I couldn't find any posting of side by side comparisons of these three
units...so already owning a Ipod Shuffle, I purchased both a Creative
Zen Nano Plus and an IRiver T30. I loaded the same song files into all
three so that the comparison would be valid. I used only the earphones
that came with each unit.
The Ipod is simple as can be to use. Partly good design and partly
fewest features.
The Creative Zen Nano has a decent LCD and a menu system that has a
short learning curve. It is also the only one of the three to have a
built in radio.
The Iriver has the greater learning curve partly because it has more
customizable options.
Both the Creative and the IRiver have line in ability to copy directly
from CDs.
Of course only the Shuffle has a bulit in rechargable battery (not user

replacable) while the other two use AAAs. Of course you can purchase
rechargable AAAs (Rayovac makes ones that take 15 minutes to
recharge!).
Sound quality...My primary concern.
All three have pleasant sound with plenty of volume (too much!).
First of all the Ipod Shuffle has no controls at all to customize the
sound. It does sound very good, however.
The Creative Zen Nano has an equalizer.
The IRiver T30 has both an equalizer and an entire set of other sound
controls from the SRS WOW component.
A fair comparison requires us to set both the Creative and the IRiver
to what I and my son believe to give the best combination of bass and
treble response. Of course that is somewhat subjective. However we both

agreed on the settings.
I know that some 'tests' /reviews say they leave the settings at
'neutral' to be fair...I beg to strongly disagree...after all why
shouldn't the Creative Zen Nano and the IRiver benefit from a
capability that they have built in! Users would surely use those
controls..so they should be evaluated. Each unit producing the best it
can!
Again..all three sound very good.


Treble...The Apple Shuffle Ipod and the IRiver T30 had the best treble.

Clear. The Creative was somewhat muddied in response, but not bad.


Bass...Here the IRiver shone above the others... definitively. The
Creative was second with the Ipod Shuffle not far behind.
I found the following SRS settings to be the 'best' on the IRiver;
SRS...08
Focus..Low
Trubass...10
Boost...60


Overall..the IRiver's sound was definitely the best of the three.

On 3 Nov 2005 06:21:58 -0800, in rec.audio.opinion you wrote:

I couldn't find any posting of side by side comparisons of these three
units...so already owning a Ipod Shuffle, I purchased both a Creative
Zen Nano Plus and an IRiver T30. I loaded the same song files into all
three so that the comparison would be valid. I used only the earphones
that came with each unit.
The Ipod is simple as can be to use. Partly good design and partly
fewest features.
The Creative Zen Nano has a decent LCD and a menu system that has a
short learning curve. It is also the only one of the three to have a
built in radio.
The Iriver has the greater learning curve partly because it has more
customizable options.
Both the Creative and the IRiver have line in ability to copy directly
from CDs.
Of course only the Shuffle has a bulit in rechargable battery (not user

replacable) while the other two use AAAs. Of course you can purchase
rechargable AAAs (Rayovac makes ones that take 15 minutes to
recharge!).
Sound quality...My primary concern.
All three have pleasant sound with plenty of volume (too much!).
First of all the Ipod Shuffle has no controls at all to customize the
sound. It does sound very good, however.
The Creative Zen Nano has an equalizer.
The IRiver T30 has both an equalizer and an entire set of other sound
controls from the SRS WOW component.
A fair comparison requires us to set both the Creative and the IRiver
to what I and my son believe to give the best combination of bass and
treble response. Of course that is somewhat subjective. However we both

agreed on the settings.
I know that some 'tests' /reviews say they leave the settings at
'neutral' to be fair...I beg to strongly disagree...after all why
shouldn't the Creative Zen Nano and the IRiver benefit from a
capability that they have built in! Users would surely use those
controls..so they should be evaluated. Each unit producing the best it
can!
Again..all three sound very good.


Treble...The Apple Shuffle Ipod and the IRiver T30 had the best treble.

Clear. The Creative was somewhat muddied in response, but not bad.


Bass...Here the IRiver shone above the others... definitively. The
Creative was second with the Ipod Shuffle not far behind.
I found the following SRS settings to be the 'best' on the IRiver;
SRS...08
Focus..Low
Trubass...10
Boost...60


Overall..the IRiver's sound was definitely the best of the three.

Now you need to eliminate the headphones as the variable. You should
try the IRiver's headphones on all three (as well as trying each of
the headphones in all three units). The reason should be obvious.
Perhaps the headphones are a major contributing factor (or not, as the
case might be). While it SEEMS obvious that the additional signal
processing is responsible, you shouldn't take it on faith.

"jim" wrote in message
oups.com...
I couldn't find any posting of side by side comparisons of
these three
units...so already owning a Ipod Shuffle, I purchased both
a Creative
Zen Nano Plus and an IRiver T30. I loaded the same song
files into all
three so that the comparison would be valid. I used only
the earphones
that came with each unit.

And that's where the evaluation falls down - the cheap head
phones. Why wouldn't you use the same set of decent
headphones or plug them into you hi-fi and do the
comparison?

Regards TT

My assumption is that MOST people use the stock headphones that come
with each set, and so I view them as a unit. I've already returned the
Creative Zen Nano. However, my son and I just tried both the IRIver and
the Ipod Shuffle...interchanging the headphones between the two. The
IRiver headphones have better bass response when used on both units.
The treble is about the same. When comparing the overall 'richness' of
sound and bass response of the units with the same respective
headphones on each, the IRiver unit continues to show superior sound to
the Ipod Shuffle.