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[RECCOMEND ON] MP3 Player

ArchArch Neat-o, mosquito!Registered User regular
edited July 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
Sup H/A forums?

I am going to be driving across America in a month, and the only MP3 player I have is a really beat up Ipod.

I need a new one basically.

I don't want to spend too much money, and it doesn't have to have any fancy features, I just want something that doesn't have any complications when transferring music back and forth. And won't break easily for no reason.

What have you guys had good luck with in regards to cheaper, reliable, easy to use MP3 players?

Also subheader if this is more appropriate for the Tech Forum, feel free to move it!

Also damn, I misspelled "recommend" in the title and look like a fool

Arch on

Posts

  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Arch wrote: »
    Sup H/A forums?

    I am going to be driving across America in a month, and the only MP3 player I have is a really beat up Ipod.

    I need a new one basically.

    I don't want to spend too much money, and it doesn't have to have any fancy features, I just want something that doesn't have any complications when transferring music back and forth. And won't break easily for no reason.

    What have you guys had good luck with in regards to cheaper, reliable, easy to use MP3 players?

    Also subheader if this is more appropriate for the Tech Forum, feel free to move it!

    Also damn, I misspelled "recommend" in the title and look like a fool

    What's your budget?

    Also, I think you can change the thread title by editing the post if you want.

    Esh on
  • [Michael][Michael] Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Budget would definitely be important to know. Cheap could mean 20 dollars or it could mean 100 dollars depending on who you ask.

    The Sansa Clip+ has some good bang for your buck. It can take 32GB cards, so you can be flexible with storage capacity and cost. You can have a 2gb mp3 player for $30, a 10 gb for about $40, up to a 34gb for about $70.

    It doesn't have much in the way of fancy features, but it's got the basics covered, a clip (hence the name!) that makes it easy to hold on to, plus a microphone which I've found useful occasionally. It's tiny so that could be good or bad depending on personal preference. You can build a playlist on the go, but only 1 playlist (the "GoList"). Otherwise, you have to make playlists on your computer and copy the list while it's hooked up.

    If you really want extra features, you can get Rockbox (opensource firmware). It'll let you make playlists on the go, it's a little faster, you can delete or rename things on the go, the gui is customizable, there's games, and it makes small (and sometimes big) improvements to just about everything else. The downside here is it voids your warranty.

    [Michael] on
  • OnTheLastCastleOnTheLastCastle let's keep it haimish for the peripatetic Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Sansa Clip, no question.

    I have one. Two years after I got it, the back panel just broke off, but I just put it in my pocket. Perfect for audiobooks too because it remembers exactly where you are on all of them.

    I think it was about $30-40, I got it as a gift.

    OnTheLastCastle on
  • ArchArch Neat-o, mosquito! Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I was thinking 30-40 bucks, gonna check out the clip

    Arch on
  • Skoal CatSkoal Cat Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I love my Clip, it even has an FM tuner!

    Skoal Cat on
  • GaardeanGaardean Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I've been using Creative Zens for about 6 years now, they've served me very well. They're durable, cheap, the software is user friendly (or you can just treat them like a flash drive and just drag-and-drop music to them) and handle an above-average number of codec formats. Haven't had any (owned 3, bought 2 more as gifts) fail yet, only reason I replace them is for new features. Just bought a new M300 today for the built-in bluetooth. $49.99 for a 4-gig with a micro SD card slot for an additional 32 gigs, $39.99 for the non-bluetooth M100. Occasionally some good deals on the Creative store as well, my previous model was a refurbished Mosaic I got for $25.

    Aside from that, my experience as an electronics salesman a few years ago says Sansa products are very good, Sony products are passable, and Apple iPods were the worst in terms of failure rate.

    Gaardean on
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  • ArtereisArtereis Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I'd get a ZuneHD while the units can still be found in stores.

    Artereis on
  • BlindZenDriverBlindZenDriver Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Sony - and since you're driving check out the models with build active noise canceling.

    BlindZenDriver on
    Bones heal, glory is forever.
  • Spectral SwallowSpectral Swallow Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Throwing anther vote in the the sansa clip or fuse. I like the fuse better as it's got more weight and a better interface, but both are ridiculously durable and both (from my experience) get about 20 hours before the battery conks out (medium volume, usually).

    Spectral Swallow on
  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Sony - and since you're driving check out the models with build active noise canceling.

    this or a clip.

    Both are great options.

    also if you don't have an auxiliary cord and have an aux jack get one. FM tuning can be a real pain cross country believe me.

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
  • TankJitsuTankJitsu Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Another vote for Sansa anything. My Sansa e260 is ancient by today's standards, but still works great. My wife broke her 4th iPod, bought a Sansa clip, and loves it.

    TankJitsu on
  • Reverend_ChaosReverend_Chaos Suit Up! Spokane WARegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Another vote for the Clip, I can't reccomend this enough - I have the 4gb version - I got it refurbished through Overstock. I have had it for over a year now, and it's the most durable MP3 player I have ever owned. Mine has the FM tuner which is cool, and the voice record which I also have found handy. It's easy to charge through any USB cable and the battery lasts a surprisingly long time.

    One other feature that I have found insanely useful is the clip lets you delete songs right from the player, so no having to remember which song it was you didn't want on your player anymore when you hook it back up to the computer. I am constantly deleting off music that I don't want to listen to anymore, and just throwing new albums on it.

    Reverend_Chaos on
    “Think of me like Yoda, but instead of being little and green I wear suits and I'm awesome. I'm your bro—I'm Broda!”
  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    [Michael] wrote: »
    Budget would definitely be important to know. Cheap could mean 20 dollars or it could mean 100 dollars depending on who you ask.

    The Sansa Clip+ has some good bang for your buck. It can take 32GB cards, so you can be flexible with storage capacity and cost. You can have a 2gb mp3 player for $30, a 10 gb for about $40, up to a 34gb for about $70.

    It doesn't have much in the way of fancy features, but it's got the basics covered, a clip (hence the name!) that makes it easy to hold on to, plus a microphone which I've found useful occasionally. It's tiny so that could be good or bad depending on personal preference. You can build a playlist on the go, but only 1 playlist (the "GoList"). Otherwise, you have to make playlists on your computer and copy the list while it's hooked up.

    If you really want extra features, you can get Rockbox (opensource firmware). It'll let you make playlists on the go, it's a little faster, you can delete or rename things on the go, the gui is customizable, there's games, and it makes small (and sometimes big) improvements to just about everything else. The downside here is it voids your warranty.

    This times a fucking trillion. I own a Clip+ with a 32GB card and have flashed it with Rockbox. It is the most incredibly awesome audio device you can get. The sound quality is superb, Rockbox greatly extends the battery life, and it's got enough settings to leave you in audio nerd heaven.

    Sidenote: The neoprene cover for the original Clip fits the Clip+ just fine. I suggest plunking down the dollar or so that it costs because it'll protect the sd card slot.

    TOGSolid on
    wWuzwvJ.png
  • ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited June 2011
    I have a Fuze, and I love it. I've had some problems getting it to play nice with my computer, but I have a microSD card for it so I just use that to move music.

    ceres on
    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
  • RotamRotam Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I have a Sansa e260 and thing has survived being stood on (by accident), numerous drops and a screen crack. I'm thinking of upgrading to a newer Sansa model soon but it's the best MP3 player I've ever owned. Drag and drop without the use of a program is utterly fantastic, sound quality is excellent, SD card use and the recording feature, all great features in an MP3 player.

    Yeah, another vote for the Sansa

    Rotam on
  • Skoal CatSkoal Cat Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Full disclosure, one of the switches snapped off of it's solder point on my clip, but it was really easy to solder back in place.
    I love equipment that is consumer fixable.

    Skoal Cat on
  • DruhimDruhim Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2011
    Arch wrote: »
    I was thinking 30-40 bucks, gonna check out the clip

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16855125127

    Druhim on
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  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    MP3 players like the Zune HD, Ipod Touch, etc. are basically wastes of money. You're paying a LOT of extra money that is being wasted on stupid shit that would be much better off being packed into a smartphone.

    Basically stuff like the ZuneHD and what not is what you buy your spoiled teenage kid so that they leave you alone about wanting a smartphone.

    TOGSolid on
    wWuzwvJ.png
  • DarlanDarlan Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    TOGSolid wrote: »
    MP3 players like the Zune HD, Ipod Touch, etc. are basically wastes of money. You're paying a LOT of extra money that is being wasted on stupid shit that would be much better off being packed into a smartphone.

    Basically stuff like the ZuneHD and what not is what you buy your spoiled teenage kid so that they leave you alone about wanting a smartphone.
    What do you mean "better off being packed into a smartphone?" By all means, if the OP just wants an MP3 player he doesn't need to get an ipod touch, but I'd hardly call having your MP3 playeralso have a functional wifi browser, e-mail, weather, maps, updates for podcasts without needing to connect to a computer, a whole storefront for songs and media and millions of games and apps a waste of money.

    (If anything, spending 30+ bucks every month on a data plan fee is a waste of money when wifi is already in your home, work, school, and plenty of places around town.)

    Darlan on
  • BradicusMaximusBradicusMaximus Pssssssssyyyyyyyy duckRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    My vote goes for the sansa clip. Had mine for about a year and couldn't be happier. I got mine off of newegg for like 40 bucks.

    BradicusMaximus on
  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Darlan wrote: »
    TOGSolid wrote: »
    MP3 players like the Zune HD, Ipod Touch, etc. are basically wastes of money. You're paying a LOT of extra money that is being wasted on stupid shit that would be much better off being packed into a smartphone.

    Basically stuff like the ZuneHD and what not is what you buy your spoiled teenage kid so that they leave you alone about wanting a smartphone.
    What do you mean "better off being packed into a smartphone?" By all means, if the OP just wants an MP3 player he doesn't need to get an ipod touch, but I'd hardly call having your MP3 playeralso have a functional wifi browser, e-mail, weather, maps, updates for podcasts without needing to connect to a computer, a whole storefront for songs and media and millions of games and apps a waste of money.

    (If anything, spending 30+ bucks every month on a data plan fee is a waste of money when wifi is already in your home, work, school, and plenty of places around town.)

    My phone has built in wifi capabilities. Theoretically I could ditch my data plan and not worry about it but due to my job I'm actually not in range of any sort of legit, open wifi for long stretches of time so in my situation so I do need my data plan, but that's all besides the point.
    That built in wifi option is fairly common these days which is why I say "why would you want two devices that do the same damn thing?"
    Before anyone counters with "why would you want an mp3 player then" I'm going to flat out say, that depending on how you planned on using it, then you may not need an mp3 player if you have a quality smartphone, but that's a personal thing. I have a clip+ because there's no way in hell I'd take my phone with me down into the engine room, or out when I'm excersizing, etc. For some people though, just having a single, baller smartphone is plenty.

    TOGSolid on
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  • ArchArch Neat-o, mosquito! Registered User regular
    edited July 2011
    If I could afford the data plan for a ballin' smartphone this wouldn't be an issue.

    Thanks for the recommendations everyone! Checked out the sansa clip, seemed to be what I wanted, will most likely buy that one!

    Arch on
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    I don't know what they'd cost these days, but I really liked my iPod nano phat (previous gen with square body and wheel).

    It was super small, but played music & video perfectly - for an iPod.

    MichaelLC on
  • RaneadosRaneados police apologist you shouldn't have been there, obviouslyRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    You all just convinced me to get a Clip

    well played

    I've had one before and it was awesome, but eventually it broke

    my last one was stolen, it was some USB one, which was good for the storage, but I really missed the FM tuner

    Raneados on
  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    edited July 2011
    Arch wrote: »
    If I could afford the data plan for a ballin' smartphone this wouldn't be an issue.
    Theoretically I could ditch my data plan and not worry about it
    If you live in an area with lots of open wifi then you don't need the monthly data at all.

    TOGSolid on
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