I’ve read a lot of comments around the net about the superior sound quality of the Clip. What makes the Clip sound so much better than some other audio player? Is it the fact that it’s flash-based? If so, specifically what about the flash technology makes the Clip sound better? I wouldn’t mind hearing a bit of the technical side of this.
It was blessed by Aretha Franklin.
Ahhhh … that would do it! So, Aretha don’t do iPod! 
One of the things I read is that there is certain shielding between the various components, enhancing the sound.
Miikerman, do you recall where you read that?
It may have been at anythingbutipod.com, in its review there. Either there or elsewhere, there also was a pic of a disassembled Clip, and it showed the equivalent of almost heavy/thick tinfoil used to separate the components. But I guess that may be all that is needed.
edit: Found the link. http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2007/11/sandisk-sansa-clip-disassembled.php
Message Edited by Miikerman on 02-06-2008 04:08 PM
This is the first mp3 player without wifi that has such shielding according to the link. I think that’s a pretty interesting observation. It’s just too bad that the other Sansa’s don’t have this quality SQ.
e200v2 uses the same chip and has the same sound quality as Clip.
Some of the SQ has to do with the chipset itself, if you have ever compared laptop chipsets made by Crystal, ESS, and Yamaha, you will easily appreciate the sonic quality of the Yamaha over the others, it’s really noticeable.
Now with high difinition audio codecs improving with each generation of silicon, certainly this technology is filtering into just about every device that plays back any kind of media, be it mobile devices, PC, auto, etc.
I don’t know what the Clip uses specifically but I had earlier posted a Q about what bit the digital-to-audio converter the Clip uses and was told it was 18-bit. Obviously the higher the bitrate of the DAC, the more samples it’s processor can handle and the sound quality improves in leaps and bounds.
Will they ever make a Clip with a 24-bit digital-to-audio converter? One can only wish!
You do realize that CD audio is only 16-bit, don’t you? I don’t think upconverting the audio is going to do anything for quality.
Message Edited by chris1207 on 02-09-2008 01:13 AM
It’s the digital-to-analog conversion that makes all the difference. If the device is capable of making a nice smooth waveform, your ears will be quite happy. The audio driver circuitry must also be able to drive your headphones properly, with little distortion, and the Clip’s new chips (I like that, so far we have discussed clip clips and clip chips here!) do the job quite well.
As soon as I locate an e280 v2 (with our happy clip chips) I will be happy too. I like these chips, Sam I Am!
Time for coffee, my clip. and some more Dr. Seuss…
Bob 
See Skip.
See Skip do flips.
See Skip do flips over Clip’s chips.
Thanks to all for the info here. I need to get out.
@chris1207 wrote:
You do realize that CD audio is only 16-bit, don’t you? I don’t think upconverting the audio is going to do anything for quality.
Message Edited by chris1207 on 02-09-2008 01:13 AM
Chris,
Yeah that’s correct but play an audio cd in a car player that has 24-bit DAC then play the same song that was ripped with EAC and mp3’d with Lame on the same 24-bit car player and listen to the difference!
The same file that was converted to mp3 is crystal clear and sounds absolutely killer, both in the car player and the Clip too! Dunno how this works but it works…
