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http://hardware.mp3.com/hardware/individual/3888.html
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Rating 5 = Great Product</FONT>
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<FONT class=ttl><PHRASE>MP3.com Review</PHRASE></FONT>
<B>Pros:</B>
<LI>Records MP3s and digital audio in real time.
<LI>Plays MP3s and WMAs.
<LI>Serves as portable hard drive.
<B>Cons:</B>
<LI>No backlight timer or contrast controls.
<LI>No auto-shutoff or auto-resume.
<LI>Only two recording settings.
The new Mambo-X P350 hard-drive player/recorder is no lightweight. And if it weren't for a few silly quirks, it would be a real heavyweight.
At $219.95, this 20MB unit is in a league with many of the newer portables in its class. It plays MP3s and WMAs with clean, distortion-free clarity. It records voice through a built-in microphone and audio via a line-in jack. With 8MB of memory buffer, we could not get it to skip. You can use it right of the box as a portable hard drive with Windows 2000 and up (drivers are on CD for W98SE).
The mic is sensitive enough to pick up sounds across a room but even better at close-up voices. The 9.8-ounce case has rubber feet on the bottom, so it stays put when you set it on a table -- ideal for recording group conversations. Recording quality in voice mode is as good as any cassette recorder and you can use an external mic. The included cable lets you record from any analog source. Oddly, this only seemed to work with their cable; our male-to-male mini-cable would not. As always, you should monitor audio input through headphones to make sure nothing's getting clipped. And in voice or audio mode, you can pause and restart recording in the same file -- something we haven't seen anywhere else.
Audio files are saved numerically in a special folder created the first time you record, as are audio files. You can rename them using Windows Explorer or any file manager. In fact, you use a file manager to drag and drop files to or from the Mambo-X's drive. MusicMatch 7.1 is included for file transfers encoding and, but we didn't even install it.
The Mambo-X has all the other features you'd expect, like five preset and one-user programmable EQ; a large, bright backlit LCD; a "Navi-Dial" for easy navigation through folders; random/repeat modes, the ability to make playlists on the fly (that you also rename on your PC); and plenty of volume. A lineout jack outputs level audio to your home or car stereo system. A cool-looking corded remote with LCD display is an available option. An expansion port on the side is for future use with games and other devices.
With so much going for it, the Mambo-X has those quirks you should know about -- although none is serious enough to keep us from recommending it: You can't adjust the backlight timer or contrast. There's no auto-resume or auto-shutoff, so you have to restart from the root directory. The included earbuds should be replaced immediately with a better set or headphones. There's no balance control, but you can adjust the volume to each earbud -- although we're not sure why you'd want to.
You can only record at 160kbps/44.1KHz or 64kbps/22.1KHz; most other recorders offer a choice of encoding levels. On the Mambo-X you'll get fine sound, but use more disk space for voice and audio. Our audio recordings picked up some static. That could have been caused by the internal hard drive or being near two desktop PCs when recording. Either way, we couldn't get rid of it. The battery meter disappears while you're recording, and you can't delete files on the fly to free up disk space. The only way to know how much space is left is through a file manager when you're connected to your PC via USB. Eight hours of battery life is claimed on a full charge -- our experience was more like six hours. An external battery pack is available. You can upgrade the firmware online.
While you can use the Mambo-X just about anywhere, it's a little large for workouts and jogging -- but not impossibly so. There's no belt clip, just a large, unpadded drawstring pouch. The unit seems rugged enough, but we recommend a padded case for outdoor use.
If you're looking for a hard-drive portable in this price range, the Mambo-X makes a great dance partner. Despite its few missteps, we still consider it a player that's hot to trot.
<FONT class=ttl><PHRASE>Company Hype</PHRASE></FONT>
Mambo-X P350, the revolutionary multi-functional jukebox recorder, with its 20GB storage capacity, this hybrid player offers fantastic sound quality as a MP3/WMA/WAV jukebox player, a MP3 real-time recorder, a digital voice recorder with gigantic 700-hour capacity, a digital album that can hold up to 24,000 photos and unparalleled versatility as a USB data storage device. It's so easy to use, you don't even need driver or software.
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