MP3 player for Running

[xond]

Hi,
I am looking for an mp3 player to be used while running. I have read several advices to go for a flash memory based player.

Yet I wonder whether in practice HDD based players are really unusable ? Since they alll come with some shock protection may be they can be used while running ?

I have in mind IAudio X5. Could I use use it ? Would it be skipping a lot ? Also is it resistant enough to endure running ?

Thanks
Jacques.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Ello,

If anything, get an iPod Nano.

Hard drive players are serious fragile things, and taking them for a major bounce for a few miles is from far the best thing you can do with it.

Just get a flash player, and be happy.

 

[Woosh]

 

[blessingx]

x2

Welcome to Head-Fi xond. If you want a large HD based player, you may want to consider two players for different uses.

 

[3X0]

In hard drive players, slow degradation will occur as a function of the shock incurred during the activity as well as intensity. The hard drive platter will slowly wear away as the head is jarred, and eventually if jostled hard enough, the head reader of the device will collapse and the hard drive will fail.

If either factor is pretty high, I wouldn't count on any HDD player to last more than a few months. I don't suggest using it in such a manner often. As such, especially with an activity such as running, I strongly advise you to consider a flash-based player instead, as they have no internal moving mechanisms at risk.

The best-value flash player right now is a refurbished Nano. I'd suggest trying to get one of those.

 

[xond]

Thanks for your help.
I'm convinced by the arguments and I will go shopping for a flash based based player.

I would consider buying a nano, but I also need the following features :

- at least 2-4 go; 8 go would be very nice
- good sound quality (I know this is the right forum !!)
- FM radio
- bookmark feature useful for listening lectures/audiobooks

Thanks also for any advice for some headphone/earbud adequate for running,

Jacques.

 

[3X0]

AFAIK the Nano meets three out of those four requirements (the Nano has "good" sound quality IMO; not the best of its class but far from the worst.. personally I prefer the sound of Cowon, Creative, and Samsung products). The FM radio is the only thing it's missing (can be resolved by accessories).

Alternatives include but are not limited to (in order of cheapest to most expensive) the Sandisk Sansa e200 series, the Creative Zen V series, and the Samsung YP-Z5F series. The best value is represented in either an 8GB Sansa/Nano or a refurbished Nano. In my opinion, the Samsung YP-Z5F represents the most pragmatic solution, boasting superior battery life and sound quality to the competition (again, my personal opinion).

EDIT: If you don't mind the open qualities, the Koss KSC-75 isn't a bad running phone if you're not very sweaty.

 

[milkpowder]

I second flash-based players.

San-disk, Creative and Apple (and maybe Samsung) lead the industry.

 

[pds6]

blessingx says,
Quote:

[Y]ou may want to consider two players for different uses.

Make great earrings.

 

[bungle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xond - at least 2-4 go; 8 go would be very nice - good sound quality (I know this is the right forum !!) - FM radio - bookmark feature useful for listening lectures/audiobooks

Cowon/iAudio's flash line should satisfy all those (up to 2GB). They even have timed FM recording. Or you could get the X5 and get something like this for running. It probably sounds okay for running, and it's really cheap.

Personally I think the capacities for flash players now is in a bit of an inconvenient range. I used to have a 128MB player. It held one album. I'd pick something to listen to, go to the gym or a bike ride, and all was well. A 60G hard-drive player could probably hold all my music in good-quality mp3s. That would be nice in a different way. Anything in between is overkill for working out or running, and not enough as a permanent storage. The only reason I got my 2G G3 was for a plane trip where I needed more music. (EDIT: also for SQ) Hopefully they'll have 32 or 64 gig flash players in a couple of years. Then I'll be interested. I guess a lot of people either don't have much music or really listen to the same stuff a lot.

 

[pds6]

bungle says,
Quote:

Hopefully they'll have 32 or 64 gig flash players in a couple of years.

SEE: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,12...e.html?RSS=RSS

 

[meat01]

Quote:

I guess a lot of people either don't have much music or really listen to the same stuff a lot.

I have a 1 gig Shuffle, but I only have 512 megs on it, because I am picky about what music I like to hear while I am working out. I guess I fall into the listen to the same stuff a lot.

I have 55 gigs of music on my computer, but really 4 gigs is enough music to put on an mp3 player. I can always load different music on later. I understand though that most people like to have their whole music collection accessable all the time, but 60 gigs of music would take a while to listen to

I would get a Shuffle, Nano, or Sandisk player.