Small MP3 player opinions

What about an iPod Shuffle?

Or a bit bigger, an iPod Mini?

I personally use my multi-purpose Samsung Galaxy smartphone now-a-days when portability is required. Just an option to consider. I have an armband for it that does work okay, although it seems like something better could be created. I just have not thought of it yet. I also use a set of Wireless Bluetooth headphones with it. The smartphone apps and storage capabilities today make them viable competitors for the singular purposed audio players, provided you want a phone also.

This?

If you're already in the apple realm with the iPod anyway, I would think the logical choice would be an iPod shuffle (as already suggested).

I think they're only about $50

First of all, I wouldn't buy anything with an "i" in front of it. Not if you care about fidelity, anyway.

I've had a number of inexpensive players and they were all crapola. Aliasing galore and bass-hyping EQ whether you want it or not. 

I finally got fed up and spent a little money, not for the gobs of storage (32GB, expandable to 64GB) but for the hi-fi playback quality, which is flat and full-spectrum, and with enough power to drive any headphones. At ~ 2" x 4" it's not tiny but easily fits into a shirt pocket. The 16GB version is about 90 bucks less.

Here's a review of it.

If you do get some generic player, be sure to buy it somewhere that'll give you a no-hassle refund. You might want to load up some acoustic guitar and audition it before you get too far from the store.

I picked up a Sansa Clip for under 30.00 on a sale, and it seems to be fine for ordinary listening. It is small, with a good enough battery life, and expandable with inexpensive SD cards, and it has a flimsy clip that will hold it to something you are wearing (jogging maybe, wrestling or trampoline definitely not).

I have a pretty limited expectation from an MP3 player, and am blessed with pretty ordinary ears. A similar undiscriminating palate for fine wine has saved me a great deal of money over the years, while doing nothing to protect my liver. I do not expect an MP3 player to be able to power over-the-ear headphones or wow me with the subtlety of the recordist's art. It will play Ogg if you are one of the unfortunate few who can appreciate the failings of MP3 encoding.

http://mp3support.sandisk.com/downloads/um/clipplus-en-um-03112.pdf

Beagle

craigb


Cool.  Thanks for the ideas!

Not sure about the iPOD Shuffle, I don't see how you can select what you want (no screen?) or how you can stuff it in a pocket without hitting those buttons.

The Samsung, San-Disk and the Coby all look pretty interesting.  The price on the Coby looks worthy of a gamble too...   Hmm...

ah, but I thought the purpose was for during exercise, walking, training, etc.  My answer was based on the assumption that you wouldn't be "fiddling" with looking for different things to play during exercise, but that you would just turn it on a playlist and let it play during the duration of your workout.  in which case the shuffle would be perfect for.
 
but if you want to be able to interact with it on a constant basis, then I agree you do not want the shuffle.

True, but some of the tracks for training (brain entrainment types) can sound similar.  The walking and exercise ones would be play and forget.  I like how the Samsung does voice recording though - might be handy.  Fidelity isn't as important for these applications.

I have had a really hard time switching to MP3s. I've bought a couple of small MP3 players over the years but it was back when the only option was headphones or buds (for mobile listening) and I just never was able to stay with it. Maybe I should I try again... I am still using CDs. I just need to upgrade my truck stereo. I am glad you posted this, I really need to change with the times before I get completely left behind. I have a San Disk somewhere...
Tell us where you land.

bitflipper


First of all, I wouldn't buy anything with an "i" in front of it. Not if you care about fidelity, anyway.

I've had a number of inexpensive players and they were all crapola. Aliasing galore and bass-hyping EQ whether you want it or not. 

I finally got fed up and spent a little money, not for the gobs of storage (32GB, expandable to 64GB) but for the hi-fi playback quality, which is flat and full-spectrum, and with enough power to drive any headphones. At ~ 2" x 4" it's not tiny but easily fits into a shirt pocket. The 16GB version is about 90 bucks less.

Here's a review of it.

If you do get some generic player, be sure to buy it somewhere that'll give you a no-hassle refund. You might want to load up some acoustic guitar and audition it before you get too far from the store.

The J3 is no longer available... I looked. There is an X9 and an i10 and some others. Maybe the X9 is a goodie... I will do some research. I thought an i-pod touch was as good as anything, I am glad for this thread because fidelity is important to me.
 
J