Where should I get my Shuffle?

[Dinner]

Higgs: Bizrate is pretty good when it comes to comparing prices and services. The lowest price for a 1GB Ipod Shuffle was $144 with free shipping. http://www.bizrate.com/marketplace/p...251478729.html

[loinburger]

My nerd coworker (for clarity, I should mention that all of my coworkers, with the exception of the secretary and the lieutenant, are nerds) is getting her Ipod Shuffle from Best Buy tomorrow. I'll ask her for her reasoning when I get to work tomorrow (note: I make no promises about actually posting her answer, since I haven't logged on to Poly from work in months and so my cookies are all expired, and I forget my password), but I'm assuming that she's done her research on the prices and found Best Buy's to have the best price/convenience ratio (or maybe it's a convenience/price ratio? whatever).

[MattH]

Perhaps it's because BestBuy might have it stock while I have to wait 2+ weeks from apple.com

[loinburger]

That's a good bet. She's able to comfortably afford the extra $X for being able to get it tomorrow rather than in 2+ weeks, so she'll almost certainly go with the immediate option.

[Nostromo]

Mmmm, maybe Matth made a good decision after all. The 1 gig Shuffle is a lot cheaper (189$cdn) than the 1 gig Creative flash player (279$cdn).

[Agathon]

Mmmm, maybe Matth made a good decision after all. The 1 gig Shuffle is a lot cheaper (189$cdn) than the 1 gig Creative flash player (279$cdn).

You mean you didn't know? The Shuffle is cheaper than most of its competitors.

I've had mine for quite a while now (I'm pumping it full of my entire Who collection as I write this) and I got 10 bucks off for being a student. The sound quality is excellent, especially if you get better headphones (although the supplied buds are acceptable).

Having said that, you look like a total victim if you wear the lanyard (it is useful though).

[Kuciwalker]

It also has no screen.

[Agathon]

It also has no screen.

Which has bothered me zero times.

Screens on small capacity mp3 players are about as useful as screens on discmans - that is to say mostly useless.

[Nostromo]

The sound quality is excellent, especially if you get better headphones (although the supplied buds are acceptable).

There's the rub. I spent 100$ on headphones and I'm not satisfied with the sound quality, especially not with the bass. I guess I would have to spend 300 to 400$ for decent headphones...

[Agathon]

There's the rub. I spent 100$ on headphones and I'm not satisfied with the sound quality, especially not with the bass. I guess I would have to spend 300 to 400$ for decent headphones...

Did you buy earbuds? Those are never ever going to be really good. Sennheiser make an excellent set of behind the neck headphones for about 40 dollars that sound pretty good.

[Nostromo]

No, Sony dj headphones. For better sound quality, the vendor suggested Sennheiser headphones, but it was about 250$.

[Agathon]

That's kind of overkill for a portable player, but you must be pretty hardcore.

[Nostromo]

I didn't buy them for a portable player. I bought them 'cause I don't want to disturb the neighbours with the loud music. But since they don't sound all that good, I don't use them that much. So if I got a Shuffle, I would need pretty decent headphones. When it sounds like a tin can, it kills the music.

[Agathon]

A 40 dollar pair of Sennheisers is decent for a portable player.

I agree about cans for your home hi fi, you really need to spend well into the hundreds to get good ones.

The earbuds that most portables come with just do not get good bass response. The in-ear models are even worse IMHO. I buy traditional headphones for my portables and they are usually OK. The real problem is that outside noise tends to destroy subtle music - one reason why I never listen to classical on my portables. Noise cancellation headphones are supposed to be good, but I don't have $300 to spend on them.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Originally posted by MattH
I asked for suggestions on where to buy a Shuffle, and if there were any good deals. Why do you try to twist everything Apple related into a flamewar? Asher hasn't even replied yet. You're back on my ignore list.

Over reaction?