[slaters70]

Quote:

I'm very interested in reading more from people, giving more details as to their preference, especially over the X1060 which I have, as I want to get the best out of my SM3's and if the sflo:2 sounds better than the Sony, then I'll order one myself. 

I own the S:flo2 and the Sony X, which I bought recently, and to me, they are both excellent (and I use them for different listening situations). On balance, I prefer the S:flo2 for at-home listening, especially with the T3 amp I just bought and high-quality mini to mini cable I own, although the HP out also sounds very good as well. For on the go, I use the X, because it has external controls, so I can use it "blind," something the S:flo2 doesn't allow because you must use the touchscreen for all but volume.
 
Right now, I have the DBA-02s, but I am considering the SM3s as my top tier IEMs and may buy them soon based on what I have been reading.
 
However, even as much as I like the Sony X, I have a Cowon J3 on order from Amazon, because I want an on the go player that also handles flac, which the J3 will do. It also has a card slot for expansion, which makes it more flexible. If the J3 even comes close to the X, I am going to sell the X here on HF and keep the J3. If the X is a clear SQ winner, I will just return the J3 (30 days return from Amazon).

 

[rymd]

13-14 years old? 
oh man, cuttin' holes through your parents pockets early eh

 

[smdeep]

In response to the , post : ROFL

 

[mobbaddict]

I voted no. The s:flo2 that i have is virtually indistinguishable from my other DAPs (a rockboxed Sansa Clip and 5 years old Sony Vaio Pocket). I did head to head comparisons, blind tests, and most of the time i can't even tell which one i'm hearing. There may be a difference in the midrange between the Clip and the s:flo, that of the s:flo seems slightly smoother. But again i'm not even sure. And keep in mind the old Clip is supposed to be colder than the Clip+.
I initially thought there were some differences, like the s:flo being bassier and the Clip being airier, but the blind tests proved me that it's mostly placebo effect. This was done with a Sony CD900ST which is one of the top monitoring headphones and a highly efficient headphone. Also done with my IEM.
For the record i had a Sony E436 a while ago and i could clearly tell the difference with the Clip, the latter was MUCH more resolved. Say the Clip was 20% better than the E436, then the s:flo might be 2% better than the Clip at best.

On the other hand the line out of the s:flo is very good and powerful but i don't have any dynamic amp to try it.

 

[Somnambulist]

It sounds better than my iPhone 3GS and an old Sony NW-HD5... but that's all I've had to compare it to. There is no 'be all and end all' player though, in a couple of years they'll be numerous other players to consider. Right now, I'm happy with it.

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

I am yet to receive my S:Flo2 16GB...but I CAN tell you that you have good grammar for a 14 y/o.

I instantly thought the same thing when I read "fourteenth" birthday. Wow. But yea man, I have it right now with a Clip+ and it's a "little" better; but IMO it's going to depend on how revealing your headphones are if you can hear a difference. Soundstage wise the UM3Xs is one of the top in instrument separation and imaging so it's noticeable with classical/acoustic music.
 
The LO is unparalleled though; hooking it up to the ALO Rx in comparison with the Clip+ is a big difference. 
 
EDIT: K702s are amazing as well. 

 

[Darksyde]

Well these poll results are useless.  I guess everyone's a politician, eh?

 

[JiPod]

Considering your (OP) English and cunningness, I'd believe you had you mentioned "fortieth birthday" instead.
 
Sorry to digress.

 

[Albinoni]

And may I ask what headphones do you use, pls dont waste your time using el cheapo IEMs on a Sflo and expecting to get top quality sound,  I still reckon that Overhead headphons rule the world when it comes to SQ, without a doubt.

 

[Darksyde]

 
Quote:

 
It seems as if there are a handful of people who constantly praise its audio-quality and say that it is only second to the unchallenged overlord of audio: the Hifiman HM801.  The other half claims that it is superior to the Sansa Fuze or a 4G Nano, but that is the only thing that they compare it to.  I am a long time Cowon fan and I am currently in possession of the O2 and Grado HF2's paired with an iBasso D10.  My largest qualm with this setup is the maddening EQ on Cowon players- I am unable to find a setting combination that satisfies me.  I also find the stock settings on most players to be bland and woolied into the definition of "unclear". 

Quote:

And may I ask what headphones do you use, pls dont waste your time using el cheapo IEMs on a Sflo and expecting to get top quality sound,  I still reckon that Overhead headphons rule the world when it comes to SQ, without a doubt.

 

[iPoodz]

Ahahahahahah.
 
Sorry I can't contribute, but that was too funny.

 

[4DThinker]

I've just ordered the Sflo:2.   4-14 days yet.  When I get it and have played with it a week or so I'll put up a comparison/review on my blog. I also own the latest Cowon, Sony, Samsung, etc., players.   I have a simple way of listening to players side-by-side, and a friend with great ears who lets me do blind A or B testing with him when I need it.
 
4D

 

[Darksyde]

Quote:

I've just ordered the Sflo:2.   4-14 days yet.  When I get it and have played with it a week or so I'll put up a comparison/review on my blog. I also own the latest Cowon, Sony, Samsung, etc., players.   I have a simple way of listening to players side-by-side, and a friend with great ears who lets me do blind A or B testing with him when I need it.
 
4D

Alright, that sounds great!  I'm sure that a blind test would yield some very valuable results, and would definitely help to provide insight that bypasses the hype that we are currently trying to debunk.  My goal, ultimately, is to be able to delve into the realm of realism and find the player that will be capable of meeting my distinct and specific standards.  Then again that is the point of hobby threads such as Head-Fi.

 

[Darkchaser]

Ordered mine in Jan, got it in March, and now in May I just sent it back for RMA. So maybe you can guess where I'm going with this

As far as SQ goes, it is great. But honestly, it's not a big difference compared to others like the Clip+. I really feel that the difference is not big enough considering some of its problems, include:

1) Major OS/firmware issues. The touchscreen is just too unreliable, and mp3tag is a big mess. I may be spoiled having had an iPod Touch before, but Apple has really set a high bar.

2) Control. Thanks to the mentioned touchscreen unreliability, it is very hard to operate. I find using a Clip+ much easier to navigate despite such a small screen.

3) Size. Ok, I have big hands, and I'm having serious trouble handling this thing. It has the exact same height and length of an iPod Touch, but man, is it really thick.

I guess the question is, are you willing to forgive all these problems just for the sake of SQ? If you are, then s:flo2 is your choice. If not, I think you'll be fine with Sansas or Cowons. You're not missing much, IMO.

 

[4DThinker]

If it's a piece of crap then I'll make sure I point that out.  Mine won't be here until June, so there are a few days to contemplate how to do a useful comparison.  I usually "grade" each media component and seperate out the overall UI for evaluation.  I did one looking at everything BUT output quality for the S9, P3, and SPINN.  With a little help I should be able to seperate audio quality from everything else.  After all, this is about the best audio player. That could be simply the sound coming from the headphones.
 
4D