Zune: a music playback device?

zune interface iPod album list

Fascinating that with the huge amount of coverage of Microsoft’s iPod combatant, the Zune, I’ve seen no discussion of sound quality until this question was asked on Gizmodo’s ‘Zune QA – all you need to know‘ post:

Q: How is the sound quality compared to the iPod?
A: Using both the included headphones and my Sennheiser 580s, I couldn’t tell the difference. Maybe my ears are retarded.

Similarly, I’ve seen acres of space devoted to playlists, menu structures, etc, etc, but this is the first time I’ve seen discussion of the sound quality of the headphones. Note the response is non-commital and refers to comfort as much as sound quality:

Q: How are the default headphones? Are they worth it to keep or should I be making a headphone purchase day one?
A: Not bad, and you should try them out yourself to see if they’re too big/small for your ear holes before you purchase new ones.

I should say that my reading about the Zune isn’t comprehensive, but predominantly limited to Gizmodo and Engadget, but the impression does seem to confirm the degree to which convenience is regarded as the most important element of a device even over its original primary function.

About this entry

You’re currently reading “Zune: a music playback device?,” an entry on A Personal Miscellany

Published:
03.12.06 / 4pm
Category:
music, music interfaces