[joplin]

Hi

Which of the above has the best sound . I'm not interested in Bells and whistles.
Just the best sounding MP3 player. The Sony or the Samsung and why?

Thanks
Greg Joplin

 

[Duncan]

Hi Greg,

I think that the reason you've had no replies is because the Sony is too new to market, at this time you can count X1000 owning Head Fi members on one hand... If a comparison of my gear will help, I have the Sony player, along with a Zune, Sansa View, iPod Classic, iPhone 3G, Cowon D2, Creative Zen, and a Philips player that I can't remember, along with several cellphones that I double up as MP3 players

 

[ajai_dev]

If the X series is similar in SQ than the other newer sony DAP then i would say the x1060 will be better because the P3 just does not cut it when you compare the SQ to Gen. 4/3 Sony players.

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duncan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Greg, I think that the reason you've had no replies is because the Sony is too new to market, at this time you can count X1000 owning Head Fi members on one hand... If a comparison of my gear will help, I have the Sony player, along with a Zune, Sansa View, iPod Classic, iPhone 3G, Cowon D2, Creative Zen, and a Philips player that I can't remember, along with several cellphones that I double up as MP3 players

Wow, that is a lot of DAPs. Could you rank them from best to worst in sound quality? Also, if you could add why one sounds better than the other would be awesome.

 

[BloodSugar00]

Quote:

Originally Posted by average_joe /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, that is a lot of DAPs. Could you rank them from best to worst in sound quality? Also, if you could add why one sounds better than the other would be awesome.

X2

I have a mild interest in both the P3 and X1000/x1060b, aswell as the S9, also.

 

[Duncan]

Okay...

A very brief run down of the main players - my opinions, so - by no means authoritive...

Sixth (and last) place goes to the Cowon D2, it may well be highly regarded here at head-fi, but the combination of a non linear volume control, and a tone that MUST be tweaked to sound its best... its just not for me

Fifth place is for the Creative Zen, Not a terrible player, but can sound a bit thick / wooly, add in the fatal flaw of the music on your SD card being in a seperate library to your main music...

Fourth, the iPod Classic, Not too bad, but the overall sound (from the headphone out) is a bit... erm.. yellow, a bit coloured, and ultimately a bit thin... The line out is a different story as is well known, but - for this, I am looking at the 'phone out only...

Third is the iPhone 3G, a fair improvement over the classic, generally a nice sound, but sounds a bit thin at times...

Runner up is the Zune 30, nothing wrong with the sound at all, a really great player - to the point that I have been toying with - for months, importing the Zune 120... until that is...

The Sony NWZ-X1060B popped up in first place - the overall tone is well balanced, with PRaT that I haven't heard from any other player - tie that in with the quality of the S-Master output (where the seperation of instruments can best be described as holographic), and you have a new king of the hill

Like I say, incredibly brief, and not really describing anything, but - it gives you my top six in the order I like them...

If you want a fuller comparison between one and another, let me know, and I will see what I can do...

 

[BloodSugar00]

Cool, thanks for taking the time to compile that mini breakdown/comparison

. Appreciated. From this and reading some of the 'Got my hands on the Sony x1000...' thread, your impressions of the SQ of this player has got my attention piqued somewhat.

. The separation and clarity of the sound, the body you describe it of having (the term holographic, in particular, positively intriguing) coupled with it's reputed power suggest it's a notable upgrade in sonic capacity and SQ to the NWZ-A829 and S739 I currently own (aswell as an ipod Classic 6.5g). Still, it's drawbacks at this stage- continuation of Sony's withdrawing of numerous little convenient-useful features, such as on-the-fly playlist functionality, since dissolving SonicStage; crap browser etc- plus it's cost, against my need for another piece of portable audio equipment atm, means I'll abstain from jumping in for a while and reside to keeping my eyes on it!

 

[Aaron Friedman]

Did you ever try the Zen M. I have compared it to everything out there including the current models of Apple touch, Zune, other creative Mp3 & Sony x-1060 (which I currentley own). I only use Wav files that I Ripp using EAC. My headphones are both Shure e530 and Yuin Pk1.

I find the Zen M to be the most musical of the bunch. Mind you it is colored abit like tube equipment. It is very vivid sounding with good extension on the high end. It has a very relaxed presentation that never seems that it is struggling to amplify the music out of the player. You as a result can enjoy listenning to it at lower volumes without ear pains.

The Sony out of the box sounded very thin and a bit electronic. I do agree that the seperation is excellent on the Sony. However, It is a bit dry sounding. It has sounded a bit better after playing it abit. I will give it a chance. Some circuites do improve with break in. It is the process of the electrons creating a path through the circuits sort of like water creating a path through soil. I am burnning the Sony in to see if its sound will improve.

AF

 

[Laokid18]

I really want to get the X series but, I am making myself wait untill the Zune HD comes out and there is a comparison between the two.

 

[policeman0077]

maybe
the x