MP3 Insider Lounge: Your favorite iPod and other MP3 player accessories?

Awesomeness begins at load.

In reply to: Your favorite iPod and other MP3 player accessories? by Jasmineflower 

I haven't actually got anything hardware-wise that I could call "awesome".

The UE-10 is a competent earphone, but it didn't (and doesn't, even after a remould) blow me away in terms of an aural experience - as many (significantly cheaper, natch) dynamic phones put it to shame. I do accept that it is a very good (probably the best) portable compromise, but a degree of 'awesomeness' is missing. Same to a lesser degree for the Shure SE530 and other ear gear I have. I have on rare occasions been known to plug a docked DAP into my main home headphones - the Sennheiser Orpheus. That is not so much 'awesome' but more like 'ridiculous'. The Stax SR-001 Mk II was probably the most intriguing earphone I've had running from a DAP, but yet again not 'awesome' due to practicality and sound concerns. I have some excellent headphone amps which I sometimes use ranging from a custom-built (with a battery box that weighs the same as about ten iPods) to Headroom Max's, but once again 'awesomeness' is not present.

I have a number of docks and cases which don't fall into the 'awesome' category, although some of them are very good and in daily use. Neither my Sounddock nor iPod Hi-Fi are 'awesome', merely decent. The M-Audio DX4 I sometimes use with DAPs are very good but not 'awesome'.

Which is why I turn to software for 'awesomeness'. j.River Media Center is awesome. It does everything I want from a music syncer and player, and then some. It plays nicely with iPods, USB Mass Storage, MTP and other players - all at the same time if needed. As a music player it supports ASIO for sound output, and accepts DirectX plugins for pro-grade EQ and other effects. As an HTPC front end it has more features (including multiroom support) than you can shake a Harmony Remote at.