So I have received this MP4 player:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=260311116579

It works, I have uploaded 2 songs and 2 videos and they play fine.

Problem: Sound quality is TERRIBLE (I had an eBay MP4 player a year ago that was fine so I know what is acceptable)

I have replaced the included cheap earphone's with high quality sony ones, but there is no bass whatsoever It sounds OK using my Logitech speakers, but crap out of headphones..

Reading this forum I presume changing the firmware is a BAD idea... what else can i do?

its just cheap hardware thats all, you have an 8g player for £38, you dont get much in quality for that price, only pos thing is to try a mini amp that fits inline with the headphones, see this link for the excellent Fiio E3 mini amp http://mp4nation.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_45&products_id=253, it improve audio and volume, not sure if its what you were thinking though, or there is an updated version, the E5 due out Dec with dedicated bass boost, and you are right, firmwre is not the solution for you

makd511 wrote (View Post): › its just cheap hardware thats all, you have an 8g player for £38, you dont get much in quality for that price, only pos thing is to try a mini amp that fits inline with the headphones, see this link for the excellent Fiio E3 mini amp http://mp4nation.net/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_45&products_id=253, it improve audio and volume, not sure if its what you were thinking though, or there is an updated version, the E5 due out Dec with dedicated bass boost, and you are right, firmwre is not the solution for you

Thanks for the info, although one of those devices would probably be too big to carry around with the headphones I will probably just put up with limited bass (or buy dj style headphones). The volume is plenty loud enough, just a shame no bass!

Try setting EQ mode to DBB.

Also because the touch screen is expensive, manufacturer will use lower quality parts in the analog block to compensate.

lolita wrote (View Post): › Try setting EQ mode to DBB. Also because the touch screen is expensive, manufacturer will use lower quality parts in the analog block to compensate.

DBB is a copy of the Normal EQ on Actions players, i thought you knew that already... Well, maybe the placebo effect works on some people.

The best EQ presets imo are Rock (loud, good treble but bass a bit lacking), and Jazz (not as loud as Rock but plenty of bass). Try those.

Th3_uN1Qu3 wrote (View Post): › DBB is a copy of the Normal EQ on Actions players, i thought you knew that already... Well, maybe the placebo effect works on some people.

It's not, the decoder does amplify the lower frequencies in DBB mode but many players do not have analog block with low enough frequency response to show a big difference. In other words the bass is boosted in software, but doesn't get through the hardware.

lolita wrote (View Post): › It's not, the decoder does amplify the lower frequencies in DBB mode but many players do not have analog block with low enough frequency response to show a big difference. In other words the bass is boosted in software, but doesn't get through the hardware.

Well, i've had two Actions players of my own and a couple of other ones on my hand, and on all of them the DBB preset sounded no different from the Normal one. Again, Jazz was the best for bass.

lolita wrote (View Post): › Try setting EQ mode to DBB. Also because the touch screen is expensive, manufacturer will use lower quality parts in the analog block to compensate.

Yeah this makes the bass even worse, what i can imagine ipod headphones sound like.