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Which has better line-out? iPod Nano vs Sansa Fuze

post #1 of 48
4/15/09 at 12:02am
Thread Starter 
As iPod Nano is way more expensive than Sansa Fuze, i am inclined to Fuze,

Any other suggestions for line-out DAP which can play APE and FLAC.

it seems that fuze is money efficient at least.

I just want to connect the DAP by KICAS to HD650.
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post #2 of 48
4/15/09 at 12:22am
Neither unit has a line out.
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post #3 of 48
4/15/09 at 12:28am
huh?
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post #4 of 48
4/15/09 at 12:48am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by immtbiker View Post
Neither unit has a line out.
i am pretty sure fuze has a lineout

nano is said to have one
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post #5 of 48
4/15/09 at 12:55am
Nuh uh.
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post #6 of 48
4/15/09 at 1:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by immtbiker View Post
Neither unit has a line out.
Not sure about Nano, but Fuze definitely has a line-out.
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post #7 of 48
4/15/09 at 1:04am
Wouldn't you need a dedicated configured dock to do that? There's no dedicated line out.
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post #8 of 48
4/15/09 at 1:13am
Thread Starter 
Does FUZE come with a LINEOUT Dock connection?
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post #9 of 48
4/15/09 at 1:19am
Yup both the Ipod Nano and Sansa would need proprietary Docks to be able to get a Lineout.

The Ipod Nano Dock I believe is very common as the connector is standard for all IPODs with some special configuration on the Ipod touch Gen 2 and the iPhones. If you don't have soldering skills you can buy a made one from ALO or source it out from other Line-Out-Dock (LOD) makers such as Quable and Ridax.

The Sansa Fuze Dock is usually DIY. I personally haven't really seen a Sansa Fuze Dock on retail. =/

Just to add you can buy parts for the Sansa Duze Dock here and I also got a link on schematics.

SanDisk Sansa interface pinout and signals @ pinouts.ru

look for the Sansa DOCK here
Ridax Software Development

Hope the information helps.

*****
With regards to your question. I find the Nano Gen 3 sounds similar to the Ipod Classic. It's actually ok for me. =)

Unfortunately I haven't tried the Sansa with a Dock. But thru the Headphone out. It's one of my favorites comparing to the Zen and Ipod Classic. I in someway like the IPOD 5G warm sound signature from the headphone out. So I sometimes use it unamped.
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post #10 of 48
4/15/09 at 1:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jojo_b2 View Post
Yup both the Ipod Nano and Sansa would need proprietary Docks to be able to get a Lineout.

The Ipod Nano Dock I believe is very common as the connector is standard for all IPODs with some special configuration on the Ipod touch Gen 2 and the iPhones. If you don't have soldering skills you can buy a made one from ALO or source it out from other Line-Out-Dock (LOD) makers such as Quable and Ridax.

The Sansa Fuze Dock is usually DIY. I personally haven't really seen a Sansa Fuze Dock on retail. =/

Just to add you can buy parts for the Sansa Duze Dock here and I also got a link on schematics.

SanDisk Sansa interface pinout and signals @ pinouts.ru

look for the Sansa DOCK here
Ridax Software Development

Hope the information helps.
great thank you very much!
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post #11 of 48
4/15/09 at 1:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by immtbiker View Post
Wouldn't you need a dedicated configured dock to do that? There's no dedicated line out.
Yes, there is. Previously you can only get the line-out by using Griffin Sansa Power Dock (which has pretty lame sounding SMD capacitors as DC filter) and Sandisk own media dock (which uses line-out signal but has an amp section built into the dock itself so it can enable the remote control function, so not a real line-out there). We were able to reverse engineer Griffin dock so now anyone with a soldering iron can get the parts and makes a LOD for Fuze. I actually had PM'ed Sandisk tech support guy several times to confirm how the line-out works before starting the LOD project
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post #12 of 48
4/15/09 at 1:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClieOS View Post
Yes, there is. Previously you can only get the line-out by using Griffin Sansa Power Dock (which has pretty lame sounding SMD capacitors as DC filter) and Sandisk own media dock (which uses line-out signal but has an amp section built into the dock itself so it can enable the remote control function, so not a real line-out there). We were able to reverse engineer Griffin dock so now anyone with a soldering iron can get the parts and makes a LOD for Fuze. I actually had PM'ed Sandisk tech support guy several times to confirm how the line-out works before starting the LOD project
To OP:

Ask more questions to ClieOS. He has made one of the Sansa Fuze Docks. The links I posted was from a discussion from another forum where Clie Posted Pics of his Dock. =)
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post #13 of 48
4/15/09 at 1:40am
Thread Starter 
WTF WHY DID NOT SANDISK MAKE A TRUE LINEOUT!!!!????
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post #14 of 48
4/15/09 at 2:54am
One and for all: the line-out on Fuze is a true line-out.

The line-out signal is directly from the SoC, which has a dedicated line-out signal path - if you don't believe me, you can download and read the datasheet yourself.

Previous argument that 'conclude' Fuze's line-out isn't a real line-out based on the fact that older firmware allows volume adjustment on line-out signal*, but they forgot (or more precisely, 'don't know') that the volume control mechanism is built into (integrated on) the SoC line-out section on chip, as well as the SoC headphone-out and (hidden) speaker-out. It doesn't means it is not a line-out, it merely means the line-out can be adjustable by the choice of the manufacturer via firmware. By disabling the volume control function (in the latest firmware), the SoC is essentially outputting specified line level signal to the dock by a dedicated line-out signal path after the DAC to the dock connection, thus it is a real line-out.

BTW, all of these info^ have been confirmed by Sansafix (Sandisk tech support on Sandisk forum) during my discussion with him. Hopefully this clear things up a bit.

* which leads critic to believe it is covered up max out headphone-out.
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post #15 of 48
4/15/09 at 2:59am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClieOS View Post
One and for all: the line-out on Fuze is a true line-out.

The line-out signal is directly from the SoC, which has a dedicated line-out signal path - if you don't believe me, you can download and read the datasheet yourself.

Previous argument that 'conclude' Fuze's line-out isn't a real line-out based on the fact that older firmware allows volume adjustment on line-out signal*, but they forgot (or more precisely, 'don't know') that the volume control mechanism is built into (integrated on) the SoC line-out section on chip, as well as the SoC headphone-out and (hidden) speaker-out. It doesn't means it is not a line-out, it merely means the line-out can be adjustable by the choice of the manufacturer via firmware. By disabling the volume control function (in the latest firmware), the SoC is essentially outputting specified line level signal to the dock by a dedicated line-out signal path after the DAC to the dock connection, thus it is a real line-out.

BTW, all of these info^ have been confirmed by Sansafix (Sandisk tech support on Sandisk forum) during my discussion with him. Hopefully this clear things up a bit.

* which leads critic to believe it is covered up max out headphone-out.
GREAT thank you very much for your professional information!
But, will i get that real lineout directly out of the sansa fuze box?
must i DIY or buy anything from the forum in order to get a dock/line for that true lineout?
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