best portable MP3 player?

[nikko]

I'm looking to buy a portable solid-state MP3 player (i.e. no iPod or Jukebox). Any recommendations would be much appreciated. The one's I've been sort of checking out are the Diva and Nex IIe, because they both use CF. I'd love to hear from anybody who owns one of these especially, but if there are other players out there I should be aware of, I'd love to hear about those too.

 

[mboy]

I just ordered the MPIO 256mb fl100 (upgradeable via SD/mmc card). I hear nothing but good about them, they even have a yahoo group for them and some custom software.

Amazon has it for $158 shipped right now (down from $199 few weeks ago.

 

[addragyn]

Gateway is coming out with something fairly soon. Since it's Gateway I'm sure it will be reasonably priced, and chock full'o DRM for WMA. But if you're just doing MP3 what's it matter.

Gateway player


This sounds intriguing.

Korean firms launch teensy MP3 player

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: nikko
I'm looking to buy a portable solid-state MP3 player (i.e. no iPod or Jukebox). Any recommendations would be much appreciated. The one's I've been sort of checking out are the Diva and Nex IIe, because they both use CF. I'd love to hear from anybody who owns one of these especially, but if there are other players out there I should be aware of, I'd love to hear about those too.

why solid state? The ipod has 20hours of shok protection so it won't skip at all.

 

[HiTek21]

I like these Iriver, I was testing my friends out and it sounds really nice. It also has a built in FM Tuner so if you get bored of your Mp3s just switch it to the radio. They have a few different sizes 128, 256, 512mb, only bad thing about them is you can't upgrade the memory.

 

[mboy]

Originally posted by: HiTek21
I like these Iriver, I was testing my friends out and it sounds really nice. It also has a built in FM Tuner so if you get bored of your Mp3s just switch it to the radio. They have a few different sizes 128, 256, 512mb, only bad thing about them is you can't upgrade the memory.

The MPIO has FM and voice recording as well, is cheaper AND is upgradeable. I didnt get the Iriver just for that reason. I wan to be able to upgrade it for my Wife.

 

[puck]

If you can wait about a month, Rio is coming out with a bunch of new MP3 players and one of them is 1.5GB that I think is solid-state. They will also have a 40GB player that should be better than the ipod.

 

[ptw]

I bought the MPIO 256mb FL100 about 2 months ago and I am extremely happy with it.

Pros: Lightweight, small, very expandable (bought a 256mb SD card for it for $100 Cdn), sound quality is good, FM Radio with good reception, just 1 AAA battery with long life (my rechargeable AAA gives about 7-8 hours of playback), good user support from a Yahoo group, leather case has a sturdy clip good enough to jog with

Weaknesses: Bass is a bit weak and there is no true equalizer (just a few equalizer pre-sets), have to use the included software to transfer files but it is simple to use (and includes an auto-firmware upgrade tool which is handy), the leather carrying case needs to be stretched-out first, only USB 1.1 so transfers are a bit slow, included earbuds are not very good, Study Mode didn't seem to work (if you even care about that)

You might also consider the FD100 (?? I think that's the model) which basically has the same features except that the unit is a bit bigger but comes with a wired remote. The remote looks a bit more convenient for clipping to straps.

The FL100 has gotten a lot of very good reviews.

 

[mboy]

Originally posted by: ptw
I bought the MPIO 256mb FL100 about 2 months ago and I am extremely happy with it.

Pros: Lightweight, small, very expandable (bought a 256mb SD card for it for $100 Cdn), sound quality is good, FM Radio with good reception, just 1 AAA battery with long life (my rechargeable AAA gives about 7-8 hours of playback), good user support from a Yahoo group, leather case has a sturdy clip good enough to jog with

Weaknesses: Bass is a bit weak and there is no true equalizer (just a few equalizer pre-sets), have to use the included software to transfer files but it is simple to use (and includes an auto-firmware upgrade tool which is handy), the leather carrying case needs to be stretched-out first, only USB 1.1 so transfers are a bit slow, included earbuds are not very good, Study Mode didn't seem to work (if you even care about that)

You might also consider the FD100 (?? I think that's the model) which basically has the same features except that the unit is a bit bigger but comes with a wired remote. The remote looks a bit more convenient for clipping to straps.

The FL100 has gotten a lot of very good reviews.

I am glad u like the fl100. Mine is bday present for the wife and I have not received it yet. You use the included software? I here there is MUCH better 3rd party software that is free:


FPIO

Let me know how it works out for u if u try it.

 

[HalfCrazy]

Here is the portable MP3 player I use and I'm very happy with it. The battery last me 13 hours which is very nice. I charge the battery once per week. Then I can listen to mp3's in my car all week while I drive to work.

RCA Lyra (Model: RD2820)

 

[WillDeStijl]

How usable are those Digitalway MPIO players as portable storage?

Are you able to store non-MP3 files/folders in there? Will it show up as a drive? If I walk up to a Windows XP or 2000 machine, and want to copy some files to/from it how many software/driver downloads/installs will I have to go thru? Will those installs require some hefty admin access to the machine, or can I have gimpish account, and use it as drive?

I'm DYING to buy one of them, my purchase trigger finger is trembling and itching. Those mofo's are so small, nice-looking, and feature rich! If they make a good personal storage device I'm going to piss myself, cleanup, then buy one.

I wish Digitalway would put a little covered usb port on the end of that thing, like the Creative Muvo, or I'd like Creative to make a Muvo that takes SD/MMC & has FM tuner & record(I'm sure it would have to be a BIT bulkier). Man oh man... if that ever happened, there'd be more than piss moistening the front of my britches!

 

[mboy]

I dont believe the MPIO will act as a portable drive, only MP3 player!

 

[WillDeStijl]

Am I asking too much? It seems to me that there are dozens of MP3 players that dance around having all the features I want, and the MPIO comes DAAAAAAAMN close. It seems like a bit of a firmware upgrade, and/or software improvement and we'd be in business. UUgh, I'm SO desperate to buy an MP3 player. People gawk at the iPod like it's the Second Coming of consumer electronics. I guess it has its niche, but that thing is too sensitive to abuse, and too bulky for me

Will SOME company please give me an MP3 player that's small, keychain, SD/MMC compatible, FM tuner, voice recorder, radio recorder, with USB port, that appears as a drive w/ minimal drivers, and plays MP3's that are just dropped into the right folder. Did I miss anything...?

I should've started another thread "Dream MP3 Player"

 

[mboy]

Why do u need it to do 2 both? WHy not get all you are looking for in an MP3 playuer, and then get yourself all you are looking for in a thumb drive? I wouldn't want them to do both. 256mb (or 512) wont give u all THAT much rom for files and music together.

 

[Nebor]

What about the best stationary mp3 player?

 

[Wiktor]

iRiver iFP390 is about the best flash mp3 player now (and there is a 512MB version too - iFP395). Look it up on iriver's sites. If you want to pay less get iFP190, almost the same features, just a cheaper looking player.

Not upgradable memory, true.

 

[sman789]

i just bought a muvo NX...i woulda gotten an iriver but the muvo's cable free

 

[randomlinh]

don't get the NexIIe... i was disappointed. cheap build quality... shuffle mode led to the same song 3 times w/in 40 minutes or so (that's w/ a full 128MB card), and it doesn't resume from where it left off if you power it off. batteries are a bit of pain to change too, more annoying than difficult.

 

[WillDeStijl]

Originally posted by: mboy
Why do u need it to do 2 both? Why not get all you are looking for in an MP3 player, and then get yourself all you are looking for in a thumb drive? I wouldn't want them to do both. 256mb (or 512) wont give u all THAT much rom for files and music together.

[in my 4yr old's whiney voice]'caaaaauuuuuse[/voice] I wanna only carry ONE thingy rather then TWO thingies? For me 64 to 128 MB is good for personal storage. and that's just ONE SD card. Plus, I'd like the flexibility of being able to boink my mp3 player into the nearest PC(maybe at a friends house) and with minimal driver downloads/installs have it appear as a drive, for me to throw mp3's (or whatever else) in there to listen to and take home. My digital camera and PDA both take SD cards. If I followed your suggestion, and added an SD MP3 player then that's a whole lotta cables and software if i want to share on the go, or move to another medium while on a vacation, for example. Whereas, with the Micro-Uber-Player that I describe, my small mp3 player would be my SD card drive without a cable... SWEET!

I feel STRONGLY that what I describe is not way out of left field!? I simply want a lot of the features currently available in various mp3 players in one. I don't think that my "dream", so called, is outside the reach of modern technology. I mean, shoot, maybe it'd be a full $150 or an exhorbitant $199 compared to the MPIO that's almost there. But shoot, if I look at a review of mp3 players, and check the "feature matrix" at the end, and almost every feature shows up on ONE model!? It's awn like Dohnkey Kohng!

 

[ALstonLoong]

anyone tried on those RCA mp3 player ? compare to MPIO do they have a better base ? i have a Mpio FL100 128mb .. is music is really clear ... but the base is sucks .. just wonder are those RCA better then this.

 

[mboy]

Did u try different headphones on the MPIO? That would make MUCH bigger difference then the player itself!