Need Advice: MP3 Player

[Traddad]

I am contemplating buying a new MP3 player. I currently own a 6GB Zen Micro but I have run out of room. What I am looking for is a 20-40 GB player that has an unamped line out and that I can rip lossless to. My first choice now is one of the iRiver H1xx models. Any other suggestions? My current player is full at 6 gigs and I would probably like to have about twice as much music on the new player ripped lossless.

 

[caramelsoul]

The line out on the H1x0 is an optical line out. I would recommend this player. I also have the H320 which has line out (not optical) and is also a good player. I do however prefer the H140 i own over the H320. They both support flac with rockbox.

 

[w&q]

@ caramelsoul

what is the difference between optical and nonoptical lineout? thanks

 

[Traddad]

Is there a general rule of thumb as to the file size differenca between a good quality MP3 and a FLAC lossless file? I'm also trying to get a handle on how big a drive I'll need. As I said, I now hav 6GB of MP3s and I would like to store 2X that lossless.

 

[ComfyCan]

I recently picked up 2 Iriver H140's from e-bay, since it is a discontinued product with high storage capacity, digital (optical) out, and will support FLAC if you switch from the Iriver firmware to Rockbox, which is free.

I could not be happier with the H140. I have one in reserve in case the first one breaks. I paid about $165 on e-bay for each-new. They retailed in the $400 range when still in production.

The H140 is not quite as "slick" as a 5th gen I-Pod, but it works, and it works well. With an optical connection to my MicroDac>MicroAmp, the sound is superb. It does not have a color LCD screen, and it is slightly larger and heavier than an I-Pod. However, the optical-out more than makes up for these minor issues. It sounds pretty good using IEM's just using the headphone out, without an amp (better than my Nano straight out of the headphone out without an amp).

To answer w&q's question, the difference between a line out and a digital (optical or coax) out is that the former simply bypasses the headphone jack; you are still relying on the internal DAC (digital to analog converter) to convert the digital signal to analog. If you have digital-out, you bypass the internal DAC and can send the pure digital signal to a superior, external DAC such as the Headroom MicroDac. You then send the signal from the external DAC to an external headphone amp (like the Headroom MicroAmp), and then to your headphones.

Thus, if you own a standalone DAC and AMP (or plan to get them), having a digital-out is a very good thing, and very hard to find in current portable players.

I highly reccomend the H-140; you simply cannot find a more versatile portable with this kind of storage capacity for this price. Just do a search on ebay for "h140" and you'll see a bunch of them; here's one that's about to be sold:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-IRIVER-H140-...QQcmdZViewItem

You can also find H-120's on e-bay (20 gig capacity), but the price difference is not enough IMO to step down to 50% of the storage capacity you get from the H140.

 

[Traddad]

Thanks for the great suggestions and info.
Can anyone tellme the % diff in file size between a FLAC lossless and an MP3?

 

[w&q]

@ comfycan

thanks.

 

[ComfyCan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traddad Is there a general rule of thumb as to the file size differenca between a good quality MP3 and a FLAC lossless file? I'm also trying to get a handle on how big a drive I'll need. As I said, I now hav 6GB of MP3s and I would like to store 2X that lossless.

Flac offers 8 levels of lossless compression. I use level 5, which is almost exactly 50% the size of a Wav. file as ripped from a CD.

There is much debate over what a "good quality" mp3 file is. Most people use 128kbps, which is very small, lossy and not reccomended. If using mp3, 320kbps is often suggested as indistinguishable from lossless to most ears/gear. I do not know how 320kbps Mp3 file size compares to FLAC.

I use 192kbps variable bitrate AAC files on my Nano, which I find to be a good compromise between file size and quality for an ultra-portable with lower storage capacity.

Hope this helps. If you want more information, there is a ton of it on the various codecs on the internet; Wikipedia is a good starting point.

 

[fongalv]

Hi there every, I dont have any experience with the H1XX series DAPs and would like to know if those of you who have bought them from ebay have any problems with the batteries since they should be pretty old by now. what is the rough rating of the battery supposed to be with rockbox and flac?

I understand that the main draw of the h1xx series is the ability to output optical to an external DAC, but how would the results be if its only amped? how would that measure up to the others?

thanks!

 

[chelrob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by caramelsoul The line out on the H1x0 is an optical line out. I would recommend this player. I also have the H320 which has line out (not optical) and is also a good player. I do however prefer the H140 i own over the H320. They both support flac with rockbox.

It's switchable between analog and digital line out.