DAP recommendation please! 16GB or over

[K_19]

Well, I think it's about time I got a new DAP and I need all of your help since I do not have much knowledge about what is out there and what each have to offer. Before I start, my current portable is Ipod Touch 8GB first-gen and will be using my Shure SE530's most of the time (though I do have other headphones; refer to the sig on list of what I have). Fiio E3 is on its way, for now, but I do eventually plan on going off to better amps later on.

With my recent acquisition of SE530's and re-ripping my audio to Apple Lossless, I've realized the fact that my 8GB is nowhere enough. I don't have a large catalogue of music (about 800 songs for now), but 8gb Touch is still showing limits of its capacity due to size of lossless music and all the apps I have on there (I don't use it for video, however). I figure I'll need a new DAP mainly due to the need to meet the increasing capacity, and also because of a desire to find a player that will give a better quality sound compared to my first gen Touch, which I believe is supposed to be ok but I can apparently do much better. So, here's what I've thought of requirements:

- A player that can handle Apple Lossless files (I wouldn't want to go re-ripping all of them).
- Thinking at least 16GB of capacity, 32 or over I'm thinking would be overkill for my modestly small cache of songs, even on lossless.
- Around the ballpark of $200-300 CDN price range. I could buy online, but immediate local access would be nice.
- Something that would be a good match for my SE530's, which I will be using most of the time.
- FM radio would be an asset.


I've thought about getting the second-gen touch which is supposedly decent with music and would transfer more smoothly from my current first-gen touch, but I can always get another player and keep my current touch if I needed apps. Just curious on what other players I should start looking at, I know Sonys and Cowons are good names to start with but I need more knowledge on specific models.

Thanks in advance.

 

[iriverdude]

Why limit yourself with apple lossless? If you use flac that allows you to use other DAP which support flac.

Iriver H140 is suitable- with rockbox will playback lossless flac but it's not longer available now.

 

[Navyblue]

With lossless you can simply batch convert them from one format into another without loss of quality and much hassle (just need to leave the PC running for a while if you have the right tool). Say from ALAC to FLAC to WMA lossless or WAV.

If I were listening to lossless I'd prefer a hard drive based player. 16GB would get filled up pretty quickly IMHO, of course YMMV. There aren't too many contender in this realm, the obvious choice would be the iPod Classic 120GB, the alternative would be the Zune 120, which I just got today.

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iriverdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why limit yourself with apple lossless? If you use flac that allows you to use other DAP which support flac.

Well, that's due to me having the Touch. It doesn't support FLAC, right? So ALAC was only route I can take for that. I suppose I can batch convert it if I wanted another player that doesn't support ALAC, but if something supports it, then it would definitely save the hassle.

I think 16GB should be alright for my needs. What I'm looking at most closely right now is the Sony S639, which seems to be getting a lot of praise SQ wise and fits most of my criteria (it even supports ALAC it seems). Does anyone have this paired with the SE530, and if so then how is the sound quality?

 

[walkingman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think 16GB should be alright for my needs. What I'm looking at most closely right now is the Sony S639, which seems to be getting a lot of praise SQ wise and fits most of my criteria (it even supports ALAC it seems). Does anyone have this paired with the SE530, and if so then how is the sound quality?

It does not. In fact it does not support any lossless format except for PCM wav. If you want lossless you'll have to get the Japanese version which supports ATRAC Advanced Lossless.

 

[K_19]

Oh

Nevermind, thanks for pointing that out. Someone must have added L by accident to the AAC or something from the bit I read then. Seems like staying Apple is my most sensible option then if I want to stay ALAC... (I won't be too stubborn about it though, if I have to batch convert it to something else again, I will).

Maybe I'll go with highest encoded AAC's, or go the WAV route then and get the Sony (if it is indeed that good?)? It is tempting me with other things in the package like the SQ, form factor, FM radio, etc.

 

[Meloncoly]

How about a refurb Apple Classic? It's HDD based but at least you get your size....but no FM radio (although you can buy an attachment =_=;

, and I don't know what they are going for in CDN,

 

[iriverdude]

Quote:

I suppose I can batch convert it if I wanted another player that doesn't support ALAC, but if something supports it, then it would definitely save the hassle.

No Apple should support FLAC, not the other way round.

Quote:

Seems like staying Apple is my most sensible option then if I want to stay ALAC...

Proof Apple's locking in works. You won't change because it's a hassle.

 

[LingLing1337]

Sansa Fuze-->8GB or 16GB MicroSD

 

[yeahx]

Gapless playback is another factor to think about if it's important to you. Since for some reason this many years later most of the companies don't think it really matters. But for people like me it can drive them crazy! I was amazed and very disappointed that I didn't have more to choose from because they can't or just don't feel like adding this to every modern player. How long have DAPs been around now? Come on! Oh but supporting FLAC is more important I guess.

 

[ting.mike]

why not get the 2G touch? you're already on Apple lossless, probably on Itunes too. The 2G is great.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f15/ip...70/index3.html