What's your MP3 player?

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by titanloversinceday1

I have the 40 GB Creative Nomad Zen Xtra and it beats the crap out of Ipods in sound quality and price. The only advantages of the Ipod are that there are integration adapters that tie into Alpine HU and they do look cool. But if you plan on using it a lot, in two years the Ipod will be useless as you can't replace the battery as you can in the Creative products. I stress that the sound quality of the Zen in noticably better than the Ipod! In car/house comparison through high quality amplification. Plus you can get 40 GB storage for price of 20 GB of Ipod. Either way it is a personal preference.

I think you have a few "facts" incorrect. I have an original 5G ipod (like bought it the first month they came out years ago). Works great, a little beat up from all the use (riding, running, in the car, in the office) but no battery issue.

As far a sound quality. There are two things that affect this. Type and bit rate of encoding and sound circuitry. The iPod has been constantly reviewed as having very good circuitry (even by some of the audiophile press). As far as encoding this is user selectable for any ripping you do yourself and is 128 Kbps adaptive AAC for the music store. So without more specifics on what you are comparing this is not a valid statement. I rip my CDs at 196 Kbps AAC since I like high quality music but I find no discernible difference between this and the music store unless I am running my high end D/A convertor and a good set of monitors. If you are a audiophile you might want to use AIFF, but this is your choice and in the end has nothing to do with the iPod hardware. So I would strongly argue that the iPod has sound quality that is as good as your Nomad and the battery is a non-issue.

From Stereophile:
"Best of all—and, to my ears, completely indistinguishable from the original CD—was AIFF. Dynamics were impressive, imaging was nuanced and detailed, and the frequency extremes sounded extended and natural. On my reference rig, I could listen with immense pleasure for hours on end to files ripped in AIFF. In fact, I did."

References:
Stereophile IPod Review 2003

[titanse05]

My personal test: New 20 GB Ipod vs. 40 GB Creative Zen Jukebox at same bitrate, same .mp3 file, same home system, and same car system. The Creative was cleaner period. The Ipod batttery will wear out if you use it a lot...just like cell phone batteries wear out over time...my point was that you can't replace the battery without voiding warranty in a Ipod.

The Ipod is very well marketed, but overhyped and overpriced IMO. My buddy returned his 20 GB Ipod for a 60 GB Creative after we tested them against eachother. Just my two cents........

The Ipod does definetly look cool, but the acc. cost too damn much. The Alpine interface is pretty cool but for $100, plus buying one of there top-of-the-line HU ($400+) Not worth it....

Anyway, all of the players on the market are better than lugging hundreds of CDs around, all sound the same when listened through headphones. Enjoy!

[mtofell]

Couple questions... I have no other Apple products can I still use an Ipod? Also, what do I need to do to be able to navigate through the player with my steering wheel control? Thanks for any info!!

[bestatchess]

"I have no other Apple products can I still use an Ipod?"

Yes, you can connect it to a PC to load songs.

"Also, what do I need to do to be able to navigate through the player with my steering wheel control?"

You need something like this:

http://www.apple.com/ipod/bmw/

http://www.ipodlounge.com/ipodnews_c...=P5443_0_7_0_C

But I'm not aware of anything currently available for the Titan.

[mtofell]

I have an iPod (absolutely love it) and now just got the Alpine interface so I get control at the head unit (and steering wheel), text display and it charges the iPod.

I just found this on the first page of this thread from Geoff.... I am curious specifically what Alpine product this is.... also, do I need one of these and an ipod or is it an all in one unit..... thanks

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by mtofell

I just found this on the first page of this thread from Geoff.... I am curious specifically what Alpine product this is.... also, do I need one of these and an ipod or is it an all in one unit..... thanks

I think you need the Alpine Ipod interface and an Alpine Head Unit

http://www.alpine-usa.com/products/l...h_kca-420i.htm

[TITAN MAN]

Archos g mini 20 gig hd. $120. Very GOOOOD

[falchulk]

Originally Posted by titanloversinceday1

My personal test: New 20 GB Ipod vs. 40 GB Creative Zen Jukebox at same bitrate, same .mp3 file, same home system, and same car system. The Creative was cleaner period. The Ipod batttery will wear out if you use it a lot...just like cell phone batteries wear out over time...my point was that you can't replace the battery without voiding warranty in a Ipod.

The Ipod is very well marketed, but overhyped and overpriced IMO. My buddy returned his 20 GB Ipod for a 60 GB Creative after we tested them against eachother. Just my two cents........

The Ipod does definetly look cool, but the acc. cost too damn much. The Alpine interface is pretty cool but for $100, plus buying one of there top-of-the-line HU ($400+) Not worth it....

Anyway, all of the players on the market are better than lugging hundreds of CDs around, all sound the same when listened through headphones. Enjoy!

Hmm, my dell 20 gig is a rebranded creative zen 20 gig and it has a sealed battery as well.

[titanse05]

Originally Posted by falchulk

Hmm, my dell 20 gig is a rebranded creative zen 20 gig and it has a sealed battery as well.

Mine does in fact have a removeable battery. Thats one of the reasons I bought it, I use it everyday at work and charge it up every other day. I seen the Dell Jukeboxes and I thought they looked a aweful lot alike. But the batteries are removable on all on Creative players.

MP3 players rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!