[Milner]

Newbe alert

(long time lurker)

Got a new Zune 80 last night and thought a few here my want to see pics comparing size.

Gallery Here Marc Milner (milspecphoto) : photos : Zune and X5- powered by SmugMug

I will be listening to both today and let you know what I think.

 

[afphreak]

wow, i knew the screen on the zune 80 was big, but that second pic really shows it

 

[luuk]

nice!

 

[GimliLongBow]

It never ceases to astound me just how large that screen is. If it only had a higher resolution! Can't wait to hear what you think!

 

[PeterDLai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GimliLongBow /img/forum/go_quote.gif It never ceases to astound me just how large that screen is. If it only had a higher resolution! Can't wait to hear what you think!

Have you seen the iPhone/iPod Touch's screen? Even bigger and better resolution, to boot.

 

[Csidinim]

I never realized how big it is. The x5 is a pretty average achievement in the slim/compact hd player type last two generations ago yet the zune is not substantially thinner and also larger. !

 

[stevenjchang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you seen the iPhone/iPod Touch's screen? Even bigger and better resolution, to boot.

lol
true that
too bad no HDD, someone mod a iphone/touch with a 80g hdd

 

[4ki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Csidinim /img/forum/go_quote.gif I never realized how big it is. The x5 is a pretty average achievement in the slim/compact hd player type last two generations ago yet the zune is not substantially thinner and also larger. !

Yes, but the X5 *still* kills most, if not all, of today's HDD based players based on its sound-quality. It wasn't really meant to be a pmp if you ask me, rather a very-good-sounding player with some screen functions for kicks. With that said I find the Zunes to be a good all-around player, but really suck it when it comes to the sound's low end. Muddy, but not really a problem for most people.

No word on durability, though the Zunes take a pretty damn good beating. Battery life's said to be better, but not near the claimed 30-hour mark.

 

[Amblin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4ki /img/forum/go_quote.gif "....With that said I find the Zunes to be a good all-around player, but really suck it when it comes to the sound's low end. Muddy, but not really a problem for most people."

At least the Zune has a low end. I found the X5 and its other flashed based brethren to be way too cold and analytical for my tastes.

 

[Milner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GimliLongBow /img/forum/go_quote.gif It never ceases to astound me just how large that screen is. If it only had a higher resolution! Can't wait to hear what you think!

After a day with the Zune, I am very pleased! Sound quality is very comparable, I would give the edge to the Zune though. The sound of the Zune is much mor pleasing to my ear. For reference I have been listen to both via my cx300's....not the best, but decent phones. All music is from my library ripped at 256 vbr mp3. I listened to the same pieces on both players. punk-classical. even started the same song on each and left the iems in my ears and went back and forth from player to player. Used much of the same music I used to decide on my NHT stuff at home. Music that I am VERY familar with. The X5 was running on RockBox and the eq was set flat.

Soundstage was better/bigger on the Zune. Eyes closed it was much more surrounding. The X5 was more directional, more "at" you than "with" you.

Bass was very simlar, the X5 may reach a touch lower, but it is not as tight. The bass was better controlled on the Zune.

Highs were much brighter on the X5. I often use the eq to bring them down because I have always felt it was a little to bright. Sounds much the same as a horn tweeter does to me. Just not my taste. The zune was spot on to what I like. Clean, crisp highs, bright, but not too bright.

Mids were much more open on the Zune. The X5 seems to compress the mid to high mids. The Zune does not do this. The seperation was very good.

Infact the seperation was much better throughout on the Zune. It was much easier to pick out the individual instuments. I heard a few things in some pieces that I have only been able to pick up on my home system and cd. This was the most impressive part of the Zune to me!!

GUI is hands down Zune winner!! And the biggest reason I decided to give it a try. I am continually messing with my X5 and RockBox to get it to do what I want. It is slow making new selections and the menus are somewhat cumbersome. Trying to remember what button does what etc. And then there was the factory GUI if you can even call it that....The Zune is very easy to navigate, has all the features I want, and my grandma could use it! Not as dumbed down as an iPoo'd, but very intuitive. It makes sense. The back button feature is very useful! Just what I wanted, more time listening, less time messing with it!!

Screen resolution looks good to me. Come on it is a 2" screen, do you really need HDMI resolution

I am not a video guy, just want to show off pics of my baby girl

So in the end I switched for simplicity and ended up with sound I like better!! I am very pleased! Both the X5 and Zune knock out all others when it comes to SQ, but to my taste and in my humble opinion, the Zune stands slighty above the X5 in SQ as well.

Flame as you wish....Sound and what is better is a very personal thing, so you may not agree....and that is a ok. But don't right it off because it is a MS product....at least it is not an iPoo

 

[Milner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4ki /img/forum/go_quote.gif I find the Zunes to be a good all-around player, but really suck it when it comes to the sound's low end. Muddy

I really have to respectfully disagree with you here. As I said, the X5 may go a little lower, but the Zune was much tighter on the bass. It was a clear difference on my cx300's. Not sure with a better iem, but there is no doubt to me with my setup.

 

[Csidinim]

4ki, my comment wasn't addressing sound quality or feature set. it was a comment on the physical size which I don't find all that astounding. though the screen makes the body of the player seem small in isolation.

 

[luckypictures]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4ki /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, but the X5 *still* kills most, if not all, of today's HDD based players based on its sound-quality. It wasn't really meant to be a pmp if you ask me, rather a very-good-sounding player with some screen functions for kicks. With that said I find the Zunes to be a good all-around player, but really suck it when it comes to the sound's low end. Muddy, but not really a problem for most people. No word on durability, though the Zunes take a pretty damn good beating. Battery life's said to be better, but not near the claimed 30-hour mark.

Really? I've run a lot of bass tests with my Zunes, and found it to have a rather nice low end. Are you using music or pure noise/sound to test your low end. I have quite a few files that'll help you test it out, and your headphones.

 

[shigzeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4ki /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, but the X5 *still* kills most, if not all, of today's HDD based players based on its sound-quality. It wasn't really meant to be a pmp if you ask me, rather a very-good-sounding player with some screen functions for kicks. With that said I find the Zunes to be a good all-around player, but really suck it when it comes to the sound's low end. Muddy, but not really a problem for most people. No word on durability, though the Zunes take a pretty damn good beating. Battery life's said to be better, but not near the claimed 30-hour mark.

if you mean it is a soft sounding and nice homely sound, then yes, but it is in fact one of the worst for signal to noise ratio. often, players that have poor s/n ratio 'sound beter' as they have more noise to add ambience to the music. if you want pure sound, forget having a warm sound at all. it is completely up to you what sounds good and what does not. the ipod scores techinically better than the x5 in many tests, but it is up to your ears -- if yoku like accuracy, then maybe the x5 is not for you. good luck