[london luke]

I would like to buy my first player. I dont like the mac one and love the looks of this new nomad. Also I like creative as a company.

I am looking for the best sound quality and ease of use. I will study and learn about the best file type to use etc etc.. just want help on the harware. Will be using portable amp amd HD600's.


cheers

luke

 

[Canman]

Hey Luke, I have a Nomad Zen and I think it is a great portable player. The interface is easy to use and sound quality is good for a portable. I just wish I could use it as a portable recording device.

 

[blessingx]

I assume you mean Apple iPod from the "mac one", but not sure which one you mean from "this new Nomad" (MuVo, NJB, Zen, NX's, etc.).

 

[skyles]

wait for the rio karma to be released and reviewed before you make your decision.

 

[london luke]

Your talking to a real beginer here!!

the Nomad that I have see here in UK looks like a Titanium /alu Ipod. Slim and simple.

 

[Squibbles]

That's probably a Zen.
I have an iPod right now, but I would love to get my hands on a Zen or Zen NX [The Newest One.. Not Yet Released]. I want the best sound quality possible, and the iPod's equalizer is a huge letdown. That's why Zen and Zen NX are so enticing... they have a much better equalizer and supposedly sound quality. Also, the New ZX sells for $299 for 30 GB!! That's incredible. I paid $400 for my 15 Gb Ipod.. I'm thinking about selling it.

 

[snakage]

I was looking into the Apple iPod and Nomad Zen, and chose the Zen because it was about half the price of the 20GB iPod. Brief overview of what I found and what concerned me:

iPod - noticeably smaller, lighter, and sleeker. Hands down style winner, and the touch-sensitive navigational wheel works like magic. Good OS too.

Zen - Half the price of the iPod, and very good looking, too. Better headphones, if you don't have your own - I use them when I jog or rollerblade cause they don't come off and cause I can hear cars coming and people yelling at me, unlike my Etys. Works with MP3s and WMAs (these really do sound better at lower bit-rates - solid bass and crisp highs at 128bps - can't tell the difference into my Etymotic ER4Ss between this and 192bps MP3s). Compatible with Windows Media Player 9 series - which is a good thing, because Creative's software won't work once you install this (although Media Player transfers noticeably slower than Creative software, and you cannot pull stuff back off of the Zen with it, it's really convenient otherwise as a player and ripper [great CDDB support]). Freezes ocasionally, most notably when plugging and unplugging the USB chord, but easy to reset and never a real bother unless you can't find a paper clip or a staple lying around.

well I spent more time on the Zen, cause that's what I own.

Hope this helps

 

[london luke]

Does the Zen have a line out?? this is a must for me.

 

[snakage]

No, unfortunately it doesn't. Just headphone out, which I use straight into my Total AirHead at 20 (of 25) volume (which seems to be the equivalent of the line out volume on my Sony portable CD player) with great results. I also use the headphone out at max volume into a tape adapter into my mom's Bose 10-speaker Audi car stereo and it sounds fantastic. Actually the bass doesn't go quite as low through the tape adapter but as the bass in that system (now 4 years old) is a bit rumbly anyway I prefer the added low-cut as it results in cleaner bass (and plenty of it none the less). What's the difference between a line out and a headphone out anyways?

 

[SpoonMan]

no line out on the Zen

edit: seems someone beat me to it...

 

[GSTom1]

Quote:

Originally posted by london luke Does the Zen have a line out?? this is a must for me.

No Line out on the Zen. However, the headphone out is really high quality and sounds great. I've used it in a car, attached to a stereo and with portable speakers, and they all sound good!