I would prefer a larger one. Currently have the 160GB and it's getting restricting.
We're about at the point where I think a 256GB flash-based iPod would be economical, especially with cheaper/slower flash (doesn't really need to be very fast for this use case). It would provide capacity and still have no moving parts, checking all the boxes for me.
I totally agree. Mine is still going after 5 years of use so I'm expecting to have to replace it any time now. The 128G option is acceptable but, since I'm touching that now, I'll have to thin my library a bit. Still, its better than the 64G and smaller.
Do you truly need your entire library on your device at any one time? 160GB of songs is roughly 111 days of continuous listening (assuming ~1MB/min, but I do admit that number goes up with higher bitrate content). Nobody truly needs that much music at any one time.
The point is flawed. If you aren't going to listen to 90% of your library, why even waste space for it? For that 0.00000001% chance when you remember you loved Fall Out Boy as a teen and want to relive those memories?
"I know I don't listen to half my music. The problem is, I don't know which half."
The last thing I want to do is shuffle albums/tracks between lists that keep track of which items I listen to, and which ones I don't. And it changes over time, too. That would probably be several days' worth of work. Far, far, far cheaper just to buy a larger device.
I mean, there are smart playlists that can be based on last played date (eta: or ratings, or play count, for that matter. Honestly the iTunes smart playlists are a powerful but hugely underused feature), and iTunes fully supports selective syncing where you can just sync certain playlists you like and the smart playlist, and nothing else. iTunes was built as a music management system. Regardless of the crud that has been added on since, that's still what it is at its core.
