wow, so the sansa clip+ is actually a good player now

[Chekhonte]

I broke my ipod and didn't want to spend another 250 for a player that I'll probably break again in under a year. I decided to pick up a sansa clip+ from best buy since it was on sale for 40 bucks. I had a 8gb micro sd card sitting around that I could use on it to expand the storage to 12 GB. One of the best features of this player is that it's the only MP3 player that has an expansion slot that integrates both the internal library and the library on the expansion card into one library, or at least the only player that I"m aware of.

The audio quality is the same as my old original sansa clip which is the best that I've heard in a contemporary portable. It has an incredible, rich midrange that makes music sound fun and has an illusion of depth. It's not an audiophile device but what player is? The high end recedes into the background and doesn't have the sparkle that a home rig can have. the low side of the low end spectrum is rolled off but the bass does have a nice punch that my old ipod couldn't compete with, even when amped.

I think I'm going to get a couple of 16 gb cards and just make this my main player. I haven't been this impressed with a portable device since my old zen xtra. I highly recommend it for somebody looking for a mid capacity portable.

[Iron_Dreamer]

I have been pondering getting the Clip+. I have a regular clip, which I use mostly with a KSC75 for walking/hiking. I also use it from time to time with my JH13 as an ultraportable rig. It would be real nice to have 20-24GB on the player rather than the 4GB I have now. Using FLAC, it can be tough at present to always have something I want to listen to on it.

It's good to hear the SQ hasn't degraded. I recall reading a review somewhere that the clip+ was warmer sounding than the original.

[Grahame]

Another vote here for the Sansa Clip+.

The real plus here is the addition of remove-able/swappable micro SDHC cards

meaning that you can have swappable sets of FLACS. Say 24 CD's on an 8GB,

50 on a 16GB card. With larger, cheaper cards in the future, whats not to like.

There are incremental improvements in the UI (e.g. next track preview), and the placement of the controls (e.g volume control is no longer blocked if you use a right angled headphone jack.)

Sound quality with decent source material, should be perfectly acceptable with JH-13's

[Chekhonte]

One stupid thing I keep running across pretty frequently is that the volume is located on the opposite side as the micro sd slot. When I grip the player on both sides to adjust the volume I often times make the micro SD car loose contact with the pins and it thinks I took the card out and put it back in so it has to "refresh library" and it forgets what I was listening to. This only happens to me every other day and I'm sure I'll figure out how not to do that but it's still anoying.

@irondreamer, I can't notice any difference in presentation with my ms1's but I'll tell you that I'm not a true audiophile. I can't identify which is an ipod and which is a zune using the same headphones. I can tell there is a difference but I don't know which is which when I'm placed in a blind AB. I'll do another quick AB with my old clip and make sure that I'm not hearing anything different.

[The Monkey]

I'm assuming no digital out on this thing, correct?

[Grahame]

Correct.

[Chekhonte]

I know that rockbox is being made for this and they have it up and running on the old one. I wonder if you can they can make the USB port a digital out with rockbox.

[jinp6301]

Hasnt been done with any other player (besides the iriver which already has digital out) so I wouldnt wait on it

[The Monkey]

Don't boss me.

Would it kill them to put an optical out on these stupid things?

[HeadphoneAddict]

One of the best features of this player is that it's the only MP3 player that has an expansion slot that integrates both the internal library and the library on the expansion card into one library, or at least the only player that I"m aware of.

That is a nice feature, and good no know about it. The AMP3 has that capability, but I am not impressed with the UI, the slow speed to initialize the library when using an 8GB micro-SD to augment the 4GB internal memory, or the extra hiss with sensitive IEM. Is the Clip+ a hisser or silent?

[Fungi]

Don't boss me.

Would it kill them to put an optical out on these stupid things?

Actually yes, given how little of the people buying this thing actually want it and how little putting it on would contribute to sales, while the negative impact of having more parts on it would be pretty non-negligible.

*points at HiFiMAN*

[morphsci]

..

*points at HiFiMAN*

I thought the HiFiMAN has a digital input not a digital output?

[The Monkey]

I thought the HiFiMAN has a digital input not a digital output?

That's my understanding, too.

[Iron_Dreamer]

The HifiMan sounds better than any portable, battery-powered DAC I've ever heard, and it's all in one.

[jinp6301]

That's my understanding, too.

Yup, digital input. But why would you want to connect to a (I'm assuming portable) DAC which would have something a lot worse then a 1704.

[Salt Peanuts]

Yup, digital input. But why would you want to connect to a (I'm assuming portable) DAC which would have something a lot worse then a 1704.

Laptop audio?

[jinp6301]

?

Use the laptop as a dac?

[Salt Peanuts]

No, using the HifiMan as a portable DAC/headphone amp for laptop.

Of course, for that, you really only need USB input.

Edited November 25, 2009 by Salt Peanuts

[Chekhonte]

This isn't the best player on the market, it just the best player I've heard out of the box. If you're wanting a great portable rig with an amp or DAC then I'm sure there are better options out there. If you just want a small player with pretty good audio quality straight out the jack then this is for you. Plus it can be had for under 40 bucks if you can find one on sale.

On a slightly ironic note this player sound horrible with cheep headphones. I've tried some apple earbuds, jvc marshmallows, the headphones that the player came with and some other no name crappy stock cans and they all sound way worse then out of lets say an ipod. The bass is boomy, vocals are muffled, it's bazaar--they sound really good with my MS1i's, hd650's, k701 and sr325's. They definitely sound best with forward sounding headphones like the alessandro/grados and k701's since they kind of push back their forward signature.

[Fungi]

Sorry guys, I was misinformed about hifiman and assumed it had digital out. Guess you're back to your ancient iRivers or something.

[The Monkey]

Are there any portables with USB audio out?

[Grahame]

[padam]

Some Nokia Tablets work just fine with something like a Pico.

[Iron_Dreamer]

I went ahead and got a Clip+ 8GB from Amazon. Loading it up as we speak. I'm definitely happy with the physical changes from the regular clip, and of course the card slot makes it a much more versatile device.

[K3cT]

If midrange and warmth are your top priority then this player is the one to get. I still prefer Sony's X series for a more balanced sound.

The mentioned AMP3 is also really good but has a horrible UI and form factor so it's a no-no for me.