Wow! Sansa Fuze- color me impressed- Fuze appreciation thread

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drpepper /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't want to get into this again, but... I was fortunate enough to try ClieOS's LOD on my Fuze, and yes, there is a noticeable difference. The difference between unamped and amped through HP is minimal. When the Fuze is amped through a LOD, there is a very distinct difference. I don't sell them, and I don't intend to buy one just because I enjoy my Fuze's portability. Charts and numbers may something, but until you experience it, don't discount it. If you wish to read my review on the LOD, search for Fuze Audition in portable source gear.

Hi Drpepper

I read your review. In it you state that the difference you heard was subtle, not day and night.

I really don't have a problem with that because I was able to hear a "subtle" difference with my Griffin dock.

Anyway, my point has always been that a day and night difference is not possible.

USG

 

[tjumper78]

does anyone use fuze with im716 unamped?
im716 sounds like poop unamped with ipod.

 

[14124all]

The AMS chip specs and the player specs will be different. The chip specs are from the chip connections and the player specs are from the jack and dock connections. There is additional circuitry between the chip and player connectors that will alter the specs some.
Personally, I hear a slight difference between LO and HO. The HO is a bit more midrange strong and the LO is more balanced. The LO seems to go lower on the bass slightly.
To me it is not a night and day difference - it is very minor.

 

[Woody469]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14124all /img/forum/go_quote.gif The AMS chip specs and the player specs will be different. The chip specs are from the chip connections and the player specs are from the jack and dock connections. There is additional circuitry between the chip and player connectors that will alter the specs some. Personally, I hear a slight difference between LO and HO. The HO is a bit more midrange strong and the LO is more balanced. The LO seems to go lower on the bass slightly. To me it is not a night and day difference - it is very minor.

More midrange? and lower bass are significant changes. We've all tried headphones whereas the "next level up" in the line is only "slightly" better but that increase in performance (in this hobby of ours) could end up costing hundreds of dollars more.

Same thing with amps etc. Any move forward is a good move.

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woody469 /img/forum/go_quote.gif More midrange? and lower bass are significant changes. We've all tried headphones whereas the "next level up" in the line is only "slightly" better but that increase in performance (in this hobby of ours) could end up costing hundreds of dollars more. Same thing with amps etc. Any move forward is a good move.

Well said Woody!

 

[14124all]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woody469 /img/forum/go_quote.gif More midrange? and lower bass are significant changes. We've all tried headphones whereas the "next level up" in the line is only "slightly" better but that increase in performance (in this hobby of ours) could end up costing hundreds of dollars more. Same thing with amps etc. Any move forward is a good move.

You stated your opinion and I stated mine. Night and day is different for you than it is for me. I'm not going to argue what/who is right or wrong,

 

[Woody469]

Right. One thing that has always been a pet peeve of mine has been listening for hours for subtle differences in multi-hundred dollar speaker or interconnect wire.
What I hear using the Fuze's LO is a wider and deeper (more 3-D) soundstage. The whole audio spectrum also is more balanced and even. This makes me want to listen longer (less fatique). I don't have to "wonder" if I'm hearing a difference between the HP out and the LO, it's obvious.

 

[Woody469]

Just a side note: The LODs we are talking about here were not all built alike with exacting standards. Its not unlikely that we would get mixed reviews and results. I can only speak for mice elf and for what I experience/hear first hand.
This has made me want to compare the LOD I own to others and that is why I am taking advantage of the free offer to audition another LOD which uses different parts.

 

[14124all]

Woody, well stated! I was looking at this LOD stuff from too narrow of a perspective. I assumed most people would be connecting to a factory car stereo, tabletop speaker dock or mediocore home stereo. In that case they probably won't hear much difference. I can understand that if someone connects to hi-end home, car or portable equipment, that any difference can make quite a significant change. This will be pretty cool that you can compare the ClieOS LOD to what you have now!

 

[JuliusL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drpepper /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't want to get into this again, but... I was fortunate enough to try ClieOS's LOD on my Fuze, and yes, there is a noticeable difference. The difference between unamped and amped through HP is minimal. When the Fuze is amped through a LOD, there is a very distinct difference. I don't sell them, and I don't intend to buy one just because I enjoy my Fuze's portability. Charts and numbers may something, but until you experience it, don't discount it. If you wish to read my review on the LOD, search for Fuze Audition in portable source gear.

I have tryed the headphone out and the LOD cable since I have both with fiio5.

HP out with max volume: sound is drab boring for me like there is only mids and everything is this mids sounding ..sound is cheap and boring. This is after I have heard the LOD output without this experience I would not be able to imagine that there might be so much difference but there is BIG difference in SQ.

LOD cable: there is no mid drab sound anymore everything is crystal clear detailed and punchy full bodyed thru full spectrum.. after you hear this diference you wont ever be wanting to go back to Headphone out trust me o this one! It migh depend on the quality of the LOD cable/Headphone interconnect but for me there is no way to go back again to HP out for me its HUGE diference in SQ.

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuliusL /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have tryed the headphone out and the LOD cable since I have both with fiio5. HP out with max volume: sound is drab boring for me like there is only mids and everything is this mids sounding ..sound is cheap and boring. This is after I have heard the LOD output ... I would not be able to imagine that there might be so much difference but there is BIG difference in SQ. LOD cable: there is no mid drab sound anymore everything is crystal clear detailed and punchy full bodyed thru full spectrum.. after you hear this diference you wont ever be wanting to go back to Headphone out trust me o this one! It migh depend on the quality of the LOD cable/Headphone interconnect but for me there is no way to go back again to HP out for me its HUGE diference in SQ.

I'm terribly sorry to have to disagree with you JuliusL, but it's a little deceiving to allude to a "HUGE" difference between the HPO and the LO given the specs for the chip used in the Fuze.

There is no reason why, with better components, a LOD can't be made to sound every bit as good as the HPO and if the components in the LOD are even better than what Sansa has designed into the Fuze, it may be possible to gain as much incremental advantage over the HPO, as the HPO had over the LO when I evaluated it with the Griffin dock back in Dec of '08.

But, no matter how you slice it, we're still talking about "very minor", marginal differences (as many have already stated in their initial impressions).

Regards

USG

[size=xx-small]I hope this meets with your approval JP. [/size]

 

[upstateguy]

Oh never mind.

I was playing with a toy I picked up very inexpensively on the internet. A little tube amp.

It had a bright, clear, nothing to write home about sound... until I swapped out the Chinese tube for one of the old Jan-Phillips 6922s I had laying around from when I re-tubed my Woo3.... Seriously better.

Sometimes I like to listen to FM without booting a computer. Every once in a while I like to listen louder than the Fuze can drive my 650s or 880s. The Fordham University radio tower is almost 50 miles from me and as much as I'd like to stand it in my Griffin dock, the reception isn't good enough. Works fine with a mini to mini.

USG

Disclaimer: I bought this as a toy.

 

[Sparky191]

Whats that Belkin Cable attached to the Fuze? Do Belkin do a cable for it?

 

[Woody469]

@ upstateguy

You push a pair of 880's and 650's with the FUZE HP out !!!!!!!!!!?????????

 

[Sparky191]

Hang on and a dock? Has the Fuze an iPhone connector?