[mbamg]

Quote:

 
I don't agree. If you compare the specs of Samsung 8 GB Android Galaxy Player 4" ( $ 212) and Sony 16 GB A865 Player ( $219) then
 
Samsung has microSD card slot up to 32 GB, 4" display 800x480 and 36 hrs audio playback
 
Sony is stuck with 16 GB without card slot, 2.8" display 400x240 and 25 hrs audio playback

I also would expect the Samsung to have a higher capacity battery. I'm pretty sure that if paired with the Sony's battery the Samsung would last less than 5 hours even if it's on idle. However, I would expect the Sony's to sound better than the Samsung due to less circuitry.
 
Sure the Samsung wins hands down in terms of price performance, but I'm looking for a simple DAP, not a jack of all trades (master of none).
 

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

 
I don't agree. If you compare the specs of Samsung 8 GB Android Galaxy Player 4" ( $ 212) and Sony 16 GB A865 Player ( $219) then
 
Samsung has microSD card slot up to 32 GB, 4" display 800x480 and 36 hrs audio playback
 
Sony is stuck with 16 GB without card slot, 2.8" display 400x240 and 25 hrs audio playback
 
Samsung has many advantages, it has bigger nicer display, more powerful software, 40 GB with microSD vs 16 GB and it still manages to play longer than Sony though it's a bit bigger in size.

 
That's all well and good, but for me it all comes down to which sounds better, and in my opinion, having listened to both, I find the Sony sounds better than the Samsung.

 

[turokrocks]

 
Quote:

 
That's all well and good, but for me it all comes down to which sounds better, and in my opinion, having listened to both, I find the Sony sounds better than the Samsung.

What are you paring it with?

 

[mutabor]

Quote:

I also would expect the Samsung to have a higher capacity battery. I'm pretty sure that if paired with the Sony's battery the Samsung would last less than 5 hours even if it's on idle. However, I would expect the Sony's to sound better than the Samsung due to less circuitry.
 

But Sony claims that their Android Z-series DAP is the best sounding player in their current range of Walkmans.

 

[mbamg]

Quote:

But Sony claims that their Android Z-series DAP is the best sounding player in their current range of Walkmans.

Talk is cheap. Until someone with credibility listens to it and reports their findings I'm skeptical. They're going to need a ton of shielding to get rid of hiss.

 

[mutabor]

Quote:

Talk is cheap. Until someone with credibility listens to it and reports their findings I'm skeptical. They're going to need a ton of shielding to get rid of hiss.

But people listen to an iPhone with full fledged CPU/GPU SoC and it sounds great. Or am I wrong?

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

What are you paring it with?

 
So far I've used the EX600, PFR-V1, Z1000, TH-7B, HFI2200, and Signature Pro with it, and they all sound quite nice.
 
I'll be getting the UHA-6S and possibly a slimline amp like the UHA-4, Pico Slim, or TTVJ Slim to use with my iPod. I'm wondering if it would be worth using them in conjunction with the A865 as well, despite the lack of a dedicated line-out.

 

[mbamg]

Quote:

But people listen to an iPhone with full fledged CPU/GPU SoC and it sounds great. Or am I wrong?

Which generation? I found this btw: http://www.head-fi.org/t/485481/seriouly-do-you-think-ipod-iphone-dac-sucks
 
Coincidentally I do have a 3GS close by but I really don't feel like using an Apple product right now.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

Why not the FX500, it's much nicer/sleeker looking and cheaper.
 
I want to hear that wood sound, for once.
 

I don't think the FX500 looks nicer. Looks ugly IMO. The problem with the FX500 though is with its very recessed mid range and its fatiguing treble.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

I actually preferred the FX500's sound signature in bass (more deep bass, less mid-bass), but mine would destort on higher volume. Inks told me that this has been fixed in the newer batches though.
But one more thing, the mids were noticably more recessed on the FX500 than they are on the FX700.
 
I've posted some K3003 impressions over there btw.

I've seen some going for real cheap. I think they may be fakes though... Are there fake FX500 and 700s? I'd jump on a pair of these 500s if they are for sure real.
 

 

[turokrocks]

Quote:

 
So far I've used the EX600, PFR-V1, Z1000, TH-7B, HFI2200, and Signature Pro with it, and they all sound quite nice.
 
I'll be getting the UHA-6S and possibly a slimline amp like the UHA-4, Pico Slim, or TTVJ Slim to use with my iPod. I'm wondering if it would be worth using them in conjunction with the A865 as well, despite the lack of a dedicated line-out.

You will never go wrong with either the pico or the TTVJ

 

[ardgedee]

I'm learning to love the classic iPod form factor all over again. It's not the smallest and the interface isn't the elegant by current standards, but it's charming.
 
Loading it up with lossless audio files was the path of least resistance when I prepped it for work last week, but the high data read rates needed to play them back means it burns through the battery in record time.
 
A battery charge is good for a day in the office listening to ALAC files, but the battery is almost drained by quitting time. So I can either upgrade the battery to something with more charge time or replace the spinning platters, or both.
 
This is making me consider upgrades. It looks pretty easy to let third-party upgraders drive the price of iPod 5G mods up and over the price of an Apple-refurbished 120 GB iPod Classic. So while I'm leery of DIYing it, that might be the only cost-effective way to go. Replacing the storage with solid state is attractive from a battery life standpoint (Fun fact: highly compressed music will make the CPU work harder, but access the disk less. Less compressed or uncompressed music will make the CPU work easily and read the disk more. Disk accessing is more harder on the battery), but oh man the prices are still too high for meaningful SSD transplants.
 
Reading up on Rockbox this morning and eyeing my iPod 5g. Looks like installation is totally reversible if I don't like, and that's a big concern I had: I want to be able to restore the original iPod system if I don't like Rockbox.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

You will never go wrong with either the pico or the TTVJ

Well you sure can with the Pico. She pops like a b%$ch so your precious IEMs aren't safe. That is on power up though but I wouldn't want to have to worry about that at all. My UHA4 doesn't exhibit that period.

 

[ardgedee]

My UHA-6 squelches a little when shutting off. I plan on sending it back to Leckerton at some point for the iPad compatibility mod, and I'll ask him about it then. The noise has been there from the beginning and isn't loud enough to make me worry about the phones, so it might just be a suboptimal thing rather than an actual problem.

 

[turokrocks]

Quote:

Well you sure can with the Pico. She pops like a b%$ch so your precious IEMs aren't safe. That is on power up though but I wouldn't want to have to worry about that at all. My UHA4 doesn't exhibit that period.

This is a first, I never heard of this, we are talking about the Pico slim right?