Well I have had my Archos recorder for about 2 years and it has never gone wrong. I mainly use rockbox except when I use the digital out with my sostenuto-1 when I use the original firmware as the rockbox firmware for some reason doesn't want to work with the sostenuto-1.

Like other archos users I list MP3s via Artist -> Album -> Track and have no problems using it. It is bulky but was the first hard drive MP3 player so compromises were made (2mb memory for one).

However there new - just released - mp3, Divx, Jpeg, etc player looks amazing.



Archos AV320

Only snag is it costs £550!!!! Though it seems it is only $525 in USA. Another case of ripoff britain

Wordsworth

I have nothing to compare it to, but I really like my Archos Jukebox 20 Recorder. I got mine about 4 months ago and so far no problems. I have put my entire CD collection on it and am now about to start on the vinyl.

I bought after they changed the color scheme so I have the silver and gray model. I was also surprised by how small it is compared to what I had heard. I don't mind the clunky-funky look...it's kind of cool...looks like what it is...a mini hard drive.

I use the included & dreaded MusicMatch software to rip my CDs to my laptop and my Windows to drag and drop to the Archos...I like the default file organization of Artist>Album>Song. I guess it's the simplicity of the unit that appeals to me.

Basically, the only thing I had to change with it was the headphones. Holy crap..are those miserable or what? Luckily, it sounds beautiful through my PortaPros (on the go)and CD3Ks (in bed).

This is my first MP3 player and I am very pleased with it. That being said, I would love to hear some of the other players for the fun of it. I prefer the ones that are shaped like cassette walkmans like the Archos and iPod...not crazy about the CD Player shaped ones. Can't fit those in my front shirt pocket

John

Adhoc....

Trust me.....the iffiness of CNET reviews is already noted. Thus, my closing comment.

I just thought it would be fun to throw that comparison out there and see what happens.

I'm surprised nobody's jumped in and said that the Archos is overlooked because it has poor sound quality. Does that mean that sound quality is on par with it's competitors?

That would seem to be the important point, not complaints about ID3 usage or being generally uninteresting.

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No. The iPod, Zen, and JB3 all sound better to my ears.

I'm with Austonia on this one. If you've only owned an Archos, you may be perfectly happy with it. But compared with other units on the market, the Archos was never a great unit, IMO; it just happened to be inexpensive and it had the ability to record. Nowadays, it's recording ability is really the only feature that stands out. In pretty much every other respect it's a dinosaur. But that doesn't mean it's not good enough for people to enjoy. If you have one and it does what you want it to, more power to you -- you're saving money by not buying the latest and greatest

the p&p aspect rocks. the lack of id3, doesnt. this is something that will be corrected in the next version of the jukebox, i think....


also, the 340 is quite neat looking. i have already been promised an evaluation copy on their release, so i will do a good job in reviewing that....

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Hi austonia,

I am currently researching purchasin a HDD based portable MP3 player and enjoyed your site.

But, how can you be so negative towards the Archos and have such a glowing review of the iPod when, based on your replies in various threads, it appears that you do not own either of them? It makes me question your judgement on how much better the interface on one is compared to the other.

Destron

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i do have a 10gb iPod but girlfriend seems to have permanent possession now. i have to borrow my own damn toy. um, about the Archos, I don't have one, but seen it in action.

I prefer the browsing on my Archos, but the sound on the iPod leaves it gathering dust. You said it took you forever to fix your tags. Any suggestions? I'm on a Mac. Should I just methodically go thru iTunes & fix them that way? I really preferred the file system on the Archos!

P.S.
I bought one of the Jukeboxes when they first came out. All in all I'm dissapointed. My old Studio 20 sounded better and now my Jukebox won't run more than 2 hours... and Archos doesn't sell replacement batteries!

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Yep... still deserved. I won't even look at the new Archos unit coming out until 6 or 7 months of people working with it and figuring out what works & what doesn't.

OK....so let's just say that tomorrow I decide my beloved Archos sucks and I want a different player. I am sure that considering you guys have heard alot more players than me that you know what is better. Considering I have never heard other players to compare mine to....what should I buy?

It needs to have the following criteria:

Cost under $250
Hold at least 20 GB
Sturdy build with real buttons you push...not "under a pad buttons"
Preferably metal build not plastic
Have good fidelity
Fit in a shirt pocket (cannot be one of the round CD shaped ones)
Be able to list my music by artist and album like a Windows OS
Have Windows drop and drag loading
At least 15 hour battery life before recharging

Also keep in mind that the Archos units had poorer sound quality historically. There was a capacitor mod out there to improve their sound. Apparently, now they are better and the mod is no longer required.

Everybody should make sure we are comparing Archo's newest units to the ipods and zen.

I wasn't impressed with the Jukebox MM sound.

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J, some of your requirements are pretty objective (battery life, size, etc.), but in terms of other specs, such as the way music is listed, and "drag and drop loading," I would encourage you to try out some of the players that use different methods. You may be used to the way you currently do things, but you may find after trying out the other players that you actually like them better. (I'm referring to any player, not a specific one.) After using a player that organizes files by ID3 tags, I would never go back to the Archos-style organization.

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well said. getting your ID3 tags up to par may take some work, but allows a more advanced way of playing/browsing your music collection on players that support it.

The primary reason I sold the e.digital Odyssey was that it didn't support ID3 tags, only directory/filename-structured browsing. Easy to load, but a chore to use.