Guys, I'm looking for an audio player that can play FLAC.
A minimum of 16GB would be nice, don't care if they're expandable or built-in.
Battery life also important.
Don't care for video playback.
Price range, anything between 300-800.

I am now torn between a Creative Zen X-Fi2, Sansa Clip and a Cowon S9.
I am very open to all other options looking for the best bang for the buck.
Thx!

Owh. So outm of interest, how muchj would an S9 cost?
What do you think about the SansaClip+?

Alright bro, thanks!
Been a great help.

Now if I were going to buy any of those, I'd have to skimp on the earphones a bit and save for better earphones later.
I can afford RM1000+ but that was including the earphones though.
SO right now I need to decide for myself whether I should skip the earphones for now and buy from my short list, or buy the D2 and a set of good IEM.

This post has been edited by tunertoobe: Nov 13 2009, 11:28 AM

Dudes tell me something, will a Sansa Clip+ considered an upgrade over a Gumstick?

Wow, Linear PCM. For something with only 2GB to support that, and for sports purposes with non changeable earphone, kind of pointless. Still, looks tough enough.

This post has been edited by tunertoobe: Nov 23 2010, 12:22 PM

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Added on November 23, 2010, 5:00 pmWell, if you're worried about that, better get that Sony then. At least you'll be assured that it will withstand all that sweat and water. You can even wash it under running water! No putting it under water though(like in a tub or diving), water pressure might not be good for it.

I've heard the shuffle, quite anemic in terms of bass punch. Haven't even touched the Sony, but being Sony I trust them to deliver a bit more punch. Perfect for pumping beats when running on a treadmill.

Maybe if you visit a Sony Centre they'll let you test it?

This post has been edited by tunertoobe: Nov 23 2010, 05:00 PM

What's your budget?
We've been discussing about that and there were 3 candidates.

Personally, I'd recommend the Clip+. Pick the capacity that suits your budget. It has a sturdy clip at the back and it's light. So if you can find an out of the way place to clip it on you, you should not worry about the player shaking about(I know how annoying that is while running) or have it soaked in sweat.

The Sony(refer one page back) is more expensive, but sure is durable and water resistant. You can even frickin' wash it with running water!
Might be a more appropriate choice, since as it is Sony, maybe they give a bit more "fun" into it, considering the market the PMP is aimed for.

The other is an Ipod shuffle, which is overpriced compared to the Clip+ which has more features, so we'll skip that.

Another one is a Hippo Gumstick. About as heavy as the Sony in spec, but with this, you don't have any other place to put but in your pocket. It doesn't have a clip or anything. Unless you can strap it on somewhere or have a tight pocket. I run with it once in a while and can get quite annoying having all that weight in my pocket shaking about. Quite sturdy, it had fallen onto hard ground a few times but works like new.

There's a 32GB Cowon S9. Many praise them for their sound quality. Then there's the 16GB d2+ with a memory card slot. Then the J3. Cowons produce a wide range of products, some even play HD video and many can output to TV. The J3 has 32GB and a memory card slot. Talk about space....

Dunno how these sound and how much they are selling for, or even where to get them though. They are expensive for sure.
Oh, and don't foget Sony's premium series. Sure they're not real-sounding and very artificial, but fun sounding nonetheless. Zune like aztoizolan suggests do get good reviews on sound too.

This post has been edited by tunertoobe: Nov 29 2010, 07:39 PM

Hehe. I was considering them before but even the S9 was mighty pricey. Though back then, I had money.
From what I've read, they're kinda like the Sonys, made to sound fun rather than critically dissect the music and try to show you every flaw of it if it has any.

Yeah, Imods are good too. In fact if I have spare cash I'd get it just for the fun of it.

You mean the Imod?
People say they're good, and I'm just curious as to how good they are. Even real audiophiles use them. With the LOD even, you can skip the internal amp completely and use your own portable amp, making the Imod sound the way you'd want it.
See, I'm more of an audio adventurer rather than looking for the perfect audio. That's why I say I'd get on just for the fun of it.

Works like a charm.
You'd have to sort it out through your PC though to make it easier. Use folders. I put different artists in different folders so that way, even if I have 600+ songs, they don't overwhelm me. If I just dump them in one folder, it's going to get really annoying really fast because you can only read 2 lines on the screen.

You can sort you music according to genres, or playlist, or whatever. Anything that doesn't really show how much music you have.
You're still undecided aren't you?

This post has been edited by tunertoobe: Nov 29 2010, 10:04 PM

Well I still think the Gumstick UI is inferior to the Clip+. The Gumstick is powerful though, I mean, very, for something its size. The Clip+ will need an amp for full sized cans, but nothing stays true to the frequency as the Clip+.
Does that help?

I'm having both soon.
I already have the Gumstick. Judging from the specs, I don't think I'll get as much enjoyment as I can with the Gumstick(and versatility of a class A amp), but it's just so convenient to use while jogging and running. It's uncomfortable when the Gumstick shakes around in my pocket, and it's not that light either.

Gumstick has got the power, the dynamics and a friggin' class A amp dude!
Haven't heard the Ipod touch, but since there are modified Ipods and no modified Gumsticks, that should be enough to tell you the whole story.

It's supposed to be the same, but the EQ is better with rockbox.

You mean Teclast T51?
AFAIK the Teclast T51 is only marketed in China. Everywhere else it is called the Nationite S:Flo2. There are no diff whatsoever between the two, only the latter is intended for the international market.

What do you guys think, between a Sansa Clip+ and Fuze+?

Any issues regarding rb'ed fuze?
Does the new Fuze+ use new firmware? I hope when rockboxed it'll be stable.

They should have a very similar(if not identical) sound as they use the same hardware.
But I have read reviews about it being just a tad bit warmer.

Cowon would be one of the best(if not the best) video/music players. Great storage, great screen and good interface, not bad sound hardware too(some uses Wolfson, but dunno which Wolfson and which model though).

The best sounding, there are plenty. They focus on sound and everything else is like, "that'll be good enough".... The Hifimans, Nationite, Colorfly, QLS, and much more I'm sure.

Some of them have been argued that on paper and RMAA tests they show average performance. Sounds great for many(never heard one myself) but some are so attached to the graphs results they probably have set their minds on it.

So when you're talking no budget range, it's actually more complicated.

Nationite S:Flo2 if I'm not mistaken can handle up to 720p, and I'm not talking about TV output.
Though Cowon maybe came up with one that can do that as wel, and better at it. They have a new flagship.....32GB with memory card slot and a big touchscreen...damn....

This post has been edited by tunertoobe: Dec 20 2010, 11:26 PM