[RAQemUP]

I'm in Japan on vacation for the next 2 weeks and was wondering what mp3 players are worth getting that can be run in english text. I should be in Tokyo for at least a couple of more days before headin to another city (I'm on tour) and should be hitting up Akihabara.

Edit: I should mention that I wouldn't mind getting one that has alot of memory to begin with (around 16 gig or more) and with a memory card slot (if possible one that intergrates seamlessly with the onboard memory).

 

[Mr_Junesequa]

have a look around. I dont know anything about local manufacturer in Japan besides the big brands. Maybe you can wow us with a new buzz player

 

[Micronian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAQemUP /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm in Japan on vacation for the next 2 weeks and was wondering what mp3 players are worth getting that can be run in english text. I should be in Tokyo for at least a couple of more days before headin to another city (I'm on tour) and should be hitting up Akihabara. Edit: I should mention that I wouldn't mind getting one that has alot of memory to begin with (around 16 gig or more) and with a memory card slot (if possible one that intergrates seamlessly with the onboard memory).

Most manufacturers have put the language option on their mp3 players. The common exception is Sony. They're the only ones that have their stuff strictly in Japanese (unless you buy their "international" version), particularly their cameras. Here in Japan, the Toshibas and Sonys have, by far, the largest selection of mp3 players. The Sony DAPs are very stylish. other large brands are Victor/JVC, Creative, Kenwood, Cowon, and the behemoth: Apple. I haven't seen any Zunes...or that many Korean brands. Then again, I live close to Osaka.

What's really cool about Japanese electronics stores is that they stock even the latest "old" stuff, such as floppy disks, VHS, SVHS, Beta, cassette Walkmans, etc. They also have all sorts of electronic accessories, cables, plugs, adapters, jacks, converters, the most selection of computer mice I've ever seen, and tons of weird and useful USB accessories. And damn expensive watches.

One thing though: even when something's on sale, it's still all very expensive!

 

[RAQemUP]

Yeah, I will try. I don't think I will have much free time to roam around unfortunately. I'm here with my parents and they booked us with a tour group.

Would love to find a good 8 or 16 gig player with a memory card slot with drag and drop abilities.

I am so tired of Itunes. I accidentally unplugged my ipod mini (modded with a 32 gig cf card which was at full capacity) while it was syncing with a hard tug and it corrupted the songs. So now I am stuck in japan with a blank ipod! heh Actually I do have some mp3s on this laptop at least so I can have something on my ipod mini for the mean time. But let me tell you, It is no picnic putting 30 gigs on a modded ipod mini.

 

[cummje]

Japan is a black hole and overpriced when it comes to MP3 players. You can buy most of the same MP3 players in America for quite a bit less. The only ones I've heard of here that you can't get in America are the D-snap ones by Panasonic and they supposedly sound quite good, but I don't know about menus in English. I do know the necessary software is in Japanese. Basically, you can't get anything here that you can't get in America and it costs more here than America (or the rest of Asia, depending on where you're from).

However, look at headphones. There is stuff here that you can't get in America and some of that stuff is quite cool.

*edit* a couple of Toshiba players here aren't available in the US that I know of. The 8Gb T802 isn't available there. Same as the 4Gb version available in America, just bigger with Wi-fi. Sound really good. About 16,000 yen. Equalizer sucks.

 

[synaesthetic]

Quote:

Would love to find a good 8 or 16 gig player with a memory card slot with drag and drop abilities.

Cowon D2 is probably going to be your best bet there. The Sony A720/A820 are great players but they have no SDHC slot.

 

[aegid]

Quote:

I haven't seen any Zunes...

Probably because Microsoft currently does not produce Zunes for Japanese release, or most of the world, for that matter. Zune is already doing bad enough in market share in the U.S. and Canada... just imagine how bad it'll be in Japan, who have decidedly rejected Microsoft's other major hardware in the area, the Xbox 360. I doubt anyone in Japan would want to import one either being that the Zune's software lacks Japanese font support with the exception of the Zune 30 using older 1.x firmware hacked to include Japanese fonts. The current 2.x firmwares lack a way to do that. There is a person with an in progress hack with Chinese support but who knows when he'll release that and if it will include Japanese support.

With that said, I have a Zune 30.

 

[shigzeo]

still, most players cost less in other countries than in japan. they are quite overpriced for some reason. i have two sony, two apple, some meizu etc and they all are much more expensive to buy in japan than i assume in usa. for canada, it is a toss up.

my sony have no english menu. also... ipod or no ipod, my sony does the same thing. in mids of syncing if i take it out early, bye bye songs. it is not itunes, it is software/hardware tie in. also, it happens even to plug and play driven hardware. just leave it in till you need to resync. my sony takes years to download... damn it is slow

 

[rei_yano]

best options are not there. overpriced. just order from usa!

BTW I WANT YOUR MINI!!

 

[Currawong]

Don't bother in Japan any longer. All their gear is made in China and overpriced here, especially headphones, even Japanese brands!

 

[Ricardo Dawkins]

A zune player with clock and asian language support - Zune Boards

 

[montell]

I dont know about the prices but I would love to try out the panasonic d-snap. The battery life on these babies are just ridiculous. I would like to try out the noise canceling earphones too.

 

[cummje]

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f15/pa...sd850n-324719/

Apparently the D-Snap's sound quite good. Portable, and the SD850N can be found in Akihabara/online for under 10,000 yen (under $100). Was tempted to pick one up, too. But with the Sony NWZ-A728 available now for around $150, I just couldn't justify it. For some reason the D-Snap's seem really tall. And I've heard that the noise cancelling is really crappy. Guess it doesn't work well.

Check kakaku dot com for D-Snap info and prices (all in Japanese). Many of the stores listed on the website have storefronts and many of them are in Akihabara.

 

[RAQemUP]

Well now my tour group moved on to Nagano but would just like to say how incredibly huge Yodobashi Camera is. 7 floors of electronic stuff. Went to the 4th floor and saw audio nirvana when I ran into the aisle with all the headphones hooked up. Was able to listen to Grado SR125 thru SR325, Denon 2000/5000, a ton of Audio Technica from the expensive 5000s to the portable ESW9/ES7, a few AKGS including the k701 and k601, the MAudio Q40, the Ultrasones, and a Sennheiser HD650.

Of all I heard, I ended up leaving loving both the Denon models and the Grado SR325 the most. Now I know what I am on the hunt for headphone wise though I do realize they didn't have most of them hooked up to a decent amp.

But man, is everything way overpriced there. On the extreme end the AKG K701 were 80000ish yen which is basically double the cost from what you can get in the US. Even the Beyerdynamic DT250-250s I have that I bought new for $155ish from B&H a few months back were 27000 yen.

I saw a ton of Sony 829 stands all over the small mp3 area near the headphones. Nice and pretty but no memory card slots. I did get to check out the Iaudio/cowon DAPs as well. I never did realize how small the Cowon D2 was and probably will keep that in mind as well as the supposed D3 that is to be released later this year.

 

[RAQemUP]

Bah, I just couldn't get those Denons and Grado's outta my head and while surfing the net at the hotel during a rest break, I had to bite the bullet and order the Grado 325i. They will arrive at my house before I do from this trip but now I have something awesome waiting for me at home to look forward to. All in all I'm pretty hyped up about this trip and getting some new phones. A new DAP will have to wait a few more months heh.

I was carrying around 50 gigs of mp3s (mostly 192 kbps and up) on my laptop and it took me about an hour to quickly put up about 8 gigs worth of stuff on my ipod mini. I just pray I don't pull the cord again anytime soon while it syncs. <knocks on wood>