[gbeard]

Hi Boy and Girls,

After much thread searching, I am now in need of opinions on my choices for a portable system. Criteria as follows in no particular order:

Reasonably small and light
Large capacity for uncompressed pcm files
excellent sound
Good isolation
Comfort

My choices at this point are:

Creative Zen NX 30 gig (maybe a 40 gig Ipod)
Xin SuperMicro amp
Senn PX200

I have decided against Ety's, I'm sure I would love the sound and the isolation, but I seriously doubt I could stand the in-ear thing. The total isolation might be a problem at times as well. If the PX250 sounds as good as the PX200, that might be a good option too. I really like the feature set of the Rio Karma, but I don't want to spend a fortune, and I'd really like to have it before a November trip.

So experts, whadya think? Upsides? Downsides? Other options?

Thanks, gb

 

[stevesolo]

I can only tell you that I am very impressed with the Creative line as far as sound quality, contruction and ease of use. I currently have a Zen 2.0 and JB2 and although I have a Meta-42 I seldom use it with either as the headphone amp on the Nomad line is very powerful at 50 mW a side. As long as you are planning on using efficient headphones you really dont need an amp. If you have your heart set on an amp I hear that for the price, Xin's amps work well but for a few more bucks you can get yourself a portable Meta which many believe is far superior. If you are planning on using the amp in a non portable application, I think there are better choices than either of the above. I find that the Zen when amped does provide more depth especially with higher impedance phones like the HD600's but when used portably with portable efficient phones, for me the added fidelity is not noticable enough to warent the inconvience of an amp

I have not heard the PX200's but I would think that they would be a good match with the Zen along with the PX100's, HD497's, KSC-35's and MX400/500's. As for less portable headphones the HD280's, V6's, and DL66's mate real well with the Zen and provide more comfort and isolation. I feel that all of these headphones work well with the Zen but it will come down to your personal preference. I mention these larger cans here because you list comfort and isolation which is often a difficult combination to get out of small portable phones when you exclude ear canals. Although I dont have personal experience, I hear the Beyer DT-250-80's also work well with the Zen but my sence is that you are really looking for a portable can match that will provide some degree of comfort and isolation.

Although I dont own an Ipod, it seems to me that after a few days of audtioning a friends Ipod, Zen has better fidelity.

At more than double the price IMO of the better sounding Zen NX why would you consider a 40GB Ipod? If you need more space than the standard 30GB Zen NX, I believe you can find new Zen NX's and Zen 2.0's with larger upgraded drives on ebay from what seems like reliable dealers. A few months ago Creative was offering a 60GB Zen 2.0 from the factory. I mention the 2.0 here because although slightly larger and without a user replaceable battery, some have said it is better constructed and has a 16MB buffer instead of the NX's 8MB. The case of the 2.0 allows full view of the screen while the NX does not.

I hope that I have not rambled on here in my enthusiasm but that you find this information helpful in making your choices. If you need any help in locating competive prices on Zen NX/2.0, feel free to send me a PM

 

[gbeard]

Stevesolo,

I will not be using this rig for home. I am very fortunate to have a nice amp for my HD600's.

I have some MX500's that I use with those add on silicone tips (I can't remember the name, but I like them) and a Sony R70 minidisc player. I just can't get enough volume if I am in a loud setting. I thought an amp might be necessary but I could wait until I know for sure.

I have thought about a Meta42, but I didn't want to spend quite that much money, maybe I'll look for a used one.

The headphones are the real tough choice. I use earplane earplugs on the plane sometimes, and they are a lot like an Ety. I really wouldn't want them in for very long, hence my reasoning for crossing the ety's off my list. However, a bit of isolation for the noisey environs would be welcomed, that is my reason for thinking of the PX200.

Thanks, gb

Any other thoughts out there?