[ggops]

Can someone help me decide on what player to upgrade to from my 30gb video ipod. I have been reading tons of reviews on S:flo2 and sansa clip and cowon and comparing all 3 however im still confused on what would suit me best. 
 
S:flo2 seems amazing for the price except for the UI, but i am by no means an audiophile. however i do only listen to 320kbps and flac and do enjoy higher quality music. I am also not looking for a completely natural presentation of my music. My untrained ears wont be able to tell the minute differences, and just want a player that can run flac quality music and has good EQ settings as i do boost my treble on my present ipod most of the time. I  use klipsch s4 mostly for the low distortion thumping effect that i get from it. or i use MEelec m6 and ordered the eterna and xb700 as well. I dont believe any of those iems require an amp and can easily be driven by all mp3 players but what about the xb700? can  the clip drive it without an amp?. I also do like a wider soundstage and airy presentation.  I do realize S:flo2 has the best SQ but is it the right  choice for a normal listener with untrained  ears.
 
 
 

 

[Smallville]

You probably wouldn't be able to tell the differences. I myself have a Clip+ and an iPhone 3GS and they sound very similar. Just read up on them and make sure FLAC is supported(Clip+ supports FLAC). Then, pick whatever you prefer.

 

[Head Injury]

I'd get a Clip+ 8GB, and maybe a small portable amp to cover for its weak power output. You can Rockbox it for its awesome EQ.
 
Personally I'd convert your FLACs to MP3 for your portable. The difference in sound quality between FLAC and high bitrate MP3 is pretty negligible.

 

[miceblue]

Though it's not exactly the same as the Clip+, I have read that the Sansa Fuze is also a nice alternative to an iPod since it has the iPod-esque scroll-wheel. The Fuze has a larger screen (the Clip+ only displays 4 lines of words at once) if that matters for you.