide people with a better quality of life, regardless of budget.
2. Cost should be based on Technology, Quality and Features not marketing jargon and celebrity endorsements.
3. We trust that our consumers can determine what makes good quality products rather than just following a brand narrative.
Thomas assembles one of the Seiun prototypes
The first prototype boards of the Seiun Pro
SEIUN PRO X
Current PCB-update 5/13/16
After verifying our proof of concept using the Demo Boards we partnered with the Liztic Team to develop our Music and Video Player applications.
We had previously worked with Liztic to develop a Hi-Res Music Player App for Windows which will be paired with our upcoming Clarity DACs for easy playback of Native DSD and PCM Audio(learn more).
So we were already confident in Liztic's ability to develop amazing software.
A preview of Cyberdrive SEIUN player LITE version of our upcoming Zeus Hi-Res Audio App for Windows, joint develop with the Liztic Team
The UI for the Seiun Music & Video Player Apps will speak the same design language as our Windows App to create for a seamless user experience.
After the whole debugging process we are confident that the product that we will ship to you next year will have out of this world!
Cyberdrive SEIUN player app
Great News on 02-23-2016
The CyberDrive SEIUN Player App ( LITE version ) is released on GooglePlay store. ----- FREE DOWN LOAD now
Great News on 03-15-2016
We are pleased to share with all backers , the new progress on our phase 2 Seiun player App ( Pro version ) is take off today , this professional Hi-RES music player will free for Cyberdrive Seiun Pro / Seiun Pro X player .
>>>> Automatic up-grade through LITE version >>>>>
To enrich our SEIUN Pro / Pro X player both on Hi-Res Audio and VIdeo 4K UHD , we are pleased to announce it will linked to 2.4G/5G wifi for most of HIGH bit-rate streaming play or down load play.
we are almost done the Cyberdrive HOME SERVER qualify test with SEIUN Pro / Pro X , Please give us some more time to final the UI and more intensive test on stability .
BY the way , Thanks for Michael's Liztic team to joint the project .
Here is the first demo video of our HOME SERVER with Pro / Pro X !
it shows 4K UHD play and Hi-RES audio around your home .
- Developing the UI for the Seiun Pro and Pro X. We have partnered with Liztic Audio to create the A/V players for the Seiun. We’ve worked together to make sure all basic Hi-Res Audio player functions work along with 4K out.
- However, we need your help to build and bug test the apps music and video player apps to make sure they are ready for mass distribution. If you are interested in helping we will send you one of the units from our limited product run after the campaign. Once again this program will be completely optional! You can opt-in via the post campaign survey!
- Michael Demmer (CEO / Liztic Software Company) and His Team
We started working with Michael and his Liztic Team on our creating Hi-Res Player for our Clarity DACs (launching soon on Amazon), little did we know that our project would turn into such a fruitful relationship. Michael and his team have been huge in providing us feedback on our products, connections in the industry and of course great software for our products!
- Ivan Ablamskyi (CEO/ Coppertino Software - Vox Player / Loop Cloud) and His Team Ivan and the team at Coppertino Software are the creators of our favorite Mac OS X/iOS media player. They provided us with great feedback on our Hi-Res products early on and we are excited to work with them to integrate their cloud platform with our Seiun Pro & Pro X.
- Our Suppliers We know it isn’t normal to thank your suppliers, however they have been beyond amazing helping us make this project a reality. They recognized the opportunity our vision presented and worked with us to make sure our dream could come to life.
- Our Teams in the US and new team in Taiwan
None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our teams in both the US and Taiwan! We gone through a lot of changes this year and grown quite a bit as a company. Everyone from our design team to our finance department has been rock-solid throughout the process!
This machine washes the extra solder off the Seiun prototype boards
Our Project Leader, Thomas Chen has been a leader in the tech market for the past 30 years. Most of you have used products he had a direct hand in developing without even knowing it.
If you used any of those products above, then you have used a product that Thomas had a direct hand in developing and bringing to the market as either a CEO or CTO. It was his vision and developmental leadership which helped put those companies on the map.
He has a full range of experience working with all the industries that this line will cross over. From Computers and Data Storage to Communication and Consumer A/V.
Thomas inspecting one of the Seiun Prototypes
Cyberdrive was founded 2 years ago in San Diego with the goal of combining all his previous experience to develop truly revolutionary products. So we are confident that we have the capabilities to push the Audio industry into improving its quality standards for all.
NEWs on 06/04-2016
Since our design was change the ESS 9018K2M to ESS 9018S The progress is getting closed the design spec as well as hardware circuit ,
we are doing the last software and qualify the performance index from ESS 9018S , we hope we can final released the design circuit and released the design circuit diagram to our Backer's in next week .
The PHA products The Latest status report of PHA project:
We have other team members to take in charge the parts of work on the PHA project. Although this PHA project started a little bit later than the regular campaign, we still continue working on a lot of testings, product designs and other product development. By many requests for a lot of professional Hi-Res music users during the campaign, the current product developing is still going very well. We are confident that the spec and the designs. The project status is very similar to Pro/ Pro X project and just need to wait for ESS to QUALIFY the performance index of ESS 9018K2M chips now.
Yes, we are getting close to the our target, but we also know the last mile will need more efforts and also need work more carefully on every details. For your encouragement, we know we can do it, and we can do it right to you!
We will keep some HAPPY news for the next update.
Thanks for all of you again!
Thomas & The Cyberdrive Team. at 03-15-2016.
Message from Thomas at beginning of campaign
Technology is the reason why we keep progressing forward. Because of technology we have the ability to provide people with a greater sense of enjoyment in life. Over the last 40 years we've seen Computer Technology make people's lives easier and more convenient. We've seen Communications Technology break the barriers of time and space by connecting people on opposite ends of the earth. We've witnessed Storage Technology grow infinitely while shrinking in size and cost. We've experienced Video Technology pack an infinite amount of pixels into displays to recreate images with previously unimaginable clarity. But Audio Technology has been lagging. Even though music is a huge part of all of our lives, only those who are willing to spend ridiculous amounts of money have been fortunate enough to comprehend what is truly possible. However, the time is coming for this to change. That is why we are here, because we want everyone to truly enjoy music like they never thought possible (without forcing you to go beyond your budget). We learned from our 1st Kickstarter Campaign, this community is about more than just providing us with monetary backing.
We truly value your opinions and suggestions on our products (even if they are harsh) because it helps us deliver a better end product. We can’t wait to hear what you have to say about the new Seiun Line. With your blessing we intend to do great things.
Let’s make Hi-Res Audio available for everyone! Thank you again to all our backers (past, present and future). Our company wouldn’t be here without all you music lovers.
Special thanks to everyone who backed our first campaign to help make this dream a reality!
How many pairs of the Impact Dura can I buy? Is there a limit? Previously there was a limit however we decided, to discard it. You can buy as many Impact Dura as your heart desires!
Where do I post my screenshot to redeem my free pair of Forte Impact Dura?After the completion of the campaign, we'll send out our 'Post Campaign Survey'. This is basically a questionnaire we'll send out to verify your shipping address, figure out which color options you want and more. On the survey, we will have a question where you'll be able to upload your screenshot in-exchange for 1-free pair of Forte Impact Dura Earbuds!
So what is the Seiun PHA? The PHA is a Headphone Amp / Powerbank for power users. It features the ESS SABRE9018S DAC along with the TI OPA4134 and TPA6120A2 OP and Headphone Amps respectively. It also has a 10,000mAh battery to recharge all your favorite devices and drive unprecedented power to the balanced outputs.
Wait...does the PHA have a Hi-Res Audio Player? Yes, however it is a secondary function of the PHA. The PHA features a small 128x32px LCD. The device really isn't meant to be a dedicated DAP, however it can fill in during a pinch. Unlike the Pro / PRO X with its dedicated Audio app, the PHA only has a primitive folder play function. So we don't recommend it as a replacement for your dedicated DAP.
Is it the PHA or the HPA? It's the Seiun PHA (Portable Headphone Amp).
Why doesn't the Seiun Pro / PRO X have a dedicated amp? It all comes down to power consumption. Basically if we integrated something like the TI OPA4134 + TPA6120A2 in our Seiun Pro / PRO X, users would have extremely short battery life. As short as 2-3 hours in our RD test. That's why we decided to go with the new ESS 9018Q2C DAC + Amp solution, because of its smart power management solutions.
But...still why not just include a bigger battery and get us the Amp we want? For two reasons. First a bigger battery means bigger player. At 5.5" this the Seiun Pro / PRO X are already beast. Second, a bigger battery would also require an extensiveretooling process which would put us behind schedule. No one wants us to become the next Geekwave! (Most of all us! We got an ecosystem to keep developing!)
But that's not a stretch goal! Stretch goals are suppose to give us stuff for free! Yes, we understand your frustration, we never meant to make anyone feel like we pulled 'a fast one' on them. When we introduced the PHA we also announced that we would still be making color choices, we upgraded the Seiun Players storage capacity, and we offered an internal-storage Add-on for the Seiun Pro / PRO X. We simply advertised the PHA as a 'Stretch Goal' because we wanted it to be displayed prominently at the top of the page. In hindsight we should have named this as an accessory unlock or perk unlock or something else. We are sorry for the confusion it caused our contributors.
Will the Pro / PRO X support a Standalone DAC Mode? No the Seiun Pro & PRO X will not have a Standalone DAC Mode. Instead you can use our Zeus Player App you'll be able to access global clouds (Dropbox / Google Drive / Loop / Box), Local LAN connections and our own upcoming HomeServer technology to sync or stream music from your
Looking for more information?Check the project
FAQ
& the super model! )
