[AgainstTheGrain]

lets keep it under $500 guys.

 

[dgbiker1]

How much storage do you want? Size? Media capabilities?
I'm liking the Cowon D2 at the moment.

 

[AgainstTheGrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgbiker1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How much storage do you want? Size? Media capabilities? I'm liking the Cowon D2 at the moment.

i had my ipod since 05. 30GB video. so i'm looking at something of equal storage space. i want something with the best dac. if that's the right term. something better than the ipod which shouldn't be too hard to find

 

[AgainstTheGrain]

i've narrowed down my sources to

Sony a829

Cowon A3

Ceative Zen

which would yall recommend for my se530s?

 

[Solan]

Cowon iAudio X5L is splendid. I have compared it to both iPod and Creative for SQ, and it bested both. I don't know how it compares to Sony, nor do I know if the A3 sounds the same as the X5, but there you have at least 2 pieces for your puzzle ...

 

[AgainstTheGrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cowon iAudio X5L is splendid. I have compared it to both iPod and Creative for SQ, and it bested both. I don't know how it compares to Sony, nor do I know if the A3 sounds the same as the X5, but there you have at least 2 pieces for your puzzle ...

with that said i think i'm leaning more toward the sony now

 

[AgainstTheGrain]

so sony a829 or cowon iaudio x5?

 

[shigzeo]

if you get the sony, your shures will hiss more than an ipod did - same with the x5 but the sony will drive them better while the x5 will suffer a huge bass roll off and have poor separation. it has a warmer sound uncharacteristic of cowon - but it is likely do to the distortion.

the sony will not do as well on your senns, beyers and grado as the cowon will or the ipod. the sony is especially good for lower than 50ohm phones and best below 32ohm phones. if you add impedence adapter to the sony, it won't hiss but will get sort of weak sounding while the x5 will do better but i think the ipod will best it for the shures.

personally i would go for the cowon as it can be rockboxed and has a larger storage as well. but i don't get where it and the sony best the ipod for sound other than very specific categories.

i know you are against it but he 6g is a good player as well and has storage, batt life and good headphone performance.

 

[AgainstTheGrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you get the sony, your shures will hiss more than an ipod did - same with the x5 but the sony will drive them better while the x5 will suffer a huge bass roll off and have poor separation. it has a warmer sound uncharacteristic of cowon - but it is likely do to the distortion. the sony will not do as well on your senns, beyers and grado as the cowon will or the ipod. the sony is especially good for lower than 50ohm phones and best below 32ohm phones. if you add impedence adapter to the sony, it won't hiss but will get sort of weak sounding while the x5 will do better but i think the ipod will best it for the shures. personally i would go for the cowon as it can be rockboxed and has a larger storage as well. but i don't get where it and the sony best the ipod for sound other than very specific categories. i know you are against it but he 6g is a good player as well and has storage, batt life and good headphone performance.

well my 5g ipod is still alive so i could still use it at home for my senns, etc. but i want a new source for my shures for portable use.

hmmm i think i may go for the cowon since like u said it can be rockboxed. and it has almost double the storage space of the sony. thanx for the advice

 

[x-kevin]

rockbox is great, and so are Cowon players from what I hear. I just got the new Sony however, and I am quite impressed. It sounds awesome!!

Sorry, but I can't compare seeing as I have never heard used a Cowon before

 

[Balis65]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AgainstTheGrain /img/forum/go_quote.gif i've narrowed down my sources to Sony a829 Cowon A3 Ceative Zen which would yall recommend for my se530s?

I have SE420s... and tried all 3 (plus the Ipdod touch) with my earphones. I settled on the Sony 829... To my taste, it was leaps ahead of the others for sound quality, which was the only factor that mattered to me.

 

[cn11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balis65 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have SE420s... and tried all 3 (plus the Ipdod touch) with my earphones. I settled on the Sony 829... To my taste, it was leaps ahead of the others for sound quality, which was the only factor that mattered to me.

I agree with you. It's my new player as well. I had the Trekstor Vibez before it, until it went belly up, and I've also had the chance to listen to a colleague's Cowon D2. The Sony A829 is a noticeable improvement over both. It even sounds better than I remember the Kenwood HD10GB7, a jewel of a little player, sounding. I haven't heard its equal yet (well, I have yet to foray into listening at all with a portable amp!). Needless to say I love it. As you said the sound quality alone makes any slight shortcomings forgivable!

 

[synaesthetic]

What's wrong with the iPod's DAC?

 

[shigzeo]

nothing wrong at all with ipod dac. it is top notch for portables. it is ipod though so people don't like it as it does not advertise itself as top sound quality. if it did, people would flock to it even at headfi.

i have the sony a600 series - best ever for iems but it hisses quite badly. the newer ones do not hiss as badly but they are still loud and obnoxious. i just used my impedence cable with it (75ohms) and virtually all hiss was eliminated and it broadened the already huge stage.

the cowon cannot yet be rockboxed. im sorry if i mislead you. it will probably be rockboxed within half a year. same with meizu though the meizu is closer to being finished. both cannot properly drive iems but the meizu has a better stage that does not get as muddy. the sony sounds very delicate with anything but iems or canals though still good. its amp is either being overclocked or something as it distorts after 2/3 volume on any model i have tried with iems (just for checking sake) and powers big phones loudly but very very shrill-like.

all are great players for their own reason. im rocking out to the nano 3g now.