Media players with high-quality sound

[kentauros]

(Cross-posting this because of only about eight views in two days and no posts in the Music Appreciation Group)

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Generally, I'm pretty much an odd person. That is, I do not own (nor desire to own) an iPod or other iProduct. A little over two years ago I decided I needed a DAP / PMP (Digital Audio Player / Portable Media Player) and really wasn't that impressed with iPods from those that owned them. So, a little research was in order.

I'd been using a media-player on my computer called "JetAudio" and it was put out by a Korean company called Cowon. I'd noticed on their site that they seemed to make PMPs, too, and took a look around at them all. Of course, I needed to see reviews of their products, finding the site Anything But iPod and how many there loved the Cowon S9. With enough reading, that's what I bought, and have been very happy with it ever since.

One major plus towards the S9 that I love is that it will play FLAC, APE, Ogg, and a few others I don't come across very often. Many of the blogs where I download music also use these formats and they aren't compatible with iPods without doing your own conversions. As a result, the sound quality is phenomenal! Last year I replaced the earbuds that came with the S9 and bought a pair of Yuin PK3s. The difference in quality was also amazing, but it still goes back to audio format. I can hear differences between the standard 128kbps files you get most places and FLAC. Sometimes mp3 is all you can get, though I have noticed when my favorite sites offer mp3, it's usually well above 200kbps in bitrate.

Here's a couple of sites that do comparison reviews, too:
iPod alternative myth: products that can replace my iPod
Apple iPod touch 2G vs. Cowon S9 vs. Samsung P3


So, what players with high-quality sound do y'all use that aren't iPods? :D

[kentauros]

1. Bumping for DU's audiophiles.

Because it's obvious that the daytime crowd is "iPod-only" :P ;)

[REP]

2. I convert to FLAC with Audacity

and spend pretty ungodly amounts of money on headsets...

... but I'm a Mac user (listening to FLAC files right now on my 3GS).

When I do use mp3, I encode at 320. On my Mac. Sorry, can't be much help but I do share similar snobbery ... anything digital pretty much I can hear the clipping in the spectrum.

[kentauros]

3. I haven't spent "ungodly" amounts on headsets,

but I have seen the prices. Such as the Jade Electrostatic Headphones I was ogling earlier today. 10-60000hz frequency range(!!!) for only $1500.00.

Of course the more "reasonable" earbuds start above $100, and that's before you buy the headphone amplifier. I don't know enough about those yet to buy one, so I'll be fine with my PK3s (unless I go up to the OK-series, their latest earbud products.)

Most of the sites I get my Middle Eastern music from use 320kbps when they go mp3, too. Most times they use FLAC though :)

[REP]

4. Ungodly, but not insane

I have two problems: very small ear canals and pretty sensitive hearing, so when I shop for earbuds, there's a lot to look for. I've found some less ghastly-priced ones that meet my demands (remember, digital means clipped spectrum, so 10-60000hz is overkill to me ... or for $1,500 it is). I've found some good ones under $500, like the noise-canceling Modas I'm using now (I think they're Modas...). They're my purse set since they have a mic, but the sound quality is really good; I usually grab these when I'm editing music (because some songs could just be a better if they were just a little different).

I've got others but I'm out running errands and away from my trove.

[kentauros]

5. I don't know if my ear canals are small, but I've never liked the IEMs.

And I would expect someone that is composing music to go for better to best quality :D

I only mentioned those electrostatic ones because I have heard electrostatic speakers, even if I could never afford a pair ($20,000! and up!) They're pretty cool, but yeah, that frequency range is overkill. I'll have to look up the Modas. I can see myself spending a few hundred on a nice pair of headphones, but not earbuds. I don't use those for anything but my S9 anyway.

Get your errands done and post when you can. We may be the only ones talking for the time being ;)

[REP]

6. I don't like 'earmuff' ones too much - too hot!

Aiwa used to make a headband set that sat in the ears. They were laughably cheap (under $50) yet even the hardest-core audio snob (I'm only mid-range core snob) agreed that they sounded amazing. They didn't look stupid, either. Alas, my late lamented Evil Cat ate the cord on my last set.

I'm not a huge fan of earbuds - not only the most-are-too-big-for-my-ears problem, but the whole inconvenience of taking them off to have a conversation or just pay attention to ambient noise. With earbuds, there's the one hanging off the head, or draping them around the neck -headbands are easier to deal with, and if I can find some that aren't earmuffs, I'll be forking out cash so fast! Besides earmuffs being hot and sorta stupid looking, I'm a middle-aged white chick - I don't need to be trying to look like DJ Geritol when I'm out having coffee. Bad enough that I'm listening to age-inappropriate music in the first place.

Oh, and my car? It's really just a 308HP stereo system :-)

[kentauros]

7. I don't care how I look with earbuds;

I just want to hear my music! :D

My favorite cafe keeps their sounds system on Sirius/XM "The Spectrum!" so I have to turn things up a bit to drown it out. Earbuds work perfectly for those situations, as well as work and the almost constantly giggling behind me (group-leader laughs at everything!)

I have a pair of wireless Sennheisers at home for when I need to hear something on the computer (some of that is for relaxation/meditation stuff.) The Aiwa headset sounds cool. Maybe someone will resurrect the concept. My home-stereo died ages ago and haven't replaced it yet. I have been looking at Audioengine for a pair of nice computer speakers, once I get a better computer desk ;)

Any my car? I can't tell you the hp and the stereo is adequate. I also figure that unless you're driving a Bentley or Rolls, you can just forget hearing all the peaks and valleys of any dynamic music, like classical or jazz. Better to blast belly dance music of Mike Oldfield! :P