[Malakai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigTony /img/forum/go_quote.gif I too picked on of these up a week ago and I've been very happy with the SQ and ease of use. I love being able to drag 'n' drop FLAC files (all my music is in flac, and its a pita to keep converting it prior to moving it onto my DAP). I have also found that I have to push the headphone jack in quite hard, a couple of times the sound has been flat, and its been due to the jack not being all the way home. Great little player, I just got an 8GB card which will do me fine untill 16GB comes down to 2 bucks a GB.

Im also going to grab an 8gb class6 SDHC to go with the fuze 8gb and my koss portapro's. 8gb cards are super cheap. The value of an 8gb sansa fuze, 8gb sdhc, and koss portapros is just amazing. Nothing in the price range sounds NEARLY as good. I prefer the fuze SQ over players 2-3x the price. I was shocked when I listened to one side by side to a 5g nano and realized just how much better the cheap little fuze sounded! I mean an 8gb fuze is like 1/2 the price of an 8gb nano!

 

[nowsharing]

I made a few purchases this week and am curious to know if anyone has the same setup?
Fuze 2gb -> Fiio E5 -> Koss KSC75
Do they make a good budget trio?

Also, is anyone else running class-2 SDHC cards? Does the slow speed cause any problems?

 

[epithetless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nowsharing /img/forum/go_quote.gif I made a few purchases this week and am curious to know if anyone has the same setup? Fuze 2gb -> Fiio E5 -> Koss KSC75 Do they make a good budget trio?

Yes, although the FiiO in that setup is -- IMO -- an unnecessary (and more weakening than helpful) link in the chain, considering how well the Fuze drives portable headphones like the KSC75 (without suffering any bass roll-off). I honestly think you're better off with with the good budget duo of Fuze 2gb -> Koss KSC75, but you may end up disagreeing.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif What opamps are in the M^3?

Just the default AD8610 AFAIK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does "recessed" mean it sounds further back as in deeper into the soundstage, less volume at the same depth of soundstage, less volume with collapsed sound stage or something else?

I would say 'recessed' as in slightly deeper but also lower volume as well.

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nowsharing /img/forum/go_quote.gif I made a few purchases this week and am curious to know if anyone has the same setup? Fuze 2gb -> Fiio E5 -> Koss KSC75 Do they make a good budget trio? Also, is anyone else running class-2 SDHC cards? Does the slow speed cause any problems?

Agree w/ epithetless, KSC75 doesn't really need E5. Instead the money could have been invested on a generic 8GB Class 6 microSDHC from DealExtreme or eBay.

Class 2 is fine. For reading (like playing music from the card), it is more than enough. It might be a tad slower in writing (sync) compared to Class 4/6.

 

[Buckster]

did some experiments today with my PX100

rock/pop etc - Fuze sounds a lot better than the Touch 2G

classical/classical vocal - Touch 2G sounds a lot more open and airy - better than the Fuze

takes AGES to charge though ... I get a quick power charge with my Touch 2G - 1/2 an hour and I get loads of charge - after 1/2 an hour with the Fuze I was up to about 1/5 battery and it ran out after 3 hours

 

[Sparky191]

Thats very similar to my thoughts on SQ between the Sony A818 and the 2G Touch.

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nowsharing /img/forum/go_quote.gif I made a few purchases this week and am curious to know if anyone has the same setup? Fuze 2gb -> Fiio E5 -> Koss KSC75 Do they make a good budget trio? Also, is anyone else running class-2 SDHC cards? Does the slow speed cause any problems?

I got an 8GB class 2 card when I bought my Fuze. I haven't noticed any speed related, reading, writing, or playback problems....

You only need an amp if you want to play it louder than the Fuze can go.

USG

 

[Buckster]

glad I like flat responses as the EQs are a joke ! - huge reduction in SQ - almost amusingly so

 

[nowsharing]

Great info epithetless, ClieOS, and upstateguy. Thanks for your insight. It sounds like my Fiio E5 might end up back here on the for sale forum from whence it came.

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nowsharing /img/forum/go_quote.gif Great info epithetless, ClieOS, and upstateguy. Thanks for your insight. It sounds like my Fiio E5 might end up back here on the for sale forum from whence it came.

But what do your own ears tell you?

Is the Fuze cleaner, clearer or crisper with out the Fiio, or do YOU feel the amp makes a positive contribution?

We argue back and forth a lot, but the only take on this that really matters is YOURS.

So check it out both ways and see which way it sounds better to YOU....

And don't forget to let us know what YOU think.

USG

 

[epithetless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif But what do your own ears tell you? Is the Fuze cleaner, clearer or crisper with out the Fiio, or do YOU feel the amp makes a positive contribution? We argue back and forth a lot, but the only take on this that really matters is YOURS. So check it out both ways and see which way it sounds better to YOU.... And don't forget to let us know what YOU think.

Very true. Which is why I concluded my recommendation with "but you may end up disagreeing."

 

[nowsharing]

Agreed, our ears are very subjective. It's good to have the input of head-fiers though, as I have no reference or experience with good headphones or DAPs. Maybe that provides me with some level of beginner's Zen that you will find interesting however. I'll post my thoughts on the Fuze & Fiio when I return to the states in mid December.

Just as a reference for people searching out a budget FLAC-player setup--I picked up a like new 2gb Fuze on ebay for $22, an $11 Fiio E5 in the for sale sub-forum, Koss KSC75s for $12 on Amazon, and an 8gb sandisk class-2 micro-sdhc card for $16.50.

 

[namiSWAN]

FLAC or not, but in my opinion some headphones does need EQ, coz some people bassheads, some not LOL, & some setups reproduce much better sound experince close to the original (depend on file Q), some still need EQ. * btw I not really get it ,why people use AMP if the DAP AMP enaugh to push headphones with 16-32ohms impendance, like what ,some player not have enough power in your opinion?

 

[Neeley]

Sorry if this has been covered already but I couldn't find anything.

Does anyone know why the volume drops when you EQ the fuze from flat?