Recommendations for player under $200?

[LDJ]

Hi all,

I realise there's probably 100 of these threads a day, so if I'm causing a problem, I sincerely apologise in advance.

I'll keep it short and simple; I'm looking for a portable music player under $200. I can no longer use my Samsung Galaxy S II as a PMP, as the audio quality is terrible, quiet, and to be honest, shocking for a premium device. Ideally, sound quality is and always will be the no. 1 priority. That said, the only other thing I'd be looking for is a device that has a UI and controls that are actually usable.

I don't need FLAC/lossless support, as I don't see the need for a DAP/PMP under $200 to support it. The lower the price, the better, but not if it (significantly) sacrifices audio quality. Also, if it helps, the headphones I'd be using it with are the Audio-Technica ATH-M50s.

Edit: oh and...
Location: Brisbane, Australia.
Capacity: If expandable, 4GB+, if not, 16GB+. HDD or Flash doesn't matter.
Budget: <$200.
Use: General listening, e.g. around the house, on the bus, etc.
Type/Design: DAP.
Features: Gapless would be nice, but not a requirement. EQ would be very handy.
Display: display preferred, but not a necessity.
UI/Controls: I'm aiming for the lower price (relative to sound quality), so a touchscreen is probably out of the question.


Sorry if I'm being a bit vague.
Anyway, thanks for your time,
Liam

[CrowdAds]

[WalkGood]

Why not add some of this information to your 1st post, it would help others make recommendations. If you just want a music player with great sq and expansion slot, why not look at the Sansa Clip + or Zip.

Edit: Just noticed you joined today, welcome to abi & hope you enjoy

[FreeZ5]

Liam..

as already suggested by WalkGood, the Sansa Clip+ and Zip are inexpensive and cover your needs. Available in 4GB and 8GB and accept a microSDHC card. If the UI and EQ are not up to your needs, Rockbox is available.

Everybody should own at least one Clip+ or Zip. If you want to do playlists, the Clip+ is a better choice, at least until the Zip firmware is fixed. (Or Rockbox.)

If you do get a Sansa product, look into the MSC/MTP/Autodetect settings, and change it from the default of Autodetect.

Steve

[LDJ]

Originally Posted by FreeZ5

Liam..

as already suggested by WalkGood, the Sansa Clip+ and Zip are inexpensive and cover your needs. Available in 4GB and 8GB and accept a microSDHC card. If the UI and EQ are not up to your needs, Rockbox is available.

Everybody should own at least one Clip+ or Zip. If you want to do playlists, the Clip+ is a better choice, at least until the Zip firmware is fixed. (Or Rockbox.)

If you do get a Sansa product, look into the MSC/MTP/Autodetect settings, and change it from the default of Autodetect.

Steve

Thanks for the reply Steve,

I'd been looking a lot at the Sansa Clip+ (what exactly is the difference between the Clip and the Clip+?) and the Zip; though I'm not exactly sure which one I'll go with yet - but both are easily affordable, so it really comes down to features I suppose...

[The DarkSide]

The clip+ has a microSD card slot, and the clipzip has a microSD card slot plus a small color screen.

[Cowon D3]

Sure, the Clips are good, and Steve is right - everyone should own at least one of them.

Still, they're not the only alternative on the market and you might want to consider some other options like the Cowon iAUDIO E2, iriver E40, iriver T9 and Sony E Series. I've tried a Sony E for myself and they represent a tremendous value in the MP3 player market - it could do some things even my J3 can't.

[FreeZ5]

LDJ:
Clip - original player in this family. Discontinued in 2009. May be able to get a reconditioned one inexpensively. No microSD card slot. Mini USB cable.

Clip+ - replaced Clip. Basically the same as the Clip except buttons repositioned, and microSDHC slot included. Replaced by Clip Zip in Aug 2011. Mini USB cable.

ClipZip - replaced Clip+ in many countries (but not Canada). Small colour screen that is different from previous players (not necessarily better). Can display album art, but lesser resolution. There are other firmware faults (playlists, missing fields on display). First Clip to show the time. Micro USB cable.

Rockbox - available for all 3 models of the Clip family. Replaces original firmware, and fixes some problems. EG improved EQ, playlists on Zip.

iRiver - the general comment on this forum is that the iRiver players are not as good as they used to be. I don't know about the T9 and E40 that D3 mentioned.

Sony E Series - many different models. Generally good players, but limited memory because no card reader slots. Compared to Clips: bigger screen, longer battery life.

Well thats more typing than I originally intended, but hopefully it helps. If I got anything wrong, I'm sure that somebody will chime in.

There's a couple of Clip+ vs Clip Zip threads. Here's the recent one (it gets off topic a little).
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=67357

Steve

[skip252]

Being in Australia will make your choices different. Some models that are fairly cheap elsewhere are insanely high from looking at the only 2 Australian sites I know about.

http://www.minidisc.com.au

http://www.themp3outletstore.com.au/

I'd take a look at what they offer with the recommendation here in mind. I'd add the Cowons to possible candidates. Minidisc seems to have a decent selection at fair prices.