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SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
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I still have a 5th generation iPod Classic. I don't really use it anymore, but for whatever reason I keep it charged up now and then. The music that is on it, is probably stuck on it until forever until it no longer works. I don't have any way to update it any longer, but that's OK.

I think @Scepticalscribe still has and might use from time to time an iPod.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,994
46,456
In a coffee shop.
I still have a 5th generation iPod Classic. I don't really use it anymore, but for whatever reason I keep it charged up now and then. The music that is on it, is probably stuck on it until forever until it no longer works. I don't have any way to update it any longer, but that's OK.

I think @Scepticalscribe still has and might use from time to time an iPod.

Yes, I also have iPods, both antique classics, and an iPod Touch (which I have never had quite the same degree of affection for).

These days, however, I tend to use my A&K mp3 player more, as, when Apple decided to move away from supplying (good quality) devices to the dedicated music market, I needed a replacement for when my iPods finally died.
 
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Traverse

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Mar 11, 2013
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I’ve paired my iPod touch with a FiiO Q5S external DAC/AMP. I think it added a slight boost in sound quality, but honestly the iPod sounds great to my non-audiophile ears.

B5437822-AD81-44BA-A1BB-CB22611071C0.jpeg E39756A8-FECC-401F-A6E7-04AC51D650D7.png
 

retta283

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Jun 8, 2018
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I’ve paired my iPod touch with a FiiO Q5S external DAC/AMP. I think it added a slight boost in sound quality, but honestly the iPod sounds great to my non-audiophile ears.

View attachment 880083 View attachment 880084
I never tried to use an external DAC with my iPods, mostly because I use some compression on my files, so the difference would not be great. I usually use my iPods completely naked (no DAC, no skins, no cases, no battery packs) because I like to keep it compact and light. I did use a skin on some of the white iPods because they would scratch so bad the screen was unusable.
 
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CC91UK

macrumors newbie
Nov 10, 2018
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Norwich, UK
Bought a Touch 7th gen last week. I tried the 6th gen around a year ago but the battery life was so bad I put it back on eBay and went back to using my 5th gen. The 7th is faster and the battery life is better than the 6th so it looks like I'll finally be selling my 5th!
 

TokMok3

macrumors 6502a
Aug 22, 2015
672
422
I have three currently, a white iPod 5.5 hooked up to a home stereo, Classic grey iPod 160GB for portable stereo and car use and a U2 red/black iPod for personal use.
Great devices that you have, that U2 red looks awesome! and there's no doubt that you must love music or love Apple. I have the iPod classic 5.5 80GB, just bought it. This is my first iPod, I was planning to buy a high resolution music player but they look ugly and finally after reading many positive comments about the sound in the iPod 5.5 I decided to buy one. Do you know what's the maximum memory capacity that this device can recognize and use? I don't want to install Rockbox. I'm planning to install 256GB, but I really want to install 1000GB in this device but that might cause the iPod to slowdown when searching for a specific song (delay). Do you have any empirical data that you can share on this?
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I currently use a 32GB IPod touch 6th gen. I’m kinda bummed it won’t be getting iOS 13.

I had all versions of the iPhones and iPod Touch as well, in the early days they were modern and convenient but after a decade of using them, I got tired of touching the screen. Now I'm going iPod Classic and that wheel is awesome. It feels great in the hand, same feeling as the first iPhone.
 
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TokMok3

macrumors 6502a
Aug 22, 2015
672
422
I still have a 5th generation iPod Classic. I don't really use it anymore, but for whatever reason I keep it charged up now and then. The music that is on it, is probably stuck on it until forever until it no longer works. I don't have any way to update it any longer, but that's OK.

I think @Scepticalscribe still has and might use from time to time an iPod.

One of the positive things about apple products is that they last and last for long time if they are well taken care. All my Apple devices devices still work, none of them have fail.
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I never tried to use an external DAC with my iPods, mostly because I use some compression on my files, so the difference would not be great. I usually use my iPods completely naked (no DAC, no skins, no cases, no battery packs) because I like to keep it compact and light. I did use a skin on some of the white iPods because they would scratch so bad the screen was unusable.

A DAC makes a big difference to music. My music is compressed in 320 mp3 and when connected to the DAC the sound is very clear, there's more separation of music instruments. The quality of the headphones is very important to have that effect.
 
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SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
10,051
Detroit
One of the positive things about apple products is that they last and last for long time if they are well taken care. All my Apple devices devices still work, none of them have fail.
The other day I was able to load Rockbox onto the iPod breathing new life into it and opening up playback of all my FLAC songs. Today I took it to the gym and left the phone at home and it was great.
 
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SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
10,051
Detroit
I just got one of those again this month. Nice iPods, too bad they get heavily scratched so easily.

Also, I think this is the most activity in the iPod forum for 1 day in a long, long time.
Yeah, probably! The iPhone took the crown from the iPod and ran away with it.

But there is something special about carrying an old iPod around and leaving the phone at home that I enjoy immensely.
 
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retta283

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Yeah, probably! The iPhone took the crown from the iPod and ran away with it.

But there is something special about carrying an old iPod around and leaving the phone at home that I enjoy immensely.
I agree. To me, carrying an iPod and listening to music on it is a more "intimate" experience than a phone. Also, when I use one I can feel that classical Apple charm that I don't get with modern iPhones. It's really a unique experience. Excellent devices.
 

TokMok3

macrumors 6502a
Aug 22, 2015
672
422
I agree. To me, carrying an iPod and listening to music on it is a more "intimate" experience than a phone. Also, when I use one I can feel that classical Apple charm that I don't get with modern iPhones. It's really a unique experience. Excellent devices.

You got that right, there's that classical charm. The first iPhone (2007) has that as well, it feels good in the hand.
 
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TokMok3

macrumors 6502a
Aug 22, 2015
672
422
I just got one of those again this month. Nice iPods, too bad they get heavily scratched so easily.

Do you know what's the logic behind creating a device that gets heavily scratched?
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I forgot that I have a 2GB iPod shuffle, the last generation.

It was a great device for its time, particularly when exercising but with wireless audio, it's time is sadly past. Shame, it would have been great to be able to pair it with a pair of AirPods Pro.

There's a bluetooth device (Kokkia i10) that seems to work with iPods. I'm planning to buy one of those for my iPod Classic 5.5 and transmit to my Sony wf-1000m3.
 

retta283

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Do you know what's the logic behind creating a device that gets heavily scratched?
I honestly believe it was a mistake that was not tested properly. They changed the material used to make the plastic shell when the Nano and Video came out, and the new plastic was less scratch-resistant. Polycarbonate picks up micro scratches extremely easily, even a cleaning cloth can scratch them.

For some reason though they didn't catch it or didn't care in testing, because it's a Video iPod, you'd want the screen to look good. It's very hard to find a 1st gen Nano or 5th gen Classic that does not have heavy scratching, other than buying sealed. If you ever go that route, get a case to protect the screen.
 

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
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I am very fond of my iPod touch. I actually think a touch screen is a more effective method to navigate large libraries rather than the click wheel.

However, I do wish there were some physical playback buttons. The controls on the 7th generation iPod Nano were an excellent compromise and I would have loved it if they would have brought that to the touch.

While iOS is not the best music OS, you can significantly simplify the OS the make the device more music-focused.
 
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