[Sparky191]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebascrub /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...The Classic's interface was pretty cool, if less responsive. CoverFlow worked decently, and I like the new split screen mode better than the UI on my current iPod. I dunno... I walked out of there wanting both!

That would be ideal. a 160GB Classic and a iTouch...

 

[raymondlin]

I have about 4G of music on mine, and since its a flash device, there no lag in coverflow, zero. Like I said, there are no grey squares when flicking through the albums.

 

[ceres]

If you don´t need web access and such get the classic. It comfortably beats the touch on sq. SNR and frequency response under load on the touch are mediocre. Don´t take my word for it, go out and find the numbers. If the touch was that kind of device that could be operated in the pocket it would be a closer call. But as it stands, go for the classic.
It´s a very good sounding device that comes with an attractive price tag. I am sure the tide will turn with the 2nd gen touch but for the time being I´d opt for the classic.

 

[SBD]

I found this:
http://www.pmptoday.com/wp-content/u...io-quality.jpg

it's an audio ranking from generationmp3. It looks pretty likely but the entire range is all good sounding (eg the iriver clix2 won't sound twice as good as the i7 obviously).

 

[shigzeo]

wow, a nice helpful colourful graph for all of us to go out and purchase cowon and samsung players (which perform horribly under load). nice to have these nice companies making nice graphs rather than using their money to actually listen and test devices.

dkft's findings under load and with no load: much better way to look for sq on those players listed... funny, i cannot fathom them doing anything better than ipod touch or classic.

 

[jarrett]

That graph is quite debatable. The Sony are the same player. One with a larger screen, the other with a tuner. Then somehow the IAudio 7 is rated below the Zune and Zen. Just from my experience of these forums...

 

[Sparky191]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif mate, if the 1g shuffle is your benchmark for audio from the headphone with phones like the hard to drive 16ohm senn cx300, you will not find many players that will satisfy your craving. in fact, you will only find audio only players such as sony 600 and 800 series and the new sansa express and clip. even of those, only the sony offer almost exact sq to the shuffle as the sansa share a similar chipset but have harder time playing back mp3 in good quality. take a look at dftk's findings on portables from the headphone output, especially the vibes section that is 16ohm series headphone. not a single player that is known for 'sq' can play back bass and sometimes even treble with 16ohm phones. i have had the sony, the d2, the touch, the nano and the sony squashes them for bass but the others squash the sony for hiss. the touch hisses the most of those (d2, nano and touch) but hisses much less than about any other portable i have heard in the last few years (flash). the d2 (regarded by many bandwagoners here at headfi) is regarded very highly but you can see it has severe bass problems with ohm 16 phones. at least with the ipod, you can use an lod if you want. but, i have the denon c700 and they too are hard to drive for portables but still sound phenomenal from my touch.

Thanks for that. I can't find anything to match the Shuffle either. At least not within my budget, and I don't really want the hassle of an amp. Are their alternative headphones that would get the best out of these players then. Many moons ago I bought a D25 Discman, which got lost. I think I've been trying to get back to that. Nearest I've got is MiniDisc. Had a ZM and Vision:M but couldn't live with the touch interface SQ was ok. I like the idea of the capacity of the classic but worried I won't like the sound.

 

[shigzeo]

the good thing about the ipod is that you can go and demo it jsut about anywhere. why not go with your favourite headphones iems or canalphones to any store that sells ipod. stay a while. don't just listen for 5 minutes. the differences between high quality flash players or that between high quality hdd players from different companies is marginal.

they all pretty much serve different flavours of the same sq. each one strikes in one area and serves in another. go, spend some time at apple or best buy checking out the players. you will undoubtedly be unused to the sound at first but eventually you will accustomise yourself and either enjoy it or prefer something else.

i came from md as well, from 1999-2005 straight was pretty much md. i ended with sony's mzrh910 hi md model. yes, no hiss at all but quite a pleasing sound due to the fac that id did not reproduce the sound spectrum fully with just about any of my portable phones.

any modern mp3 player should do a better job at stressing the limits of the phones you use. i am looking now for another shuffle. or perhaps if i visit canada again, just getting a sansa express - should be justabout the same other than no aac support and probably never ever rockbox. cheers

 

[Sparky191]

I actually haven't been able to demo a 6G. Most shops here have them in these display units wired up to Bose headphones which you can't remove. They don't have demo units. I'm not adverse to changing headphones. I have tried a 4G and a 5G ipod belonging to friends, though with low bitrate music that I wasn't familar with. (No one ever has their iPod cable with them.) I thought the SQ on the 5G was ok, about at that baseline that exists just below the shuffle that most players seem to hover around. MD I always thought had a "fun" enjoyable sound. But missing the clarify of the Shuffle especially for classical music.

 

[DOUGHN]

for me ipod classic 80gb.. bang for the buck.

more storage space and im getting the 16gb phone

touch is only 32gb limited storage .imho

happy hunting

 

[Sparky191]

The 160 is better bang for buck per gb no?

 

[aluren]

for me i would prefer the ipod classic over the touch. my main purpose to bring an ipod is to listen to my entire library. a 32gb touch would be, to me, a limitation, and i wouldn't be able to enjoy my music in a subconscious level (since the fact that some music are missing will bother me). i know that doesn't make sense since i can just put 32gb of my favorite tracks... but for some reason the storage limitation bothers me quite a bit.

 

[Sparky191]

I really never liked the wheel on the iPods though.

 

[sebascrub]

What's the consensus for SQ through the line out? Any difference there?

 

[IvanBarista]

I just got myself a iPod Classic 160gb. I decided to go for the Classic because I think it is more important to have HQ Files then a bigger screen. however, after I have watched a few video clips......I thought all the TV shows I usually watch when I am home I can watch them while I am out.....um???? However, I did a side by side comparison of My iPod Photo 60Gb will run in via LOD. the Sound of the Classic is more relaxed and Detailed.

there goes the Myth of the Older Chip in side the Prior Model is Better sounding than the New One.