[sidewinder]

Hi,

I'd like to know whether or not a HD MP3 player is going to fullfill my needs. The brand is not of importance, it may well be coming from Apple, Creative, Cowon, etc. What is of importance, is the price/value performance and the comparison to my Sony D465 and Philips AZ6831. These last two sound, if not hugely, inferior to my home CDP of Marantz (already doing like 20 years of service). Is it too tricky to gamble on a MP3 player to get the excellent sound (especially in terms of resolution) of the home player? Or doesn't a MP3 player even come close to my portable players?

 

[sidewinder]

Is there virtually no one who is able to tell me whether my PCDP's are better than any HD MP3 player? I'm currently interested in a Creative Zen Xtra.

 

[LaBreaHead]

Many Head-Fi readers try to achieve sonic bliss with compressed files on portable hard-drive players ... they resort to amps, portable docks for line out, expensive earphones/headphones, custom rippers/coders/formats, etc.

How far do you want to go with it? How much portability do you need or want? How good is good enough for you? I can't say for you.

For me, travelling on an airplane or on public transportation, relatively modest-sized 192kbps MP3's played on a 5GB Rio Carbon or a small flash player played unamped through Etymotics ER-6's, Shure E3's or even Creative EP630's is enough to offset the mind-numbing noise and boredom. For others, it's all about the "Head-Fi Quest" for sonic perfection, a desire to create a critical listening environment where one wouldn't seem possible. For me, I want to play a song I like, by an artist I like -- that is more important than whether there is any perceived rolled-off bass or recessed mids, or whatever. But for others, the medium is the message.

For example, Belgian beer is considered by many to be the best in the world. I've been very impressed by the two or three different Belgian beers I've tried, but that hasn't stopped me from drinking other beers in various situations. You have to decide -- how much is good enough? Does it have to be Belgian beer every time? Are you looking for perfect sound, no matter the setting, or are you interested chiefly in enhancing your life and mood while on the go?

Answering these questions will go a long way to determining whether you should go the hard-drive player route. Personally, I think it's incredible that you can carry 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 compressed files around in your pocket (or fewer files using better-sounding larger sizes). But at one extreme, if sound is the main measurement, I'd say don't leave your home -- just listen to your home stereo. But if you're willing to make the relatively painless compromise necessary with compressed music (I'm not even going to get into lossless, as I've gone on too long), large-size files on a portable player can sound pretty good when you're on a crowded bus or in a noisy waiting room.

Keep expectations under control -- the point of portable audio is to have fun. So buy at least one good DAP in your life and enjoy the different listening experience, even if it's not quite the same as listening to your home stereo.

 

[Chri5peed]

You could go the way of using a DAP with digital-out with high bitrate files to a DAC/Amp combo to get very good SQ. But this would affect portability...

 

[Nick Christy]

I think the best sound you are going to get from a system that remains properly portable would be:

Redwine modified ipod with a xin supermicro / supermini amp through good quality in ear monitors (shures, etymotics or ultimate ears).

If you rip your files at 320 kbps you can still get 6,000 ish songs on a 60gb ipod and unless you have golden ears you wont hear the difference to lossless.

You'd be looking at c $1,000 for this system.

Ipod $300, redwine Imod $200, supermicro / supermini $200 , iem's $250, a good mini to mini interconnect $50.

It may not be quite as good as your home system BUT you will be amazed at how good it will sound.

Plus when you travel, go on holiday etc you can take it and all your music with you.

Additionally when you go to stay with friends you can also take it, show them how good music is and lure them over to the dark side of wallet destruction that is the world of headfi.

 

[sidewinder]

Thanks for answering.

I've already had some IEM's eg Shure E2C and E5C, a Westone UM2 and a Ety ER4P/S. Now I'm very satisfied with a Koss KSC75. Compared to IEM's the 75 is a big step above monitors because of the greater air/dynamics. Only annoyance is no noise blocking.

I'd consider my current portable rig quit big actually.

- AZ6831: 13 by 14cm, height 3cm.
- Amp: 8 by 15cm, height: approx. 3cm. (2 LM833 combined with 2 LM675 to give more current, driven by 2 9V 500mA.).

Some cd's, 4 extra AA batteries, my KSC75 in a little soft bag and a $10 interconnect. It all fits in a CaseLogic bag: 17 by 17cm, height: 10 cm.

I'd guess a total weight of 1kg

But this doesn't really matter. I just wanted to know whether or not a HD player would give me better SQ compared to the Sony D465 or AZ6831. I'm very, very pleased with my home CD player, but as it weighs 3kg, it's not really transportable, let alone portable.

Anyway, Duncan wrote a review on both PCDP and while the D465 is quit mediocre to great, the AZ6831/2 has a awesome line out (that's true). Full 5 star rating for the line out. The iPod 5th Gen gets a 3 star rating for the line out. I haven't heard an iMod yet, but I did read some reviews and to get the best of the best out of your recording it's not a recommended purchase. Quite logical after all, if you see it all has to fit in a tiny package.

Maybe I already answered my question by now, don't know. Maybe I need to get rid of the amp, the big PCDP's (cause it is!), buy myself some IEM's again, connected to a DAP and be done with it.

I've been registred for 1 year now, and see what Head-Fi has done to me...

 

[Chri5peed]

I don't think the SQ will be inferior in the setup Nick described.

As he also described its the practicality of it more. You'd have to carry around 50 CDs using a PCDP to equate to what you can access on a DAP at the press of a button.