iPod Mini 6GB

We liked the original iPod mini for its superior ergonomics, easily readable screen, jazzy colors, and good music performance. Audiophiles have complained, however, that the mini just doesn't have a whole lot of kick at the low end, and our subsequent testing confirmed that. Apple doesn't talk about its players' audio performance, and the company is running true to form here. They've improved the mini's bass performance, but would never say so for fear of tarnishing the reputation of the earlier product.

We eagerly downloaded our suite of test files and music to the new mini, and our instruments confirmed what our ears were telling us. The extra bass is not immediately apparent unless you listen through something other than the stock earbuds. It also helps to play some tracks with deep, overproduced bass, such as Billy Joel's "River of Dreams" or anything by Sublime. But the improvement is also evident on orchestral pieces, with clear double bass and bass drum parts.
We measured some weakness in the very lowest register, between 20 and 30 Hz, but unless you listen extensively to pipe organ concertos, there isn't much to be heard in that range anyway. From 30 Hz on up, the iPod mini is in full control, reproducing sound cleanly and accurately right up through the limits of human hearing.

Unlike some other players, the iPod mini remains largely clean with EQ on, and what increased harmonic distortion we did see was well within acceptable limits. We measured less than 0.1 percent distortion on both channels. The 6GB iPod mini played our loudness track at 104 to105 dB, with 109 dB peaks through its standard earbuds. Harmonic distortion is nearly 10 dB higher at these extremes, not that you'd notice under such an aural assault.

The new iPod mini's other features are mostly unchanged, except for one cute addition: The player automatically pauses when you pull out the earphone plug. It's a nice counterpoint to the feature that automatically starts the player when you insert the earphone plug. The alarm is louder too, though you'd still need the acuity of a nervous jackrabbit to hear it in anything other than a quiet room. But unlike other players in its category (such as the iriver H10 and Rio Carbon Pearl), the iPod mini still does not include FM radio or voice recording.

The 6GB iPod mini is a worthy upgrade to a wildly popular player. With the addition of an FM receiver and perhaps a recording function, it would be perfect.