Topic: MP3 Players: iPod / iriver / Zen (Read 16275 times)

banev · « **Reply #50 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 13:11 »

VBR rules. Constant bitrates are for lamers only. If you like music, you don´t hurt it!

IronOxide · « **Reply #51 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 13:11 »

I have an iPod shuffle and like it for the most part. The sound is great, but iTunes is abiet silly software. Example, new computer=music has to be recompiled and shit. Computer comes down with the holla back virus and loses all of your music=find it all again because you can't rip it off the iPod.

My friend and cousin have Zens, and while it's a brilliant data storage system, the sound quality is lackluster. I've never met anyone with an iriver, so I can't comment on that.

MilkmanDan · « **Reply #52 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 14:19 »

You can get off te ipod again. There's a bunch of shareware programs that can do it, or just use the console.

JLM · « **Reply #53 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 14:32 »

Quote from: ironoxide887

I have an iPod shuffle and like it for the most part. The sound is great, but iTunes is abiet silly software. Example, new computer=music has to be recompiled and shit. Computer comes down with the holla back virus and loses all of your music=find it all again because you can't rip it off the iPod.

My friend and cousin have Zens, and while it's a brilliant data storage system, the sound quality is lackluster. I've never met anyone with an iriver, so I can't comment on that.

I've heard that in terms of sound quality Iriver is miles ahead of the game. I had an iriver product once, however, and was less than impressed (One of their MP3 CD players. While this doesn't attest to the quality of their MP3 players it was disenchanting.) The ipod is still the best all around player, if only for its accessibilty and ease of use. I can't really comment on the Zen. I'm not a fan of the design.

I personally went with an ipod because I'm a mac user and it's just easier. I don't really have a problem with itunes, with the exception of the fact that itunes doesn't allow disc-at-once burning, so any continuous mix cd's I have don't sound right unless I mash all the tracks into one giant MP3.

Johnny C · « **Reply #54 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 14:55 »

Am I the only one who just wants to listen to the goddamn tunes?

Kai · « **Reply #55 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 14:58 »

Yes. The rest of us are purely into music simply to bitch about bitrate rates.

MilkmanDan · « **Reply #56 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 15:02 »

Yeah. All my songs are just unmodulating white noise, but they are LAME VBR white noise, dammit. I'm not having 128kbps static anywhere near my mp3 player.

Signum_Tenebrae · « **Reply #57 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 15:36 »

Quote from: JLM

I personally went with an ipod because I'm a mac user

I'm so sorry...

JLM · « **Reply #58 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 21:23 »

Quote from: Signum_Tenebrae

Quote from: JLM
I personally went with an ipod because I'm a mac user

I'm so sorry...

Don't be. What's that? A virus? Never heard of it.

objectnull · « **Reply #59 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 21:36 »

Looking at this website http://www.monsternet.org/reviews/zen20gb/page7.php I'd say go with the iPod, it's cheaper and you get 20GB more storage.

Merkava · « **Reply #60 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 21:46 »

Oh yeah, forgot to ask.

What do people think of the Nomad? It's like 40 gigs for the price of the iPod mini, but I KNOW there's some mind-bending catch.

Signum_Tenebrae · « **Reply #61 on:** 12 Jun 2005, 23:04 »

Quote from: Merkava

Oh yeah, forgot to ask.

What do people think of the Nomad? It's like 40 gigs for the price of the iPod mini, but I KNOW there's some mind-bending catch.

The Nomad Zen Xtra 40 gig is what I had. No mind-bending catch. Great piece of equipment.

Just don't drop it like I did.

_grace_ · « **Reply #62 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 04:24 »

there are ads (that diss ipods muahaha) for an 'm-robe'. anybody heard of it? any good?

Faker · « **Reply #63 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 05:44 »

I was lucky enough to be given a 30gb iPod as a birthday present and have to say I love it, but be that as it may if I was recommending an mp3 player to someone, I wouldn't recommend it, there's nothing wrong with it per say, but you can get the same functionality elsewhere for less money. (that said it sure is pretty)

Kelamin · « **Reply #64 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 05:57 »

I know it's not an MP3 player but the new HiMD minidiscs are awesome,
long play time can fit heaps on one disc and you can put pc data on em as well.

Tinjessla · « **Reply #65 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 06:14 »

I dont know about the Zens, but i have an iRiver H320 and i luffs it. It has a lot more functions then the iPod which prove very useful to me (i.e the recording function so i can record sound ideas for animation) and the radio is quite a nice little feature for listening to Radio 4 on zee go.

Gotta admit though, iPods are seriously sexy lookin'. My iRiver is somewhat of a small black brick.

crazybritishsteve · « **Reply #66 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 06:30 »

My friend (who happens to be an apple tech) recommends.............. the iriver, NOT the ipod. In his words 'Dude, it sucks........'

Kelamin · « **Reply #67 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 07:51 »

That's got to be a great selling point, not even one of your techs will buy your stuff!

blindsuperhero · « **Reply #68 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 08:06 »

Quote from: Tinjessla

Gotta admit though, iPods are seriously sexy lookin'. My iRiver is somewhat of a small black brick.

Yeah, the H320s are pretty damn ugly. The H10s are lovely, though

CRASH andor BURN · « **Reply #69 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 10:34 »

I am buying a 20 GB Zen Touch as soon as I gather $250. Great price and I won't look like a trendy kid with an Ipod.

ReverandMaynard · « **Reply #70 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 18:57 »

I've had a 30 GB Creative Zen Xtra since about March of 2004, and it's been phenomenal. The only problem I ever had was with some weird glitch when the battery died that messed up my HD... but the Zen comes with built-in recovery software, so I just reformatted it and *poof* 10 minutes later, back up & running! (Although I did have to reload ALL of my music again)

30 GB Zen Xtra was running for around $230 back when I got mine. I dunno how much it is now, since I really haven't cared to check, but I got it from Best Buy so you can just check their webby for pricing.

Probably my favorite feature about my Zen is that it doubles as an external HD, so I can backup files and music. *glee*

Johnny C · « **Reply #71 on:** 13 Jun 2005, 21:30 »

Wow, see, I've had no problem with the sound quality I've heard out of iPods. Maybe the iRivers are better (sure aren't tryin' to cash in on the name, because you know that wouldn't be the first sign of a quality product). I actually didn't like the sound quality from the Zens I've listened to (one in an audio store, one from a friend) - but the iPods, as I say, sound pretty ace to the non-bit-trained ear.

Baalzebub · « **Reply #72 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 00:33 »

I'm going to attempt to defend the iRiver here. Its early though so this might jsut sound like a pile of gobble-de-gook in the end.

I bought my iHP-140 about a 9 months ago, i was planning on getting a 40gb iPod, they didnt have any in stock, so they suggested I tried out the iRiver, if I didnt like it they would of traded it in for the iPod.

iRiver iHp-140 cost me £280

iPod 40gb (at the time) would of cost me £400.

The iRiver supports more than people think including ogg format. Which i do like, yet not many people use. You can record on to it in either mp3 or wav formats. It has upgradable firmware, the sound quality in my opinion is excelent. Also you can read txt document on it (yet i haven't worked out how or even why you'd want to on a 2 inch green screen)

Yet there is 2 down sides as people have mentioned, its extremely fragile, I have had it freeze on me 3 times since i've had it. Also it seem the reset button is very tempromental, so when it freezes i have to drain the batteries and recharge it again. Also the battery life is just obismal, your lucky to get 12 hrs constant play with it, they claim it has 20 hrs, yet i havent seen it yet.

Beyound those 2 little problems, I'd happily stick to iRiver products..

Thats my 1.1 pence

TheCourtJester · « **Reply #73 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 04:38 »

My preference goes to the Zen Touch. The interface doesn't seem difficult at all to me, and even easier to use than the iPod's. The pricing for a 40GB Zen Touch is way less than the same size iPod and the sound quality is way better ...and my ear IS trained...iPods sound like they have some sort of weird Dolby filter over them. Which, granted, probably DOES sound "better" to people. It probably only makes a difference if you're a real audiophile or like the extra "realism" in vocalsor...something.

BTW ... the Dolby filter is to sound what putting gauze over a lens is to film and photography. It DOES take away the sound "blemishes" but it adds sort of a faded, fake-ish sound to it.

Re-reading that now...I think I'm just insane.

ReverandMaynard · « **Reply #74 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 05:25 »

Quote from: Johnny C

Wow, see, I've had no problem with the sound quality I've heard out of iPods. Maybe the iRivers are better (sure aren't tryin' to cash in on the name, because you know that wouldn't be the first sign of a quality product). I actually didn't like the sound quality from the Zens I've listened to (one in an audio store, one from a friend) - but the iPods, as I say, sound pretty ace to the non-bit-trained ear.

My Zen has had no sound problems at all, although I would contribute any sound problems to the crappy in-box ear-buds that don't actually stay in your ears. I just went by Best Buy & picked up a set of those Street-Style headphones that wrap-around the backside of your head.

Way more stable for when I'm running, and way better sound quality (seriously, those sony headphones crank out amazing sound).

Enyaw · « **Reply #75 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 09:30 »

My penis is bigger than all of yours. That's what we're talking about here right?

banev · « **Reply #76 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 12:16 »

Definitely. And mine's the biggest, as I said, 60GB!

Peter Linfield · « **Reply #77 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 15:29 »

Oh yeah.

Merkava · « **Reply #78 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 15:51 »

Pretty sexy.

I'm looking at the Nomad right now. It seems to be everything I'm looking for. It's also pretty sexy, even if it's kinda big.

insidearaindrop · « **Reply #79 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 19:08 »

This is really funny, because I have been contemplating which mp3 player to get for my birthday, and after doing some research (cnet, pcmag, etc.) I might just go through ebay... but here's a list of reasons:

-zen micro has fm radio + voice recorder + uses playforsure
-ipods only use their own special file... you can't convert it, and it's weird to download songs... and everybody else has one. why be like the masses?
-the iriver h10 has color screen + fm radio +voice recorder
-the iriver h10 series has a really difficult interface, where you can't get to individual songs, but it uses playforsure
-you can't see songs on the iriver h10 without the backlight, and the color graphics are really basic... no photo capabilities
-if you want even more songs, there is a zen 20GB that's black and white, but only sold in singapore. (some guy is selling them in gbp, but his stor name is "szehong68" so you can just search for his name)

hope this helps!

blindsuperhero · « **Reply #80 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 19:23 »

Quote from: insidearaindrop

-the iriver h10 series has a really difficult interface, where you can't get to individual songs, but it uses playforsure

What do you mean? The songs are arranged as Artist -> Album, and to get to an individual song you can a) go to the album it's on (either through the artist, or in the 'albums' view) and scroll down to that song, b) go to the artist, select "all" and scroll to that song or c) select 'titles' and scroll to that song. It's quite simple, really.

insidearaindrop · « **Reply #81 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 19:31 »

but compared to the ipod and zen series, you can't just go to an artist and play all their songs, you have to go to an album first, or you can't just start playing songs randomly. also the controls are on the sides, and you have to press a select button once you scroll to a point.

blindsuperhero · « **Reply #82 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 19:34 »

Quote from: insidearaindrop

you can't just go to an artist and play all their songs

Artist Name -> All -> Play

Quote from: insidearaindrop

you can't just start playing songs randomly

(with shuffle mode on) Titles -> Play

insidearaindrop · « **Reply #83 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 19:37 »

hey, i talked to this guy at j and r for about 5 seconds. guaranteed, he was trying to sell me an ipod, but everything else (www.pcmag.com and www.cnet.com) kept on claiming it was "difficult." have you actually tried using it?

blindsuperhero · « **Reply #84 on:** 14 Jun 2005, 19:41 »

Yes. In fact, I'm using it right now.

_grace_ · « **Reply #85 on:** 15 Jun 2005, 07:29 »

this thread's turned pretty bitchy.

IAmANerd · « **Reply #86 on:** 15 Jun 2005, 18:13 »

I have a 30 GB Zen Xtra and if it was a woman I would give it smooches.

Johnny C · « **Reply #87 on:** 15 Jun 2005, 18:20 »

Quote from: insidearaindrop

-ipods only use their own special file... you can't convert it, and it's weird to download songs... and everybody else has one. why be like the masses?

What is this stuff you say? iPods support a huge number of file types.

Kai · « **Reply #88 on:** 15 Jun 2005, 18:53 »

Alright, so I'm gonna buy a Zen soon enough. However, there's a few little different models. The regular Zen, the Zen Touch, Jukebox Zen somethingorother, Zen USB 2.0 thing, or the Xtra. I'm leaning towards the Xtra at the moment, since on their site it's about 220 for 30 gigs, and 250 for 40, but I just want to know if there's any known problems with it.

MilkmanDan · « **Reply #89 on:** 16 Jun 2005, 08:04 »

Quote from: insidearaindrop

ipods only use their own special file... you can't convert it, and it's weird to download songs... and everybody else has one. why be like the masses?

You need to do better research, as your first two points are straight up lies, yo! Well, that's if I include "it's weird to download songs" as a point, as opposed to some sort of nonsensical extended typo.
Also, you people realise that not liking something just because it's popular is even more retarded than liking something just because it is? Even more. Think about that.
Yeah, so, I probobly wouldn't get an iPod, but my reasons for shopping elsewhere would be actually, you know, based on things that are true.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: MP3 Players: iPod / iriver / Zen (Read 16275 times)

banev

MilkmanDan

MilkmanDan

Signum_Tenebrae

objectnull

Merkava

Signum_Tenebrae

_grace_

Tinjessla

crazybritishsteve

blindsuperhero

CRASH andor BURN

ReverandMaynard

Baalzebub

ReverandMaynard

Enyaw

banev

Peter Linfield

Merkava

insidearaindrop

blindsuperhero

insidearaindrop

blindsuperhero

insidearaindrop

blindsuperhero

_grace_

IAmANerd

MilkmanDan