Thinking about a new iPod Touch - any opinions?

And just like that, a simple question about the iPod touch turns into a Pono Evangelism thread...

 

Yep, I couldn't work out the issue. Then it kicked in: owner's pride.

 

I think it's worth remembering that you objected to this statement, not the Pono itself:

"If you care anything about the way music sounds, buy a Pono player and not an iPod."

I object to this, too, without having an opinion about Pono or caring about it one way or another. I wouldn't buy something that's on its way out, though.

Neil Young Admits the Pono is Dead; Developing Hi-Res Streaming Alternative - VVN Music

Pono is dead. Probably. Long live Xstream

Support will be non-existent.

 

Exactly.

And it's the attendant assumption that you need a Pono, or let's say any other dedicated DAP over £300, if you're remotely interested in music playback. Anything but a smartphone, or an iPod!

I've been into this hobby for coming up on forty years. I've a pretty good idea of the sound I like and where audio reproduction sits in my life as a priority these days.

Somebody out there has a Pono? Brilliant. Fill your boots. I'm sure it's great, but the not owning of one and using another player doesn't equate to not caring about music.

That whole notion is a fallacy and smacks of elitism. This hobby was never about that, and that's where the other guy fell down.

 

I did eventually get the iPod Touch 6G 128gb. I have had it for awhile and it has been great. The sound quality is fine. Obviously it isn't going to sound like something that costs 10x the price, but for what it is, it works. I switch between it and a 1st Gen Fiio X1.

 

Actually it wasn't that you needed it, it's that you discredited it without hearing it. I'm sorry to the OP because it doesn't fit your needs, but I am not the only side of this offshoot that won't stop. Last comment from me.

 

Read my initial post. Nothing of the sort.

That your owner's pride got dented is the issue here, not whether or not I heard (and I assume you're referring to me) the bloody Pono.

And seeing as the OP wanted a multi-purpose device, the Pono didn't fit with the OP's requirements, so was out of scope from the off.

It doesn't sound like he's got any regrets and good for him. And neither have I.

 

Lock this thread.

 

+1.

 

Too bad Apple doesn't put more storage on the Touch. Any deals on eBay?

 

Look on the Apple site for refurbished units.

 

I was also thinking about a Touch. I have an iPhone but want to have that devoted to non music. I also have an older iPod but it’s having a problem here and there. I’d just want the Touch for music. I’d also want to make sure it’s Bluetooth compatible for wireless headphones.

 

In the absence of the iPod Classic, I have just bought a Sony NW-A45 with a 200GB micro SD card and it is wonderful. Just plays music, very well. And I am a long standing Apple user, too.

It also supports AptX and AptX HD via Bluetooth, unlike iOS gear which only supports AAC and SBC.

 

Thanks. I may check that out. From what can tell it doesn’t look difficult to transfer music in iTunes to the Walkman.

 

I’ve only had it a few days, but you can use Sony’s app to transfer music or drag it yourself. As far as I can tell if plays most formats, including the Hi Res ones without issue, and I used it for hours yesterday via Bluetooth cams without a hitch.

 

How is the response time? I find on my Apple devices (iPhone 6s, iPad Mini 3, and current gen iPod touch 128GB), it can take a couple of seconds between when you press the next track button and the unit responds. I don't recall my iPod Classic being this slow, and it used a hard drive not a memory chip for storage.

As for the Sony, I recently started using one I had tucked in a drawer. I was impressed with the sound quality.

 

Start up time when first switched on can take a minute or so as it scans the SD card to check the library, but once up and running it is pretty much instant in a similar fashion to a Classic. That start up time is for a 200GB cats 90+% full of music plus the 16GB internal memory full.

 

Can you access the digital signal to play through a dac?

 

No. You can connect it to a Mac / PC and use it as a DAC, but having just tried to connect it to my Oppo HA2 DAC with the supplied USB cable it doesn't work the other way round. There is a 3.5mm jack for headphones which appears to be pretty good, though doesn't drive my Oppo PM3s to anything like the same volumes as the HA2, and a Sony DMPORT socket which basically connects to USB with a supplied cable for syncing music. I don't mind this given that the price (£180) is considerably lower than many dedicated DAPs with more features. I wanted a decent storage capacity, AptX and AptX HD support, and the ability to play FLAC and DSD without any hassle and it does all those things.

 

I assume the Sony app/software is included in the NW A45 box?

 

The Sony app for music management is called Music Center and it is available as a free download. It supersedes Media Go which is no longer supported by Sony. If the above player is like the other recent Walkman players, it is not mandatory to use Music Center with the player and you can just drag and drop the files on the player.

 

Thanks.