What about these Creative Jukebox NOMAD systems?
40GB for under $300 and 60GB for under $400.
(Signal to noise ratio of 0.98)
40GB for under $300 and 60GB for under $400.
(Signal to noise ratio of 0.98)
Ipod's dirty little secret
found this funny in the article
About a week later Jobs played host to one of the ''launch'' events for which the company is notorious, announcing the availability of iTunes and access to the company's music store for Windows users. (In what seemed an odd crack in Apple's usually seamless aura maintenance, he did his demo on what was clearly a Dell computer.)
About a week later Jobs played host to one of the ''launch'' events for which the company is notorious, announcing the availability of iTunes and access to the company's music store for Windows users. (In what seemed an odd crack in Apple's usually seamless aura maintenance, he did his demo on what was clearly a Dell computer.)
I think once you have got to 40GB or so, for the normal person a much bigger hard drive is not such a great selling point. Having an integrated package and easy transfer of songs is more important. Itunes and its store are really rather good.
Plus the ipod looks nicer and less fussy than all the other players. As well as that by now its a known quantity and sold in plenty of stores. Its flaws are well documented, but that is much more than you can say for its competition.
Plus the ipod looks nicer and less fussy than all the other players. As well as that by now its a known quantity and sold in plenty of stores. Its flaws are well documented, but that is much more than you can say for its competition.
I'm not considering replacing my Ipod but if I had to I'd get either this or this .so you'd get these rather than get a new ipod? just curious - I've been reading alot about the iriver on cnet and people really seem to love it
also, what are these ogg and aac file formats that people keep talking about - do folks here still deal primarily in mp3s or these newer formats? do you need seperate software to rip something in ogg, or do you just convert exisiting mp3s?
I still use MP3's.
It is usually pointless to try and convert one compressed file type to another.
Another advantage of the ipod is its OS is upgradeable, so if a new standard comes along it can be adjusted to accomodate
It is usually pointless to try and convert one compressed file type to another.
Another advantage of the ipod is its OS is upgradeable, so if a new standard comes along it can be adjusted to accomodate
Originally posted by brennser:No I'd get another Ipod. What I meant is if I had to get something else. A lot of the other players do more, but what the Ipod does it does so well. As I mentioned earlier battery life could be better. Also, one feature that is starting to appear that I wish the Ipod has is a digital audio out on the dock to plug into my stereo as opposed to the standard analog out.
[so you'd get these rather than get a new ipod? just curious - I've been reading alot about the iriver on cnet and people really seem to love it
also, what are these ogg and aac file formats that people keep talking about - do folks here still deal primarily in mp3s or these newer formats? do you need seperate software to rip something in ogg, or do you just convert exisiting mp3s?
I don't know anything about ogg file formats, but aac is just another compression format like mp3, but the Ipod is the only mp3 play that supports it. When you buy something from itunes music store it is in aac format. Then of course you can burn it to cd to be played in any cd player or whatever.
There are more factors at play than signal-to-noise ratio. There's also compression rate and impedence. There seem to be other factors, as well…but I'm getting out of my depth now.
The creative nomad has okay response when hooked up to a stereo, but it's not cd quality, even cranked to the max settings. I've a PD Hercules stand-alone mp3 model that does a much better job of sound reproduction as a home stereo. Good enough for my damaged eardrums. I suspect the ipod would leave me wanting..? But I'm not above trying new things. It's just I'm completely satisfied with the current setup. BTW, I use the nomad pukebox in the car now. My car has lousy cardboard-type factory speakers, so I don't care about sound quality too much there.
The creative nomad has okay response when hooked up to a stereo, but it's not cd quality, even cranked to the max settings. I've a PD Hercules stand-alone mp3 model that does a much better job of sound reproduction as a home stereo. Good enough for my damaged eardrums. I suspect the ipod would leave me wanting..? But I'm not above trying new things. It's just I'm completely satisfied with the current setup. BTW, I use the nomad pukebox in the car now. My car has lousy cardboard-type factory speakers, so I don't care about sound quality too much there.
Originally posted by Dupek Chopra:I use 160Kbps MP3s (middle compression) and the ipod doesnt sound any different to my ears than the CD at moderate volumes. At loud volumes there is a difference, but only if I look for it. It does noy bother me.
I suspect the ipod would leave me wanting..?
Those sluggish compression rates really bother me.
Yeah I'm sure there are setups at home that would sound better than my Ipod into my home stereo, but i'm not an audiophile by any stretch. Plus there's usually so much chaos and other noise at my house with kids dogs wife etc. that it doesn't really matter anyway.
I rip my tunes at 192kbps - and to my ears that sounds much better then 128. I could go higher but then I'd be taking up more room on the ipod wouldn't I? 192 works for me. Overall the whole setup is fine for me sound quality wise. Still haven't found a solution that works well for me in my car and I'm still looking for the perfect pair of headphones. Now i use a cassette adaptor in the car but it's a pain and too many wires..
Dupek….what do you use to plug the nomad into the car stereo?
I rip my tunes at 192kbps - and to my ears that sounds much better then 128. I could go higher but then I'd be taking up more room on the ipod wouldn't I? 192 works for me. Overall the whole setup is fine for me sound quality wise. Still haven't found a solution that works well for me in my car and I'm still looking for the perfect pair of headphones. Now i use a cassette adaptor in the car but it's a pain and too many wires..
Dupek….what do you use to plug the nomad into the car stereo?
The same: a cassette crapdaptor. The home system sound's as perfect as I can manage, though.
Originally posted by chaz:I like Sony MDR-EX71 for in ear headphones. They go right in the ear canal so cut down ambient noise quite a bit. Great if you have a nagging wife or ride the metro.
I'm still looking for the perfect pair of headphones.
If you look on ebay you can get them in white too…. Althought they are about $50.
I love mine.
Originally posted by mark e smith:Yeah I tried those and a lot of people like them but those in ear canal types just don't work in my ears at all. I wish they did. My ear canals have a wierd shape to them.
Originally posted by chaz:I like Sony MDR-EX71 for in ear headphones. They go right in the ear canal so cut down ambient noise quite a bit. Great if you have a nagging wife or ride the metro.
I'm still looking for the perfect pair of headphones.
If you look on ebay you can get them in white too…. Althought they are about $50.
I love mine.
I just ordered a pair of Sennheiser MX500's that are supposed to be quite good, especially for their low price.
Originally posted by chaz:Everybody seems to rave about Sennheiser
I'm still looking for the perfect pair of headphones.
<img src="http://images.somethingawful.com/mjolnir/images/cg09162003/Bolkovr.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://images.somethingawful.com/mjolnir/images/cg09162003/burnt-pixel.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://images.somethingawful.com/mjolnir/images/cg09162003/burnt-pixel.jpg" alt=" - " />
Originally posted by chaz:
Originally posted by mark e smith:Those exact ones?
[qb] Yeah I tried those
Even my wife who moans about ovoid ear canals liked mine. Sharing headphones though, ICK.
Originally posted by mark e smith:
Originally posted by chaz:Yes…the exact ones. They are available for sale in Japan and I got them here .
Originally posted by mark e smith:Those exact ones?
[qb] Yeah I tried those
Even my wife who moans about ovoid ear canals liked mine. Sharing headphones though, ICK.
I really wanted to like them, it just didn't work out for me. I can't get those in canal jobbies in my ear right, and unless you can get a good fit with them the sound will be no good. For most though, they work great.
The company was good about letting me exchange them though. In their place I got these . Not bad, but earbuds are just better for walking around…less bulky, fit in yer pocket etc.
Ok, sorry to ever doubt you. I have never seen anyone one else with them….
I am amazed the store took them back. I got mine off of ebay over a year ago..
I am amazed the store took them back. I got mine off of ebay over a year ago..
Originally posted by mark e smith:reabyddet has them
I have never seen anyone one else with them….