Ideas For Feature Articles- What would you like to see?

[EnzoTen]

We are always looking for ideas on articles to write and we would love to have your input. Not looking for " what you want to see reviewed" or news- but more for stuff to go in the features section.

Take a look: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/features/

Ideas or What do you want to know about?

[saratoga]

I remember you saying a while ago you were thinking about RMAA results in reviews, but maybe a separate article on RMAA testing and a few of dfkt's results from his site would be interesting:

http://rmaa.elektrokrishna.com

Google shows his results are certainly talked about a lot on various digital audio forums.

[Olley]

How about an article discussing the pros and cons of touchscreen verses touchpad controls which more and more players are coming with?

Edit: Done.

[daniel1703]

would like to see smth along the lines of: tunable IEMs vs non-tunable IEMs.

The emergence of the tunable IEMs actually raises a lot of questions for me. For example, if simply changing filters can change the sound signature, then what differentiates the quality of IEMs? I mean, you might be able to improve the sound signature of low end IEMs by simply fitting them with suitable filters.

I'm guessing that although different filters give you a different frequency response, there're other aspects of IEMs that do not depend on filters.

Well, just a suggestion

[EddieE]

I'd like some comparitive reviews of smart phone SQ and usability as DAPs.

Compared to the wealth of indepth reviews of standalone DAPs there isn't much out there on phones as media players.

Yeah I know they're mostly shit, but would like to see how they compare against each other after extensive testing.

[EnzoTen]

Good stuff guys, keep it coming. I'm reading and plotting =)

[Andreas]

Don't let the thread die, the suggestions so far have been great! Keep them coming

[no9]

How about a beginners guide to headphone amps?

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by no9

How about a beginners guide to headphone amps?

That would surely generate a lot of attention and discussion....good idea!

[Olley]

How about an advanced study of "price-per-feature"? With the latest crop of players, the "extra" features beyond basic media play are often the deciding factor. Is a calendar really worth anything on a media player? How about the stopwatch, world clock, or subway maps?

[no9]

How about a public service announcement on the importance of backing up the music on your DAP. Also an article on headphones/IEMs between $20 and $100, the price range that has the most buyers.

[greeny]

How about the best value DAP/PMP, taking into account features, SQ and price?

[WalkGood]

A follow up or industry insider look at the “Top 5 MP3 Players of 2008” without actually doing the 09’ article yet, getting people psyched to see what could come down the line. Who’s doing what differently, will someone through a bomb and go for a TD, who might fall off the list and why, predictions on who might be there for 09’, etc… etc…

[derf]

Are "old school" players still useful/worth it? I entered the DAP world with an iriver T60 in 2007, and found myself getting some used players (iriver iHP-120 and iriver H320) because they had the best feature set, ran Rockbox and both cost less together than my T60).

[dfkt]

They sure are worth it. - http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archi...-flash-mod.php

[IanD]

- WTF you lot are talking about when you use terms like "bass rolloff" - aka sound engineering for muppets[1].

- Alternatives to iTunes / WMP etc.

- portable headphone amps (seconded)

- underwater DAPs (I'm a diver )

- "The Definitive Guide On Avoiding Problems With Your Cowon D2". I guarantee a million hits if you do it right .

- Why it's ok to snigger behind the backs of people who ostentatiously flaunt their white ear-buds .

- Headphones, headphones, headphones. If in doubt, review/compare headphones. Seriously - everybody has a settled opinion about DAPs, rather less than everybody understands what makes a good headphone, and why they are worth spending money on.

- Rockbox for beginners. Example: what it does for an iPod Video.


[1] - As in definition no. 1

[greeny]

I think comparing various desktop media players such as WMP, MediaMonkey, Songbird etc would be great

[skip252]

Sometimes writing about basic concepts and featuring that article on the front pages can provide very interesting and informative reading. I have seen questions and answers by newbies and veterans alike that show that some of the concepts you guys take for granted are unknown territory for too many of us. We tend to assume an expertise from owning nice equipment that is not justified by the questions we have to ask in order to get all of the features to work properly.

In no particular order (and very incomplete):<o></o>

• Strengths and weaknesses of various media players/jukeboxes. Both paid and freeware.
• 5 quickest ways to brick your PMP or DAP.
• How to use the search function of a forum or browser effectively. Stunning how many members don't know how a properly placed set of parentheses can power up a search.
• How to determine what bit rate gives an individual the best balance between SQ and storage space. Very subjective I know but are they any general guidelines?
• What are you listening for when you are determining SQ for headphones and players? What type of music Rock, Jazz, Orchestral, Screamo, Vocal? What format and bit rate?

I had tended to ignore this request for ideas until I read the very basic but extremely informative "MP3 Players Buyer's Guide". All of the knowledge in the article is in the forums but spread across hundreds of threads. Having it all in one place caused me to review my buying choices in players and especially headphones. Good stuff.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o></o>
<!--[endif]--> Yes, I know many members and guests have this most of this down cold and don’t need any basic refresher articles. However looking at the member list and the join and last activity dates of a number of members it becomes apparent that most people come, get the information they need to resolve their current issue or check in to see what’s new and don’t visit again for awhile. This means that a new audience would see articles on some of the software and hardware basics. How many new users would benefit from a “Headphones or Earbuds” article?

<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> I would look definitely like to see some of these articles handled by experienced writers and think they could reduce some of the misinformation and frustration.

[Burning_October]

Originally Posted by greeny

I think comparing various desktop media players such as WMP, MediaMonkey, Songbird etc would be great

I agree with this one. Maybe reviewing each, and comparing their usability with certain players, stuff like that.

Also, maybe a look ahead at MP3 players coming out in the future.

[Aardvark]

What a bout a feature relating to travelling with your rig?

A combination of journey taken, with photos, tunes listened to to match the scenery or mood and equipment used and its ability to mask out external noise and add real quality to the journey.