[neversummer]

 
I've always loved MP3 players and have had my share of them including:
MPIO-DMG 64mb
RCA Lyra 2820 20GB
Iriver IHP 120
Apple Ipod 4G 60GB
Sansa Clip 2GB
 
 
The RCA and IHP were sold to move on to the next player.   My ipod was stolen from my condo last year and a couple months ago my Clip was stolen from my luggage at the airport.
 
Recently I've been making do around the house with my laptop and Squeezebox Boom.  However, I've got an exam coming up in the spring and i'll be putting in some library time so I've been looking into getting another DAP.
 
It seems like people really like the Fuze on the forum these days.  I've been considering my options and am thinking about a Rockbox Fuze, Rockbox Ipod or a Rio Karma.   I don' t use itunes and I don't feel that strongly about a large drive vs. smaller drive player.
 
I really wanted the Karma back in the day but went with the Iriver because of the hard drive reliability issues.  I've been getting nostalgic though and have been thinking about picking up a used one.  One problem however is that my desktop is Windows 7 and my XP laptop has seen better days.  Apparently managing the Karma on Windows 7 is a bit of a pain.  Sure would be nice to erase that regret though.
 
It seems like people like the Fuze a lot.  I used Rockbox back when it was first introduced on the IHP and it would be easy for me do again.   I liked my Clip but didn't realize that they had even done a Rockbox port for it until last week when I started my DAP research again.  I was thinking though that the larger screen would be nice since I want to start improving my playlists again.  ~$50 for 8GB seems pretty reasonable.
 
A 5G Ipod with 60 or 80GB seems like a good third option.  I did pretty well with the Clip and had in my mind that I could away with a smaller player if I kept my music organized.   However, since I'm probably going to be more studying than running & travelling in the next year the larger drive and screen would be useful.  Also, these used Ipods don't seem to be going for that much more than the Fuze.
 
Anyway, I know many of you have been down this road before.  And if I know myself there's a decent chance that in a year or two I'll own all three of these.  In the interest of not getting in an argument with my wife, however, I'm limiting myself to one player for now so if you've got any advice I'd love to hear it.  Also if you've got any of your own history from the golden age ~2002-2003

 of mp3 players it would be fun to hear about it.  It's good to be back.
 
Thanks
 
NS
 
 
 

 

[129207]

Hey and welcome back!
 
My first real mp3player actually was a Cowon Iaudio X5L 30gb when it was just released and I have been using Rockbox on it from the day it was stable. By now I own a lot of players (Sony x1050, Sansa Fuze, Sansa Clip, Sansa Clip+, Microsoft Zune 30, Ipod Photo, Ipod Nano 4g, Cowon iAudio X5L, Creative Zen) and will probably own some more in the not-too-distant future. 

 
My personal favourites are the X1050 and the Sansa Clip+. The X1050 is just sleek and gorgeous with wonderful sound quality and the Clip+ is very portable but sounds surprisingly good for such a small package. Lately I'm thinking about the Hifiman HM-602 as well though. If it's as good as it looks it might be the end-all for me. 
 
The Fuze is a good and cheap way to mess around with Rockbox and increase the size of your Clip's screen. Look around on Ebay for some $50 deals. Also, you might be interested in the new Fuze+. No Rockbox yet though but that won't take too long I suppose. You can also consider the Cowon D2(+). Nice little unit with a pretty screen and Rockbox-support.

 

[Danneq]

I've owned my share of MP3 players since the Creative Nomad Jukebox 3 I bought in 2003. You can see them all in my signature.
 
All of the MP3 players I have ever owned still work. I gave the Nomad Jukebox 3 to my brother-in-law after buying the Creative Zen Touch in 2005, and he has been using it for a few years until recently when it wouldn't work with his new Windows 7 computer and it also started to freeze during startup. I think that can be fixed by reinstalling the firmware. My brother-in-law bought a new MP3 player and I think that means that I can get the old NJB3 back. If I get it working again, I plan on using it with my home setup through the built in line out.
 
Anyway, I like older MP3 players just like you do. Since last year I have bought a Zen Vision:M, an iRiver H120, and while in Japan, a Kenwood HD20GA7 and a JVC XA-HD500. There is a JVC XA-HD500 for sale here on Head-fi (in the U.K.). It was released in 2005 and only has a capacity of 6GB (Microdrive HDD), but the rarity of the player (difficult to find outside of Japan) and the surprisingly good sound quality makes it a definite recommendation from me. If you like older MP3 players, perhaps you could check that one out as well?

 

[kiteki]

-deleted post-
 
-wrong thread-

 

[Bokyung]

Haha, seems like a lot of us had/have similar daps. At this moment, I use my X1050 and Clip+ (rockboxed) the most. On occasions I use my J3 to change things up a bit.
 
IMO, you should buy clip+, it's cheap, slick, portable, small, does everything what other DAP can do... just no video. Not to mention 60$ for 8gb is a very good deal (sigh, it's 89.99 in Canada har har har...), and get a 16gb microSD for like 27 from Amazon.com or something.
 
You mentioned running, I wouldn't recommend hdd for running.

 

[kiteki]

from my research the sound quality in daps is something like this.
 
clip/clip+ -> sony gumstick -> hippo gumstick -> S:Flo 2 -> PCDP with optical out fed to Leckteron UHA-6S.
 
iPhones with LOD to a portable amp are pretty popular, and Sony voice-recording units are also very popular in China and Japan right now (used as DAP's)
 
 

 

[rawrster]

clip+ on top as the best dap? You kidding me?

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

clip+ on top as the best dap? You kidding me?

I think he is referring them in increment.

 

[kiteki]

yeah, the other way 'round... sorry I didn't mean ">" = greater than, I meant "->" = arrow.  haha