[lundh]

As I have become more and more interested in high quality audio and since I spend most of my time in school or on the way there or home my current 128MB MP3-player is not nearly enough. It is barely enough for a one way trip this and it's low output quality has made me deside on buy an mp3-player with a built in hard drive.

I have narrowed it down to iPod, either 20 or 40GB or the Vaio Pocket but I can't decide between them All of them looks like really good players. Problem is that I have not been able to listen to the Vaio so I can't really compare the audio quality between them. (I have not found a single store that can demo mp3-players for me, no one is ever charged.)

If it makes any difference i mainly use Etymotic ER-4P away from home so a good match with them is a requirement.

I have som loose plans on building a small portable battery driven amplifier to go with it (suggestions?) mostly for the fun of building but it could be useful when i want to use my HD650.

 

[ixeo]

ipod, simply because sony sonicstage is a b*tch to work with.. seriously you'll pull your hair out.

EDIT: i mean..why pay so much money to make YOUR life difficult.. my 2 cents

 

[Underdog311]

I think SonicStage is a bitch also, yet some people bash me for saying im to incompitant for it. Its not that I cant figure it out, I just dont want to because it sucks so bad.

 

[lundh]

I have heard many stories about how bad SonicStage is, but really. I doesn't have enough music to fill the players HD so I can't really see that I will use it a lot. On the other hand, if it is as bad as everyone says it might be a problem anyway.

More important is battery life and sound quality. I think i lean towards the Vaio, partly because it looks nice and partly because the iPod is seen everywere. I can easily spot two or three persons with ipods on the same tram from school. I know that is not a very good reason to skip out on it but it does make it less fun

Just thought of another thing, is Music Move any better then SonicStage and is there any difference between them when it comes to how the music is handled on the player?

 

[mAsh]

If you dont have the common sense to operate sonicstage, you dont deserve a sony player...

 

[jpr703]

Sound quality from an iPod line out is very good.

 

[Underdog311]

I have used Sonicstage twice, two different versions at two different points of time, and each time it was buggy. The second time it literally crashed my system so its not that I dont have common sense since it is the only program that I have used that has crashed my system. I may have been lucky because nothing else has been a problem, and it may be a fluke for Sonicstage, but I am just giving my opinion and that is to avoid it if you can. I still own a Vaio laptop that I love, but I dont touch Sonicstage. Blah.

 

[fr4c]

i would use iTunes over Sonicstage any day. its so easy and straightforward to manage your music, especially when switching from sony.

 

[drpje]

I purchased the VAIO Pocket for Christmas and am VERY happy with it. I saw the unit on display at the Sony Style Store in Houston. The sales person showed me all the features and sold me on the player. The construction is first rate and the sound quality is excellent. The enclosed headphones do not do justice to the player. I am using the Sennheiser PX-200 headphones and the difference is night and day compared to the stock headphones. The volume is a little on the low side but louder with a better set of headphones. While I was at the Houston Galleria I also listened to the iPod Photo at the Apple Store. I used to own a G5 iMac and am very familiar with iTunes. It is a simpler software than Sonic Stage. I also purchased a VAIO laptop and this is my first experience with Windows XP and Sonic Stage. I have had no problems whatsoever with Sonic Stage. I performed the firmware updates, ripped some CD's, and downloaded the music into the VAIO Pocket. I had no problems or crashes whatsoever and consider myself a computer and Windows XP newbie. I do not understand all the negative comments about Sonic Stage. My advice is not to let negative feedback keep you from trying the VAIO Pocket. I used ATRAC 3 Plus at 256K and the music using the line out to my home stereo sounds almost indestinguishable from the original CD
There is a SONY VAIO European site with good comments on the VAIO Pocket especially with the firmware update.

 

[dosun]

I've used OpenMG Jukebox (pre SonicStage) and Sonicstage. I don't think its bad. It just has a higher learning curve to the rest for some people. I didn't have major issues with either except the random bugs with OpenMG.

 

[bundee1]

If you're running Sonicstage on a Vaio computer its probably been tested and optimised for Sonicstage, thus no problems.

 

[Rumz]

I use both the Vaio Pocket and the iPod Mini.

SonicStage: There's been a lot of discussion (or rather complaining) about this software. It is easily less efficient and easy to use than iTunes in some regards, among other issues (some have stability issues I guess). The big warning here is that those who have very large collections of mp3s may have a headache moving music to the Pocket. Personally I have a handful of mp3s that I wanted to use (since I have an iPod Mini I didn't have several gigs worth of mp3s that I use), and have had no trouble getting them onto the Pocket and playing them-- they sound fantastic (lame vbr mp3s).

Sound Quality: As far as overall, un-equalized signal quality goes, the iPod wins IMO. The iPod is helped by a no doubt much more powerful amp than what the Vaio sports, and as noted above, the Pocket isn't as loud as the iPod. To me this also means the sound on the Pocket isn't quite as full, either-- just a symptom of a weaker amp in comparison to the iPod. That said-- the EQ of the Pocket changes things a bit, because it's so much betteer (IMO) than what the iPod offers EQ-wise. Even without EQ I think the Vaio sounds fantastic, it's just a little softer. Much better than my Sony MZ-NH1 Hi-MD player.

So while there are differences in the sound quality, that's to be expected, and I still think the Vaio sounds great. Mp3 and gapless support sold me on this thing and it hasn't disappointed me-- I have no problem recommending it, I'm really happy with mine.

(note that I paid $450 for my 40GB Vaio Pocket and get a $50 rebate, so paying $400 for it, it was only slightly more expensive than what I could get a 40GB iPod. If you want to compare that to the iPod Photo then I got a great deal, as the iPod Photo 40gb is aroudn $500).

 

[Underdog311]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bundee1 If you're running Sonicstage on a Vaio computer its probably been tested and optimised for Sonicstage, thus no problems.

lol i wish. I even called sony about it when i had my HD-1,they said " well you will have to re-format your hard drive and reinstall your software on you Vaio(this was because sonicstage wouldnt recognize my SONY HD-1,yet every other program I have on my computer did,how stupid is that?)."

Instead I just took it back to the store. I dont have time to deal with bull****, I guess if I sat home all day I could play with software all the time but since I can't do that I need to use a program that is simple and easy to use.

I think everyone can agree that Sonicstage needs a facelift though, its interface is lame.

 

[easypeasy]

iTune wins, though to encode I'd use EAC/LAME to get better results

 

[Cerith]

I have a Zen Xtra 30GB and the Pocket Vaio. I have listened to a friends iPod and checked out the screen of the iPOD photo at an Apple store. IMO the Sony has a higher build quality, the screen is nicer and the sound quality from the Sony is better. Especially over the Zen.

SonicStage is horrible but I can live with it. I have a rather large MP3 collection, over 40GB (6800 files) at this time and it really bogs SonicStage down. My main complaint with it is that it is SLOW. Screen refresh rates as you scroll are horrendous. The firmware upgrade makes transferring MP3's pretty quick now since there is no longer any conversion, so that's a plus.

The g pad on the Sony takes a little bit of time to get the feel for it, but once I did I ended up really liking it. The interface is well laid out and I love the fact that I can view album art. Brings back memories of flipping through your LP collection, but in a digital world.

Again, this player has no peers when it comes to build quality. The materials, the feel, the screen...it is the best out there right now. Sound quality is superb and I am sure real or musicmatch will be coming out with support for this player in the coming months so SonicStage may be replaced sooner or later.

Get the SONY, I really believe once you use it you will love it.

EDIT: Wow, I just checked the price for the Sony at Buy.com and it is now $471. I just bought this player a couple weeks ago from them and it was $428. Talk about a price jump! Still way worth it. Running around the same price as 40gb iPods. (and better)