The best Audiophile MP3 Player?

If you used the search feature I'm sure you will find hundreds of threads with the same goal as this one.

without an amp, likely the sansa fuze

with one, just as you said, the s9 or j3 as they have a vast EQ system 

As you said, Cowon's model like S9 and J3 is one of best mp3 players. I think they are pretty good with and even without EQ system. If the audio part is only important, recommend S9 though.

I enjoy my creative Zen X-fi 2.

Quote:

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater 

without an amp, likely the sansa fuze

 

with one, just as you said, the s9 or j3 as they have a vast EQ system 

But is it good,that J3,or S9,have not a line out,so as to do the job well,with the amp?

I think I will buy a pico mp/dac,or i-Qube V2,so I want to choose one very good  mp3,or mp3/flac player,so suggestions welcome.

Theodore.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiophile1811 

There are many MP3 players in the market and many of them are worth the money but what's the best portable music player (MP3 Player) that can meet everyone's needs in only audio terms. Of course I'm only speaking of players like the Cowon J3 or S9. Be specific on the details of your experience with the player and explain what you enjoyed about it the most, please.

 

Thank You, A1811.

Different strokes for different folks, so really no such device exists.

To answer the question in the thread title, the HM-801 is very highly regarded.
 

It's pretty simple, the best in sound quality are the Hifiman801>602>Sflo2 (In this order) because they are specialized in sound quality, the rest are far behind unamped. These of course have their issues in UI and size, but for sound there's no comparison.

Regarding mainstream players (ie Apple/Sony/Sansa/Cowon) unamped, there's not really one that's vastly superior to the others when you pick out the best ones. No matter how much people praise a mainstream player in the end all the top ones are very close and each has their own sonic flaws. In this case, players like the Fuze, J3. Sony X and Ipod Touch etc. are pretty much close in terms of SQ there's not one that's vastly superior to the other, just a different taste in presentation. As a note, I've tried them all (Touch2g/Sony X/J3/Fuze/Clip+), so I'm not just basing things off of reading.

But then if you want to use a mainstream player with an amp, the best choices are the Ipods and the Sansa Fuze due to the Line Out function.

I think this pretty much sums things up at the moment.

edit: The C30/Gumstick/Rocco are players to mention and fwir (no experience with them) they are somewhere in between the Audiophile players and the mainstream ones. Beating out players like the Fuze but not quite getting there with the Sflo2.

Yes by far, Sfo2 is another class. The J3 is far outhyped in regards to it's sound. The Sflo2 sounds more natural and better all around and the soundstage of the sflo2 is just in another level. The J3 sounds horrid without EQs/BBE imo but with it, it sounds much better but way too colored for my taste. Hell, I think I would've liked the Sony X more than the J3 if it weren't for it's codec limitations. People most often buy the J3 more than the Sflo2 for other reasons like gapless, good UI, battery life, etc.

Sony family hisses like crazy, and I think that can be bothersome for some.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bokyung 

Sony family hisses like crazy, and I think that can be bothersome for some.

If you use very sensitive IEM's, yes....but with 24 ohm and up headphones, I didn't hear any hiss with my Sony players.

My S:Flo2 is amazing, destroying the Fuze in terms of sound quality. It also has a line out that is much better even than the headphone out. I connect it to my speakers or the car and it sounds amazing, much better than an Ipod touch or the Fuze.

Ya I was torn between j3 or the sflo2

but the elementary UI and the kindergarten battery life really needs to be improved. I thought cowon d2+'s UI was terrible but using sflo2 makes me wonder who deemed this product to be ready for public release.

The UI on the S:Flo2 is not that bad if you just put your music in folders and browse by directories.