Portable FLAC player

[Carlman]

I am looking for something that's fairly easy to tote around that can play FLAC files and be plugged in/charging while playing.  I have an iAudio M5 but it dies in 40 minutes or so.  I thought about the SB3 w/ usb input but it's very quirky using the usb input.. 

The device doesn't need to be battery operated.  It'll be plugged into powered monitors, Kanto iPair 5's to be exact, which sound lovely with a good source.  I tried my wife's iPod and it kind of sucked compared the iAudio with flac files..

It'll mostly be used in my house but will travel with me to various locations to play music.  It is important that it sound good.

Suggestions appreciated.

[shadowlight]

You can take a ipod and install rockbox (http://www.rockbox.org/) on it which will allow you to play flac files.  At one point I had thought about it but I was half way done in ripping cd's with apple lossless so did not pursue it further.

[richidoo]

Found this in my bookmarks. A little old, but some good leads to follow:
http://forums.cnet.com/7723-7595_102-295617.html

Cowan
Creative Labs
Sony

I have a Creative Jukebox 3. It sounds very good and has lasted 6 years of heavy use. I would buy a Creative again. But the Sony X is very tempting. On my next player I would like to have FLAC, removable SD card memory, FM radio, small, long battery. I think only Creative offers all of that now.

[Carlman]

I have a Cowan now, not a bad piece of gear.. If whatever I get has a battery, it must be easily replaceable... i.e. it's not special order from Japan and/or requires soldering and complete dis-assembly.

Thanks for the tip on Rockbox!  I bought the speakers from Black Sand and I asked John the same question.. and he knew something existed to play FLAC on an ipod.. but couldn't remember the name.

My only issue is the 32G iTouch doesn't seem to work on the Kanto's.. but the little nano or whatever other ipod is called does work.  I think I may have broken something... I've never docked an ipod until last night.  I was fumbly and awkward as I slid it in... I hope she's ok. hahaha

[Carlman]

I got the i-tousche working by upgrading the firmware/software on it.  That'll work for now.  If I could get the iTouch to be a squeezebox, that'd be cool.  I already have it being a remote w/ iPeng... but it's not a player (yet).
-C

[richidoo]

Don't woory, some geek wants the same thing as you and wrote an app.  The hard part is finding it and maybe trying a few.

[bpape]

Problem is that the iTouch doesn't support FLAC format.  Closest would be AAC.  Otherwise, you could use the USB out to something like a MusicStreamer+

Bryan

[manaox2]

You could check out the hifiman 602 player. I'll give you a sansa clip + with rockbox if you would like, but im not a fan of its SQ.