tracyrick
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2004
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I'm looking for feedback on the SQ of the Sansa Clip. Pure and simple, I can't tell the difference in the sound. Sanity check. Do my ears suck, or is this really possible that they sound the same?
There's nothing complicated about my "review." They sound the same to me, period. Bass - same, Treble - same, Mids - same, Soundstage - same.
Phones: Grado SR80, Etymotic ER-4S
Clip: 4GB, no external amp used
H140: Rockboxed and using Sys Concepts optical cable and D1 amp/DAC
D1: Upgraded with AD797 opamp, no buffers
I have listened back and forth with my SR80's for about 45 mins. My ER-4S for about 1 hour now. Music is Rock and Prog Rock: A Perfect Cirlce, Tool, Dream Theater, Rush, Velvet Revolver, etc...listening for overall impression and also comparing details like specific bass lines, kick drums, cymbals, vocals, etc. Music is in highest quality VBR MP3 on my Clip and FLAC on my H140.
My initial reason for comparing was this: How much worse does my new Clip sound vs. my high-end portable rig I've worked so hard to put together? Answer was no worse - they sound the same to me.
I also wondered if the Clip would suffer trying to drive my ER-4S. The answer was not at all. But yes, I have to turn the volume up much more with the ER-4S than my -4P. To me the -4P is cloudy sounding so I don't usually use it. Just tested to see what happened.
I read that the Clip sounded really good. But come on, how can this low power Clip compare to my optical out H140 and my D1 DAC and the amp it has?
For reference, I can easily tell the difference between my ER-4S and the -4P (the S has more detail and more treble). My SR80's also easily sound different to me. Also, my AD797 op amps in my D1 added bass and thickness to my D1 vs. the original opamps. There is consensus on all of this...so does that mean I'm right about the Clip sounding the same as my H140/D1 ?
Of course at the end of the day, if they both sound the same to me then I can dump my high-end rig (storage space the only issue) and not worry about it. But I'm still VERY curious if my ears have gone bad, or were never good to begin with.
There's nothing complicated about my "review." They sound the same to me, period. Bass - same, Treble - same, Mids - same, Soundstage - same.
Phones: Grado SR80, Etymotic ER-4S
Clip: 4GB, no external amp used
H140: Rockboxed and using Sys Concepts optical cable and D1 amp/DAC
D1: Upgraded with AD797 opamp, no buffers
I have listened back and forth with my SR80's for about 45 mins. My ER-4S for about 1 hour now. Music is Rock and Prog Rock: A Perfect Cirlce, Tool, Dream Theater, Rush, Velvet Revolver, etc...listening for overall impression and also comparing details like specific bass lines, kick drums, cymbals, vocals, etc. Music is in highest quality VBR MP3 on my Clip and FLAC on my H140.
My initial reason for comparing was this: How much worse does my new Clip sound vs. my high-end portable rig I've worked so hard to put together? Answer was no worse - they sound the same to me.
I also wondered if the Clip would suffer trying to drive my ER-4S. The answer was not at all. But yes, I have to turn the volume up much more with the ER-4S than my -4P. To me the -4P is cloudy sounding so I don't usually use it. Just tested to see what happened.
I read that the Clip sounded really good. But come on, how can this low power Clip compare to my optical out H140 and my D1 DAC and the amp it has?
For reference, I can easily tell the difference between my ER-4S and the -4P (the S has more detail and more treble). My SR80's also easily sound different to me. Also, my AD797 op amps in my D1 added bass and thickness to my D1 vs. the original opamps. There is consensus on all of this...so does that mean I'm right about the Clip sounding the same as my H140/D1 ?
Of course at the end of the day, if they both sound the same to me then I can dump my high-end rig (storage space the only issue) and not worry about it. But I'm still VERY curious if my ears have gone bad, or were never good to begin with.
