# MP3 players with good fast forward **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 10, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993 "2008-09-10T21:00:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/1 "2008-09-10T21:00:12Z")
Does anybody know of any MP3 players with good fast forward? I have a _kinda_ old SanDisk that’s really slow to fast forward. I listen to hour-ish podcasts when I’m going to sleep and I always end up having to find my place through fast forwarding. Which, with my SanDisk can take up to about, oh 3 minutes or so (ok maybe it just feels like 3 minutes) to get to the 30 minute mark of a program. Anybody have ideas for this type of FFWD or am I just too impatient for my own good? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/2 "2008-09-11T00:35:37Z")
Dude, I hear you on the slow fast-fowards.I was turned onto the Sansa Clip by someone else here, and it’s the best MP3 player I’ve ever used. It’s small, solid-state memory, great battery life and fast-forwards like a pro (it starts slow, then accelerates up quickly depending on how long you hold it down – makes getting through podcasts a breeze)! It’s available in 2gb and 4gb models now, I believe, and the price is pretty damn reasonable to boot. Plus, according to reviews, it’s one of the best sounding MP3 players around. ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/3 "2008-09-11T00:43:59Z")
Cool! I’ll check it out. ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/4 "2008-09-29T19:58:01Z")
Just wanted to say that I got the Sansa Clip and it’s awesome. Not only does it have the good fast forward, it also has a sleep mode, so I can listen when going to bed and not have to worry about it running all night long. I set it for 20 mins and I’m good to go to sleep. Thanks **Red Barchetta**! ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/5 "2008-10-01T08:49:54Z")
No worries (and I owe my thanks to the Doper who suggested it to me!) It’s weird, I was actually just thinking about this thread a few days ago, wondering which one you decided on. I’m glad it worked out for you! And yes, it is awesome! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/6 "2008-10-01T08:56:25Z")
I just checked my ipod nano and was able to forward through a 5 minute song in about 3 seconds. Seems like a better deal than your Sansa. eta: whoops, didn’t notice the date of the OP at first. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/7 "2008-10-02T07:30:40Z")
> [@Jeff](#): > > I just checked my ipod nano and was able to forward through a 5 minute song in about 3 seconds. Seems like a better deal than your Sansa. I can’t imagine how that isn’t too fast. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/8 "2008-10-02T08:01:47Z")
Actually, it’s very easy to control and backtrack. You hit the center button twice and spin your finger around the click wheel, basically taking you to whatever spot in a track you want within a few spins (took 4 spins to get through an 8-minute track). To back-up you just reverse direction. I quite like it. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/9 "2008-10-02T08:18:28Z")
> [@Jeff](#): > > Actually, it’s very easy to control and backtrack. You hit the center button twice and spin your finger around the click wheel, basically taking you to whatever spot in a track you want within a few spins (took 4 spins to get through an 8-minute track). To back-up you just reverse direction. I quite like it. Ahh, that’s right – yeah, I suppose that isn’t too shabby. But it’s also 3-4 times the cost of the clip. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/10 "2008-10-02T19:06:34Z")
Yeah I didn’t bother to google the clip at first. I doubt the ipod mini would have any comparable function. The clip looks like a pretty nice unit, it’s just that the controls look so darned small. Any problems using them? ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mp3-players-with-good-fast-forward/462993/11 "2008-10-02T19:16:21Z")
surprisingly, no. I didn’t realize it would be _that_ small, but it works really well. No problems at all, and I have relatively fat and clumsy fingers.