[calvinhobs]

List all the MP3 players that you've listened to and which is your favorite.

 

[SamL88]

I have the Zen Xtra(30gig), iPod Mini(2G 4gig), and iAudio X5(30gig).

My favorite would be the iAudio X5 because I can back up/load up files without any particular software.

 

[jant71]

I've noticed, calvinhobs, all your threads inquiring about players, sound quality, etc. Maybe you can point us in the direction toward a player with more of a detailed description of what you want.

Start with...

What size storage you will need
How you want to organize your music(ID3, Folders, both)
How you want to listen to it(playmodes, playlisting etc.)
Need any special features?(radio, recording, gapless playback, photos, etc)

Once you have some choices that do what you want, then you can pick the best sounding one out of those.

 

[scorpian007]

32MB Teac MP-10
128MB Mizda (generic piece of crap)
128MB Creative Muvo TX
20GB Creative Zen Touch
5GB Creative Zen Micro
40GB G4 iPod
512MB Muvo TX FM
20GB iRiver H320

Best are easily the Zen Micro and iRiver H320. Absolutely love the players, wouldnt trade them for anything in the world (Except maybe the Zen Micro Photo)

 

[gloco]

Zen Micro
Nomad Jukebox 3
Rio Karma
Iriver H-140

The Rio Karma is hands down is the best sounding player. It sounds marvelous with my shure e2c's, i can't praise the synergy enough. It also sounds great with my 7506's and it even drives my Grado SR100's ruthlessly (they sound stunning)...again, the karma has great synergy thanks to its great eq.

The Zen Micro sounded lifeless with my shures, it sounds pretty good with my Grado SR60's and 7506's.

The NJB3 is pretty close to the Karma in terms of power (volume) and being able to drive the SR100's effortlessly, even moreso than the Karma (i only need to have the volume set to 15 compared to 25 on the Karma). They also sound very good with the njb3 in terms of enjoyment.

I just purchased the iriver, so i'm still learning to use it, but the "jazz" eq sounds pretty darn good with my shures so far. I can't say much else as i haven't tested it as much as i would like.

calvinhobs, i imagine you still haven't decided on a player. I'll say this much, based on personal experiences...stay away from the Karma, mine has had issues with it: repeated freeze ups when shutting down, jog dial broke off and somehow screwed up the power on/off workings of the player (sometimes i can use the red nipple to turn the player on!). Regardless, stay away from the zen micro, i didn't think much of its sound quality, its too wimpy in terms of loudness and the ability to give that impact you expect from many headphones, like the 7506's. The Iriver was/is very expensive to purchase, so scratch that off, unless you got the money. The NJB3 is no longer in production, so you'll have to secure a used one, it's built very well, but hell, its big and heavy.

My opinion? Take a look at cowon...many folks seem to dig their players and i would've picked one up a few weeks ago if they were sold locally.

 

[calvinhobs]

Thanks everyone...

Yeah, I still haven't decided on a player yet. Though I'm thinking I'm leaning towards the Cowon. I've definitely gotten a ton of great info here. Though based on the replies so far from this thread it's been interesting to see everyone's input.

Plus the good thing is that I've got some Shure E4's on the way and I know I've heard great things from many people on the synergy between them and the X5...sounds like I almost can't go wrong! Plus I know Cowon will be getting firmware out soon so it'll be compatable to download music from sites. Maybe I'll just order that X5 today and be done with it!!!

 

[blessingx]

Apple iPod (1st generation)
Apple iPod (4th generation)
Apple iPod (Photo)
Apple iPod Mini (2nd generation)
Apple iPod Shuffle
Creative NJB (1st generation)
Creative Rhomba
Creative MuVo
Creative Zen
Creative Micro
iRiver H120
MobiBLU 1500i
Rio Karma
Rio Cali
Samsung Yepp circa 1997 (or something like that)
About ten flash players I can't think of at the moment
Also a couple related MD players.

My favorite portables have been without a doubt the 1983 Sony Walkman WM-10 cassette player and the 2001 1st generation Apple iPod*. To me those were the big steps that got things right.

As for what you, calvinhobs, should buy (not sure if that's even the point of this thread) I dunno.

[size=xx-small]* Better sounding than the Rio Karma.[/size]

 

[gloco]

[snip]the 2001 1st generation Apple iPod*. To me those were the big steps that got things right.

[size=xx-small]* Better sounding than the Rio Karma.[/size][/QUOTE]

I always wondered what apple has done differently that the 4G is inferior to the first gen iPods...anyway, did the first gen have that bass rolloff issue that's so well complained about?

 

[blessingx]

I like the fourth generation better than the Karma too, BTW. Like the Karma, but think it's a bit overrated in the sound department, so have to occasionally do a little dig.

No offense I hope. I kinda agree with gsferrari's featured review. The first gen iPod was more dynamic for sure. Bass roll off (with low impedance) was first reported with the first generation, but I was pretty new to Head-Fi and my headphones and ears were a step back so did less testing myself. It's probably there. Did have Etys to test both models. Positive step was the second generation and after became less bright. That's another for sure. Personally I think brightness is about the worse headphone sin, so I welcome the changes the iPod took. Consider me a sound fan of the new iPods (though the first was a bigger step over the competition at the time so my 'fave'). Don't know if there was any DAC changes since the first gen, but I always wondered if the lith-poly to lith-ion battery change had any affect on sound. Like many I do sometimes want a more dynamic sound, but not at the expense of a 'processed sound'.

 

[MartinJ]

Rio Karma 20GB, iPod Photo 60GB, havent tried any others that I liked

 

[Capital R]

Rio Riot, Rio Karma, Rio Carbon, Apple iPod 1G-4G & mini, Cowon iAudio X5, Creative Zen Xtra, Creative Zen Micro, Creative Zen Sleek.

My favorite is the Cowon iAudio X5. Sound quality is awesome and the UI is great. PErhaps even better than the iPod.

 

[scorpian007]

What do you think of the Zen Sleek and Zen Micro?