Page 1 of So which do you think is the best MP3 player around?

Different magazines and Internet says different things, I know Apple IPOD is supposed to be the best, but the battery life is s***e. But is it more about the style of the IPOD that gets Q and FHM excited, rather than the pros and cons of the product.

So I`m asking the "experts" on here, what is the best MP3 around that:-

Has longer battery life for more than two hours

Holds 10,000 songs

Easy to use

Will play any files such as MP3, WMA, etc

Can you get an extra rechargeable battery?

And anything else you would like to add that might boost the ratings of your recommendation.


floyd
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my order of preference:

iRiver iHP-100
Pros - does everything, plays anything under the sun, can record directly from a hi-fi so you don`t have to depend on PC to copy music across
Cons - No replaceable battery

Creative Zen (whichever is the latest version)
Pros - Sound quality (i tested it once, sounded great), re-chargeable/replaceable battery
Cons - can`t record directly from hi-fi

iPod
Pros - looks cool
Cons - Can`t record directly from hi-fi, battery is s***e, only works on one Mac, not getting as good a value as the likes of above - as a wise old man once said, "Image is nothing... "

so the iRiver iHP-100 sounds like a winner, and I`ve read that its the daddy.

Does anyone here care to challenge that opinion?

floyd
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I`ve had a good play with both the iPod and the Zen Xtra.

My thoughts are in the PC and Mobiles forum somewhere.

However, I went for the iPod in the end. The battery life is a good 7 / 8 hours and if you whack it in the dock when you get home every night there will be no problems with it flattening completely.

The main reason that I picked it was usability. They are just so easy to use. The Zen feels more like a pocket radio with its flimsy little scroll wheel on the side. For something that is going to be extensively used, the scroll wheel is a hideously designed part of the device.

The iPod`s touch wheel is a doddle to use. As for formats, if you are using it for LEGAL purposes - ie copying your own CDs, then AAC and MP3 is fine for the iPod, as is MP3 and WMA for the Zen.

I would love to say looks and style don`t come into it, but the iPod is one nice looking little toy. Expansys have about the cheapest available 20GB iPod out there, but they are selling quite quickly.

However, I don`t think you`d be unhappy with a Zen. Couldn`t find anywhere that sold the iRiver so can`t comment on that. They look pretty feature packed though!

Well i am currently awaiting the arrival of my Dell Personal Jukebox which is due any day now (can`t get it in the UK :( but got a friend in the US of A to buy one and send it over :) ) Its 20Gb, looks good, has excellent battery life and is about half the price of the IPod - Its cost me £165 to get it to my door. I went for it after having seen a mates` one which i thought was superb in both form and function. Will need to buy myself a new charger for it obviously, but in the menatime it can be charged from a USB 2.0 port anyway, so no problem there :D

Can get them on ebay occasionally, but otherwise find a friend in the US! Take a look at it here


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...some kind of superstar*

Quote:
currently awaiting the arrival of my Dell Personal Jukebox

They look nice! What happens if they develop a fault? Will Dell UK fix it?

In have just bought one of these:

An iHP 120 (20gb)

http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=69&usersessid=4b658430deb10a7e17b27fafefff1d21

36 reviews on the site and a rating of 4.9 / 5 seems very promising, and also after owning an iRiver IMP350 cd/mp3 player for the last 2 years I know that the iHP 120 will be a great piece if kit.

Beats the iPOD hands down for sound and features, battery is service centre replaceable for £30 - £40.

iPods are for posers, iRiver players are for music lovers........... :p

This item was edited on Friday, 7th May 2004, 19:41

My creative zen extra 30gb died on me a couple of days back, the harddrive has an error which means it has to be sent to ireland at my cost! The zen was an excellent piece of kit til that happened. >:(


Is that the time? Give me a minute and I will be there when I finish on the comp!

Found this review from TNTAudio of the iRiver iHP 120. Note that part 2 suggests that the battery is now replaceable - now I`ve not read that anywhere else, so take it with a pinch of salt, but a decent review from a more "hifi" perspective.

20gig is that grey colour, and the 40gig is black.

...Oh, and PcPro last month reckoned the iRiver was the one to beat, though the Rio Karma got well reviewed too.

This item was edited on Wednesday, 30th June 2004, 15:11

Quote:
Found this review from TNTAudio of the iRiver iHP 120. Note that part 2 suggests that the battery is now replaceable - now I`ve not read that anywhere else, so take it with a pinch of salt, but a decent review from a more "hifi" perspective.

Battery is dealer replaceable for about £40 or so.

This machine beats the iPod hands down for features and battery ( 20 - 23 hours or so ) - the iPod batery is about £75 to replace and last for about 7 - 8 hours tops.

The iRiver is also firmware upgradeable and play ands records many more formats than many of the other machines available.

8)