JVC Alneo XA-HD500B

The JVC alneo XA-HD500B won’t win any awards for its pedestrian design. Coupled with a low-resolution monochrome screen, it’s not even as slick as Apple’s previous generation iPod Mini. Its sound quality, however, is stellar. The alneo’s included earbuds (complete with passive noise canceling) put out enough bass on Madonna’s “Music” single to shake a few fillings loose, with good high-end detail. JVC thoughtfully includes a dock and a remote control in the package. Buy with confidence, but only at a discount.