Sansa Clip Zip first impressions by a newbie, and questions

[SBookman]

Gentlemen,

I have joined this site to offer, for what they are worth, a few first impressions on the Sansa Clip Zip 8Gb, bought today, and to ask a few questions.

This is my very first mp3 player; on my pc I use MediaMonkey 3.2.5.1306; my taste in music is exclusively 20th century classical; I am not young.

- First, I could not automatically update firmware, had to do it manually.
- Earbuds do not fit, yet provide a reasonable sound, and provide far more volume than my usually-used Sony MDP-G72.
- Much clicking to check how fares the battery.
- 15 hours of battery-life is promised, which seems poor for a bush-walker, but no replaceable battery, and cannot play the Clip Zip whilst it is charging.

Questions:
- Can this unit be charged in any other way than USB, such as by a powermat?
- Is installing another battery, even with the carefullest surgery, impossible?
- Will different firmware, such as RockBox, increase battery-life?
- Which earbuds, or earphones, can be recommended?

In closing, need I draw anyone's attention to the BioLite camp stove, which by using fire power is supplied via USB?

Answers, feedback, will be very welcome.

Thankyou.

SBookman

[CrowdAds]

[skip252]

Welcome to ABi

The Clip Zip only charges through the USB port. You can use any charger that provides the USB standard 5 volts. Since there's no data connection you can then listen to it while charging . There's a wide variety of inexpensive USB chargers including some phone chargers. You may also want to explore portable USB chargers. They can extend the battery life considerably.
No one has reported the results of an attempt at replacing the battery. It's probably possible, it's been done on other models of the Clip.

Rockbox has extended extend the battery life for me using .mp3 and ogg vorbis files. I don't use FLAC files on portable player but the reports I've seen indicate the battery life with them in Rockbox is very good. The decoders for vorbis and FLAC in Rockbox are much more efficient than the one in the sandisk firmware. I haven't seen any reports one way or the other using AAC files.

You can use just about any normal headphones with the Clip Zip. The amp section is very good and works well with a wide variety of headphones. If the sensitivity is very low or the ohms are very high it may be quiet but the sound quality will remain good.

I removed the link to the commercial product you included in your post. From the content in the rest of your post I doubt your intention is to post spam. On this forum that's what that link would have been considered.

[SBookman]

Sir,

I reedited my post to state only the remarkable product's name, for the purchase of which I am on a waiting list, I trust I do not breach rules or offend.

I have read of problems firmwaring Clip Zip with Rockbox, which is considered unstable, though not with its predecessor.

"The amp section is very good and works well with a wide variety of headphones." The amp section?

Again apologies for the "spam".

Thankyou for your time.


SBookman

[WalkGood]

Hola, lots of great information here about sansa Clips here, hope you enjoy the site …

Originally Posted by SBookman

- First, I could not automatically update firmware, had to do it manually.

Thank god you learned that first, their firmware updater is the stupidest thing ever invented and is always on/running. If you installed it on your pc, remove it and stick with manual updates.

Originally Posted by SBookman

- Earbuds do not fit, yet provide a reasonable sound, and provide far more volume than my usually-used Sony MDP-G72.

They’re not very good, either gift them to another or use them for repair parts as some of us do ….

Originally Posted by SBookman

- Much clicking to check how fares the battery.

Not wroth the trouble and I’ve never found a battery meter on any player to be anything other than a rough guide, not exactly correct.

Originally Posted by SBookman

- 15 hours of battery-life is promised, which seems poor for a bush-walker, but no replaceable battery, and cannot play the Clip Zip whilst it is charging.

All manufacturers exaggerate about battery life by using ridiculous test conditions, although running rockbox does extend the battery life for me. Read below for second part.

Originally Posted by SBookman

- Can this unit be charged in any other way than USB, such as by a powermat?

Yes if you mean something like the Powermat 1850, any USB wall adapter or wall wart.

Originally Posted by SBookman

- Is installing another battery, even with the carefullest surgery, impossible?

You need to know how to solder small electronics but yes it’s been done and is possible.

Originally Posted by SBookman

- Will different firmware, such as RockBox, increase battery-life?

Yes it does for me but still depends on your usage …

Originally Posted by SBookman

- Which earbuds, or earphones, can be recommended?

Please read here and start a thread in the headphone forums with as much info as possible so other members can make you some recommendations.

[SBookman]

Sir,

Thankyou for your swift and informative reply. Most kind.

SBookman

[JK98]

Get a usb battery pack to use with the Clip+ if you need more battery life. There are a few inexpensive ones such as the Tekkeon mp1580 for around $17 that uses 4 nimh rechargeable batteries(not included), which might give up to around 7 full charges of the Clip zip with each set of Sanyo 2700 batteries(which are probably the highest capacity nimh AA batteries). The $30 Veho Pebble XT has a 5000 mah built in Lion battery, which might give around 10-12 full charges of the Clip+ battery. There are many other Lion battery packs, however the others seem to be heavier , larger, or more expensive than the Pebble XT for the same capacity. There are also smaller and lighter battery packs such as the Duracell My Grid battery pack(the My Grid system isn't needed), but this has only 1800 mah.

[mamamia88]

check out monoprice for a micro usb battery pack they can be had for as cheap as $8+ shipping. also a good place to order extra cables and stuff. not sure if rockbox improves battery or not but you have more control over screen timeout etc. Best battery life would probably be using it as a shuffle player, setting backlight to 1s, and lowering the brightness all the way. and i can't reccomend these enough for $20 http://www.amazon.com/MEElectronics-.../dp/B0038W0K2K

[SBookman]

Gentlemen,

Thankyou for your advises, which I will pursue.


SBookman

[SBookman]

Gentlemen,

The following are my impressions of the Sansa Clip Zip after one year of daily use:

Overall I am very pleased indeed with my first mp3 player, which is regularly rockboxed with the latest version, enhanced with a 32Gb SD card, and protected by an Israel-made, somewhat sticky, silicon case.

I use, - by now somewhat aged, - a pair of seemingly excellent Sony NDR-G72 folding portable earphones which I purchased with a Sony MiniDisk; I play exclusively mid-to-late 20th Century classical music mp3s at a maximum 192 bitrate, (as well 96 bitrate YouTube mp4s converted to mp3).

To recharge in the bush I use also the excellent 5000 mAh Pebble, sufficient for 15-20 recharges.


One recurring problem I do encounter is the often inability of my pc, (XYplorer 12.40, Windows Explorer, and MediaMonkey 4.0.7.1511), to recognize the Clip Zip, - even after patiently waiting for the 75% filled SD card to be read, - which, until I unplug Clip Zip, often locks up XYplorer.

Control Panel - View Devices and Printers - right click, Properties, says the device is working properly, but sometimes not, requiring Troubleshoot to not always fix the problem.

The Rockbox firmware, whilst superior to the Sansa, is far less intuitive, indeed sometimes confusing.

I receive zero reception for the radio, for I am far away; I delete all that is unnecessary to my needs: podcasts, &c; occasional voice recordings are saved to the root directory.


Questions:
1. Is the problem of my pc reading the Clip Zip an one of easy solution?

2. Will a mini amp improve, not volume, but sound quality, (I have read the elderly post "What Can Portable Amps Accomplish?"), and if so can a device be recommended: (the Firestone Audio Fireye, perhaps, or the NuForce Mobile Music Pump)?

3. Whilst the Meelectronics' M6-BK over-ear earbuds were far better than the buds supplied by the Clip Zip, but never feeling comfortable with such a physical invasion, would sound quality benefit from better earphones?


Gentlemen, I feel my life has been changed, not insignificantly, by becoming an mp3 user, - I scarcely leave home without my rig, - and with all that is on offer on the internet, legally or otherwise, I now have over 1000 hours of music to digest, to process: a high percentage of which, as with all musical genres, is, to me, alas, very routine.

Thankyou

[saratoga]

1) If you're in rockbox, its probably a bug in our USB driver. There is no easy fix for that unless you're good at USB programming.

2) No, an amp would be pointless.

3) Yes, different headphones could be much better. Comfort matters more than quality for listening I would say. Get something that works for you, not for random reviewers on the internet.

[Marvin the Martian]

For what it's worth, I've left my Zips (and my iPod 5.5 and e280) on the current 3.13 stable release, and they are recognized by my PC every single time.....that was not always the case in the few months prior to the Zip becoming "officially" stable before the 3.13 release.

Also to the OP, sometimes an old outdated theme can be enough to interfere with the USB.

[SBookman]

Sir,

USB bug, ok; amp pointless?, really?, ok, but as I am so far away and cannot simply go in a shop and try various earphones, I must, - perhaps more than is sensibly recommended, -rely on opinion. This problem is furthered by the relative rarity of my musical taste.

Thankyou