Oh woe is me. It appears I have dropped my 160gb Ipod classic while on a walk in the peak district. Its performance was getting a bit eccentric in the last few months, but I am already suffering from withdrawal. I need something with at least 100gb capacity. A quick trawl around the web, leads me to 3 possible replacements, each of which has slots for SD cards and can play lossy and lossless files.
(i) A FiiO – probably a X1 would do.
(ii) The Sony NWZA-15 A looks good, especially as it has 50 hours playback off a charge.
(iii) Or maybe a AGPtEK Imp. Which at less than £60 seems too good to be true.
Anyone got any advice or recommendation? To be honest, I am not in the market for something too upmarket like a Cowon.
It’s always awful trying to recommend audio products as we all have different ears, likes and dislikes but, that said, I can tell you about the Fiio x3ii (£159 from Amazon UK). I, too, had to face a broken iPod Classic. I looked at the X1 and the Sony but never got to hear them. The reviews for the Fiio x3ii said it had some high grade audiophile components and were all generally favourable. Having got one I can say it sounds superb (in fact, amazing through some Beyer Dynamic T51p headphones). Bit of an eye-opener compared with the iPod.
However, the interface is far more rudimentary than your usual Apple devices and the scroll wheel doesn’t have the same quality feel as an Apple product. However, it’s great to be free from iTunes. To add music to the Fiio it’s just a case of drag and drop. I had grown to hate iTunes anyway so started organising my music library with Foobar and Mp3Tag. Provided you tag your files reasonably the Fiio can handle anything you throw at it and in most formats (even DSD). The text on the screen (especially at my age) can be quite small.
I would have to say I love it more than my iPod but beware the price of £159 doesn’t include the SD card and there is no on board memory. I’ve started using it not only out and about but as a replacement for my PC’s audio card and, in that context, it’s also superb.
All in all a hearty recommendation. But, as I said, I never actually tried any of the other devices..
I bought a Fiio X1 after my iPod 80gb Classic passed on just over a year ago. Recommended by @fentonsteve on here and it’s been phenomenal. Sounds brilliant, expandable capacity with the SD slot too. Interface slight clunky compared to the iPod but a small price to bear. Currently have a 64gb card in there but assuming there’s no problem running a 128gb card.
£99 a year ago. Best £99 I’ve spent.
Yes. I bought an X1 (£99) for my wife and an X3 II (£159) for me (I wanted the line out to connect to my PA system). Both will take a 128GB micro-SD card.
There’s nothing between them if you’re not bothered about the solid-metal case and a handful of extra features.
I also bought a Fiio M3 for odd-jobs, to replace the Sansa Clip+ which went through the washing machine. Avoid – it is distinctly mediocre.
If you want the touchscreen, Fiio do one or try the Sony as per Chris below.
I have the higher end Sony and it’s fantastic so my recommendation would be the NWZA-15.
My main reason for buying the Sony was that I wanted a hi resolution player. I love my iPod but Apple have fallen behind on lossless / hi res music. The other factor was that the interface on the Sony is good – the specs on the FiiO look good but I still feel it’s a bit clunky.
I do feel that Sony have their “mojo” back these days with their portable players – back the their halcyon days of being the Walkman pioneer.
Someone help out the ignorant here.
All my music is on iTunes. If I get (say) the Sony, does the quality of what I hear improve! And if so, how does that happen?
The hi-res players won’t turn your lossy AAC files into lossless (actual CD quality) but the audio playback hardware is much better than that found in an iPod.
You will notice a slight improvement in clarity & bass using earbuds. You can also use proper headphones, which you can’t with an iDevice.
@Sitheref2409
I think I’m with you here. I have iTunes and a classic iPod and ears that are shot. I have absolutely no idea what sort of files I listen to…I suspect it makes no difference these days but I’m dreading the day the iPod dies.
I had a similar mishap with my 160GB ipod, bought a second hand one on ebay which was almost like new.
If you ask the seller a load of questions, check his feedback, and use your common sense, a bargain can be had.
Yes, or you could buy a replacement HDD kit but I would advise against – it would be throwing good money after bad.
You really can’t go wrong with a X1.
Another vote for Fiio here. I had an X3 and two 128Gb cards. The sound is phenomenal – good enough to put through your proper hifi. I binned it though, I just could not get on with the interminable scroll wheel interface, so I am tolerating the ipod for now. The X7 though has Bluetooth and a proper smartphone interface but that will have to wait for Christmas.
I don’t know what you have but have considered your phone? My HTC plays pretty much any file that I throw at it and it takes a 128GB micro SD card. I’ve become a bit of a convert to it from my iPod and like above I am free of iTunes!!!
And if you’re bothered about the audio quality or want to run full-size headphones you can attach a Chord Mojo DAC + headphone amp (£399), which is currently the best DAC on the market.
Stupid question -is either the Sony or the Fiio compatible with an iPod dock?
In short: no. Not many Apple products are, given how many times they change their connector.
The X3 has proper fixed-level line out, or the X1 headphone out can be switched to low level, which can connect to the Aux input if your dock has one.
I have two 160GB iPods, both in good working order and fully stocked with “tunes” and I really don’t know why I keep them any more.
Because this thread has reminded me that I can’t remember when I last listened to either of them.
I don’t jog or cycle or go to a gym and I don’t feel any need to listen to music while walking.
I have a car CD player which comes a poor second to the radio lately when I’m driving.
I have 20-odd well-liked albums on my phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 2) and a good set of earplugs, so that’s what I generally listen to while (infrequently) travelling on public transport these days. Perhaps I should change them sometime.
Both of my iPod classics died recently – dilithium crystals overheated. I looked around for a replacement of similar capacity that wasn’t passing itself off as a high-end audiophile black box or a plastic lapel clip, and gave up. Then I realised that I probably didn’t need that much capacity. Then I looked at the iPod Nano Touch 64gigs, and I fell for it. I can get the core of my collection on it (@192, because 320 is wasted on me, and on most people), plus a changing “give this a try” selection and a movie or two. It’s enough. It’s much lighter than the Classic, a good thing. And it gets a very acceptable internet on your neighbour’s wifi, which is also a good thing (although you shouldn’t covet your neighbour’s wifi). Apart from not being to get ALL my Allman Brothers and Santana and Grateful Dead and Springsteen live boots on it, it’s an improvement on the Classic in every sense.
So that would be my recommendation. Sometimes less is more.
I have an ipod touch 64gb. 5 years old now and still going great. To be honest in those 5 years smart phones have become the norm so the internet connectivity is only used for the tune in radio app but its still nice to have. Its the capacity that works for me. Before that had a 30GB classic style ipod that still works in the car but the headphone socket died.
When my Touch dies (as it surely will) im not sure what to do. Will look at the recommendations here and see.
And shuffle! The Classic didn’t have, and I’m a convert. It’s like listening to the best radio station in the world.
It will surprise you not that I think Shuffle is Evil. Mind you Steve’s 6TB got me going too……
I still don’t understand the need to carry that much music on a device. I can access all of my music on my phone if I have wifi or a 3G or 4G signal. I’m always going to have a phone so it means I don’t have to carry (and charge) 2 devices. I think a decent pair of headphones make a bigger difference than file size and DAC. And the idea of plugging in separate DACS or headphone amps don’t make sense to me either. My iPhone sounds pretty good to me and also lets me listen to Spotify, Amazon Music, BBC Radio Player and Tune In Radio. All of which get used on trains and dog walks.
with me it is simple. I travel a lot to places like USA, India and China, but I am not rich enough to stream 3G and 4G. So I like to have all my music with me for flights etc.
Actually that prompts a thought: I am off to China on Saturday. Anyone know the price of a Fiio in China?
In my limited experience of such things, anything for the export market will cost the same in China as in Europe but without the g’tee. There are bargains to be had on the mainland, if you are fluent in Mandarin, pay cash, and are not bothered about receipts and so on.
You might be able to buy something which cost £99 in the UK for £70. Whether you should is up to you.
Leedsboy you must have an amazing 4g/3g deal or very deep pockets – I think I’ve got 4gig a month but that barely covers streaming a few podcasts a month and general internet/google maps action hence I’m sticking with my old skool iBasso mp3 player -ultimately though I don’t want to play music on a phone…it’s a phone! and I think music is too important to trust to a company that thinks ‘EE’ is a better brand name than Orange. E! E!
I’m a little confused. My 160gb ipod also died recently. On this I kept what I call my ‘permanent’ collection (the best of the best, the stuff that I can’t live without). It’s just one huge playlist. I also have a smaller ipod that I use for specialised playlists and this one seems to be in good health.
So I need at least 160gb capacity, and a mini jack out socket. Capacity is much more important than quality for me. If it sounds as good as an ipod, that’s good enough for me. Which device is the right one for me?
I would suggest X1 + 256GB micro SD, if you can find one.
Cheers man. I’ll look for the 256.
Cheers man. Is this the thing?
That’s a fake. My 128GB cost about 35 quid. This is real (only 200GB)
But… closer inspection of the X1 spec suggests 128GB max. Whether this is would be increased in a firmware update isn’t easy to ascertain – check with the UK importer EA Audio.
Sorry to be a dim auld git. How can it be fake?
The price is too good to be true; should be over £50 judging by the competition. Plus SDHC only allows up to 32GB – a 256GB card has to be SDXC.
As for how it can be fake, a couple of the 1-star user reviews give clues; it seems to be hacked so that the device reads it as 256GB.
Cheers mate. Thanks for the warning.
The X5 II (£259) has twin uSD slots for 256GB capacity.
This makes me moist.
I’ve got 6TB in a RAID1 array in my boudoir. Would you like to come upstairs and see my hard drives?
*OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!*
(note to admin – sorry about my mess)
Another Fiio X1 user here with a 128mb card. My ears are past hearing the sound difference, but I was keen to get away from the the tyranny of iTunes, and back to the good old drag and drop interface, plus the ability to handle any file format. I’m not finding the scroll wheel any worse than my old iPod and unlike the latter, the battery lasts for (seemingly) ever. Given the capacity, it’s also very small / light.
YIPEEEEEE
Panic over! The ipod had dropped out of my coat and fallen into a soft nest of woolly hats in the boot cupboard. One hour later, I am still, literally, in a state of post-discovery euphoria.
That said, as I mentioned up there ↑ the battery is going, so in the next year I reckon I’ll be innthe market for a Fiio X1. Thanks for all your advice – much appreciated.
New van, new digital radio but need something to replace 120gb I pod classic that is long dead. Fiio X1 with 128gb card on its way – thanks for the advice.