Now that I’ve lived with my iPod mini for a month, I have formed some opinions regarding the device.
The iPod plus my Grado headphones together generally put out very good sound. Additionally, most of my music has been ripped at 160kbps rather than the standard 128kbps for improved sound quality. With this setup, I’m hearing details I’ve never heard before in music that I’ve listened to for years. But even with this great sound quality, the iPod is not perfect.
I’ve experienced problems with the iPod’s EQ (equalization). On most songs, I apply the “bass booster” setting, which mildly boosts the bass. However, applying the “bass booster” EQ setting to songs with strong bass causes the iPod’s sound output to clip noticeably. (The powerful bass drum hits on Metallica’s S&M is where I first heard this.) This is rather disappointing, but since the Grados have good bass response, running with flat EQ is not a huge issue.
The battery has been a bigger problem. My iPod mini is a first-generation device, with a claimed battery life of 8 hrs. (Second-generation iPod minis have much improved battery life at ~18 hrs.) Unfortunately, I have yet to observe my iPod mini run for a full 8 hrs. Further, I’m having trouble keeping the battery charged by connecting the iPod to my computer via Firewire. It has to be left connected for several hours to get a full charge from my computer, and running a computer that draws 350 watts for 4-6 hours just to charge a battery the size of a poker chip doesn’t make sense. I’ve taken to using the included AC adaptor to charge my mini.