Preferred hardware for listening.

[Max]

I am NOT an audiophile. I love the MUSIC, and the hardware for me is a means to that end.

Having said this, I wanted to share a new setup that is allowing me to get a LOT more out of the music than i have before. Not being paid to say this either.

I have owned Audio Technica 30X headphones for a few years now. I am sure that any similar over the ear cans will do. Anyway, the big new addition for me was the Hidizs AP80. You can play Flac files on it (as well as most other file types). It's about $150 US.

https://www.hidizs.net/products/ap80

It's not going to change your life. It's not even going to make the music sound better. It's going to make it sound about 5-10% less bad. I think of it like tap water vs. filtered water. The thing that I found it that there is this baseline noise that our computers and phones make. This does not make that noise. The silent moments are silent. The fuzz in the background is gone. So listening on this, I feel like I am getting the PURE thing. The music the way it was recorded. I think with even better headphones it would be even closer.

I just wanted to throw this out there because I think some others might benefit, and I might learn something from other's responses.

Again, I am not an audiophile. I still use my Apple earbuds. I have an Audio Technia record player at home (yep the $100 one because who has $500?). I think you could live the rest of your life listening to NIN on the crappiest earphones and players and still really enjoy them.

I'm just really enjoying the sound I am getting here and thought I would share that with others.

Bonus - this means that if you pay for FLAC instead of stream, artists make more money. As an artist, I'm all about that.

Peace!

[zecho]

I am NOT an audiophile. I love the MUSIC, and the hardware for me is a means to that end.

Having said this, I wanted to share a new setup that is allowing me to get a LOT more out of the music than i have before. Not being paid to say this either.

I have owned Audio Technica 30X headphones for a few years now. I am sure that any similar over the ear cans will do. Anyway, the big new addition for me was the Hidizs AP80. You can play Flac files on it (as well as most other file types). It's about $150 US.

https://www.hidizs.net/products/ap80

It's not going to change your life. It's not even going to make the music sound better. It's going to make it sound about 5-10% less bad. I think of it like tap water vs. filtered water. The thing that I found it that there is this baseline noise that our computers and phones make. This does not make that noise. The silent moments are silent. The fuzz in the background is gone. So listening on this, I feel like I am getting the PURE thing. The music the way it was recorded. I think with even better headphones it would be even closer.

I just wanted to throw this out there because I think some others might benefit, and I might learn something from other's responses.

Again, I am not an audiophile. I still use my Apple earbuds. I have an Audio Technia record player at home (yep the $100 one because who has $500?). I think you could live the rest of your life listening to NIN on the crappiest earphones and players and still really enjoy them.

I'm just really enjoying the sound I am getting here and thought I would share that with others.

Bonus - this means that if you pay for FLAC instead of stream, artists make more money. As an artist, I'm all about that.

Peace!

I use the Sony A40 series Walkman. It's got one of the best UIs I've ever seen on a DAP, it actually sounds noticeably better than my old iPod, and most importantly (and something I see the AP80 is lacking) it has no cap on how much storage you can add to it. I currently have a 400GB microSD in mine, for example. It's absolutely changed my life musically, and it costs about the same as yours. It's rumored that the A50 series is coming out in North America this year, and it should be even better.

Also, if you want to upgrade your listening experience, Audio-Technica has quite a earbuds, and I see you like their other products. I use the ATH-CKX9s specifically for their shape, and they sound great.

[jmtd]

You might like this thread:
https://www.echoingthesound.org/comm...and-DACs-Oh-My!

[StockAvuryah]

I love the MUSIC, and the hardware for me is a means to that end.

Sorry, you caught the audiophilia virus. There is no cure.

(There's no shame in rehabilitating the "audiophile" name with its true meaning : just wanting the truest sound possible with your own means, and then just enjoy the music itself)

Thank you for the recommendation, though.

[Tom]

I miss my dedicated portable player - didn't recover from being dropped by my partner. Now I just use my phone for portable music, but I like to think I'll get a new dedicated player at some point. Thanks for the tip!

[implanted_microchip]

The earbuds that come with the iPhone plugged into any clearance-priced mp3 player found at your nearest Target or Best Buy brings out that special something in Find My Way (Ohneohtrix Point Never Remix) and if you've not heard it that way, you haven't heard it all, is my humble opinion

[Max]

I use the Sony A40 series Walkman. It's got one of the best UIs I've ever seen on a DAP, it actually sounds noticeably better than my old iPod, and most importantly (and something I see the AP80 is lacking) it has no cap on how much storage you can add to it. I currently have a 400GB microSD in mine, for example. It's absolutely changed my life musically, and it costs about the same as yours. It's rumored that the A50 series is coming out in North America this year, and it should be even better.

Also, if you want to upgrade your listening experience, Audio-Technica has quite a earbuds, and I see you like their other products. I use the ATH-CKX9s specifically for their shape, and they sound great.

That sounds great. People should compare these and see which is best for them. I couldn’t say. I’m willing to bet that either, and anything like them, gets you a lot closer to the music! Thanks for the input. Good discussion.

[Max]

Sorry, you caught the audiophilia virus. There is no cure.

(There's no shame in rehabilitating the "audiophile" name with its true meaning : just wanting the truest sound possible with your own means, and then just enjoy the music itself)

Thank you for the recommendation, though.

Ha. Maybe so. I like that definition. It’s not my thing to just geek out on the hardware too much. It’s really the music itself I am chasing.

[Max]

You might like this thread:
https://www.echoingthesound.org/comm...and-DACs-Oh-My!

Thanks. Sorry for starting a new one, I figured there was a thread somewhere and couldn’t find it!

[bobbie solo]

Here's my current portable mp3 player. Has two micro SD slots (and with firmware updates will read up to 400GB micro SD cards...so that's almost 800 GB of music at your disposable). I like it. Sounds great. Works off the Android OS.

FiiO X5 Mark III Hi-Res Certified Lossless Music Player with Touch Screen Android OS

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...12K-01VA-00006

[Max]

That looks like a nice one. Have you found what I said to be true as well - about it removing the noise? Or do you actually feel like the music itself is improved in any way?

[bobbie solo]

def. a lower hum in the background compared to other players yes.

[zecho]

Here's my current portable mp3 player. Has two micro SD slots (and with firmware updates will read up to 400GB micro SD cards...so that's almost 800 GB of music at your disposable). I like it. Sounds great. Works off the Android OS.

FiiO X5 Mark III Hi-Res Certified Lossless Music Player with Touch Screen Android OS

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...12K-01VA-00006

How much have you got on it? I had one of these briefly, but the more music I added to it, the slower it got, until eventually it was no longer responsive. Have you not filled it up, or did I get a lemon?