[mdmania]

Folks,
The other day I went to CompUSA and played around with Ipod that they have there. The part I fell in love with the unit is the ease use of navigating. The sound was alright, I still prefer my Zen Xtra. So if it wasn't for the zen xtra's sound, I would have exchange my zen to ipod in a hearbeat....oh well, that was close.

Thanks!

 

[blessingx]

Have you heard them side by side? Just asking as it seems everyone is propagating a select few opinions that the Zen (and be extension the related) sound superior to the iPod. I'm not saying that's not the case or anything (output specs may help the argument), put it seems weird that it's been almost universally accepted that this is the case.

 

[clutch]

Also, was the new one running the 2.1 firmware? It probably wasn't, and software update warmed up the sound quite a bit, plus boosted the average volume during playback.

One more thing, having the same files (type, bitrate, etc) and headphones should be mandatory for comparison purposes.

 

[mdmania]

As much as I hate to admit. Yes the Ipod had a good feel to it.
But I think it might be a little to sensitive because of its touch screen menu type thing. It is way easier than the zen. Inspite of all that I still love my zen xtra. Now on with the Karma, maybe.

 

[SpoonMan]

the touch sensitive buttons take a bit of gettin used to...I personally didn't care for them at first but I really like them now. I own both a Zen 2.0 and a 30Gig iPod...with the 2.1 FW on the iPod the SQ difference between the two of them is negligable at best...I couldn't tell the difference. I don't consider myself an audiophile, in fact I don't think I'll ever use that word in respect to myself...but I am rather picky about my music, and only listen to mp3's which have been encoded properly. To each his own, I love my iPod though, it'd take a lot to get me to go back to my Zen.

 

[mdmania]

I think it comes down to matter of preference of the individual.
I think the advertisement on TV sometimes work. I've seen Ipod being advertised too much lately. I think maybe because Apple can afford the advertisement campaign. Creative feels that they don't need it. It just comes from a word of mouth or internet.

 

[blessingx]

That may have a lot to do with their greatly different marketshares.

 

[ProFingerSk8er]

ya...i agree the ipod is very tempting once u feel it with your hands, but i dislike the use of touch-sensitive button, when the remote it comes with is pretty useless, that force me to control from the unit, and with touch sensitive buttoms, hold button must always be on when i put it in my pocket

 

[SpoonMan]

Quote:

Originally posted by ProFingerSk8er ya...i agree the ipod is very tempting once u feel it with your hands, but i dislike the use of touch-sensitive button, when the remote it comes with is pretty useless, that force me to control from the unit, and with touch sensitive buttoms, hold button must always be on when i put it in my pocket

I carry my pod exclusively in my pocket and never use hold....

 

[bangraman]

I have 2.1...


...And I'm still using the NJB3 as the player of choice. And not just because a single charge on the two batteries lasted for 4 days of travelling with constant shuffling. The headphone output stage is very similar (if not identical) on the Zen.


Having said that, I'm now using the iPod more frequently for when I'm not travelling abroad, mainly because it is too shameful to heave the NJB3 out in public amongst my friends and there are no good alternatives. I've decided to go the fashionably acceptable route and have re-ordered a Powerbook to match the iPod too... I was finally sold by the backlit keyboard on the 15" and 'Panther'.


And yet, having said having said that, I could see less point in the Zen which I had for a while than I see in the NJB3. Yes the Zen sounds better than the iPod, but it suffers from a lack of features/accessories and is considerably bigger than the iPod when considered as a pocketable player. The NJB3 has a whole host of features and the twin-battery capability and given it's sheer size, you don't even consider pocketability.


The touch sensitive buttoms is touch sensitive, not press sensitive.

 

[ProFingerSk8er]

last time when i had my firend's pod in my pocket, it changes volume as i take steps, and sometimes even changes tracks, i has no choice other then turn on hold

maybe it's the material of my pants?

 

[mdmania]

Now that zen xtra has a larger LCD with Blue Backlit, I think it looks more impressive than ever. I know the size is a bit bigger than the Ipod, and has lesser feature. But the zen xtra is easier to figure it out than the Ipod, at least that is how I remembered when I was playing with Ipod from Compusa.

 

[blessingx]

The original Zen's weight rather than bulk was the larger issue to me. You're saying the Zen is easier to figure out than the iPod? That's impressive, 'cause that's really the iPod's strongest feature.

 

[mdmania]

Well, maybe I got use to my zen xtra first, that is probably why.

 

[SpoonMan]

Quote:

Originally posted by ProFingerSk8er last time when i had my firend's pod in my pocket, it changes volume as i take steps, and sometimes even changes tracks, i has no choice other then turn on hold maybe it's the material of my pants?

That shouldn't happen...my iPod won't even recognize touch through pants...