I had an HD3 which got nicked. I replaced it with the silver A3000.
First impression was that it was superb, looks fantastic, the year shuffle thing is ace, the sound good and the battery lasts for ages. Then gradually, I realised that actually, I don't like it that much.
I can't explain why, there's just something about it that's not quite right.
It's probably because I mainly use it in my car, with a tape / headphone socket attachment and as it's rounded, it doesn't sit right, meaning I have to fiddle with it to use it.
Or maybe not, I really don't know.
Anyway, I've bought an upgraded HD5 (for some reason the HD3s on there were more than hd5s) from ebay and I now use that. The A3000 will be sold when I get round to it.
All in all, it's a good player, but not for me.