What would it take...............

[Old skool D]

I was just wondering about the above. Is it a case of never, or if Apple introduced a better SQ, and enabled users to delete songs fron the ipod itself, as opposed to through Itunes.

[Guest Stuge]

If better SQ and Better built quality ,I would say yes .

[markey]

Better sq, build quality and get rid of that damn scroll wheel, I would maybe consider.

[Old skool D]

Better sq, build quality and get rid of that damn scroll wheel, I would maybe consider.

The scroll wheel is one of the biggest selling points................ from what I'm told!

[juli_]

Only in a parallel Apple universe could an iPod beat a Sony in the sound department I did hear several positive reviews about the 1st gen shuffle mind you, but apparently it was a sound chip they didn't use again in later models for some reason, maybe cost?

Also, I prefer Sony designs to Apple. I don't like the look of any iPods at all, they look so bland, but maybe that's because I'm sick of seeing them everywhere. I don't like scroll wheels either, and to be perfectly honest, the SQ of the last 2 Sonys has been so phenomenal, I can't imagine getting any more enjoyment or better SQ from anything else on the market.

[p0rkch0p2007]

i have to say the only faults i could find with my ipod was 1. battery life, this is pretty poor and 2. sound quality, also pretty poor. if i could have an ipod with sony battery life and sound quality i believe you would have the perfect mp3 player. the only other factor is the size of the unit itself which i think could be smaller, although this isn't a major problem. i suppose the perfect size would be to have the capacity of the video players in the nano case and drop the video capability as the screen would be way to small thus rendering the video function useless. a note on the click wheel, i think it's a brilliant innovation. it manages to incorporate quite a few functions into one control. the only problem i do have with it is that it's not very accurate when it comes to fast forwarding/rewinding a track, changing the volume. i know you can change the sensitivity of the click-wheel in the settings but i never managed to find a happy medium with it. lets be honest apple are not concerned by either of these factors because ppl are still buying them like there's no tomorrow, so i highly doubt that we will ever come across this player. i am left praying that sony sort out ss and allow us to use other software to sync our music to our players!!!

Edited July 30, 2007 by p0rkch0p2007

[Ascariss]

until steve jobs gets rid of his turtle neck.

ipod designs are bland and without imagination, even the iphone design sucks.

i don't think i'd move to apple ever, even if sony still kept sonicstage i would stay and bear it out.

[p0rkch0p2007]

I respect what you're saying but i've got better things to be doing with my time than struggling and fighting with mediocre software.

[Ascariss]

lol i guess you've never had itunes crash on you...and on a mac.

[markey]

The scroll wheel is one of the biggest selling points................ from what I'm told!

I have tried the ipod on a few occasions and didn't like the feel of the scroll wheel. I have also heard stories about the volume getting turned up and down while in peoples pockets. I also like a few buttons on my gadgets.

[Jillako]

I'm very happy with my Walkman devices, thank you!

I don't think I'll ever say bye to the Sony devices, although I already have an iPod in addition to my 4 MD units and 3 Network Walkman devices.

The iPod is perfect for the car - I have a 20GB model and it can hold a lot of music that I listen to when I am on the road. Thanks to the popularity of the iPod, finding connectivity in the car is not a problem. I use the line out of the iPod where the SQ is a lot better than the headphone output's SQ.

In all other respects I like the Walkman devices. I love the MD units for the SQ and the ability to record. The sheer variety of devices is hard for many manufacturers to match. Sony's hardware designs are elegant and the company is pretty prolific at bringing new designs to the market. Look at the iPod for comparison, no significant changes to the device in years!! Meanwhile we've had the NW-E000 series, NW-S700 series, NW-S200 series etc. to just name a few (I just picked the ones I bought into ). The options available make it great for power users - do I want FM in my walkman or not, what color, size etc.

Mind you, these same qualities have led me to vow that I will never buy a Sony-made computer again. They are just too prolific at introducing new models and invariably I find that there is no support within a couple of years of a computer being bought. The model numbers etc. are too confusing and the support for new Operating Systems that come out after a VAIO has been bought is virtually non-existant. No updated drivers etc..

[Jillako]

I also like a few buttons on my gadgets.

Ditto. There is a line between too many buttons and no buttons. I think Apple stays on the minimalist side at the expense of usability for power users; Sony usually manages to find the line.

[navsimpson]

1) Separate, tactile volume control - minor thing, but something I like about my current player, particularly when it's winter with gloves etc etc.

2) Built-in Wi-Fi with support for podcast rss/xml feeds. Nerdy, but I'd find it very useful.

3) Neutral, powerful sound.

Unless Sony pull out all the stops soon, I think when my NWHD3 dies, I'll go with an iPod or a Cowon (the former for its universality, the latter for sound quality - without SS!).

[dura_]

SQ, build quality and, probably more in the past, batterylife are what keeps me away from Apple.

[ceres]

flash device with

1) 2 inch qvga screen

2) durable casing like the current nano

3) dedicated volume controls

4) working custom eq

5) 808 sq

not asking too much, actually.

[RoGeR-atrac]

ipod? Never!!! Not in this lifetime

[Old skool D]

A Variety of reasons, mostly against. Seeing as I started this thread, it makes sense if I throw in my five pence worth of an opinion. Ipod likes: Itunes, the design,( I like the scroll wheel) the storage capacity. Dislikes:Sound quality. Would I get another one. Yes. Would I give up on Sony. No. I'll always have a Sony Device, love the SQ, and , dare I say it I like Sonic Stage

[Dinko]

What would it take..............., for you to abandon Sony for an Ipod?

Sadly, I think they're doing a pretty good job already.

All they need to do is just keep churning out those half baked Walkmans once every quarter in the hope that the next one will be "it", when each is crippled by one of it's key aspects (lack of features, buggy features, size (NW-A3000!!!), transfer speeds, design (pucks, beans and dildoes)) while maintaining a software/jukebox which can't handle a library greater than 1000 tracks, and crashes on you once a week with a new excuse, proprietary cables with no or few added accessories, high prices and you've pretty much boosted Apple sales by a few hundred units per week.

Put it this way, design, sound quality and battery life may be very important, but at some point, Sony should realize that time is as precious if not more important than those.

Spending hours waiting for SonicStage to get its act together everytime you want to transfer some music in the fear that you'll encounter yet another unexplained crash can take it's toll even on the most die hard Sony fan.

iPod: connect, select cues, transfer, disconnect. Catch bus. Arrive on time. Happy.

Low on battery? Forgot your charger? Drop by the first department store, pharmacy or electronics store and pick-up a stand alone charger or computer cable.

Want better sound quality? Use better ear buds. You can't reach Sony sound quality, but it's quite acceptable.

Sony: connect. "You must authorize this ATRAC device to work with this computer." wait. wait. select cues. wait. select more cues. wait. transfer. wait. Crash: error 11002111. Retry. Wait. Miss bus. Arrive late. Unhappy. Go to electronics store, buy iPod. See iPod procedure five lines above.

I'm sure there are thousands of people out there who buy iPods as fashion accessories. Then there's true music lovers who buy iPods to spend more time listening to music, and less time trying to transfer it to their device.

I think the crucial question goes the other way: What would it take to abandon an iPod for a Sony? Is sound quality sufficient? Battery life of the new Nanos is on par with the NW-A800, so there goes that advantage. I'd really like to know how well those noise-cancelling players are doing in terms of sales. They were marketed as high-quality sound products. Was it sufficient?

So many of us Sony freaks have made the move to the dark side, that the answer to the thread's question seems almost obvious.

And the reasons are pretty different. Some made the move because of mp3 support (some years ago when Sony = Atrac only). Others switched because of accessories. Others switched because of iTunes (iTunes has been very stable for me so far, but I still find it a painfully unintuitive). Because of the iTunes Music Store. Because of sound output (Sony = 5mW + 5mW: try powering large headphones or sending a clear signal to your home stereo with that).

Oh well... live and hope. Maybe next time...

[Shinji Ikeda]

For me it all depends on what is the best products for my needs at the time. The major considerations are always battery life, sound quality and overall design. I know that the iPod is asserted by many as the best player. I would agree that the iPod has some unique features, and has an intregrated design. However, it does have some quirky features that; actually from by perception; defies logic.

I spend much more time actually using by NW-A808 and NW-S706 that using SonicStage, this includes the time required to transfer tracks.

In other words; it matter most how well it works when it is in my hand, than how popular the device is. I will always pay more for a product, even if it means that I have to save money over time.

[juli_]

I spend much more time actually using by NW-A808 and NW-S706 that using SonicStage, this includes the time required to transfer tracks.

In other words; it matter most how well it works when it is in my hand, than how popular the device is..

How true. Even though SS defeats me most of the time (mainly because I just cannot get to grips with understanding it fully) - it's forgotten about as soon as I start using the product. I bought the players for their wonderful SQ and battery life. . . the software is just a necessary evil to get the music on them.

While I appreciate that many people have no problems with SS at all - there are many of us who do find it very frustrating and temperamental. I think it's testament to the Sony SQ, that those who do find SS complicated to use (and I really do) will keep plugging away at it relentlessly anyway, just because the end result is worth it. I spent most of today re-ripping around 40 CDs to split between my players - and SS froze 3 times before finally crashing my computer.

But I'm not moaning because my music is where I want it to be and now I can enjoy using the hardware and forget about the software for the time being.

[Guest Stuge]

The scroll wheel is one of the biggest selling points................ from what I'm told!

Yes this is true ,but there are many pople who don;t like scroll wheel .Its a nice innovation ,but irritates on my occasions.

[pata2001]

Let's see:

-Gapless MP3

-Usable software

-Unicode software and hardware

Oh, I'm already there.

Those that look for battery life, the 2G nano is rated for 24hour per charge.

Now, I'm wishing for a nano sporting larger screen and video playback. Of course, Sony USA doesn't seem to be bothered in releasing their own A808.

[aob9]

Honestly guys, if I had half as much trouble with SS as some of you seem to have I would have ditched Sony a long time ago. However, I never have trouble with SS and I use it every day on any of my three NW walkmans. It seems I am the lucky one here. I do however spend a lot of time trying to work through a lot of crap software on my PC, thankfully SS isn't one of them

aob

[pata2001]

I've been using Sonicstage since it was OpenMG jukebox, with one of Sony's first ever Network walkman (NW-E3), and never had any problems (other than the lack of unicode support). However, no problems != good usability, especially by today's standard, where there are much better solutions out there. I'm spending more of my time in enjoying my music with iPod + iTunes, instead of dealing with registry edits and applocale with sonicstage.

[Old skool D]

Ref Sonic Stage, all I do is attach cover Art to my albums, and get these same tracks onto my A806, or NH1. I'm not an expert, and I doubt I'll ever be, but it works for me!

[bobt]

If apple would come out with a slot loading player/recorder that accepted a 3 1/2 CM enclosed disc with up to 1 gig capacity, and had decent battery life, I might consider it

Bob

[RobA]

- Tactile interface (no scroll wheel)

- No scratchable plastic surface (all metal design)

- Small size

- Non-color LCD (unless it's OLED)

- 30+ hrs battery life

- Wired LCD Remote

- Improved sound quality

- ATRAC support

So basically, it is impossible for me to switch and will never happen!

[AntiPod]

i dont think it would be that easy for me to ditch sony and switch to apple, that would mean i have to think of a new ID lol

a few things here:

-good battery life: 40+?

-no stupid flat design, definitely no shuffle like design

-no click wheel

-better supplied earphones

and there're still too many demands

[kerfuffle]

Nothing. I'd rather buy an iRiver or Creative player than an iPod.

[cesar67]

After one whole year ( ) using my NW-A1200 it has failed on me completely.

The design is smooth, The whole layout and UI i find excellent.

The sound quality is also excellent.

Sonic Stage worked fine without major tragedy, Although i thought it was poor software. (Never tried i-tunes)

Reasons i wont be buying my next player from Sony.

1.Atrac codec (No flac Support)

2.No Gapless mp3

3.Poor customer Support

I dont want an ipod (Would rather give Sony another go) So i am looking at Cowan players (I-Audio 7) at the minute.

I have had walkmans from the days of cassettes and have always prefered Sony to any other brand...... Dumbass codecs and politics have pushed me over now.

Bye Sony

[DSP]

Well,

I've actually ditched sony with the purchase of my MacBook. I had an NW-A805 at the time (still own it) but was forced to get something else since I didn't want to install windows on my mac. It was the main reason I switched in the first place!

I replaced my beloved (!) walkman with a Cowon D2. It was a very nifty little machine but in the end it just wasn't what I searched for. SQ was rather good but sometimes too neutral or straight forward. Some people call it analatycal, I thought It was just too damn ''sharp'' and screamy.

Also the touch interface was annoying because of it's weakness and small size.

So I was going for another search when Mister Steve Jobs himself announced the new iPod line-up. I thought it was f*cking boring as always, but at that time he was only just finished with the ipod classic. The iPod touch was another story. I thought it was very cool and clean looking. Touch interface on a 3'' screen and mae out of glass, I just couldn't resist and with that little voice in my head saying ''It's an ipod you fool!!!, It's an ipod you freakin' fool!!! THINK!'' I still went to order one.

When I got it I was very pleased by the design and everything. This is a totally different story. It's no regular ipod. This thing is very nice to have.

Touch interface is sexy and the way you can search your music is like a dream.

I have to say that SQ is actually very nice. It's clean, no hiss, nice low end and clean mid/upper range. Though it's no Walkman it's certainly very nice and for some kinds of music I actually prefer it to my Walkman.

But I dooooo mis the decent walkman EQ a lot! The EQ of the ipod is a pain in the ass! It cracks like hell and they would be better of leaving it out.

It's a shame!

I could do a side by side comparison between the iPod touch sound and my newly purchased NWZ-S516. Just ask

And yes, I eventually couldn't resist to the temptation of walkman. It works with my mac now, so it's asolutely great!

greetz

[The Mule]

Do sony mp3 players really sound better than iPod's? How come?

[thefanboy]

I have already switched to iPod touch and I am fine with its music quality. Though I still prefer my s70x as first choice, may change once I get nice headphones for

iPod.

But iPod touch is a monster machine for its price. It can do lot more things with ease. I am at awe with its gui and applications. With sdk release I am more eagerly waiting for apps.

And finally I have peace of mind that I dont have to deal with sony support and its regionalism(each region has different player, and support will not be available universally).

[decoupe]

Basically what everyone wants :

-sony batterylife

-ipod large storage (32 -40 is the most ideal)

-no click wheel (it sucks)

-better supplied earphones

-better sq and eq

My sister is using a ipod, and she loves the way my sony NW5 and NWA3000 sounds. Frankly speaking, I have more problems with itune than Sonicstage. I like Sonicstage way of having the alphabet at that side, faster access.