10 Gig iPod or 20 Gig NOMAD Zen NX? [Archive]

IronSerif

08-08-2003, 12:50 PM

Originally posted by SEiNMAN007
The new 20 gig Zen NX retails for $249. The OLD 20 gig Zen STILL retails for $299! Go figure.

I called Creative and asked why, and they told me that it costs less to make the NX. One reason, is the removable battery.

Ironserif, you said you were "considering" the old Zen. Did you spring for the iPod instead?

I'd much rather get the 3rd Gen ipod than the old Zen, but the new NX looks to be all that. The removable battery is a big draw, and you can't beat the sound quality from Creative.

Yep, in the end I decided to to plunge for the iPod. I liked the smaller form factor and the way the new iPods operated.

Although it seems the new Zen is smaller than the old one, I'm still not 100% sure I would get it over the iPod. Maybe if Price was the only factor that I would have to consider.

I also liked the fact that the iPod has a plethora of accessories available for it.

The biggest advantages I can see of the new Zen NX model is the removable battery, amount of storage, and the lower price.

theguy

08-09-2003, 11:55 AM

dude get the ipod, youll love it! its way better quality, the Zen is a cheap knock off, youll thank me!
-theguy

bdonn

08-10-2003, 08:47 PM

I just bought the 15GB iPod and I never even considered any other MP3 player. It came in the mail and I was simply in awe when I opened the nicely designed box ... I was really impressed.

The aesthetics of the player are breathtaking and nothing compares to having all your music strapped to your waist.

IronSerif

08-11-2003, 07:51 AM

I have to agree...the box that the iPod comes packaged in is very nice. 10 pts for presentation :)

Unregistered

08-11-2003, 09:51 AM

I had the Ipod and returned it. I like the design but it scratches by just looking at it. Probably will go with the ZEN NX.

vladmin

08-11-2003, 01:17 PM

Originally posted by IronSerif
I have to agree...the box that the iPod comes packaged in is very nice. 10 pts for presentation :)

Well yeah... you did pay extra for the box. I know we all dig design, but personally I still don't feel right shelling out $600 for an mp3 player.

SEiNMAN007

08-12-2003, 11:37 AM

After doing a TON of research I decided on the NX.

Has anybody been able to get their hands on one of these, yet? I'm anxiously awaiting mine to arrive in the mail!

dat

08-13-2003, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by SEiNMAN007
Well, the ONLY place that has it in stock is Creative. I would call them if you want it. They'll ship it out 3 days after you order it. The only thing is that it's $249 or $299 AND shipping AND tax. An extra $25 right there.

I just ordered mine from ecost.com for a TOTAL of $227! They're supposed to get it in on the 13th, and it would ship out that afternoon.

I've never bought anything from ecost.com, but it seems like a pretty solid website, and they've been around for a while.

Get this over the iPod! I beg you!

looks like they slipped on that 13th date...

Shniks

08-13-2003, 06:15 PM

Buy.com is offering the Zen Nx 20 gb for $212 with shipping (slow shipping).... great deal if u are willing to wait...The URL is as follows:

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10353240&loc=101

Shniks

08-13-2003, 09:10 PM

Just another thing. The Zen NX has an 8 mb buffer. Will that be enough? I suppose it would otherwise creative would not have made it that low. My friend has a zen usb 2.0 with 16 mb buffer and that works beautifully. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Secondly, the website says its case comes with a belt clip. Is that different from the zen usb 2.0 whose case has a velcro mechanism? Questions! Questions! I ordered my NX from buy.com today. Hope they ship it soon...

Ioman

08-13-2003, 09:11 PM

Hey, Volkswagon has a special, buy a bug get an iPod. So all you gotta do is buy a car and you can get the iPod for free!

;)

Unregistered

08-13-2003, 09:13 PM

Originally posted by dat
looks like they slipped on that 13th date...

Yes, they did and I cancelled my order. The ETA is now the 29th! Whoever I spoke to on the phone lied. I've read a ton of reviews about ecost.com and they were mixed, so I figured I'd take a shot. Now I know not to buy from them again.

I saw that buy.com offer and it really is a great deal. The only thing I don't like about them, is their customer support. It costs $10 To even TALK to a customer service rep. Some service, huh?

At this point I'm just going to wait and see what other offers there are. No other retailer is going to get it in till the end of the month, and maybe even September.

Does anyone have the NX or know of a place that has it in stock?

Ioman

08-13-2003, 09:16 PM

Shniks

08-13-2003, 09:22 PM

Oh btw, i forgot to add, that buy.com has coupons that give NEW customers $10 off the product. So if you order the zen NX from them it would come to only $202... The link should you want to redeem that coupon is given below:

http://www.edealinfo.com/Coupons/

click on 'by store' and select 'buy.com' store. Then scroll down to find the coupon.

Hope this helps. Also check out www.edealinfo.com for great deals daily. For example they have a deal i think in staples where u can get a Netgear wireless router MR814 (great router btw) and a simple calculator for only $25 after mail in rebates. Its a great site. They do have good offers from time to time.

SEiNMAN007

08-13-2003, 09:23 PM

Originally posted by Ioman
Register, register, register, register.

Sorry! I had the last unregistered post! I thought I was signed in.

Buy.com probably won't start shipping the NX till the end of the month. I was told to call on Monday to get an ETA.

Shniks

08-13-2003, 09:26 PM

oh dang... I was hoping it would be sooner.. Oh well, gotta wait then... ;-)

Unregistered

08-14-2003, 07:40 PM

I was at Best Buy today and saw a sales sticker for the Nomad Zen NX 30gb on the shelf. There was no physical player/box or anything showing that it was in stock - I figured a sales guy might know when it would be in stock - He couldn't give me a very straight answer - he told me probably within the week and to give them a call this saturday(16th) to check if its in stock as that would be the earliest it could be in. I'm hoping he was right about it coming in within the week as I would finally be able to pick a player (ipod vs. zen nx).I'll try to keep you posted if it's in stock or not this week.

P.S. I'll register soon

SEiNMAN007

08-15-2003, 04:56 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered
I'll try to keep you posted if it's in stock or not this week.

P.S. I'll register soon

Thanks man. If anyone else knows where they're in stock, let me know.

Shniks

08-15-2003, 12:24 PM

Ok, I just called Buy.com (15th August, Friday @ 3:00 pm ET) and they told me they expect to have the Nomad Zen NX in stock by monday, August 18th. So here's hoping...

SEiNMAN007

08-15-2003, 02:10 PM

Originally posted by Shniks
Ok, I just called Buy.com (15th August, Friday @ 3:00 pm ET) and they told me they expect to have the Nomad Zen NX in stock by monday, August 18th. So here's hoping...

I talked to them too. They already have over 200 preorders, so good luck! I was told that the ETA was September 1.

Hey unregistered guy... did they have a price for the 30 gig model at bestbuy?

Shniks

08-15-2003, 03:58 PM

Hmm strange... called them again but they again told me August 18th. Maybe its coz i asked for the 20gb model? Dont know why the discrepancy. Gonna call them again on monday to find out. Argh, waiting sux!

Unregistered

08-15-2003, 04:38 PM

Yeah the price for the 30gb NX @ Best Buy was the msrp/list $300 just as if you bought it direct from Creative(without shipping of course) - I think the 18th is looking pretty solid for buy.com and Best Buy. Hopefully both will have it in by then or within the week. Best Buy also had a display only Nomad Muvo NX however it was also not in stock. I'm going to give them a calla tomorrow and try to get my hands on one! The $212 @ buy.com is very tempting however! I tihnk I'll wait till they have it in stock rather then getting it at best buy b/c i want to spend the least amount possible! I also found a small review comparing it to the Ipod and Rio Nitrus - not sure how reliable the source - I'm on the lookout for a CNET review or such! I'll keep you posted!

Review URL

http://ptech.wsj.com/ptech.html

Unregistered

08-15-2003, 10:48 PM

do you guys know where to find a 30gig zen nx. i cant find them anywhere (in stock)

genzo

08-16-2003, 02:26 AM

actually i walked into a Best Buy this evening (evening of the 15th, Friday)) and they had two 20gb Zen NX's just sitting on the shelf not bothering anyone. =p they were selling for retail (249). i was pretty surprised to see 'em and wud've picked 'em up but i'm waiting to see what other ipod "killers" come out. just letting you know the NX's are appearing on shelves already.

EDIT: oh wait, you guys were looking for the 30gb. agh. sorry. didn't see one. just a sticker for it underneath an empty shelf. out any moment i guess.

Unregistered

08-16-2003, 12:11 PM

Hey - I also saw two Zen Nx's (20gb) @ Best Buy today - I didn't see the 30gb - I wonder why they would release them at different times? I would've picked one up but I still want to wait for some reviews and I would get it at buy.com for $212. The 18th release date for buy.com is looking up considering I just saw two in person at my local best buy.

SEiNMAN007

08-16-2003, 08:21 PM

I went to bestbuy today (saturday, aug 16) and didn't see the NX there. I live in New York.

I'm going to call tomorrow. I think I'm going to buy it there, and test it out. I'm going to return it regardless, but better to try it out now, right?

It looks like the NX is going to be on amazon.com pretty soon. The price isn't bad, and it's no tax and free shipping. I trust them more than buy.com, and I can actually speak to a customer service rep without being charged!

http://simplest-shop.com/CreativeLabs,NOMAD,JUKEBOX,ZEN,NX,20GB,MP3,70PD041 000000,--1-172282-B0000BVUYQ-0-electronics-product.html

http://simplest-shop.com/CREATIVE,LABS,Nomad,Jukebox,Zen,NX,30GB,Digital,Au dio,Player--1-172282-B0000B005N-0-electronics-product.html

Check it out.

Unregistered

08-17-2003, 01:16 PM

Hey - This is kind of off topic but I was just wondering what program everyone uses to rip CD's - Right now I'm using dbpoweramp cd input but I'm not getting great results (mp3 lame @ 192kbps) - any recommendations?

Unregistered

08-17-2003, 04:56 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered
Yes, they did and I cancelled my order. The ETA is now the 29th! Whoever I spoke to on the phone lied. I've read a ton of reviews about ecost.com and they were mixed, so I figured I'd take a shot. Now I know not to buy from them again. Creative's press release says they shipped at the beginning of the month. First report of someone seeing one happened within the last day or two. Clearly it was creative that was lying about the ship date. Ecost/other vendors just pass along the info they get from the vendor.

I'd still like to see a review of this one before I drop $212+ on it. If it requires the ****ty creative software, I'll have to save my pennies until I can get an ipod. I hope they just make it appear like a hard drive to Windows.

dat

08-18-2003, 03:46 PM

I know everyone seems to be looking for the 30gb zen nx..
However, I did spot a 20 gb zen nx in best buy, just outside of DC. I actually had it in my hands and was walking to the checkout, when I turned back and put it down. I'm that stuck between the zen nx and the 10gb ipod.

I guess I still have to way out more factors (size comparisons, battery life, price, etc) before I make my final decision (sometime this week hopefully).

One of the biggest things that I like about the ipod, is that you can transmit fm to your car receiver while charging it (albeit using 3rd party adapters). If anyone knows of a way that I can transmit fm to the receiver without eating away at precious battery life with the zen nx, then please let me know.

thx

SEiNMAN007

08-19-2003, 06:08 PM

Has anyone been able to get their hands on the NX yet? I want someone to give a review!

Unregistered

08-19-2003, 07:59 PM

Everyone in the forum is waiting for someone else to get the player and wait for them to review it (myself included). I guess no one wants to but down the money down for it and take a gamble on the nx vs. the ipod. I would've picked it up today at my local best buy but it wasn't there. There were two of them on Saturday the 16th but both have been sold now. One of the sales guys told me they get stock in on friday and products are on the shelf by Saturday so I guess I'll have to wait. Still not sure if I'd get it though - kinda waiting for the 30gb. If I got an ipod it would have to be the 15gb (which is still extremely pricey -$400) - which still won't be sufficient space to store all my tunes - this is why I hope the NX is good - I don't want to have to settle for 15gb when I could get 30gb NX for $100 less. I also wonder why best buy is the only place that has it in stock or has had sightings of the actual player. Bestbuy.com doesn't even have it listed - wonder why? I hope I can get my hands on one soon!

Ioman

08-19-2003, 08:02 PM

Just want to let everyone know that I have turned on registration for this thread so there cannot be any more unregistered posts. This just helps us with the moderating duties so we can keep tabs on any bad or out of line posts. Registering will give you the ability to post in any of Designtechnica's forums.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thanks,

The Designtechnica team

Faulty Screw

08-19-2003, 09:11 PM

Finally made me register - I guess it's for the best!

Ioman

08-19-2003, 09:51 PM

Originally posted by Faulty Screw
Finally made me register - I guess it's for the best!

Welcome to the Designtechnica forums! :D

IronSerif

08-20-2003, 07:38 AM

Ditto...Welcome to the DT forums :)

Faulty Screw

08-20-2003, 08:58 AM

Hey - I was just browsing the net to see if the the NX was in stock like I do all the time - I check buy.com often b/c they usually have great deals and to my surprise - they finally have the 30gb NX listed - selling for $255.99 - WOW!!! Can't wait till it's in stock but who knows when that'll be.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10353231&loc=101&estk=1

amonte

08-20-2003, 07:30 PM

I just called Buy.com and asked for an estimated date of when they will have the 30gb in stock. The customer service told me......sometime around end of September!! yuck..was pretty disappointed. I'm about to call Amazon now.....

kerosin

08-20-2003, 08:52 PM

Bestbuy.com has a 20GB version 'in stock':

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1057490637244&skuId=5767583&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01052

$249+ free shipping
it is not same great price as at buy.com but it is in stock and they ship it in 1 business day ;)

amonte

08-20-2003, 09:27 PM

wow..surprised BestBuy got the 20gb in..its tempting...but gotta go for the 30gb one. hope someone can find a store that carries it soon!! i sure can't...

ECA

08-20-2003, 09:57 PM

I have to ask you guys....
WHY do you want 20-30 gigs. Dont you want to change your music every once in awhile.
1 gig will be about 6-18 hours of music in MP3 format.
30 gig Will be like 180-540 hours, and like 3000+ songs.
I still like the CD idea for MP3's. Swap them as I want or need. And a few have the High quality playback if its recorded that way. AND from a CD you can play them on most DVD players.

IronSerif

08-21-2003, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by ECA
I have to ask you guys....
WHY do you want 20-30 gigs. Dont you want to change your music every once in awhile.
1 gig will be about 6-18 hours of music in MP3 format.
30 gig Will be like 180-540 hours, and like 3000+ songs.
I still like the CD idea for MP3's. Swap them as I want or need. And a few have the High quality playback if its recorded that way. AND from a CD you can play them on most DVD players.

Must..have..more..storage..

But seriously, the reason I like the larger Hard Drives is for the ability of using it as a portable Hard Drive other than for Music, such as my precious data :)

That's just my reason on why I would want an MP3 Player of that capacity.

ECA

08-21-2003, 09:02 AM

Originally posted by IronSerif
Must..have..more..storage..

But seriously, the reason I like the larger Hard Drives is for the ability of using it as a portable Hard Drive other than for Music, such as my precious data :)

That's just my reason on why I would want an MP3 Player of that capacity.

But with current HD, 120+gig, backing up would be rediculous. I have a friend that just DL 100gig in a month. Its taking him 3 days to burn it all off, to CD. EVEN backing up the OS is in the realm of 4-5 gig.
I stated before, about the concept of MS splitting the DIRs for installing progs away from the Windows dir, so that backing up is much easier.
I can see the use from backing up a few progs to take to a friends house, but not the whole system, or much of the OS, and for long term storage, NOT.
Im waiting for a DVD storage device, with MP3 play back. Maybe even able to burn DVD format. Hmm, almost sounds like the Philips Jackrabit 32. Anyone heard about it latly??

SEiNMAN007

08-21-2003, 09:34 AM

Quick Note: I definitely don't NEED 20 gigs of music. I'd be fine with 5 gigs. Yeah, it's still a ton of music but I'd like to put all my CD's on the player so I can shuffle through an album. The larger hard drive saves you the time of constantly transfering music.

AND, since the 20 gig NX is only (comparitively) $200, it's a great deal.

But let's get back on topic.

Today, I went to BestBuy and purchased the 30 gig NX! I'll be able to give a REVIEW on it later tonight or tomorrow morning! I'll try and judge for you guys how it stacks up against the iPod.

If anyone else has the NX and would like to give a review, please do so.

Faulty Screw

08-21-2003, 09:36 AM

You found a 30gb NX - I'm jealous! My Best Buy only has the 20gb in stock. Can't wait for the review!

ECA

08-21-2003, 10:38 AM

Originally posted by SEiNMAN007
Quick Note: I definitely don't NEED 20 gigs of music. I'd be fine with 5 gigs. Yeah, it's still a ton of music but I'd like to put all my CD's on the player so I can shuffle through an album. The larger hard drive saves you the time of constantly transfering music.

AND, since the 20 gig NX is only (comparitively) $200, it's a great deal.

But let's get back on topic.

Today, I went to BestBuy and purchased the 30 gig NX! I'll be able to give a REVIEW on it later tonight or tomorrow morning! I'll try and judge for you guys how it stacks up against the iPod.

If anyone else has the NX and would like to give a review, please do so.

IF it had the feature of being able to SWAP HD'd out. Then it would be great. But with the CD or DVD style, you could group your music, and just carry a few with you. Or burn a new one with the music you like now, and never have to worry about grouping.

SEiNMAN007

08-22-2003, 08:57 AM

ZEN NX REVIEW:

Like I said before, I purchased the 20 gig Zen NX at Best Buy yesterday. Here be the review-

THE BAD:
There was bad news right away with this player. After I fully charged it and turned it on, none of the buttons would work! I couldn't even turn the damn thing off! At first, I thought that it was a defective unit, or maybe the firmware was defective. What I did was, I took out the battery, shook it up, hit the player very lightly, and put the battery back in. Ta-da, the buttons were working.

The case that holds the battery in another issue. The battery door is actually in the front of the player. It is a little flimsy, even when you put it back on and lock it in. Its a really small issue and shouldn't give you a problem.

Looks wise, it ain't a thing of beauty. I mean, it's nice and is certainly a step up from the Zen, the iPod has it beat by a mile. I don't care what Creative says. As far as looks are concerned. there's no comparison.

It might have the worst user manual I have ever seen. It's maybe, 5 pages long. Doesn't really tell you anything that any idiot wouldn't already know. How to turn on the player (power button) and how to install the software (put the cd player in the drive).

The headphones are way too big for my ears and the sound quality on them is terrible. They are pretty damn loud though.

Creative now uses 8 MB RAM instead of 16 as they had in their previous player. And yes, it does make a difference. Sometimes the player is a little show to go from track to track, and takes a second to load a song.

The interface is pretty ugly. I thought we've moved on from a green backlight? The original Zen had a blue backlight. We're taking a step backwards! The fonts aren't "modern" and for some reason it fits 4 lines of text and about 1/10 of a 5th line. Its really strange that they would do that and it looks annoying.

They offer EAX, which is good, but you can't combine sound features. For example, they have Garage Sound and Rock Sound, but both are under different menus so you can only pick one.

Finally, the play is bigger at every dimesion compared to the iPod. It's not as big and bulky as people say, but it is bigger.

THE GOOD:
Replaceable battery, replaceable battery, replaceable battery! I don't know about the 14 hour battery-life, like they advertised, but it certainly beats the iPod.

Installing the software was a piece of cake. I have windows 2000 and didn’t have any issues. Installed the software, plugged it in and was ready to file-transfer right away.

There is a learning curve with the computer software and the navigation of the player. I got a little frustrated at the beginning, but now it’s a breeze. The program that comes with the player is pretty straight forward, and you can even rip cd’s from the program. Up to 320 kbps and it’s pretty fast. You can also edit ID3 tags with ease.

Instead of making folders to keep your files in, you make playlists. So, if you’re ripping a cd, you can make a playlist of just that album. This is actually better than keeping music in folders because all of the music is under one directory, which makes it easy to shuffle through your entire collection.

You can also make a playlist on the NX without using a computer! On the player itslef, you can scan through your collection and add any song you want in the "Selected Music" menu. It's just like making a playlist in Winamp. I mean, it takes a little more time, but still, this is one of my favorite features.

The player is a good size and you can fit it in your pocket easily. I prefer a bigger size for the reason that it will be harder to lose! The iPod is so light that if it fell out of my pocket I probably wouldn’t even notice.

OVERALL:
I wrote a lot more bad than good, but that’s just because people like to complain. The NX didn’t live up to my expectations, but it is still does the job and it’s at a great price. If you can afford the iPod, get one. Personally, I can’t spend over $300 on an iPod that’s only good for 2 years until the battery dies out. My money is on the 20 gig NX that I can get for about $220. While it’s definitely not an iPod killer, the NX sounds great, is easy to transfer songs and is small enough to carry around wherever I go.

Before you run and buy one, get yourself an extra set of headphones first.

Cloud

08-22-2003, 09:02 AM

Wow, thanks for the review! I think this will help a lot of people with their decision and it looks like the Apple iPod is still king of the hill!

SEiNMAN007

08-22-2003, 09:13 AM

Originally posted by Cloud
Wow, thanks for the review! I think this will help a lot of people with their decision and it looks like the Apple iPod is still king of the hill!

No problem.

If you guys have any questions about the NX i'll be more than happy to answer them.

Faulty Screw

08-22-2003, 09:30 AM

Thanks for the review - now I'm not sure what to do? I'm definately getting one on them though as I've been ripping my entire music collection this past week. Seems to be that nothing can beat the ipod - Creative sure came out good with the price on this one though and that is why it's so attractive. If it was priced similarly to to ipod then there would be no competition - ipod would win in hands down. Its just the price seems to good to pass up. I'm kinda wary about the 8mb or memory - I don't want the HD spinning all the time during a large/long song. How does the nx perform with a .wav file regarding the memory and HD - can it be noticed when the HD spins up? Does it handle larger files well? I would like to get the ipod since it has 32mb of memory. How does the sound on the nx stack up to the sound of the original zen and ipod? Well that's just about all I would like to know - Thanks again!

SEiNMAN007

08-22-2003, 10:15 AM

Originally posted by Faulty Screw
How does the nx perform with a .wav file regarding the memory and HD - can it be noticed when the HD spins up? Does it handle larger files well? I would like to get the ipod since it has 32mb of memory. How does the sound on the nx stack up to the sound of the original zen and ipod? Well that's just about all I would like to know - Thanks again!

I can't answer the wav question or the large file right now. I'm at work, but I'll try it out when I get home.

The sound is the same as the original Zen... I think. The only thing that may be different is the EAX audio. I'm not sure if the original Zen had that it. If it didn't, then the new Zen sounds better.

It sounds better than the iPod, but get yourself a nice set of headphones.

I think the big question for you, is how long you want to have this thing for. In a few years, they're gonna be smaller and probably cheaper. If you get the NX now and get another MP3 in 1 - 2 years its a waste. The NX will be good for the long run.

Unless, of course, you go the ebay route...
Buy it, use it for a year, and then sell it when a newer one comes out.

vladmin

08-22-2003, 10:47 AM

Original Zen has EAX

SEiNMAN007

08-22-2003, 11:19 AM

Originally posted by vladmin
Original Zen has EAX

Well, there you go.

kkmike

08-24-2003, 08:14 PM

I bought the zen nx (20gb) Friday at Best Buy. I had an ipod for a couple of days and returned it. Main reason was the sound quality. I first compared its sound quality to my old Intel Pocket Concert and the ipod was distorted when played at 3/4 volume and up (it was too bright as well, poor bass response), I couldn't even turn up the Pocket Concert to more than 1/2 way before it was too loud (pain wise), but the sound was always crisp. The NX is just as crisp and clear - I was so happy. I did shell out $330 for a nice set of headphones some time ago (Etymotic ER4P's) and portable music has never been the same since - sound quality is number 1 for me. The other reasons I didn't like the ipod were; software - didn't play nice with XP, LCD display - contrast had to be turned all the way down in order to be clear (a common problem I have found out), and price - just couldn't settle down in my mind knowing I spent $300+ with tax for a 10gb.

Faulty Screw

08-24-2003, 08:42 PM

Hey - thanks for the review - I have an old Pocket Concert as well - great player. I was actually wondering how the ipod and nx's sound stacked up. I figured most people had forgotten about the pocket concert as it was discontinued around 2 years ago. Sound quality aside however - how is the the player as far as navigation and is the 8mb sufficient in your experience with the player? I was about to order an iPod until I read what you had to say about the NX.

ECA

08-24-2003, 09:04 PM

SOmething to remember...
USE the same headphones on EACH unit.
USE your own.
Cheap headphones always CRAP out. And if a unit has a set, it can really make you think a unit is BAD. ALOT of comapnys make a great unit but use CHEAP headphones to save money.

kkmike

08-25-2003, 03:19 PM

The 8mb is not a problem - heck, hard drives for pc's just upped their cache to 8mb as the new standard, it's plenty for a mp3 player. I don't notice any delay between songs, or any skipping during regular activity. I stick mine in a case logic neoprene cd player waistband type deal and lift weights at the gym every morning, it gets bounced around a bit and no skipping. The only reason for more memory would be for anti-skip, and I didn't buy this to run with. If I was a runner, even the ipod would be too heavy - clip it to the waistband of your sweats or in the front pocket and it would pull them down. I know, a friend of mine tried his on a treadmill and out came his butt crack. He ended up sticking with a 256mb iriver for that sort of activity.
Again, I am most happy with the zen for the sound quality. But don't take my word for it, buy an ipod at a local store with a no questions asked return policy like best buy or circuit city and use it for a few days and return it, then try the zen nx.

Faulty Screw

08-25-2003, 04:51 PM

Hey - thats what I thought I would do - I would probably buy both players then return one of them - compare em side by side - I already have a flash-based player - Intel Pocket Concert - so I use that for the gym. I'll be using this in a most non-active environment so skipping shouldn't be a problem. I was just wondering about files larger then the 8mb buffer and how the player accomodates to it as it must spin the HD up again. I'm sure it's fine however. I've got a good pair of Koss Porta Pro's which I'll use to test sound quality - Just have to wait to get them now I guess.

vladmin

08-26-2003, 09:07 AM

Originally posted by kkmike
I stick mine in a case logic neoprene cd player waistband type deal and lift weights at the gym every morning, it gets bounced around a bit and no skipping. The only reason for more memory would be for anti-skip, and I didn't buy this to run with.

Hey HD MP3 players do not skip, they just go pshhhht!!!... and then that's it, game over.

SEiNMAN007

08-26-2003, 09:56 AM

Has anybody actually compared the sound quality of the two with the same headphones? I've only tested it with the headphones that were given by each company, and the NX was far superior.

Someone try comparing the NX to the iPod using Sony headphones. Then we'll see.

Faulty Screw

08-26-2003, 01:19 PM

Why specifically Sony? In my opinion Sony headphones produce the worst sound quality - and they're way overpriced - that's just my opinion though

ECA

08-26-2003, 01:53 PM

Sony is just a name.
ANY head sets will work for a comparison. as long as you use the same on ALL units compared. Crap headphones will sound bad on all units but will be a start position to compare. If you have a unit that sounds good on them you willo KNOW it will sound GREAT on better headphones.

Faulty Screw

08-26-2003, 04:56 PM

Good point!

Faulty Screw

08-26-2003, 05:02 PM

Hey guys - the 30gb NX is finally in stock at Creativelabs.com

http://www.americas.creative.com/shop/shopcategory.asp?Category=2

kkmike

08-27-2003, 01:09 PM

I did compare them both with the same pair of headphones - Etymotic ER4P's.

kkmike

08-27-2003, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by vladmin
Hey HD MP3 players do not skip, they just go pshhhht!!!... and then that's it, game over.

Yes they do, when the buffer is empty.

kkmike

08-27-2003, 01:16 PM

Originally posted by Faulty Screw
I was just wondering about files larger then the 8mb buffer and how the player accomodates to it as it must spin the HD up again.

The hard drive is always spinning up and down to keep the buffer full, so it doesn't matter how big the file is.

vladmin

08-27-2003, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by kkmike
Yes they do, when the buffer is empty.

I find this very hard to believe both technically and in my experience with my Zen 2.0. Could you please give me a technical explanation of exactly how a song would 'skip' as I am fairly interested.

ruce

08-28-2003, 01:52 PM

i'm actually new to the forum so ahh, hello everyone.

so yeh, i'm in the same predicament as alot of you... tossing up whether to go for an iPod or NX. i -WANT- space but i -DON't WANT- to shack out $500+ so i'm kinda swaying towards the NX but would like to ask you guys out there that already have one (SEiNMAN007, kkmike, anyone else) a few questions:

1) is there a separate line out or do i need to use the headphone jack when connecting the player to my home system? if the hedphne jack is the only option then have you guys tried that and if so what does it sound like?

2) NX utilizes USB 2.0 correct so i'm assuming it's just standard plug'n'play into any computer yeh? i heard something about installing Creatives software is a MUST in order to manage files etc?

3) are there any copyright restrictions with it.. meaning, can i upload all my tunes from my home pc.... then bring the unit to work and transfer stuff over to my work pc (and vice versa)

4) you guys mentioned an 8Mb buffer & skipping... i'm not a full bottle on this kinda stuff so excuse my ignorance... but i listen to alot of mixed DJ sets which could maybe be 1 x 72min mp3 or 2 x 30min mp3s.. would that pose a problem?

thanks for hearing me rant... look forward to hopefully getting some answers if you fellas get a minute. also, im in nyc so if anyone knows what stores i can visit to physically see one pls lemme know as i haven't had any luck yet.

thnks
r

EndRezults

08-29-2003, 08:50 AM

Hi, I just read through all of the posts and I'm in the same boat as most of you. I don't want to shell out all the money for an Ipod when I can get more space for less money by getting a Zen NX. I'm 90% sure I'm going to go with the 20 gig Zen. Best Buy says they have it in stock, so I'm going to try to get there and take a look. As far as Ecost and Buy.com go, both sites say that the item is out of stock or unavailable. Has anyone heard differently? Its almost September, isn't it supposed to be out already? I'm going to try calling Ecost and Buy.com to see if I can get a straight answer. If anyone else hears anything please post it. I much rather spend 212 than 250, but I don't know how much longer I can wait!

- Its all about the End Result!

EDIT: I just got through to Ecost and Creative Labs. The sales rep at Ecost said that they were suppose to get 7 of the 20 gig Zens yesterday the 28th, but they haven't arrived yet. Also there were 58 preorders, so even if they do come in they are shipping out right away. She mentioned that there is suppose to be another shipment coming in today, but unless they are getting 52 its still gonna be a while.

The sales rep at Creative Labs said they are available for purchase and will ship out as soon as you order it. So with shipping it would be about 263, but you can have it in a couple of days instead of waiting for them to come in.

SEiNMAN007

08-29-2003, 09:20 AM

Get it from bestbuy.com. My NX is supposed to be coming today, and I ordered it on the 26th.

It's $237.50 plus whatever state tax there is.

Faulty Screw

08-29-2003, 09:54 AM

Hey - when you guys get yours - just post some thoughts on it to end this ongoing dillema

Euripides

08-29-2003, 12:41 PM

I just ordered the NOMAD JUKEBOX ZEN NX 30 gig from Buy.com for $255.99....no tax and free shipping. I will post my thoughts next week once I get it and play aorund with it for a few days.

I have a pair of Etymotics headphones waiting to test this baby out.

Ioman

08-29-2003, 12:43 PM

If I created a pre-review on the Designtechnica reviews site for the Nomad, would you guys be interested in posting your user reviews on it for others to see?

Shniks

08-29-2003, 02:02 PM

Yeah Ioman... sounds like an idea.... I ordered my Nomad 30 gb player from buy.com for $255 and its already shipped and it will be delivered on september 4th. So will let you guys know then what I think. But $255 for 30gb and removeable battery... I already like it... :-)

vladmin

08-29-2003, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by Shniks
it will be delivered on september 4th. So will let you guys know then what I think. But $255 for 30gb and removeable battery... I already like it... :-)

oh.... famous last words:rolleyes:

it's like those amazon.com customer reviews... you know that on some of them people have'nt received the product yet and are just regurgitating the product propaganda... oh well, i guess it's all about justifying that purchase now isn't it.

good luck with it anyhow

Shniks

08-29-2003, 02:55 PM

Well i disagree a bit.... The reason i think and know it will be okay is because i already have been using my cousins Jukebox Zen usb. This one is the same thing with added advantages... ;-)

Ioman

08-29-2003, 04:36 PM

Alright guys, here is a link to the 30GB version: http://reviews.designtechnica.com/review423.html

And a link to the 20GB version: http://reviews.designtechnica.com/review424.html

If you could post your user review here for others to see, it would be appreciated. Its great that everyone is posting their thoughts, it helps those that purchase the product be more knowledgable.

kkmike

08-31-2003, 02:45 PM

Originally posted by vladmin
Could you please give me a technical explanation of exactly how a song would 'skip'
Skip defined as an interruption in play

Faulty Screw

09-01-2003, 12:37 PM

Hey - I picked up a 15gb Ipod at Best Buy 2 days ago. I'm testing it and have found it to be a very nice player - GUI is slick as many have said and feels extremely solid (still wouldn't want to drop it though). I'm using a trial of Xplay for transfers and it works great - Firewire is blazing fast too - beats usb 2.0 any day! Its very intuitive as many have said again and again. The one thing I think it lacks is sound.

The sound is decently balanced but lacks much needed BASS (and I'm not using the tinny buds apple supplies - I use Koss Porta Pro's for portable listening - pretty decent cans for the $). My Intel Pocket Concert cranks out more bass than the Ipod and it has a much less powerful amp. Intel only had an 11mW amp and the IPod has a 30mW per channel amp. From that I though the Ipod would be able to pump out enough bass are at least meet the Intel PC. The EQ's are horrible on the Ipod - most if not all settings (except bass reducer) make the bass distort even at lower volumes.

I'm kind of at a stalemate. Go with the intuitive Ipod and deal with the lack of bass or return the Ipod and get a Zen or Zen NX.

I've never heard the Zen or Zen NX(same chip so I predict they would yield the same sound) - so if anyone could comment on the sound quality of the Zen compared to the Ipod or Intel Pocket Concert and how it handles the entire frequency spectrum. I've read that the zen does sound better than the ipod but I would like to know if this is just a myth. I'm aware that the sound quality of any player is limited to the integrity of the file and the limits of the compression technology/codec but I couldn't believe my 3 year old flash player sounded better.

Thanks!

Nigel

09-02-2003, 02:04 PM

I also ordered a NOMAD JUKEBOX ZEN NX 30 gig from Buy.com for $255.99 on Friday. No idea when it will arrive yet. I decided to buy the 2 year replacement warranty for $17.99 as it only comes with a 90 day warranty.

I thought I read somewhere that the Zen NX output was 50mW, which would make it louder than the iPod.

ruce

09-02-2003, 02:05 PM

Originally posted by ruce
i'm actually new to the forum so ahh, hello everyone.

so yeh, i'm in the same predicament as alot of you... tossing up whether to go for an iPod or NX. i -WANT- space but i -DON't WANT- to shack out $500+ so i'm kinda swaying towards the NX but would like to ask you guys out there that already have one (SEiNMAN007, kkmike, anyone else) a few questions:

1) is there a separate line out or do i need to use the headphone jack when connecting the player to my home system? if the hedphne jack is the only option then have you guys tried that and if so what does it sound like?

2) NX utilizes USB 2.0 correct so i'm assuming it's just standard plug'n'play into any computer yeh? i heard something about installing Creatives software is a MUST in order to manage files etc?

3) are there any copyright restrictions with it.. meaning, can i upload all my tunes from my home pc.... then bring the unit to work and transfer stuff over to my work pc (and vice versa)

4) you guys mentioned an 8Mb buffer & skipping... i'm not a full bottle on this kinda stuff so excuse my ignorance... but i listen to alot of mixed DJ sets which could maybe be 1 x 72min mp3 or 2 x 30min mp3s.. would that pose a problem?

thanks for hearing me rant... look forward to hopefully getting some answers if you fellas get a minute. also, im in nyc so if anyone knows what stores i can visit to physically see one pls lemme know as i haven't had any luck yet.

thnks
r

anybod got one of these NX machines it yet? i'd really love some feedback on the queries i had (above)...

thanks again!

Shniks

09-02-2003, 05:41 PM

Originally posted by ruce
anybod got one of these NX machines it yet? i'd really love some feedback on the queries i had (above)...

thanks again!

Hi ruce,

You can check out the Nomad Zen NX at bestbuy on 23rd and 6th avenue. You have to ask the customer service guys to get one out for you as they are in a caged box below the area where the laptops are stowed.

Mine is scheduled to arrive by fedex this thursday so i will post a review once i have tried it out...

Regarding Line out... The Nx does not have a line out. I did try the headphone jack with the original Zen and it sounded fine to me... (i am not an audiophile although i can tell the difference between crappy and good sound...:D )

Also regarding copyright... it depends on the recording company... However, if your question was simply whether the Zen will let you copy the songs from your zen onto another machine....then yeah it will let you copy... The zen itself does not impose any restrictions on file and song transfers... If anyone reading this disagrees... please post a reply so that we all are informed...

Hope this has helped slightly...

ruce

09-02-2003, 05:54 PM

thanks for all that info Shniks... i actually work up the road from the BestBuy you mentioned so i'll go check it out tomoro - hopefully they have a model charged up we can play with similar to the iPods @ the apple store in soho.

look forward to your review.

thanks!

Faulty Screw

09-03-2003, 07:26 PM

Hey - returned my 15gb 3g iPod - it just didn't sound as good as my Intel Pocket Concert which is 3 years old. I conducted a couple of blind sound tests with some family members - hands down Intel PC sounded better. To me the ipod sounded flat and dull - bass response was especially unimpressive. I did like its ease of use, form factor, and styling however I find these to be irrelevant in regards to what I'm looking for in a player. The sound just didn't justify the $400.

I'm now between the two Zen's. The Zen NX(30gb) or the Zen USB 2.0(i've got plenty of firewire ports to get the original firewire Zen however I heard it's buggier than the USB 2.0 so i'll just stick with the USB 2.0 model). Not sure how much I'll need the remote if I get the Zen but If i do I would buy the remote(kind of expensive though - $60). I've been reading through the nomadness.net Zen forums and many have commented that the NX's build quality wasn't as good as the Zen and it was somewhat flimsy do to the removable battery/battey cover(face of the player). I also read that the scroll wheel is not actually a wheel - more like a dial the pivots up, center, down - I'm much rather prefer the wheel on the Zen. Can anyone who owns the player comment on the build quality and the new dial vs. the wheel for navigation?

I feel like I've made up my mind to just get the Zen but 30gb for the same price is tempting.

As far as the original topic goes - zen nx vs. ipod - I would go with at least one of the Zen's - though I've only tried the ipod making this comment not valid - I just though that it didn't live up to the price. It lived up to it's reputation as far as being easy to use and the screen being so big and wonderful but the sound just didn't stack up - if any has any question about the ipod I'd be more then happy to answer.

Ioman

09-03-2003, 07:40 PM

Originally posted by Faulty Screw
Hey - returned my 15gb 3g iPod - it just didn't sound as good as my Intel Pocket Concert which is 3 years old. I conducted a couple of blind sound tests with some family members - hands down Intel PC sounded better. To me the ipod sounded flat and dull - bass response was especially unimpressive. I did like its ease of use, form factor, and styling however I find these to be irrelevant in regards to what I'm looking for in a player. The sound just didn't justify the $400.

I'm now between the two Zen's. The Zen NX(30gb) or the Zen USB 2.0(i've got plenty of firewire ports to get the original firewire Zen however I heard it's buggier than the USB 2.0 so i'll just stick with the USB 2.0 model). Not sure how much I'll need the remote if I get the Zen but If i do I would buy the remote(kind of expensive though - $60). I've been reading through the nomadness.net Zen forums and many have commented that the NX's build quality wasn't as good as the Zen and it was somewhat flimsy do to the removable battery/battey cover(face of the player). I also read that the scroll wheel is not actually a wheel - more like a dial the pivots up, center, down - I'm much rather prefer the wheel on the Zen. Can anyone who owns the player comment on the build quality and the new dial vs. the wheel for navigation?

I feel like I've made up my mind to just get the Zen but 30gb for the same price is tempting.

As far as the original topic goes - zen nx vs. ipod - I would go with at least one of the Zen's - though I've only tried the ipod making this comment not valid - I just though that it didn't live up to the price. It lived up to it's reputation as far as being easy to use and the screen being so big and wonderful but the sound just didn't stack up - if any has any question about the ipod I'd be more then happy to answer.

You know I have an old review of the Intel Pocket Concert from the old site that I never moved over. Would anyone be interested in reading it out of curiosity? I could add it quickly. The Intel MP3 player features a 11mW amplifier in it which is why it sounds so good. I am not sure if even the newer MP3 Players on the market have this or not. The Intel player is pretty cool I think.

Faulty Screw

09-03-2003, 07:44 PM

agreed!!!

Shniks

09-04-2003, 05:56 AM

Hey guys... I finally got my Nomad Zen NX 30 GB yesterday. I will post a full review in the review section.... Synopsis though is that its a very good player- sleek, small and excellent sound.... The battery cover is not flimsy the way people are making it out to be.... N E way check out the review in the review section....

Shniks

09-04-2003, 06:13 AM

Ok here is my take on it... Thought i would post it here too....

This is truly an excellent player and a great value for money. The player is very pleasant to look at and seems much more aesthetically pleasing the eye than the USB 2 version. The flip-type case coming with the player is very smart- it does have a flaw in that with the case fully closed, one cannot see the LCD screen. I feel that creative should have thought about this and made a slot for the LCD to peer through. The sound quality is EXCELLENT. However, you would need to get new headphones. The ones coming with the player dont do it justice. The player has the same EAX options as the USB 2. One of the biggest improvements is the software. The creative mediasource was a joy to use. The software was able to recognize the ID tags automatically and list each track by its respective title, artist, album, genre etc... This was a major flaw in the playcenter software. The transfer from the PC to zen was flawless. I was really happy with this pleasant improvement. The battery life is amazing too. I am getting around 15 hours with one charge. And of course the battery is user replaceable- a huge bonus. Eventually plan to get another battery for those long trips where u cannot charge. However 15 hours should more than suffice for a trip or your daily needs. All in all i think its a great buy and i am nothing short of very happy with the purchase. I got it at buy.com for $255 which made the deal even sweeter. I think the priceis now $299. But if you go to www.ableshoppers.com you can find a $10 off $75 buy.com coupon valid until September 8, 2003... If you intend to purchase from buy.com do use that....

Euripides

09-04-2003, 06:44 AM

I received mine from Buy.com yesterday as well. It shipped out Tuesday evening and Fed Ex dropped it off Wednesday morning at 9:15. This was with the free shipping selected so I was very impressed with that. I also noticed the price jumped to $299 so I am glad I got it for the $255 when I ordered it last Friday.

I am very happy with what I have seen so far. I haven’t had too much time to really play with it yet. I did charge it and put about 3 gigs of MP3’s on it and listened to a bunch of songs. They sounded great!! The USB 2.0 data transfer flew with no problems. I am a little disappointed at the scroller button, it feels a little awkward. I also need to investigate why some albums are not labeled right but that is probably the way they were tagged.

I will give more impressions in a few days when I fully test it out.

ECA

09-04-2003, 11:30 AM

Does it have a power input that you can use with a car adapter, if so there are NO power constraints. ALSO look into a device that send the audio channel to the radio, its wireless and sends on FM.

dustin

09-05-2003, 03:57 PM

I just received my Zen NX (30GB) from Buy.com today!

So far, so good!

I have a question though:

If i gently shake the unit up and down, it rattles a bit. It sounds like something's not screwed down properly or something.

The device seems to work fine, but i'm not sure if i should contact Creative Labs and tell them about it or what....?!

thx!

Nigel

09-05-2003, 05:19 PM

Well as I said in an earlier posting I placed my order for a Zen NX with buy.com last Friday. Although it was showing in stock, it did not ship and now shows as "on order" . Who know's when I'll get it!

Shniks

09-05-2003, 06:05 PM

Originally posted by dustin
I just received my Zen NX (30GB) from Buy.com today!

So far, so good!

I have a question though:

If i gently shake the unit up and down, it rattles a bit. It sounds like something's not screwed down properly or something.

The device seems to work fine, but i'm not sure if i should contact Creative Labs and tell them about it or what....?!

thx!

Hey Dustin.... Dont worry about that sound. Its the hard drive's read write head i believe... The same sounds is on mine and on my cousin's Zen USB.... BTW i am really happy with my unit. What about u? Isn't the sound just wonderful?

Faulty Screw

09-05-2003, 07:09 PM

You mentioned your cousin has a Zen USB 2.0 - which do you like better - your cousin's zen usb 2.0 or you nx. I'm deciding between the too now that I've returned my 15gb ipod. The amount of storage is fine on either model - 20gb is fine for me - I would like 30gb but it's not really necessary. The only draw to the NX for me would be the replaceable battery, and somewhat smaller size. I would like to know (if you could) in terms of build quality and interface how the two stack up. The difference in bundled software doesn't bother me b/c I plan on purchasing Notmad Explorer. Many have said the NX felt flimsy when compared to the Zen USB - not sure if it's true - maybe b/c the zen usb's build quality is so good they cannot accept anytihng less. I'm sure it's not as many are making it seem. And I would also like to know if the interface on each model is different. Is it easier to find music on either player? And the difference between scroll whell (Zen) and jog dial (NX)? Those are pretty much the deciding factors as they both sound equally as good which is my main concern in a player. Interface, size, etc... are just secondary however if both sound the same I would like to the one with the best interface etc..

Thanks!

Shniks

09-05-2003, 09:24 PM

Personally i prefer the Zen NX. The NX's physical dimensions are not that much less than the Zen USB- but somehow the NX looks really compact. Maybe its the case. The replaceable battery too was a huge plus for me. Hmmm... between the Zen NX and USB i think it depends on the individual. You will not get the Optional remote for the NX. So if you want that then the NX is not for you. As far as the interface goes, they are more or less comparable. The NX has a clock built in now and also has a clock screensaver. The NX also automatically indexes the tracks based on the ID3 tag- I found this feature very useful. Build quality wise, I can see why people would find the USB more solid- but that is cause the battery is built in. I personally feel the NX is pretty solid too. But i would strongly suggest to go to best buy or some other store and check them both out before making a purchase. Also if you purchase the NX, you dont have to get Notmad- I bought the Notmad thinking i would need it, but the Creative mediasource is truly excellent in tagging and syncing files. Lastly, the scroll button is a peeve for me. I like the USB 2.0 models scroll button. This one is spring loaded- Not something i like. It will just take some getting used to.

Jambonant

09-05-2003, 09:33 PM

I found a nx 30 gb at 249.80 $ at page computer http://www.pagecomputers.com/cgi-bin/page/B0024071.html#

Is good price or a fraud ?

Sorry I'm canadian I have no clue about this company.

Great forum!

Jambonant

Faulty Screw

09-05-2003, 09:46 PM

Thanks for all your help!!! This is truly a great forum - A lot of knowledgable people here. Not sure which one to get yet - I'll go check them out if I can find a display model somwhere - my Best Buy doesn't have floor models to test which is why I had to buy an ipod and test it myself. I'll try some other local stores like CompUSA. I like the fact that the Zen USB 2.0 has the scroll wheel like my Pocket Concert - been using it for the past 3 years and I'm use to it. Either one's a good choice however - I've seen the NX - though the physical dimensions aren't much smaller then the Zen USB 2.0 - it seems smaller is it is all anodized aluminum and white casing rather than anodized aluminum and blue casing - the lighter colors make it seem less bulky and more sleek to me - still can't decide till I try though - Thanks for your help!

thetruth

09-08-2003, 06:29 AM

APPLE.COM

New 20GB and 40GB models

Smaller than ever (just 0.62 inches thick), the iPod fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and slips easily into your pocket — and your life. At 5.6 ounces, it weighs less than 2 compact discs, and even many cell phones. And yet the iPod gives you a huge 10GB, 20GB or 40GB hard drive — that’s 10,000 songs. Do the math: that’s space enough to store four weeks of music — played continuously, 24/7 — or one new song a day for the next 27 years

-----
Same pricepoint as the 15 and 30GB models

EndRezults

09-08-2003, 09:13 AM

I just got my 20GB Zen NX on Friday. I havn't had much time to play around with it yet. All I was able to do was load the software and put a couple cds on it. As far as my first impression goes, here it is:

PROS:
- More harddrive space than and iPOD for a lot less money
- The software is very easy to use
- Good sound quality

CONS:
- Its larger than an iPOD, but still smaller than a walkman
- The toggle switch is a little annoying, I would have preffered a wheel
- Carrying case doesn't have a window so in order to see what's playing next or select a different album I have to open the case

So far I am happy with the player. I'll still need to get used to the toggle switch and figure out what some of the menu options do. Is there a way to stop a song from playing, or can you only pause it?

I aslo noticed a rattling noise if you shake the player lighty, but since other people have noticed this I assume its nothing to worry about. When I figure out how to use all the options I'll post another review.

Euripides

09-08-2003, 11:07 AM

I cannot seem to find how to stop the music as well. As for the scroller button, while I still find it awkward (as I mentioned in an earlier post), I am getting used to it. The software works beautifully and the transfer is super quick with the USB 2.0. Plus the sound quality is very clear.

A word of advice for first time portable Mp3 player users (like myself). Make sure you have the tags filled in with your MP3 collection (Album Title, Artist). I had songs going all over the place. So I fixed them up on my hard drive and erased the Nomad, then reloaded it with everything in perfect order.

Shniks

09-08-2003, 11:14 AM

The pause button is the stop button too. And yeah, i agree with euripides that the tagging of the songs is super important for hassle free transfers... I think its a great player tho...

Jambonant

09-08-2003, 11:32 AM

I know that many of you were disapointed concerning 16 mb buffer. But I haven't read any negative feedback concerning the new buffer.

I would like to get some info from some of the new user of the nx. A shaking test would be appreciate. (I'm a jogging fan)

Thanks

Manzoni

09-09-2003, 11:35 AM

read some of the posts here and then picked up the 30gb at bestbuy last week. $299. I had an Archos before this so you had better believe I paid the $40 for the two year best buy warrantee.

i won't rehash what has been said, except it is a bit had to get used to. with the Archos Jukebox the display was broken down by folders - drop and drap. You just had to scroll down through your folders. Plus you could nest folder within folder, which I don't think you can do with zen nx. It's not a big deal, but you have to plan ahead when naming Playlists. That is, as far as I know you can't have a Playlist named "Sonic Youth" then have all their albums in there separately. You have to name the playlists separately and know what album is in each, SY1 SY2, or find them in the "Album" area.

In any event, it is a bit of a hassle to scroll through to find things.

One negative is I haven't been able to get songs to play continuously (that is more than just the song selected) after Opening a playlist and finding the song I want to hear. That is, it doesn't continue on from there. You have to click "Open and Play" (or something similar) find the song you want, then let it play on from there. There is a lot of scrolling, have I said that?. Once I get it up to 15-24GB of music, it is going to be a mutha to navigate.

I'm not sure the Pause is the Stop button though. I mean it does 'stop' it, but the pause symbol is up there.

Oh yeah, as of two days ago Nomad had nothing in the way of manuals or anything up on their website for the nx.

EndRezults

09-10-2003, 08:27 AM

Hey Manzoni,

In order to play continuously you have to add the song(s) or album by selecting Add to Play from the menu.

Cloud

09-10-2003, 09:09 AM

NO offense, but this player sounds complicated.

Manzoni

09-10-2003, 09:12 AM

EndResultz,, thanks. Still it is too much scrolling and pressing. B/c to do that you have to do it to play, then go to the Selected Music section, clear out whatever else is in there and then hit play. You should be able to open a playlist, scroll to a song, hit play and then let her rumble from there. I am just wondering if there is a good technical reason for making it seem so "labor intensive."

Euripides

09-10-2003, 09:15 AM

Actually once you start playing around with the controls it becomes pretty easy. You just need to use it a few times.

As to getting the player to stop playing music

Just pause the song and then press the advance button to next track. The player stops and the symbol for the play/ pause goes away.

Nigel

09-11-2003, 11:42 AM

Finally received the Zen NX 30GB unit I ordered from buy.com yesterday.

One minor problem when downloading my MP3 collection. The unit hung and became unresponsive after about 200 tracks. However, I successfully downloaded about 2600 tracks after reseting it once.

Sound quality is awesome. I am impressed by the build quality. However, I have yet to even try the supplied ear buds as they look so cheap and nasty.

kkmike

09-11-2003, 11:56 AM

Originally posted by Jambonant
I know that many of you were disapointed concerning 16 mb buffer. But I haven't read any negative feedback concerning the new buffer.

I would like to get some info from some of the new user of the nx. A shaking test would be appreciate. (I'm a jogging fan)

Thanks

It's not for jogging, nor is the ipod.

kkmike

09-11-2003, 11:58 AM

Originally posted by thetruth
APPLE.COM

New 20GB and 40GB models

Smaller than ever (just 0.62 inches thick), the iPod fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and slips easily into your pocket — and your life. At 5.6 ounces, it weighs less than 2 compact discs, and even many cell phones. And yet the iPod gives you a huge 10GB, 20GB or 40GB hard drive — that’s 10,000 songs. Do the math: that’s space enough to store four weeks of music — played continuously, 24/7 — or one new song a day for the next 27 years

-----
Same pricepoint as the 15 and 30GB models

It could be 80 GB and wouldn't make a difference, the ipod has inferior sound and the quality of sound is number 1

Ioman

09-11-2003, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by kkmike
It could be 80 GB and wouldn't make a difference, the ipod has inferior sound and the quality of sound is number 1

Out of curiousity, are you attributing the sound to the headphone of the players or to the integrated amp?

And if it is the amp, can someone please post the specs of both units.

I am pretty sure the iPod would sound good with a nice set of headphones.

Jambonant

09-11-2003, 01:37 PM

Originally posted by kkmike
It's not for jogging, nor is the ipod.

I know the nx is not for jogging. My question was: are you satisfied with the 16 mb buffer instead of the 32mb of the zen 2.0 ?

llbbl

09-11-2003, 02:38 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered
Hey - This is kind of off topic but I was just wondering what program everyone uses to rip CD's - Right now I'm using dbpoweramp cd input but I'm not getting great results (mp3 lame @ 192kbps) - any recommendations?

http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/

That program rules all!!

ruce

09-12-2003, 07:27 AM

ExactAudio is excellent.

Shniks

09-12-2003, 08:57 AM

Hey guys.. just wanted to let u know that J&R has the creative zen usb 2.0 20gb for $233 including shipping... For those of you who wanted to buy it cheap, now is the time. The link is

http://www.jandr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product_Id=3670316

kkmike

09-12-2003, 09:46 AM

Originally posted by Ioman
Out of curiousity, are you attributing the sound to the headphone of the players or to the integrated amp?

And if it is the amp, can someone please post the specs of both units.

I am pretty sure the iPod would sound good with a nice set of headphones.

I used the same headphones to test the ipod and the zen - etymotic er4p, the best headphones on the planet. The ipod was distorted when the volume was up between 1/2 & 3/4 and it also has poor bass response.

Ioman

09-12-2003, 10:05 AM

Originally posted by kkmike
I used the same headphones to test the ipod and the zen - etymotic er4p, the best headphones on the planet. The ipod was distorted when the volume was up between 1/2 & 3/4 and it also has poor bass response.

Bummer, it would be nice to get the NX's sound in the iPod with the iPods software management. Looks like we don't get our cake and eat it too eh?

Faulty Screw

09-12-2003, 08:47 PM

I agree with kkmike on the distortion concerning the ipod and also about the weak bass response. It just didn't sound impressive - sure it did sound good - just no great - I expect GREAT from a player thats lauded as the best on the market and that costs an arm and a leg. I just didn't enjoy listening to it as much as a did my Intel Pocket Concert. I've never heard the Zen but I'm sure it sounds superior from comments I've read here and form other review and forum based websites. When comparing the Pocket Concert to the ipod I used the same headphones - Koss Porta-Pro's - not quite etymotic's or grado's or other can's in that class - however do offer great sound for the price - can't afford anything over $50 for portable use. The ipod's amp just seemed weak though the specs tout 30mw's per channel - I would imagine that bass would be driving me into the wall - instead it just sounded flat and dull. It sounds decent - something I would expect from a much cheaper player.
Hey - good deal on the Zen USB 2.0 - I'm thinking of taking it over the NX due to that great price, remote, and build quality. J&R offers Repair Master extended warranties - anyone ever used them before - It would be pretty good for that price and to get an extended warranty - I wish I could get it at my local best buy but they don't stock the Zen USB 2.0 anymore - only the NX.
I just hope someone can comment on the Repair Master warranties b/c that would be the decision breaker I guess.

Euripides

09-14-2003, 04:36 PM

Hey guys here is a review on the Nomad Zen NX from IGN

http://gear.ign.com/articles/437/437957p1.html

SEiNMAN007

09-14-2003, 08:33 PM

Thanks man. I think we've all been looking for a review.

I LOVE my Zen. My only complaint is that I wish it was the same size as a iPod.

No big deal. They'll make a smaller one in a year or two and I'll sell my old one on ebay.

dustin

09-15-2003, 06:34 AM

Originally posted by Euripides
Hey guys here is a review on the Nomad Zen NX from IGN

http://gear.ign.com/articles/437/437957p1.html

That's an awesome review!! :D

ECA

09-15-2003, 04:55 PM

I have a THINK, that some one in this group has more then 1 name..

Euripides

09-15-2003, 06:32 PM

Just to push the Nomad Zen NX??????

SEiNMAN007

09-17-2003, 07:28 PM

CNET REVIEW!!!!

Here it is:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Creative_Nomad_Jukebox_Zen_NX__20_GB_/4505-6490_7-30468949.html?tag=promo2

Enjoy

ECA

09-17-2003, 08:13 PM

And the ratings system sucks as the IPOD got 8.7-9's. and it was all in Style rating.

A rating system that takes in style over function is much of a rating. The sound(as mentioned) on the NX is much better.

dustin

09-17-2003, 08:18 PM

Originally posted by ECA
I have a THINK, that some one in this group has more then 1 name..
:confused:

huh ?!?

DSL200419

09-18-2003, 02:43 PM

Few Questions about the Zen NX. after reading some of your Guys posts on here about the Zen NX. im really intrested in purchasing the Zen NX now. as before i was thinking about buying the apple ipod 10GB one because i thought it was more stylish and compact and i still feel that way. But its just that you Guys are raving about the NX so i figuered i better try it out . on to my Questions now..

1. Does the NX have a backlight for like seeing in the dark when your in bed, in the car late at night,walking etc...

2. How much songs can the NX hold?

3. Is it Hard Drive based?

4. Is it in stores now like Best Buy Circuit City etc..

5. Why would this be a Good first time mp3 player for me to own?

Thanks

Jambonant

09-18-2003, 04:49 PM

Originally posted by DSL200419
Few Questions about the Zen NX. after reading some of your Guys posts on here about the Zen NX. im really intrested in purchasing the Zen NX now. as before i was thinking about buying the apple ipod 10GB one because i thought it was more stylish and compact and i still feel that way. But its just that you Guys are raving about the NX so i figuered i better try it out . on to my Questions now..

1. Does the NX have a backlight for like seeing in the dark when your in bed, in the car late at night,walking etc...

2. How much songs can the NX hold?

3. Is it Hard Drive based?

4. Is it in stores now like Best Buy Circuit City etc..

5. Why would this be a Good first time mp3 player for me to own?

Thanks

All the questions concerning the specification of the nomad can be found on the nomad web site : http://www.americas.creative.com/pr...gory=2&nav=over

If you want to know if it is available at best buy you call at your local retailer 1-888-BEST BUY or go online ant type zen nx : http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...requestid=65085

And do the same thing at circuit city. For the question 5 just read the review of cnet, ign or look at this web site they are com paring almost all kind of mp3 player: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/e...cs/mp3_players/

Shniks

09-18-2003, 06:43 PM

Amazon.com has the 30 gb Zen NX for $265. The link is

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000B005N/qid=1063935285/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-5012946-4775150?v=glance&s=electronics&n=507846

Buy.com has it for $255. The link is

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10353231&loc=101

To answer your questions, yeah the Zen has a backlight and is hard drive based. The number of songs it can hold varies on the type of MP3 encoding. The specs state it can hold 8000 songs at 128 bit encoding at 5 mins per song.

I personally have a Zen NX and am really happy with it. For me 'size does not matter' (err umm... ok that sounds odd... :-).... ) but what i mean is that if you want small...small... small.. akin to the Ipod then this is not for you. However, if you are willing to accept a slightly bigger player, the Zen NX is simply outstanding with its 98 db signal to noise ration and a whole plethora of audio tweaking options.