The two main features of this portable player that stole my attention are the battery life (a single charge will last me all week) and the amount of storage you get (160 GB). Even though this iPod contains a Cirrus chip, it still sounds great with a pair of decent headphones. As far as the iPod brand goes, my last iPod I purchased in 2004 and still works today. This is the "Nokia" of media players! If you are going to be using this on your home-based Hi-Fi I recommend buying the universal dock bundle. The built-in DAC does a good job for on-the-go listening, however if you're looking to include its use in your home system, invest in the dock, you won't be disappointed! I also recommend buying a case to keep the iPod in when not in use. Dock bundle link: [url=http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC746LL/A/apple-universal-dock]http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC746LL/A/apple-universal-dock[/url]