Heartland

So I'm in the market for a new one, and hoping that someone can help out with suggestions.

I'm not too bothered about flashy features or gimmicky stuff; phones, cameras, video playing, built-in toilet roll dispensers, that kinda stuff. Just pure honest-to-goodness audio.

Sound quality of the player itself (not the headphones, I'll be using my trusty Sennheisers here) is very important - it needs to be good and clear, solid, and above all neutral - no artificial "monster turbo mega nutter bass" or owt like that.

Storage in the 20 GB area, kinda interested in solid state if possible.

Would prefer something where you can just copy 'n' paste MP3s into a directory structure, without having to go through any horrid proprietary software, although I'd put up with it if there are no other options (hey, I've lived with SonicStage for 4 years now!)

Battery life is important too. My old Sony had 40 hours life, I definitely don't want 5 hours but would tolerate about 20 if need be.

For file formats, so long as it supports MP3 I'm happy.

Price wise I'd be prepared to pay for quality, but don't want to get into silly money territory.

Any suggestions?

mh wrote:Would prefer something where you can just copy 'n' paste MP3s into a directory structure, without having to go through any horrid proprietary software

Not an iPod then.

funny you should mention it, I've been eyeing up yer basic iPod Touch

I'm shallow that way

choose proper disc~man

markfiend wrote:

mh wrote:Would prefer something where you can just copy 'n' paste MP3s into a directory structure, without having to go through any horrid proprietary software

Not an iPod then.

The classics are fantastic though, and I think you can get them to work with other software too, someone like you definitely would

The battery life on mine is so long it frustrates me that I don't get more chances to plug it into my computer, the sound is excellent (I only use it in my car though so not sure how it'll come out on the old headphones) , 120GB at about 200 euros, not bad!

just got a Cowon S9 with a leather case to protect the screen and it's the dogs


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsWpAHsg8iY

a major upgrade for me, you can drag and drop FLAC and play AVI. again drag and drop

dunno if Ipod can do that

*Oh, and the sound is the best there is. no question!!

I'd be inclined to go with iRiver gear - I've had my 40gb player for 5 years, never a problem, plays anything you can throw at it including OgVorbis, condenser and external mic options, accepts WinAmp playlists, and the battery life is excellent. Headphones suck, mind, but since I moved to Bose's in-ear types I've been a happy happy bunny.

paint it black wrote:just got a Cowon S9 with a leather case to protect the screen and it's the dogs


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsWpAHsg8iY

a major upgrade for me, you can drag and drop FLAC and play AVI. again drag and drop

dunno if Ipod can do that

*Oh, and the sound is the best there is. no question!!

Oooooh, me see shiny thing, me want!

it's not a Apple 'tho...

my religion won't allow me to stray

Got a lush black iPod that plays TV shows and has 120G storage for about £140 and I love it. I can see why you might want something cheaper but having had one of the original iPods I can't imagine owning anything-else.

James Blast wrote:funny you should mention it, I've been eyeing up yer basic iPod Touch

The missus bought me one for my birthday and I abso-fucking-lootlly love it!

Music, games, wi-fi surfing!!

Love it!!

I'm sold!

will she buy me one?

nice tae see ye about Jez

I am always here, James, I just haven't had much to say recently!!

Obviousman wrote:The classics are fantastic though, and I think you can get them to work with other software too, someone like you definitely would

Well yes. My iPod (iPod photo, 60G, about 5 years old now) and Kerry's iPod nano both just work with Rhythmbox on Linux. Neither even needed any tweaking, just plugged in the USB and they popped up straight away.

I think that you need iTunes for the iPod touch though (I may be wrong).

Cheers y'all. I went for the Cowon S9 32 GB model, cos it's getting good write-ups on audiophile geek forums, and looks pretty damn sexy with it. I'm just so shallow.



You may continue talking about iPods.

James Blast wrote:funny you should mention it, I've been eyeing up yer basic iPod Touch

I'm shallow that way

I enjoyed the two weeks I had mine before it was half inched. Planning to replace it as soon as funds will allow

Have no idea what anyone is talking about...Any room in this world for luddites where who kind of miss the time when all you had to do was press play?

abridged wrote:Have no idea what anyone is talking about...Any room in this world for luddites where who kind of miss the time when all you had to do was press play?

magli tapes and dodgy gigantic portable cassette players with silly flashing lights and michael jackson's beat it on full thrust..that's life!

eh, ar Michael... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKuqOjdN ... re=related

Ah even the portables were always a bit new fangled for me. Never really approved of anything that didn't have a stylus or moved! Much like phones really, they were much preferable when they didn't move or you couldn't write with them and there was such a thing as silence or even conversation on the way home...Am a complete hypocrite of course but still...

abridged wrote:Ah even the portables were always a bit new fangled for me. Never really approved of anything that didn't have a stylus or moved! Much like phones really, they were much preferable when they didn't move or you couldn't write with them and there was such a thing as silence or even conversation on the way home...Am a complete hypocrite of course but still...

I never owned a cell phone - until I was hired by a company that was developing cell phone software...

Would prefer something where you can just copy 'n' paste MP3s into a directory structure, without having to go through any horrid proprietary software

Some time ago a mate wanted to copy some MP3s from my computer on his Ipod shuffle. It didn't worked because this crappy, expensive little device can't be handled like a simple usb storage drive. Well, finally he left without the stuff he wanted^^

I think this feauture is a must have these days.

DocSommer wrote:

Would prefer something where you can just copy 'n' paste MP3s into a directory structure, without having to go through any horrid proprietary software

Some time ago a mate wanted to copy some MP3s from my computer on his Ipod shuffle. It didn't worked because this crappy, expensive little device can't be handled like a simple usb storage drive. Well, finally he left without the stuff he wanted^^

I think this feauture is a must have these days.

I'd put it second place after sound quality.

I woulda put up with having to use software to transfer, but it's such a royal one to have to install it at home, install it in work (which I really shouldn't be doing, but, y'know, what's the point in having admin privileges unless you can abuse them a little....), and anywhere else.

Nice looks, 32 Gigs of solid state storage, fantastic format support, and an API so I can get all geeky and write programs for it were the final deciding factors in going for the Cowon.

Pity about the name though. Mooo-ooo-oooo!