I'd greatly appreciate your input. I have my eye on the 8 GBSony NWZ-A728 player. I don't really care about extra features, I just want great sound and this one has a number of audio enhancements: Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE), Clear Bass, Clear Stereo, and great EX Series headphones that isolate noise. It's the best Sony 8GB deal for my price range (the S series is too expensive). However, it seems to have just been discontinued, so it's only available from a few places. The Fry's website had it for $109 but it seems to be out of stock in all stores....and the places that do have it seem to sell it for around $170 or so, which is significiantly more.
So I looked at the 8 GB Sony player they have everywhere right now, which is the NWZE438F for a great price of $99.99. While it's newer, they seem to have stripped it of value. It comes with the cheapo ipod-quality headphones. Even worse, it has none of the sound enhancements I mentioned above.
My question is - headphone issue aside, would these two have basically the same audio quality? Or does the combination of DSEE, Clear Stereo, and Clear Bass technologies, plus the EX headphones, really make the A728 worthwhile? Is the difference noticeable? Also, any suggestions on where I could buy the A728 for a good price?
Get a refurbished Sansa. I think they produce the best players and they are cheap.
Most players put out excellent audio. The ear buds is where you want to put your money. In the ear, isolation if they cost more, do more than isolate. They seal the ear. The effect is like burning gun powered contained then uncontained. In the ears will tend to 'blow out' your hearing but what a way to go! The difference between in the ear and isolation is 5 times the cost and very little audio improvement. Price has little to do with quality in this arena. I have seen $20 blow away $250 equipment so you need to be careful. Look for the effective range. Check to see what kind of magnets they use. Even the most expensive ones probably have less than $1 of parts. So they can sell them for any amount of money and make a profit. Mine only last a year because the wires work harden with use so I do not see 5 times for 20% better quality. I buy cheap in the ear Phillips for $20. You can pay more and get a little better. You can more easily pay more and get worse. Phillips in the ear have a range 5-22,000 Hz.
For my money Digital Sound Enhancement Engine is a gimic. The enhancement makes up a bit for poor quality listening devices by boosting certain frequencies. None will improve a 128 BR tune. You want to be listening to 192 or above for cbr mp3s or 160+ for vbr mp3s and the other highly efficient formats.
