I'm looking for a compact portable mp3 player with plenty of storage and decent organizing. Something to use with a whole MP3 library. Something with good battery life that isn't too bulky. Any suggestions?
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Anonymous2005-01-04 6:24
Why not just get an iPod? It's currently the standard to judge by, and for good reason.
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Anonymous2005-01-04 6:30
I don't know much about them, but I hear good things about the iRiver series, enough to combat the iPod.
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Anonymous2005-01-04 14:55
What's better than an iPod? An iPod Photo!
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Averox!iX9wdiXS9k2005-01-04 19:17
I own an iPod but right now I'd probably want an iRiver if I was going to get an mp3 player.
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kaiza !CCsrL.GKx62005-01-07 10:34
im probably going to get an iRiver, because ive heard that it works well as a portable HDD on both macs and PC's (i need one that works with both), whereas iPods are a little less user friendly when it comes to PC's.
plus i like the nice big remote supplied with all iRiver products, and you have control over ALL player options (screen contrast, backlight timer, backlight brightness, startup screen) and firmware updates are a plus (think support for new formats)
not quite as sexy as an iPod, but im sold.
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Anonymous2005-01-07 20:45
japanese only
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AahPandasRun!1f849UkBVM2005-01-08 3:19
Ipods fail at battery life and music formats
I have a rio karma 20gb which is the same price as an ipod 20gb. It hsa like 3x the battery life, is smaller, has support for mp3, ogg, and a buncha other random wierd formats, and its docking thing even has an ethernet thing so you can hook it up to your computer network to transfer files and stuff. Works great so far, no problems
Firm note.
It's the Wintel that's the problem not the iPod. >>8
"iPods fail at battery life". Yeah, that's happened. Apple doesn't make batteries they buy them, so that will change.
"and music formats". Formats you say? VHS is inferior to Beta but who won that one?
But if what you've got works for you. Cool.
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Anonymous2005-01-08 8:09 (sage)
CD/MP3 player with remote: $60
Formats supported: CDA, MP3. Some players support OGG, mine doesn't. But it supports CDA so if I want to bring along anything non-MP3 (FLAC / APE / MPC / OGG) I just burn an audiocd and go. At 700mb a pop, even a small CD wallet gives you an iPod's worth of storage.
If you don't mind carrying around a CD player and a couple of CDs I'd recommend it.
Other suggestion--MP3 players with SD/CF/MMC card support. Same concept as the CD player except without the extra bulk. Added bonus--no moving parts. Flash cards are tiny and quite expandable, so you don't have to worry about running out of space.
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AahpandasRun2005-01-09 6:03
>>9
well as in the rio karma supports more types of formats, if you have a music collection with multiple file formats besides just mp3 files so you don't hafta convert them
>>10
mp3 cd players are great but they tend to skip unless you get a really good one and they are bulky
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Anonymous2005-01-09 15:41
I want the one which can make gapless playback. (Rio Karma does IIRC)
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Anonymous2005-01-18 4:57
I bring my laptop everywhere and run up Winamp playlists.
I have an inverter/transformar-thing that takes DC and turns it into AC. I just use headphoones and I can store as much music in any format as I'll ever need to have.
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Hybrid Legend2005-01-19 17:56
Anyone responding with the answer iPod just stfu: you're not answering the question.
Creative Series:
Zen Micro(5gb): $225*
Nomad Media Jukebox(20gb/40gb): $225 - online(due to sellouts in stores)
'nuff said
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TaiZ2005-01-22 3:34
I'm found of the Archos brand. Mine is an old Archos Jukebox Studio 10, which originaly holds 10GB, but I just installed a new 60GB drive in it. Now I can actually fit all my MP3s on it, with a good 15gigs to spare.
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n1ko2005-01-23 5:52
I have an iRiver H120. It's a nice 20 gig player with a full LCD remote. Meaning the entire interface is accessible via the remote, not just the current playlist like the ipod and most other players. Has audio and digital in/out, a built-in microphone (great to use for class, etc), and probably the best feature: file tree browsing. You can forgo the whole music database thing and simply copy over your music directory structure, then browse that way. It's GREAT if you have way too many file with bad/missing ID3 tags and you don't want to go through fixing them all. (I pulled out many a hair getting downloaded songs with perfect ID3 info for my old iPod.) The line's been upgraded to the new color screen H320 and H340. So you could either go for one of those (Still just as nice) or find H120/140 on clearance.
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Anonymous2005-01-27 0:10
iRiver wins all.
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Big Baby Jesus2005-01-27 14:38
Archos is TERRIBLE. I had one and it fell apart after 6 months.
Get yourself an iRiver. It's the haps, paps.
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Anonymous2005-01-28 0:28
The older Archos designs were nice (I had a JBR 20), very sturdy and stable (with a good battery life), unfortunately mine got stolen... I picked up an Archos JB Multimedia 20 and was like "OMGZ video" (this was waaay before iPod Photo, which I don't believe supports actual video, just images, hence the name), it worked just as well, but due to poor design, the headphone jack would get destroyed if you carried in in your pocket... the newer Archos designs seem to have fixed that (they completely changes all thier designs) but now they're freaking huge (the Audio only ones are twice as thick as an iPod and 1.5x the height and width, the video one isn't meant for everyday use, its more of a storage device for DVD rips so you don't get bored on a plane)
Thanks to CompUSA's service plan (2 years, swap out for something equivalent in stock if it breaks), I got an iPod, its like a smaller Archos JBR 20 with a slightly better browse interface, and yeah, it wasn't a nice new click-wheel one so the battery died, but Apple is insanely fast about swapping yours out if its under warrantly (Archos took ~3 times as long)
Also, the iPod remote is really nice if you can find ashort-cord set of headphones (I had some nice ones that had a 12 inch cord with a 2.5 foot extension... but of course they died), having a full 4+ foot cord coming off of a remote thats clipped a foot from your ear is annoying. Oh yeah... iTrip = pwn
My advice, it doesn't matter what you get as long as you like it, it will die sooner than later, so pick up an extended (preferably replacement) warranty, it'll save you a lot down the line
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Anonymous2005-01-28 2:31
I'm using one of the Archos video players right now. AV420 to be exact. It's actually an ounce or two lighter than my old JBR20, and as a plus, if you do a lot of recording using the onboard mic, you'll quickly learn that they fixed the "records the HD noise" issues. In addition, it doesn't accidentally turn on nearly as often as my JBR20 did.
The UI has also been greatly improved from the old JBM and Studio models.
Haven't dropped it yet, but it has recieved more than it's fair share of hip banging, and after 2 months of daily usage, I can say I'm confindent in it's build quality so far. Ask me again in a year, and we'll see!
I do miss being able to use AA batts, and I ended up changing hip cases, but all in all, the AV420 has been a huge improvement.
(As a side note, I should point out that I initially picked up the AV420 as a digital photography aide. It's large LCD mkes for better previews than the little one on my DSLR, and it's integrated CF slot keeps me in the field longer, without having to lug around my notebook.)
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Gilliam!F73v.WtXdM2005-01-29 17:14
i use a Rio Volt mp3/wma/cd(/+FM) cd player. it has an inline remote and expandable to a inline remote w/ lcd screen.
as >>10 said, but mine was $120, of course worth less after 3 years.
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Anonymous2005-01-30 14:51
>What could be better than an iPod?
ur mothar
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Anonymous2005-01-31 6:05 (sage)
I think his grandma is better personally.
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N17R0!Y1cyvQBO2Y2005-01-31 8:31
>>23 is pretty much right.
iPod = Overpriced, and average quality.
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Anonymous2005-02-06 11:31
BUT MACS MAKE YOU COOL. ITS TRUE.
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Blackeye2005-02-10 18:29
I've used an iPod and an iRiver. The analogue iPod interface was better than the 'river for scrolling through huge lists of albums, but the sound quality on the iRiver blew the iPod out of the water. Having listened to both, I would never consider buying an iPod. The iRiver is better quality at a cheaper price, and it has a ton of other features, too.
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Blackeye2005-02-10 18:30
I've used an iPod and an iRiver. The analogue iPod interface was better than the 'river for scrolling through huge lists of albums, but the sound quality on the iRiver blew the iPod out of the water. Having listened to both, I would never consider buying an iPod. The iRiver is better quality at a cheaper price, and it has a ton of other features, too.
>>8
Not big on the Rio products though they may have gone a long way. Used to have a RIO 128 flash player. It was great until for some quacked out reason the battery stopped charging. I wanted to get maybe a 256 but found out the battery and the memory unit are the same unit. And once it got phased out... there went my 170 dollars.
Well the only other factor I'd think is that when you start to go past 200 dollars, you not only want good portability but sound fidelity. I hear the iPod has the best sound fidelity of all mp3 players.
Also, does the iRiver have an attachment where you can channel your mp3 player to a radio?
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Anonymous2005-02-25 22:55 (sage)
ipods are for faggots and poseurs just like all apple products, just look at the dumbfuck ads they use to sell them. walk around with white earbuds in in my neighborhood and prepare to get ass raped by puerto rican applefan faggots fresh outta jail.
iriver's urban hip*style marketing pisses me off too, fucking koreans and their shiny advertising company full of trendy gay homos.
I don't want to buy electronics from any company that uses this style of faggot marketing. bland ads that list all tech spechs and I may be interested.
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Anonymous2005-02-26 1:13
>just look at the dumbfuck ads they use to sell them. walk around with white earbuds in in my neighborhood and prepare to get ass raped by puerto rican
lol and the peurto ricans know applefags are all pussies so itll be real easy to just take things from them
lol 2 apple
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Anonymous2005-02-26 4:19
>>32
"I hear the iPod has the best sound fidelity of all mp3 players."
Run through good speakers/headphones I'd agree. The shipped earbuds, like all earbuds IMHO are junk
Creative Zen Xtra for the same price range you can get 5X more for your money. 4Gig iPod Mini is for sale at $199 while for the same price you can get a used 60 Gig Zen Xtra..
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Anonymous2005-02-27 16:51
>>37
How does the battery life compare? UI? Most importantly, size?
>>10
Agreed, some other types of players (non-HD) are always a nice, less expensive alternative. I went with a MiniDisc player myself. It cost about $130 with complete car kit, and arm band case. I've seen them lower, though. Discs themselves cost about $2 a piece, and hold about 150 MB, much cheaper than Flash cards or the like, and about 5 hrs of music depending on the compression, and are re-writable like 10,000 times. Battery life is fantastic! I find myself replacing the single AA battery about once a month or so. My CD player by comparison ate batteries for breakfast.
The MAJOR drawback with MiniDisc, however, is that you have to use this REALLY convoluted software to convert and transfer songs.
No I'm not. I dont fucking want to pay $200 for the battery which lasts only 2 years. iPod is one of the hugest scam they put on the public just like Y2K shit. I do know what sage means. Do YOU know?
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Anonymous2005-03-11 11:43
All portable devices that run on internal rechargeable batteries will only last about two years before their battery needs replacing - many MP3 players, all laptops, almost all mobile phones, you name it. The cells in the battery steadily degrade (or sometimes go bad all of a sudden), meaning they can hold less energy and therefore don't last as long on each charge. The beef people have, or rather had, with iPods was that several years ago the only way to replace the battery was to send it back to Apple, who charged a small fortune to do it. But now you can find replacement batteries, and even higher-capacity third-party batteries, for sale at under $30, and they aren't too difficult to change yourself unless you're completely mechanically incompetent (and even then there are people who will do it for you at much lower cost than Apple). It might've been better had Apple designed the iPod so even a complete cretin could change the battery (like having it behind a screwed-down panel on the back). At least it would've prevented idiots from bitching about problems that were solved over two years ago.
Oh, and great comeback there, especially after you only discovered how to sage on your second attempt. "Do YOU know?". You totally don't sound like an enraged yet slow-witted twelve-year-old.
iPod is bringing digital music into the streets and down the halls like no other MP3 player or audio player has before. It's a great MP3 player, no matter which way you slice it, if not a bit overpriced. But you definitely get what you pay for when it comes to design, quality, and abilities. Hell, you can use it as a hard disk drive for christ sake.
Cheers. I use Windows, fucktard. I know it's terrible to like something that happens to work well and is -also- popular. Don't fag up this thread more.
Oh noes!!11! Teh thread iz ben fagged!!1! All those things you said are subjective, and thus your opinion. The only one fagging up anything is you.
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Anonymous2005-03-15 23:12
I think the Ipod is a total waste of money for a portable mp3 player. One of the most important things a portable device must have is long battery life. unfortunately, it doesn't have that. To top it off, it's supposed to be a portable sound device but lacks sound quality that the Zens and Carbons have, which are cheaper and contain 2-3 times more space on the same price. I've heard music from an iPod before, to tell you the truth, the music sounds flat. I don't know if it was his .mp3's bitrate (which most likely isn't), but it was flat. Makes me wonder why they dance so much on commercials with them.
The only thing I like about the iPod is the circle touch-pad navigation, very useful for navigating through a large library. Everything else is bad to me. It's the best , market wise. but tech wise? definitely not.
iPod Pros:
-Navigation.
-Simple.
-Easy to use.
-Has a wide selection of accessories.
-requires no drivers to install. Just plug and play.
iPod Cons:
-The LCD bit is low and doesn't show text well, especially on eastern-asian fonts.
-Sound quality is low.
-It scratches easily.
-It's expensive
-ridiculously low battery life
-requires no drivers to install. Meaning someone can steal it and use it right away.
So you might want to consider doing some research. Personally, I prefer Zens as I own a Zen Xtra 40GB which is $250 right now. I chose this because Creative, the creators of Zen, also make the well-known Sound-Blaster cards. And it's cheaper for twice the amount of space. Only downside is the jog-wheel navigation, size, and lack of ability to organize music in folders (uses Artist, Album, and Genre information to automatically organize files).
Zen Pros:
-high sound quality
-cheaper and cost-efficient
-you can change the hard drive (only if you know how)
-easily replaceable batteries that require no screws at all.
-Long battery life. 12 hours on my Xtra, and a crazy 24 hours on the new Zen Touch.
-uses an aluminum casing. Hardly gets scratches.
-Higher bit on LCD and can display text better than an iPod.
Zen Cons:
-definetly the size
-Weight
-navigation
-firmware is buggy on new models such as the Zen Micro
-lack of accessories
-lacks the ability to organize music.
If you want more info, go to nomadness.net. Yeah, these guys are Creative-based, but they have a lot of information on other players too, such as Carbons, Karmas, etc. etc. in their forums. Go look for topics that compare players. You can also go to ipodlounge.com, but most of the forum is composed of ‘I luv my iPod’ or ‘help on my iPod!’ topics.
Battery life will last me from the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed at night without the screen lit, easily. Aftermarker batteries will go even longer. The player plays the music at whatever quality the mp3 is, the chip inside isn't taking anything away from it. Possible that he was just using a 128 kbps or lower sound file.
You pay for more than the quality though, you also pay for the brand. iPod is trendy and cool, so the price reflects it (see: Gucci). Other mp3 players, such as the Zen, get the job done in spades...but the support for the iPod and the HDD aspects of it make me think it was the right choice for me. My only problem with it is the earbuds that are included are easily blown out at high listening levels. And, contrary to many opinions, I enjoy the ease and flexibility of iTunes. Macs in general though can go right straight to hell.
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Shin Kudo2005-04-20 4:11
I'm very pleased with my iRiver H320. Great price (paid $260 at Best Buy, brand new), beautiful screen, good battery life, great sound quality. The one and only downside is navigation. It scrolls slowly, so if you've got a crapload of albums or artists to go through, it can take a while. Still, I'd recommend it.
Hell, it even has a decent set of included earbuds, sennheisers, although I hate "standard" shaped earbuds, so I dont' use them.
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Anonymous2005-05-01 20:02
I think what iPod has really going for it is ease-of-use. It has the most original and easy user interface ever especially with that circle touch-pad navigation. It that touch pad thats got iPod going for as long as it is. And because there is no way to another player to copy that without Apple suing them (unlike jogdial), iPod remains unique.
All other features of iPod (for the price) is just bloated. You can find so many other players with the same capacity but with more features for a lower price.
Take for instance the iAudio M3. It smaller than the iPod. Design is sleek. Has both voice recording and radio. And supports all the audio codecs. Thats makes it superior than the iPod. The only thing that stops it from ever beating the iPod down is its user interface. The iAudio M3 has the worse user interface ever. A nightmare to navigate to files with it.
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Spiffy Hamster@spammera2005-05-13 18:56
I have a Rio Carbon. Little did I know when I bought it that my music folder was about 20 GB in size...
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Anonymous2005-05-16 13:28
When people buy an iPod, they are merely rewarding Apple for its quirky design and marketing thats all. As opposed to a money-value product.
Should the other manufacturers be at least smarter marketing-wise than iPOd I am sure they would doing so much better.
And probably as a result, iTunes and its followers wouldn;t had been so successful.
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Anonymous2007-02-26 3:00 ID:UDdIoIOA
Zen Vision : M
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Anonymous2007-02-26 12:47 ID:N/HU0FNg
Creative Zen Microphoto best buy 200 dollars 8 gigs and acts as a secondary hard drive. Plus replacable lithium ion battieris.
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Anonymous2007-02-28 9:34 ID:ZKF3Y8jZ
I think the iPod shuffle is quite cool. That's what I use, as I have no real use for anything else like storage or "wow apps". All that shit is on my phone anyways. I'd get a Zen if I did need anything more.
i got an ipod nano and 30g ipod but recently bought the new Sony NW-S706F mp3 player its so far better then ipod i let u find the lil details out but compare them and sony will bit the f****n s**T out Apple it the best mp3 u can get at the mo!!!!!
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Anonymous2007-03-04 13:59 ID:zO1NJeEW
>>39
>harddrive vs solidstate is the real question
Exactly. If I were to buy an mp3 player, it'd be a flash player for sure. I don't want my shit skipping when I run.
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Anonymous2007-03-05 2:32 ID:1P0K/jFW
>>71
In like three years of owning iPods, that has never happened to me.
PROTIP: The iPod's storage is a harddrive, but when it plays a song, it is playing it out of RAM, of which it has enough to load mutltiple songs.
>>80
haha, you're a stupid git. No seriously, it's a rebranded Gigabeat S manufactured by Toshiba with worse firmware (and it's already pretty bad, as it is) >>82
This man has the right idea. I personally like the Toshiba Gigabeat for having better sound than any iPod could hope for and a 40 GB F40 will only set you back $180 or so shipped (compare them on good headphones- it's pretty sad that iPods are popular), but I hear many good things about the iRivers too. But whatever you get, make sure it's supported by Rockbox. You will thank yourself when you can stop using shit like iTunes (which is a poorly designed piece of garbage- nice try) to move music to your player.