[fallingreason]

So I know I've posted on this thread once before regarding the build quality of the X, but I have another couple of questions.

When I hold my X and squeeze the top and bottom of the edge of the player, (just outside the screen) there is a tiny bit of play, and the panels can be compressed inward. JUST WONDERING if they are all like this or if it is hit or miss when you buy one.

Also, I am wondering if anyone has dropped their X onto a hard surface and how it handled it? Thankfully mine hasn't taken any big falls and hopefully it never will, but I am curious as to how it would take it. I searched the thread and just found 1 post where someone dropped it and it resulted in a cracked screen. Of course it depends on how the player lands and the nature of the fall, but I am just looking for a general answer.

THANKS

 

[Szadzik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Of course it doesn't hiss with headphones like the K450 - if it died, forget listening with any headphone - it would be too annoying.

Can you please elaborate on this? Why does it not hiss with them? Will it hiss or not with hps like ath-ws70/ esw9?

 

[shigzeo]

it shouldn't hiss with those phones either (well, maybe a small bit). They aren't as sensitive as iem earphones (which hiss really badly with the Sony X and other players). Even if they have over 100db sensitivity, they generally don't pick up hiss as badly.

It is a blessing. If you have those in mind, I'd not worry at all about the purchase of an X. And, despite me being a total worry wart when it comes to hiss, I will be picking up an 845 which is known to hiss at the same amount.

Sony is just fun to listen to - (currently that is).

 

[Szadzik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif it shouldn't hiss with those phones either (well, maybe a small bit). They aren't as sensitive as iem earphones (which hiss really badly with the Sony X and other players). Even if they have over 100db sensitivity, they generally don't pick up hiss as badly. It is a blessing. If you have those in mind, I'd not worry at all about the purchase of an X. And, despite me being a total worry wart when it comes to hiss, I will be picking up an 845 which is known to hiss at the same amount. Sony is just fun to listen to - (currently that is).

Yeah, I have the X1060 and am trying to get an upgrade to my K450 and constantly thinking of AT headphones, trying to choose something decent.

 

[shigzeo]

You don't like the K450? If you are thinking of selling it... hmmm... I might know someone interested (me).

 

[Szadzik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif You don't like the K450? If you are thinking of selling it... hmmm... I might know someone interested (me).

You think they are really good? I like them, but spending time on head-fi makes me want to get something more.

I have been using AKG headphones forever now and I would like to try something different too.

The K450s are small and nice and thus good for portability (I travel with just a backpack and they are perfect for that use).

 

[HONEYBOY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Szadzik /img/forum/go_quote.gif You think they are really good? I like them, but spending time on head-fi makes me want to get something more. I have been using AKG headphones forever now and I would like to try something different too. The K450s are small and nice and thus good for portability (I travel with just a backpack and they are perfect for that use).

Haha You're stating the obvious here Szadzik. This place will make you want things you don't even want.

 

[Dreamnine]

Lol not me..

 

[shigzeo]

I just want a pair because I think they are sexy! But, I am eyeing AT's new bass headphones (well made) and pretty good sounding.

 

[Szadzik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just want a pair because I think they are sexy! But, I am eyeing AT's new bass headphones (well made) and pretty good sounding.

Do you mean WS70? If so, these are theones I am eyeing too

 

[Squirsier]

So I've had the X1060 for a week, and here's a few of my observations/impressions, based on music listening and handling (haven't bothered to turn on wifi or put pics other than wallpapers ; gorgeous screen tho) :

1) Software. I simply do not like Windows Media Player, so I went with Sony's Connect, at first. Dragging from iTunes into the Sony Connect window was easy, but almost like all Sony Syncing softwares, the more you try to sync at once, the better the chances the syncing app will fail. This happens a lot with my Sony Reader and is the same problem with Sony Connect. Sync, but with moderation...

I figured an easier way to do things was to use Sony's Media Go. I like it! Took me a while to redo my favorite playlists and album ratings but in the end, it was worth it... Except for the god awful slow SLOOOOOOW syncing speed. Good for charging the battery tho I guess!

2a) The sound. OH man, did I forget about the joys of EQing to bring the sound to where you like it. +1 @ 6.3, 16 and ClearBass +1 (I miss my MD player's MegaBass, which worked wonders with my AKG K319) brings joy to these ears using the ATH-ES7. Makes the sound alive.

Non-EQed, all FX off, the difference between the iPod Touch 2g and the Sony X1060 is quite sonically clear. The iPod Touch 2g by comparison sounds a little "muddy". Doing A/B tests using General MIDI's Operation Overdrive, after a few back and forth I didn't wanted to go back to the iPod. Forget it after EQing the ES7 to my liking... No going back!

2b) Soundstage. My iPod Touch 2g seems to have a slightly larger soundstage still but nothing distracting. I've read here that the X1060 is supposed to "open up" after a while ; however EQing seems to fix that.

3) Volume Control. This is where I always loved the iPod Touch. The volume slider is a lot better than the Sony's (and most other players) volume control. Sometimes, 11 is too low, 12 is too high, I just want 11.5? Impossible to fine tune on the X1060 (and like I said, on many other mp3 players too), but very easy to accomplish on the iPod Touch.

4) Interface. Nothing major to mention here ; it works fine. But for once, I'd like to see a company that can come up with "Folder/Album Time Remaining". No mp3 player that I've owned have done that so far (except my old MD player).

5) Build quality. Welp, I got the rocking headphone connector and volume control too, hopefully won't be an issue in the future, but the whole unit looks solid enough. I ordered some Zagg screen protectors, based on what I read in this thread.

6) Battery Life. Seems to be okay, all mp3s either 320k CBR (my own CD rips) or 320k VBR (eMusic), but I haven't timed it or drained it completely either yet.

Listening to General MIDI's "I, Robot" right now, grinning, I really like the X1060. But please. Gapless. And make it yesterday!

 

[shigzeo]

Glad to hear you like it. If Suzie finds a great deal on a 64, I'll buy her old 32. I have no need for more than 16GB of music, especially if transfer is that slow and my experience with Sony effing up the tags is pretty solid. Hate to sort through 64gB of music...

 

[Squirsier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Glad to hear you like it. If Suzie finds a great deal on a 64, I'll buy her old 32. I have no need for more than 16GB of music, especially if transfer is that slow and my experience with Sony effing up the tags is pretty solid. Hate to sort through 64gB of music...

Sony needs to hire some real syncing engineers, if such a thing exists ; seems like all their software that use sync are slow/buggy.

I also had to redo a bunch of album artwork (on 1200+ albums, I'd say around 1/4th needed to be tagged again) but so far the tagging works fine.

The Sony X will be staying at home ; the iPod Touch will still follow me daily to work as I use it as an eBook Reader during lunch (I'd bring my Sony eReader but I still have no locker of my own).

On a side note, a co-worker who's wearing the ES7 also (we got quite a bit in common, he also owned the SA6) just got his Zune HD. Beautiful device, interface is really great and actually FUN!

But I digress.. The iPod Touch is a GREAT utility tool no doubt, but for music listening, the Sony X has an edge (as you stated, an hissy edge with IEMs tho, when the iPod Touch is dead silent).

 

[shigzeo]

I'll be trying a pretty nice resistor adapter a bit later on which adds 100Ω - I've typically found them to mess up the cross overs, deadening the sound of balanced armature drivers, but the new one might be better. It does a very good job of mostly ridding the Sony devices of hiss, but... not completely.

It also fixes bass/treble/suckout with balanced armatures of the Sony and iPod touch 2G. I don't find the Sony to be any clearer, but it is more dynamic, but I hold that to the fact that it has an in-built bass equaliser - which helps the sound stick out a bit more.

Both are excellent and I tend to prefer the X (when I have borrowed it) for finicky earphones like the 1601, but the iPod touch with sensitive and treble-finicky iems like the FitEar 333. I wish either one was able to cope with suckout as well as the Fuze is, but I prefer the sound of either one to the Fuze, so....

 

[david1978jp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squirsier /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3) Volume Control. This is where I always loved the iPod Touch. The volume slider is a lot better than the Sony's (and most other players) volume control. Sometimes, 11 is too low, 12 is too high, I just want 11.5? Impossible to fine tune on the X1060 (and like I said, on many other mp3 players too), but very easy to accomplish on the iPod Touch.

Have you tried "Custom" EQ? Turn every band down the same amount.