Apple iPod classic 80 GB Black (6th Generation)

Ipod had a sticky bar code across the front, when I took it off, there was a discolored area on the toggle. I had no problem returning the item.

I agree with other critics of the sound on this unit..HOWEVER I have recently learned something that might help you.

I had ripped my music to the Apple Lossless format because I listen to a lot of classical stuff and wanted the highest quality. The iPod sound was AWFUL and no EQ setting would fix it. So I experimented a bit and found that I got a much more acceptable sound using high quality MP3 format.

If you suspect the A/D converter try this experiment - play the same MP3 file in iTunes and Windows Media player. You may need a file with lots of information, say a symphony. I hear a distinct difference with iTunes being on the thin & tinny side. WMP is fuller and richer. Wouldn't surprise me that Apple's A/D algorithm is poor to start and the impact is worsened when moving the data to the iPod.

I also agree with critics of the EQ. Forget it.

After all this, I think the product is very good after converting my library to MP3.

The capacity and the physical size are great. But... The wheel is far less responsive than the second gen I've been using for years. Maybe I'll get used to it. Sadly, in coverflow, the iPod can ONLY sort by artist. I have about 30GB of soundtracks and compilations. So each album appears several times in coverflow (once per artist). VERY annoying.
This is the real deal breaker for me: Unlike iTunes, when browsing a playlist on the iPod, you can ONLY view by songs (iTunes allows you to browse each playlist by album - grid or coverflow). This is HORRIBLE. I have 90GB of music. I have a few key playlists that contain the 200+ albums I listen to regularly. However, I am unable to view the albums on the iPod because you can only view by song in playlists. It doesn't even show the album art for the song. So if I wan to listen to "Grease" from my "I'm having a bad day" playlist I can't just look for the album "grease" because each song is listed individually. I really hope I can return this to the store.
UPDATE: If you select all your compilations/soundtracks and "get info" you can indicate that it is part of a compilation and it will only show up once in coverflow=) You can even select multiple albums at once - just takes time to process.

hi, i'm from Peru, i'm sorry that i have to do this but i'm upset with this purchase, because i bought an 160G classic iPod, and it was defective, the audio is so awful, it sounds like it scrapes, i try for two weeks, all kind of things, advices from iPod forums, from the apple web page, all, and nothing happens, i ask for technical help, so i write to the seller (MOBILESAHRK) and they said that i have to resent the iPod. In brief, i'm very very upset with all this situation, i hope that they send me a brand new iPod with all the payments covered, because here in Peru i paid taxes because this purchase, the product was withhold in custums, i paid 91$ taxes plus the 300$ for the used "LIKE NEW" iPod.
Well, i'm only waiting for exemplary solution here.

this is my third ipod after the 3g ipod nano and the 1st gen ipod touch, and this is the best one although i was expecting more.
i like to have my entire video collection with me so the 8gb itouch wasnt enough, so i sold it to get the 80gb classic, and even though i can carry more than enough, the software is not that good is slow, sometimes freezes, the coverflow is uselees because of this.
i only have 12gb of space used so this ipod is more than enough for me.
the downside from being with apple is itunes, so if you want to change to lest say a ZUNE you'll have to do it all over again with your music library and stuff.
so if you havent decided yet, think twice before choosing one of them.