Sound Quality in Portable Music Players [iPod etc] (What's Best?)

So from what I've heard, the 5.5G iPods are superior to the 6G as far as audio quality goes.

How does the quality of the 2 compare, and how does the ZUNE (and the like) match up sound wise? I haven't really payed much attention to things outside iPods.

I'm doing somewhat of an audio rehas for myself, and I figured a new player was in order (considering I don't have one right now).

Take a look at the Creative X-Fi ZENs, the X-fi chip does wonders for any sound. Also, I read somewhere on engadget about a Sony Ericsson phone that was expensive, but they said it had the best audio quality of any portable music player. Too bad it costs more than a PS3 :P (Around $500-600 if I remember right)

Take a look at the Creative X-Fi ZENs, the X-fi chip does wonders for any sound. Also, I read somewhere on engadget about a Sony Ericsson phone that was expensive, but they said it had the best audio quality of any portable music player. Too bad it costs more than a PS3 :P (Around $500-600 if I remember right)

ChubbyGuy40

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

Take a look at the Creative X-Fi ZENs, the X-fi chip does wonders for any sound. Also, I read somewhere on engadget about a Sony Ericsson phone that was expensive, but they said it had the best audio quality of any portable music player. Too bad it costs more than a PS3 :P (Around $500-600 if I remember right)

hydralisk86

The X-Fi chip. It just makes everything sound so much better! Google it for more info, but yes the X-Fi Zens should sound better than the ipods with any good set of headphones

Also keep in mind that they only will sound better if you have the proper equipment to play them. In other words, don't expect an amazing difference in sound quality if you're just using a 2.1 PC speaker system or the awesome cheapo Apple headphones.XRED_0

If you want just an MP3 get a creative player. Works with all sync programs and you can simply connect to any pc and copy music to it. Creative players also come with an equalizer and it works with playforsure music. Napster being the best if you are interested in playforsure.

If you want just an MP3 get a creative player. Works with all sync programs and you can simply connect to any pc and copy music to it. Creative players also come with an equalizer and it works with playforsure music. Napster being the best if you are interested in playforsure.

Deihmos

[QUOTE="Deihmos"]

If you want just an MP3 get a creative player. Works with all sync programs and you can simply connect to any pc and copy music to it. Creative players also come with an equalizer and it works with playforsure music. Napster being the best if you are interested in playforsure.

MorbidToaster

[QUOTE="MorbidToaster"][QUOTE="Deihmos"]

If you want just an MP3 get a creative player. Works with all sync programs and you can simply connect to any pc and copy music to it. Creative players also come with an equalizer and it works with playforsure music. Napster being the best if you are interested in playforsure.

Deihmos

The samsung p2 is the real winner. It lets you totally customize it to your liking and actually hear a massive difference with each movement of the toggles. The presets were extremely well designed. The Rock EQ is simply amazing. I've tested the Ipods and the P2 with the same headphones. The different is insane and you'd never believe it. The IPODs literally decrease sound quality and prevent you from hearing and experiencing things the p2 seems to allow without any EQ changes, just using the presets.

I've used the zune, itouch and pods ( all of them ) the p2, some sonys and other brands, so far, the samsung p2 has the best EQ and overall sound quality IMO

If you want good sound you should try iaudio/cowon.

Most people in this thread are pretty much wrong. 3 of the best sounding players on the market are:

1. Sansa Clip

2. Cowon D2 and S9

3. Samsung P3

Connecting audio with an Ipod LOD (google it up) isntead of using the ipod headphone out port, makes the sound SO SO much better.

I ended up with a Zune 120. I am SO GLAD I decided on a Zune over the iPod. I would have liked to go with one fo the suggestions made here, but most of them were fairly low capacity players.

So far I am loving the Zune, both software and hardware, the only thing I see it lacking is an Equalizer...but couldn't that easily be added through the firmware updates?

Wait for the Zune HD launching this fall, imo.Zoso-8

I ended up with a Zune 120. I am SO GLAD I decided on a Zune over the iPod. I would have liked to go with one fo the suggestions made here, but most of them were fairly low capacity players.

So far I am loving the Zune, both software and hardware, the only thing I see it lacking is an Equalizer...but couldn't that easily be added through the firmware updates?

MorbidToaster

I've been waiting for a fireware update that adds an equalizer to my zune (80gb) for a long time now...and as far as i can tell it isn't going to happen, I read that the zune's hardware is lacking somewhere making it incabable of an eq (although it still sounds great to me)...a software mod is about the best we could hope for but that seems unlikely too considering its been out for this long w/o one sadly...

[QUOTE="MorbidToaster"]

I ended up with a Zune 120. I am SO GLAD I decided on a Zune over the iPod. I would have liked to go with one fo the suggestions made here, but most of them were fairly low capacity players.

So far I am loving the Zune, both software and hardware, the only thing I see it lacking is an Equalizer...but couldn't that easily be added through the firmware updates?

willx10121013

I've been waiting for a fireware update that adds an equalizer to my zune (80gb) for a long time now...and as far as i can tell it isn't going to happen, I read that the zune's hardware is lacking somewhere making it incabable of an eq (although it still sounds great to me)...a software mod is about the best we could hope for but that seems unlikely too considering its been out for this long w/o one sadly...