MP3 Insider Lounge: DB's Sony Walkman NWZ-S718 Review...

DB's Sony Walkman NWZ-S718 Review...

Being that this player comes with IEMs, can someone explain why anyone would prefer active noise cancellation to inactive noise isolation that can typically be achieved with IEMs? Inactive usually has better outside noise reduction with no extraneous processing, no out-of-phase noise introduced (can cause ear fatigue) and no additional drain on the battery. I'm not sure if i am getting that one.

Also, Sony players seem to have received good marks from CNET in the sound quality department. This makes me very interested. Has anyone compared them to Kenwood's players? I've not heard either, but the Kenwoods (sold only in Japan right now in think) are typically touted as the best sounding of them all.

I would love for sony to add flac support (seems only natural for a player that is supposed to produce such a great sound), podcast management and more capacity to accomodate lossless formats like flac...32gb flash would be ok. (160gb hd would be perfect!) These additions would make it a buy for me.