[EEXO]

I don't really understand what's so great about rockbox, I rather remain with the stock firmware.

 

[Zax19]

Hi, I have Sansa Fuze for only a month and guess what have happened. I turned it off on Friday, then on Saturday, I wasn't able to turn it on. I tried plugging it into my computer, but no reaction.
I had my "Friday the 13th", since this wasn't the only misfortune I had, so I was like "Well, I'll be without source till it's back from service. But today, it turned on, the battery drained. I don't know, why it haven't started charging, when I had plugged it into my computer. Now I can only hope that the battery won't be damaged much, and if yes, then I hope the player will "die" naturally within it's 2 years warranty, so I can get a brand new one.
So I guess that the lesson is: Never set your portable on "Repeat album".

 

[PouncePony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EEXO /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't really understand what's so great about rockbox, I rather remain with the stock firmware.

Why Rockbox. Support for over 15 sound codecs, gapless playback, 5 band parametric equalizer, customizable interface, ....

For me it's all the playlisting features RockBox offers: Playlists on the fly, saving these on the fly playlists, insert next, insert shuffled, moving songs around in playlists, deleting from current playlist, ....

-Pony (long time RockBox user)

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zax19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi, I have Sansa Fuze for only a month and guess what have happened. I turned it off on Friday, then on Saturday, I wasn't able to turn it on. I tried plugging it into my computer, but no reaction. I had my "Friday the 13th", since this wasn't the only misfortune I had, so I was like "Well, I'll be without source till it's back from service. But today, it turned on, the battery drained. I don't know, why it haven't started charging, when I had plugged it into my computer. Now I can only hope that the battery won't be damaged much, and if yes, then I hope the player will "die" naturally within it's 2 years warranty, so I can get a brand new one. So I guess that the lesson is: Never set your portable on "Repeat album".

If your Fuze ever stops responding (which mine did and I had to have it replaced), you can hold the on button in the up position for a while which may bring your player back to life. Mine seemed totally dead until I did that, but then the battery would not charge.

On a different note, when I want to use my Fuze for extended periods of time (listening or burn in) in one place I plug in the dock to a USB wall charger and use that to power the player.

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Planar Clie is right, and if IRC the line out dock feature was supported from the very beginning... although there is little reason for using a line out over the headphone jack unless you're using an actual "Dock". I continue to feel that the descriptions of increased SQ over the headphone out jack have been overly optimistic and border on placebo effect. The supposed improvements in signal to noise ratio and THD are only fractions of a percent better at best, because both the signals are generated digitally from the same chip (PM SansaFix for the exact numbers) and are probably unnoticeable after passing through the friction plug connection, the solder joints, the caps and resistors of a line out docking cable and then the electronics of a portable amp. YMMV USG

OK, first I do notice a fairly large difference between my Headphone out (HPO) and my line out (LO) -> E5 of my Fuze with my IE8s. I haven't really tried A/Bing my other headphones.

You say there is little reason to use a line out dock and a placebo effect, I say not. Here are my facts:
1) Looking at the data sheet of the AS3525 there are differences between HP out and line out, as the HP out uses pop and click control circuit where the line out does not and is simple (less in the signal path). Also, the line out is designed to drive 10K loads. Amps are usually designed to drive load resistance ranges, so an amp that is good for headphone resistances will not be good for driving line levels and vise versa. I think I would be safe to assume the amps are different for the LO and HPO.

Also, the specs are different:

Looking at the specs, the line out is better in THD and channel separation, and slightly worse in SNR.

Also, looking at the chip specifications, there is a dedicated LO function by design, but the chip was also designed where all the outputs (there is also a speaker out) go through the same volume control circuit.

2) I asked sansafix what the differences between the HPO and LO are, and here is his answer:
"The HP output is from a different signal path on the PCB vs the Line out. Line out is slightly better performance in specs because there is no circuitry in the path that is required by the FM antenna which is implemented from the HP cable. So separation and SMR is slightly better."

This to me says there is external logic in the HPO is lowering the SNR and channel separation of the HPO.

3) And external dedicated amplifiers (or DAC/amps) are [more than likely] better than the internal Fuze amp. Amp electronics are designed to improve the sound!

Oh, and it is not like the LODs that are head-fiers are building are made with aluminum wire and cold solder joints, it is not a lossy cable

The biggest difference maker is the caps, use good caps and there is almost no difference between no caps, use bad caps and there is a noticeable difference (check out some of the threads on caps).

The above is confirming me what my ears are telling me: there is a very noticeable improvement via line out (especially since my IE8s are 16 Ohm). I thought the E5 added nothing to the Fuze HPO and actually made it sound slightly worse. But via LO the E5 does add more SQ than I was expecting from a $25 amp.

Of course without good headphones, you will may not be able to tell the difference.

 

[shigzeo]

the problem is that those spec are not really pragmatic. in real world performance, no spec sheet does tell the truth about hardware performance. in real world testing, no player drives loads that well. the fuze has been tested in several rmaa tests to prove that it does not obtain those results. amped? maybe.

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif the problem is that those spec are not really pragmatic. in real world performance, no spec sheet does tell the truth about hardware performance. in real world testing, no player drives loads that well. the fuze has been tested in several rmaa tests to prove that it does not obtain those results. amped? maybe.

Agreed, specs can be misleading as far sound, as the rest of the circuit does affect overall performance. And the specs are for a simple 1KHz signal probably to a simple load, which does not cover the entire audio spectrum, and headphones/speakers do not have uniform resistance across the frequency spectrum. All the more reason using a LOD and amp improve the sound quality!

 

[upstateguy]

-Not relevant anymore-

 

[upstateguy]

-Not relevant anymore-

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now let's see, exactly what high quality equipment are you using to make this statement? Besides, you are shamelessly promoting the LOD you are trying to sell in your Sig. So as far as I'm concerned, [size=large]You Have Absolutely No Credibility What-So-Ever. [/size] Give it a rest and stop Shilling. USG [size=x-small]Below is a screen shot of your Sig showing your "For Sale":[/size]

So I am selling a LOD, so what, if there is a need and value (improved sound quality), why not make something that people can use to improve their sound quality? What I have gathered from being on head-fi is there are a lot of people that come here to find out what sounds good, better, best. Even if I wasn't selling a LOD, I still notice a difference via LO and HPO. And I have not told people to buy my LOD, it is in my sig as people often put their for sale items in their sig. If people want to buy a LOD from me, they can, if not, they don't have to!

Credibility? I have an electrical engineering degree, have looked at the spec, and more important than both those things, do hear a difference. I did not try to hide what equipment I am using. I did state I am using an E5 as my amp. I did state I am using IE8s for my headphones, and as we know, the Fuze is the source.

What is your credibility? Have you looked at the spec for the used in the Fuze?

It appears you don't even have a Fuze per your inventory, how would you know how it even sounds? And it sounds like you wouldn't even try a LOD, so how would you know if there is a sonic difference? Per your inventory, you have better amps and sources, why?

What is your empirical data supporting your theory of no sound improvement?

In your interests you list "soon to be building amps." I am wondering how someone that has the knowledge to build an amp (unless you are talking about putting together already designed amps from a kit) can not think there is a difference.

 

[upstateguy]

-Not relevant anymore-

 

[selkin]

ok upstateguy. rules are rules.
but did you try the fuze via LO or not ?

 

[upstateguy]

-Not relevant anymore-

 

[meusickfrek]

OK, Sorry to butt in, just wanted to make a quick comment. I've had my fuze for about four hours now and the sound stage and separation are way better then my old/broken iaudio 7 using my Atrios. The difference is amazing!

 

[ClieOS]

Hmm, I thought this is an appreciation thread?