[eruditass]

so my U2 was stolen last year and well i'm sick of using my staticky 256 mb phone as a mp3 player.

i loved the u2 for everything that it had, and all the useless features it didnt have. there were some things i wish it had (accelerating ff/rw or something like ipod where you click and then visually scroll through the song percentage wise, better EQ, playlisting features, gapless, armband, etc) and little issues like sound between tracks.

well im looking for a replacement and like trying new things (ie not the U2). i am curious to try out the g3 which is like the u2 but with external batteries, right?

U3 looks great - especially the 60 mw output - does this have any other benefit then louder sound? is the SQ the same? i won't be using an external amp - is this like a decent internal amp? i dont see how the color or video features are useful on such a small screen though - and im sure it affects the battery life making me wander towards the g3. what other improvements are included in the U3 how does the SQ compare to the shuffles? i had a 1g shuffle but it broke.. once before warranty repair and once after.

what are other companies (iriver, creative, sony, small companies, etc) competitors to the U2/U3/g3?

 

[IpaqMan]

You might look at the Creative Zen Plus.

I have a Cowon Iaudio 5 player and have been happy with it. However, I wanted more capacity and a brighter colorful display. I wanted something with similar functionality to the I 5.

The Zen V Plus offers 1gb to 4gb (future 8gb) for a value price (the Zen V is even cheaper) . Features include excellent sound quality and power, id tag navigation, FM tuner, voice recorder, line-in recorder, recording level meter, Audible.com support, ten bookmarks to remember track positions, standard mini-USB port, scratch resistant case and screen, OLED display, video and photo viewing, keyword search function, snooze timer, five band EQ, personal organizer, and 18 hour rechargeable battery life (mp3s). I like that the Zen V Plus volume controls are separate from the joystick. This avoids accidental track changes when adjusting volume.

The main Iaudio features that are missing from the Zen V Plus are some sound enhancers, playback speed adjustment, UMS, and FM tuner recording.

The G3 is an excellent player, but it does not offer video playing, Audible.com support, color, keyword search, id tag navigation, and personal organizer.

The Zen V Plus is limited to MS Windows XP MTP transfers. This means drag and drop in Windows XP SP2 or sync via WMP or Zen software.

The Iriver Clix is a possibility but it uses a proprietary connecting cable. Iriver offers powerful functionality like Cowon offers.

 

[eruditass]

no suggestions?

 

[cvince]

actually I had my iaudio5 stolen (and my iaudio4 damaged).

The iaudio gods hate me.




I now own the Zen V, and I can say that the although the SQ is decent on the Zen V, if you plan to EQ, don't expect it to be as powerful as the iaudio.

The Zen V has very low output power, and there is clipping/distortion galore when EQ'ing over +4db (unless you use the smartvolume feature, which compresses dynamics).

 

[Oga]

Why not get the Meizu M6. Seems to be almost a natural progression on the U3, but by a different company..

 

[eruditass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oga /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why not get the Meizu M6. Seems to be almost a natural progression on the U3, but by a different company..

definitely out of my pricerange, i'm looking $100~175

is the U3's internal amp comparable to an external amp that i hear so many good things about? or is it just louder?

 

[robert1325]

check ebay, I got one shipped for 150-160 dollars....

 

[eruditass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert1325 /img/forum/go_quote.gif check ebay, I got one shipped for 150-160 dollars....

i feel like im paying extra for features i don't really need - larger screen(i like small efficient and focused players that boot up quickly), video playback, games, etc. cheaper is better, of course. but it does look very tempting

what is this "SP" version?

Quote:

Unfortunately, the output of the M6 is very noisy, this is easily heard with a pair of sensitive phones, or in my case very audible with the ATH-CM7Ti, if you pay attention you can hear a slight hiss with the KSC75.

thats a big turnoff, i just got some IEMs and am sick of my phone and computer because of it (i listen to a lot of music with quiet passages where hiss is really annoying along), but i do hear it doesnt happen to everyone. SP related?