[RASeymour]

What is the player with the best sound?

Not the best display or memory or battery life or cutest package.

Assuming using VBR320 Mp3 files, no lossless, FLAC or whatever.

Assuming using good portable type headphone or IEMs such as Ety, UE, Jays, Yuin, Sennheiser or Grado.

In looking over the reviews, many seem to get bogged down in externalities. Don't we use these things to listen to music?

 

[geekchic]

The 'best sound' is subjective - if you've read this forum you'll see that everyone has their favorites.

Apple Nano, Touch, 5.5 G IPod, Cowon D2, Sony 8X series - each of these have their fan following for great sound quality.

I've always gone strictly by sound quality and nothing else - subject to availability and budget. But yeah, I've never tried an IPod because I hate ITunes - it's one of those 'externalities' for me

 

[3X0]

Yes, we do. That's why there's no right answer with this question. There is no best player with the "best sound." The miniature DAC chips in many of today's players differ very slightly from one another, and their implementation in each player produces largely similar sound resolution and detail, among other important technical aspects. It largely boils down to sound signature preferences among the top candidates, as your collection might sound great on the Sony NWZ-A828 but mediocre on the Cowon D2, or vice-versa. Fan favorites are unfortunately often based on sound signature (which many may unknowingly refer to as "sound quality" on the forums, which produces problems as "better sound quality" to someone may simply mean they prefer the sound signature of one player over another where technical aspects are similar).

It's simple. Find the player with the nature of distortion (warm, cold, bright, dark, etc.) that you enjoy. In practice the minor differences such as in detail resolution, soundstage, harmonics are negligible and irrelevant.

 

[fumashirou]

BEO 6 might be the best. But it doesn't support the format you mentioned.

 

[majkel]

iRiver E10

 

[tds101]

Cowon, Sony, iPods, Zunes, all have their fanbase. Try em' and see which is for YOU!!! Otherwise, I agree w/my fellow posters as saying there is no "BEST".

 

[Oya?]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RASeymour /img/forum/go_quote.gif In looking over the reviews, many seem to get bogged down in externalities. Don't we use these things to listen to music?

But why shouldn't non-SQ factors ("externalities") be important? For example, there's no point in me buying a player with the 'best' SQ if it didn't have, say, gapless playback (arguably an 'externality' to lots of people here who do fine without them.

). A DAP that I can't enjoy is worthless for listening to music with.

Of course, for people who want DAPs with only SQ in mind, and nothing else; more power to them.

 

[tds101]

Gapless CURRENT players are iPod and Zune. Some senior members will fill in the gaps as far as history and what to search for on sleabay.

 

[koconder]

Like '3XO' said everything sounds diffrent and depending on the music and your taste its all diffrent. However if you get a player with usb-audio out then you can get a DAC which will be a more enhanced sound conversion device.

As for files flac and wav is probabbly the best sound quality but this also depends on the source recorded from.

 

[tds101]

Apple Lossless is a solid codec also - sq is excellent.