pmp sound quality

[greg1629]

I'm in the market for a portable music player. I've read reviews comparing the sound quality of the ipods, walkmen, etc. Currently, I have a pair of grado sr80's hooked up to my onkyo receiver/amp. My question is this: Should I assume that the sound quality from my onkyo would be better than any portable music player?

Any info would be appreciated.

 

[khbaur330162]

Don't mean to nit-pick, but to my knowledge the acronym "PMP" usually stands for "Portable Media Player." This most commonly hints at units with much larger LCD screens, HDD's and function sets when compared to your every day DAP. The acronym "DAP" stands for "Digital Audio Player." This is what you were referring to in your OP.

As for sheer sound quality, it's difficult to compare. Your DAP would not only be amplifying the source signal, but it'd be creating it! So, are we comparing the amplifier sections only? Are we comparing the CDP/computer/tuner/etc. hooked up to your Onkyo with the DAP? The whole package?

That said, portable audio is generally under stress to perform on par with home based gear of similar cost. A general note is you pay for convenience; DAP's are small and convenient. Sadly, you pay more for their small size than their performance. I find even current production PCDP's (portable CD player) out perform most commercial DAP's.

 

[FooTemps]

DAPs and PMPs have basically been shoveled into one category if you haven't noticed. Almost all models of ipod can play video now regardless of how small the screen is. Many iriver models also support video playback if they aren't ultraportable. Don't bother making the distinction. As the industry is right now, there is none.

 

[greg1629]

khbaur - I guess I did mean DAP then.

I have tried listening using both a CD player and an Appletv feeding into the onkyo amp. They sound the same to me. Then I compared this sound to the same music from an ipod (apple lossless-encoded). If there was any difference, it was minimal. My assumption was that if I can't discern any sound quality difference, it makes no sense to look for a DAP with better purported sound than an ipod. Is this assumption correct?

Thanks again.

 

[Gurra1980]

The modern daps is very good, and to my ears the best of them can compete with similarly priced cd-players if you use them with amplifiers.