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The MP3 player market covers a range of shapes, sizes, features, storage capacities, file formats, and download services. Amid such variety, how are you to choose? This guide will help you pick the perfect player.
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3.
What kind of MP3 user am I? |
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Figure out what kind of MP3 player user you are and help narrow the field.
User profiles:
Commuter |
Fitness freak |
Traveler |
Audiophile |
File hoarder |
Audio recorder
MP3 players are definitely not one-size-fits-all. They come in a range of shapes and sizes, use different types of memory, and support different formats. You should choose the player that both meets your needs and suits your personality.
As we see it, here are the main personality profiles for MP3 player users, as well as questions to help determine which camp(s) you fall into. Some people align with more than one type, and they should possibly consider buying more than one MP3 player to address various needs. For instance, you might want an ultracompact flash player for jogging or skiing and a high-capacity hard drive-based device for more general use.
Commuter
You listen to your stereo at home and to your computer at work, but filling your commute with tunes requires a portable player. If you commute by car, look for a hard drive-based model; size doesn't matter much in this situation, so feel free to save money by buying a heftier unit. You'll also need a cassette-style adapter and a cigarette-lighter charger. The former can be purchased anywhere, but for the charger, stick with manufacturer-approved accessories; that way, you'll avoid frying your player with the wrong voltage or polarity. If you commute via subway or bus, look for a compact flash-based player and, to seal out as much of the din as possible, a pair of noise-canceling or sound-isolating headphones.
Nomad MuVo² |
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Creative Nomad MuVo² (4GB) The lightweight MuVo² scores on size and sound, and its performance is equally tip-top. |
Fitness freak
If you spend all your free time in the gym, you need an MP3 player that can keep pace. It should be compact and easy to operate with one hand. Rather than looking for one with massive storage, choose a flash-based model (with up to a 1GB of storage) that can also withstand tough workouts better than hard drive-based players. You may also want an armband, an option on many ultracompact models, and a set of headphones that will stay in place rather than the cheap earbuds typically included.
iRiver iFP-390T |
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iRiver iFP-390T The sequel to the critically acclaimed iFP-190T, iRiver's latest ultracompact model is smaller and lighter, has a rugged design, and includes more features, such as 256MB of memory -- all of which make it the perfect jogging partner. |
Traveler
If you spend a lot of time on the road, you need an MP3 player that will enhance your journeys with music yet doesn't add undue weight to your carry-on. If you travel with the same laptop that stores your music, a compact flash-based player is the way to go, but if you'd rather leave the laptop at home, try a high-capacity player that will hold all or most of your music. Accessories worthy of consideration include noise-canceling or sound-isolating headphones for the plane, as well as a portable speaker setup for your hotel room.
Apple iPod (40GB) |
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Apple iPod (40GB) Still the smallest high-capacity player around, the iPod fits the traveler's needs to a T, although long-distance travelers should look for a model with longer battery life. |
Audiophile
Although often misused, the term audiophile refers to those users who prize sound quality above all other factors. Audiophile stereo systems often run upward of $10,000 and include pro-level components connected with gold-plated cables. Audiophiles have been reticent to adopt the MP3 format, due to its lossy compression, but if they choose high-enough bit rates and look for lossless codecs in their MP3 players, their portable needs can be satisfied. It goes without saying that audiophiles would never use bundled headphones, so high-end replacement 'phones are a must.
Rio Karma (20GB) |
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Rio Karma (20GB) Within this player's small, square chassis sits capabilities worthy of audiophile ears, such as a 95dB signal-to-noise ratio and an extremely high output of 60mW per channel. In addition, the Karma supports the FLAC format, which compresses music files by about 50 percent without losing a single bit of sound quality. |
File hoarder
If your appetite for digital music has your computer's hard drive(s) bursting at the seams, you fit the description of the file hoarder. While sound quality and features are important to you, what you need most is an enormous capacity: at least 40GB but maybe even more. Today's portable music devices max out at 60GB or so, which should be enough to keep you satisfied until manufacturers can fit more memory into the 1.8-inch drives used by high-capacity MP3 players.
Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra (60GB) |
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Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra (60GB) The Zen Xtra was the first MP3 player we reviewed to have a 60GB capacity, yet it costs less than the 40GB iPod. Those who hoard files as well as batteries will appreciate the Zen Xtra's rechargeable cell, which can be replaced in a matter of seconds by an average person (unlike the internal batteries that come with most other hard drive-based players). |
Audio recorder
For some reason, MP3 player manufacturers have been loath to embrace tapers and other portable-recording aficionados and rarely include a mike-level input. That said, a number of players on the market can record from line-level sources such as CD players or stereo outputs, so they're great for converting CDs, tapes, and vinyl records to digital formats such as MP3, WAV, or WMA. Those wishing to record live audio can do the same, although they'll need a powered microphone that can output a line-level signal.
Sony Hi-MD Walkman |
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Sony Hi-MD MZNH700(20GB) Sony's upcoming Hi-MD portable music players, supporting a gigabyte of removable storage thanks to the company's new higher-capacity MiniDisc. Uncompressed Linear PCM recording is also possible to achieve high quality sounds at 1.4Mbps. |
Any suggestions for a unit that is best suited for playing in a loop (1000+ tracks?) for plugging into a phone system? It can be v. basic - just needs to take AC power, copies of CDs and have a headphone socket (instead of the low-grade household radio currenlty plugged in)?