Comparing MP3 Players

[kazadharri]

I have tried searching but have been unsuccessfull, and am not sure if this is the right Forum or not. I am in the market for a new MP3 player. Is there a wiki or topic which compares different players, on what they can and can't do with MM? Some of my priorities are:
I listen to the MP3 player probably 60% of the time, but only like to sync about once a week or so.
Playcounts and ratings are fairly important to me so I would like to be able to sync those back and forth.
I only need about 16 GB on the player, I have a large 120+ GB total library so I am not concerned that I need to hold the thing on the player.
My library is ever changing so I like to have "My Popular, and highly rated songs on it, and then have the new adds on the player as well.
I am not tied to any one brand but have avoided the IPOD in the past. Mainly because a precieved concern over ITUNES. I mostly use Amazon, and e-music, as well as ripping my own.
Video is not important at all. I mainly use it for listening, while working out, mowing the lawn, riding my motorcycle.

Thanks,
Jeff

[Peke]

Althru There is some issues I would suggest you you some of Creative Players and/or Sansa one the one I also consider are Cowon players.

Lets see what others will say.

[differentroads]

I wouldn't be parted from my Sony NWZ S639. Tiny, very stable (unlike my old iPod) great screen and downloads TV programmes from BBC iPlayer in the UK (I watch TV programmes on the train to work.) My advice is go for a flash drive rather than a hard disk drive for the sake of robustness and reliability. I've got a 12GB flash drive - enough for 2,800 songs, a couple of 1hr TV programmes and a bunch of photos. It takes a bit of determined weeding of my library to keep it matched to the MP3 player's capacity but it saves lots of skipping and searching when I'm actually playing the thing in the car or at work. Everything I've got on it is good stuff. This size memory wouldn't suit someone who rips hundreds of albums wholesale and wants to be able to have them on the MP3 player.

Synchs well with MM, except I haven't totally mastered Playlists yet and I have to drag and drop videos onto it.

[kazadharri]

Thanks,
That is the MP3 Player I have (Sony) but since it doesn't sync playcounts and ratings it is not meeting my requirements. I have been thinking about a creative. X-FI 16 GB, but there seems to be some sync issues with it.

[nohitter151]

I know many people seem to have some sort of vendetta against Apple products, but of all the portable devices I have, the iPods have always worked best with MM. Not to mention the devices are intuitive to use and have a small form factor while still being usable and having decently sized storage space. I've tried several portable players (a few Archos models, Zune, Sansa, iPod/iPhone), but I always come back to the iPod/iPhone.

[kazadharri]

Nohitter,
Don't have anything against IPODS, but my son has went through 4 or 5 different ones. So I sometimes wonder how solid they are. Of course I think he is a lot tougher on his players than I am.
A question on ITUNES then, can you not use it, and use other music services. Amazon, and e-music?

[nohitter151]

Nohitter,
Don't have anything against IPODS, but my son has went through 4 or 5 different ones. So I sometimes wonder how solid they are. Of course I think he is a lot tougher on his players than I am.
A question on ITUNES then, can you not use it, and use other music services. Amazon, and e-music?

I have never bought any music from the iTunes store, and I've only ever needed iTunes to upgrade the firmware of my iPhone (and to send the occasional video or picture file - of course if you don't jailbreak your device you'll need iTunes to set up the phone as well). But certainly for just an iPod you won't need iTunes except if you need to reformat your device or upgrade the firmware.

Also, I frequently buy music from Amazon, and it works fine on iPods. Just make sure whatever you purchase is DRM free.

[Agouti]

If video and any other things like games isn't an issue, you can't go past the Sansa Clip. Superb sound quality and $60 for 4GB they are a steal. If you want to go more up market (video and such) Cowon makes awesome players (iaudio7 & S9 are both fantastic), and the Samsung P2 is good. I have a Cowon S9 and the screen is just fantastic - very easy to whatch movies with it when on long trips, and of course sounds great (though sound is only as good as the weakest link - source, phones, and the quality of your mp3's or whatnot).

From what you've said I would very highly recommend the Clip, cheap, small, good SQ and tough. In addition, if you are listening to a lot of music might want to think about upgrading your headphones as well - going from the cheap included (or K-Mart) earphones to a good pair of 'phones is like changing from a cheap tv's speakers to a surround sound system. Also, I find with my canalphones (the kind that have a silicone/foam tip to seal inside your ear) the sound isolation is as good as a pair of earmuffs (so handy for mowing, makes things quieter on the bike and such) though your selection is limited by wanting to wear under a helmet (how tight is your helmet?).


Can't recommend a pair off the bat, but check out headphones.com.au and look at some of the canalphones there (only limited by your budget) have a ask on the forum. If your budget was up for it highly recommend a pair of Ultimate Ears 700's (tiny and awesome SQ), but at nearly $400 not everyone's cup of tea (be careful, the hunt for perfect sound quality can become very addictive...)

Oh and re: itunes and ipods you do NOT need itunes, you can sync with both mediamonkey(my fav) and windows media player, before i upgraded from a ipod nano to my S9 I only installed itunes once to update the firmware then uninstalled it straight away.

[kazadharri]

To all,
Thanks for all the help. I think I am leaning towards a Sanza fuze (8GB), or a Sanza View (16GB) or a IPOD Nano (16 GB).
The Sanza are really apealing for the GB/$ value. As long as I can sync ratings, playcounts, and Playlists I will be happy. I really like my Sony, but not doing playcounts is a real bummer, as I am using autorate script, and most of my listening is on the player, and I do a lot of Best of... Playlists, that are based on my listening habits.

On earbuds: I have a set of Etymotic ER6i earbuds that fit really good under my helmet (Shoei RF1000) and they have the added advantage of being a 30Db ear plug as well. Someday I am going to bite on the bit, and get me a set of molded ones. Probably when these die.. They are expense but nice.

Thanks again,
/Jeff

[Eyal]

Thanks for all the help. I think I am leaning towards a Sanza fuze (8GB), or a Sanza View (16GB) or a IPOD Nano (16 GB).

Yes I think you'll make a good choice with a Sansa Fuze. I got a 8GB last year and like it so much that I bought another one today (4GB, another color) with a 4GB MicroSDHC expasion memory card.

The good thing now is that MM 3.1 sees both the device and the external card without the need to switch from MTP to MSC mode.

[Zeke129]

I really like my Creative Zen, although quite a few people are having problems getting it to sync correctly with MM. (See the "incremental autosync corrupts zen" thread in the beta forum)

[kazadharri]

Zeke,
Which Zen do you have. I had an old "original" Zen from 2003, but the lack of upgrading it to plays for sure firmware made me switch to a Sony Watchman. Which I like except for not doing playcounts, and issues some times with playlists.

I was looking at a Zen X-fi 16GB but that is one people seem to have problem with. Do you?

/Jeff

[kazadharri]

Eyal:
Does the Fuze sync date last played? Or is thier a script to do that?
/Jeff