[ERNEST T]

I was a Ipod fan for years. Started with a 20 gig Photo then a Imod then a classic and so on. I always thought the sound could be better. Tried using the Eq on the classic but to no good. Tried many different amps. I have waited for months and got the Zen amps tried the SR-71 plus about 10 other amps. Headphones I have tried many Senns 595, 650,Px-100, Grados, Shures,
Plus many more. Anyway I always thought the ipod was the best so I spent a lot of money trying to improve the sound but still keeping the ipod as a source.
Reading these post about the sound quaility of the Sony players I decided to try one. Being on a budget inplemented by my wife I found a NWZ-639 on ebay and bought it. That little player has turned my listening world upside down. Now I have the Bass Mids and Highs like I want them. Depth and Fullness of the music is incredible. The eq does not clip out like on the ipod. I am saving up to try to get a x series player in the future.
I am not bashing ipod in any way. Just stating that I have found the type of sound that I like.
I had to switch from Lossless to 320 but I am getting better sound so what difference does it make.
Now I have a couple of questions please. My current set up is S639 - Bithead - HD25-1 II. If I got a T3 and took away the Bithead do you think I would degrade the sound any. I am trying to get my setup where it will fit in my pocket. Also would the x series sony drive the HD-25 as good with out an amp as with an amp. The best senerio would be to do away with the amp if I could still get the same sound as with an amp. I am after soung quaility and not quanity.

 

[tds101]

I feel you bro, and enjoy the sq on the S639 - it's fantastic.

 

[cn11]

Excellent that you discovered the world of Sony sound, especially in comparison to iPod. You nailed the differences with your description. Just wait till you get the X.... it'll be even more natural and impressive sounding, and less 'digital' than the other Sony. I had the A829 when I got the X, and I'm so glad I upgraded.

 

[shigzeo]

I also have the Sony and find it a decent player, though I wouldn't call it world changing. The X is better, but hisses way too much for use without an amp. The 639 is like an iPod with a good EQ and a +1-2 db bass increase.

I liked mine but sold it pretty quickly. Glad you like it. There are LOD etc for it to make it work better with amps (without the inherent EQ).

 

[ERNEST T]

This is the first I have heard of the x hissing. Is this with IEM's or all phones. Yea there are more important things in the world than my music. But that being said I perfer the sony players for the sound over my ipods. It may not be a pure perfect sound and I do use the EQ settings like I like. But the way I see it the sound engineer that mixies the music uses eq settings and he has no idea what type of headphones I use or what I use them with. So the 639 lets me finish mixing the music to what I like. The ipod does not.

 

[WalkGood]

You may have saved a lot of money if you had found abi before ipod

 

[warrior05]

One of things that held me back with Sony's players was that they didn't do gapless. Has this changed?

 

[ERNEST T]

My understanding is they do not do gapless. I know the 639 does not and I miss that listening to PF. I also perfer itunes to other media players but to me it all comes down to the sound.

 

[7swell]

For a while I amped the hp out of my s639 with the t3, except I decided that I couldn't hear much of a difference so I don't use it anymore. However, the size of the t3 matches the s639 perfectly so the added bulkiness is hardly noticeable anyway.

 

[Bassheadd]

Ipods are so overrated its quite pathetic really. People just buy them cause everyone else has them and think its the only MP3 player to own.

 

[Guidostrunk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassheadd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ipods are so overrated its quite pathetic really. People just buy them cause everyone else has them and think its the only MP3 player to own.

Agreed!

 

[Squirsier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassheadd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ipods are so overrated its quite pathetic really. People just buy them cause everyone else has them and think its the only MP3 player to own.

No doubt the Sony sounds better ; however, as long as they refuse to do gapless, I won't own one. Heck, even their old MiniDisc players did gapless.

Give me gapless, and I'm all over it - I love Sony products.

 

[cn11]

Gapless and on-the-fly playlists on the Sonys would be a very nice development.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassheadd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ipods are so overrated its quite pathetic really. People just buy them cause everyone else has them and think its the only MP3 player to own.

Some people buy them because they are pretty much the only player that does gapless.

 

[tstarn06]

Gapless not an issue for me, but I don't really get a hiss problem with the Sony X and my two main IEMs, the CK10s and the Monster Turbine Pro Gold. I do use the Sony as my road machine, and the Amp3 as my home DAP (though the amp3 only has 4GB onboard and does have some hiss, but I use on-ear phones at home a lot, and the two I have don't hiss with the Amp3.