My own SlimX experience

[Eagle_Driver]

Eventually, Redbook-only PCDPs will be history. For example, what I had suspected with the Panasonic line of PCDPs has been confirmed. All of Panasonic's newest Spring 2003 models (of which the SL-SX420 has arrived at my local Best Buy superstore) have MP3 capability! But none of the new Panasonics have upgradable firmware, nor can they read anything besides MP3 files and Redbook audio CDs.

The expensive models from iRiver do have the advantage of upgradable firmware and additional audio-file formats.

And this past Tuesday, I was shopping at that local Best Buy (very close to where I work at), because it seems as though after my semi-trusty Panasonic SL-SW850 all of the PCDPs that I've bought have disappointed me in one way or another (sound quality, playback reliability, etc.) Both of my most recent slim-profile PCDPs (Sony D-EJ1000, Panasonic SL-CT790) have problems playing back certain CDs, and my Sony D-EJ721 sometimes skips the last minute of each track and then on to the next track during battery operation, and my Panasonic SL-CT470 sometimes stops playing for no apparent reason.

So why did I pick the SlimX IMP-350 over models from RCA, Audiophase, Panasonic (SL-SX420), RioVolt (SP50 and SP150) and Sony (D-CJ506CK)? Several different reasons: From what I've read, the headphone-out blows away those of the other MP3 CD players. Secondly, neither the Panasonic nor Sony has a line-out - and both of those rely on the wimpiest of PCDP headphone outs (5 to 6 mW per channel). Third, the SlimX is the only MP3-capable unit in stock that has a built-in FM tuner, and has a lot more features than the others.

And by the way, I was wrong in my previous statements about the SlimX's anti-skip circuitry being able to be switched completely off. The fact is, the anti-skip on the SlimX can't be turned off at all whatsoever - but instead, it offers a choice between 45-second uncompressed buffering and 180-second compressed buffering for Redbook audio CDs, and fixed 480-second anti-skip for MP3s and WMA files. And the biggest reason for the low battery life from the Slimx compared to my Panasonic and Sony slim models is that the SlimX crams so many features into a package that's a tad larger than either of my previous (and still current, for now) slim PCDPs.

The firmware version shipped with my particular SlimX iMP-350 is version 2.02 - but I have upgraded it to the latest version available on iRiver America's Web site, version 2.20.

The SlimX does sound great for a current PCDP - both with and without an amp - but at the expense of battery life: The first two charges of its supplied gumstick rechargeable batteries lasted me barely over one hour each!

I'm currently charging that set of batteries a third time - and if they still poop out so soon, then maybe it's the batteries that are shot. (Well, they came completely uncharged when I put them into the SlimX!

)

 

[OogeleyBoogeley]

I think that the dissapointment will wear off soon. I've owned a SlimX for over 6 months now and the battery life is just a fact of owning the player. The tips for keeping the bettery life longer is to uncharge and charge every time. When I do this I find that there is roughly 6 hours of play time at a loud volume.
Also, could some of the short battery life be due to an inefficient motor, and the rather powerful amp?


p.s. - How does one become a member of 'team grado'?

 

[Eagle_Driver]

I think it's the 'smart' charging circuit here. The first time, the batteries charged in just two hours. The second took three hours. The manual says a full charge should take about six hours. So, I would throw out the first results - with a grain of salt. The fact that the batteries were undercharged the first couple of times is a giveaway.

Quote:

Originally posted by OogeleyBoogeley p.s. - How does one become a member of 'team grado'?

To join Team Grado, you just go out to a high-end audio shop - and see if they carry Grado headphones. Buy one of those that impresses you the most (preferably the most expensive Grado headphone that you can afford), and then live with that 'phone for a while. And give that 'phone a good break-in, and afterwards still say they kick @$$, then you're on your way (towards joining Team Grado, of course).

 

[Rizumu]

The battery life of the SlimX was the most disappointing thing about it. The only disappointing thing, really. Your battery might be faulty, but IIRC my battery died pretty soon the first couple times I charged it too. It improves I think, but don't expect miracles.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Properly charged, the SlimX batteries should last about one-fourth to one-third as long as the latest gumstick wonders from Panasonic and Sony. Which means, expect about 10 hours (with regular audio CDs) or 12 hours (with MP3 CDs) of run time between charges, maximum, from the SlimX.

 

[ssblood]

*cries* I want my slimx back and my grado headphones, both just happened to be defective and had to go back

 

[Eagle_Driver]

To everyone who owns a SlimX iMP-350:

If you're using the SlimX iMP-350 to play regular audio CDs, be advised that the anti-skip circuitry can't be turned off at all. Instead, you can choose between 45-second uncompressed or 180-second compressed anti-skip. But since 45 seconds is more than enough anti-skip for practically all uses (in fact, you'll need the 180-second mode only if you're trying to literally run that SlimX into the ground), and the 180-second mode tends to sound horrible, I'd recommend that you leave that anti-skip permanently set at the 45-second mode (the factory default setting).

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Heh. The first time I charged the NiCD batteries that came with my Sony D-EJ725 pcdp, it charged for 10 minutes then played for 5 minutes

Eventually it got to about the 8 hrs claimed runtime

Deep cycling is NOT good for your batteries. The memory effect is a myth. http://www.dansdata.com/gz011.htm

 

[Eagle_Driver]

A different experience with the batteries that came with my two most recent Redbook-only PCDPs: The gumsticks that came with my Sony and Panasonic PCDPs - on their first charge - charged for about an hour to an hour and a half - but then still ran for about 15-20 hours for each of those two PCDPs.

But then again, the Sony and Panasonic gumstick NiMH batteries came partially charged, while the Sanyo NiMH batteries packaged with the SlimX came completely discharged.

 

[Peddler]

I have the SlimX and have no problems with the battery life. I rarely use the discharge function - I am led to understand that the NMh batteries don't suffer from the memory effect and can be 'topped up' without any problems.

The SlimX is an excellent machine. I recently dropped mine and the lid came off completely, laser tracking got stuck and I thought it had been foobarred but I took it all apart and managed to repair it with no problems - it's as good as new again.

Most of the time I use the Nomad Jukebox 3 but every now and then I get the SlimX out and have a wallow - the latest firmware offers outstanding anti-skip protection and a slightly improved battery life.

 

[dparrish]

Glad to hear you're enjoying the SlimX, Eagle_driver.

I've been enjoying my IMP450 and my wife loves her IMP350.

The added features of the firmware are great. I use the sleep timer function most nights when listening in bed.

David

 

[OogeleyBoogeley]

also, has anyone noticed an increase in battery life since the release of firmware 2.20? i thought that it was only when you set the sorting to one setting

the impression im under is that the life remains the same as long as the sorting function stayed the way it was. or the life gets even shorer when you use shuffle play.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

The longest battery life possible with audio CDs played on the SlimX can be achieved with the anti-skip set at the setting that delivers the poorer sound quality - in this case 180 seconds. That's because the CD spindle motor doesn't have to spin at maximum speed as often. The 45-second setting gives superior sound quality - but then the spindle motor spins up more frequently, reducing the battery life (in this case, expect roughly 8 to 9 hours of battery life in this mode, versus 10 to 11 hours in 180-second anti-skip mode).

And as I said, the 45-second anti-skip mode is non-compressed (linear) -- because the generous 8MB hardware buffer in the SlimX allows such a lengthy non-compressed anti-skip. (Current PCDPs from Sony and Panasonic have only 2MB of cache, compared to the SlimX's 8MB. And the earliest ESP-equipped PCDPs had only 256K or 512K of cache!)

The SlimX's anti-skip buffer is fixed at 480 seconds with MP3 CDs. But the effectiveness of such a long MP3 buffer varies by the bitrate of the MP3 file: 480 seconds of anti-skip is more effective at preventing skips on 320kbps MP3s than on 128kbps MP3s.

 

[JiPi]

Quote:

Originally posted by dparrish I've been enjoying my IMP450 and my wife loves her IMP350.

Say what?

 

[dparrish]

Sorry, typed fast between teaching classes...

meant to say, IMP400.