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Tiny mp3 players for gym use
Cryogen
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So i'd like to get an mp3 player to take to gym, but i dont really know a great deal about them anymore. I have an oldschool 20gig ipod, which was good but is completely unsuitable what with the weight and size of the thing. I havent used it in probably 2 years now, because i have no place i would ever want that much portable music currently.
I've had a look at the current ipod shuffles, which to be honest is quite appealling. The size and weight is fantastic. I dont need a screen, because i will be semi-occupied with working out anyway. I know & like itunes, which is another bonus for me. Plus i know it will be at worst, acceptable, as i've used the older ipod shuffles before. The only thing it lacks is an FM tuner, which would be really good because typically when i'm at gym theres a good radio program on that i could listen to. Another compact mp3 player that looks interesting to me is the iriver s10, but i have no knowledge of what this player is like. Aside from that i didnt really see anything that grabbed my attention for being small, lightweight, yet seemed of quality construction.
My criteria arent particularly high. I just want something that isnt going to fall apart or die in 2 months, and it has to be small & lightweight as i will ONLY be using this for gym. I have no other need for portable music as i have my old ipod and my PSP if it was ever an issue. I'm not an audiophile, so i dont need a high-end audio experience. I just want some background music, or to listen to a radio program if possible
. Having said that, if a player is good EXCEPT the pack in headphones are truly woeful, then obviously this is easy to fix with a new set. As for storage capacity, 1gig would be fine i think. Actually only need it to store at least 2hrs of listening. Price is not particularly a concern (within reason ) i'd spend more for something that will be easy to use and will last.
tl:dr - I need a tiny, light mp3 player for gym. Recommendations?
I've had a look at the current ipod shuffles, which to be honest is quite appealling. The size and weight is fantastic. I dont need a screen, because i will be semi-occupied with working out anyway. I know & like itunes, which is another bonus for me. Plus i know it will be at worst, acceptable, as i've used the older ipod shuffles before. The only thing it lacks is an FM tuner, which would be really good because typically when i'm at gym theres a good radio program on that i could listen to. Another compact mp3 player that looks interesting to me is the iriver s10, but i have no knowledge of what this player is like. Aside from that i didnt really see anything that grabbed my attention for being small, lightweight, yet seemed of quality construction.
My criteria arent particularly high. I just want something that isnt going to fall apart or die in 2 months, and it has to be small & lightweight as i will ONLY be using this for gym. I have no other need for portable music as i have my old ipod and my PSP if it was ever an issue. I'm not an audiophile, so i dont need a high-end audio experience. I just want some background music, or to listen to a radio program if possible
. Having said that, if a player is good EXCEPT the pack in headphones are truly woeful, then obviously this is easy to fix with a new set. As for storage capacity, 1gig would be fine i think. Actually only need it to store at least 2hrs of listening. Price is not particularly a concern (within reason ) i'd spend more for something that will be easy to use and will last.tl:dr - I need a tiny, light mp3 player for gym. Recommendations?
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Very cheap, drag and drop loading, FM receiver. Bad things? Alkaline batteries, awkward shape.
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=3691
When I'm running? iPod Nano with Nike+. The sport mixes are motivating, and I run a few competitions with friends and folks from work.
Everything else that I've looked at either has ass software or some pain in the neck hardware feature. I think you can add an FM tuner to the Nano with the FM tuner remote.
So far i think i'm still probably leaning towards the shuffle. Threepio i hadnt seen an FM remote... is it first party? I might have to investigate this new development.
I have an Orange Shuffle myself and I love it. It's perfect for running, working out, or just walking around school. Someone will probably mention the new player Creative has out, the Stone, mostly because it retails for $39.99, which is half the price of the shuffle. Personally, I would rather have the Shuffle, since they seem to be made a lot better. The Stone is just way too plastic feeling for my tastes.
People come into my store asking for cases for them and I just tell them to not waste their money. It's aluminum, no screen, and solid state. You've gotta be unlucky as hell to break it. Even the clip feels really solid.
I'm going to pick one of those up soon, specifically for the gym.
http://www.creative.com/products/mp3/zenstone/
Just £28. Sweet.
Although, those iPod Shuffle Clip things look awesome, I'd like one of those maybe. Double the price though.
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Comes with the arm band, and clip-over earphones that won't fall out when you run. The distance and calorie counter work based on your weight, height and stride length, and so far has proven pretty accurate to me, anywhere from a 4km run up to a 16km (10 mile) run.
It has a screen to see what your results are/music etc, and play modes including playing designated play lists depending on your running pace. Designate slow songs for easing off, faster songs for picking up the pace, and it reacts accordingly, and accurately.
It's moisture resistant, so you can be sweating like a rapist and not worry about the thing getting fucked up.
The Sonicstage software it comes with isn't that great, but it's not a turn off or deal breaker. It's just a poor man's iTunes. Importantly though, it's not invasive of your system or library either.
It just works beautifully for sport, and it's never in the way, which is the most important thing whether running or in the gym pushing weights. I get about 14 hours a week training in, mostly weight training, and some running, and so far this has been the most practical MP3 player for that purpose.
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I'm surprised the iRiver S10 hasn't been mentioned yet. It's 2GB, small as a Shuffle, has a color OLED display, FM tuner and supports OGG format.
I'm definately going to check out the sony, sounds like theres some positive experiences there. I'm liking the support of the shuffle though, and since i already use itunes and my whole library is on it, that makes things easier for me.
That's the big thing right there man. While it's true that Sony's SonicStage software isn't as bad as people make it out to be, it certainly isn't as good as iTunes. Having all your music already set up makes things even sweeter.
I would at least check out the Sony before you decide. If you go by a Circuit City, they should have both the Shuffle and the Sony on display. They'll be tied down, but at least you can play with them a little.
There's the SwiMp3.
Or you can get an OtterBox for your iPod and some of their waterproof headphones.
Hey Apo - if you've got Nike+, wanna race?
Man they JUST had on on the woot-off last night too.
The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun.
I think i'll get a shuffle... thanks all for advice in the thread.
I use a H300 for the gym, it's massively clunky but I find if I pop it in my shorts (no jokes) and trail a wire under the t-shirt I have absolutely no problem with it. The inline remote is handy too. Running wise, the treadmills I use have a little pocket for mp3 players and the like, so I just plonk it in there so it's not bouncing about. (It'd be crap for ACTUAL running though).
As for iriver themselves, it's been a marvellous piece of kit, the sound quality is nothing short of excellent and the build quality is superb. My friend had one of the other smaller models (The H10 I think?) and he loved that too, no problems.
I'm running Rockbox on mine, but the original firmware had no real faults. I just love the gapless playback, dynamic playlists and the ability to play Doom on Rockbox
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Or 3 beans and a sock in real money.