Can I use the iPod Nano MP3 player with my own headphones and non-itunes music?

December 30, 2009 1:22 AM

Can I use the iPod Nano MP3 player with my own headphones and non-itunes music?

Sorry if this is a completely newb question but my google-fu is failing me. My old MP3 player (a Creative) just died and the only iPod I've ever owned is the shuffle which has proprietary headphones which can't be swapped out.

So I just have two quick questions about the iPod Nano if anyone is able to help?

1) Can I use my own headphones (Bose QuietComfort 2) with the iPod Nano?

2) Can I use my own music with the iPod Nano even if it wasn't purchased via iTunes?

Any advice you can offer would be very gratefully received! I'd also welcome your thoughts on the Nano if you have one, or on an alternative MP3 player in the $250 AUD or less range.

Thanks heaps :)
Katala

posted by katala to technology (10 answers total)

Via: iPod nano specifications

1) Can I use my own headphones (Bose QuietComfort 2) with the iPod Nano?

Yes:

3.5 mm stereo headphone jack

2) Can I use my own music with the iPod Nano even if it wasn't purchased via iTunes?

In all likelihood, yes:

Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:28 AM on December 30, 2009

What format is your music in? If it's plain mp3 files (like you get from Amazon), then you're fine. It's it's WMA, then you are out of luck. (If it's anything other than mp3 or aac or Apple Lossless, you are out of luck.)

You can use your own headphones.

If you want more formats, you might prefer an Archos device to an Apple device, like the Archos 3. It can play pretty much all audio and video formats, and is much cheaper than the Nano. I have the Archos 5 Internet Tablet, and it plays everything I have thrown at it. Much better than an iPod Touch, IMHO.
posted by jrockway at 1:30 AM on December 30, 2009

My various ipods all run off music I've burned myself from my CDs and I've always used my own headphones.

So yes, but the as jrockway says, the actual file format of your music will matter more than the issue of buying/not buying through itunes.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:37 AM on December 30, 2009

You can use your own headphones.

You don't need to use iTunes at all if you have .mp3s. If you have some other formats -- like WMA -- that you didn't purchase from iTunes but you're willing to import into iTunes, iTunes will automatically convert it to a format that will play on your iPod.* In other words, you can use iTunes to store almost any music, not just music bought using the iTunes store. Very little of the stuff on my iPod was purchased from the iTunes store.

* I'm not sure what happens if your other-format music file has protections from a different music service built into it.
posted by Nattie at 2:23 AM on December 30, 2009

Jus tto add, you can use your own headphones with the newest Shuffle as well, you just need to pick up an adapter to help out.
posted by pupdog at 2:37 AM on December 30, 2009

Yes to both. I have a Nano and I use headphones specially intended for hearing-aid wearers. I also have mp3s on it that I acquired before I got iTunes.
posted by desjardins at 8:02 AM on December 30, 2009

I highly recommend http://www.rockbox.org/
posted by rebent at 9:07 AM on December 30, 2009

Rockbox doesn't run on any but first-generation Nanos.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 2:18 PM on December 30, 2009

The only iPod that requires the Apple headphones is the latest Shuffle (buttonless). You can use your headphones with any of the others.
posted by kenliu at 6:58 PM on December 30, 2009

Thanks guys, I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out. I'm glad to know I'll still be able to use my own headphones, and yes pretty much all my music is in MP3 format so by the sounds of it importing won't be an issue.

Thanks again :)

Katala
posted by katala at 5:40 PM on January 3, 2010