Mercuttio
Key Conspirator in the Quest to Murder Music
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I figured I should start up a new thread about this. Since I've bitten the bullet and this longtime Appleboy is trying a Zune out, I'm going to be writing a review over the course of this weekend. I'll be moving around quite a bit and taking my Zune with me for the ride... so let's see what happens.
Oh, and feel free to ask any questions.
ZUNE REVIEW
Section 1: Packaging and the unit
Man, I remember when I got my first iPod. Back then, the iPod came in a glorious Cube type box that really made you feel as if you were opening a product of value. The entire thing folded in half, and your glorious shiny new musical device was nestled sweetly in the center. The entire thing was "packaged with love" so to speak... it felt like someone carefully crafted your unit and all the text was written as if your friend had packaged it especially for you.
Over time, the iPod packaging has become more and more a victim of commerce. It's still boxed nicely, but there's something about it that doesn't quite feel the same. I've certainly purchased a few iPods over the years, and slowly felt the gradual shift in the product. It didn't feel like it was boxed by a buddy of mine at Apple anymore; it was just something you'd pick up off of a shelf in a store and discard as soon as the player was free from its confines.
And I'm sorry for making you read such nostalgia. It's tough to describe the magic I felt when my first iPod came in the mail. It was sort of one of those things you slowly descovered the beauty in, one petal of packaging at a time... something of value was in that box and it made you feel special. I suppose the real reason I talk this way is that the Zune is the first product I've purchased since that's made me feel "special" in the same way. I'm a sucker for a pretty box.. and the Zune arrives in the prettiest and most solid of boxes.
Here's the outside. The cardboard reminds me very much of the box that Sennheiser phones come in. As if there's wood underneath a printed color exterior. The back shows you a nice picture of the unit... I'm not sure if the entire box is colored differently depending on the color of your Zune.
The top slides off smoothly, leaving the bottom orange base. You're greeted by the funky Zune wallpaper and the "Welcome to the Social" tagline. Lift the tagline front up, and you'll find your player nestled between two pockets of accessories. Lift up the ribbon, and the Zune pops out into your hand. Please forgive the bubbles on the screen; the screen protectors I snagged aren't the best.
Onto the Zune itself, now that it is free of its cardboard confines. The unit is incredibly solid and feels good in the hand... much lighter than you'd think. The plastic is unlike anything I've felt on a consumer product. At first glance, you'd think it was the same sort of "rubber" material that many iPod cases are made of; not so. It has a slight grip to it, but isn't sticky. There is a subtle texture. In many ways, it looks like a semi-clear resin over a darker color underneath. The semi clear color is only visible around the edges of the device, sort of like a highlight. In my unit's case, it is like green resin over a brown unit. For all intents and purposes, it is scratch resistant. Even riding in my various pockets today, it still appears to be brand new. My fingernails on it didn't harm it in the least, even with a little pressure applied. Slightly larger than the iPod, yes. But not by much, and it is very comfortable to hold.
The buttons are all normal "click" type buttons. Don't be fooled by the "wheel" shape, it is just a D-Pad hiding underneath. They feel solid. As with some iPods I've had, the center button in the "wheel" is a little looser than any of the other buttons.
Most improtantly, the Zune's headphone jack is very rugged feeling and holds your phones in place VERY tightly.
The screen apparently has the same resolution as an iPod's, but you'd never know it unless someone told you. It's a good deal brighter with a much faster refresh rate. Video files have none of the "hot blur" that you get from a slower screen such as the current Video iPod or the PSP. Pretty slick. I don't know how scratchable the screen is, so I threw a stopgap PDA screen protector over it. Sorry about the bubbles.
Here are a few size shots, so people can get an actual idea of the size / thickness with a standard household object... a DVD box.
Not all that thick.
And Kung Fu Hustle, the fist DVD I popped onto and watched on the Zune.
Section 2: Software on the PC
Hey, sounds good so far, right? The unit's solid, doesn't scratch, and feels great. Sure would be a shame if Microsoft made it totally unusable with awful software, right? Uh oh.
At first glance, it looks a lot like iTunes in black. Design cues from the player itself are pretty nice, and it seems like a solid program. I had no issues with installation... but I didn't do it from the provided disc. Having heard the horror stories, I opted to download the program online.
But that's all at first glance. Let's not beat around the bush here, the software is HORRIFYING. It's like some jerk played with iTunes for 10 minutes, then got drunk and decided to program a clone. Without even asking, it will hunt around your computer for any and all media files... and while it does not technically HURT any of your iTunes files, I believe it heads into your iTunes folder first in its quest. Even after you delete these files from its library (it only references them from the iTunes folders), it will RE-ADD them. The damned thing is ALWAYS hunting for files.
After sifting through many options (many of which I couldn't re-find the second time through) I was able to halt the evil and keep the program pretty much confined. Using iTunes to get my files set, I ran both programs simultaneously without a hitch and got my stuff onto the Zune through a syncing process.
And LORD help you, don't EVER touch the sync settings other than switching them to "manual sync." For a good hour, I was screaming obscenities as the software tried to convert every single file in some sort of upscaling process as part of the syncs. Turned out I had made an error of Biblical proportions by telling the sync manager that I wanted "high quality" files. Earth to Zune: YOU CANNOT ADD QUALITY TO A FILE THAT IS NOT THERE TO BEGIN WITH.
Video conversions are still somewhat of a mystery. My personal DVD rips (I like having episodic shows on my DAP for trips) that were made for my iPod worked fine on the Zune after a conversion process and sync. Oddly though, once on the Zune they seemed to "dissapear" in the software menus completely. "This Zune contains no Video Files." Well, why the hell can I see them so easily when I go to them in the damned Zune? To delete any I didn't want, I actually had to perform the REGEDIT hack and view them in Windows.Other than that, the unit plays video very well and I've got no idea as to why MS doesn't have the Xbox360's HD video lineup available for the Zune yet. More on video quality later on.
After about a day of messing with things and some frustration, I have the Zune software set to function as a hub for my music updates. It works and is of little hassle now, but it cost blood and tears to get to such a point.
Section 3: Unit Interface
So far, the Zune's batting a bit un-even. Unit itself is of high quality materials and build, but the sync software is dangerously close to Sony's Connect service. Bet you're hoping the unit's interface is a little better, right?
Oh, it is. This is one of those "Don't need to read the manual" type of deals. You hold it in your hand and (once you get beyond the fact that there isn't a scroll wheel) instantly know how it works. Menus are easily readable and have a great deal of style and must have been absolutely agonized over by some poor UI designer at Microsoft. The screen's vivid and colorful... set your own wallpaper from uploaded images and you're good to go. There's a real emphasis placed on Album Art, which is very cool.
Pop into the music section, and you can scroll up and down a list of files. Hit left or right to change the list: Artist, Album, Playlists, etc. If you hold down the Up or Down key for long enough, the list will speed up in a way that feels very "right" and a large white letter will appear on the left side of the screen to let you know which section you're in. I think the iPod kind of does this now too. If you're in the "Album" section, you actually get to see a small image of the Album Art on the left next to the music name. They're easily identifyable, and you'd be able to browse just by image alone if you know what the CD looked like. Pop into that album (or artist, or whatever menu you happen to be in) and the text menu flies "forward" at the screen and the next set of playback options apears behind it. Slick. You're then presented with the option to play the song / album, send it to another Zune user, or add it to a playlist.
Once the song's playing, the album art takes up a good half of the screen. If your orignal image file is of high quality, it'll look great. If you didn't find a very good picture, you'll be able to tell. Song info is displayed below, and you can scrub through the track by hitting left or right on the D-Pad or change the volume by hitting Up / Down. Volume's represented as a numerical value from 1 - 20, 20 being the loudest. Any progress meter or volume bar has a little white light "blazing" across it to show you the position.
A few clicks of the "back" button on the left of the D-Pad will take you out of the menu you're in, just like the iPod's menu key. Go all the way back past the main menu and you'll be in the current song's screen again. Or, if nothing's playing, you'll go back to whatever photo or video you were checking out. The Play / Pause key on the right of the D-Pad will play or pause the song no matter what menu you're in.
The battery and Play / Pause icon are always visible in the lower right hand corner of the screen, no matter where you are.
The video interface is very similar. One thing perplexes me though: Lack of various sorting features for Videos. The Zune's much more video capable than an iPod, but seems to keep all videos right under the "Video" Menu from the main menu. Uploading my Radiohead music videos, I had to mark them "Radiohead- Just" or "Radiohead- Fake Plastic Trees" and etc. If you've got a large video collection, you may want a bit more organization, and I'm sure this is just an oversight that will be fixed in a firmware update. I might be missing something (let me know if I am), but that seems to be the way the Zune does business.
Oh, and for video you turn the unit on its side. The buttons are on your right now, and volume / scrub controls are adjusted to reflect this. Back and Play buttons still work in the same way. Lefties might not like this, but that's the way it is.
Section 4: Audio Quality
I suppose none of what we just talked about would make a difference if the Zune sounded lousy. Truth be told, there's no real concrete way that I can tell you if you'll LIKE the Zune's sound. A lot of folks here really dig the iPod's sound, and I know that plenty of 'fiers will reference the various collection of hi-fi reviewers that compare the iPod to high end CD Players.
Honestly, if there's nothing wrong with your iPod's sound to your ears, stick with it. Unfortunately for me, the very device that got me interested in Headphones eventually became unlistenable. At first, I would only listen with much more dynamic phones like the SR60 or KSC35. Those, and the GS1000 I had for a bit also fuzzed over the imperfections in the iPod's signature... harsh etched treble, lack of bass, and little punch. After a while (perhaps about the time I became hooked on the Etymotic ER4) my enjoyment of the iPod became entirely dependant on the usage of a Total Bithead amp. And I've been a real go-go Apple iPod fanboy for quite a few years now... this wasn't easy stuff to come to terms with. I originally came TO Head-Fi to find a suitable companion for my iPod.
At first, I was only looking for a player that was more dynamic than the iPod. If nothing else, I wanted to have a little punch in my music. Just doesn't feel right anymore without that delicious tactile crackle. The Playstation Portable did it, so I was certain I could find something fairly similar in a more compact package with a touch more storage. During a pilgrimage to Best Buy, I discovered a song I'd heard once or twice before pre-loaded onto a Zune, and popped in my KSC35s.
Hey, that sounds good. God only KNOWS what it is recorded at, but there was some serious snap crackle and pop magic going on. Messed with the menus for a few minutes, made a snap decision, and brought the Zune home.
Headphones Used: Etymotic ER4P, Grado RS1, Grado SR60, KSC35, Zune Earbuds.
Music ripped in AAC compression using iTunes 6 at 224, unless otherwise noted. Music synced to Zune using first generation Zune software.
Artist Preferences: Radiohead, The Shins, Aimee Mann, Neko Case, Yoko Kanno, The Who, many others of this general nature with a wide spattering of classical music and musicals ranging from Les Miserables to RENT.
A quick note on the Zune Earbuds: They're not too bad. Decent quality, with bass response that impresses. They're not "all midrange" like the iPod buds of old (haven't heard the new ones) and I can see the average person on the street thinking the Zune's a better sounding player just based on these buds.
They're black, and have a metal back. Kudos to someone for not having white buds for once and an original design: that metal back is actually magnetic and the buds snap together when they're not being used so they won't tangle. They're a little bigger than the iPod buds I used to have, and come with little black foamies. I think they're similar in size to the Sennheiser MX buds. If someone else was wearing a pair, I'd be able to pick them out of a crowd instantly just because of the sexy chrome backings.
This is a spectacular sounding player. It has a slightly warm signature that is surprisingly clean for a portable device. Popping in an Etymotic ER4P (the most sensitive phone I own) to ANY other player or amp I've tried has resulted in a slight background hiss. That's just something that I think most of us have learned to live with on a DAP or amp... my Melos setup also bears a very slight hiss only discernable with the ER4. The Zune? DEAD silent. And I mean pure black. If your phones are popped in and there's either no music playing or there's a break in your well recorded song, you're not going to hear any hiss at all.
When music IS pumping into your head, the entire presentation is lovely. I can't help but be impressed with the sheer amount of texture (or timbre if you prefer) that the Zune exhibits. Stack that on the sheer dynamic nature of the audio and you've got a killer rockshow happening between your ears. Bass extends quite deep with no bloat that I can detect, and treble is in no way harsh. Even with brighter headphones a piercing sound won't feel unnatural. The texture isn't just in one area... it's clean from the lowest note to the highest and has an honest "soul" about it. Whereas the iPod was the limiting factor between certain teirs of headphone before, the Zune really only reveals more detail and texture depending on what you plug in. If really pushed, I'd say the Zune has a slight tendancy to be bright. Sybilance isn't an issue though unless your phone has a problem with it, and even nasty tracks like those found in Blur's "Park Life" are entirely listenable on a bright phone. Head-space and general layering of audio seem to be about dead even with what's found on the iPod. That is to say, it's fairly easy to pick out a specific lick of music or a particular instrument if the track is recorded well (meaning NOTHING by Coldplay), but I wouldn't call it Holographic or completely three dimensional. High marks, but nothing totally out of the ordinary for a portable player. Sound is rendered pretty well around your head, so if your phones don't have the "3 bubble" problem, I don't think you'll find it here.
On the first day with the Zune, I started to wonder if the player was adding the occasional pop and hiss to my music. Using my ER4P and swapping back and fourth between my Melos rig and the Zune, I began to realize that those were simply IN the track. My RS1 isn't always the best at picking out that sort of detail so I hadn't noticed them. Rip your files with love if you pick up a Zune. With a good pair of IEMs, it will easily show you any mistakes in the recording itself.
The headphone jack has respectable kick to it, but I don't believe it's much more powerful in terms of output when compared to an iPod. You'll be able to drive Grados or most IEMs / earbuds with no problem at all, but I can't attest to a combination involving a hungrier headphone. I think you'd still need an amp in that situation. I can't see any reason to use an amp if you're not using beefy phones though.
The kick-butt audio can also be a little bit of a downfall for the device. I've loaded quite a few videos onto my Zune from music video DVDs in my posession, and as most of you know, the audio isn't always the best on a smaller video file. More revealing phones are going to pick apart every single flaw in your video file.
I've never really needed a radio in my MP3 player, but the Zune's got one. It seems to pick up signals at least as well as my consumer stereo, and the audio quality is fairly good. If the station that you're tuned into is broadcasting their station ID and current song title, you'll see them on the Zune's screen. You can bookmark as many stations as you'd like, and they show up as little glowing white dots on the dial when you're just browsing and want to get back to them without heading into another menu.
I really feel as if the only complaint anyone could have about the Zune's audio would be the lack of gapless playback. At this point, I don't see any reason that Microsoft wouldn't have gapless working. There's a less than 1/10th of a second pause between tracks, and on sensitive phones you can hear a VERY slight hiss noise when the track flips over into the next. It never interferes with an actual song, but should be mentioned none the less.
Section 5: Wrap Up
So for me, this is a killer device. It has downfalls like any other, but I don't think the tradeoffs are any worse than an iPod. Here are a few quick pros and cons:
PROS:
1. Absolutely AWESOME audio quality for such a small device, very dynamic and clear without any harsh sound.
2. Durable body design that won't scratch and doesn't need a case.
3. Fantastic screen for watching videos and viewing photos, great colors and fast refresh rate.
4. Super cool UI is easy to navigate.
5. FM Radio is pretty decent.
6. Compatibility with AAC format... a HUGE plus for me.
CONS
1. Abysmal software is the demon love child of Windows ME and Sony's Connect service.
2. Playback isn't gapless.
3. No clock, stopwatch, or games as found on the iPod
4. No removable battery. I wished the iPod had this, and I wish the Zune had it too.
5. I can't record from the FM radio. Actually, I don't think I can record at all.
6. Not usable as a hard drive without a Registry Edit on your computer.
So there you go. I know it's different than what the majority of folk out there are saying about the Zune, but I really feel as if I've found something that brings back that initial iPod magic I felt all those years ago. The body and design just feels so good and purposeful in my hand, and the audio rocks something fierce. I probably won't ever use the "WiFi" features of the Zune, but I didn't really buy it for that in the first place. I was looking for a great sounding iPod alternative that was easy to use and I found one. If the Zune's anything like the Xbox 360, I'd imagine it'll only get better with updates over time and someday the PC software might not make my eye twitch.
REVIEW UPDATE: 12-7-06
In a week with the Zune, I've experienced one odd problem that appears to be Zune-device software related. Here's the scoop:
A few days ago, the HD on my Zune spun up pretty quick and was audible. I hit the "back" button on it, and the sound went away. Didn't seem like a big deal, each of my iPods did that once in a while. After that, I noticed that one of my tracks ( Radiohead's "Knives Out," Live in a Glasshouse Extended ) Had an odd skip in it. Figuring it was a mistake on my part, I let it go. I heard the glitch again in a RENT song this morning, and started to wonder if my Zune had damaged its Hard Drive earlier.
To be safe, I returned it to Best Buy in an exchange for a new one. I've listened to a LARGE percentage of my music library since buying it (I've had it on nearly every waking hour that I'm not in class) and so far I've only discovered those two tracks. They swapped it out, and I got a new unit. (Zune #2)
Unfortunately, Zune #2 had a huge stuck blue pixel. Right smack in the center of the screen. Doing a search on "Zune Stuck Pixel" in various combinations gave me nothing, so I don't think many others have experienced it. Returned that Zune and got Zune #3, which I have now.
So, after setting this Zune up, the Radiohead song still has that skip. My first Zune was fine afterall, oh well. There's something about that particular track the Zune doesn't like, and it only seems to dislike it when it is played in order of the entire album. Hard to say why this is, but I imagine it will be corrected in future iterations. I'm going to try and re-rip the song in a different format and see if that does the trick.
Otherwise, a week later I'm still really enjoying the Zune. Some things I've discovered:
The Zune can be rested on any of its sides and remain stable. This is really nice if I want to set it on a table at a restaurant during lunch and watch a movie while I eat.
Battery life has been very good, equal to the iPod or better thus far. I'm estimating that I'm getting an average of 9-13 hours per day with lots of photo viewing and video watching mixed in with music.
The Zune software can behave itself once you set ground rules and has performed well as JUST a syncing program for the Zune. It's a good deal better than the Sony software in this respect.
Sound quality with each Zune I've had has been the same, with no audible noise of ANY kind coming through the phones when they're plugged in. The Zune seems to be universally "black" as a source.
REVIEW UPDATE: 12-20-06
The 1.2 version update hit today, and after an odd non-syncing issue with my Zune (a reset set it straight) it is now running a newer version of the firmware.
The "twist" UI has become a bit speedier. When going back to the "albums" view from anywhere else, the unit used to pause and load up the album art. Took about 4 seconds. This pause is gone, and the album art seems to load immediately with only a less than 1 second pause if any at all, and I believe only when music is playing on the Zune.
Above (12-7 update) I complained about a "skip" issue with some tracks. The Zune seemed to have trouble playing longer files later in an album without taking a "break" in the song and then coming back to it. I noticed this in a few tracks if they were played in sequence without touching the unit... annoying, but pretty rare, so it wasn't a deal-breaker. The 1.2 update seems to have fixed this... though I can't be sure yet. It's not in the songs I heard it in before though. It's entirely possible that it might show up somewhere else that I haven't discovered yet.
While this update didn't specifically add any features, it looks as though it has optimized certain processes within the Zune. I'm all for this, and I'm incredibly pleased to have a legitimate update on my device so early in its lifespan.
Oh, and feel free to ask any questions.
ZUNE REVIEW
Section 1: Packaging and the unit
Man, I remember when I got my first iPod. Back then, the iPod came in a glorious Cube type box that really made you feel as if you were opening a product of value. The entire thing folded in half, and your glorious shiny new musical device was nestled sweetly in the center. The entire thing was "packaged with love" so to speak... it felt like someone carefully crafted your unit and all the text was written as if your friend had packaged it especially for you.
Over time, the iPod packaging has become more and more a victim of commerce. It's still boxed nicely, but there's something about it that doesn't quite feel the same. I've certainly purchased a few iPods over the years, and slowly felt the gradual shift in the product. It didn't feel like it was boxed by a buddy of mine at Apple anymore; it was just something you'd pick up off of a shelf in a store and discard as soon as the player was free from its confines.
And I'm sorry for making you read such nostalgia. It's tough to describe the magic I felt when my first iPod came in the mail. It was sort of one of those things you slowly descovered the beauty in, one petal of packaging at a time... something of value was in that box and it made you feel special. I suppose the real reason I talk this way is that the Zune is the first product I've purchased since that's made me feel "special" in the same way. I'm a sucker for a pretty box.. and the Zune arrives in the prettiest and most solid of boxes.
Here's the outside. The cardboard reminds me very much of the box that Sennheiser phones come in. As if there's wood underneath a printed color exterior. The back shows you a nice picture of the unit... I'm not sure if the entire box is colored differently depending on the color of your Zune.
The top slides off smoothly, leaving the bottom orange base. You're greeted by the funky Zune wallpaper and the "Welcome to the Social" tagline. Lift the tagline front up, and you'll find your player nestled between two pockets of accessories. Lift up the ribbon, and the Zune pops out into your hand. Please forgive the bubbles on the screen; the screen protectors I snagged aren't the best.
Onto the Zune itself, now that it is free of its cardboard confines. The unit is incredibly solid and feels good in the hand... much lighter than you'd think. The plastic is unlike anything I've felt on a consumer product. At first glance, you'd think it was the same sort of "rubber" material that many iPod cases are made of; not so. It has a slight grip to it, but isn't sticky. There is a subtle texture. In many ways, it looks like a semi-clear resin over a darker color underneath. The semi clear color is only visible around the edges of the device, sort of like a highlight. In my unit's case, it is like green resin over a brown unit. For all intents and purposes, it is scratch resistant. Even riding in my various pockets today, it still appears to be brand new. My fingernails on it didn't harm it in the least, even with a little pressure applied. Slightly larger than the iPod, yes. But not by much, and it is very comfortable to hold.
The buttons are all normal "click" type buttons. Don't be fooled by the "wheel" shape, it is just a D-Pad hiding underneath. They feel solid. As with some iPods I've had, the center button in the "wheel" is a little looser than any of the other buttons.
Most improtantly, the Zune's headphone jack is very rugged feeling and holds your phones in place VERY tightly.
The screen apparently has the same resolution as an iPod's, but you'd never know it unless someone told you. It's a good deal brighter with a much faster refresh rate. Video files have none of the "hot blur" that you get from a slower screen such as the current Video iPod or the PSP. Pretty slick. I don't know how scratchable the screen is, so I threw a stopgap PDA screen protector over it. Sorry about the bubbles.
Here are a few size shots, so people can get an actual idea of the size / thickness with a standard household object... a DVD box.
Not all that thick.
And Kung Fu Hustle, the fist DVD I popped onto and watched on the Zune.
Section 2: Software on the PC
Hey, sounds good so far, right? The unit's solid, doesn't scratch, and feels great. Sure would be a shame if Microsoft made it totally unusable with awful software, right? Uh oh.
At first glance, it looks a lot like iTunes in black. Design cues from the player itself are pretty nice, and it seems like a solid program. I had no issues with installation... but I didn't do it from the provided disc. Having heard the horror stories, I opted to download the program online.
But that's all at first glance. Let's not beat around the bush here, the software is HORRIFYING. It's like some jerk played with iTunes for 10 minutes, then got drunk and decided to program a clone. Without even asking, it will hunt around your computer for any and all media files... and while it does not technically HURT any of your iTunes files, I believe it heads into your iTunes folder first in its quest. Even after you delete these files from its library (it only references them from the iTunes folders), it will RE-ADD them. The damned thing is ALWAYS hunting for files.
After sifting through many options (many of which I couldn't re-find the second time through) I was able to halt the evil and keep the program pretty much confined. Using iTunes to get my files set, I ran both programs simultaneously without a hitch and got my stuff onto the Zune through a syncing process.
And LORD help you, don't EVER touch the sync settings other than switching them to "manual sync." For a good hour, I was screaming obscenities as the software tried to convert every single file in some sort of upscaling process as part of the syncs. Turned out I had made an error of Biblical proportions by telling the sync manager that I wanted "high quality" files. Earth to Zune: YOU CANNOT ADD QUALITY TO A FILE THAT IS NOT THERE TO BEGIN WITH.
Video conversions are still somewhat of a mystery. My personal DVD rips (I like having episodic shows on my DAP for trips) that were made for my iPod worked fine on the Zune after a conversion process and sync. Oddly though, once on the Zune they seemed to "dissapear" in the software menus completely. "This Zune contains no Video Files." Well, why the hell can I see them so easily when I go to them in the damned Zune? To delete any I didn't want, I actually had to perform the REGEDIT hack and view them in Windows.Other than that, the unit plays video very well and I've got no idea as to why MS doesn't have the Xbox360's HD video lineup available for the Zune yet. More on video quality later on.
After about a day of messing with things and some frustration, I have the Zune software set to function as a hub for my music updates. It works and is of little hassle now, but it cost blood and tears to get to such a point.
Section 3: Unit Interface
So far, the Zune's batting a bit un-even. Unit itself is of high quality materials and build, but the sync software is dangerously close to Sony's Connect service. Bet you're hoping the unit's interface is a little better, right?
Oh, it is. This is one of those "Don't need to read the manual" type of deals. You hold it in your hand and (once you get beyond the fact that there isn't a scroll wheel) instantly know how it works. Menus are easily readable and have a great deal of style and must have been absolutely agonized over by some poor UI designer at Microsoft. The screen's vivid and colorful... set your own wallpaper from uploaded images and you're good to go. There's a real emphasis placed on Album Art, which is very cool.
Pop into the music section, and you can scroll up and down a list of files. Hit left or right to change the list: Artist, Album, Playlists, etc. If you hold down the Up or Down key for long enough, the list will speed up in a way that feels very "right" and a large white letter will appear on the left side of the screen to let you know which section you're in. I think the iPod kind of does this now too. If you're in the "Album" section, you actually get to see a small image of the Album Art on the left next to the music name. They're easily identifyable, and you'd be able to browse just by image alone if you know what the CD looked like. Pop into that album (or artist, or whatever menu you happen to be in) and the text menu flies "forward" at the screen and the next set of playback options apears behind it. Slick. You're then presented with the option to play the song / album, send it to another Zune user, or add it to a playlist.
Once the song's playing, the album art takes up a good half of the screen. If your orignal image file is of high quality, it'll look great. If you didn't find a very good picture, you'll be able to tell. Song info is displayed below, and you can scrub through the track by hitting left or right on the D-Pad or change the volume by hitting Up / Down. Volume's represented as a numerical value from 1 - 20, 20 being the loudest. Any progress meter or volume bar has a little white light "blazing" across it to show you the position.
A few clicks of the "back" button on the left of the D-Pad will take you out of the menu you're in, just like the iPod's menu key. Go all the way back past the main menu and you'll be in the current song's screen again. Or, if nothing's playing, you'll go back to whatever photo or video you were checking out. The Play / Pause key on the right of the D-Pad will play or pause the song no matter what menu you're in.
The battery and Play / Pause icon are always visible in the lower right hand corner of the screen, no matter where you are.
The video interface is very similar. One thing perplexes me though: Lack of various sorting features for Videos. The Zune's much more video capable than an iPod, but seems to keep all videos right under the "Video" Menu from the main menu. Uploading my Radiohead music videos, I had to mark them "Radiohead- Just" or "Radiohead- Fake Plastic Trees" and etc. If you've got a large video collection, you may want a bit more organization, and I'm sure this is just an oversight that will be fixed in a firmware update. I might be missing something (let me know if I am), but that seems to be the way the Zune does business.
Oh, and for video you turn the unit on its side. The buttons are on your right now, and volume / scrub controls are adjusted to reflect this. Back and Play buttons still work in the same way. Lefties might not like this, but that's the way it is.
Section 4: Audio Quality
I suppose none of what we just talked about would make a difference if the Zune sounded lousy. Truth be told, there's no real concrete way that I can tell you if you'll LIKE the Zune's sound. A lot of folks here really dig the iPod's sound, and I know that plenty of 'fiers will reference the various collection of hi-fi reviewers that compare the iPod to high end CD Players.
Honestly, if there's nothing wrong with your iPod's sound to your ears, stick with it. Unfortunately for me, the very device that got me interested in Headphones eventually became unlistenable. At first, I would only listen with much more dynamic phones like the SR60 or KSC35. Those, and the GS1000 I had for a bit also fuzzed over the imperfections in the iPod's signature... harsh etched treble, lack of bass, and little punch. After a while (perhaps about the time I became hooked on the Etymotic ER4) my enjoyment of the iPod became entirely dependant on the usage of a Total Bithead amp. And I've been a real go-go Apple iPod fanboy for quite a few years now... this wasn't easy stuff to come to terms with. I originally came TO Head-Fi to find a suitable companion for my iPod.
At first, I was only looking for a player that was more dynamic than the iPod. If nothing else, I wanted to have a little punch in my music. Just doesn't feel right anymore without that delicious tactile crackle. The Playstation Portable did it, so I was certain I could find something fairly similar in a more compact package with a touch more storage. During a pilgrimage to Best Buy, I discovered a song I'd heard once or twice before pre-loaded onto a Zune, and popped in my KSC35s.
Hey, that sounds good. God only KNOWS what it is recorded at, but there was some serious snap crackle and pop magic going on. Messed with the menus for a few minutes, made a snap decision, and brought the Zune home.
Headphones Used: Etymotic ER4P, Grado RS1, Grado SR60, KSC35, Zune Earbuds.
Music ripped in AAC compression using iTunes 6 at 224, unless otherwise noted. Music synced to Zune using first generation Zune software.
Artist Preferences: Radiohead, The Shins, Aimee Mann, Neko Case, Yoko Kanno, The Who, many others of this general nature with a wide spattering of classical music and musicals ranging from Les Miserables to RENT.
A quick note on the Zune Earbuds: They're not too bad. Decent quality, with bass response that impresses. They're not "all midrange" like the iPod buds of old (haven't heard the new ones) and I can see the average person on the street thinking the Zune's a better sounding player just based on these buds.
They're black, and have a metal back. Kudos to someone for not having white buds for once and an original design: that metal back is actually magnetic and the buds snap together when they're not being used so they won't tangle. They're a little bigger than the iPod buds I used to have, and come with little black foamies. I think they're similar in size to the Sennheiser MX buds. If someone else was wearing a pair, I'd be able to pick them out of a crowd instantly just because of the sexy chrome backings.
This is a spectacular sounding player. It has a slightly warm signature that is surprisingly clean for a portable device. Popping in an Etymotic ER4P (the most sensitive phone I own) to ANY other player or amp I've tried has resulted in a slight background hiss. That's just something that I think most of us have learned to live with on a DAP or amp... my Melos setup also bears a very slight hiss only discernable with the ER4. The Zune? DEAD silent. And I mean pure black. If your phones are popped in and there's either no music playing or there's a break in your well recorded song, you're not going to hear any hiss at all.
When music IS pumping into your head, the entire presentation is lovely. I can't help but be impressed with the sheer amount of texture (or timbre if you prefer) that the Zune exhibits. Stack that on the sheer dynamic nature of the audio and you've got a killer rockshow happening between your ears. Bass extends quite deep with no bloat that I can detect, and treble is in no way harsh. Even with brighter headphones a piercing sound won't feel unnatural. The texture isn't just in one area... it's clean from the lowest note to the highest and has an honest "soul" about it. Whereas the iPod was the limiting factor between certain teirs of headphone before, the Zune really only reveals more detail and texture depending on what you plug in. If really pushed, I'd say the Zune has a slight tendancy to be bright. Sybilance isn't an issue though unless your phone has a problem with it, and even nasty tracks like those found in Blur's "Park Life" are entirely listenable on a bright phone. Head-space and general layering of audio seem to be about dead even with what's found on the iPod. That is to say, it's fairly easy to pick out a specific lick of music or a particular instrument if the track is recorded well (meaning NOTHING by Coldplay), but I wouldn't call it Holographic or completely three dimensional. High marks, but nothing totally out of the ordinary for a portable player. Sound is rendered pretty well around your head, so if your phones don't have the "3 bubble" problem, I don't think you'll find it here.
On the first day with the Zune, I started to wonder if the player was adding the occasional pop and hiss to my music. Using my ER4P and swapping back and fourth between my Melos rig and the Zune, I began to realize that those were simply IN the track. My RS1 isn't always the best at picking out that sort of detail so I hadn't noticed them. Rip your files with love if you pick up a Zune. With a good pair of IEMs, it will easily show you any mistakes in the recording itself.
The headphone jack has respectable kick to it, but I don't believe it's much more powerful in terms of output when compared to an iPod. You'll be able to drive Grados or most IEMs / earbuds with no problem at all, but I can't attest to a combination involving a hungrier headphone. I think you'd still need an amp in that situation. I can't see any reason to use an amp if you're not using beefy phones though.
The kick-butt audio can also be a little bit of a downfall for the device. I've loaded quite a few videos onto my Zune from music video DVDs in my posession, and as most of you know, the audio isn't always the best on a smaller video file. More revealing phones are going to pick apart every single flaw in your video file.
I've never really needed a radio in my MP3 player, but the Zune's got one. It seems to pick up signals at least as well as my consumer stereo, and the audio quality is fairly good. If the station that you're tuned into is broadcasting their station ID and current song title, you'll see them on the Zune's screen. You can bookmark as many stations as you'd like, and they show up as little glowing white dots on the dial when you're just browsing and want to get back to them without heading into another menu.
I really feel as if the only complaint anyone could have about the Zune's audio would be the lack of gapless playback. At this point, I don't see any reason that Microsoft wouldn't have gapless working. There's a less than 1/10th of a second pause between tracks, and on sensitive phones you can hear a VERY slight hiss noise when the track flips over into the next. It never interferes with an actual song, but should be mentioned none the less.
Section 5: Wrap Up
So for me, this is a killer device. It has downfalls like any other, but I don't think the tradeoffs are any worse than an iPod. Here are a few quick pros and cons:
PROS:
1. Absolutely AWESOME audio quality for such a small device, very dynamic and clear without any harsh sound.
2. Durable body design that won't scratch and doesn't need a case.
3. Fantastic screen for watching videos and viewing photos, great colors and fast refresh rate.
4. Super cool UI is easy to navigate.
5. FM Radio is pretty decent.
6. Compatibility with AAC format... a HUGE plus for me.
CONS
1. Abysmal software is the demon love child of Windows ME and Sony's Connect service.
2. Playback isn't gapless.
3. No clock, stopwatch, or games as found on the iPod
4. No removable battery. I wished the iPod had this, and I wish the Zune had it too.
5. I can't record from the FM radio. Actually, I don't think I can record at all.
6. Not usable as a hard drive without a Registry Edit on your computer.
So there you go. I know it's different than what the majority of folk out there are saying about the Zune, but I really feel as if I've found something that brings back that initial iPod magic I felt all those years ago. The body and design just feels so good and purposeful in my hand, and the audio rocks something fierce. I probably won't ever use the "WiFi" features of the Zune, but I didn't really buy it for that in the first place. I was looking for a great sounding iPod alternative that was easy to use and I found one. If the Zune's anything like the Xbox 360, I'd imagine it'll only get better with updates over time and someday the PC software might not make my eye twitch.
REVIEW UPDATE: 12-7-06
In a week with the Zune, I've experienced one odd problem that appears to be Zune-device software related. Here's the scoop:
A few days ago, the HD on my Zune spun up pretty quick and was audible. I hit the "back" button on it, and the sound went away. Didn't seem like a big deal, each of my iPods did that once in a while. After that, I noticed that one of my tracks ( Radiohead's "Knives Out," Live in a Glasshouse Extended ) Had an odd skip in it. Figuring it was a mistake on my part, I let it go. I heard the glitch again in a RENT song this morning, and started to wonder if my Zune had damaged its Hard Drive earlier.
To be safe, I returned it to Best Buy in an exchange for a new one. I've listened to a LARGE percentage of my music library since buying it (I've had it on nearly every waking hour that I'm not in class) and so far I've only discovered those two tracks. They swapped it out, and I got a new unit. (Zune #2)
Unfortunately, Zune #2 had a huge stuck blue pixel. Right smack in the center of the screen. Doing a search on "Zune Stuck Pixel" in various combinations gave me nothing, so I don't think many others have experienced it. Returned that Zune and got Zune #3, which I have now.
So, after setting this Zune up, the Radiohead song still has that skip. My first Zune was fine afterall, oh well. There's something about that particular track the Zune doesn't like, and it only seems to dislike it when it is played in order of the entire album. Hard to say why this is, but I imagine it will be corrected in future iterations. I'm going to try and re-rip the song in a different format and see if that does the trick.
Otherwise, a week later I'm still really enjoying the Zune. Some things I've discovered:
The Zune can be rested on any of its sides and remain stable. This is really nice if I want to set it on a table at a restaurant during lunch and watch a movie while I eat.
Battery life has been very good, equal to the iPod or better thus far. I'm estimating that I'm getting an average of 9-13 hours per day with lots of photo viewing and video watching mixed in with music.
The Zune software can behave itself once you set ground rules and has performed well as JUST a syncing program for the Zune. It's a good deal better than the Sony software in this respect.
Sound quality with each Zune I've had has been the same, with no audible noise of ANY kind coming through the phones when they're plugged in. The Zune seems to be universally "black" as a source.
REVIEW UPDATE: 12-20-06
The 1.2 version update hit today, and after an odd non-syncing issue with my Zune (a reset set it straight) it is now running a newer version of the firmware.
The "twist" UI has become a bit speedier. When going back to the "albums" view from anywhere else, the unit used to pause and load up the album art. Took about 4 seconds. This pause is gone, and the album art seems to load immediately with only a less than 1 second pause if any at all, and I believe only when music is playing on the Zune.
Above (12-7 update) I complained about a "skip" issue with some tracks. The Zune seemed to have trouble playing longer files later in an album without taking a "break" in the song and then coming back to it. I noticed this in a few tracks if they were played in sequence without touching the unit... annoying, but pretty rare, so it wasn't a deal-breaker. The 1.2 update seems to have fixed this... though I can't be sure yet. It's not in the songs I heard it in before though. It's entirely possible that it might show up somewhere else that I haven't discovered yet.
While this update didn't specifically add any features, it looks as though it has optimized certain processes within the Zune. I'm all for this, and I'm incredibly pleased to have a legitimate update on my device so early in its lifespan.
