Better Audio Quality?

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Okay... So I'm finally looking at ditching my Axim (oh Lord I can' t believe I'm doing this) for the 2215. The question is: Is the 2215 as good as the 5500 series audio-wise (specifically is it the same DSP-based audio I hear everyone raving about?).

I'm not buying an iPod. I can't see myself carrying another device everyday, so I'm really just looking for the PPC with the best audio capabilities (volume and sound quality included).

Any help would be greatly appreciated ;-)

[dmy]

I honest;ly can't comment onthe difference in Audio quality..... but I will say that good headphones make a difference.

Also, a friend of mine was lamenting his purchase of an iPOD after hearing my 2215.

Just make sure you take a peek at the 4150..... don't regret not spending that extra $50 for the built in WiFi and a slightly smaller package..... I'm just crushed that the 4150 came out two weeks after I bought my 2215 (although I love my 2215).

Cheers,
D.

[Vincent M Ferrari]

That was my first choice, but the yellow screen issue scares me...

[Dave Potter]

I hear soooo much bitching & complaining about the 'dreaded' yellow screen issue (I say 'dreaded' with a thick, sarcastic tone) that it makes me want to :pukeface2:

Why do people have to scrutinize things to such a nausiating degree???!!! It's such a minor thing. If you look at the screen directly (as you would 99% of the time) there is no problem. It's only if you view the screen at a sharper angle that you notice it - a bit.

To me, it's like complaining about a tiny spot of bird crap on a Porche. The +'s far outweight the -'s. End of story. If the 4150 is your first choice, then stick with your first impulse/impression and go for it!

[Jason Dunn]

That was my first choice, but the yellow screen issue scares me...

I got over it in about a day and rarely notice it any more - it STILL has a very nice screen, even with a slight yellow hue.

[drop]

That was my first choice, but the yellow screen issue scares me...

I understand your concern. I looked at a 2215 and an X5 side by side, the yellow hue is NOT a small problem for me. There is nothing a "bit" about it.

I am also in the market for a another PPC. Seriously considering a 4150.

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Back on the topic for a sec... Is the audio quality of the 4150 the same as the other ipaqs that are so legendary?

[Dave Potter]

There is nothing a "bit" about it.

Don't be so melodramatic.

[Vincent M Ferrari]

I'm begging... Please can we talk about the subject of this post... The audio quality??? I need to know if making the switch is going to make a difference in the quality of the audio...

Thanks :D

[shawnc]

I hear soooo much bitching & complaining about the 'dreaded' yellow screen issue (I say 'dreaded' with a thick, sarcastic tone) that it makes me want to :pukeface2:

Maybe people are complaining because the degree of yellow can be fairly dramatic depending on the unit (it is NOT minor and only viewable at extreme angles as has been described). Just because your unit (if you are an owner) looks fine does not mean they all do.

If the discussion bothers you so much, don't read it!

Sorry vincenzosi. Back on topic, I sampled the 2215 and it sounded GREAT! For me it was an easy decision. I didn't want dual-slots. Size was the over-riding consideration. But if I needed CF, I would DEFINITELY selected the 2215. I can't believe how light-weight this machine is.

[gtmtnbiker98]

The 4150 has better audio output via stereo headphones than my 2215. However, using the built-in speaker, the 2215 is better than the 4150 in this respect. Hope this helps.

In short, the 4150 with stereo headphones is AWESOME!

[tanalasta]

Well as the old adage goes: Try before you buy :) I'm sure you won't have too much trouble finding a friend with a 2215 to listen to. Or even if you go to a big-name store and explain you want to buy a device to listen to mp3's and bring your own headphones/SD card then if your customer service is anywhere near as good as Australia, you should be able to decide for yourself.

Whilst i haven't listened to the 2215, I know most pocketpc devices these days all have excellent headphone outputs (if you're that worried about sound quality you are not seriously considering using the speaker are you???). My toshiba e310 sounds like a good line-out from a CD player... :) However, a good (and i mean good) pair of quality headphones help immensely and if you're unhappy with the sound you can always tweak it slightly using the eq's available on most mp3 software.... speaking of which when is WMP for pocketpc gonna come with an inbuilt equalizer!

[Janak Parekh]

Whilst i haven't listened to the 2215, I know most pocketpc devices these days all have excellent headphone outputs (if you're that worried about sound quality you are not seriously considering using the speaker are you???).
That's only somewhat true. I can easily say that my iPAQ 3870, of all the Pocket PCs I've owned (a 3650, the 3870, a HTC Pocket PC Phone, and the i700) had by far the best audio quality, minimum distortion at higher volumes, and awesome hardware-based treble and bass control. In fact, it was better than my current iPod is. Software mixers, as I mentioned in another thread, are decent but not as good -- they seem much more prone to distortion. The e310 has been considered average when it comes to audio out -- most people describe the sound as a bit "flat". While headphones do make a difference, it's always nice to know what all the parameters are. :)

vincenzosi, as you may have guessed, I haven't played with a 41xx's audio at all. I have played with the 1910's and 2215's, but only briefly. They both seemed decent, but I haven't done extensive enough testing to compare against the 38xx/39xx devices' audio since I don't own either.

--janak

[koro]

My 4150 has noticeably better audio quality than my old Axim X5. The sound is clearer, with richer, fuller bass.

BTW I use a decent set of Sony Ear buds and PocketMusic.

[dmy]

speaking of which when is WMP for pocketpc gonna come with an inbuilt equalizer!

Feh.... who needs WMP when you got Pocket Player from Conduits. Plays all the standard formats and has an equalizer that works on all media types. I encode to Ogg Vorbis @ Q2 and get 16-17 CD's worth of music on a 512Mb SD card. And it's pretty damned close to CD quailty at that encoding..... definitly superior to any analog format (FM Radio, Tape, LP etc...) and you can get FM broadcast quality and probably twice the music if you drop to Q0.

I listen to my 2215 with Shure E2 "ear-bud" style headphones.... these things are awesome. I fly a lot on business and I haven't heard a jet engine in ages. Seriously, I was listening with them last weekend while mowing the lawn, and if it weren't for the vibration through the handle on the lawnmower, I wouldn't have known it was running and they're comfortable enough for a 5 hour flight, not to mention time in the airports on each end.

As for sound quality.... I bought a copy of Keiko Matsui's "The Piano" a couple of weeks ago and ripped it for my last trip..... Track 3, "Whisper from the Mirror", has a bass line that on my 2215 with these headphones you can FEEL the bass vibrating your head (with flat equalization). Now that suprised me..... I can feel it more with my 2215 and E2's than I can on my home theater with dual velodyne subwoofers.

D.

[tanalasta]

Yes i know the e310 is a bit flat... I like it that way (which is why i said it sounded like a line-out). You're right about software equalizers not being all that great but small changes should be ok. Different headphones have different responses and I for one twiddle with the EQ settings to compensate. And also because i'm using sony's EX-71SP earbuds which overemphasize the bass already...

I also use pocketplayer... It's actually a very good program!