[eclectic]

I love it wide. Any price range-not afraid of used.

 

[abitdeef]

Ipod touch 2g.

 

[krmathis]

I would say that is more head-/earphone dependent than the DAP itself.
Thats said, I am über pleased with the 1G iPod nano. Overall, including sound stage

 

[Young Spade]

I agree with kmarthis. IEMs generally have a smaller soundstage than full sized cans. I have read that this is because the sound is generally closer to your ear.

 

[gameboy115]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Young Spade /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with kmarthis. IEMs generally have a smaller soundstage than full sized cans. I have read that this is because the sound is generally closer to your ear.

x2 agree iem is inferior to full size in terms of soundstage

 

[RASeymour]

I'm really digging the wide soundstage of my NuForce 8/Icon Mobile/Fuze combo.

 

[Buckster]

definately IPOD Touch 2G

 

[shigzeo]

of all portables i have tried, apple's ipod models (no matter which really) have very wide stages but of course it depends on what phones you are using. if you use iems, they will be wider than other daps, but still narrow compared to full size.

after ipod, there is a big jump till you hit sony.

if you use an amp though with other players, you may get as wide as an ipod or maybe a bit wider but it is hit and miss.

 

[Squirsier]

I owned iPod Classic 160gb, iPod Nano 4th Gen 16gb, Sansa Clip and I can say, without a doubt, iPod Touch 2g

 

[DobsOnly]

Of the players I've listened to, iPod 1g Shuffle, Sansa Fuze, new iPod Nano and the VibeZ. The VibeZ easily bests all the others. Not just in a sense of wide but also deep and detailed. Darkness in the seperation between insturments.

Also a few months ago I would have agreed with you that all IEMs tend to be much more an in your head sound then open cans. The Klipsch Custom-3's have really opened my eyes to what can been done with proper design to deliver a sense of openess and depth in an IEM.

 

[shigzeo]

if i use foamies, they get much wider, but overall, they are not very wide compared to headphones.

but as for width of signal, the ipod actually physically spits out a huge separation of channels whereas the fuze and vibez may have decent instrument placement but have about 1/3 to 1/4 less separation. the fact is that when opinion is taken out for sound preference, the ipod is the widest of stereo images in the entire dap range unless you get into more professional applications.

 

[DobsOnly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif if i use foamies, they get much wider, but overall, they are not very wide compared to headphones. but as for width of signal, the ipod actually physically spits out a huge separation of channels whereas the fuze and vibez may have decent instrument placement but have about 1/3 to 1/4 less separation. the fact is that when opinion is taken out for sound preference, the ipod is the widest of stereo images in the entire dap range unless you get into more professional applications.

Is this a fact or an opinion? "the fact is that when opinion is taken out for sound preference, the ipod is the widest of stereo images in the entire dap range"

If you are saying there are hard numbers or math to prove channel separation and perceived size of the stereo image output by the iPod are somehow greater than other players. Oh well, thanks for the facts were can we find the source.

If your "Opinion" is the ipod is the widest of stereo images in the entire dap range and your just throwing some numbers out.

Well we all have a right to our opinions and hear things differently.

Soundstage IMHO would be more the illusion of Size, Depth, Width, distance, etc.. in the presentation of the music than what you refer to as "width of signal".

Thanks

 

[abitdeef]

^ The higher the crosstalk, the better the stereo separation and the bigger the soundstage is. Higher crosstalk means more image stays on it's prospective side and less leaks into the other channel giving you a wide image. The ipods do very well at this and the new ones everything else too

These numbers are with a 30 ohm load, to simulate headphones, without it the numbers would be even higher. Someone doing an rmma test with just a soundcard and test signal for instance.

Apple iPod Touch 32GB Audio/Video Lab Tests. - PC World

 

[DobsOnly]

Thanks for the informative post.

With all due respect for the numbers I am at a loss as to why this does not seem to be the case during my listening tests. I just sat here again this morning listening to a couple tracks from John Scofield UberJam. Player to Custom-3's and Player to HF-1's. I didn't use my HD600's, didn't want to introduce and amp into the mix. I used the same tracks on new Nano, Fuze and VibeZ.

The OP's question was about Soundstage. Based on my listening, the VibeZ consistently presents a larger, more open, out of your head sound and the iPod the most compressed in your head sound of the 3. This seems to defy the numbers. I’m thinking maybe there are few more things at play which help determine the heard, perceived illusion of soundstage. But then maybe I'm not understanding the definition of soundstage and wide.

I am looking forward to hearing other thoughts.

Thanks again.

 

[shigzeo]

well, like i said, it is up to opinion but i have never heard the fuze do better than the ipod for that. for other things, yes, but for stage, no. the reason numbers are helpful is that they eliminate bias.