Which has better line-out? iPod Nano vs Sansa Fuze

[Schoenberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif For my own experience of A/B'ing and some of those who did report back to the diyLOD thread, I am fairly confident there is a noticeable difference b/w the Headphone-out, line-out on Griffin dock and line-out from diyLOD. Contrary to your belief, the difference b/w bad and good sounding caps are more than just imagination - you should really try them out first before making any conclusion. Here is part of the PM I exchanged with Sansafix about 2 months ago (his reply in highlight): On extra note, a truly good caps in the signal path should add as little as possible to the original signal*. I actually had ordered many brand of caps to experiment with. By comparing them with the capless diyLOD v1, I finally settled with Nichicon VS and ES series because they are closesr to the original in comparison and they don't cost more than gold. So in essence, caps' selection is not about finding the good sounding one but avoiding those bad sounding one - and there are reasons why hi end audio equipments never use tantalum caps (like those in Griffin dock) in audio signal path. *As tangent once said "If you don’t put an input cap in your amp, you avoid these issues entirely. There’s no phase shift, no bass roll off, and no decrease in sonic clarity. Just realize that you risk damaging your headphones if you do this."

But how is griffin dock finally?
this is the only massproduction LOD for sansa fuze.

 

[ClieOS]

When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.

Barbara J. Winter

 

[Schoenberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is my impression about 2 months ago: "Griffin LO sounds quite like HO, but slightly muddier on detail and seems to have very slightly less bass. The difference b/w it and HO is very small and only detectable when you are A/B'ing them. "

THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED.

 

[upstateguy]

double post

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by arirug /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought one from ofey_s on ebay, and it really made my Sansa fuze shine! Krmathis and I tried some different portable mp3 players, CD player and portable amplifiers i have. Sansa Fuze with ofey_s LOD, RSA Tomahawk and Sennheiser HD650 is a combination we really liked! It is a pity you can`t buy this cable on a regular basis!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's my eBay username Glad to know that you guys enjoy the LOD

Quote:

Originally Posted by arirug /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi ClieOs! I thought it was you, and that made me more safe when I pulled the trigger and bought it! This cable should be in massproduction.

QFT

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is my impression about 2 months ago: "Griffin LO sounds quite like HO, but slightly muddier on detail and seems to have very slightly less bass. The difference b/w it and HO is very small and only detectable when you are A/B'ing them. "

Hi Clie

Although I pretty much agree with the first part of your statement, it would be nice to know the equipment you used to make this determination.

USG

 

[phangtonpower]

I got one from clieos as well with out knowing it was him at first until I asked him if it was

Unfortunately I have not been able to try it out yet because my fuze received the white screen of death on the day I received the LOD, but I know that it will sound awesome once I get the replacement!

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phangtonpower /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got one from clieos as well with out knowing it was him at first until I asked him if it was Unfortunately I have not been able to try it out yet because my fuze received the white screen of death on the day I received the LOD, but I know that it will sound awesome once I get the replacement!

Hi phangton

The truth is that there is little to be gained from a LOD on a Fuze over the headphone out. This is not the case with a LOD on an ipod. The two should not be confused because the Fuze is digital all the way, while the ipod has an analog stage that a LOD bypasses thereby increasing the sound quality.

Not only is there very little difference, if any, between the headphone out and the line out, unless you are using highly resolving equipment and headphones, you are very unlikely to hear any differences. Of course, you can convince yourself that there are differences, but that is hardly a scientific reality.

My suggestion is to go to the Sansa forum and ask SansaFix in a PM, how much of a difference can be expected from a DIY LOD purchased on e-bay, Vs the headphone jack, and does SanDisk feel it's safe to use one.

Say what you will about the Griffin Dock, it is a SanDisk licensed product and will not damage your headphones or equipment.

Another factor to note is that the audio out on the Griffin Dock was perfectly suitable for headphone listening before SanDisk disabled the volume control feature on the Fuze's line out.

It is my belief that SanDisk did this because critics complained that if it was a real line out, you shouldn't be able to change the volume..... and SanDisk desperately wanted the Fuze to have a line out that functioned just like an ipod so they disabled the feature.

This was an epic fail because they have disabled a valuable feature and the critics will point to the fact that all they did was disable a feature and guess what, the EQ still works on the line out....

Turn the Line Out volume control back on SanDisk! You had it right the first time!

USG

 

[ClieOS]

Even if it is a short life, it still lived.

- myself.

 

[f4phantom2500]

So has it ever been settled whether the Fuze or the Nano has a better line out signal? I just so happen to have both a Fuze and a 4th gen Nano. I have both an E1 and an E5 amp, so I would use the E1 with the Nano and the E5 with the Fuze. From what I gather in this thread, am I to understand that there would be hardly any difference between using the HO and LO on the Fuze with the E5? I'm using RE0's.

 

[qusp]

I thik the possibility of hearing the difference between the two using such entry level amps is doubtful.

I also think this thread is one big shill, evidenced by attempts to go back and hide this

 

[qusp]

not OP

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thik the possibility of hearing the difference between the two using such entry level amps is doubtful. I also think this thread is one big shill, evidenced by attempts to go back and hide this

I think that possibility has been confirmed by others.

I also think a person should not comment on events (s)he knows nothing about. Note, at least two mods were informed about the what and why of such events months ago.

 

[Reticuli2]

You don't really need a dedicated line out, as the hp jacks will work as a line out and give better performance that way. Still, I would assume the Nanos still allow a pure line out through the dongle, right? My 2nd gen allowed that, but really there wasn't that big of an improvement. I think it's just a feature for docking stations, not improved sound. The newest 4th and 5th gen nanos supposedly have extremely good specs, though. Clips and Fuzes are very inexpensive and at least the former tests pretty well. Also don't forget the Cowon U5.

 

[Skoobs]

Quote:

You don't really need a dedicated line out, as the hp jacks will work as a line out and give better performance that way. Still, I would assume the Nanos still allow a pure line out through the dongle, right? My 2nd gen allowed that, but really there wasn't that big of an improvement. I think it's just a feature for docking stations, not improved sound. The newest 4th and 5th gen nanos supposedly have extremely good specs, though. Clips and Fuzes are very inexpensive and at least the former tests pretty well. Also don't forget the Cowon U5.

if the fuze sounds similar to the clip+, the output is pretty colored. people may not like this. i personally think the coloring is perfect.