DAP and portable setup recommendations

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridCore 

I'm looking for a good setup to use on the go. The following is what I'm using it with.

• DAP
• Hopefully my Laptop
• Hopefully my desktop

DAP
I like something durable. I have the grudge against Apple I've gained from OCN (nothing bad. I just view Apple in my own way) so Apple is a no go. I'm looking at the C2 and iAudio 10. Both seem pretty nice and it would be cool to give the C2 that brushed aluminum look on the back. The Clip+ and Clip Zip are also in consideration. I only need something that supports FLAC and has a good interface. Long battery life would be a plus too. Same with video capabilities although watching anime on such a small screen probably won't be enjoyable.
portable gear
I'm kind of hoping for something like a E17 which I can use with a computer. I'm not sure that I'll need it since I'm probably not going to bring full sized headphones with me but with my desktop, I'm going to be using a set of AH-D2000's. No concern about speakers. If I get any, they will be powered by a receiver.
That's kind of it. I might throw in some wrenches as we go as I'm in a rush right now and just listing things off the top of my mind. Thanks!

bring grudges from a Windows PC based forum to head-fi is a nonononononononononononoinonononononononono. I do some slight overclocking to 4.1 GHz using an AMD K10 platform(liquid cooled), and i sitll love my macbook pro to death.

Portable gear? While the E17 is a great all arounder. why not get it? you don't NEED to bring heapdhones out with you that use the 215mW @ 32 Ohms power of the E17
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridCore 


Well, I do dislike the interface. Honestly, it would be the last one I'd use. I'd prefer Cowon's J3 interface over that (kind of an apples to oranges thing though).
and I want to bring headphones with me.

I have found that PC users don't give Mac's enough of a chance. it takes about a month of full usage. hey. keeep in mind you spent more time on a windows PC when you first started.

I have troubel with non Apple products due to lack of LOD, thinking the DAC is not as superior, and other things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridCore 


I've given Apple plenty of time. First off, the ventilation is horrible. I burnt my finger when I touched a MacBook Pro at Best Buy. No joke. After that, hardware support is horrible. Then there's OS X vs Windows. It's like iOS vs Android. Android is slightly more complex but offers a boat load of stuff after you do some research/playing around. iOS is just for people who like it simple.
Makes me a bit sad how Cowon stopped with the line out jacks. That was a pretty bad move but their DAPs are still great. A line out would have been really nice though.

the fact that you burn your finger is proof you never gave it a change. What is hardware support?(rhetorical of course) why need it..why use it? What do you mean by hardware support? I don't do OSX v Windows or iOS v Android v others. I do the pro's of one and stuff. Android i can't say anythingon "complexivity" but from what i know. may parts of it are not. It was originally designed to be a touch pad phone. so when desigining it. Touch was not added into the calculations. this is why android phones are as smooth as a 3Gs right now. Bc finger movements and how smooth it is is rendered or processed in normal priority in andrroid instead of in real time by apple. it supports dual channel memory and all this other stuf that you can find out bc it's open source. but how they go about it is horriblle. the dual channel supports is what caused Google to go with a TI SoC instead of Samsung's own Exynos this time around bc Google's team that designed it were too full of themselves pulling theoretical benches on dual channel. in the end. the performance was not only negligable but glaringly slow compared to the Exynos it could have used with the Mali 400. Most app's also use Dalvik virtual machine instead of the much more advanced JAva virtual machine. again. a minus

let's move on, i don't have experinece in many DAP's so this is just me:

Cowon... :( yeah

Other DAP's don't have a line out function and that is a severe deal breaker for me. the other audiophile DAPs circuitry and amp's don't have all the problems that ipod's have as they are "higher qualltity" but still. dual amping a Cowon  with a $400 amp is not exactly my cup of coffee. not to mention, from what i see...most top head'fiers go with ipod classic anyway. What i see is this type of trend

When you first start out. you are all :D bc you have an ipod and got excited hearing ipods can do all this and that.

A bit through..you learn ur stuff. you start becomming non conforming, you are now all. Hmm that hifiman 603 and Cowon look good. heck it might be better than ipod

In the end; (i haven't reached this phase myself yet) i see most top head'fi'ers with those big rigs..all have the ipod classic :/ So yeah, it looks like a good choice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridCore 


Okay. But I think I meant software and some hardware. I can't do anything right rushed. Too lazy to set up WINE (I think you can use it for Mac).
I always had this grudge against Apple for no reason but now I've had one for a couple of years. I know I will not touch an iPod with a 100ft pole. /exaggeration
And since I probably won't need to dual amp, then I guess I'll stick to IEMs. I do need something for a desktop setup though without breaking the bank and I guess the E17 is the best I can get with 24/192 at that price. On the other hand, I can spend that ~$450 I can spend on the E17 and the AH-D2000's with some other stuff (headphone stand/banana rack, etc.), I can get myself a good receiver and some planar speakers. Had my eyes on the Arx A1 at TheAudioInsider. Seem very good for the price and I was shown a review on planar somewhere and they seemed to perform extremely well.

it's all up to you, it depends on if you want to split your money range apart or keep it together and tight. I tend to split it apart a bit. Yeah. I'm going with getting an E17 as soon as it comes out and my wish list for the next year is

TF10's

Denon AHD2000's

TRP50's- i want to try planar magnetics :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridCore 


Well, what do you think the iAudio 10 will be like in comparison to the C2? I just need sound quality, battery life, and an interface that won't kill me in my sleep.
Wait, the TRP50's are planars? Oh wow. I need to get myself a pair.

i don't have any exp with them. i don't know if they will have the power to drive legit full sized heapdhones later on though without an amp and me myself would prefer an LOD function to use y own. i don't know what to say and nobody is comming ot ur help :/

Yes the Fostex T50RP's are planar. Orthodynamic and planar. are interchangable. and can be found for $50:D

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridCore 


Well, I probably won't use full sizes on those unless I have some amp I have access to that I can use.
That will be a $50 well spent.

haha. so have u decided on dap yet?

i heard to get them to sound acutally good you need to mod though? don't know if this is relaitvley true

Quote:

Originally Posted by HybridCore 


Nope. Honestly, they all look so good. The added plus of the iAudio 10 and C2 over the Sansa's though is video capability. I guess the C2 is large enough to play some videos. iAudio 10...maybe...
I'll mod them if I have too. Why not? It's only $50. I'll probably try making it look better since I don't really like the way it looks. As long as I don't cover the openings and allow enough air in I should be fine.
Anybody else care to join?

yeah i'rs probably just me, the audio capabilites straight out from what i've heard aren't as bad as the ipod's straight out. But again. lack of LOD capability. :/ If you  only use IEM's then those should be fine. And getting higher quality full sized headphones and dual amping with some amp should work too. :/ i just don't like thinking and knowing that i'm dual amping with an amp that is lesser quaity(inlcuind lesser quality circuity) thant he main one

haha. $50 is a bit harder to find nowadays due to Head-Fi's increased interest :/ but yeah, i would like to demo them and see how i feel about orthodynamics ya know.