Recommended "MP3" player for prog use?

There's a lot of mp3 players out there.  Personally, I would avoid the ipod and get something cheaper that does the same thing.  I've seen some portable mp3 players for about $100 that hold 1gb of music, which is a lot of music.  I have an IRiver 256mb mp3 player.  It doesn't hold that much songs..which really depends on the song length and the bit rate which you encode the mp3s.  I like high quality mp3s, so I always encode mine at 192.  Anywho, I refill my mp3 player every couple of weeks, so I always have something new to listen to.  If you get an mp3 player that's a gig or more, you'll be set for at least a month or longer. 

Are you looking to download your mp3s, or make your own?

If you're going to download, there's a lot of sites you can get mp3s from, besides itunes, which is kind of a rip off..99 cents a song :/  I downloaded from www.allofmp3.com and got like 10 albums for about 10 dollars.  The mp3s range from about 5 cents - 25 cents an mp3..I guess it depends on the length of the song.  It's cheper if you get a 128 bit rate versus a 192 bit rate.  You can also get up to 320, which is basically cd quality.  The only downside to www.allofmp3.com is that you have to prepay at least 10 dollars to start downloading.  Also, they have a pretty good selection of prog there.  I downloaded a PFM album, locanda delle fate, and a bunch of camel albums.  So yeah, check em out.

 

I've got an Olympus "M-Robe". It's a bit smaller than the ipod. It comes 5 Gb has a touch panel and a red coloured screen. Awfully quiet though but easy to use and I can satisfy my prog-doses anytime. The battery should last for 18 hours. Usually have to reload after every 5 days. I prefer the ipod though.

I have a 20GB Creative Zen on which I have over 4500 prog songs.

It sounds fine to me (I auditioned many including IPod but this sounds better) and although audiophiles will be disgusted,I find it the perfect solution to Prog On The Move!

Wow. Thanks for all the info.

I'll add one thing: It must have a removeable battery, preferrably AA or AAA since I already have tons of very high mah rechargeables for this. I don't care how long they last; it's easy to change and keep an extra one.

I'm thinking of going really cheap the first time since i'ts impossible to make the best choice first time, and buying the Creative Nomad Mu Vo with no screen and 128mg. It's only 24 bucks new at Amazon.

I like the look of that Panasonic above. I'd guess it has a built-in battery right?

Jay Klmnop wrote: Wow. Thanks for all the info. I'll add one thing: It must have a removeable battery, preferrably AA or AAA since I already have tons of very high mah rechargeables for this. I don't care how long they last; it's easy to change and keep an extra one. I'm thinking of going really cheap the first time since i'ts impossible to make the best choice first time, and buying the Creative Nomad Mu Vo with no screen and 128mg. It's only 24 bucks new at Amazon. I like the look of that Panasonic above. I'd guess it has a built-in battery right?

Yes, a built in battery which lasts approx. 10 hours. It also came with a case which protects the player against water and has room for one standard battery, which adds another 40 hours.

I don't know if they still make this player though - I bought it 3 years ago!

Digital is crap and MP3 is even worst! throw it into the garbage can!

Get a walkamn or a discman, that's all i can advice you.

The matter is that you loose all the music, emotion and eventually pleasure...
But of course it's convenient, like CD.
But it's a too heavy price to pay.
I prefer to have only one album in good quality in my portable player, than 100 in low quality...

There you are again, with you measures and bandwidth!

That would be too simple, my little friend!

oliverstoned wrote: There you are again, with you measures and bandwidth! That would be too simple, my little friend!

Why do you French people always come across so arrogant?

BTW: My mobile player is MOBILE. It is small, and my headphones are small:

Before we continue this any further ... remember that one can enjoy music on crappy, medium or hifi systems.

oliverstoned wrote: Before we continue this any further ... remember that one can enjoy music on crappy, medium or hifi systems. that's true, as long as you only know a crappy, medium or hifi system. But you don't know what you miss. And sorry, i didn't want to be arrogant. Just that it makes me laugh that you think like a computer...You have a processor instead of the brain! Do you feel emotions?

That's exactly my point. Even 100 years ago with REALLY crappy radios people enjoyed listening to the MUSIC. The emotions are in the music, not in the technology.