[Asr]

I didn't have any rigs when I was in college (wasn't into audio back then) but if I did it all over again I would definitely go both dedicated and portable. Don't go too big on the dedicated components, and you can have a great portable setup for cheap! Make the headphones the KSC 75, an Audio Technica, or an IEM, with no amp, from a quality DAP, that's all you need.

 

[jet87]

At the very least I'll have my Archos DAP, Go-Vibe, and M-Audio Transit. I hope that I'll be able to bring my CE595, Azur 540A, and possibly speakers along. For me, the computer and DAP setups are fine, but having the actual gear is very nice as I can just sit down and enjoy the music. When I'm using my laptop I'm usually focusing on something like Head-Fi or other sites online. Hopefully the space works out.

 

[iSleipnir]

I managed both. But honestly I ended up using my dedicated rig more. I did a lot of studying in my room which I liked so I didn't feel like I needed to go out. Also my portable rig was often my sony's + my ipod and that was good enough for the few times I studied in the library.

 

[ironman64]

Well, if you're profile is up to date, it looks like you ahve a laptop, etc. and more than enough inventory to have a nice compromise from both worlds.

As you might suspect, the subjectiveness of this question relies upon your environment of the campus, your dorm, personality, etc. Yet I will say: portability first. I know freshman year meant many long hours outside of my room. And even though I did pull some long night studying in there, it was because I was attached to a desktop, not a lappy. Since you've got mobility, I'd first secure that. You'll have plenty of time after you get situated to bring all other dedicated hardware into your dorm. I know you've probably already thought through all of this, but that's my honest two cents.

 

[rx7_fan]

iPod & UE5c or E4. Portable all the way!

 

[JohanK]

Of course the true head-fi answer is get both. If one really has to make a choice between the two, it will depend on how you spend your time and the location. For example, I have been using my portable rig as my home rig during the majority of the summer. I can't really move around the home rig all the time, hence I leave it on my room, where I live while I am studying at university. This means that it is in my interest to have a more capable portable rig than what is really necessary. On the other hand I also live in a quiet house, so basing a rig on open headphones is certainly no problem for me. This might be entirely up to you, but the increased comfort and sound of a good open headphone is certainly worth it to me, hence I got both of the alternatives.

If I was forced to make a choice with the past year as my reference, I would probably go for a portable rig. This due to the fact that I travelled and was away too much for having only a home rig to be an alternative. If I would be home more, as I suspect, will be next year, I would probably go for the home rig. I try to avoid having music as merely back ground music to tune out my surroundings, hence a good home rig would be a better choice.

But on the other hand, is there anything that prevents you from having a more modest portable rig (ER6/Super fi3/UM1 level, should be enough for non serious listening) and a decent home rig?

 

[adhoc]

dedicated and portable; you can have the best of both worlds you know.

portable - ipod > er4p
dedicated - laptop > hagusb > zhaolu > headfive/hd-25 > rs1/k501

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaddy Looking back on college, I'm glad I chose a dedicated setup but still maintained a decent portable rig. I never found myself seriously listening to music on campus. It was more of a means to shut out what was going on around me or to provide some nice background music. I think a decently-sized MP3 player with some isolating portables would be perfect, and you don't even need an amp.

I feel the same way. I am glad I started my dedicated setup in college. I was able to come home and lay on my bed and listen to music in a way I was unable to do until I came home. While on campus I found I used my iPod quite a bit actually. I used it when walking from class to class and when reading in the library but, like Thaddy, I never found myself doing serious listening on campus.

 

[jbloudg20]

It is in my opinion, that nobody can tell you what you need to do. I would hold off the spending for now, and after a month or so, see what your tendencies are. If you are in your room most of the time, you know you'd probably like a dedicated rig. If you are out and about all the time portable.

I have both, but my portable rig is not all that important to me. If I am out and about, the music is just to accompany me, and not for critical listening, so I don't care about the quality all that much.

 

[jpr703]

I have a hard time getting too geared up over high-end portable rigs. I'd buy a big rig for your room when you can control the environment and get the most out of it. An iPod and a decent set of portable headphones is all you'll need around the rest of the campus.

 

[aluren]

i would go for the portable rig since i do alot of studying in the library (i can't study at home for some reason). also, if you're in a dorm where you share bunk beds, then the portable setup works as well. i remember going to my friend's dorm at UCLA and its like 4 people sharing a room. they don't even have enough space for their laptops... so i'd say go for portable.

 

[akwok]

Dedicated.

I have no time to listen to a portable rig. I guess the only use for a portable rig is to walk to class, but I have a car, so that gets crossed off.

I find I don't even have much time to listen to my dedicated rig.. there is just too much work!

I'm one of the few who can't study with music playing -- the only time I can work and listen at the same time is when I'm coding, and that's not too often as everything seems to be theory-based. And listening in class is just plain stupid..

 

[dougmwpsu]

i agree with jbloudg20,
you'll need to actually get to college before you'll know whether to get portable or dedicated. i had a portable rig for awhile back when i had a roomate i hated(we're on pretty friendly terms now ironically), but i found myself using it less and less when i started spending more time in my room. eventually the iem's were just too much troubble to use in the dorm, friends were always coming in and out and it was too easy to just flip on and off my full size cans at need.

wait till you get to college, you might even find better tings to spend your money on

Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok And listening in class is just plain stupid..

haha, i used to do that in one of my gen eds where attendance was required. now i read the newspaper over other people's shoulders

 

[wanderman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougmwpsu wait till you get to college, you might even find better tings to spend your money on

quote for truth. I use an ampless portable setup everywhere and maintain a decent laptop dedicated setup-up. With friends and dorms hard to find time to listen for the sake of listening. I played music to either drown out people with pleasant or compete in the "my speakers are louder then yours" dorm battle...that always happens the first week...always.

Music keeps you sane and just get what ever you think you will need after you get there.

 

[a1rocketpilot]

Dedicated rig, certainly. I brought my MP3 player with me, and I barely used it. It is too isolating when walking around campus and what not, and do you really need to listen to music during the 5 minute walk from your dorm to your class? If I so wanted, I just used my MP3 player with my DT-770's if I was going to sit and listen/study somewhere else. Either way, when doing that, sound quality is and should not be the most pressing matter for you. My best listening was always done sitting in my room, just relaxing after a long day.

Sparknotes version: Dedicated rig much better in the long run. Bring a portable with you and just use any headphone you have with it for your portable rig.

Aditya