looking for MP3 player with a decent line-out?
Aug 29, 2007 at 5:03 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 35
Lenni

Lenni

Headphoneus Supremus
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I know the obvious choise would be the iMod, but it's a little out my range at the moment; with the cables, duty tax, etc...

I'd like to find an alternative for the time being, something with a decent line-out, new/used, around $200 (more or less).

thanks
 
Aug 30, 2007 at 2:40 AM Post #3 of 35
iRiver H120 is not the only game in town for line out. Are you confusing OPTICAL OUT with LINE OUT? Nor is it the best choice for line out. I found the H120's line out to be rather dull. IMHO The headphone out of the Rio Karma sounds much better than the H120 line out.

The H120 Optical out is far superior to the line level out though.
 
Aug 30, 2007 at 2:47 AM Post #4 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by chelrob /img/forum/go_quote.gif
iRiver H120 is not the only game in town for line out. Are you confusing OPTICAL OUT with LINE OUT? Nor is it the best choice for line out. I found the H120's line out to be rather dull. IMHO The headphone out of the Rio Karma sounds much better than the H120 line out.

The H120 Optical out is far superior to the line level out though.


Have to disagree. When you said Rio Karma headphone out sounds better than the Iriver H120 line out, did you tried using just headphones in both (ampless)? Or did you used amp?
The Iriver H120 line out is one of the best around. Such as the Iriver H300 series the Iaudio X5, the Cowon A2 and the ipod with line out docks. This are the most popular ones that come to mind, but there are more. A quick search should return more results ...
 
Aug 30, 2007 at 2:56 AM Post #5 of 35
I used an amp (the same amp) with both. Why would I plug headphones straight into a line level output of the H120?

By the same token a Rio Karma does not drive most cans very well through the headphone jack without an amp. It drives IEMs and Earbuds very well without an amp though.

The H120 Line Out sounded lifeless compared to the Rio Karma's headphone out. No synergy for sure.
 
Aug 30, 2007 at 3:20 AM Post #8 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by epaludo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Have to disagree. When you said Rio Karma headphone out sounds better than the Iriver H120 line out, did you tried using just headphones in both (ampless)? Or did you used amp?
The Iriver H120 line out is one of the best around. Such as the Iriver H300 series the Iaudio X5, the Cowon A2 and the ipod with line out docks. This are the most popular ones that come to mind, but there are more. A quick search should return more results ...


BTW, Have you made the same comparisons? Have you heard both DAPs through the same amp in a similar fashion? I own both.
 
Aug 30, 2007 at 3:32 AM Post #9 of 35
I didn't said you implied that the Rio had a line out. Was just asking. Take it easy.

For me it's unacceptable to amplify the headphone out of the Rio. That's why i asked you. Amplifying the headphone out means that you're amplifying the signal twice, which can only add distortion.

Which amp were you using? And which headphones?

BTW, i did listened both. But the Rio unamped ...
 
Aug 30, 2007 at 3:51 AM Post #12 of 35
Negative. I only noticed that the H120 did not synergize with any of the components and the Rio Karma did synergize extremely well.

On the other hand the H120 optical out to a microstack defeats all amps mentioned above. The K701 and SR225 love this AMP/DAC. USB to the microstack from my Dell notebook sounds even better.
 
Aug 30, 2007 at 4:12 AM Post #13 of 35
Quote:

Originally Posted by chelrob /img/forum/go_quote.gif
On the other hand the H120 optical out to a microstack defeats all amps mentioned above.


Are you comparing the Micro Stack with the other amps with the Iriver + MicroDAC as a source ... ?
 
Aug 30, 2007 at 5:01 AM Post #14 of 35
Yes. The H120 optical out > microdac > microamp defeats all combinations mentoned above, especially with the SR225s.

PC > USB > microdac > microamp defeats even the H120 optical, etc.
 
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