Best sound quality

worksux · #1 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2007, 10:42 AM

i am looking to buy a mp3 player for my car. i want one with a good amount of space and most important has good sound quality. sound quality is the main thing i am looking for. also i want an mp3 player that will sound good in a car. any suggestions are welcome. thanks

**shadesbass** · #2 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2007, 10:52 AM

How are you planning on connecting it to your car stereo? This is a potential bottleneck in terms of sound quality, and could be a deciding factor (e.g. some stereos have iPod docks, which will preserve the sound quality better than a tape adapter). I assume that you intend to plug the mp3 player into a good quality car system, otherwise getting a good sounding mp3 player isn't going to make any difference.

In terms of mp3 player choice, how much is "a good amount of space"? 4GB? 20GB? 80GB?
Do you want a remote? Big screen? Touchscreen? Controllable from the car stereo itself? (comes down to connections again)
Also, what's your budget? You could get something like the new iRiver NV, which also has GPS capability, and looks stunning IMHO.

worksux · #3 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2007, 11:34 AM

Thanks for the response, i plan to use a line in wire and plug it into AUX in my car. and i will have a good car system. i want more than 30 gb fo space. and all those other features dont matter, im mainly looking for good sound quality and more than 30 gigs of space.

also i have a zune but the sound quality isnt that good in my car. however if i get something like this will it fix the problem? http://www.zune.net/en-us/accessories/ime/dock.htm

**shadesbass** · #4 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worksux

Thanks for the response, i plan to use a line in wire and plug it into AUX in my car. and i will have a good car system. i want more than 30 gb fo space. and all those other features dont matter, im mainly looking for good sound quality and more than 30 gigs of space.

That's fine if you don't want any of those other features, but bear in mind that you will need a user interface that is easy to use whilst driving.
Some car stereos incorporate a USB port, that will give you the best quality and enable you to control your mp3 player from the main unit. They read data straight off the disk of the mp3 player, as if it were connected to a computer. It therefore doesn't matter about sound quality, as all mp3 players will be equal in this setup.
They don't give you full functionality of the mp3 player, normally just track forward and backward (and FF/RW) and folder selection. They are not guaranteed to work with all mp3 players either. UMS players are more likely to work, but still not guaranteed, depending on the car stereo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by worksux

also i have a zune but the sound quality isnt that good in my car. however if i get something like this will it fix the problem? http://www.zune.net/en-us/accessories/ime/dock.htm

Most docks provide a line-level output, so I doubt it will provide a significant increase in quality over an AUX connection. Not for that price and not enough to be heard over engine/road noise IMHO.

Sorry I haven't actually suggested any players! I hope I've been a bit informative about your options though.

worksux · #5 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2007, 01:07 PM

Haha, nah your information has been very helpful. I'm thinking of getting a Cowon player because i've heard that they have the best audio quality. But before that im going to buy a high quality wire like this one http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=4255 and see if the zune holds up.

ShyAnne · #6 (**permalink**) August 13th, 2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worksux

I'm thinking of getting a Cowon player because i've heard that they have the best audio quality.

Cowon and iriver both have excellent sound quality. I would suggest, if at all possible, that you personally listen to at least one player from each brand, rather than purchasing based on what you may have read.

It's not that either sounds bad, but most people who have heard both these brands have a preference. For example, I find iriver's sound to be warmer, richer and fuller. I find the Cowon sound to be colder, more technical, and ocassionally (depending on song) a tiny bit thin. Bass is a bit better on an iriver, a bit stronger without being bloated or distorted. Bass on Cowon is good too, just a tad weaker. I find highs to be somewhat harsh on Cowon's players as opposed to iriver. (Sorry if that all reads strangely, it's difficult to describe overall sound of a player in general terms --like trying to describe the color "blue" to someone blind from birth.)

For these reasons, although I very much like Cowon's sound, I very much prefer iriver's sound. I tend to get listening fatigue with Cowon that I don't experience with iriver. This of course is my own personal opinion, and I do acknowledge that there are others who prefer the Cowon sound. Perceptions of sound quality are so very dependent on one's own preferences and most importantly one's own ears. I do have particularly sensitive ears though, an advantage in some situations but a disadvantage in others.