Elite Obsolete Electronics: Refurbished Vintage iPod

My last iPod died about three years ago when the hard drive failed. Since then, I've lost my iPhone and iPad music library of MP3s during various upgrades when trying to keep them compatible with my aging, but very stable, 2012 Mac laptop that I use for Tape Op layout and for Pro Tools at home. I really try to use my iPhone as just a phone, and as little as possible beyond that purpose. I love my iPad as an instrument (see my many reviews of iPad synths), and as a streaming content consumption device, but I use it as a standalone device with everything in the cloud, and have given up trying to keep the various iOS and Mac OS versions in sync. I also really enjoy online downtime, especially when I’m trying to listen to music for enjoyment. Like most engineers, I have a huge library of music that I want to listen to (and have access to) that is not available on any streaming service, so the iPod, which is almost OS agnostic and not at all dependent on an internet connection, had worked well for me. That got me pretty excited when I came across the Elite Obsolete Electronics site, and ended up ordering a refurbished (custom configured) iPod from them, with improved flash drive storage. I have since enjoyed listening to a lot of music that I had lost for a few years. I also really like having a portable audio player that is independent of the internet to reference recordings and evaluate mixes when working in different environments – I’m stoked to have an iPod again! There are tons of refurbished iPod options on the EOE site, and even iPod parts if you'd prefer to tackle repairing or upgrading one yourself. Unlike iPhones, iPads, and current iOS devices, iPods will work with just about any OS, and mine worked perfectly with my older laptop. I also like the idea of recycling something used rather than contributing to more manufacturing of electronics that will likely end up in a landfill. I should also note that the customer service at EOE is excellent. I had an initial issue (turned out to be a bad cable) when I first got my EOE iPod, but owner Austin Lucas promptly responded, helped me troubleshoot and fix the issue, and then sent out a replacement cable. If you’re looking for a simple digital music player, a new (old) iPod from EOE might be just what you need as well.