Got the 80 GIG Zune for Christmas

VR3

I have the original 30 gig and the new 80 gig...

The new Zunes sound 100 times better than the older ones through my system...

The interface on the new Zune is much better and smooth...

The "touch" feature is very annoying, I am happy to say you can easily disable it...

The build quality is far better

and the new Zune software is not as good as the last software...

The good news it, this thing rocks...

I loaded all my pictures and songs on it, got a slideshow going on my TV and music pumping...

Cant complain!!!

Hardcore

Airplay355

My mommy got the new iPod Nano for xmas...I must say, it's pretty kick **** too. It interfaces with my Macbook pro very smoothly and both my laptop and the ipod kick **** for stereo listening. Though the macbook pro is nicer lol.

Congrats, 80 gb is a lot of space to fill

Strong Bad

I never did any research, but I'm curious as to how the Zune compares to the Ipod.

mrbigbluelight

I wonder what the technical reason is for the 80gb sounding better than the 30gb Zune ? That's interesting.


While finishing up wrapping presents this morning, we played "Guess the bitrate" game.

My son had his 30gb Zune hooked up to the ol' Onkyo (playing through our new R50's, thank you very much; center channel off, sub off), and we got to talking about how some recordings sounded like crap.

Long story short, as a song finished, we'd try to guess the bitrate.
We all got pretty good by the time we were done wrapping.

"That has to be 128 bps", "Oh, that's a good one; has to be 320 bps".

A few stumpers were played: "Earth Angel" (320 bps) had my sons guessing waaaaaaay low. I guessed just about dead on; it was a good sample of an older song recorded under the different studio standards at the time.

"What the hell is THAT ?!"; response to Led Zepplin's "Over the Hills and Far Away" recorded at ...... 64 bps ..... groan .......

wingnut4772

Ahhh..nothing like the old Christmas tradition of guessing the bit rate.

Shizelbs

wingnut4772 wrote: »

Ahhh..nothing like the old Christmas tradition of guessing the bit rate.

LOL

Rock on. I want one of the new Zunes. Even the little flash based ones look pretty cool.

Serendipity

You lucky kid!

I haven't gotten Christmas presents since I was like 13.

dagame27

I just got one as well (older 30gb model). I guess I need a home dock to hook this thing up and try it out on my stereo. So far, its pretty cool though.

Joe08867

My Nephew hasd the 80gb Zune and it sounds real good. I think they look great overall. I am just sick of Microsoft personally.

Mommy got me a 80gb Ipod Classic in black baby.

Shannon W.

My cousin busted out and bought the 80gb Zune while I traded my 30gb iPod video in for a 16gb iPod Touch! At this point in time I luv the touch over his zune! Granted it has less memory but How much music do you really want on a mobile device. I only had around 1500-2000 songs on my 30gb iPod and it was almost too much to deal with.
Also all of you guys that have iPod's check out a program called "iArt". That software is Kick @ss! it works together with iTunes and will automatically search the web for your album art.

Shannon

avelanchefan

Sid glad to hear you liked the new Zune. I looked at the 80gb today and loved the new design. (We Have 3 30gb Zunes in out house) and I will be picking up the 80 gb in February some time.

Thanks again for the review.

bigaudiofanatic

zune can not stand up to the great iPOD

Shizelbs

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

zune can not stand up to the great iPOD

In what regard exactly?

bigaudiofanatic

were to start i can drop my ipod at least twice as much as the zune my freind bought his son one and he broke it in less than a week. Easier to use than the zune bought my girlfreind one and within 10 minutes she knew how to use it. iTunes is easier to use and manage music than crappy windows media I have over 8,000 songs and i can find ANY song in less than 6 seconds. Better quality screen size and picture quality. Gets blue screens of death no screen of death on the ipod. Ratings if look at ANY website nothing NOTHING CAN BEAT THE IPOD.

dkg999

I have a stick that can beat an iPod

Airplay355

i was a big iPod hater until I actually got one. It kicks even more **** now because I have a Macbook Pro so they work great together. I'm a big Apple **** now, I want an iPhone....

ledhed

Airplay355 wrote: »

i was a big iPod hater until I actually got one. It kicks even more **** now because I have a Macbook Pro so they work great together. I'm a big Apple **** now, I want an iPhone....

I'm just the opposite. Loved iPods till I got one, realized how compromised everything is on it. I only keep mine because it stays in my car, hooked up to my HU.

mrbigbluelight

dkg999 wrote: »

I have a stick that can beat an iPod

I have a *ick that can beat an ipod.




...and has.


....pics to follow.

Airplay355

Whats compromised about it? I don't know much about them or how they work. I only use it like you do, for tunage in the car.

VR3

After playing around with both some more --

The new interface for the Zune is kickass... much much much better than the previous 1.4 version. Totally awesome!

The sound quality of the new Zune is mucho better as I mentioned above, seems much more expansive and clear

The new Zune software -- once you get used to it is actually very easy to use... a TAB based setup...

But I definitely like Zune's alot better than IPods

Sherardp

Saw the Halo edition Zune today for 139, tons in stock @ my local BX.

avelanchefan

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

were to start i can drop my ipod at least twice as much as the zune my freind bought his son one and he broke it in less than a week. Easier to use than the zune bought my girlfreind one and within 10 minutes she knew how to use it. iTunes is easier to use and manage music than crappy windows media I have over 8,000 songs and i can find ANY song in less than 6 seconds. Better quality screen size and picture quality. Gets blue screens of death no screen of death on the ipod. Ratings if look at ANY website nothing NOTHING CAN BEAT THE IPOD.

Not sure where to start here. Lets see my son has a 30gb zune that he skateboards with all the time. That has held up...lets see its still holding up over the 30gb ipod video we had gotten him. I can find any song just as fast on my zune.

What else....let's see the Zune has wallpaper which makes it more customizable, which makes it more personal to each person that uses it. Every zune is different. Because people can make it so, while the Ipod is exactly the same interface no matter whose you grab. To me personally, that is HUGE!

And as for the so called "blue screen of death"? It was a Windows Vista issue causing conflicts with the Zune. And I have personally used both Itunes and Zune software, and they both Suck!

bigaudiofanatic

Ipod rules and i will laugh at everyone when microsoft discontinues the zune next year yes next year. while ipod is in there 5-7th generation models. Don't care what you say now ipods rule done end of subject

VR3

Considering next year is in.... oh... 4 days

You are an idiot

Go away

Shizelbs

I can, just shy of using insider information, promise you that the Zune will not be discontinued anytime soon.

And isn't it all about the quality of music anyways? Zune has the clear advantage over iPod in terms of the headphone amplifier output stage. Sid, you're getting me pretty curious about the new models. I was already very impressed with the first gen's sound quality. I'd love to have a reason to get the 80 gig.

Serendipity

Shizelbs wrote: »

I can, just shy of using insider information, promise you that the Zune will not be discontinued anytime soon.

And isn't it all about the quality of music anyways? Zune has the clear advantage over iPod in terms of the headphone amplifier output stage. Sid, you're getting me pretty curious about the new models. I was already very impressed with the first gen's sound quality. I'd love to have a reason to get the 80 gig.

Was looking for some info on the Zune today...

I've heard iPods through my system and they all sounded terrible. I'm wondering if the Zune is much better - meaning if they would at least be *usable* through a 2ch setup?

This would be great for listening at the gym, on the road, etc. but I want to know how is the SQ.

Thanks!

avelanchefan

I have never used it in that situation. I stream all my music from my computer through my 360.

bigaudiofanatic

I am using my ipod right now on my stereo it sounds great but not as good as a apple tv hooked up to it

Serendipity

avelanchefan wrote: »

I have never used it in that situation. I stream all my music from my computer through my 360.

I've tried that, but it just doesn't sound as good as from my HTPC or dedicated CDP. And it was much worse than my DVD-Audio player...

So would the Zune do the trick?

bigaudiofanatic

I honesty don't even think the ipod would sound good like that because you are amplifying the signal twice. Once threw a little tiny amp inside the ipod or in this case zune. And than again when it goes into the receiver. Not the best way to get a nice clean signal. I would recommend something like the apple TV or something similar only reason I recommend it is because easy to setup easy to use and I and my neighbor both have them. Also you can have all your song in lossless format in you itunes program.

Serendipity

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

I honesty don't even think the ipod would sound good like that because you are amplifying the signal twice. Once threw a little tiny amp inside the ipod or in this case zune. And than again when it goes into the receiver. Not the best way to get a nice clean signal. I would recommend something like the apple TV or something similar only reason I recommend it is because easy to setup easy to use and I and my neighbor both have them. Also you can have all your song in lossless format in you itunes program.

Hmm...

I wonder if I use a Zune dock (bypassing the Zune's internal headphone amp) and then go directly to the Onkyo, would that sound much better?

P.S. I will not go with an Apple TV simply due to the fact that I already have an HTPC. Plus it's not portable!