[nilfric]

Hi! I'm lost in all the opinions I've read so far. Searching for the best portable source to combine with my newly aquired DT1350s. Atm, they are connected to my HTC One X and while I really dig the resultant sound, I figure there must be a better solution, while not going full amp though. Also, I want hardware buttons for in-pocket control and maybe a device that is a bit more lightweight. Budget is about 300 to 400$. Thanks

 

[nilfric]

Hmm, would the Cowon D3 be a better choice than the Sansa Fuze? I don't need a fanzy interface, but is the sound quality worth the premium resp. is there even a difference?

 

[Sefelt103]

Thats the tricky part of choosing any media player. All the possible opinions some of which may be contradictory or expressed by people who have different requirements or outlook to you. Looking on this forum the vast majority want sound quality above anything else. That can mean purity of sound for some or a certain emphasis and configuration of the sound for others. One thing I've noticed with media players is no two sound identical. They may be in a similar zone for sound quality but rarely do they sound identical throughout the range. With headphones the range is not that wide unlike say speakers. There are many media players I don't think have as high sq as others but that I could live with nonetheless. It takes time to adjust an appreciate what a particular player gives you. Apple have made some upper sq models but stay away from the really no compromise models. The 5th gen Ipod Video is nice sounding if you don't need the storage and don't mind HDD instead of flash. I quite like the sound from the iPads also. People often recommend the HIfiman HM601/602. I haven't heard this player but its short battery life should mean high sound quality. It has been said to be a little warm sounding so not for those looking for a cold and clinical sound. The other side of the coin are Cowon players like the S9/J3/X7 these have vastly greater battery lives. I thnk they are a great option for earbuds/iems but the emphasis is on you selecting the tonal balance more than inherent hi-fi quality. They also do not have line-out. The S9 I owned I found disapointing with my Sennheiser HD555 headphones and the S9 also caters for video etc (like Apple). These players have vast options for tailoring sound whereas you might argue a quality media player would not require any sound tailoring options. My current favourite player is the Nationite S:Flo2 through my Fiio desktop amp. These are only available in Teclast T51 form from China and have great sq with the battery giving 6-7 hours with flac files. These players are however completely out of the mainstream. Choosing a media player is a case of trial and error until you come across one that does what you want with superior characteristics to others you've tried. It is often an expensive and frustrating exercise.

 

[nilfric]

Thanks for your thorough reply!
 
Yes, I read about the Nationite S:Flo2 and that it has great sound quality, but the UI ist supposedly pretty aweful. That, and the fact that it seems hard to obtain at my location, kept me from considering it further. The Ipod touch is nice, but too big for me, as I'm allready carring a huge HTC One X with me. I also don't want to pay the additional fees for the video and fancy stuff, which I would never use.
 
Regarding the Hifiman & co, I am just not willing to sacrifice that much usability for sound quality. On the go, I'm maybe listening for max one hour a day, so it's just not worth it to me, considering that I have a quality setup at home.
 
After digging through walls of opinions, I came close to ordering the latest Ipod Classic 160gb, intending to rockbox it. I don't want to be doctrined by apple, but I liked the pod for it's big screen, providing additional rockbox comfort. I like that it gives you plenty of space and good sound quality. But then again, it would cost me 300$ including case, not even having a touch interface. Anyway, the last days when I was using my HTC with poweramp, I realised that I might not be willing to sacrifice touch controls and fast accessible features like playlist and searching after all. As a source, it certainly isn't great, but I think the DT1350 really makes it acceptable on it's own. So for the moment, at least, I think I will stick to my smartphone, but will be keeping a look out for any newcomers in the future. The only downside is the lack of remote controls. Having to unlock the screen for every command is really tireing.