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So, the headphone out on my iPod Touch is going bad (left channel cuts out unless you apply pressure to the plug in a certain way) so I'm in the market for a new DAP. My first choice is the HM601, but my only concern is that it's too thick, almost twice as thick as an iPod, which would be cumbersome for me to carry in my pocket. The iMod looks nice but it's out of my price range ($250 for the mod + the cost of the actual iPod as well as the overpriced LOD cables). I could try and find a new iPod 5.5g (where would I buy this?), or I could also get a current-gen iPod Classic. The Classic's extra space would be nice, but if the sound quality is much worse than the 5.5's (because of the different DAC) then I'll pass on that. I'd prefer to get something with physical buttons, not a touchscreen, so the J3 and T51/S:Flo 2 are out. Custom EQ, FLAC, and Rockbox aren't too important to me. As for battery life, 8 hours or more would be optimal. My iPod Touch's battery is just fine, and I usually only use it for about 6 hours a day between charges. Expandable storage with an SD card is nice but not necessary.
 
Any suggestions?