Getting an mp3 player

[SeanDMan]

Okay. I've never bought an mp3 player because I never go anywhere. I never saw the need. But now I've changed my mind, I've found a use for one and I have some money so I'm looking at my options.

I don't need much space. I only have 40 gb of cummulative space on my hard drives, so having a 20 gb mp3 player seems kind of silly.

I don't need it to play music videos. My PC is fine.

I don't need it to make toast, walk the dog, have a long distance telephone plan, read minds, or make my penis larger. Just play music.

I don't care about the included headphones. I have stereo isolation phones and I'll just use those.

It doesn't need to be new, but I need to be able to get it. So no models from 1998 that they won't stock anymore.

Price doesn't matter. Chances are we use different money anyway. The cheaper the better, as long as it's reliable. Brands don't bother me, unless it's a shit brand and it's going to break down and they'll be bankrupt before I can get any support.

So mostly what I'm looking for is advice. Good experience, bad experience. This is kind of last minute and it is possible that by the time you've read this, I may have bought one already. But any input I can get even at this late hour would be greatly appreciated.

[Benji]

I should get money for promoting this site but it's your best option, just search "MP3 Players" and then search, then specify your criteria in the sidebar until you get what you want (Y)

[figos]

6Gb Creative Zen?

[Jook]

Do NOT get a Creative Zen. I know 6 people who have them, and 5 of them have had the Zen break on them over 5 times. The 6th persons just broke for the first time last week.

Iriver all the way, top quality stuff.

[apsham]

iRiver's are amazing, some of the best.

http://www.iriveramerica.com/prod/ultra/ these are up to a gig, I have a one gig one... that's about 50 songs.

http://www.iriveramerica.com/prod/hd/ there's one here with twenty, six and five.

[tristy]

I like those things called iPods. Have you heard of them?

[MDK]

iPod break so easily, so far I've heard the best things about the iRiver. My iPod has had to be sent back three times now.

[tristy]

I've had mine since Christmas and it's fine. Maybe something will happen down the line, but so far mine is fine. My only complaint about the iPod is iTunes, really.

[Scott McFly]

I have a one gig one... that's about 50 songs.

[thuganomic]

If it breaks, just send it back for a new one. The customer support for iPods are amazing.

[paidelr]

Ipods breaking?

In my own experience, the only fault with the iPod is how easily it scratches in your pocket and I'm pretty sure thats with every MP3 player.

Get the ipod.

[SeanDMan]

Thanks everone (except Benji).

Those IRivers look pretty bad, but are a tad pricey.

[Gongsun Zan]

Get an Ipod. If you're worried about com space, just delete the songs off your com after you've uploaded them. If you abosolutely need to listen to music while using the com without earphones, just get a two way jack and stick it into your speakers.

The excess space you'll probably have works well as extra storage space too.

EDIT:

Actually, wait. Only get an Ipod if your com as a firewire or USB 2.0 port. If not, it *might* not work correctly. At least, mine didn't until I started tying it on my laptop, so I don't know about the newer models.

Edited March 14, 2006 by Gongsun Zan

[SeanDMan]

I'm not worried about com space...?

Anyway, that disclaimer about USB would really be a universal warning, not just against IPods. I think I'm fine, since I've got new model USB optical and wireless mouses, but we'll see.

[Gongsun Zan]

Well, you said that having a 20GB ipod for a 40GB drive is a bit silly, but if you just deleted the songs off your com after you've loaded them, then it wouldn't really matter how much space you've got on your com

Whether you can actually fill up all 20GBs would be another story though, I guess, so it depends on how fast you 'obtain' music.

[SeanDMan]

I just think that haviong 20gb of song storage is a bit pointless when in the entirety of my owning this computer (now 3 years) I've probably gotten, between CDs I bought and promotional downloads and whatnot, maybe 10 gigs of music.

[Gongsun Zan]

Well, it'd save you from getting another MP3 player for the next 3 or so years

[SeanDMan]

Can't you just delete things once you put them on the mp3 player?

That's what I'd do.

Hence why I'd probably look at a 512mb one rather then a 20gb one. If you can't delete songs, I might just forget it entirely.

[Gongsun Zan]

Well, I suppose you could do that too. >_>

If you're looking for a 512MB player, I'd suggesting getting one of those random thumbdrive like doohickeys, since most 'branded' MP3s in that size range are overpriced. Most regular brandless ones oughta to be pretty cheap (Well, I've got a 128 MB one for free, so I'm assuming 512's can't be much more expensive either). Problem is, they have a nasty habit of having either really short or really long lifespans with hardly any customer support, so it's up to you if you want to take that risk.

[SeanDMan]

If I can get one for free, it's a risk I'm willing to take!