Best MP3 Player on the market right now?

cianosheehan · #1 06-22-2007, 10:48 PM

I need to get a new MP3 player. My iRiver h340 got kinda messed up when my car was stolen

What is the best player on the market right now? Plug and play is quite important to me...I dont want to mess around with having to use various programmes to add songs etc.

I was thinking of getting the new 80gb ipod and putting rockbox on it...but seeing as though ipods are so flimsy, I'm not so sure.

Any outstanding players out at the moment that I should consider?

Thanks

pergesu · #2 06-22-2007, 10:57 PM

The iPod is by far the best MP3 player around

kerowo · #3 06-22-2007, 11:01 PM

I'm an Apple fan and think the iPod + iTunes is the best combo out there, but if you aren't interested in using iTunes there are probably better players, at least players with more functionality; FM tuners, voice recorders, support more formats, bigger screen, stuff like that. www.engadget.com is a good place to get a heads up on what is out there, as is www.cnet.com.

Blarg · #4 06-22-2007, 11:08 PM

Depends: you can get a flash player, which hold much less(8 gigs tops right now) but are far more durable, or a disk-based player, which can go up to 80 gigs for now.

I wanted something I could bonk around without worrying too much about it, so a flash player was for me. I got an 8 gig Sandisk Sansa e280 and am really happy with it. I got some 2 gig microSD disks to put in it, too. Also found an outstanding belt/arm clip integrated with a case for it too. Pretty happy with it except that standard earphones are pretty average, like most standard earphones.

Just got in the Ultimate Ears super.fi Pro canal earphones, and am digging them a lot. I can really hear things I couldn't before, even music I've listened to for years. However, they say good earphones means you often wind up dissatisfied with music you have recorded at low bitrates. I'll see as I go through my collection and compare to the same song at a higher bitrate.

You definitely don't need iTunes, and there is no shortage of people who think the ipod is overpriced and poorly built. Look around and see what you like.

My two choices were the one I got for flash, the Sandisk Sansa e280, 8 gig, and the HD-based Creative Zen Vision M 80 gig. So far so good on the first choice, and I may get the second one too, just not right away. FWIW, rumor is they are coming out with a thinner version of the latter soon.

joey_joe_joe · #5 06-23-2007, 12:40 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The iPod is by far the best MP3 player around

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. Do your own research and don't be swayed by the ipod fanboys.

pergesu · #6 06-23-2007, 01:04 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The iPod is by far the best MP3 player around

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. Do your own research and don't be swayed by the ipod fanboys.

[/ QUOTE ]
I've done my research and own an iPod (as well as a shuffle), because I feel it's the best MP3 player one can get [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

captZEEbo · #7 06-23-2007, 01:13 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The iPod is by far the best MP3 player around

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. Do your own research and don't be swayed by the ipod fanboys.

[/ QUOTE ]why don't you offer some suggestions instead of just bash one and offer no reasons.

cianosheehan · #8 06-23-2007, 05:51 AM

Thanks for the replies,
I'd like a high storage player, because I'm going away soon and while I'll be bringing my laptop too, I dont really want to keep switching content around.

Durability is also important and this would be my main reason not to go for ipod - I've heard so many horror stories.

Battery life is a factor too. Blarg, after reading a Sansa e280 review I see it has just around 20 hours battery life which is fairly impressive.

I'll keep looking around. If anyone has any more suggestions fire away

kagame · #9 06-23-2007, 06:31 AM

ipod nano is much more reliable imho

(i have both an 8gig nano and a 30g video)

sometime the video doesnt like to start....

NicksDad1970 · #10 06-23-2007, 06:54 AM

I have a 30gb vid iPod and really like it. I have only had 3 mp3 players and the other 2 don't really count because I bought them years ago and everything has surpassed them.

Sorry that I don't have much to contribute as far as what might be best for you but the iPod has been great for me.

The one exception I have is using a program to get personal video on it. I don't really know if I'm supposed to talk about that here so PM me if you're curious.

GL