[chromicant]

Been lurking on the site for a while for reviews and such, but finally have a question that requires me to actually post something.
 
I've collected a bit of portable gear (ODAC + JDS C5 Amp) for working in my little office. Lately, I've been doing a bit of air travel (in coach) for work. I've started by using my clunky Dell work laptop + foobar2000 for listening. But, if anyone has traveled on, say, a US domestic airline in coach - a full sized laptop isn't the most comfortable - worse when you're 6' and barely fit in the seat.
 
So, I'm looking for a portable media player - most of my media is MP3 encoded from various CD rips of mine - that can survive reasonable trips (my flights are 5 hr or less - usually). I've tried to build my own from various HD media sticks and a bunch 'o batteries or hacking my Android phone - but the USB hardware or battery life on those devices leave a LOT to be desired. Would also like the player that can work with either my headphones (VSD1) or the DAC/AMP chain. Bonus points if the player is reasonably priced and can interface with my Linux box at home (so no special sync software).
 
I know this may bring up a holy war of players, but looking for something sensible that people here would recommend.

 

[Makiah S]

I think going Rock Boxed Clip Zip is your best bet, I hear the battery life is pretty good 

 

[Brimstone]

"Reasonably priced" is relative, so to me this is reasonably priced at under $200 with a 64GB memory card-
 
I fly almost every week to somewhere in North America or Europe and I am really in love with the Fiio X3 right now.  The sound quality and versatility are the selling points for me.  The DAC is hard to beat for the price and you can use it as a DAP on the plane and then switch and use it as a USB DAC connected to your laptop in the hotel.  I have some Audio Technica ATH-ANC23 noise cancelling (which sound surprisingly good) for the flight and then I carry my Sennheisers for the hotel.  The Fiio X3 does everything I want it to very well.  You would only need to carry the X3 and wouldn't need to lug around the DAC/amp.

 

[Makiah S]

  "Reasonably priced" is relative, so to me this is reasonably priced at under $200 with a 64GB memory card-
 
I fly almost every week to somewhere in North America or Europe and I am really in love with the Fiio X3 right now.  The sound quality and versatility are the selling points for me.  The DAC is hard to beat for the price and you can use it as a DAP on the plane and then switch and use it as a USB DAC connected to your laptop in the hotel.  I have some Audio Technica ATH-ANC23 noise cancelling (which sound surprisingly good) for the flight and then I carry my Sennheisers for the hotel.  The Fiio X3 does everything I want it to very well.  You would only need to carry the X3 and wouldn't need to lug around the DAC/amp.

another very good point as well, though the X3 is 2-3x more than the Clip Zip though if OPs budget can allow for the X3 then I too would recommend it to him