[ButtUglyJeff]

if the ipod would play FLAC files and alow for drag and drop I would buy one for the interace alone. I HATE ITUNES and the database system it uses. and I am not taking my entire collection back to ALAC either, too time consuming

 
There are apps for that....

 

[newtophones07]

what apple apps will play FLAC, now I am intrigued and what drag and drop apps are available. Call me curious and obviously out of the apple loop

 

[mosshorn]

I can say for the desktop, there are plenty of players available that will transfer to Ipods. Alternatively, I had my Foobar set up to convert any FLAC to ALAC if going to my (past) Nano 7g. It took a little longer, but it worked wonderfully.

 

[Kenntak]

The problem with the Fiio X1 from my perspective is it has no digital out. You probably have to pay another $100 or so for players with that. At that point, the iPod Touch is only $100 more, if that, and has a lot of features that could be useful to people (including an interface that most find easier to use). I would like to find a player with a digital out, good interface, bluetooth, and wifi, but there are not many players like that, that are not phones. I don't want a cellphone. The iPod Touch has all of that at a fairly reasonable price. I would have preferred it to be cheaper and not include a camera, but nothing is perfect.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

The iPod touch isn't perfect either.  It only plays hi res stuff as a digital transport, as it downsamples natively.  And it lacks expandable storage, and Apple will never correct that....
 
The only DAPs that comes close to an "IOS experience" are the Sony ZX1 and ZX2, at least in my opinion....

 

[dbdynsty25]

  The iPod touch isn't perfect either.  It only plays hi res stuff as a digital transport, as it downsamples natively.  And it lacks expandable storage, and Apple will never correct that....
 
The only DAPs that comes close to an "IOS experience" are the Sony ZX1 and ZX2, at least in my opinion....

 
And you pay more for that.  Which you couldn't say 3-4 years ago.  Apple used to be at the top of the market.  Thanks A&K!

 

[dbdynsty25]

  This. The Ipod Touch line is incredibly appealing as a transport. Also 128GB for a versatile transport @ $400 isn't terrible. This + HA-2 or something to that extent is a dangerous competitor for the audiophile DAP scene, especially touchscreen players such as A&K.

 
Umm...yes...I agree.  This is a hell of a combo.  
 

 

[d marc0]

 
Five years ago, it would be a steal. Today, not so much. I payed $170. for my Fiio X1 and a 128gb microSD card. Sounds better than any iPod, without the bells and whistles.

IMHO the iPod touch 5th gen sounds better than the X1 headphone out. Using line out with a decent amp is a bit better than the iPod tho...

 

[davidcotton]

   
Why do you wish it didn't have a camera, might I ask?

Well for me it boils down to security at work.  If the device has a camera in it we are not allowed to bring it in to the work area.

 

[Whitigir]

Well for me it boils down to security at work.  If the device has a camera in it we are not allowed to bring it in to the work area.

Zx2 ? No camera and no speakers lol, total brick

 

[davidcotton]

Zx2 ? No camera and no speakers lol, total brick

We've come full circle here.   Apple Ipod Touch 128 gig (with camera) £329 inc next day shipping, Sony zx2 £859.00!

 

[dby2011]

Picked up a 128gb iPod at lunch today. I'm on the phone getting a RMA number to return my Pono player to Fry's right now. You just can't beat the UI of the iPod for music and the Pono did not have the earth shattering sound I thought it would. 

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  Picked up a 128gb iPod at lunch today. I'm on the phone getting a RMA number to return my Pono player to Fry's right now. You just can't beat the UI of the iPod for music and the Pono did not have the earth shattering sound I thought it would. 

 
Pono is only awesome in balanced...

 

[dby2011]

Need to add, the new iPod is the same size as the old one.  My case from my 5th gen fit fine on the 6th gen.  I won't be able to spend a lot of time with the new one for a few days. I'll report what I find soon. 

   
Pono is only awesome in balanced...

You may be right, but they don't even have an official balanced cable out for it which I find strange.  The Pono did sound really good, but it wasn't that significant over the other DAPs I have.  I didn't think it was worth putting up with that UI and horrbile screen just to get a little better sound. 

 

[derGabe]

Five years ago, it would be a steal. Today, not so much. I payed $170. for my Fiio X1 and a 128gb microSD card. Sounds better than any iPod, without the bells and whistles.

Placebo. Placebo everywhere. Sorry to disappoint you, but the X1 certainly does not sound better than an ipod.