[maverickronin]

Right now I have an aging Rio Karma that only half works. The HD and battery are dying, the scroll wheel is flaky, and it only remembers half its settings when you turn it off. I just want a simple audio player that works and sounds good. I'm trying to find something to replace it but, everything I look at seems to be full of bugs. The Clip+ has the pitch problem, the D2+ chokes on random tags, and the s:flo2 has a laundry list of bugs.

I'm looking for a flash player with an expansion slot because HD based players are just made to die (Like my poor Rio) though at this point I'm open to suggestions for a HD player. I just want something that plays mp3's, flac's, doesn't choke on unicode tags, browses by tag database properly, and has a decent EQ.

Is there anything like this that I'm missing and isn't stupidly expensive?

 

[manuvajpai]

Sandisk Sansa Clip+ or Fuze should do it. I think the pitch problems were fixed in the recent firmware. Can someone please confirm this?

 

[Deep Funk]

I ordered one, have one for two months and only disliked the European volume settings, otherwise perfect for it purpose. I still have it standard for I like it standard.

 

[maverickronin]

According to this thread it's reduced in the Clip+ but not completely gone. SanDisk knows about it and has decided not to fix it because it would decrease battery life by 3%.

Pitch bug on Clip+? - Sansa Clip+ - Welcome to SanDisk's Sansa Community

I would love to be proven wrong though, I was just about ready to buy one until I found that thread.

 

[maverickronin]

I just downloaded some recordings of the Clip+'s and Cowon S9's output from this thread at abi.

Clip v1 vs. Clip+ - RMAA and Spectrum Analysis - Sansa Clip / Clip+ - abi>>forums

I ABX'ed them with foobar and got 15 out of 15 right. That's absolutely pathetic performance on the part of the Clip+. I'm not a musician, I've never played an instrument, I don't have any sense of pitch, tone, or rhythm, and I still got it right 100% of the time!

If you're considering the Clip+ then you need to test this yourself before you buy.

 

[bikertrash]

The Creative Zen has thankfully been out long enough that it's FW is solid. the 32 gig can be had for cheap, but the SD doesn't totally integrate, I haven't used it yet but I understand most use the SD slot for videos and fill the main memory with tunes.

 

[tds101]

The clip/clip+ and Fuze all have crap EQ's,.................... Check out either a Samsung or Cowon player,.............solid SQ, excellent EQ's, and they both play FLAC.

As for the Creative Zen, it's decent for SQ, but the HP out is rather low in the volume dept,............abnormally low. I have 1 sitting in front of me now, so I think I have an idea about what I'se talkin' about.

 

[maverickronin]

@bikertrash
The Zen would be just about perfect if the SD card integrated into tag database. Th only thing it would need after that would be flac which I would prefer, but I could live without it.

@nywytboy68
As far as I can tell Samsung doesn't have a player with expandable memory. The only Cowon I could find that does, the D2+, has issues displaying tags properly. The low volume on the Zen probably wouldn't bother me much because I do my mobile listening with SE530s which are pretty sensitive.

 

[tds101]

The Samsung R0 (it's a new release) has microSD expandability, great SQ and battery life, and it has TACTILE CONTROLS!!!!!

I'm waiting for the 16gb model to hit the USA myself,..................

Generation MP3 Video Review (thanks Iebellium!!!): YouTube - Samsung R'Play (YP-R0) review by generationmp3

 

[maverickronin]

That looked good up until the end. It said it only supported up 16gb sd cards and it didn't look like the sd card's music was integrated into the tag database.

Is that accurate?

 

[bikertrash]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nywytboy68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The clip/clip+ and Fuze all have crap EQ's,.................... Check out either a Samsung or Cowon player,.............solid SQ, excellent EQ's, and they both play FLAC. As for the Creative Zen, it's decent for SQ, but the HP out is rather low in the volume dept,............abnormally low. I have 1 sitting in front of me now, so I think I have an idea about what I'se talkin' about.

I don't know if that's a Europe thing or are you in America? I have a Zen and when I have the SR60i's plugged in, the volume level is set at 14-16. I'm sure you know what your talking about, but if your Stateside, maybe you have to high impedence phones, a first year Zen that had lots of problems, or something else is wrong. Maybe it's fixable.

 

[bikertrash]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nywytboy68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The clip/clip+ and Fuze all have crap EQ's,.................... Check out either a Samsung or Cowon player,.............solid SQ, excellent EQ's, and they both play FLAC. As for the Creative Zen, it's decent for SQ, but the HP out is rather low in the volume dept,............abnormally low. I have 1 sitting in front of me now, so I think I have an idea about what I'se talkin' about.

I don't know if that's a Europe thing or are you in America? I have a Zen and when I have the SR60i's plugged in, the volume level is set at 14-16. I'm sure you know what your talking about, but if your Stateside, maybe you have to high impedence phones, a first year Zen that had lots of problems, or something else is wrong. Maybe it's fixable.

 

[tds101]

I'm in the US, and I'm The DarkSide on ABI>>>. Read through the Zen section on ABI>>> and you'll see the volume level on the Zen's (flash model), old or new , it's horrible. Being older has nothing to do w/it, and my HP's are almost all low impedance. The Zen is abysmal compared to other DAP's. The SQ is mediocre at best as well.

Bikertrash, I stand by my statement that you need to try other players and stop always suggesting the Zen - it's not a good dap. I'm not trying to undermine your statement, but you really need a bit more experience w/different dap's, since the more you try the more you can suggest.


As for the sd integration on the R0, it's not integrated into the library, so pass on it. But, don't get the Zen either, as the sd card isn't integrated into the library as well,..... the Fuze and clip do though.

 

[Hero Kid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverickronin /img/forum/go_quote.gif @bikertrash The only Cowon I could find that does, the D2+, has issues displaying tags properly.

I did a lot of research when I bought my D2+ and I don't recall reading about issues with displaying tags. Just have all your music tagged and you shouldn't have a problem.
I've had my D2+ for 1/2 a year now and I'm yet to encounter a problem.
Also have you seen the new Cowon J3? Check it out, may fit the bill.

 

[sallan75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverickronin /img/forum/go_quote.gif and the s:flo2 has a laundry list of bugs.

Hmmm and what are these so called bugs? My S:Flo2 is on version 2.0 of the firmware and I am not having any problems. Only thing that bugs me is the music management, but that is not a bug...