# Reccomend an MP3 player to me. (please) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677 "2003-03-28T01:33:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/1 "2003-03-28T01:33:14Z")
I am currently searching for mp3 players and am presented with a bewildering array of players of all shapes, sizes, colours, types, brands, prices and qualities. It is too much for one man to sift through. I want something that is portable (will fit in my pocket), good audio quality, not too expensive. Weither it is a CD-based one, or one with it’s own memory doesn’t matter (there are advantages to both, for me) I want something that will be easy to get hold of (maybe it is likely to be available on [amazon.co.uk](http://amazon.co.uk), or likely to be in most shops that sell mp3 players). Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/2 "2003-03-28T01:39:31Z")
Also, what should I be aware of when buying from ‘sellers’ at amazon? When it says ‘seller usually dispatches in 1 to 2 working days’ can I rely on that to be true? ---
**Author:** ![Zenham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a5b964/32.png) [@Zenham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenham)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/3 "2003-03-28T06:22:02Z")
Figure out what’s more important to you… storage, or size. If it’s storage, get a Nomad or an iPod (there is software to use the iPod on the PC now, too, so you don’t have to suffer through Apple trying to be nice and market-grabby with peripherals). iPod costs much more per GB, but is smaller and (most folks think) has about the best interface of the handhelds. Nomad is more durable, from what I have seen. iPods tend to get their nice shiny plexiglas front panel scratched pretty quickly. Also, there’s a company named (I think) Archos which makes a handheld player, which is much cheaper (about half the price) of an iPod, but a bit larger. If physical size is the concern (skipping the obvious jokes), I’d suggest checking [pcmagazine.com](http://pcmagazine.com) or [computershopper.com](http://computershopper.com); they have both run articles comparing the common flash RAM players. I have a CD MP3 player, and unforuntely it does not handle VBR very well at all. Might want to check on the formats, and the encodings the ones you are most drawn to can handle. Don’t bother worrying about getting one with an upgradeable BIOS; if it doesn’t do what you want off the shelf, chances are it won’t do it in the future either. Cheers, and this is all, of course, opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/4 "2003-03-28T06:29:43Z")
I have looked at the [Creative DAP Jukebox 3](http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006FRER/026-1934618-5343660) Which I have seen with the word ‘nomad’ listed in it’s name. I also know that Creative has a more expensive mp3 player, also called nomad something, but it’s square. I am looking at the DAP Jukebox 3 as it is cheaper and more easily available where I live. Would you recommend it? ---
**Author:** ![non-native](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@non-native](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/non-native)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/5 "2003-03-28T06:43:58Z")
I have the iRiver SlimX mp3 CD player and I think it was a great investment. It only cost $170ish and as far as these portable music players go, that’s a great deal for all you get. A remote control with an easy interface with far more options than you’ll need without cluttering things up. I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/6 "2003-03-28T07:07:13Z")
I have an Archos Multimedia Jukebox which holds 20 gigs of music and movies. Yes, movies. It has a little screen on the front, or you can hook it up to your TV. There’s nothing like having some time to kill at work and whipping out a handheld movie player… Anyhoo, I’ve been deliriously happy with it. If you look around, you can find it for about $300. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/7 "2003-03-28T07:38:56Z")
I recommend the iPod if you can afford it. Hard drive players really are convenient. I had an Archos Jukebox 20 before and it worked well enough, but the iPod is a far more refined product IMHO. It’s smaller, easier to use, and it looks and feels much better. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tom\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_P)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/8 "2003-03-28T09:03:12Z")
Sorry for the hijack, but I have a related question: How do the players with a hard drive deal with shaking? If I were to take one with me on a run through the forest, how would it perform? Would it skip much, and since it’s a hard drive with a lot of moving parts, how’s the life-expectancy of the device? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/9 "2003-03-28T09:12:21Z")
The iPod doesn’t have a problem with skipping. Its buffer is huge. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but works just fine while I run. ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/10 "2003-03-28T09:23:46Z")
FWIW, **Lobsang** , I recently picked up a player to use during workouts and bike rides. The [FID iRock 520](http://www.buy.com/techtv/retail/product.asp?sku=10313497&loc=&rp=true&rpcc=CSPPR&PageFormat=4#product) is expandable to 192MB, more than enough for those purposes. Only $74, the interface works well and the headphones don’t suck. It’s also only about 3 inches square. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/11 "2003-03-28T10:23:31Z")
I have an older Archos 6GB player. I like it a lot. The nice thing about the MP3 players with hard drives (other than size), is when you plug them into your computer, it’s just like having an external drive. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/12 "2003-03-28T10:33:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tom P. \* > \*\*Sorry for the hijack, but I have a related question: > > How do the players with a hard drive deal with shaking? If I were to take one with me on a run through the forest, how would it perform? Would it skip much, and since it’s a hard drive with a lot of moving parts, how’s the life-expectancy of the device? \*\* This is a welcome hijack. I wonder the same thing. Aren’t harddisks even more prone to errors due to movement than CDs? If a CD skips due to a jolt then you get an interruption in playback. If a hard disk is jolted then you get a damaged hard disk - much worse. Can anyone dispell the fear of the hard disk in these mp3 devices being damaged due to excessive movement? ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/13 "2003-03-28T10:42:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Vanilla Toast wrote: > > the iPod on the PC now, too, so you don’t have to suffer through Apple trying to be nice and market-grabby with peripherals. \ Hey, there’s nothing wrong with making some hardware as Apple-only. There’s plenty of hardware that is PC-only. Fair’s fair. It’s nice that Apple decided to make a Windows iPod, but it wasn’t like they were obligated or anything. (Not that you said that, of course.) \ As far as MP3 players go, a friend of mine has a portable CD player that plays MP3s, he likes that quite a bit. And, (as others have mentioned) the iPod seems to stand out for a variety of reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Becky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@Becky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/14 "2003-03-28T13:06:27Z")
My SO got me a refurbished iPod for Christmas. They’re less expensive than the really new ones, but you can’t tell that they’re not new. No scratches or dings, and they come in the regular packaging. I love it! It’s small and (arguably) cute, which is nice because I’ve been low on backpack space lately. I thought that there would be an issue with drive space, because I listen to classical music (long), but there’s more space on it than I will ever need. I walk with it on campus, and it doesn’t skip (don’t know about running, though). I plug it into my audio tape converter thingy in my car, and it doesn’t skip there either despite the truly Gawdawful roads that we have here. Since we’re a PC household, he got it with the Windows software, and it’s been pretty easy to use. We did have one problem with it - he thinks the mp3 decoder died - but Apple sent us a box very quickly to return it in and I had another one within a week of the problem starting. I love my iPod. I usually don’t get opinionated over electronic gadgets, but really … don’t give me anything but an iPod for my music. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/15 "2003-03-28T16:52:41Z")
I have an Archos 10 gig jukebox. I put the majority of my CD collection onto it (about 120 CDs) and still have about 4 gigs to play with. It is the best 200 bucks I ever spent. The only downside was that the 20 gig one became available shortly after I bought this one for about 50 bucks more. The batteries can run for about 10-12 hours before needing recharging and can be charged by simply plugging it into the wall. Both the 10 and 20 gig Archos Jukeboxes are rectangular and a little smaller than a cassette walkman. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/16 "2003-03-28T17:25:57Z")
This is a great thread. I’ve been hinting for Mrs. Giraffe to be me a 20 gig iPod for my birthday, but I’ve been curious about the differences between the iPod, Nomad and now the Archos Jukebox. My goal is to put my entire CD collection on it (around 300 CDs). How easy and flexible are playlists? I’ve heard you can assign a category to each song (e.g. brit pop, funk, etc.) Can you tell it to randomly play several different categories of music, or is it all or nothing? Can you give different albums different priorities – i.e. when it randomizes, my favorite CDs will come up more often than obscure ones I don’t listen to much. (I don’t expect it to do this last one, but it would be really cool if it did.) ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/17 "2003-03-28T17:29:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tom P. \* > \*\*How do the players with a hard drive deal with shaking? If I were to take one with me on a run through the forest, how would it perform? Would it skip much, and since it?s a hard drive with a lot of moving parts, how?s the life-expectancy of the device? \*\* I run with my iPod all the time, and it plays perfectly; no skipping whatsoever. According to Apple’s [spec page](http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html), the iPod has a **20 minute** skip-prevention buffer. You’d really have to work awfully hard to get a skip with that, unless you put it in a paint shaker! The page also answers the question about moving parts and errors: “iPod has a 32MB solid-state memory cache, meaning that it has no mechanical or moving parts.” I love my iPod, and take it pretty much everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/18 "2003-03-28T17:54:49Z")
**My goal is to put my entire CD collection on [the iPod] (around 300 CDs). How easy and flexible are playlists?** [/QUOTE] You can do a random play within one playlist, one category, one artist, one album or the entire content of the drive. It can do a random play “by song” which is the usual way, or “by album” which means it plays through an entire album then skip to another album. You can’t set it to do a random play within multiple playlists, so you’d have to make a playlist that contains all the songs you want to cycle through. You can’t set priorities, but I think a playlist can contain multiple instances of the same song; that would cause it to come up more often during random play. Actually you may be misunderstanding how “random play” works. It takes the list and scrambles the order in which they are played. Each song gets played once, so it’s impossible to put a priority. I think that’s how all CD players and MP3 players work. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/19 "2003-03-28T18:05:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > \*\*Actually you may be misunderstanding how “random play” works. It takes the list and scrambles the order in which they are played. Each song gets played once, so it’s impossible to put a priority. I think that’s how all CD players and MP3 players work. \*\* That’s pretty much what I figured. The weighted probability thing comes from being a programmer and a physicist – that’s how I’d write the interface. It would still be random, incidentally, just not uniform (i.e. the probability of choosing any given song to play next would not be equal for all songs). Thanks for the info, though – that’s exactly what I wanted to know. Follow-up question: if a song appears on multiple playlists, does that mean you have multiple copies of the file (taking up space) on the drive, or is it smart enough to only keep a single copy? ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677/20 "2003-03-28T18:12:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Giraffe \* > \*\*Follow-up question: if a song appears on multiple playlists, does that mean you have multiple copies of the file (taking up space) on the drive, or is it smart enough to only keep a single copy? \*\* You only need one copy of the song; yes, it’s smart enough to recognize this. (Speaking only from experience with iPod software, but I’m sure the others work this way too, unless anyone knows any different). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-an-mp3-player-to-me-please/164677.md?page=2)