Sansa Fuze "Guess what?!" review

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by lestatar

Probs I have with Fuze:
- reports of VERY slow memory card refresh rates
- proprietary cable

What do you mean by VERY slow? It should take no more than a few minutes. I have an 8-GB Fuze with a 16-GB card, 2573 songs, 120 MB free on internal memory, 4.7 GB free on external memory. The last time I timed a refresh, it was 2:19. All bets, however, are off for 32-GB cards.

How is durability?

My Fuzes, at least for now, appear to be as durable as my Samsung and Sony MP3 players: so far I have never had any problems with them.

[CrowdAds]

[1cewolf]

How's the battery life with your Fuze? I've been greatly disappointed at how quickly mine runs down with 320kbps MP3 and the screen turned all the way down.

To be honest, it's become such an issue that I'm considering returning it.

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by 1cewolf

How's the battery life with your Fuze? I've been greatly disappointed at how quickly mine runs down with 320kbps MP3 and the screen turned all the way down.

The most that I have used my Fuzes per session is about one-and-a-half hours before they are recharged, so I do not have any information on battery life. Sorry. Some tips on possibly extending battery life:

• Turn screen brightness all the way down.
• Set display to automatically dim after five seconds of not using controls.
• Whenever the display is on, battery drain will probably be high. Therefore try to activate the display as little as possible.
• Do not watch videos.
• Do not use equalizer.
• Use lower-bit-rate MP3 files. A bit rate of 320 kbps is probably a big reason for low battery life. Here is, for example, what Sony has to say about battery life versus bit rate: http://www.sonyinsider.com/2008/08/1...aland-website/.

http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index....uiet_listening

[remixedcat]

I got 22 hours with 128Kbps mp3 files with EQ (+9,+8,-2,0,+6). The screen comes on every 3 songs on average and my timeout is set to 30 seconds.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by remixedcat

I got 22 hours with 128Kbps mp3 files with EQ (+9,+8,-2,0,+6). The screen comes on every 3 songs on average and my timeout is set to 30 seconds.

22 hours with the Custom EQ engaged is pretty good!

[lestatar]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

What do you mean by VERY slow? It should take no more than a few minutes. I have an 8-GB Fuze with a 16-GB card, 2573 songs, 120 MB free on internal memory, 4.7 GB free on external memory. The last time I timed a refresh, it was 2:19. All bets, however, are off for 32-GB cards. My Fuzes, at least for now, appear to be as durable as my Samsung and Sony MP3 players: so far I have never had any problems with them.

Hi Enigmatic: Apologies, I should have been much clearer....My only info about the slow refresh rates have been from some folks' experience on forums here as i have no experience with the Fuze.

Your real world info is very helpful! I too would be looking to get 8GB Fuze with 16GB card...simply to maximize the amount of music I can tote around with me...For an A.D.D. afflicted guy like me though, 2:19 might simply be a bit too long though if it were to occur constantly...

Queries: Do you change the card contents often? Pull the card out often?

Am wondering because another member mentioned what seems to be a good workaround for refresh rates with external cards - the strategy is to use the card to contain longer term, unchangeable music and use main memory for often changing music...Can't remember what device they were using though....possibly Clip/+? This seems like it would be a smart strategy to reduce card refresh rates, provided the device FW cooperates.

Anyway, the Fuze absolutely seems like a great little device...and again, sincere apologies for not being clearer/more explicit...

<still I would need to deal with proprietary cable though>

cheers,
-lestatar

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by lestatar

My only info about the slow refresh rates have been from some folks' experience on forums here as i have no experience with the Fuze.

It appears that most users’ experiences are similar to mine: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=46269.

Do you change the card contents often? Pull the card out often?

I almost never change the card’s contents. This might, however, change in the future. For content changes, I use other MP3 players. I never pull out the card, so this Fuze never refreshes unless I change the contents. It sounds like you might want a 32-GB or larger-capacity MP3 player from another vendor.

[lestatar]

Hey Enigmatic: Thanks so much again for the info and that thread link.

TBH, the Fuze is so very attractive on a number of levels to me, with small form factor, generally great user feedback and pretty darn good sound from all reports. Am also looking at Creative Zen naturally, but again, tbh, Fuze USD price is pretty low - may simply be worth an experiment and check it out myself...

cheers and thanks again!
-lestatar

[remixedcat]

With my cards if I get enough of them I would have something like genres but in moods. I have 6 months worth of music on my computer. I can carry my whole collection with me if I get enough cards. However it would be more expensive to do that then to get one or two large enough mp3 players.

[lestatar]

<imagining RemixedCat shuffling expansion cards like a card sharp in Vegas> :-)

[The DarkSide]

Originally Posted by lestatar

<imagining RemixedCat shuffling expansion cards like a card sharp in Vegas> :-)

Card Sharp??? Is that a new breed of land shark in Vegas?!?!?

[lestatar]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

Card Sharp??? Is that a new breed of land shark in Vegas?!?!?

Ah, my friend TDS...allow me to school you for a change!

Viola:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_sharp

[The DarkSide]

Ah, a cheat, how special.

[lestatar]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

Ah, a cheat, how special.

grrrrrr.....

[alaap988]

how is the sound quality compared with the p2 and the ipods ???

[saratoga]

Originally Posted by alaap988

how is the sound quality compared with the p2 and the ipods ???

A little better, but the difference between all of those devices is small. Do a search if you want to know more. This has been discussed in great detail before.

[aaronwww]

I like the Sansa Fuze, bought a few as gifts for my family. I use one for running though I may have been better off with the smaller Sansa Clip since I don't really use it for pictures or videos.

[Confispect]

Nice review I own the newer one though, the old one has always been a pretty solid player.

[saylerboi]

Originally Posted by alaap988

how is the sound quality compared with the p2 and the ipods ???

Your sound quality will depend more on the headphones than the player.... within reason. I think my Fuze sounds better than my friends ipod - she paid 4 times as much and thinks hers sounds better.

[RickH57]

Originally Posted by saylerboi

Your sound quality will depend more on the headphones than the player.... within reason. I think my Fuze sounds better than my friends ipod - she paid 4 times as much and thinks hers sounds better.

Very much so. I have a pair of Shure headphones that I listen to my 8gb Fuze with and it sounds awesome.