[Caesis]

I have Meelec M11+s and sometime soon I will grab a pair of grados. I currently use a 2nd Generation iPod touch, which has the same audiochip of prettymuch every iPod.

What's a good entry level/budget audiophile player?

 

[Garage1217]

IMO. an older 30gb zune is one fantastic sounding unit. Can be had cheap. Was praised upon release for the internal opamps but cannot remember which they used. Still love mine. 

 

[BotByte]

Entry levels means a lot
 
Some people count it as "not going to pay $$$ for it, but want something good"
Or
"Got $$$, but not too big into portables"
 
For the first: Sansa Clip+ with a micro sd card, great audio, Flac standard, 22 hours battery, doesn't need a amp most the time. My grados run great on my clip without my fii0 e5
 
For the latter: S Flo2, because low price, great, great audio. Line out, for expansion to a amp later.
 
If you want more then music, get a cowon s9/j3

 

[lebomb]

I replaced my Clip + with the new Sony E354 ........  The clip sounded really good, I personally think the Sony sounds even better.  There are some nice sound enhancement features on the new Walkman.

 

[Dreamnine]

 
Quote:

Entry levels means a lot
 
Some people count it as "not going to pay $$$ for it, but want something good"
Or
"Got $$$, but not too big into portables"
 
For the first: Sansa Clip+ with a micro sd card, great audio, Flac standard, 22 hours battery, doesn't need a amp most the time. My grados run great on my clip without my fii0 e5
 
For the latter: S Flo2, because low price, great, great audio. Line out, for expansion to a amp later.
 
If you want more then music, get a cowon s9/j3

I don't get 22 hours on my Clip+...more like 12 - 14, but I agree, great player.

 

[earthpeople]

The 2G touch is a fair player. I picked up a Clip+ a few months ago though, and it's since replaced my iPod touch as my go-to portable DAP. The small size allows me to fit the player and my IEMs together in my UE case. I prefer the sound of the Clip+ over my touch by a slight margin. And certainly not least, I have 20GB of storage in such a small device, at a cost of ~$60. I won't feel so bad if I somehow lose it. I do miss album art and such from my touch, but the Clip is a great player and extremely convenient.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

 
Quote:

Entry levels means a lot
 
Some people count it as "not going to pay $$$ for it, but want something good"
Or
"Got $$$, but not too big into portables"
 
For the first: Sansa Clip+ with a micro sd card, great audio, Flac standard, 22 hours battery, doesn't need a amp most the time. My grados run great on my clip without my fii0 e5
 
For the latter: S Flo2, because low price, great, great audio. Line out, for expansion to a amp later.
 
If you want more then music, get a cowon s9/j3

I don't get 22 hours on my Clip+...more like 12 - 14, but I agree, great player.

Nobody gets 22 hours on a Clip+....even with rockbox. The FuzeV2 with rockbox can hit 22 hours though. http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SansaRuntime
 
That said, Clip+ or Fuze with rockbox, great players, especially if you're on a tight budget.

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

The 2G touch is a fair player. I picked up a Clip+ a few months ago though, and it's since replaced my iPod touch as my go-to portable DAP. The small size allows me to fit the player and my IEMs together in my UE case. I prefer the sound of the Clip+ over my touch by a slight margin. And certainly not least, I have 20GB of storage in such a small device, at a cost of ~$60. I won't feel so bad if I somehow lose it. I do miss album art and such from my touch, but the Clip is a great player and extremely convenient.

I leave my Touch 4G home too, and take a Clip+ wherever I go.
 

 

[Caesis]

Entry levels means a lot
 
Some people count it as "not going to pay $$$ for it, but want something good"
Or
"Got $$$, but not too big into portables"
 
For the first: Sansa Clip+ with a micro sd card, great audio, Flac standard, 22 hours battery, doesn't need a amp most the time. My grados run great on my clip without my fii0 e5
 
For the latter: S Flo2, because low price, great, great audio. Line out, for expansion to a amp later.
 
If you want more then music, get a cowon s9/j3

Sorry for not elaborating,

I mean not going to pay alot, but want something kind of good. "Value" priced

 

[kingpintps]

any price limit you have in mind - $100, $200 ?

 

[Caesis]

any price limit you have in mind - $100, $200 ?

~150 USD

 

[Berkovajazz]

Try new Nano6G. It sounds ineteresting and funny.
I found Sansa Clip boring even with Rockbox. iPod Touch 2G is better than Clip, but not so fun like iPod Classic. IMO

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Funny?
 
...Huh?

 

[estreeter]

LOL - I had a Samsung DAP which sounds absolutely hilarious !
 
Seriously, I think it might be an 'English-not-first-language' thing - you and I know that something can be 'fun' without being 'funny', but I suspect the distinction might be lost on some from a non-English speaking background.

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Good point.