Which MP3?

[daj]

...do you lot use.

I'm thinking of taking the plunge. I'd like to listen on long runs. Has to be small. Not too bothered about massive file size. Don't want a 'Shuffle'...I'd find it bloody annoying. Best price I can find.

Cheers...

 

[st247]

...do you lot use.

I'm thinking of taking the plunge. I'd like to listen on long runs. Has to be small. Not too bothered about massive file size. Don't want a 'Shuffle'...I'd find it bloody annoying. Best price I can find.

Cheers...

The ipod shuffle will also play tracks in order. If you fancy one theres a good deal at if you collect thier points. All the details are here
Theres also a few other mp3 deals on there.

 

[NorthernBoy]

I'd say that a shuffle is worth a try. I used one across the Sahara last year, and it did the job just great.

If not, than an iPod Nano is also great. Very small, good screen, 1Gb up to 4Gb capacity, and it comes with iTunes software, which is very good.

 

[Bigtwin]

got a MuVo Creative solid - excellent, and a 20g iPod HD - sound not a good as Creative, but huge storage.

You have to be more careful with vibration with a HD player - seems to me that a 1gb solid is the way ahead on a bike.

You may need a Boosteroo for volume too, depending on your set-up.

 

[ianboydsnr]

I just use a cheap 512mb one from ebay, cost 30 quid, not really loud enough, but i use it with a boostaroo, can throw away, if it gets damaged, runs for hours on batteries

 

[slimbo]

i use the creative zen sleek photo , it is brilliant. just ensure you put it some where it is protected.
20 gig hd and an fm radio. the internal batts last well and it also stores photo's..

 

[Rev Chuck]

got a MuVo Creative solid - excellent, and a 20g iPod HD - sound not a good as Creative, but huge storage.
You have to be more careful with vibration with a HD player - seems to me that a 1gb solid is the way ahead on a bike.
You may need a Boosteroo for volume too, depending on your set-up.

I just use a cheap 512mb one from ebay, cost 30 quid, not really loud enough, but i use it with a boostaroo, can throw away, if it gets damaged, runs for hours on batteries

Sorry guys - plain English please - define "boosteroo"...

 

[daj]

Boosteroo....I looked on the magic telly. It's like an amp that sits between yer machine and yer headphones. 400% sound increase...(claimed)....JEEEEESSSUUUUSS!

 

[araspitfire]

I really like my iRiver H320. 20 gig HD player... I just leave it on shuffle all...

It rides in my lower pocket to avoid any vibration unpleasantness.

Al...

 

[TheJoker]

There's tons and tons of alternatives at:
http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/

One really important thing you have to consider if you buy an Apple or (to some extent) Sony MP3 player (there might be others).

Many of them require proprietary software to load the music onto the player (Apple iTunes, Sony: SonicStage?). Early Sony's didn't even play MP3, but only ATRAC format, meaning you had to "check in" your CD once in a while to assure the software that you had the original CD. Then it ripped the music to ATRAC, meaning that you wasted the diskspace because ATRAC doesn't work with anything else. Then we have the iTunes Music store which only sells DRM encoded AAC files, meaning that you can't buy songs from iTunes Music Store and play them on anything else than an iPod...

In other words; make sure your player plays as many formats as possible (including OGG and FLAC), and make sure that you can connect it to your computer as a "removable disk" - meaning that you could for example take the player to a friends house and have a disco playing the tracks straight off the player...

.. don't buy a player coz it's shiny.

Also check the battery life; apple products in general have quite bad battery life whilst there are players who can muster beyond 30h of playing.

Good luck!

 

[tod]

I've been using a Sony HD5 for some time through my Autocom system. Excellant quality, huge memory and 40 hour battery life. Bought secondhand off ebay, I had previously used a cheap basic MP3 player from Dixons that soon stopped working.

 

[daj]

Thanks for all the info...

It's difficult to see beyond Apple...the power of good marketing?

But you've pointed out some good alternatives. Cheers.

 

[STUBBS]

a cheap 512 with a radio so you have the best of both worlds, depends on how you want yo power it as well i run mine of the power socket