mp3 players...where have they gone

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/finished-256gb-upgrade-of-2nd-gen-ipod-mini-see-pics.1843060/

it seems to be possible to mod my old ipod.. man if I ever get the time and knowledge id love to do this

  On 8/13/2017 at 3:59 AM, Candiru said:

I just dug out my ipod classic and took it for a spin with the usb thing in my car and it was the business. There was something strangely liberating about an ipod chock full of fresh crispy pirated tunes, the open road, the wind in your hair, on the run from the fuzz with nothing left to lose. Trust no one. 

yeah, I had a 20gb Creative Zen hard drive mp3 player—basically their ipod classic ripoff—11+ years ago.. but then one of my housemate's shitty friends stole the fkn thing and I never got it back. After that I had a few smaller players (like the Zen V Plus, which was great!) but I still miss the old 20gb one. These days I'd probably find a player separate to my phone to be too cumbersome (not to mention that I mostly play from spotify these days), but there's still something appealing about having an external mp3 player.

I have a shitty iRiver 40GB HDD thingy and a Sony memory stick type one, both of which I still occasionally use. I find it handy to have something that can play musics that isn't my laptop or phone

bought a used 120GB Ipod Classic for $86 the MONTH before they announced they were discontinuing them. Still working but I dread the day it dies :(

I really love it. This weekend I loaded it up with everything i ripped from SC in my paranoia that they were going to shut. oh and all the new AFX bleepstore stuff.

  On 8/13/2017 at 3:34 PM, chronical said:

I love my Fiio X5! 2x128GB microSD baby! 

edit: also powers my HD650s so much better than any iPod I've tried..

Do you have any feedback on the UI?

I've been looking at replacing my ipod with an x5 3rd gen but I've read complaints about the UI. I'll be putting around 60k tracks on the thing and I've read it's hard to find songs or something?

Any complaints at all on it? I'm also considering an x7 with A5 headphone amp.

There's apparently a small resurgence of affordable DAPs going on right now.

I just got the new FIIO M3K (review), still some bugs that need fixing but other than that is working splendidly.

Other stuff in the market at the moment:

Hidizs AP80 (review)

Shanling M0 (review)

edit:

  On 8/14/2017 at 7:28 PM, Bulk VanderHooj said:

 

  On 8/13/2017 at 3:34 PM, chronical said:

I love my Fiio X5! 2x128GB microSD baby! 

edit: also powers my HD650s so much better than any iPod I've tried..

Do you have any feedback on the UI?

 

I've been looking at replacing my ipod with an x5 3rd gen but I've read complaints about the UI. I'll be putting around 60k tracks on the thing and I've read it's hard to find songs or something?

 

Any complaints at all on it? I'm also considering an x7 with A5 headphone amp.

 

edit2:

  On 8/13/2017 at 1:27 PM, eugene said:

use your smartphones to stream from your pc's noobs.

  On 12/12/2018 at 12:30 PM, MIXL2 said:

There's apparently a small resurgence of affordable DAPs going on right now.

 

I just got the new FIIO M3K (review), still some bugs that need fixing but other than that is working splendidly.

 

Other stuff in the market at the moment:

 

Hidizs AP80 (review)

 

Shanling M0 (review)

 

 

 

 

hey MIXL, can you tell me if the M3K can play tracks over microUSB? I'd prefer to play music that way in my car rather than using the aux jack. (My car has some usb firmware that reads mp3's from usb storage units; will let me change tracks from the steering wheel, etc.) Currently just using a flash drive but have some gripes about that (loss of track order, car firmware not always recognizing my main flash drive) so I'm in the market for an mp3 player.

  On 12/12/2018 at 12:30 PM, MIXL2 said:

There's apparently a small resurgence of affordable DAPs going on right now.

 

I just got the new FIIO M3K (review), still some bugs that need fixing but other than that is working splendidly.

 

Other stuff in the market at the moment:

 

Hidizs AP80 (review)

 

Shanling M0 (review)

 

 

edit:

  On 8/14/2017 at 7:28 PM, Bulk VanderHooj said:

 

  On 8/13/2017 at 3:34 PM, chronical said:

I love my Fiio X5! 2x128GB microSD baby! 

edit: also powers my HD650s so much better than any iPod I've tried..

Do you have any feedback on the UI?

 

I've been looking at replacing my ipod with an x5 3rd gen but I've read complaints about the UI. I'll be putting around 60k tracks on the thing and I've read it's hard to find songs or something?

 

Any complaints at all on it? I'm also considering an x7 with A5 headphone amp.

 

None of the ones mentioned here have a search function as far as i have researched. Altough I recall reading somewhere that Hidizs AP80 is looking to implement it in a future firmware update. I chose the m3k because it works really well with my old foobar playlists which kinda compensates for not being able to search for me..

 

edit2:

  On 8/13/2017 at 1:27 PM, eugene said:

use your smartphones to stream from your pc's noobs.

streaming is for incels

 

This is AWESOME. THANK YOU for posting this (I've been considering getting a dedicated audio player for ages - used have a COWON that I loved but crapped out years ago). Lots to ponder here. 

Can anyone give me their take on the DSD format? I honestly hadn't even heard of it before the reviews linked here. Is it a lossless format akin to FLAC or something? Totally out of the loop. . . 

    Quote

Can anyone give me their take on the DSD format?

like all hi res formats it's completely pointless and simply a waste of space.

From what I recall, DSD is intended for hard copies (Super Audio CDs). So a lossless digital file is still better.

The Fii0 Mk3 looks nice, good features and seems affordable too.

  On 12/12/2018 at 7:22 PM, eczem said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 12:30 PM, MIXL2 said:

There's apparently a small resurgence of affordable DAPs going on right now.

 

I just got the new FIIO M3K (review), still some bugs that need fixing but other than that is working splendidly.

 

Other stuff in the market at the moment:

Hidizs AP80 (review)

Shanling M0 (review)

 

hey MIXL, can you tell me if the M3K can play tracks over microUSB? I'd prefer to play music that way in my car rather than using the aux jack. (My car has some usb firmware that reads mp3's from usb storage units; will let me change tracks from the steering wheel, etc.) Currently just using a flash drive but have some gripes about that (loss of track order, car firmware not always recognizing my main flash drive) so I'm in the market for an mp3 player.

  On 12/12/2018 at 8:19 PM, eugene said:

 

    Quote

Can anyone give me their take on the DSD format?

like all hi res formats it's completely pointless and simply a waste of space.

 

lel. K. 

  On 12/12/2018 at 8:31 PM, Braintree said:

From what I recall, DSD is intended for hard copies (Super Audio CDs). So a lossless digital file is still better.

Ta. WAV's for aphex and shitty MP3 for everything else. DONE. 

EDIT: said fuck it. Ordered FIIO M3K using 60$ giftcard option w/ Amazon credit card. Basically ended up paying 15$ for player + memory card. STOKED. 

I remember Squarepusher mentioning he was able to hear the 'horrible' artifacts on mp3s on a Damogen-era interview

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:31 PM, T3551ER said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 8:19 PM, eugene said:

 

    Quote

Can anyone give me their take on the DSD format?

like all hi res formats it's completely pointless and simply a waste of space.

 

 

lel. K. 

that wasn't a lel post btw, it's comepltey true. hi res audio is indistinguishable from regular cd format and is simply a new(ish) marketing shtick.

this a good writeup on the topic from one of the makers of FLAC:

https://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:44 PM, eugene said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:31 PM, T3551ER said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 8:19 PM, eugene said:

 

    Quote

Can anyone give me their take on the DSD format?

like all hi res formats it's completely pointless and simply a waste of space.

 

 

lel. K.

 

that wasn't a lel post btw, it's comepltey true. hi res audio is indistinguishable from regular cd format and is simply a new(ish) marketing shtick.

this a good writeup on the topic from one of the makers of FLAC:

https://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

 

edit:

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:31 PM, T3551ER said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 8:31 PM, Braintree said:

From what I recall, DSD is intended for hard copies (Super Audio CDs). So a lossless digital file is still better.

 

Ta. WAV's for aphex and shitty MP3 for everything else. DONE. 

 

EDIT: said fuck it. Ordered FIIO M3K using 60$ giftcard option w/ Amazon credit card. Basically ended up paying 15$ for player + memory card. STOKED.

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:38 PM, span said:

I remember Squarepusher mentioning he was able to hear the 'horrible' artifacts on mp3s on a Damogen-era interview

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:22 PM, MIXL2 said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 7:22 PM, eczem said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 12:30 PM, MIXL2 said:

There's apparently a small resurgence of affordable DAPs going on right now.

 

I just got the new FIIO M3K (review), still some bugs that need fixing but other than that is working splendidly.

 

Other stuff in the market at the moment:

Hidizs AP80 (review)

Shanling M0 (review)

hey MIXL, can you tell me if the M3K can play tracks over microUSB? I'd prefer to play music that way in my car rather than using the aux jack. (My car has some usb firmware that reads mp3's from usb storage units; will let me change tracks from the steering wheel, etc.) Currently just using a flash drive but have some gripes about that (loss of track order, car firmware not always recognizing my main flash drive) so I'm in the market for an mp3 player.

My pc recognizes the m3k as a mass storage so id assume your car would too.. but I do not believe it would play audio straight as a player, don't have a car or similar to check though

 

Thanks man, might pick one up any way at that price.

Aye, note that the Hidizs AP80 has better reviews and might suite you better if you would prefer an interface similar to android phones.. I would wait until after december before ordering one of em though..

Looks like the same DAC is in last year's LG V30 phone so you might be able to get it even cheaper that way (if you're also in need of a phone change that is) - https://www.whathifi.com/lg/v30/review

  On 12/12/2018 at 10:02 PM, MIXL2 said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:44 PM, eugene said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:31 PM, T3551ER said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 8:19 PM, eugene said:

 

    Quote

Can anyone give me their take on the DSD format?

like all hi res formats it's completely pointless and simply a waste of space.

 

 

lel. K.

 

that wasn't a lel post btw, it's comepltey true. hi res audio is indistinguishable from regular cd format and is simply a new(ish) marketing shtick.

this a good writeup on the topic from one of the makers of FLAC:

https://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

 

I couldn't care less about audio quality tbh, I just detest streaming.

 

edit:

  On 12/12/2018 at 9:31 PM, T3551ER said:

 

  On 12/12/2018 at 8:31 PM, Braintree said:

From what I recall, DSD is intended for hard copies (Super Audio CDs). So a lossless digital file is still better.

 

Ta. WAV's for aphex and shitty MP3 for everything else. DONE. 

 

EDIT: said fuck it. Ordered FIIO M3K using 60$ giftcard option w/ Amazon credit card. Basically ended up paying 15$ for player + memory card. STOKED.

 

enjoy man, glad I could help :)

 

^_^!  

@Eugene - ahhh, ok, understood. For some reason I was conflagrating "hi-res" with "lossless" (that's a great article btw). And, if I'm being brutally honest, I can only tell the difference between lossless and a 320 KBPS MP3 with specific equipment, and specific music.  

  On 12/13/2018 at 11:27 AM, mcbpete said:

Looks like the same DAC is in last year's LG V30 phone so you might be able to get it even cheaper that way (if you're also in need of a phone change that is) - https://www.whathifi.com/lg/v30/review

I've got the lgv30 and would recommend it

  On 6/19/2014 at 1:54 PM, doublename said:

Blow your wad on an Astell & Kern AK240 - $2,499

http://i.imgur.com/C4BJEGL.jpg

Expand  

I got an AK SR25, just came in today ($1000ish though not this $2500 beast!). 
 

Sounds amazing, night and day from my previous DAP. Especially noticeable is the higher quality at higher volumes. I’m not using the balanced 2.5mm output yet but looking into it. The UI is intuitive and very responsive (thing has a quad core cpu ffs), the build quality is really nice and feels sturdy too. 

Also handy to have bandcamp/soundcloud and almost any other streaming service avail on the device. 

Big factor for me ultimately will be cost of ownership long term, i.e. if I have to get it repaired (output jacks tend to go...) and if it gets buggy at all. If it holds up I can definitely see myself investing in one of their more expensive players. 

  On 8/13/2017 at 7:54 PM, MIXL2 said:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/finished-256gb-upgrade-of-2nd-gen-ipod-mini-see-pics.1843060/

 

it seems to be possible to mod my old ipod.. man if I ever get the time and knowledge id love to do this

Expand  

I just upgraded from a 400gb iPod classic (5th gen with the Wolfson dac). Honestly it did me well for 6 years or so? But it had major issues right from the get go - apparently the software architecture only supports up to 240gb or something? So right from the beginning a large number of my tracks showed as “unknown artist” or “unknown song”. Many albums had missing tracks (presumably filed under the unknowns) and so on.

cost of ownership ramped up pretty quick too, replacing the audio out jack, ssd disconnecting, etc. Maybe not an issue if you’re handy enough with electronics and can mod and repair one yourself. I’ll never go back though, huge hassle... happened often enough that I’d be ready to entertain a group or have some hyped up releases to put on with the missus and the unit shit the bed for one reason or another.

Oh and the most annoying part - due to the software limitations once I had exceeded whatever track limit there was on the unit, it was a crap shoot adding new albums - quite frequently I’d add a new album or ep and the whole unit would get deleted and take 4+ hours to “rebuild the device database”. Well, the tracks were on there but the unit needed to go through a lengthy repair cycle for them to be playable.