Good MP3 Player

Consumer Electronics
#1

I’m looking for a good MP3 player to get for Xmas. I am looking for a one that holds around 4gb and is around £150…

I’m currently looking at two…

MOVO2 - http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=2707421531&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=56939

Zen - http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=72377

Both made by creative (a very reliable brand…)

What do think? I like the look of the Movo, it apparently has good headphones unlike the Zen and the Movo is very compact and light… Also the movo has nothing to install and just a easy drap and drop feature… The reason i am considering the Zen is because for a bit more money you get 20gb. It is a bit big for my taste and the headphones arn’t too good, but 20GB!!

the only apparent downfall to the movo2 is the small screen but thats all that is said about that is bad in reviews apart from one of the reviewers said “It is true that the unit feels a little “plasticy” when compared to the brushed aluminium of the new iPod mini’s , but it is still a cute little device and is very light” But i dont mind along as it plays a good quality sound and doesn’t feel like a huge metal block in my pocket :iagree:

The only thing i am confused is wether this Movo2 ebuyer are selling has radio or not??? :confused:

Also, all my music is 192kbps should i leave it like that or should i consider changing it to 128kbps so i can put more space on the MP3 player?

Thanks in advance for your help :smiley:

Chris

#2

you cancheck out this link : http://www.supertechstore.com/mp3players.html

#3

Well i live in UK so thats not much help… but thanks anyways

#4

Well, if you ever get a digital camera that used CF memory cards you can actually exchange MuVo’s Microdrive with a regular CF card and use the Microdrive in the camera. 4Gb of storage, wee =)
//Danne

#5

Yeah, thanks for the replies but i’m not getting the questions i asked answered…

What do YOU think about the MuVo? (Price, look, spec)

All my music is 192kbps should i leave it like that or should i consider changing it to 128kbps so i can put more space on the MP3 player?

Thanks

#6

Also, what headphones would you recommend?

I am looking at these:

they look a pretty good investment. I DONT want big donut headphones i want some like the ones that i have posted the link for…

Thanks

#7

MuVo2 is fine, I don’t really see what would be bad about it except that remote control along with radio device are sold separately. As for headphones I’d recommend Koss Porta Pro, the design is a bit different (unique) but the sound is great and I really mean it. Go to the local radio shop and listen. If you still want less “well sounding” plugs take a look at Koss “The Plug” or the Sony ones.
//Danne

#8

Wow, those headphones look craZy!!! but i would some good quality ones the same style of the Sony ones (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008XYJL/ref=er_ra_acc_dp_1/202-6967823-1387819)

#9

If you need one with big HDD. Take Ipod. As for me i can advice you to take Icemat MP3 USB. It looks realy cool and extra light. And it cost normal. 120$. I use it and pretty happy about it !

Check it out - www.icemat.com/shop/default.asp?main=products_igg

#10

I have a Rio MP3 player and use a LAME encoder to get Variable Bit Rate .MP3s. I usually encode with the extreme preset since these are going to be listened to over headphones. These turn out AMAZING.

I am not sure why you have chose to have your music at a straight 192kbps. I used to do the same because when I tried VBR .MP3s from encoders other than LAME, they used to come out very poor (especially in the high end, cymbals did not sound natural at all). If this is the reason why you encode at a straight 192kbps, you really should try VBR .MP3s made with a LAME encoder. The LAME encoders I’ve used (winLAME and the LAME plug in for EAC) have all produced great sounding VBR .MP3s. It is the best trade off between file size and sound quality for .MP3s, which is exactly what I (personally) want when making .MP3s that would end up on my portable .MP3 player.

-Tony

#11

I ahve been using CDex with these settings (see screenie)

Should i change the VBR method and then set a MAX bitrate (if so wot?)

As you see i have been using LAME MP3 encoder.

Thanks


#12

Cool… I have not used CDex, but going by the screen shot, I would:

-Enable VBR
-Min. bit rate: 128kbps
-Max. bit rate: Highest it will go (320 kbps?)

As for the rest of the options, as I said, I am not familiar with CDex. For example, I am not sure why there are two quality settings (one probably is related to the “extreme” preset I prefer to use). But maybe someone else on here can tell you any other reccommended settings to use.

-Tony

#13

Here are the settings to choose from. Which to select???



#14

The Quality “Normal (q 5)” I personally would increase.

The VBR Method, I am not sure. I have not had to “tweak” that setting with the LAME encoders I have used. I would assume that Default or New would be okay. BUT the one that says ABR is most likely Average Bit Rate. You could probably use that and the “greyed out” ABR (kbps) box that has zero in it, you could probably set that to 192. That is the setting I would try first if I was trying out CDex.

As for VBR quality, I am not sure what the scale is. I think zero is the best, but somebody please correct me if I am wrong. I would highly, HIGHLY reccommend finding out which way that scale works before changing it from its default.

At any rate, each of these quality settings is going to take longer to encode, so set the quality as high as you can bear to wait so that it handles the encoding well and you minimize the chance of getting the high-end frequency artifacts. As I said before, I haven’t heard any artifacting on any of the VBR LAME encoders I have used. But I have never used anything less than a “normal” setting and that was only when I was trying out the encoders I have used for the first time. After trying them out, I usually bump up the quality settings a couple of notches. So if you do get some artifacting and the .mp3 just doesn’t sound right, it might be that one of these quality settings is set improperly (opposite of what it should be). But I think that is probably an unlikely scenario (getting nasty artifacts).

Please post if this does not work well for you!

-Tony