Best Player for Sound Quality ?

BlueMax · 07-07-2008

Sound quality is my top priority. So all my CDs are ripped in FLAC and APE formats for audio streaming into a hi-fi system. I need a portable to take with me. Don't really want to convert files to MP3 cos it will take a lot of time, mess up tagging and sacrifice quality.

CDs ripped in lossless take around 300 MB average. So I am looking for a player that can play lossless, have loads of built-in memory plus card slot for expansion. Something like a Cowon D2.

Noticed that many cheaper models of similar spec from lesser known manufacturers are mentioned in this forum. Are they cheap for the wrong reasons or are they just as good?

Any comments/recommendations as the best ones for sound quality, as good as the well known brands?

Many thanks

makd511 · 07-07-2008

i would say the meizu M6 8gb is best at the moment or sound, but no expansion slot, but drfibately top of the class and build quality as good as the big boys and player the files you want

these are cheap as they are made for chinese market, not as advanced as the big world brands but good enough for many, whether they will serve your needs, i do not knowe, the main focus now of chinese players is video, tv out etc, ID tagging on many is not that briliant and many do play OGG and FLAC but wont recignise ant tagging on them

meizu is the best all round secure bet or you but like i said - no memory exoansion

BlueMax · 07-07-2008

If you mean the Meizu M6 SL, I must agree with you. A mate, let me check it out over a weekend and I was very impressed. But had to decide against it cos of the memory capacity.

I could cough up and get a Cowon D2. Some good discounts going.
Like Cowon D2 (8GB black) for USD140 from LookSmartPro
It has everything I need and prices of SDHC cards are falling fast.
Have'nt listened to it though!

Has makd511 or anyone else got experience of the M6 and the D2 ?
Heard somewhere that an Meisu M8 is in the pipeline. With a memory card slot?

BlueMax · 07-14-2008

Still searching!
Any comments on the sound quality from users of Teclast, Onda, Ramos, et al ?
Thanks

BladeDreams · 07-20-2008

I have or have had a number of players....

And if sound quality is all your after, the Wolfson audio chiped players are the best.

Meizu M6 Sl is very good of course. And there are a few other players with the wolfson chip as well.

For a best 'all around' player?

Onda. What brings them to the top is battery life, Quality, Firmware updates. And even without the wolfson audio chip...Sound quality is very good....

Da_Tinker · 07-21-2008

I have to agree with BladeDreams, though I have found that my little OPPO S11 has got such a great sound quality, both in audio and video. It has way outsurpassed my expectations so far.

BlueMax · 07-22-2008

Reading various comments Onda VX858 & Teclast C260 are supposed to have good sound quality plus lossless capability + card slots.

How do they compare with Cowon D2 for sound quality?
Specs don't claim it but with firmware updates can they take 32GB cards?
Have they been superseded by newer models?

makd511 · 07-22-2008

c260 and 858 - please avoid these players, they are really outdated now and quality is not up to par with more recent players

players using the new rockchip(rx2706) have excellent sound helped by the Microsoft PlatFX system, like ramos rm970, newsmy x5 and x6 etc, those players you mentioned are really not up to the job at all

it seems to me you are after quality at its best and still champion the meizu players, the battery is excellent, really excellent an build is also, as is sound and as blade said many players use the wolfson, i have the nationite s:flo with wolfson but its still not as good on sound as the meizu but is still good

beware of what you buy and you do right to ask as there are so many older tech players still on sale from people like uxcell, the shops you mentioned, dealextreme and me and the others really want you to get the best for your money, and get a more modern and capable payer, actually have you had a look at the OPPO s11 player, now that is a quality product from china - ask blade about this

also if you are still wary of chinese players and stores then ebuyer in the UK has the creative zen 4gb player on sale for 65 quid, not bad price for the UK, and with it being creative its a world wide quality brand, may be more up your street

Creative ZEN - Digital player / radio - flash 4 GB - WMA, AAC, MP3 - video playback - display: 2.5" - black - Ebuyer

cheers

Da_Tinker · 07-22-2008

Also I have seen alot on the Creative Zen players. They seem to be a pretty
stable little player like the Optimus, Nationite, etc. which come solely from renaming. I believe the Nationite players are probably the best re-names that I
have seen online though. And actually priced quite reasonably.
As for sound quality I myself don't know as I have not had a chance to 'play' with one yet, but I'm sure with all the 'hype' they are quite good also.

DaremoS · 07-23-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by makd511

c260 and 858 - please avoid these players, they are really outdated now and quality is not up to par with more recent players

...

cheers

Can be a player outdated in its sound?... definitively no.
Onda VX858 can be outdated in its functionalities but not in its sound quality

I own 3 players of excellent sound:
- Onda VX858 >> RK -2608A + Wolfson WM8750S
- Meizu M3 Music Card >> SA58700X07 + Philips UDA1380TT
- Cowon D2 >> TCC 7801 + Wolfson WM8985

Is impossible for me to decide which of this players have better sound quality.
The better player is by far Cowon D2 due to its capabilities.

In know that some Creative Zen brings a very good sound but depends on the model only those that fulfil this specifications will bring a good sound:
Creative Zen >> TMS320 DA + TI TLV320AIC23B,
But Creative Zen can't integrate the music from SD cards in its music lists.