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Mobile audio MP3/iPod/RioRiot, etc.

OK, maybe this is retreading ground (I couldn't find any relevant threads), maybe its not apropos for a high end forum, etc. etc. BUT, the convenience factor of some of the new hard disk based MP3 players is pretty hard to beat. 500 CDs in a small box that has 10-12 hrs of battery life that I can carry on an airplane? That gets my attention.

Here's the questions. All the stuff I see about these never discusses the audio quality of these puppies. Anyone care to comment on who has better audio quality? Anyone use these things? Any way of getting better audio quality out of them?
edesilva
chanifin
9 posts
 
I have and iPod and the sound isn't horrible. A lot of the sound quality depends on the file format and compression quality you use. A lower sampling rates MP3's can sound pretty bad. With th iPOD you can actually store and use uncompressed audio which sounds pretty good but takes up a lot of space on the hard drive (700-800 megs perCD). The other important thing is to tooss the headphones that come with the player and replace them with sometehing decent (I use the low-end Grado's).
abstract7
541 posts
 
I have the MP3 Jukebox 100. It's great. I use 192kbits/second as the compression rate. The standard is 128. Some of the better recordings I go up to 256. I use this with the "airhead" amp and etyomatic headphones. For travel, the convenience and quality is tough to beat. I have found this player to actually sound better than most portable CD players. It does have a lousy amp section though--you need to get one of headroom's amps to go with this.
http://www.mp3factorydirect.net
cwlondon
1,210 posts
 
Chanifin and Abstract7:

I was ready to rush out and buy and iPod today but think this subject is a bit trickier than I realized --

In the highest quality format (umcompressed??) how many hours of music will fit on a 20G ipod?

Do you still recommend the iPod or would a nomad jukebox be a better idea?

I will be taking frequent plane trips to UK and Asia from NYC and would like good battery life and maximum fidelity to go with my Grado Headphone Amplifier and Etymotics earphones.

Thanks very much.
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