[newaudiophile84]

 
[size=10.0pt]Hi guys, as you can easily tell I’m really new at the forum. I have been reading tons of threads along this past months and now I have decided to join actively. I have a question and seek for some help and insights. I’ve been an iPod “consumer” for long time now as I own a Mac. I have recently discovered that I have become a little bit more picky on sound quality and I want to improve from my iPod nano.[/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]I’ve been reading a lot from the Sansa Clip+ and the Cowon J3 as two of the top best PMP now on the market and I’m not sure which one to buy now. I’ve read that the Clip+ rockboxed is pretty much on par with the J3 regarding SQ. I travel a lot so I need to match my new PMP with the recently-purchase Bose QC15 that I own –I’m fully aware that Bose are not the way to go for SQ but I wanted a great noise cancelling effect. [/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]Can someone give me any advice. I got to a point where I read so much and now I’m highly confused.  [/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]Thank you so much! [/size]
 
PS: I can take any other suggestion besides the Clip+ or J3 if you think so. 

 

[dippyboy_87]

On the contrary your bose QC15 is a pretty 'sweet sounding headphone for enjoying your music in luxury'. I don't feel the cheap sansa clip+ is a luxury dap to match with your bose QC15. The latest ipod touch 4g would make a nice luxury pairing. It would feel really nice to have such a pairing i believe. No i would not choose the cowon j3 if i had chosen the Bose QC15. The customization on the j3 would just not cut it as the Bose certainly has an active equalization circuit on-board. So no matter what equalization you apply on your dap the luxury Bose signature just refuses to change. Happy hunting.. Oh and do let us know what you have selected finally. 

 

[newaudiophile84]

Wow - Thanks! I certainly didn't see that coming!
 
I thought iPods were not exactly strong when talking SQ. My nano 4g it certainly not! Thanks for bringing some shade into the matter! 

 

[129207]

Quote:

The customization on the j3 would just not cut it as the Bose certainly has an active equalization circuit on-board. So no matter what equalization you apply on your dap the luxury Bose signature just refuses to change. 

This doesn't make sense. Ofcourse the sound will change if you use EQ on the Cowon. It just won't change as predictably as it will on a headphone without built-in EQ. The EQ in the Bose doesn't compensate every signal to the exact same level. It just throws one built-in EQ setting over the audio. If you change the sound of the input signal, the Bose EQ will turn out differently every time. 
 
I checked out that Bose headphone and think you'll have a better chance of experiencing great sound quality with a well isolating in-ear and a Rockboxed Clip+ than with that Bose and an iPod Touch. Think of it like this, for the amount you need for a Touch or J3 you can buy a Clip+ AND an amazing pair of in-ears.

 

[capricorn8]

[size=10pt]As a QC15 user, I cannot confirm that equalization applied on a playing device does not have an impact to the [/size]
[size=10pt]the sound of the headphones. I does have, definitely![/size]
 
[size=10pt]For my taste, QC15 sound is a bit dark in nature, which I compensate by increasing the higher frequencies using the eqallizer on my MP3 player (Sony NWZ S638F) or on the PC (Winamp). Which makes the QC15 sound incredibly![/size]
 
[size=10pt]I am currently also thinking of getting me a J3 very soon [/size]
 

 

[capricorn8]

My J3 arrived yesterday, and of course I immediately uploaded my "music-to-go" archive and attached my beloved Bose QC15.
Music is mostly Smooth Jazz, MP3 files with at least 192 kbps.
 
Using the "normal" settings the J3 came with, the sound was really unspectacular, nothing which would give the slightest hint of high-end player or high-end headphones being used. Even worse than my good old Sony NWZ-S638F with QC15.
 
Diving into the Sound Settings menu (JetEffect 3.0), it didn't take me much more than 5-10 minutes to find out a setup which makes the combination J3+QC15 sound really incredible!!!!!!!!!
 
I am using slight increase in EQ 4.1kHz and 11.7 kHz bands, making moderate use of BBE, Mach3Bass and StereoEnhance features (20-40% of max. effect).
 
With this the sound is really phantastic; music I listened to so often and which is so familiar to me seems almost like re-recordings now. Crystal clear, transparent, silky, full of details. And the strong deep bass in many of Paul Hardcastle's tracks that usually overtaxes the abilities of most mobile players & headphones - I have never heard something like this before!
 
So, my conclusion after the first 24 hours is that J3 + QC 15 give an excellent combination.
The QC15 respond very well to J3's sound tuning options.
Clear recommendation from my end!
 

 

[newaudiophile84]

That's awesome! Great experience! I'm then going to buy the J3. Let's see what happens...  Thanks. 

 

[Varley]

I have both and I can definitely vouch for either, but you will probably regret not getting the J3 if you got the clip+' I would see how you get on with the J3 and then maybe get the Sansa later on with a nice pair of in ears

 

[our martin]

a sanza clip plus sounds the best with klipsch image s4s or s4is but you could get the s3s and save yourself some money and it will sound the same..shure earbuds are the ones for the cowon j3.. i grados are the ones for an ipod if you can get away with them but if not a pair of senns..

 

[bravo4588]

 
A rockboxed clip+ battery rates for approximately 16hrs. 
J3's spec sheet says it is good for 60hrs but in real life maybe 50+hrs.
You say you travel a lot, so the bigger battery of the J3 could be a plus point for you IMO.
Man the QC15 is the most comfortable headphone I've ever tried on!

 

[our martin]

for the j3 i would go for se215 shure earbuds or the shure srh840 headphones with a fiio e17 amp dac over the bose any day..i am in england and the people here buy a cowon j3 and shure se215 because the j3s have got good sound anyway and you can change the eq settings to get it to sound how you want it too..no point paying over the odds for bose..if you are going to do that get yourself a hifiman instead.."a cowon j3 with shure se215s would be my choice".

kevlar armoured built to last...i have got the 535s expensive but worth the money if you search the web you will find them for just over$200 if you want the best that is or the

530s for $195. and the hifi man hm801 is the best mp3 player you can get! but if you are after over the head cans you are better off going for the shure srh840s but you will need a fii0 e17 headphone amp/dac to get the best sound out of them!