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Clip+ Sound Quality, really??

post #1 of 179
4/6/10 at 12:21am
Thread Starter 
So I got my $26 Clip+ today and I have to say I am not impressed. I was hoping for better sound than a 2nd gen iPod nano. Nope, not happening. As someone that detests Apple I am a sad panda. I dusted of my old 12 year old Sony Discman and that blew away the iPod. I'll try rockboxing the Clip+ but I'm dubious it will be able to make up that much ground on the Nano. Anyone else experience this despite all the Sansa love??

What would sound better, a rockboxed Fuze, Fuze w/ LOD, or iModded Apple Wolfsons? I just cant stand having a DAP that sounds worse than an old Discman.
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post #2 of 179
4/6/10 at 12:29am
What headphones do yo use?
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post #3 of 179
4/6/10 at 12:33am
The headphones you use have a lot to do with the sound. My Clip+ sounds much better using my UE-10's than my Shure e3's.

Also, are you using the correct settings on your Clip+?

The Fuze sounds just like the Clip+.
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post #4 of 179
4/6/10 at 12:43am
Rock the box, man.
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post #5 of 179
4/6/10 at 1:34am
My Clip+ sounds better with my pair of ER4 than they ever did out of my iPod 5.5. I'm using the E5 to amp it though, otherwise I'd never get enough volume.
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post #6 of 179
4/6/10 at 1:35am
Thread Starter 
Tried the clip+ w/ Grado GR8's and Monster Turbine pro MD's. All settings flat on all players, a/b'd using same lossless files. My Touch Pro 2 is better sounding, still slightly less than the iPod though.
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post #7 of 179
4/6/10 at 1:48am
maybe you dont like the sound signature of sansa clip+
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post #8 of 179
4/6/10 at 1:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anaxilus View Post
Tried the clip+ w/ Grado GR8's and Monster Turbine pro MD's. All settings flat on all players, a/b'd using same lossless files. My Touch Pro 2 is better sounding, still slightly less than the iPod though.
Then follow your ears. Get rid of the clip+ and live happily ever after with your Touch Pro 2, GR8's and Monster Turbines. Trust your ears.

That's the beauty of this hobby. There is something for everyone at different price points and different combinations of stuff.

FWIW, I still think the Clip+ sounds better than any other portable I have heard.
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post #9 of 179
4/6/10 at 1:57am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_tumiwa View Post
maybe you dont like the sound signature of sansa clip+
I dunno, it just sounds thinner and less resolved than everything else I have atm. Perhaps they need more power, I can get the volume high enough for my tastes it seems. Just seems like I'm listening to a lossy file, as if data is missing.

Rockbox incoming....
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post #10 of 179
4/6/10 at 2:25am
Personally, I am not a fan of the stock Clip or Fuze; they have a grain in the mid range which isn't present in my Sony or my iPod touch and God forbid, even in my AMP3 Pro. Rockbox allows me to EQ that graininess away a bit, but still, for dynamic earphones such as the Monster Turbines, I keep the Fuze in the drawer unless I need portability.

Even for earphones the Fuze (very similar to the Clip) drives bette than the touch, I have very little interest because it isn't as clear, it hisses more, and it does have grain. Rockbox helps a lot in making me like it, but it doesn't cover over the simple silly stuff.
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post #11 of 179
4/6/10 at 2:48am
Thread Starter 
Thx for the feedback Shig. I think thats exactly what I'm noticing w/ my MD's. The tremendous mids of the MD's seem like they are being gutted. I've lost that lushness in the body of my dynamic drivers. Think you hit it on the head as to what I'm hearing.

I think my hopes were too high after reading all the universal acclaim. I was a bit shocked after A/Bing w/ a 5 year old Nano, 10 year old Discman and my phone...

I will admit the clip+ is a very solidly built little thing w/ a microsdhc card slot. Probably the highest quality electronic device I have ever bought for $25. Might have to keep it just for that alone.
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post #12 of 179
4/6/10 at 2:53am
Wow.
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post #13 of 179
4/6/10 at 2:57am
I'm curious. He/She that loves the Clip+, what earphones/headphones are you using? Further, is your setup amped or straight out of the HP out? Last, what is your data format?
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post #14 of 179
4/6/10 at 4:05am
Don't get me wrong; the Fuze is one of my favourites, but not for overall SQ. It is very good, but I am extremely sensitive to grain and hiss and those two things are just a little off putting. There isn't a perfect player out there and the Fuze with Rockbox is close, but it's defects aren't shallow enough to boost it to all time best.

I would love the Sony even with its poor line out, but its hiss is just ... too much for me to contend with. As much as I've tried to find better, I am not convinced that there is a cheap option which is universally better than the iPod nano. Sure, some are warmer, some have better bass performance, but you sacrifice other things: distortion, gaps, grain; and those things I don't care to sacrifice.
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post #15 of 179
4/6/10 at 4:13am
Thread Starter 
Since I have you on atm Shig. What do you think the SFlo2? It seems for the price you would get a good, clean source and enough power to function ampless if so desired which I think seems like a good idea w/ Monster Pro MD's. You think the SFlo2 would synergize well w/ Dynamics like the MD's? Sadly I'm only on page 14 of the SFlo2 thread....
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