...and never wore hearing protection to concerts so we probably can't tell the difference anyway but don't let that get in the way of being contrary.

Nope, see, I DID wear ear protection to concerts.

Wuss

So you never really heard the music as intended

Yes, but I can hear music now, so it's a trade-off.


And I understand the trade-off of listening to music on a portable vs. listening to uncompressed music at a stand-still. But it seems to me "kids these days" don't have anything to measure the difference by. I don't spend a lot of time on the bus or out in the world all alone, so portable music means very little to me.

Even so, though I listen to CD quality or wave files at home, I rarely use my really good sound system - but instead listen to things from my computer. It's got excellent speakers, but the sound of the computer is always there in the background. I'm compromising even then ... I don't need my music condensed to make it sound even worse.

Why a good pair of headphones is a good investment. I'm partial to Sennheiser and Coaster Matt likes his Grado. Of course, were talking full surround headphones, not "on-ear" or ear buds.

Ditto! My iPod is now for listening to audiobooks

I have a fantastic pair of headphones. But I just don't like wearing them.

When I was a kid listening to music in my parents' home, I lived inside headphones. Now that I can play anything as loud as I please, I never wear 'em. Sometimes, I check recordings I make with them - but I find that, even though music sounds fantastic with them - the fact that the sound is not traveling through the field of air in a room makes the sound quasi-unpleasant to me.


Anyways, sorry for the tangent - and for not properly reading the O.P. - I glossed over that your friend wanted to sync to their iPod. I still love WMP for playing everything I've ever thrown at it.