Sansa Fuze 8GB First Impressions *UPDATED /w Nano comparison pics*

[sansaguy]

part 2:

can you play video from the memory cards?. Should have asked this question earlier.

[CrowdAds]

[DaHarder]

Originally Posted by nywytboy68

Thanks, gonna' see about getting a 32gb View - I just wonder if the sound is better then the Zen (DaHarder feels so and I see his posts all the time - I've learned to respect his opinion as he's usually on point!!!). You've been the deciding factor and once again THANKS!!!

Thanks, and IMO...
The microSDHC library is so nicely integrated on the Sansa View (and the Fuze), that you're probably very safe to purchase a 16gb View and wait for the 16gb microSDHC cards to surface here in a few weeks.

I'm using an 8gb card with both my View and Fuze, and love them.

[jaylicht]

Thought I'd put some benchmarks up, since speeds are questioned. I compare to the Clip in some places.

3.8 MB/sec to internal 8GB (the Clip is 3.0 MB/sec)
3.2 MB/sec to SanDisk 2GB MicroSD card
It would take about 34 minutes to fill the 8GB portion.

Time to refresh media 1,800 mp3s, 3 6-minute videos, and 80% full: 54 seconds
Time to startup: 5 seconds (the Clip is 6 seconds)

Time to display album art is less than a second when browsing albums. It is reading the folder.jpg file, not the mp3s themselves for art.

[The Little Guy]

Originally Posted by sansaguy

for all of you fortunate ones who have your Fuze..(mine's in the mail as of Apr. 1 according to Sandisk), I have a question?.

Is the db refresh still as slow as on the e200's?

Tips on datbase refresh for Fuze:

1. Since I normally add around 30 songs, I don't even notice the database refresh.

2. Fuze = seconds, e200's = minutes

[jaylicht]

My 8GB and 2GB card are now entirely full and it takes just under 2 minutes for about 2,800 songs, 10GB. I'll have it to 16GB shortly so I expect it will move to 3 minutes then. I don't think I'd ever take this thing beyond 16GB (when and if those 16GB and 32GB cards exist) now just b/c of the database refresh wait. The waits for the 2GB and 4GB will be very reasonable.

Using MSC mode, it doesn't care how many you add. It refreshes everything. TLG: Are you indicating that it will take less time to refresh media if you are only changing a few things in MTP syncing?

[The Little Guy]

jaylicht:
No, I use MSC. I don't use any mircoSD cards though. Maybe that's why yours takes longer.

Just a theory, on microSD cards it refreshes the entire database. Without them, the database refresh might "skip" over what's already on the Fuze, so the time varies depending on what was last added.

I first added 2.5 gbs of music. It took less than a minute for the database refresh. When I add around 30 songs, it only takes a few seconds.

If my theory is wrong, then it should take more than a minute to refresh the database when I add 30 songs/120mbs (2.5gbs/1 minute + around 120mbs/few seconds = more than a minute).

[jaylicht]

I first added 2.5 gbs of music. It took less than a minute for the database refresh. When I add around 30 songs, it only takes a few seconds.

At least for me on the Mac, using MSC, the rebuild time is related to the amount currently on the player and not anything about how much was changed, added or removed. That seems true regardless of whether I'm using a card or not. Right now, I'm at 16GB (my 8GB card arrived today) and I have the whole 16GB about 95% full.

For the 3,878 songs it now takes 3 mins 30 secs to refresh. That's about all I can stand. Still love the value of this whole thing for a flash player since I got my 8GB card through an Amazon vendor for under $60 shipped. I keep all my rock on the internal and all my classical on the card.

[redaxis]

Originally Posted by PromisedPlanet

Folks who have been able to compare the SQ of the Clip to the View have said that the Clip's SQ is superior. So hopefully the Fuze's SQ is as good as the Clip's. ;-) I'll compare when my Fuze finishes syncing!

So hows the result? Does the Fuze sound as good as Clip? I dont have a Clip but i wonder how Fuze compares to it. I have a Nano 2nd Gen, imo the Fuze just sounds similiar to it (which is obviously not stellar)... Could be just me. I also have read afew threads from Head-fi.org says Clip sounds significantly better than the Fuze...

[HipHopScribe]

Originally Posted by redaxis

So hows the result? Does the Fuze sound as good as Clip? I dont have a Clip but i wonder how Fuze compares to it. I have a Nano 2nd Gen, imo the Fuze just sounds similiar to it (which is obviously not stellar)... Could be just me. I also have read afew threads from Head-fi.org says Clip sounds significantly better than the Fuze...

The vast majority of people who have used the Clip & Fuze have said they sound the same, which I think they do, I've only seen that one person on Head-fi maintain that they sound different. What kind of earphones are you using for comparison?

[Skinjob]

Originally Posted by redaxis

So hows the result? Does the Fuze sound as good as Clip? I dont have a Clip but i wonder how Fuze compares to it. I have a Nano 2nd Gen, imo the Fuze just sounds similiar to it (which is obviously not stellar)... Could be just me. I also have read afew threads from Head-fi.org says Clip sounds significantly better than the Fuze...

Hopefully you are using the included earbuds with the Fuze (which are indeed "less than stellar" to put it kindly) which would explain your poor impression. However, with decent phones the Fuze will definitely blow away any iPod. The Fuze is awesome. I have a 4GB Clip and an 8GB Fuze. In terms of SQ, I can't tell them apart and both are excellent.

[sansaguy]

speaking of SQ...I have an e260 and a Fuze and with a good set of earphones I can't hardly tell them apart!

[xan K]

one question: coming from a rockboxed e270, will I hear an increase or decrease in terms of SQ when I make the switch to the Fuze? I usually pair it with a Creative EP-630.

[edit] lol, another question: maybe it's just too early to know, but do you think it could be prone to dust under the screen? I have an e270 and it catches dust flakes under the screen glass like nobody's business. I have to regularly take it apart and clean it inside and it looks like new. but since the fuze doesn't have screws it wouldn't be so recommended.

[HipHopScribe]

Originally Posted by xan K

one question: coming from a rockboxed e270, will I hear an increase or decrease in terms of SQ when I make the switch to the Fuze? I usually pair it with a Creative EP-630.

[edit] lol, another question: maybe it's just too early to know, but do you think it could be prone to dust under the screen? I have an e270 and it catches dust flakes under the screen glass like nobody's business. I have to regularly take it apart and clean it inside and it looks like new. but since the fuze doesn't have screws it wouldn't be so recommended.

Probably an increase, Rockbox improves the sound quality of the e200 series, but you're still not dealing with very good hardware, so in my opinion it basically takes the sound quality from mediocre to acceptable. The Fuze just sound flat out great, relative to other DAPs.

[xan K]

ok, nice!

[neutron bob]

I have all three devices: the Clip, Fuze, and e280v2. All three machines have the AS3525 processor.

Interestingly, the Clip and Fuze sound virtually identical. The e280 has what can best be described as a "meatier" output; it just drives the headphones a bit stronger.

Sound quality is excellent on all three Sansas. Depending upon the day's activities, I float between all three devices regularly.

The power supply is slightly different on the new generation (slim line, clamshell construction) machines, as they use a permanent lithium polymer battery, versus the replaceable cartridge lithium-ion battery of the e200 series. Mt gut feeling is that the output may be current-limited on the newest devices, possibly explaining the slight difference- play time per charge with such a small battery is optimized.

Bob