Tell me why I should buy an iPod over an MP3/MP4 player

Fifer

tomstickland wrote: »

Subjective opinion of sound quality is a very odd thing. I've never understood why hi-fi mags don't bother running some test discs through with various sine waves or whatever and analysing what comes out in terms of waveform. ie: conduct a proper frequency response analysis. Instead that use adjectives that don't mean anything.

As an engineer, it pains me to say it but the problem with objective testing is what to measure. An amp can reproduce a sine wave over a given frequency range to a high degree of accuracy, but still perform poorly reproducing music. Complex audio spectrum analysers can give a reasonable prediction of fidelity, but even then, sound quality is a complex combination of simultaneous parameters, of which the ear and brain are much better at judging than instrumentation.

The most trustworthy magazine tests provide a combination of bench test and listening results, in an attempt to provide a level of objectivity, but my view is that measurements are better at predicting poor quality than good. It's hard to convey subjective listening experiences in text, but listening is a very subjective experience. That's why, whatever the magazine review says, the best test is to listen yourself, before deciding what you like the sound of.

Marty_J

baby_fuzz wrote: »

itunes is an abomonation.

Why?

Personally, I think it's one of the best pieces of software I've ever used.

baby_fuzz

Marty_J wrote: »

Why?

Personally, I think it's one of the best pieces of software I've ever used.

1. I'm constantly trying to find something and failing.
2. If I use iTunes, I can pretty much say goodbye to using anything else on my computer.
3. I try to download upgrades, thinking they might be better, but it just keeps craching instead - no matter what route I try to upgrade.
4. The iPod/iTunes keeps on unmarking my podcasts as 'listened to', which means I'm just collecting loads of podcasts that I;ve listened to already on my iPod.
5. The bloomin thing takes an age to sync.

...
I could go on...:p

covlass

I love my ipod touch !!!
You can have different playlists depending on your mood
Put ome photos' on it no more photo's in my bag or purse
I put appointments in there
Use the internet
games
great when going on long haul flights can watch a film
can doenload all sorts of free stuff for the ipod does everything apart from make calls!

Marty_J

baby_fuzz wrote: »

1. I'm constantly trying to find something and failing.
2. If I use iTunes, I can pretty much say goodbye to using anything else on my computer.
3. I try to download upgrades, thinking they might be better, but it just keeps craching instead - no matter what route I try to upgrade.
4. The iPod/iTunes keeps on unmarking my podcasts as 'listened to', which means I'm just collecting loads of podcasts that I;ve listened to already on my iPod.
5. The bloomin thing takes an age to sync.

...
I could go on...:p

I experience none of those problems, though (unsurprisingly) I do think iTunes runs better on a Mac then a PC.

You should try Sony's SonicStage, and then get back to me. I used to have to use it for my Minidisc player, and it's easily the worst piece of software I've ever used.

Fifer

Marty_J wrote: »

You should try Sony's SonicStage ...

That was uncalled for!

BigEd_2

baby_fuzz wrote: »

1. I'm constantly trying to find something and failing.
2. If I use iTunes, I can pretty much say goodbye to using anything else on my computer.
3. I try to download upgrades, thinking they might be better, but it just keeps craching instead - no matter what route I try to upgrade.
4. The iPod/iTunes keeps on unmarking my podcasts as 'listened to', which means I'm just collecting loads of podcasts that I;ve listened to already on my iPod.
5. The bloomin thing takes an age to sync.

...
I could go on...:p

Sounds like you have other computer problems, as I suffer with none of this. Although if your having trouble finding tracks its probably because your tracks are missing the right tags, i spent a good few hours sorting mine out before i could get I-tunes to be worth while

I use one because it offers brilliant value for money - 120gb for 170 pounds. In fact there isn't anything else where i can have all my music on it! It's very nice to be able to take your whole collection with you.

I also have a mk1 I-pod Shuffle that just refuses to die despite the huge amount of abuse i have given it of the years!

Agreed the headphones suck big time though!!

baby_fuzz

BigEd wrote: »

Sounds like you have other computer problems, as I suffer with none of this. Although if your having trouble finding tracks its probably because your tracks are missing the right tags, i spent a good few hours sorting mine out before i could get I-tunes to be worth while

I think we'll have to agree to disagree! I work with computers a lot, and this one is a freshly-installed, clean box. All other programs work absolutely fine!:rolleyes:

I feel that there are many more players out there with more functionality, more storage space, easier software/interface for much less money. With apple, you are paying for the brand.

But, having said that, the scroll wheel was/is a good idea, and the fact that so many people have got an iPod must mean that theya re doing something right!

Perhaps I just like to go against eth flow?!?!? :rotfl:

Marty_J

baby_fuzz wrote: »

I feel that there are many more players out there with more functionality, more storage space, easier software/interface for much less money.

That's quite a long laundry list of features.

What mp3 player has more functionality, more storage space, easier software, a better interface, and costs less than an iPod?

michaelro

Marty_J wrote: »

That's quite a long laundry list of features.

What mp3 player has more functionality, more storage space, easier software, a better interface, and costs less than an iPod?

Archos