I nabbed a arm full of 30 Gig brown refurbished Zunes. Pretty good SQ right out of the headphone out. Comes with box and everything you would get if you bought it new. They are "A" stock so are in pretty cherry condition, $98 plus SH not bad.
Music -> Amp -> Headphones
"I want a nightclub on my head." :basshead:
mr_baseball: I guess times have changed and Head-fiers are getting laid like champs now. (Except I seriously doubt that's the case given all the anime and computer related threads around here..)
The problem with the Zune is that there is a IO protocol that is in place integrated with in the device that allows or prevents the signal to be accessed via the dock. The modding part is easy but overcoming the access to the lineout is only going to be accomplished with help from Microsoft. I cornered the person in charge of 3rd party accessory products for the Zune at the CES show, his name was Ivan actually. I gave him my pitch, I wanted to make a line out cable for the Zune. They pretty much blew me off.
solid price on the zunes, sucks to hear that microsoft blew you off I think something similiar happened when someone wanted to mod another player but I don't remember exactly (might be cowon or iriver). Hopefully someday head-fi will be so big they will regret that.
The problem with the Zune is that there is a IO protocol that is in place integrated with in the device that allows or prevents the signal to be accessed via the dock. The modding part is easy but overcoming the access to the lineout is only going to be accomplished with help from Microsoft. I cornered the person in charge of 3rd party accessory products for the Zune at the CES show, his name was Ivan actually. I gave him my pitch, I wanted to make a line out cable for the Zune. They pretty much blew me off.
Ken
That's such garbage on microsoft's (or whoever the guy was) part. Way for them to show support for companies wanting to push the industry forward.
I take it it's pretty hard to do any reverse engineering....
__________________ Nate
Music -> Amp -> Headphones
"I want a nightclub on my head." :basshead:
mr_baseball: I guess times have changed and Head-fiers are getting laid like champs now. (Except I seriously doubt that's the case given all the anime and computer related threads around here..)
That's such garbage on microsoft's (or whoever the guy was) part. Way for them to show support for companies wanting to push the industry forward.
I take it it's pretty hard to do any reverse engineering....
Hey Nate,
Yeah I was also pretty disappointed as well. I thought I made a pretty compelling case to the gent from Microsoft. I in a nut shell said that the product I wanted to produce (a line out cable) would not infringe on any other companies product, would be used by uber audiophiles and would only create positive product buzz for MS. The cable needed access to the audio L, R and ground ONLY. Imagine all the people here at Head-fi able to power their Zune with any number of portable amps, how cool that would have been. Not to mention the fact that the "Zmod" was by all intensive purposes a total success. So much for the "social", eh?
Ken
Reverse engineering would not work, pretty much a authentication chip is needed, or some kind of software alteration to the zunes code. Its not as easy as a resistor across a few pins on the dock.
Such garbage...and MS wonders why the Zune is always falling short of the iPod when they're not even in any sort of way open to pushing something as simple as after market accessories or cables. WTF is wrong with them?
What makes those cables different from being able to make your own? There doesn't "appear" to be anything different aside from a dock connector. I'm sure somebody here could replicate a chip if there is infact one inside the dock connector.
__________________ Nate
Music -> Amp -> Headphones
"I want a nightclub on my head." :basshead:
mr_baseball: I guess times have changed and Head-fiers are getting laid like champs now. (Except I seriously doubt that's the case given all the anime and computer related threads around here..)
Maybe the rockbox.org team will be able to reverse engineer the Zune...even though the 2nd gen Zune is already out.
__________________ Home Setup: KECES-151 + Stax SRM1/MK2 Pro + Stax SR-Lambda Pro Portable Setup: iPod Classic 160GB or Sansa Clip 2GB + Koss KSC75 College Setup: [Source] + Little Dot I+ + Grado SR-225 Cables: BJC 2 ft. RCA-to-RCA w/ Techflex and IeGO (x2, copper and silver-plated)
+++
There are those who treat music as a convenience.
And then there are those who recognize it as an art.
+++
My Head-Fi feedback: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f12/th...ngmule-222217/
Such garbage...and MS wonders why the Zune is always falling short of the iPod when they're not even in any sort of way open to pushing something as simple as after market accessories or cables. WTF is wrong with them?
What makes those cables different from being able to make your own? There doesn't "appear" to be anything different aside from a dock connector. I'm sure somebody here could replicate a chip if there is infact one inside the dock connector.
I am pretty sure that if we are not talking about a huge mass market target (not like head-fiers and even all audiophile types) then Microsoft does not give a rats rear, if ya know what I mean.
If you look at the AV pack in that link, this is what you need in order for the line out audio to be activated to the dock pins. The actual Zune docking station base powered up, AND the Zune remote. If you do not have the remote it will not allow the signal to be released. The dock I had also has a recessed mini jack for the Zune mini to RCA so they forced you to buy a Zune mini to RCA cable. Amazing. I know there are a lot of Apple bashers but at least Apple does not do crap like this. Eh? My worst fear is for Apple to follow this non sense on some future generation.
I am sure some day one company will wake up and make a portable device dedicated for use with a external headphone amplifier (no headphone output stage) that will also have a digital as well as analog outputs (500Gig or more!!). A portable geared for pure signal cleanliness. I wish I could do that! All my pals in the biz tell me it would cost a pretty penny to make a true portable audiophile device, but I am sure some day it will come.
Zune Players
. A portable geared for pure signal cleanliness. I wish I could do that! All my pals in the biz tell me it would cost a pretty penny to make a true portable audiophile device, but I am sure some day it will come.
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