Just purchased a Zen Extra MP3 Player

raylogic

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:lease:

1st ever forum posting:

Options - 'Cut to the chase' or 'the story'

Cut to the chase:

I have Zen Extra MP3 Player using 'Creative MediaSource' version 2.03.29 audio grabber software, at a compression of 192kb.

Q1 - Is this software getting me the best out of the Zen unit (bearing in mind I am using 192kb and have no intentions of changin this to a lesser compression)?

Q2 - I will be throwing away the supplied in ear headphones, I need a recommendation for a upgrade. Do i go in-ear or headband? Suggestions of model? The zen will be used mostly whilst I walk to & from work (3 days per week, 15 min walk each way, city centre)

What i really want is everything to be balanced, so that the quality of the source recording / zen extra device / headphones compliments each other!


The Story:

Having decided it was about time that I joined the digital age, i spent an evening searching the web for portable mp3 players. As the evening went on and the amount of empty beer cans piled up, I eventually took the plunge purchasing a Creative Zen Extra (60Gb) unit.

Now most of my friends have since made fun of me for purchasing the Zen as it is less than stylish and is very bulky compared to their units, however my argument was that I wanted the biggest capacity so that I could use less compression (plus I have 600 plus cd's). My assumption was that less compression would equal better sound quality (using 192kb)...

3 evenings have passed and I have ripped a few of my CD's onto it using included software 'Creative MediaSource' version 2.03.29. But I am wondering whether the software I am using is getting the best out of my unit??

I also want to replace the supplied in ear heaphones with something better, I am told the the bose QC2 are good, but is there any point buying these for listening of compressed music or is there something cheaper almost as good etc??

What i really want is everything to be balanced, so that the quality of the source recording / zen extra device / headphones compliments each other!

Many thanks for your input
 
On the 'phones front, it depends how much you want to spend.

I spent c.£30 on a pair of Sennheiser PX100s.

The jump in quality is astonishing.

If you want as big a jump again you'll have spend well into 3 figures.

Sennheiser do a pair of 'phones like the PX100s which are effectively the same, but with a noise cancelling facility, and these are considered good value.

So, if you intend to use the unit in an environment where the noise is intrusive, get the noise cancelling jobs. Otherwise get the PX100, or something of similar price/quality.

Steve W
 
Thanks Steve,

I need a set of headband jobbies with noise cancelling then, price is not a governing factor, but i have not got money to burn either.

So the question i guess is:

Best matching headphone with noise cancelling that will match a bitrate of 192kb playuing back on a Zen Extra?

Cheers

Ray
 
I have a set of in ear Sennheiser MX500s and they are really really good quality. If you want in ear - you should consider these!
 
Cheers,

I been recommended by someone on another forum (for mountain bike usage) to just use a set of koss plug in conjunction with some speedo ear caps, reckons does the job of other kit for 1/3rd price and works really well.

So thats the bike application sorted,

need to work on a set of headphones for my walt to and from work now??
 

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