Monday, March 9, 2020

Article: The iPod-Modding Community Insists There's Never Been a Better Digital Sound

The enjoyment of listening to music on the go, without interruptions from calls, notifications, or turn directions will be greatly missed. 

"Apple may have discontinued the last of the click-wheel iPods years ago, but Pichi is part of a growing community of tinkerers giving the devices new life. It’s not just for nostalgia (though that’s part of it): iPod modders say they earnestly view the devices, with a few modern tweaks, as a superior way to listen to music. That this elite audio quality is packaged in a device that is also dear to their heart makes it even better. ‘The iPod is a pure device,’ says Sean Kirvin, 28. ‘When using an iPod all you can do is listen to music. On the surface it may seem restrictive, in reality it frees you.’ Photo: Sean Kirvin

The more popular modifications are relatively simple: updates like adding more storage or battery life, or installing firmware that allows for customization of the user interface or downloading games outside of Apple’s ecosystem. Few iPod modders are injecting the music players with wild features or stark new aesthetics.

Pichi said that he’s not that technical or ‘geeky’ but got into iPod modding after his own iPod Classic’s battery died. He couldn’t find anyone to replace it for an affordable cost and felt like he was getting ripped off, so he figured he could do it himself. ‘I got my iPod wide open there looking like busted spaghetti with wires poking up everywhere,’ he said. ‘So I just started messing around with it and changed the battery myself.’

‘I defy you to [find me] a better music playback device.’"

(Via The iPod-Modding Community Insists There's Never Been a Better Digital Sound | OneZero.)

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