Apple Ipod

This issue with a HD based player isn't skipping, but longevity. If you had a computer for any longer than 3 or 4 years you probably know about dying hard drives--and that was in a stationary desk top or limited movement laptop. HDs are incredibly delicate. If your primary use is going to be jogging, I would not advise a HD player.

I like the iPod as well as anyone, but I have also been considering the iRiver iHP-120 (20 GB) and iHP-140 (40 GB) music players. It handles MP3, WMA, ASF, OGG and WAV audio file formats, but it doesn't handle AAC or AIFF audio file formats. In other words, it won't work with iTunes in handling Apple audio file formats. What it does handle is the Ogg-Vorbis compressed files which sound as good as MP3 and use up less hard disk space. It also doesn't need any special desktop software to download and upload files. It just mounts on the PC as an external hard drive. You can use Windows Explorer to download and upload files via USB 2.0. It also offers recording capabilities through digital I/O, a line-in jack with an external plug-in power microphone feature. On top of all that, it includes an FM tuner.

It doesn't look as nice as the iPod, nor does it have all the little applications like a calendar, address book or games that the iPod has. Since my needs are exclusively music media based, I want a device that can double as a digital hard disk recorder with a microphone input.

Thanks for all the good advice. I opted to go with the 20 GB version. And I sprang for the Shure E-2 earbuds. Just couldn't bring myself to spend more for the earphones than the Ipod. I've had it for a little over a week now and have loaded it up with a little over a gig of music. First real test is coming up. My family and I will be taking a short road trip on St Paddy's day. To take the boys to tour NASA in Huntsville, AL.

I am also a recent iPod convert but there is one nasty little of software jiggery pockery that you should be aware of. I bought the 40gb version so that I could get about 1,000 tracks UNCOMPRESSED into the little beauty, but be aware you CANNOT get them back off digitally. The itunes software cloaks all the sound files on the ipod so your computer can't "see" them. This means for example you cannot burn CD's directly from the ipod. I don't think the iRiver has this restriction so if I had to do it over I would probably go that route, although the iTunes software is excellent, totally intuitive and extremely functional. Apparently there is also some "resampling" going on when you load up using .wav files which might explain any "differences" in sound quality when compared to the original CD. I am glad I bought the unit though since I was almost ready to chuck my several thousand CD's since my "serious" listening is all vinyl. Getting on a plane and having a thousand of my favorites pumping through an Airhead and a pair of Shure E5's makes CD's tolerable. I hooked my ipod up to my ARC Ref1 using a pair of single ended to balanced convertors and a custom made mogami cable.
The sound is very good, helped along I think by the fact that the device is battery powered. I am so pleased with the convenience of the system I am thinking about loading my entire CD collection uncompressed on a LaCie terabyte external drive, hooking it up to an ibook and running the digi output through my ARC DAC3. itunes does really nice crossfades and the playlists you can create are endless.

please let us know your take on the e-2 (considering a pair).

and in case you haven't tried it, AAC > OGG > MP3 any day of the week, aac 320 over either my senn's or grado sr125s is quite impressive musically imo... and i can fit well ove 100 CDs on a 40GB @ that bitrate, more than enough for a good jog or bike-ride or airplane trip (something like 8 days of music lol). it's nice to be able to take GOOD sounding music when you travel. enjoy!!