DAP with best headphone out?

[synaesthetic]

Curious to see what others think. =)

I still haven't found anything that sounded better right out of the headphone amp than my old Sharp Auvi DS8 minidisc player, though truthfully I have not heard a wide variety of players.

[robojack]

Cowon D2. Its headphone-out is clean enough that you could even hook up an amp, and increase the SQ even further without any audible (and very little measurable) distortion or noise.

[synaesthetic]

You'd really rate the D2 over all others? I'm not just talking about current-production players.

[robojack]

Headphone-out wise? Yes, as far as I can remember. But then again, it's hard to compare, since I only used cheaper headphones with my older players, none of which are still working today.

However, I have had a couple players that had optical outs and line-outs, which are definitely superior.

[synaesthetic]

I'm trying to find the best "all in one" solution, and while I am still toying with the idea of finding a NW-HD5, the little buggers are scarce and expensive.

I was using a 3g Nano and a portable amp with LOD, sounded wonderful and all, but too much crap to tote around.

The D2 I have been considering but I am really un-fond of "touch" interfaces... touch screens, touch wheels, I really dislike them and I yearn for simple old buttons.

[Meloncoly]

If you like older interfaces, why not try a Cowon X5 or the iRiver Hxx series? Unless you hate joysticks.

[synaesthetic]

I used to have an x5, while the SQ was great and the player felt good and well-constructed, I didn't like the joystick, and I've never been fond of iRiver players.

There's something markedly different in the newest generation of iPod click wheels and the older iPod Mini/iPod 4g/iPod Photo click wheels. The older ones felt smoother and less twitchy. Adjusting the volume on my 3g Nano is a chore. And 8gb isn't enough capacity.

I *loved* the iPod Mini in almost every functional (non SQ) way, except for the problem with bass roll-off on low-impedance IEMs. If I could find a way to replace the output caps with larger ones to prevent the roll-off, I'd definitely pick up a 2g Mini, toss an 850mAh battery and 32gb CF card in it, and call it a day.

[HipHopScribe]

The best I've heard is the Toshiba Gigabeat T400, closely behind that are the Sansa Clip/Fuze, Zune 80, and Cowon D2, and behind that group would be a bunch of Creative players and the iPod Classic, and at the back of the pack the Sansa e260 (v1, without Rockbox). Those are all players I've owned, I've also listened to some other players, like the iriver clix2, but I can't give much of an opinion on the ones I haven't owned.

[synaesthetic]

I've heard a few interesting things about the iRiver E10, and I like the minimalist, clean look of the player. If the SQ rumors are to be believed, all it would take for me to drop a C-note on one would be if they can be modified to accept 32gb CF cards like other Microdrive players can.

[nc8000]

The best headphone out I have heard has been the 1st gen Shuffle and a JVC player that antonyfirst had last summer, can't remember what model it was. Problem is I have never had several players together at the same time so this has to be from memory.

[synaesthetic]

The first-gen Shuffle does in fact sound amazing, but it has a marked lack of capacity and an inability to be modded to having more capacity.

The Sony HD5 is still looking like the top contender, I only wish it wasn't so hard to find. My research into the iRiver E10 hasn't uncovered any info about modding with a CF card and I've read numerous reports of bugginess and firmware issues.

[Ricardo Dawkins]

Zune 80 ?

[synaesthetic]

The Zune 80's SQ was quite good but I still considered it trumped by the 1g Shuffle and the DS8 minidisc.

[majkel]

Best IMHO (not knowing Kenwoods, JVC's and Zune's) - iRiver E10 (my choice), Teclast T39, Rio Karma

Loudest: Rio Karma, then Cowon D2

[synaesthetic]

do you know if it's possible to put a 32gb CF card in place of the E10's microdrive?

this would really decide the issue for me.