[Maxis]

Hello

Can anyone provide some opinions on this?

Currently my rig is the Zune 30 with the UE Super fi 5 Pro. Im thinking about a christmas upgrade but im not feeling the removal of the EQ on the new gen Zunes.

Presently i play my zune 30 on flat=EQ off but there are moments when i use the presets to bring out more bass/highs (electronic) or more mids (jazz)

The thaught of not having any option to tweak the settings scare me so is the Sound quality markedly better on the Zune 80/120 to the point that i shouldn't be holding back on getting one over the 30 ?

You may also want to factor in the fact that my next IEM upgrade will be a Triple fi 10 pro so synergy with that IEM is also a factor.


Any help would be appreciated

Thanks
Maxis

 

[swanlee]

I've had a Zune 30 since launch and I use the acoustic setting. I got my wife a newer 8Gb flash Zune which has no EQ settings and I preferred the sound of my older zune30 with the EQ preset options.

Not exactly the comparison you were looking for but the Zune 8 Gb sounded fine but it was flat and boring compared to my zune30.

One thing you may want to consider it a zune 120 and a FiiO E3 portable amp which gives a nice bass boost and is only around 8$ or the newer FiiO E5 which sound better than the E3 from reports and is around 25$.

A cheap small but good sounding portable amp may allow the sound customizations that the non EQ models leave out.

I recently upgraded the hard drive in my Zune 30 to 100GB because of the fact the newer Zunes lacked an EQ.

 

[Calexico]

The flash Zunes sound the same as the newer hard-drive Zunes, and they have better SQ than the 30gb.

 

[abitdeef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calexico /img/forum/go_quote.gif The flash Zunes sound the same as the newer hard-drive Zunes, and they have better SQ than the 30gb.

Yes I agree, my cousin has 30 gig and I thought the new zune sounded bettter overall and quieter. That was using e530, better detail and less hiss with the zune flash.

 

[swanlee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calexico /img/forum/go_quote.gif The flash Zunes sound the same as the newer hard-drive Zunes, and they have better SQ than the 30gb.

Sorry got to disagree, I'm using WMA lossless files with M5 Atrio's and the 8Gb flash zune sounded flat and lifeless, boring compared with My zune 30 using the acoustic setting.

It's pretty silly that MS released two generations of Zune DAP's with ZERO sound customization options accept for a volume control.

I also did a test of the zune 30 with EQ off against the Flash Zune 8GB using the same IEM's and the same WMA lossless files and they sounded exactly the same, no extra noise or interference on the zune 30.

It does not seem that MS's decision to remove the EQ DSP chips in the newer models Zune's actually paid off in improving the sound quality.

 

[Maxis]

Thanks Swanlee .. I think ill hold on to my 30 for now then. As for the Fios amp ... not sure im going to need that as i am not a Basshead. I prefer a slighty more balanced representation of the music. I think the amount of bass i get in the Super Fi 5. Pro is enough

Hopefully they come out with a zune that has a chip based EQ in the next version.

Cheers and see you in the social (Damn i keep running into the same people on various sites

)

 

[uncle b]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swanlee /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had a Zune 30 since launch and I use the acoustic setting. I got my wife a newer 8Gb flash Zune which has no EQ settings and I preferred the sound of my older zune30 with the EQ preset options. Not exactly the comparison you were looking for but the Zune 8 Gb sounded fine but it was flat and boring compared to my zune30. One thing you may want to consider it a zune 120 and a FiiO E3 portable amp which gives a nice bass boost and is only around 8$ or the newer FiiO E5 which sound better than the E3 from reports and is around 25$. A cheap small but good sounding portable amp may allow the sound customizations that the non EQ models leave out. I recently upgraded the hard drive in my Zune 30 to 100GB because of the fact the newer Zunes lacked an EQ.

I have really enjoyed my 8G Zune, and I have 120 G Zune on the way. I have a nice Hornet amp and I wonder if it will benefit the sound of the 120 G Zune. I have tried it with the 8G and really have not heard a marked improvement.