Portable noob needs MP3 player advice (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

I've used my Zen Nano Plus a couple of times now, and I'm pleased with it. It's exactly what I want, except for requiring a USB cable. It cost be about $75 with tax at CC and I think its a good value unless you get it on sale or a coupon or rebate.

 

[John Pine]

Ok...I finally ordered the Samsung YPZ5AB 4GB flash player and a pair of Sennheiser CX300-B earbuds. I'll let you guys know what I think.

 

[John Pine]

Ok…I ripped everything at 320kbps as suggested. I also upgraded the firmware and everything worked with WMP10 like a charm. I’m very pleased with the Samsung player. I can live with the proprietary USB cable but a custom EQ option would have been a nice addition. The sound quality is very, very good. Much better than I expected. Even at a high bit rate, I was still able to get 34 albums on this player. Oustanding!

Wow...these earbuds (CX300) are stunning! Well actually Sennheiser calls them ear canal monitors. They are the best earphones/earbuds I've heard for under a $100. Even better than my Grado SR-60’s, and more comfortable. You have to get them positioned in the ear canal just right or they sound a little thin. But when you do, they are awesome. I've been able to wear them for several hours without ear fatigue. Guys…if you want to step up from the o.e.m. buds without spending a ton of money, check these out!
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***UPDATE on Sennheiser CX300 ear canal monitors!*** 10/07/06

If you listen to mostly classical music, these buds are not for you! Unless you plan on listening motionless in a resting position. Due to the fact that most movements of cord transfers noise into the ears. I still love this buds, and for less than $50 they can't be beat!
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Guys, thanks for all the advice, especially BrianW. Once again the HTF crew comes through!

 

[Johnny Angell]

Congrats on the new player, John, glad you like it. May I ask what a 4gb flash player cost you?

Remember how my Muvo TX FM was stolen from my garage? A couple of days ago, we were looking for something in the kitchen when my wife oped a cupboard door where some storage containers are kept.

Yeah you guessed it, my TX FM was in there. I do not know why I put in that location, there's no reason for me to put it there. I thought we had looked thoroughly in the kitchen anyway. So now I've got 2 1gb players.

What I'll do is load both up with a different selection of jogging music and I can alternate players on different jogging days. That way there will be less repetition.

I wish there was a cheap and legal way to download a buch of songs that I'd like to jog to, and I don't think $.99 a song is cheap. I don't want songs that have DRM issues either.

 

[ThomasC]

eMusic is cheap and legal, but it doesn't compare to iTunes' selection. It's probably because it's cheap, legal, and with no DRM. There's still a lot of good music there, but it's mostly stuff from up-and-coming artists and not the next Britney Spears.

 

[John Pine]

Johnny: I paid $208 plus shipping at OneCall. Glad you found your other player. You probably feel better knowing nobody stole it from your garage.

Agreed, $0.99 a song is not cheap!

 

[Johnny Angell]

I'll have to give emusic a try, but I'm not keen on a subscription service, would rather just pay for what I download, when I download it. $.25 is a lot better price.

 

[Ray Chuang]

That's a bit expensive. At that price I'd rather save up for a 8 GB iPod nano (Black case).

 

[MarkHastings]

I never understand this thought? Is it because you're so used to being able to do illegal copying of CD's that the DRM pisses you off?

The DRM allows you to play on 5 computers, play on your iPod, you can backup songs anywhere, and the DRM gets stripped away when you burn to CD.

That's a LOT more mailable than DVD is and yet we purchase them (by the thousands) without any complaints.

It's not as bad (or restrictive) as people make it out to be.

 

[Johnny Angell]

First of all, I had asked for a legal way to download cheap, but not free music. Second, I don't illegally copy CDs or download music illegally.

I just don't want to mess with DRM. That's my choice. I have a buch of mp3s on my pc right now that I have ripped off my CD collection. I like not having to worry how many different collections I can burn them too.

BTW, I'm 60, and I grew up in the era where you had to buy the music to have it. I've never grown out of that, even though I think the music industry used our lack of user technology to rip us off. Remember how CDs were supposed to drop in price once they caught on.

But I digress. I just feel if I've bought it, its mine to do with as I please (except for making copies for distribution).

 

[MarkHastings]

Yeah, then you mentioned that you don't want to deal with DRM. Why not?

 

[Johnny Angell]

I'm not a lawer, so may I ask, it it illegal for me to rip a CD that I bought to an mp3 and load it onto a mp3 player? Is it illegal even though I don't distribute the mp3 to anyone, that I use it for my own personal use. Is that illegal?

 

[MarkHastings]

there isn't anything 'non legal' that you can't do with a DRM file that you can't do with a DRM file.

Anything that the DRM does to hinder what you want to do with it, is almost always illegal.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I'm doing nothing illegal. You've accused me of being a thief, I am not.

I gotta remember never to have you on my jury if I'm a defendant. You operate on the presumption of guilt. You are not my judge, jury, and executioner. Why don't we just let this part of the topic drop?

 

[BrianB]

I can't play a iTunes bought file on a non-iPod device without stripping the DRM. I can't play a MS store bought file on a iPod without stripping the DRM.

Yes, I can burn to CD & re-rip, and lose quality in the process, if you want to split hairs (and I suspect you do).

 

[Ruz-El]

I'm a total newb at MP3 players, but since my MP3 playing cd walkman is starting to get flakey, I figured I would see what you all suggested.

I'm looking at the Creative Vision-M. It's a 30gig player that does video. I read some reviews, but some things I'm wondering about:

1. I rip most of my CD's at a high 280VBr, well all players play this? It sounds like some players max out at 128, I don't mind if it downconverts, but ti would suck if it wouldn't playit at all.

2. Do the players show the album art if you have it saved in the folder with the songs?

3. Most of the video players seem to require a certain software to make it work. This is why I've shyied away from IPOD with Itunes. Does this player or any similar players support drag and drop?

4. I want aplayer that plays avi/divx/xvid files. IPOD seems to require MP4 viseo, which would just be a pain in the but for me.

Any suggestions/answers are appreciated!

 

[Ray Chuang]

Russell G,

I'd go with an Apple iPod (30 GB version). The iTunes 7.0.x software used by the new iPods can be configured to rip your CD's into .MP3 files at very high bit rates instead of the default .AAC file format. With the 30 GB iPod costing only US$249, it's actually quite a deal.

 

[Eric Kahn]

I have an Ipod Nano loaded with MP3 files as I do not buy downloads but rip them off my own cd's
the only problem I had with the nano was the Itunes software which loaded all of my MP3 files twice into itunes and I had to go through and delete all the second copies on at a time

 

[Ruz-El]

I'm really leary of apples software, as I have always had issues running just quicktime. The dea of haveing to load all of ripped cds (I have some 100+ cds of MP3s) into I-tunes, sort them out and than load them sounds like a lot of work. I'd rather be able to just dump them direct to a player. I was pretty much sold on the Zen until I saw that you had to use their software to load it up, although with them it sounds like it's basically just explorer as opposed to Itunes.

 

[BrianW]

Because DRM, like you, Mark, doesn't give a flying **** about our legally-protected fair-use rights. And because DRM, like you, Mark, operates under the offensive presumption that anyone who wants to preserve legal fair-use rights is a criminal. I also saw your post before you edited it. You flatly accused anyone -- and Johnny in particular -- who doesn't embrace DRM of having unquestionable criminal intent. Remember this: those who work passionately to preserve the legally-protected rights of the citizenry make the world better. Those who impede them, well, don't. Mark, I hope you're comfortable with the choices you've made and the company you keep.

Johnny, it's great that you found your TX MUVO player. I'm especially glad that nobody actually entered your garage and took it. That must give you some peace of mind.

John, congrats on your player purchase! I'm glad you like the player and that you find the MP3 codec to be high-enough quality to enjoy. And thanks for the tip on the ear buds. I've been looking for a good set of headphones/ear buds for under $100, so I'll definitely give them a try.