actually, they sound like crap even on bose headphones! hell my sony mp3 THOMPED!!!! my sony thomps on any pair of headphones included earebuds or my sony studio headphones!
I love my mp3 player
and also sony's navagation for menus is alot better then the ipods. specially their hard drive player ( my sony is flash based)
I dont like teh controls on ipods since they are too sensivite, confusingly button duplicate controlled (one button does 2 or more things and each buttom does different things depending what menu youre on) and creatives have sensitive touch scrolls that are kinda awkward IMO.
I think sony is the best so far as sound and ergonomics and ease of use are concerned.
also my player uses ATRAC3 (mp3 is also usable) can compress a music file into half size but equal quality of its mp3 counterpart.
EX: an ATRAC3 file @ 66Kbps can sound as good as 128 Kpbs mp3 file. so I can hold , 520 songs @ 66kbps instead of only 250 @ mp3 @ 128Kpbs!!!
I also have excellent battery life and it can last 50 hours on a single AAA battery!
the creative zen nano only lasts 18-20 on single AAA.
and the ipod shuffle doesnt have a screen so it dont count its just another gadget for apple fans to have as part of their "collection"
also youre paying for a name when you buy apple. they are veyr highly priced. they're jacked up alot! hell tehy charge 250 for a 4GB nano when yo can get a creative 5GB for 179!!! also you can get a protable media center for that purpose of watching video for just 20 dollars more and get way more functions, space, etc!
apples are unecomomical, unnafordable for the masses, and have that kitch n00b factor to them. also itunes is a drag to use, takes up alot of processor power, etc
also youve gotta remember how thier computers are. overpriced and overhyped. they claim they have 128 bit technology, but it really dont exist.
hell it took them 23 years to have right click by defualt!
people just buy macs since they see them doing amazing things in the movies and thier favorite celebs use them. ha ! the movies are fake ppl!