[JaZZ]

.
...whose USB connector has just died.

It should have 1-4 GB storage capacity, true shuffle play and a graphic or parametric 4- or 5-band equalizer. Of course one of the main criteria is good sound quality of the headphone out, also no or little bass drop-off at low impedances.

I've been eying the Sandisk models, unfortunately they don't have a usable equalizer. So far my main candidates are models from MPIO, iAudio and iRiver.

Experiences, suggestions?
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[apnk]

Why not the iPod Nano?

 

[sgrossklass]

Any requirements as far as power goes? IIRC the iFP-89x uses an AA cell, so if you want this again, you may want to look into the iAudio G3, which also has pretty good sound (with pretty much no hiss at all, unlike the newer U3 with different internals), simple operation and excellent firmware support. (Unfortunately anything larger than 1 gig is no longer available, and the successor G5 - which would have been similar to the U3 internally - has been scrapped. Also, the recording features do not work all that well, nor is the FM part suitable for much DXing though I guess you didn't expect that anyway.) As far as current iRivers go, these apparently are sold with MTP firmware in Europe these days, check out which models can be reflashed to use UMS firmware. (Only a few very current models support both MTP and USB mass storage mode at the same time, among them the iAudio U3 and various Sandisks.) Bass dropoff shouldn't be that much of an issue these days, as newer designs tend to use "capless" output mode (DC coupled). EQ functionality should be similar on all STMP35xx based devices.

 

[SilverBlade]

What about Sandisk players? I've been reading they are good. The m200 series anyways.

 

[bangraman]

Samsung YP-U2?

 

[LaBreaHead]

"Any requirements as far as power goes? IIRC the iFP-89x uses an AA cell, so if you want this again, you may want to look into the iAudio G3, which also has pretty good sound..."

sgrossklass makes a good point. You might appreciate the flexibility that comes from using the AA battery ... but then again you might want something with a built-in. The iAudio players certainly allow the user to have a lot of input on the sound signature, plus they sound quite good at the default setting. The G3 isn't stunning looking in this day and age, but it's a dedicated music player and should perform that function very well.

In addition to the new Sandisks, which seem intriguing, there are Samsung flash players in 2GB and 4GB flavors. I haven't heard them, but I have a Samsung YP-U2 (512MB -- the 1GB version may or may not be on the market yet), which is a Shuffle-like "stick" with built-in USB plug, and it is certainly louder than my Creative flash players -- I haven't tweaked it yet, but some people like the sound quality of the latest Samsungs.

 

[JaZZ]

Thanks for all the replies so far!

Actually I like the Nano's look quite a bit (and its 4-GB option), but its thinness makes it seem so vulnerable. Also Apple is known for not being able to implement a reasonable equalizer (which may have been changed, though). And I'm not a friend of the touchwheel. I like to navigate blindly -- with the player on my upper arm or in the pocket --, that's why I favor something like the iRivers' joystick.

I'd like to use AA batteries -- it's nice to have a fresh load in an instant instead of a 1-2-hour waiting time. But I could also accept an internal LiIon battery if everything else speaks for a certain player.
I'm seriously considering the iAudio G3 with 2 GB (apparently available in my hometown) because of the removable battery -- and the UMS function. I'd hate to have to use WMP for data transfer. So the new iRiver models seem to be out of question, unfortunately.

I've been considering the Sandisk E200 series until I discovered that they have just preset equalizers.

The Samsung YP-U2 could be of interest to me. I don't know much about it, though. What are its virtues?
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[bangraman]

Actually I find that the Nano is pretty easy to navigate on the arm. And you can get the remote for it. As for thinness, bulk it up with a hard case and then it'll be stronger than any other player uncased but it'll still be thinner than most of them. That aside though your hankering for a custom EQ rules it out.


The YP-U2 has a dual MTP/UMS function, custom EQ and an integrated USB jack. It's also cheap. Worth a shot I think.