[Thade]

Hey all. While demoing Shure E3 and E4, I found the sound of my 1G Ipod Shuffle to be harsh at times annoying. Not wanting to give up on the Shures, I picked up a used Zen Xtra 30GB and the sound is better, warmer flat and even better with "rock" EQ. I use my portable mostly for working out & cutting the grass so the Zen Xtra isn't really practical for every day use so I'm looking for something a little bit smaller. My 1st choice is the new Zen Stone for size but given the price, I wouldn't be surprised if it has so-so SQ. I don't NEED something super small so I am also interested in Zen V or one of the older models. The 2GB Zen V seems perfect for size, capacity, EQ but I haven't seen any critical reviews on the SQ.

Can anyone make a recommendation? How does the Zen Xtra stack up to today's players?

TIA

 

[apnk]

I read that the Zen V has crappy sound. Also early reviews say that the Stone has better sq than the Shuffle.