So how do you like the Zune 80? - Page 6

Yes, the Zune 30 used a Wolfson 8978G audio processor.

More listening impressions please!

I know my Zune 80 is happy!

hi serpico, what is the reg hack you mention? is it the same hack that MatthewK had tried? i've read on different blogs that it isn't always successful, and that some people had major problems with the Zune crashing after transferring files with the hack. however, these may be completely different hacks.

i have a Zune 8gb, and just sold an iPod Nano 2g. i'm pretty happy with the improved sound quality and the Zune's interface/firmware, but the Zune desktop SW is AWFUL. juding by the UI and functionality, i'd say it was designed for teenage girls. still, this would be fine if MSFT gave us other options and didn't use such a proprietary system.

all my music is managed with J. River, and i've spent a lot of time tagging it and adding cover art. my favorite albums are in FLAC, APE and MPC format. the Zune SW fails to recognize these formats whatsoever which is a complete PITA; it doesn't seem so easy to edit tags on your Zune with the SW either; if you have it automatically import folders of music, it doesn't recognize folder.jpg coverart like WMP does; i can only imagine what navigating through a collection of a thousand albums would be like in this SW.

i could literally go on and on and on about how disappointed I am with the SW as it does not incorporate a single useful feature for me. as you can see, i'm pretty frustrated at this point. i'd love to find a workaround, and i hope one does come soon.

mojolo: I agree, the Zune's software SUCKS! I would have been perfectly happy with it acting like a USB Drive and dragging and dropping the files in separate directories. I suppose they try to prevent this because of piracy or something. Whatever, it's a major annoyance, plus you can't store files on it which is a great convenience with other MP3 players, especially if you're a student.

Still, the number one reason I returned mine was no EQ at all and the shrill high frequencies that hurt my ears.

When it's hacked to run Rockbox or something similar, then I might re-consider re-purchasing it. That's more likely to happen than Microsoft fixing the problems. They've already publicly stated that adding EQ isn't possible because "the hardware isn't there for it."

well, looks like the two threads mentioned below provide instructions on the USB Drive reg hack:

ZuneMods.net :: View topic - Hack MOds and Firmware 2.0

i will try this at home tonight.

MatthewK, where did you buy/return your Zune from? Did they charge you a restocking fee for having opened it?

I purchased my 8gb model from CC. Thinking about returning it and buying a Sony from Amazon.

Equivalent Sound?? 30 Gig/ 80 Gig?? No EQ??

This is a question that I have. I updated the firmware on my Zune 30 and like the sound. I never did use the EQ. Does the Zune 80 gig have the same sound as the Zune 30 (no EQ) with the updated firmware?? I will be getting the Zune 80 for Christmas as a gift. I never actually sat down and thought whether the new firmware on the Zune 30 had changed the sound of the player. Thanks for any thoughts on this.

yeah but it seems that many users here prefer sq effects. like, why cowon is so popular as it is known for sq when using filters such as eq and super triple bass etc. if the zune sounds good, it may not be popular as it is without all those enhancements. a large portion of headfi is not about the fi but the head.

we are one of the largest sound-related websites in the world meaning we have true hi-fi enthusiasts and audio purists and people who just want bang for buck and those who don't fit any niche at all.

i have been one of the dumb ones here buying at impulse players that were recommended by representatives from some of these grups (i own the d2 and the meizu m6). Both are purported to be great sounding but the d2 is painful to listen to for long times and gets very conjested with complicated musical passages.

if you want to know that something sounds good, listen and see if it suites your taste. believe me, there are some of us here who find the ipod to sound great (latter revisions). most players fall into technically somewhat similar specs though the internals may be different. when connected to machinery, few offer separation above 84db though they claim 90db. it is good that companies like microsoft and apple have sort of kept a hands off approach when dealing with specs as they mean nothing as they pass from the dac to the output stages.

i am sure the zune will sound good - i am looking into the 4gb player as a mostly portable source. hopefully they will be in stock in my local big box store in the next few months. but... have they even been marketed outside of the usa?

I'd so love to get my hands on a Zune if I head over to america sometime

mojolo: I purchased it around midnight at Walmart (only place open within 100 miles, LOL). They didn't give me any trouble returning it.

Norman Hunter: The Zune 80's sound has been "tweaked" by Microsoft. This is one of the reasons they give when asked about the lack of EQ. I haven't personally listened to the Zune 30, so I can't give a direct comparison, but judging from things I've read it is a little bit different. (Also, for those who don't know, the Zune 30 DOES have EQ strangely enough.)

I have to agree with you there. I was very disappointed with what the D2 did SQ wise.

To each their own I say. The Zune isn't for everyone just like the iPod isn't for everyone. That's the beauty of selection and choice we have in the market.

The Zune software is nice though it has its bugs. It's not for advanced users like iTunes to make it easy to edit tags within it. But the more I use it, the more shortcuts I find. To edit a tag for example, you select the song, right click to properties and the file path is in red. Click that and Explorer opens up to show you the location of the song file and then you can edit from there. Sure it's not in the software but in Explorer but whatever, I just want the most important tags to be correct and album art.

Let's give it some time to see what the team will update in the future.