Oh Crap...Bought an iPod Mini on a whim without doing HW

[Eug]

1) Not enough space for what? I have a full-fledged iPod 15 GB, and I'm probably gonna swap it for an iPod mini 6 GB when it comes out. 5 GB is sufficient IMO (but 2 GB is not).
2) It's an iPod (which is great).
3) Sound quality is great, if you get new headphones. This is true with any MP3 player. I use Etymotic ER-4P earcanal phones.
4) My battery works fine (and it's over a year old)
5) It has the best interface, hands down.
6) It's an iPod (which is best looking out there)
7) Who cares about flac/ogg/WMA? I never have, and I never will either.
8) iTunes is the best software, and I have no problems with it on any of my 3 machines.

Choice is great, but personally I think the original poster made the correct decision.

 

[Gurck]

(roughly in order)

My collection's pushing 35gb, I prefer higher bitrate ogg (sound quality is far superior to mp3 at a given bitrate, imo), and the occasional flac rip for my favorite CDs, really eats up space. I stay away from wma for my own reasons, but from what many people here whose opinions I respect and who have extensive experience with it say, it too beats mp3 in sound quality.

The iPod's sound quality problem is only partially mitigated by quality headphones. It has high THD and an attenuated bass response (adds to the meager battery life at the expense of sound quality - more juice is needed to push bass) and a bad EQ.

I'm glad your battery works well after a year, and I hope it continues to; I bear you no malice. If it does, however, keep in mind that one experience is just that - one experience. When looking at overall quality, you need to look at averages, not single examples at random.

The interface is good, it's the only advantage iPods have with no strings attached (the string attached to its small size is the short battery life). However, I (and I would think most people posting to a tech site like Anandtech) have no problems adapting to less intuitive interfaces.

I think it looks quite ugly, like a child's toy, white plastic and gaudy lights... but tastes vary and so this isn't really a point for debate.

As I noted above, I care very much about flac & ogg, and many swear by wma.

Again, experiences will vary, and you can't call something subjective the best or worst... A great deal of people complain of bugginess with iTunes, especially with large collections. You should have a choice, and with any other player, you do. Personally, I don't like hand-holding software, bloatware, or buggy software - 3 strikes, in my book - iTunes is out. I can manage my music faster and more to my liking with a file manager, and play it in a fashion more to my liking in WinAmp or Foobar.

You also made no mention of the price to quality & features ratio - keep in mind the advertising they do - it's not cheap to advertise consistently during the baseball playoffs and world series especially 😉 I think people watch too much TV; in the absence of real knowledge, what do people have to base opinions on but 2 minutes in Circuit City and the ads they see on TV? The sad part, though, is when they are swayed by advertising to the point of not considering other possibilities. AOL and Bose share similar positions.

 

[Eug]

My collection's pushing 35gb, I prefer higher bitrate ogg (sound quality is far superior to mp3 at a given bitrate, imo), and the occasional flac rip for my favorite CDs, really eats up space. I stay away from wma for my own reasons, but from what many people here whose opinions I respect and who have extensive experience with it say, it too beats mp3 in sound quality.

I have a 30 GB collection, but I don't see the need of carrying around all 30 GBs with me.

The iPod's sound quality problem is only very partially mitigated by quality headphones. It has very high THD and an attenuated bass response (adds to the meager battery life at the expense of sound quality - more juice is needed to push bass) and a bad EQ.

Stereophile reviews the iPod (and iTunes)

Stereophile publishes measurements on the iPod
The iPod's frequency response is flat down to 10 Hz. In other words if you're thinking the bass is lacking, think again.

If you really want to push a lot of juice, buy a headphone amplifier. They exist for a reason, and it's not just the iPod.

 

[Gurck]

Which generation is the one they reviewed, and were they measuring the line out or the headphone jack? The iPod's line out SQ is good; it's the headphone jack which is notorious for low sound quality - though if the reviewed 'Pod is a 4g and SQ has changed with the 4g's, they have one fewer convincing reason not to buy them, the number of which may go as low as the single digit range by the 6-7th gen... And if you only want to carry a few gb with you, why pay so much more than other similar capacity players? I don't think Bono is going to starve anytime soon 😉

Edit: Wow :Q Upon reading through that link a bit, I can honestly say I've never seen such blatant brownnosing, I get the feeling some cash exchanged hands under the table... and as if that wasn't bad enough, they have a free iPods ad - yep, that pyramid scam site is a sponsor :roll:

Btw, have a look at this page. It is biased - and toward the iPod, at that - and still puts the things in a bad light. Of note is the line vs. jack response, the answer to my previous question, "Stereophile shows some interesting distortion measurements in their October 2003 issue. These measurements have been performed on the line output, and not on the headphones output." (~1/2 way down), and just above that, the THD figure of 0.42% -- as I'm sure you're aware, the iRivers have 0.04% THD and the generally accepted audible threshold for it is 0.1%.

I think it's telling that a pro-iPod page makes it look mediocre at best, and it's not surprising at all that someone who likes the thing admits that he's not used to high-end audio. Btw, it's an extremely popular page, and linked to regularly from the iPodlounge, even if it doesn't look like much 😛

 

[Eug]

THD figure of 0.42% -- as I'm sure you're aware, the iRivers have 0.04% THD and the generally accepted audible threshold for it is 0.1%.

It's interesting you mention this 0.1% number. Many audiophiles consider a true audibility of THD at 10X this level, at 1%. At 0.1% it is theoretically possible to hear distortion, under lab conditions, with pure single Hz tones only, but fortunately, most still don't, and our music doesn't consist of a single 1 KHz tone or whatever.

I don't know about you, but I have no problems buying equipment (even expensive stereo amps) that spec say 0.7% THD. You'll find that many purchasers are the same. My friends will frequently buy power amps with ratings like that. And they sound awesome.

It's interesting to see the bass response graph though. Thanks for pointing that out. Any measurements on the 4G and iPod mini?

 

[ponyo]

iPod revolution can't be stopped.

 

[brain29]

Here's what I think, and remember it's only my opinion. (ie. i cant be wrong). I have an 4g ipod I bought at the beginning of the semester. I shopped around for quite awhile. I'm not some guy who bought an ipod because of the comercials, and whatnot. I truly thought it was a good buy. I love the interface, the iRiver's is so hard to navigate and that thumb-button whatever is awkward. I also looked at the Zen by creative. Too, big and bulky. I had also looked at the mini but realized that 4 gb is not enough. I wanted to be able to have almost all my music with me so I can listen to whatever I'm in the mood for. I don't want to load my Mp3 player each day with the songs I MIGHT want to listen throughout the day.

Also, with the sound quality, I don't know about anyone else but I dont use my ipod in environments where 0.1% THD is going to make a difference. I am usually on the bus, walking down the street, in my car or in the lab. To be able to notice that good of sound quality, I would have to be using expensive, isolating, noise reduction headphones that I don't want to carry around.

As for iTunes, I have had no problems with it whatsoever. It may be kind of slow sometimes, big deal. It may be a resource hog, but hey what am I going to do with that extra RAM anyways? It doesn't do me any good sitting there not being used. That's what I bought it for, to be used.

In summary, the iPod works for me and I believe that it is one of the best HDD Mp3 players out there.

PS - For those saying "Don't buy it. It's an iPod. or Apple sucks." Dont be so stubborn. Try something new, you might be happy.

 

[DGath]

Originally posted by: Eug
PDAs make lousy MP3 players. If you want a bulky unit that costs more and does a bit of everything, get a PDA, but if you want an MP3 player, buy an MP3 player. And the iPod mini is the best one out there.

Bulky? Axims are roughly the same size as IPods.

X30
L = 4.82 (w / antenna)
H = 0.6
W = 3.0

Ipod
L = 4.1
H = .7
W = 2.4

I don't ever recall the masses calling iPods "bulky." And how do they make lousy MP3 players? Being able to speak to your PDA and say "Play, Beatles, Yesterday." If the next gen iPods had voice recognition capabilities, everyone would scramble to get them. But yet, the next gens are rumored to have photo viewing capabilities. Oh wow, on that gigantic huge res screen, I can look at pictures now? Hold me back.

As you can see in this thread, a lot of people complain about the ipod's interface, aside from the speech recognition, how about having a touch screen with huge buttons on a skinnable interface to be able to navigate around your library? Want to watch TV on it? With a TV tuner in your desktop and a wireless router, do what I'm doing right now. I'm at work, streaming the Chiefs game from my home PC to my PDA at work, and not missing a second with great quality.

I fully admit that for the average person, a PDA might be a bit overwhelming for simply an MP3 player, but the typical Anandtech user isn't your average person and loves tinkering around with stuff like this. If you have the money and need for a new cellphone, go with one of the microsoft based smartphones, which have SD or mini-SD storage capabilities, line out, and every feature available that you could want for a portable entertainment device.

Can you tell I just don't understand most MP3 players because they are way overpriced and way underfeatured. The next Gen ipods are going to have 80 gig drives right? There is definately people out there who have 80 gigs worth of MP3s, but c'mon, that is just a rediclous amount that nobody needs, like I said before, I have a ton of music and I'm perfectly happy having 512 meg SD cards for a few days worth of music.

And finally, an iPod mini? If one of my friends ever got an iPod mini, he'd never hear the end of it. It is just screaming sorority girl. It's the least masculine MP3 player you can find. 😛

 

[Eug]

Bulky? Axims are roughly the same size as IPods.

X30
L = 4.82 (w / antenna)
H = 0.6
W = 3.0

Ipod
L = 4.1
H = .7
W = 2.4

Except that I'm comparing to an iPod mini, which has 4 GB. I'm actually likely going to get a iPod mini to replace the iPod. I find the iPod a bit big for my tastes. For those who want space though, the iPod full-size is great. A PDA would cost a fortune to hold 40 GB or whatever, plus you'd have to deal with a bazillion memory cards.

And how do they make lousy MP3 players?

Having to navigate a PDA OS is not my idea of a good MP3 player. And no, people would not line up to buy voice-controlled MP3 players. If I'm sitting on the bus listening to music, I don't want to speak to my MP3 player.

If one of my friends ever got an iPod mini, he'd never hear the end of it. It is just screaming sorority girl. It's the least masculine MP3 player you can find.

I guess QueHuong (who started this thread) is a girlyman then. :roll: Are you that uncomfortable with your masculinity? 😛

microsoft based smartphones, which have SD or mini-SD storage capabilities, line out, and every feature available that you could want for a portable entertainment device.

I personally can't stand MS Windows smartphones. Usually bulky for a phone, and irritating to use. They are improving though.

 

[DGath]

Originally posted by: Eug

Bulky? Axims are roughly the same size as IPods.

X30
L = 4.82 (w / antenna)
H = 0.6
W = 3.0

Ipod
L = 4.1
H = .7
W = 2.4

Except that I'm comparing to an iPod mini, which has 4 GB. I'm actually likely going to get a iPod mini to replace the iPod. I find the iPod a bit big for my tastes. For those who want space though, the iPod full-size is great. A PDA would cost a fortune to hold 40 GB or whatever, plus you'd have to deal with a bazillion memory cards.

And how do they make lousy MP3 players?

Having to navigate a PDA OS is not my idea of a good MP3 player. And no, people would not line up to buy voice-controlled MP3 players. If I'm sitting on the bus listening to music, I don't want to speak to my MP3 player.

If one of my friends ever got an iPod mini, he'd never hear the end of it. It is just screaming sorority girl. It's the least masculine MP3 player you can find.

I guess QueHuong (who started this thread) is a girlyman then. :roll: Are you that uncomfortable with your masculinity? 😛

microsoft based smartphones, which have SD or mini-SD storage capabilities, line out, and every feature available that you could want for a portable entertainment device.

I personally can't stand MS Windows smartphones. Usually bulky for a phone, and irritating to use. They are improving though.

1) I wasn't comparing the size to an iPod mini, I compared it to an iPod, and I said I don't remember many people calling an iPod 'bulky." It's all perspective though, if you think an iPod is bulky, then you do, but the majority of people out there don't.

2) You don't have to control the PDA through voice recognition, that is just a feature available. It's awesome when I'm in my car and don't want to be browsing through some menus while driving. When I'm in public, I'm obviously not going to be talking to my PDA.

3) Yeah, that is who that mini comment was directed at. Hah, I'm completely fine with my masculinity, the mini is small and cute and doesn't have enough testosterone in it. Kinda like the VW Beetle of MP3 players.

4) Irritating navigation is inherent in most Microsoft and non-microsoft cell phones.

It's just a difference in perspective, I'm just the type of person that was multi-functionality out of my products and I love tinkering with them. Being able to watch movies on plane trips is the coolest thing to me, but there are those out there who wouldn't think it is all that cool. For those, there are MP3 players.

 

[Eug]

1) I wasn't comparing the size to an iPod mini, I compared it to an iPod, and I said I don't remember many people calling an iPod 'bulky." It's all perspective though, if you think an iPod is bulky, then you do, but the majority of people out there don't.

Yeah, that's not exactly a meaningful comparison. You're comparing a 512 MB PDA vs a 20/40 GB iPod. Yeah, I find the iPod "bulky" (and I own one), but it's a necessary evil if want that kind of storage space.

 

[ucjffj]

how does sound quality compare between axim and ipod?

 

[belazeru]

an iPod "bulky" you guys must of forgotten about portable CD and cassette players.

 

[Mday]

dont go jogging with it.

 

[Kishan]

i got a 3G 15GB iPod for $150🙂 i like it.

 

[DGath]

Originally posted by: Eug

1) I wasn't comparing the size to an iPod mini, I compared it to an iPod, and I said I don't remember many people calling an iPod 'bulky." It's all perspective though, if you think an iPod is bulky, then you do, but the majority of people out there don't.

Yeah, that's not exactly a meaningful comparison. You're comparing a 512 MB PDA vs a 20/40 GB iPod. Yeah, I find the iPod "bulky" (and I own one), but it's a necessary evil if want that kind of storage space.

Once again, I'm from the perspective that you don't need that kind of storage. I have a pretty large collection, but I don't need them at my fingertips 24/7.

Originally posted by: ucjffj
how does sound quality compare between axim and ipod?

I have no complaints about the sound quality from my Axim, I will stress though that I'm no audiophile. www.aximsite.com would be a good place for information like that.

 

[topslop1]

It's the new fad to get an Ipod mini. The tasteless morons at my private school all have them. I went out and bought a Dellpod for $200 with 20 gig storage and 16 hours of battery life and a decent sound quality. I win and they lose. It's funny how they look at me like I'm the moron outsider becuase I didn't get buy what the "buzz" was.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: topslop1
It's the new fad to get an Ipod mini. The tasteless morons at my private school all have them. I went out and bought a Dellpod for $200 with 20 gig storage and 16 hours of battery life and a decent sound quality. I win and they lose. It's funny how they look at me like I'm the moron outsider becuase I didn't get buy what the "buzz" was.

Since when is it called a Dellpod?

I guess Apple managed to brainwash you a bit too then, eh?

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: topslop1
It's the new fad to get an Ipod mini. The tasteless morons at my private school all have them. I went out and bought a Dellpod for $200 with 20 gig storage and 16 hours of battery life and a decent sound quality. I win and they lose. It's funny how they look at me like I'm the moron outsider becuase I didn't get buy what the "buzz" was.

Let me know when this fad ends. I have quite a bit of Apple stock I need to sell. 😉 At last count I heard Apple has only sold 5.5 million iPods worldwide. Now how many Gameboy has Nintendo sold? Well over 100 million I believe.