[justanotheruser]

Itchin' to buy an iPod mini...I'm forcing myself to wait until it gets updated (which should happen pretty soon, figuring it's been more than a year since it was released). Anyway, I'm looking for a cheap flash player to keep me occupied in the meantime...and to use later when I run/bike. I was thinking about getting an iPod shuffle (512) since it'd only cost me $50 (I have some best buy gift cards) and I'm an Apple freak but I figured it's worth considering other flash players while I wait for my local best buy to get the shuffles in. Anyway, it has to be very small, light, and cheap. Size is really the most important factor...since I'll be using the mini except when I run/bike/etc..

 

[Jmmmmm]

I'd say just get the shuffle. Irivers are the best and have the best sound, mpio's are smaller and are good too (and the one i had had fantastic radio reception), but they are both more expensive. The shuffle isn't for me, but it's cheap and it does its job, and you can't argue with that.

 

[yyoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm Irivers are the best and have the best sound

And how do you know this about the sound, relative to the iPod Shuffle?

 

[bangraman]

The Creative Muvo TX's are good. The 512MB FM or non-FM shouldn't be much over $100. Comes with armband (at least in the UK) too.

 

[MdRex]

Get the N200, the feature set looks sweet, if the internal decoder is teh same as MuVo NX, I am sure it will sound good enough for gym purposes.

Its not expensive also (compared to say, iAudio).

 

[Ojjorz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm Irivers are the best and have the best sound,

Don't like to disagree with you again, but I think you might want to check the Iaudio flashplayers. Owning both the Iaudio4 and an Iriver ifp-795 I can say the Iaudio has way better sound-quality than the Iriver. The Iriver has an impressive feature set, with better battery-life (uses AA over AAA; it's bigger) and better .ogg-support, but SQ-wise the Iaudio out-classes the Iriver.



Second.

In europe you can get several flashplayers for under 100euro with both 256MB and 512. I recommend you take a look at the players from both Packard Bell and MSI (megastick).

 

[kramer5150]

Second vote for the Muvo TX. Fast USB 2.0. Mine does not exhibit noise problems from the LED backlight, and does not have the random "click" problem. Drives my 16 ohm EX51 and my 60 ohm KSC75 very well.
Good battery life too.
Mine was $115... little over your limit.

Garrett

 

[Jmmmmm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yyoo And how do you know this about the sound, relative to the iPod Shuffle?

i assume it sounds similar to all the other ipods, and other people have said this is true. until apple improves the low end on the ipod, it will never be my preference for an mp3 player.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ojjorz Don't like to disagree with you again, but I think you might want to check the Iaudio flashplayers

i actually have listened to an iaudio player, and i remember it sounding pretty good, but i couldn't tell all that much on the stock earbuds. if you say they sound better than iriver, i could believe that. i usually mention them as sounding good, but no one here ever talks about them so i frequently forget they exist.