[Raybot]

Hi all!

Seems to be much discussion about running headphones off MP3 players and portable CD players but I can't find an awful lot about running them off PDAs (prolly because until recently not many PDAs had audio output worth writing home about ...). That or Google's index of this site isn't as good as I thought ... heh

I'm no audiophile but to my untrained ear, through relatively cheap headphones, I have a reasonable amount of trouble telling between the output of the SB Live in my desktop (through Winamp) and my Sony Clie NX70V PDA (through Sony's software MP3 decoder - note prior models had an MP3 decoder chip) both playing the same file (it's not that they sound the same, it's more I can't pick one being better than the other).

Anyone (preferrably with better headphones and/or ears!) able to offer any experiences, comment or observations about using PDAs as viable portable audio sources?

- Raybot

 

[KenW]

I've got an iPAQ 5555 and the audio playback is, as you stated, nothing to write home about. OTOH, the portability issue makes it a viable option....at least for me. When I travel, it's mostly by air, so space becomes a real issue for me. While I'd love to pack an PCDP or an HP140, my amp and headphones for the trip, that isn't possible in most cases since I like to pack light and there's only so much room in that carry-on bag. Forget taking a laptop on a plane...way too much hassle IMO.

For this traveler, my iPAQ and a few SD cards containing some music and movies(you should see the looks when I fire up the LOTR or the Matrix trilogy on a PPC!

) is just what the doctor ordered and since I don't spend a lot of time in the room while on the road, I really just need some isolation/diversion while en route. While it isn't audiophile quality, I'm more than happy to make the trade for space and convenience. Some will disagree and have a preference for the best possible sound even while on the road. They'll be fine with taking whatever they need regardless of space or convenience. IMO, it's just a matter of finding the best fit for your needs while balancing the desire for quality vs. convenience.

 

[konstantinos]

Also, this thread over at hydrogenaudio.org may seem helpful.

 

[IpaqMan]

I have an Ipaq 2215 with Iplay MP3 player. This combo makes music almost as good as my NJB3 and IHP-120. I found that other music players such as the included Windows Media Player do not provide enough quality or options to adjust the music to one's liking. Iplay uses a superb MP3 decoder.

With the extended battery pack, the 2215 will give you from 20 to 30 hours of music time per charge and there is plenty of headphone output power to drive even the most power hungry headphones. This setup is great for listening to audio books because of the built-in speaker.

The 2215 can take one of the Hitachi 4gb microdrives to hold a thousand or more songs. This makes it comparable to the Ipod mini.

 

[data]

zaurus c760+e5c
not bad

 

[ixeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IpaqMan I have an Ipaq 2215 with Iplay MP3 player. This combo makes music almost as good as my NJB3 and IHP-120. I found that other music players such as the included Windows Media Player do not provide enough quality or options to adjust the music to one's liking. Iplay uses a superb MP3 decoder. With the extended battery pack, the 2215 will give you from 20 to 30 hours of music time per charge and there is plenty of headphone output power to drive even the most power hungry headphones. This setup is great for listening to audio books because of the built-in speaker. The 2215 can take one of the Hitachi 4gb microdrives to hold a thousand or more songs. This makes it comparable to the Ipod mini.

i would assume when you say almost as good, it still means the NJB3 and IHP-120 is better?

im thinking of getting that hitachi 4gb microdrive and a HP2210. that way i can listen to MP3 -AND- watch videos on the go. not to mention it is possible for the PDA to support more codecs.

regards.

 

[pinsomniac]

I've used an Toshiba e310 before. Been a while, but I thought the sound quality was decent... worked well enough, and certainly worth the tradeoff if you need to bring around only one device or if you only have a PDA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixeo im thinking of getting that hitachi 4gb microdrive and a HP2210. that way i can listen to MP3 -AND- watch videos on the go. not to mention it is possible for the PDA to support more codecs.

I apologize for being OT, but how long does the iPaq's battery life last when playing back music/movies/games off a 4GB Microdrive? I've been tempted to do it before, but have always thought that it'd die out in too short a time. Thanks.

 

[IpaqMan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixeo i would assume when you say almost as good, it still means the NJB3 and IHP-120 is better? im thinking of getting that hitachi 4gb microdrive and a HP2210. that way i can listen to MP3 -AND- watch videos on the go. not to mention it is possible for the PDA to support more codecs.

The 2210 has a few issues that are almost unnoticeable.

The high output headphone amp has more noticeable background noise than a Muvo2 or an IHP. The NJB3 has a powerful output amp and has more background noise than an IHP or Muvo2 but less than a 2210. The noise is really not audible during normal use unless you use very sensitive earbuds (Shure e3s). The use of E3s can detect background noise in most players. Moreover, the 2210 background noise is not proportional to the volume. It is constant, so it is not detectable at any normal to loud volume.

In addition, you may detect minor "pops/clicks" between songs. Iplay with the right settings seems to get rid of them.

Lastly, it seems to me that the 2210 flat sound spectrum is a little light on the bass end compared to the IHP-120. But that is easily remedied in the 2210 because it has hardware DSP bass and treble settings. Software based bass eqs settings tend to overload more easily (GSplayer2 and Pocket Player).

So in the end, I can make adjustments to the 2210/Iplay combo to produce good quality music, as good as the IHP and NJB3 make without the extra effort.

BTW, with the 4gb md and an extended battery pack (3600mah), you can play videos for many hours (over 8 at least). I get over 25 hours playing music, better than all my other players.

 

[gsferrari]

The Palm Tungsten E that I have is surprisingly good with the Grado SR-60

Its nice...a novelty...doesnt sound bad at all...

But dont make a dedicated rig with this unit

LOL

 

[ixeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IpaqMan The 2210 has a few issues that are almost unnoticeable. The high output headphone amp has more noticeable background noise than a Muvo2 or an IHP. The NJB3 has a powerful output amp and has more background noise than an IHP or Muvo2 but less than a 2210. The noise is really not audible during normal use unless you use very sensitive earbuds (Shure e3s). The use of E3s can detect background noise in most players. Moreover, the 2210 background noise is not proportional to the volume. It is constant, so it is not detectable at any normal to loud volume. In addition, you may detect minor "pops/clicks" between songs. Iplay with the right settings seems to get rid of them. Lastly, it seems to me that the 2210 flat sound spectrum is a little light on the bass end compared to the IHP-120. But that is easily remedied in the 2210 because it has hardware DSP bass and treble settings. Software based bass eqs settings tend to overload more easily (GSplayer2 and Pocket Player). So in the end, I can make adjustments to the 2210/Iplay combo to produce good quality music, as good as the IHP and NJB3 make without the extra effort. BTW, with the 4gb md and an extended battery pack (3600mah), you can play videos for many hours (over 8 at least). I get over 25 hours playing music, better than all my other players.

thanks for the info. i guess with more forgiving headphones such as the Grado SR-60, the 2210 would go quite well with it. and with that extended battery pack and a 4GB md, i guess that beats anything when your on the move. music? wha? why not some videos too!?

 

[BrooklynRick]

i have a clie sj33, and i think the sound output is particularly good. powers my v6s and eggos, sound really full, especially coming from a such a small source.

 

[Zoide]

My Tungsten E is VERY noisy when playing MP3s on Aeroplayer with my MD-33S.

 

[Supsup]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide My Tungsten E is VERY noisy when playing MP3s on Aeroplayer with my MD-33S.

I recently got an h2215, and I was impressed with the sound quality. Much better than my old 3850, and almost as good as my h120.
And considering that the ipaq can do so much, the good sound quality is a plus.


I bring my ipaq to school for work and notes, scheduling, among other things. And during my breaks between classes I can listen to music at a fairly high quality level. I'm very pleased.

Although when I need 20GB and great sound quality, my h120 is there for me

 

[Derek N]

I have a Dell Axim X3i and before I bought my 4G ipod 20Gb, i used it to listen to music. While not as good as the ipod the output was good enough for the noisy environments that I used it in. It esp. worked well for audiobooks.

My biggest reason for getting the ipod was one of cost. SD cards were simply not cost effective for storing a larger selection of music. It was cheaper to get the ipod than to buy 2gb of storage cards. If space is ever an issue than I can put a few cds on the storage card or an audiobook and be happy but for the long run it just wasn't a workable option.

-Derek N

 

[bangraman]

My NZ90 does a very passable rendition of MP3's.


By the way, for all Sony Clie users:
You can use j.River Media Center to easily load tracks onto your handheld when it's acting as a MS drive or using a Memory Stick reader. Media Center allows you to set a default root directory for a removable drive and designate it as a handheld, so you can set this to \PALM\PROGRAMS\MSAUDIO.
http://www.musicex.com/mediacenter/