Ultra-portable flash-based player?

[creyc]

I take my music with me everywhere, which means at times bringing my video iPod in hostile conditions, like mountain biking.

I would like to get a small, cheap flash based player to "toss around" when I just want to fill a small space of my life with some music.

1GB should do it, in fact.

I've been looking at the MobiBLU cube thing, and it is really tiny! FM radio, 1GB storage and a cool screen on it too!

Other players that have captured my attention are the Samsung YP-U1X and Creative Zen Nano player, for similar reasons. Has anybody here used the above mentioned players and have a comment on how they perform acoustically? I'm not expecting miracles here, and I will be using KSC-75's as this is my "backup" system so GOOD performance will suffice in place of say, exceptional?

Finally, any other suggestions would be great, provided they are SMALL and tasteful design. So far the MobiBLU cube takes the prize for interesting design, at least in my opinion, where as say an iAudio player is just...well to be avoided.

 

[rincewind]

iRiver in my opinion, the 'T' range in particular. They go up to 2Gb.

It looks like there's two T ranges... if you go to the iRiver North America site, you see both, but it doesn't show the 2Gb model. If you go to the Australian iRiver page you can see more info on the 2Gb model. I suggest eBaying whatever you decide on.

One T range has a built-in sports clip.
I owned one of the very early iRiver flash players and thought it was great. Since moved onto HDD based since I'm at a desk now instead of a student running around.

 

[creyc]

hows the audio quaity?

They look OK to me.

 

[LaBreaHead]

Two good examples of "take along everywhere, at all times" players are the Creative Zen Nano (AAA battery, convenient for when you're on the go or off the grid) and the Samsung YP-U2 (the successor to the U1). I have both, and they're often my "on the go" choice over my hard drive players.

The 1GB Creatives are currently priced very nicely, about the same as the 512MB Sasmsung. Both should be around $69 -- I've seen some retailers still selling the Zen Nano at $119, but there's no need to pay that right now. Check online.

I like the sound on the Creatives, and I like the sound on the Samsung more. Both would sound good with the Koss. The Creative is small and easily pocketed, while the Samsung is too, with essentially the same form/size as the iPod Shuffle.

 

[Sparky191]

How is the sound compared to the Shuffle?

 

[creyc]

that's just such a tough call when the 1GB MobiBLU is $70 and half the size of either....

Then again for usability and sound quality...I have no idea.

 

[Sparky191]

Quote:

Originally Posted by creyc that's just such a tough call when the 1GB MobiBLU is $70 and half the size of either.... Then again for usability and sound quality...I have no idea.

Its also an awkward shape.

 

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

Well, the ipod nano is scratched if you want to throw it around. I like the look and feature set of the new Creative players, but there hasn't been too much interesting. I would recommend waiting for the second generation nano.

 

[LaBreaHead]

I think I read somewhere here that the Shuffle and the Zen Nano use the same chip, but the Shuffle is more widely praised for its sound (if that means anything, either way).

There's also the Oomi (formerly the Pebble) to consider -- that's supposed to be relatively powerful.

 

[Electro Point]

I'll recommend the Creative Zen Nano Plus 1GB. As stated above the 1 AAA battery power is very convenient "on-the-go" since you do not have to worry about charging and just bring an extra battery around. The interface isn't the "easiest" but yet simple and you get used to the little switch controler after a small amount of time. The sound quality is pretty good, If I can recall it comparing to my shuffle (when I had the Shuffle) it is almost as good but not quite.

 

[theory_87]

iriver t10 or t30 from me... the sound is great....

 

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaBreaHead I think I read somewhere here that the Shuffle and the Zen Nano use the same chip, but the Shuffle is more widely praised for its sound (if that means anything, either way).

I don't think so. Apple built the shuffle from the ground up, and there's alot more to a player than just its digital processor.

 

[timmins]

how bout an iaudio g3 or g3, or one of their other players with a joystick. I'm a biker (soon to be courier) and having the ability to change a trach or adjust the volume, through a pair of pants of jackey is great. Players with joysticks allow this. just a little insight from a fellow cyclist.

 

[vidas7de7jesus7]

Yes, I second the Oomi (read review here) Even though it has potentially one of the worst names... ever (Pebble was much better), it is supposed to have good sound quality, and looks about the size of a walnut. It is very small (one of the only players comperable to the cube) and has nice, curved rounded, ovalistic, etc. edges. It's not like the cube that could harm you if you put it in your pocket.

 

[creyc]

hehe, the features of that iAudio player sounds cool, especially the joystick bit but I just feel that thing is a little bit tooop asian for me!

That iRiver T10 looks really nice! Unfortunately it's difficult to gauge the size of, iAudio is the same way. MobiBLU puts their player next to several easily recognized objects, making it super simple to say "jeeze thats tiny!"

The Oomi looks okay too. I just realized once you get out of the iPod space all the players kind of look the same or offer the same features or usability or what not. It might be a matter of drawing straws on this one, or pick a player out of a hat. That cube player is so far the only really interesting thing I've seen in the generic mp3 player space. I guess I'm not that surprised the iPod is so popular, afterall.

If anyone's got photos that show the size of the iRiver that would help immensely. When someone mentioned the Creative uses a 'AAA' battery I imagined that would have to be a fairly large player, as the entire MobiBLU cube is smaller than a AAA. Now this iRiver uses a 'AA'!! I suppose its still small, just not ultra-small.