Ipod Touch vs SE 910i = praise your cell!
Sep 3, 2009 at 7:05 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 53

Jack Mono

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Just a surprise for me. I have an Ipod Touch (1G) and a SE (Sony Ericsson) W910i phone (w=walkman). I have to admit, that my phone sounds better with HE-AAC at 96 kbps than my Ipod with a high bit rate file. Although the Ipod is louder, it is very flat sounding, honestly, it is hurting my ears after a while. The Sony on the other hand is a joy to listen to.

Before I used the SONY EX71 on both, but that little bud mushes everything together and distorts a great deal. With those earplugs the Ipod was OK, I was able to enjoy my pink floyd albums. Now with my new Sennheiser HD 485 I can't bear the Ipod. It is way too harsh, and no EQ will save that, my head hurts after 20 minutes of listening. On the other hand the w910i is a smooth-smooth player. It needs a bit of EQ-ing, but if sounds way better than the Ipod. I can enjoy music with it actually which is a plus even with 96 kbps AAC+.

I don't think I'll ever buy an Ipod again, although the GUI is great. And the W910i is a gem if you want to save on a dedicated player. Anybody with similar experience?
 
Sep 3, 2009 at 10:27 AM Post #2 of 53
I can't remember exactly which Sony Ericsson I had now, but yeah, it hardly sounded bad :p, in fact, that's the reason I got into DAPs - I didn't have enough memory on it.
 
Sep 3, 2009 at 2:23 PM Post #3 of 53
Well, that is hardly a problem with the W910i as is has a Micro Memory Stick slot supported up to 32 GB (!). That is not the weakest contender if you ask me.
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 3:16 AM Post #5 of 53
Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Wang /img/forum/go_quote.gif
ipod touch is not that bad. Try with hi-end earphones, see if u would get the same result.


Well, I did the comparison all day... The Touch's sound image is just too harsh. I am not saying it is bad, it is just unbearable to listen to with this cans. The HD 485 Sennheiser is a good enough phone for a portable. I would say, it is a bit too good, that is the problem actually, and I really started to pick on the compressed formats under 256 kbps. The W910i has a very warm sound image and it is practically superior to the Touch. Don't get me wrong, I love the Ipod to death (my ebooks, games, safari...} the GUI is perfect, even that is 2 years old. Compare the SONY to that and it is sluggish although simple... with a real EQ. An 8GB card is 40 bucks... 8GB is what this Ipod has. How many days until the new Zune?
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 1:00 PM Post #6 of 53
Sep 4, 2009 at 2:46 PM Post #7 of 53
my older w800i and present w810i both sounds damn good. but the newer gen walkman phones that i've tried are crap. yes the ipods except the shuffle have stronger amps but they sound so lifeless compared to my old walkman phones.
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 4:11 PM Post #8 of 53
I had a w810i which was ok. I've since tried a C510 and a W995 and wasn't blown away by either tbh. Far cheaper to buy a s639f more capacity and doesn't drain your phone of battery life in less than a day. 3.5 Jack and far better sound.
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 4:44 PM Post #9 of 53
IMHO the shape of a cord doesn't effect the sound, I am sorry. To hear the cord quality in the music is on pair with witchcraft and homeopathy! I have read the reviews for what they worth. Nothing if you ask me. Here is an 11 page forum if you want to read. Most people doesn't like this phone, but I think they are mostly deaf (in a head-fi sense anyway they are).

SE W910-Not a Music Phone-Review-Latest shocking update

I don't know why it sounds so damn good, but it does. Who says so? Well I do. That is why I started this thread. People here are really sound freaks, they should know, they have experience (although they have already preferences and prejudice too). Well, this is just a phone after all... or is it? It still costs $200, I would expect great sound quality especially that it is a walkman phone (the c510 isn't). The S639f, although never heard it costs $60. And no, it has no more capacity than the w910i as it takes M2 cards up to 32GB. Can you beat that? Right now a 32GB flash player is close to $400 (Ipod Touch 2G it is). I admit, a 32GB M2 card is pricey if there is such a thing at all, the 16GB is $90). An 8 GB card only cost you 35 bucks.

Turn off 3G on your phone, that is what drains your battery, not the mp3 player. (Yeah, it has 3G too)

As head-fi-er (for much long than my post number would suggest as I didn't care to share my opinion until recently) I am proud to actually listen to my ears and not reviews in the nature of Nokia vs SE vs Motorola, the ones you can actually find about a cell phone. I am talking about the sound of this mp3 player, dedicated or not (And cons like: "the speaker on the phone is not that great for music" are not really influencing me in any way. Someone who enjoys music like Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and such, I know I am listening to great mastered originals... I admit I am a bit of a basshead though
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 4:57 PM Post #10 of 53
Well it drained my battery on a 2G w810i. I don't see the point of spend a load of money on a bad phone an expensive memory card only to have terrible battery life and I assuming worse sound than a dedicated mp3.
 
Sep 4, 2009 at 11:44 PM Post #11 of 53
I think we must agree to disagree there. I don't see the point to spend on a mediocre dedicated mp3 player when you already have a wonderful sounding phone in your pocket (althoug I would in a heart beat if one had a better sound.) My Ipod Touch 1G, my Creative ZEN, my $400 Sharp Minidisc player and my PC with all those wizzardry and EQs are all inferior to the phone. I only wrote this thread to see if I am the only lucky one who noticed that (what is actually fine with me
smily_headphones1.gif
If you never heard this cell, there isn't much point to comment on it. Sure you should on other cells though, because I am curious. I'd like to hear an opinion from someone who actually owns this thing. I think head-fi is for people with great ears who care about SQ. I am one of them, very picky, brought back countless of mp3 players to stores because of their poor SQ. If you think I brought up this device because of anything else than SQ, you are wrong. I couldn't care less if it is a cell phone or who makes it or if it is slick or not. But do yourself a favor: listen to it if one comes into your way. I don't know how the W810 is. That might drain your battery. The w910 doesn't do that, it is strong for days at a time. And it is also not clear to me, if it is such a bad phone, why and how it won the BEST HANDSET AWARD in 2008. I wouldn't think that before they give out such an award, nobody listens to it. That would be just weird. I don't want to convince anyone, but if you have a chance, try it.
 
Sep 5, 2009 at 6:25 AM Post #12 of 53
well honestly its my belief that the walkman phones are not similar sounding from model to model and even from unit to unit. i've some experiences with it. i think the previous walkman phones (which are not made in china) sounds really good. i prefer my w810i w800i to my PC (realtek onboard), sony home system, ipods, and some other dedicated mp3 players. but the recent walkman phones which i've tried are crap. they are in no way better than other samsung and nokia phones.
surprisingly when i had gone to buy the w910i when it first came out looking for SQ, the sales person told me not to go for it if SQ is the priority as apparently there was some SQ complains regarding the model. he asked me instead to go for the W580i. but after trying it i was dissappointed as it was clearly inferior to my w810i which i was using at that moment.
 
Sep 5, 2009 at 7:27 AM Post #13 of 53
Quote:

Originally Posted by dippyboy_87 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
well honestly its my belief that the walkman phones are not similar sounding from model to model and even from unit to unit. i've some experiences with it. i prefer my w810i w800i to my PC (realtek onboard), sony home system, ipods, and some other dedicated mp3 players.


Now well look at that, may be I'm not suffering from some kind of strange delusion after all. On the other hand, my phone is Made In China. However, and that might be a difference, my phone is unbranded, not SIM-locked, boxed by SE. Although the firmware in it had been updated, there are non-changeable parts which haven't (and those are the parts providers screw up). It is an Eastern-Central European model as those languages can be selected and English, nothing else. So, I am happy with it and see a big Memory Stick Micro is attacking my wallet.

I never told about features like the Shake control (you can advance songs by a shake), album art, "Sense Me" which feeds you with music according to your mood, the dedicated volume control and FF/RWD control combo and that when you stop a tune it makes a lead out, doesn't stop abruptly like an iPod. It comes with bluetooth with A2DP so it can drive your wireless stereo headphones if you have such things. Also has TrackID Music recognition. Syncs with your iTunes if you like that or uses its own organizer which actually subscribe to podcasts if you wish. It also has USB mass storage mode. Not to shabby for a pointless device! And if the camera is the new kid in town for the new Touch 3G, this one has that too, two of them actually. Comes with a 320x240 screen for your JAVA ebooks and games with extra dedicated game buttons and a speaker. Oh and it makes phone calls too which feature can be turned off completely
smily_headphones1.gif
It doesn't play lossless except WAV and doesn't do gapless playback. That is about the only thing I can pick on (not that the iPod gapless would be really gapless). No hiss at all. I am quite happy now. Supports MP3, WMA, AAC, HE-AAC, [all VBR] WAV (WMV, 3GP, MP4) files.
 
Sep 5, 2009 at 9:25 AM Post #14 of 53
well i got a walkman phone, i wanted a little phone for when i dnt need the big one and i ended up getting a w350i, i got the baby blue one

Sony-Ericsson-W350i-Walkman-phone.jpg


the little thing rocks. does it have the best sound ever? no idea i only use circa 192k aac tracks on it for space reasons and usually only the se110. its my getting drunk rig so good enough is fine. if your not using high end earphones and high bit rate files the audio out is good enough and scores major points on practicality
 
Sep 5, 2009 at 1:11 PM Post #15 of 53
Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
well i got a walkman phone, i wanted a little phone for when i dnt need the big one and i ended up getting a w350i, i got the baby blue one

Sony-Ericsson-W350i-Walkman-phone.jpg


the little thing rocks. does it have the best sound ever? no idea i only use circa 192k aac tracks on it for space reasons and usually only the se110. its my getting drunk rig so good enough is fine. if your not using high end earphones and high bit rate files the audio out is good enough and scores major points on practicality



lol mark, my mom has got the orange w350i. you won't believe a walkman phone can sound THAT bad..

a 2g shuffle is far far better.

thats the point i am trying to establish that diff units sound diff in case of these walkman phones atleast.

i met a person in the SE service centre once. he was complaining of his new w810i sq which he got as replacement under warranty. according to him his previous w810i which got replaced was clearly better than his then current one. now what do you have to say regarding this?

don't you find this incident a lil strange?
 

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