Originally Posted by novasol
Weird, I didn't notice a difference at all between the 829 and my 818. Did you listen to an 81x series?
Perhaps the sound sig is different between the 808 and 81x?
I haven't tried the 818 since it's simply the SS/Atrac free version of the 808.
Sony even stated that on its website when the 818 first went on sale.
But I can absolutely hear a difference between the 808 and 829 and I really wasn't expecting to. Like I said, the sound signature is very similar but it's just pushed out over a larger area. Perhaps it's slightly more neutral (more like the Zune), but it's definitely enough of an improvement for me to get rid of the Zune! When I go back to the 808, the difference in soundstage is quite noticeable. Having said that, the 808 still sounds fantastic, but the 829 just seems to sound a little better.