Update:
eeeek...bunker door opens:
Seems this "white noise" issue is only objectional with the player in low volume (10 out of a 40 being max). This may not be objectionable with all types of music played at high levels....guess loud music drowns out the noise.....who knows?
Seems if you have a clasical music bent and tend to listen at low levels in a quiet enviornment the white noise may be a problem.
There is also a mention on a number of sites on the net that the problem is tied to iRiver's choice of chip sets....again who knows?
It is possible that if the iEngineer working on the iFW ever gets it iDone he can find new non-iWhite iNoise chips and give you a iRubine iRed player without iNoise....again who knows?
slam bang....metalic grinding noise.....bunker shut!
sdz