Breaking into the portable world

[NightWoundsTime]

Well i'm starting school again in the fall and I'd like to have a nice little portable rig. Right now I need to know what source I should be looking at. I don't need a massive HD device, and I'd be fine carrying CD's, or using WAV's on smaller devices. Really a couple albums will hold me over on a small flash player. I'll probably get Shure E3C and would like to power them directly from my portable source. My main qualification is sound quality followed by durability.

So what models should I be looking at in small MP3 devices or CDP's?

 

[Mr Do]

It all depends on how much you are willing to spend. You could get a portable mp3/cd player for under $100.

Do!

 

[MIKEp]

if you're not going to have too many songs the ipod shuffle is a good buy thanks to the fact that it has no screen. for $100 you can get a 1gb that'll hold 250 songs

 

[NightWoundsTime]

Really just looking for the best possible sound in a portable. Do any of the flash type devices have above average sound? What are the good sounding portable CDP's at this point?

 

[gshan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightWoundsTime Really just looking for the best possible sound in a portable. Do any of the flash type devices have above average sound? What are the good sounding portable CDP's at this point?

I don't know of many flash players that can handle .WAVs, but a 1gig one for example will only hold maybe 1 album. If you can consider 320kbps mp3 or 2xxkbps VBR, you'll be able to hold your multiple albums on 1gig/512mb players. Apple's shuffle for example, is mentioned by quite a few here to have better sound out of the headphone jack than the ipod. Offerings from iAudio and iRiver are also supposed to be good.

If you're still looking at .WAV files, a 4-6gb mini hd player might be something that would suit you best for carrying a handful of albums.

For recent CDPs with mp3/audio cd capability, you're looking at Sony.

 

[Mr Do]

In my opinion a portable cd player will give you the best sound. You can find the sony d-ne10 on ebay for under $120 from a reputable dealer.

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...oductSKU=DNE10

 

[Taphil]

If considering a flash player, I'd pass on the iPod shuffle and get a Creative Zen Nano Plus or Muvo N200 (basically the same thing, just different name) for about the same price if not a few bucks cheaper. It uses the same chip as the shuffle so has great sound, but also has a screen, FM Radio, line-in recording, FM recording, and mic recording. Oh, and it amazingly can shuffle songs too.

 

[Mr Do]

You may also want to concider an iAudio flash player as well.

Do!

 

[NightWoundsTime]

Thanks guys I went for Ipod Mini and shure E4. Should have them both by the beginning of next week.

 

[gshan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightWoundsTime Thanks guys I went for Ipod Mini and shure E4. Should have them both by the beginning of next week.

Enjoy. And also, you know you're eventually going to want a Sik Ram Din + amp to go with the above

 

[NightWoundsTime]

Don't know that amp for some reason... i've been figuring that a Hornet would find its way into that setup.

Oh Sik Ram Din = line level out, nice.