Is Sansa Clip + really that good?! - Page 18

Well regarding bass quantity, an eq usually fix it (unless it's a problem of overall volume).

Regarding "flabby" bass (I'd say clean bass), I believe it's more related to the DAC, than the amp, and the one from sansa clip is not that bad from what I've understood.

But I'm convinced that my xonar stx have a  cleaner output .

 

"bad" != "weak".  Lots of low power amps have very good quality.  Lots of high power amp are poor.

 

The amount of power an amp can deliver is determined by its maximum voltage (and to a lesser extent its impedance if it is a very bad amp).  But voltage says nothing about quality and even less about bass response.  I can make a high voltage amp easily with very poor bass ;)

 

But yes, I agree that a good amp should be capable of producing bass. 

I own an RE-0 and I have to say the Clip Zip disappoints me. I used a unrooted, un-Voodoo'ed Nexus S as comparison.

 

Yes, the Clip Zip is more neutral and clear, and I appreciate that. But the Zip just sounds all squished together.

 

Vocals and instruments? Squished. They are more distinct in the Nexus S (is this what's called "separation"?).

 

Soundstage? Squished. Definitely better in the Nexus S. I find that the left and the right tend to "agree" too much on the Zip.

 

One note and the next? Well I wouldn't say squished but I find my Nexus S to have more..... space? rest? staccato?... between one note and the next. The Zip sounds.. micro-echo-y? Don't really know how to describe this, sorry.

 

My Nexus S just has more... grandeur? You know how if you turn your volume up gradually from a low level, the sound will at some point "bloom"? Like it's not just the volume that's increasing but it just gets better (and it's not a gradual thing, it's pretty distinct)? Yeah, I kept increasing the volume on my Clip Zip but it never gets as "bloomy" as my Nexus S.

 

All in all I wouldn't say Clip (Zip) is a bad player; it's a good one, especially for the price. But coming from a phone, I expected the Zip to be better sounding, what with all the hype.

 

I'm desperately hoping for suggestions here: will Rockbox help? (They say the SQ doesn't really increase, so.. meh.) Will buying a Fiio E11 or a Hippo Cricri help? Thanks before.

Edited by treblehead - 1/31/13 at 11:29pm

@treblehead

check if you didn't enable some dsp on the sansa zip , or in the nexus that would explain some difference.

You can try rockbox, it's easy to install/uninstall, they provide a setup.

@extrabigmehdi:

 

Thanks for the input. I can't find any DSP on my Zip, only EQ and it's on Normal. Funny thing is, on stock firmware the volume level drops when I changed the custom EQ even slightly. On the newest firmware (I just upgraded), it doesn't do this. Also I could swear the SQ increases ever so slightly on this newer firmware (01.01.20P); I could be wrong, though.

I think that's normal. They are are adding some headroom to prevent clipping. Maybe the newest firmware do it in a smarter way (less headroom, if less is necessary).

Edited by extrabigmehdi - 2/1/13 at 7:34am

 

You pretty much have to do that or you get clipping.  See this post I made before about how digital EQ works:

 

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/571987/is-sansa-clip-really-that-good/240#post_9092590

Have you tried this theory of yours that clip+ amp can match HM 901?

This probably has something to do with what you feel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour As you turn up the volume the frequency response of your ear actually becomes flatter. But I know what you mean about the soundstage/separation of the clip, it could be better. I also happen to have a Nexus S (Voodoo'ed) but I still consider it slightly inferior to the clip (zip in my case), although comparable. Using an E17 makes a big difference. That said, the clip is still a truly remarkable piece of gear.

Hi guys. I don't post often but I just wanted to ask because wading through dozens of threads is time consuming. I was recently going to drop $150 on an iPod until I heard about the Clip+ and Sansa's newest device that plays AAC or was it FLAC? Anyway, I was wondering, just how good is the latest Clip+ generation in comparison to an iPod? I own a Galaxy SIII but the sound quality isn't that great. I assume Samsung use a random DAP in their phones. Aside from that, I don't feel comfortable taking the SIII with me to the gym in case I drop a dumbbell on my leg and my phone goes smashy smashy. A guy from my gym had caught my eye (not like that) when he was fiddling with a tiny device the other day. So I asked him what it was an he told me it was a Sandisk Clip+. Told me he got the 4 GB model off of Amazon for 45 and that he bought a 32 GB card for it. I just looked at Amazon yesterday and it sells for $30 plus tax, and a 16 GB card costs less than $13. Is this a worthwhile investment or should I just get an iPod?

I think it's a worthwhile investment, if you gave me the choice between an ipod which has no memory expansion, tethered to Itunes, doesn't support FLAC next to a Clip+ the size of a match box supports sd cards, rockbox, and ton of formats I would choose the Clip+ right there, and that's before mentioning sound quality which I think Sansa has covered anyway. If you're using this for gym it's perfect.

Clip+ has an entire clan of fans here who will stand by it through thick n thin, (Sansa Army) whether it be how well it measures or it's price to performance ratio. I use one for going out and about, it's light, goes plenty loud enough for outdoor use and is easily clipped or hidden away in my pocket, no fuss, no drama. I recently lost one a few weeks ago after leaving it somewhere and the best thing was it cost me $29 for a refurb, no harm, no major loss, the biggest down fall on that occasion was losing the 32GB card which I needed to replace.

You can buy decent refurbs here.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4GB-SanDisk-Sansa-Clip-MP3-Player-FM-Radio-Voice-Recorder-in-Black-/250930314293?pt=AU_MP3_Players&hash=item3a6c9cbc35&_uhb=1

For going out and about It's a really cool player, I just don't recommend it for critical / serious listening, or would I recommend iPod either.

Clip+ for going to the beach, gym, bus rides to the zoo, doing handstands naked at your local park. etc etc... Sure.
Edited by H20Fidelity - 3/21/13 at 6:09pm

Didn't you say that the Clip+ sounded really bad, like an FM Radio? I'm confused.

Yes, yes it does sound like an FM radio, compared to my 'audiophile daps' read the rest of what I said


That's it, right there in a nut shell, just for you. When I said "which I think Sansa has covered" I meant over an IPod.
Edited by H20Fidelity - 3/22/13 at 2:11am

So you're saying that iPods sound worse than FM radio?