Help me to choose a new mp3 player. - Page 2

You could try to find a Sony E-series like PurpleAngel has....that might be a good option for you. You'd have to ask him which exact model it is and where to find one though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by voltrex 

lol in NY the  fuze cost $130 .. 

i am curious to know how much was the original price. 

 

as for the SE-    as i said they are rare and as such usually more expensive and with shipping tag of $50    not worth looking for one. 

even on sony site they say they are not longer sold -   and 0 resaults on ebay. 

I bought a 4GB Fuze when they first came out in 2008 at the MSRP which was $79.99. No way of knowing how the battery would be in one if you bought it now....

Quote:

Originally Posted by voltrex 

2008?  i thought they were released way back in the 2004..   weird .

as for the battery i think i will be able to find a new one on ebay..

- new battery cost $15 - if the original fails.. 

 

well i think it is safe to say now - i am ******* .  

If you like the original Fuze, then buy it. My main player is a Cowon J3 and I'm really not sure that there is an SQ difference - they're close enough that blind testing is required. Ergonomics are excellent (we're talking about one of the scroll wheel Fuzes here, yes?) and it will swallow a nice large micro sd card. Battery life is very good. Yes, they were once cheaper - but so what? You're paying a premium now for a NOS player precisely because people want them.

As for battery life, I don't see why it should be reduced on a NOS player. I bought two Fuzes NOS a year ago and they were fine. Plus you could return the player or change the battery if there was a problem. Just be kind to the battery - charge fully before use, don't let it get flat before recharging it - you shouldn't have a problem.

As for the Sony mentioned, some Sony's have been designed with very botched amps that need phones of a particular impedance to match - I'd want to check any Sony very carefully before buying.

Given the priorities you have stated, an original Fuze would seem to be an ideal match. Don't let other people's feelings based on their priorities and tastes put you off.

Although I'd still warn you that the sound shouldn't be any more treble heavy than the zip, so you might want to experiment with the EQ first.

(Oh - and wikipedia says the Fuze was released March 2008. I don't think it matters, but I still couldn't help looking.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by scuttle 

 

It's very questionable that you're going to buy an amp in your price range that will out perform a correctly working Clip/Zip with non-broken headphones. The Clip is a masterpiece of electronic design and has the advantage of huge economies of scale that amp makers really can't match (e.g. Sansa will pay much less for the same components). To understand how good it is google sansa clip graph  and go to what should be the first link (unfortunately I'm not allowed to provide this link directly; don't ask me why.) This is an analysis of the Clip+ by a professional electronics engineer who has designed a very successful headphone amp and dac.

 

Or take a look at this:

 

http://rmaa.elektrokrishna.com/Comparisons/32%20Ohm%20Multi-Armature%20-%20Cowon%20J3%2C%20Sansa%20Clip%2B%2C%20Sony%20A845%2C%20Hifiman%20HM-801.htm

 

..Flatter frequency response = more accurate sound and the Clip hammers a $700 player driving headphones with the same impedance as yours! Either something is wrong with the Zip or your taste and hearing require a brighter than average sound - in which case EQ should give you what you need.

 

Ok - does this relate to buying an amp? Well besides that you probably won't find an amp better than the built-in one of the Zip, not for driving 32 ohm cans, good amps are designed to sound neutral... So you unless you get lucky and buy a brighter than average amp, you'll still have problems. Unless the problem is a broken Zip, in which case you just need a new player. Why not order a Clip from  Amazon and return it if it doesn't sound right?

The Fuze is a great value in terms of what you get for the price. But that is where it ends. To say that it's better than a DX100 or other audiophile players is laughable at best. I've owned many Sansa Products and even loved them when I had them. But I know what they are and can confidently say there is much better out there in terms of sound quality on the go. Fuze is one of the best choices in mind, value wise. But not in terms of sound quality. Not by a long shot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lee730 

 

The Fuze is a great value in terms of what you get for the price. But that is where it ends. To say that it's better than a DX100 or other audiophile players is laughable at best.

I certainly had a good laugh at the people who played ten times the cost of a Fuze/Clip for a player with measurably appalling characteristics:

http://rmaa.elektrokrishna.com/Comparisons/32%20Ohm%20Multi-Armature%20-%20Cowon%20J3%2C%20Sansa%20Clip%2B%2C%20Sony%20A845%2C%20Hifiman%20HM-801.htm

The J3's bass roll off as it approaches the lower range of human hearing (20Hz) is bad enough (it's much reduced with higher impedance and is at least at the very bottom of audibility.) But the dive that the two "audiophile" players take in upper mid to treble is shameful. Compare it to the frequency ranges for these instruments, remembering that human hearing stops at 20,000Hz:

Only a VERY small number of instruments are not going to be severely distorted; "audiophile player" is a marketing term, not a guarantee of quality. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nixon 

What's wrong with buying an amp? Personally I'd spend the $100 on a Fiio E7 or E11 and plug it into the Zip via the headphone out. Best way to improve the sound and drive your headphones for the price.
 

+1

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurpleAngel 

(I'm a Sansa Clip Zip owner)

Surprising that your Cllip Zip can't drive the 32-Ohm AKG K518 LE

Have you tried updating your Clip Zip to the latest firmware?

 

There is a pre-gain setting in the Clip Zip, try upping the gain setting.

 

You can try a Fiio E6 ($28) headphone amplifier.

I'm replacing my Ipod classic and the clip has been recommended. So, I've got a good bit of music on my old classic-maybe 3-4,000 songs or so. It looks like it comes in 4 and 8 GB. Guess, I'd go for the larger one....

Quote:

Originally Posted by markm1 

I'm replacing my Ipod classic and the clip has been recommended. So, I've got a good bit of music on my old classic-maybe 3-4,000 songs or so. It looks like it comes in 4 and 8 GB. Guess, I'd go for the larger one....

The Clip+ and Clip Zip have microsdhc slots so you can add to that 4 or 8GB.