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Best MP3 player

M

mrmagoo_83

2[H]4U
Joined
Aug 8, 2002
Messages
3,068
I better rephrase that, Best MP3 player for the money (~$150).

Don't even mention the IPOD cause I ain't paying that much.

I am looking for a small, yet large storage player that is around/under $150. I might just get a minidisc player if I cannot find a good MP3 player.

So what are some suggestion?

Oh I better tell you what the uses are:
Jogging
Mountain Biking
Easy Listening

I would like one with a USB/Firewire connection, or memory stick (that way I wouldn't have to erase my songs for my wife to use it).
 
Originally posted by mrmagoo_83
I better rephrase that, Best MP3 player for the money (~$150).

Don't even mention the IPOD cause I ain't paying that much.

I am looking for a small, yet large storage player that is around/under $150. I might just get a minidisc player if I cannot find a good MP3 player.

So what are some suggestion?

Oh I better tell you what the uses are:
Jogging
Mountain Biking
Easy Listening

I would like one with a USB/Firewire connection, or memory stick (that way I wouldn't have to erase my songs for my wife to use it).
Click to expand...

You will probably want a flash player (check out some of the irivers), but I don't know much about the different ones. Also, I would recommend against a minidisc player because each of the 3 my brother bought, all died (not counting the dead shelf or car md players).
 
Don't even mention the IPOD cause I ain't paying that much.
Click to expand...

first of all, let me just say: i hate apple and their fruity operating systems and their ghey mice with one button.

now that taht's been said: i bought an ipod last night and it's lovely. i went to the store with 199 firmly planted in my head, and ended up spending $324 (299 + tax).

all the Rios and everything suck. end of story. i have to concede to apple on this ONE point. the ipod is clean. i resisted for quite a while, and cursed my roommate when he brought one into our (8+ windows based PC-havin) apartment. i doubly cursed him when i saw him installing iTunes, and laughed when he dropped his ipod on the floor and got a big scratch on its face.

it takes a big man to admit he's wrong, (so maybe i'll just say it here on hardforum, instead of to my roomie's face) but the ipod is CLEAN.

iTunes is still annoying, but i'm starting to deal with it.

i'm sorry, i know you warned me not to, but just trust me.....


CLEAN.
 
I second the IPOD. Whether you want to believe it or not, mp3 players sound different and the IPOD is supposed to have the best sound quality.

I'll let you know after I get mine. :D
 
any reason you are using iTunes?

I also have an iPod, but wouldn't recommend it for your uses. If you buy one, you will love it too much to let it die from a drive head crash ;)
 
Honestly, it'll be a wiser investment to save a bit more money and get the IPOD or even the mini. I've tried alot of MP3 players and nothing comes close to the functionality and esthetics of an IPOD. And people know this, that how Apple gets to overcharge the hell out of their products and get away with it. Because it's so nice and purty.:D

Or the creative muvo is pretty nifty too.
 
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In light of all the people saying Ipod, I'll give you good alternatives because I agree that Ipods are overpriced for their feature set.

Iriver IHP-120/IHP-140 - These cost around the same as the Ipod but have a lot more features like built in recording, optical in/out, included remote, a black/metal body, FM reciever, and more. I've seen and used both Ipods and IHPs, and honestly I think the IHP is far superior and looks far better.

Creative Zen - These a little bigger than the Ipods but are cheaper for quite a bit more space. Good sound quality too.

HOWEVER, you said you want to use it for jogging and hiking so I strongly recommend a flash based player. Hard drive based players are hit and miss in terms of rough usage. Some people will use a certain model fine, while others say they have problems with the exact same model. I'd avoid all these problems by getting a flash based player, which rules out all the Ipods altogether.

Iriver has several nice flash MP3 players (more features), as does Creative (value) and Samsung (small size)
 
This has to be the most informative thread ever, he says no IPOD and almost all of you reply and say IPOD. It’s like you’re stupid or something.
 
Originally posted by PoorGuyInNeed
This has to be the most informative thread ever, he says no IPOD and almost all of you reply and say IPOD. It’s like you’re stupid or something.
Click to expand...

Congratulations! You made it worse!

:rolleyes:
 
Well, I just don't see me dropping $300 on a damn MP3 player. That is just nuts to me.

I will check out your other suggestions.

On a side note, I have an older Minidisc player from sony, one of the first ones, where you can't record or anything, I also have a minidisc deck which does the recording, sucks for recording, but the thing is still kicking just fine. I just want an easier way to transfer songs then having to listen to 3 hours of music just to record it to listen to later.
 
I use and mp3 player for running and mountain biking.

Since you are going to be using it for these purposes, I would definitely stay away from a hard drive based player. Flash based players are the way to go for rough use.

Right now I am using a Rio S35S it's a 128mb sport player. It has been thoroughly abused and beat up. It has been dropped (on a highway) several times, rained on, and kicked. Even after all the abuse it has still survived 2 marathons and the training leading up to the races.

I think that this morning, my rio is finally on it's last leg. So, I ordered a Rio Cali 256mb version.

I hope this makes sense, and even helps out a little.

Oh.... the Rio's have an SD slot if you need more memory. I picked up a 512 card for mine, and it works great.

Laban
 
I"m think now a days u can get a Nomad Jukebox 3 20gig for under 150. pretty good 11hr battery life, nice design, ok software, great sound. I love it took it to england for 4months kicked butt
 
All of my Rio products have stood up to whatever I have thrown at them (pmp300, pmp500, RioVolt sp250)
 
Ah, I figure I will just pickup this one and then grab a memory card and toss in it.

These people don't seem to get the idea that the harddrive style MP3 players won't really work for me do they? I mean hell, I drop everything I own, and I sure as hell don't wanna worry about saving my $300 MP3 player when I take a nose dive going downhill on a rocky ledge. :) Got other things to worry about.
 
I would check out the Irivers...I would get that if it was getting a flash based MP3 player...
 
i just got a Creative Muvo, which needs no software to work and plays mp3 and .wmv and also doubles as a flash disk, 128meg one was $99

I love it. 12 hours on 1 AAA battery and no fucking billion buttons
 
Originally posted by redeyes
i just got a Creative Muvo, which needs no software to work and plays mp3 and .wmv and also doubles as a flash disk, 128meg one was $99

I love it. 12 hours on 1 AAA battery and no fucking billion buttons
Click to expand...

That one is cool since it is a small USB pen drive also...
 
Ok, for one thing sound quality goes to either the MiniDisc player or any Creative MP3 player, not the iPod. The iPod is the largest of the mainstream players, Rio Nitrus being the smallest hard drive player, comparable to allot of flash based ones infact. The Rio players end up with the best battery life also. Firmware is a tossup between Creative and Rio as they release new firmware often. The iPod has a battery that dies completely after a year to a year and a half. It costs YOU $100 to get it replaced, and thats without shipping for both ways. I would think that for $300 Apple would replace their crappy batteries. Seeing as I have owned atleast one player from Creative, Rio, and Apple; I think the Rio Nitrus is my favorite.
 
In addition to creative there's also the iRiver players (iHP series), that share top points for sound quality.
 
Originally posted by mrmagoo_83
NO IPOD!! End of story, not unless you can get one for under $200
Click to expand...

I'll sell you my 3rd Gen 10GB Ipod for 200.00 on the nose. I still have the original receipt from Best buy, the original Box, earphones, even have a 40.00 Speck Products carrying care with clip.

Let me know.
PM me or post a reply here.

I'm going to downgrade to the Mini.
 
Originally posted by hooting_monkey
Ok, for one thing sound quality goes to either the MiniDisc player or any Creative MP3 player, not the iPod. The iPod is the largest of the mainstream players, Rio Nitrus being the smallest hard drive player, comparable to allot of flash based ones infact. The Rio players end up with the best battery life also. Firmware is a tossup between Creative and Rio as they release new firmware often. The iPod has a battery that dies completely after a year to a year and a half. It costs YOU $100 to get it replaced, and thats without shipping for both ways. I would think that for $300 Apple would replace their crappy batteries. Seeing as I have owned atleast one player from Creative, Rio, and Apple; I think the Rio Nitrus is my favorite.
Click to expand...

Since when is the iPod the largest of the players?
How much have you read about the iPod's battery? It will in fact die after a year and a half, assuming that you fully drain and recharge the battery every day. It could cost you $100, that is if you didn't want to pay $45. They should replace it, while it is under warranty. Which brings me another point, what is the warranty length for the other products? What is this that I read about Rio's recent hard drive failures?

As for a comparison, here is a great iPod vs Karma (which would be considered in it's same class)


Once again, I will say that you should not buy a hard-disk player for your uses.
 
Check out the Neuros
http://www.neurosaudio.com/store/prod_neuros.asp
It runs linux.. the $99 version is 128mb flash ram.. but its upgradable to 20GB with optional backpack. THey are updating firmware to support OGG... for the price and expansion its a tough one to beat. Built in FM transmitter etc and a load of other nifty features.
 
Originally posted by Boomer235
Check out the Neuros
http://www.neurosaudio.com/store/prod_neuros.asp
It runs linux.. the $99 version is 128mb flash ram.. but its upgradable to 20GB with optional backpack. THey are updating firmware to support OGG... for the price and expansion its a tough one to beat. Built in FM transmitter etc and a load of other nifty features.
Click to expand...

That is a great idea, I am surprised I forgot to mention that. Be wary of when they say they will be upgrading something however. They told me that they should have USB 2.0 by August (2003)
 
That thing is VERY tempting... good price too I might add... But how big is it o_O Is it massive?
 
It's pretty big, especially with that dock thinger it has. I saw it next to the iRiver iHP-120 (which I have and is the same size as an iPod) and it was a good bit bigger. Even just the main module.

It might have been bigger than the Zens, didn't really pay that much attention.
 
I don't know what they're selling for but you could try hunting down an iRiver iHP 100 as well.
 
The point is is zachary80, they DON'T replace them under warrenty. They never considered it a product fault. Originally they never did for any ammount of money. People would ask them how they would fix the battery and Apple said, buy a new iPod. Its only when people started to make do-it-yourself kits that Apple got off their a$$. The iPod and the iPod mini is larger than the Nitrus by a fair ammount and is still larger than the Muvo. Hell, the normal iPod is even bigger than the Rio Kahrma and just about all of iRivers offerings. The iPod is gettting old.
 
It's a bit of a scam when you can't replace the batteries yourself, and why don't they make em so they take AAs instead?, wouldn't these have enough power? OR is it just greed?

It's like those CD players with the "rechargeable circuit", try finding a player that plays CDs, MP3s AND uses batteries (at least here in Australia) it ain't easy. :p

Steven

PS How bout an Ipod? ok ok just kidding lol
 
Not being able to replace the battery isn't unique to the iPod unfortunately.

The iRiver is in the same boat.

Interestingly it uses a lithium polymer battery which should last a good bit longer. If I remember correctly the 1st Gen iPods used lithium polymer batteries, and everyone I know that has one has had no problems. Not so with the 2nd and 3rd gen iPods.
 
I don't know why you don't even give the iPod a chance. It's actually a very good mp3 player. It might be a bit more expensive then other hard drive based players, but the sound quality is very very good, and it has other cool little features. Not to mention a very nice backlit LCD screen. The Zen sounds good too, but the features aren't as good. If you're going to pay money for an mp3 player, consider Apple's offering.

Now, if you don't have as much money, maybe consider either a flash player or what I have, a minidisc player. I have a Sony CKS510 minidisc player, it never skips, and has ultra long battery life. The only thing I don't like is having to buy minidiscs to record to. But other than that, the sound is pretty good, and the price is right.

Another good product is any of those mp3 cd players from iRiver. SlimX I think they're called. Good battery life, they don't skip much especially the new slimx500, and they have a wired remote with lots of little features. They are pretty pricey though, much more than a minidisc player.

Here's what I would do:
HD based: Apple iPod
Flash: Something by Rio
Minidisc: Sony
MP3 CD: iRiver SlimX

You decide.
 
Originally posted by S_Colt45
It's a bit of a scam when you can't replace the batteries yourself, and why don't they make em so they take AAs instead?, wouldn't these have enough power? OR is it just greed?

It's like those CD players with the "rechargeable circuit", try finding a player that plays CDs, MP3s AND uses batteries (at least here in Australia) it ain't easy. :p

Steven

PS How bout an Ipod? ok ok just kidding lol
Click to expand...

They are user replaceable, they just made it hard to do

The reason none of them use AA's would be the extra space that would be needed

Also, the iPod mini may be larger than the Nitrus, but it also has 2.5gb more, so it is not a fair comparison.
 
Originally posted by Mojo
Here's what I would do:
HD based: Apple iPod
Flash: Something by Rio
Minidisc: Sony
MP3 CD: iRiver SlimX
Click to expand...

Here's my experience:

HD Based:
if size is a concern absolutely go with an iRiver iHP, top notch sound quality (just like creative) and superb battery with a wealth of input and output options and recording. You can't go wrong considering its the same size as an iPod.
If size isn't a concern or if you need 60 gigs of storage or can't afford the iRiver, go with Creative, excellent sound quality as well, user replaceable batterys and all around nice units. Cheaper too.
Flash: Rio or iRiver
Minidisc: Sony indeed
MP3 CD: iRiver SlimX is the best choice here as you said.
 
For the amount of "techies" on this board the iPod fanboys sicken me. I won't threadjack anymore though. Check out the Riô flash players though. Riô is an awesome company with great products.
 
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