[Nomada]

I've heard numerous complaints of shoddy clickwheel quality and high pitched buzzing coming from the new units. Apple has infact admitted to these 2 issues as being faults and have been replacing units. Have they addressed these issues yet? Is there a way to tell if you're getting a newer build?

Anyone recently bought one and can say build quality is equal to the 1st gen. Nano(never had issue with mine).

Also, what's the deal with the max. volume with units in the Americas? Does it still crank as loud as the 1st one?

 

[LaBreaHead]

I didn't actually need a replacement for my Rio Carbon yet (it's doing fine, thanks for asking), but I got a 4GB 2nd generation iPod Nano anyway (this is, after all, Head-Fi). Overall, I really like the 2nd generation, but to me it's certainly not perfect.

I don't own a 1st generation, but I was intrigued when they came out and played with them in stores several times. I really like the 1st generation's shape and appearance, but the aluminum body and clearly improved battery performance of the 2nd generation are strong positives (oh, and the aggressive pricing compared to the 1st generation ... Apple caught my attention with that, as well). As a plus, it sounds better than I expected (but this is just an anecdotal observation -- I'm not getting into ABX'ing or any of that). I haven't encountered any high-pitched buzzing (other than what might be in my ears, due to listening to several players so much of the time

).

I do think the 2nd generation's scroll wheel is the least "solid" physical aspect of any iPod I've encountered (I own a 2nd generation iPod for Windows and a 4th generation 40GB, plus I have experience with the 3rd generation, the Mini and the 1st generation Shuffle). It's not bad, but it's not "perfect" in the way Apple fans would have you believe the iPods are ... it's on par with the slightly "spongey" D-pad controls on my much-loved Rio Carbon in that it doesn't have the physically solid "click" of prior iPod models (but time will tell -- perhaps not a problem at all).

 

[The_X]

Actually, I think the iPod's click wheel is probably one of the most durable control setups out there. It's nice and flat against the body with nothing to break off and it barely has any moving parts. I remember getting my X5 with an already-loose joystick and just sitting there wondering, "So how many months before this breaks?" Same for my iHP-120, and in fact my friend's Archos PMP's d-pad actually fell off the face of the player. I've never seen a single problem with iPod click wheels.

I do hate how it looks, though. Or more specifically, how they have become a pop culture symbol and show up everywhere.

 

[benton]

My 2G has absolutley no problems. No high pitched buzzing and persoanlly this is the best click wheel i have used out of all the ipods because of the indented design.