# CD player that recognizes mp3s? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 21, 2001, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-player-that-recognizes-mp3s/73352 "2001-07-21T20:03:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-player-that-recognizes-mp3s/73352/1 "2001-07-21T20:03:39Z")
I need one of the portable variety, and preferably with some skip protection, so I can use it in the car. I hate the radio, and my cassette tapes are beginning to get a bit hard to manage, so I figured I’d put my CD burner to work. Need I mention that I want to spend as little money as possible? Any recommendations? Danke. ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-player-that-recognizes-mp3s/73352/2 "2001-07-21T20:53:26Z")
I have heard good things about the [Volt](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005A1KZ/103-1300945-6964615) player. Its listed around 150$ [Here](http://www.digitalreviewers.com/mp3/portable/cdmp3/) is a review site with a few players under 100$. I want to install one of the decks in my truck but I may wait for the prices to drop off a bit more. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-player-that-recognizes-mp3s/73352/3 "2001-07-21T21:20:37Z")
Now that I know what the things are called (thanks), I did some searching, and it’s impossible to find one for less than 90 bucks. Which is almost five times as much as I spent on my car stereo. To hell with that. Maybe I’ll get lucky on Ebay. From some GQ searches, it seems that certain brands of regular audio CD players will also play mp3 encoded CD-Rs. Now if I can only find one for under $50… ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-player-that-recognizes-mp3s/73352/4 "2001-07-21T21:55:52Z")
I have a RioVolt, and I like it a lot. One thing to be aware of, just because something says it plays MP3s, it will likely not play ALL MP3s. Example: I have a deck in my car made by AIWA that plays MP3 files, and it won’t play Variable Bit Rate MP3s. And as far as I can tell, there’s no way to upgrade it. Also, it doesn’t play WMA files. The RioVolt, though, can be upgraded to new software downloaded from the maker’s website. It aleady plays every type of file I have, including WMA, but there are new formats being worked on like MP3pro and Ogg Vorbis. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-player-that-recognizes-mp3s/73352/5 "2001-07-21T23:52:14Z")
I’m all about cheap electronics, so I’m not too worried about variable bit rates, etc. I just want to load a CD-R up with a few hours worth of MP3s, hit random, and not have to worry about switching tapes in my car. My music collection consists primarily of vinyl, so I’m not really concerned with having the latest stuff. In fact, [I just won](http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1256779192) a floor model on Ebay for $47. Pardon me while I go do a little dance. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-player-that-recognizes-mp3s/73352/6 "2001-07-22T00:38:57Z")
Well, good luck with it. My brother spent $100 for one right after x-mas, and it’d only read the first 10 of ~150 mp3s on several different cds we tried. So he brought it back. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2001, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cd-player-that-recognizes-mp3s/73352/7 "2001-07-22T02:32:59Z")
I have a Philips EXP103/17 that plays audio CD’s and will recognize MP3’s and CDRW’s. I paid about $150 for it earlier this year. So far it has worked just fine, but if I make a CDRW with both MP3’s & WAV files, it will only recognize the MP3’s. I’m gonna try putting the different types of files into separate folders (which the player will also recognize).