MP3 player. . .which one?

[plastic penguin]

The mother-in law asked me what I would like for Xmas. I quite fancy an MP3 or 4 but I know nothing about this technology, apart from downloading fav tracks from a PC.

Which one is the best all-rounder for under a 100 quid? And will I need a dock or any attachments to play it through my hi-fi?

 

[Anonymous]

Not having an MP3 player myself I can't give direct advice, however my girlfriend if she were here would love to tell you that her £109 Ipod Nano is fantastic. She adds that it beats the competition in this price range by a country mile.

 

[John Duncan]

Second the Nano. You don't *need* a dock, all you need is a ten quid cable, but one certainly makes it easier and prettier.

 

[John Duncan]

But ditch the awful apple headphones and get some Sennheisers in whatever price range you feel appropriate - I have CX300s (which you can get for about £17 at play.com I think), though you may have issues with the in-ear design.

 

[Highway]

JohnDuncan:But ditch the awful apple headphones and get some Sennheisers in whatever price range you feel appropriate - I have CX300s (which you can get for about £17 at play.com I think), though you may have issues with the in-ear design.

I would second JohnDuncan comments above, the first pair of replacement headphones I bought were the Sennheiser PCX100, but after some advice by JohnDuncan on another thread I am looking to pick the CX300s up from Play. As for the iPod, I have had a Shuffle, Nano and now a Classic 160Gb. Loved everyone of them. Will soon be taking delivery of a free Touch. The advantage of the touch is the bigger screen for videos.

 

[Anonymous]

The Nano is great but for a full xmas themed round-up, take a look at the January issue, out Dec 11th...

 

[Anonymous]

Sell, sell, sell. No wonder Apple are so prosperous eh?

 

[plastic penguin]

JohnDuncan:Second the Nano. You don't *need* a dock, all you need is a ten quid cable, but one certainly makes it easier and prettier.

Thanks chaps - remember I have the A65+ and I'll have to plug it into the cassette 'phono input'. Does the Nano have a USB connection or can you get a combined USB/Phono lead?

 

[plastic penguin]

JohnDuncan:But ditch the awful apple headphones and get some Sennheisers in whatever price range you feel appropriate - I have CX300s (which you can get for about £17 at play.com I think), though you may have issues with the in-ear design.

The headphones I have are the Sennheiser PX100. Will they be compatible with an MP3 player?

 

[John Duncan]

Absolutely. I haven't heard them specifically but I had the supposedly inferior (but still fantastic) PX200s which were closed-back so offered better noise isolation (both for me and for fellow commuters).

 

[plastic penguin]

JohnDuncan:Absolutely. I haven't heard them specifically but I had the supposedly inferior (but still fantastic) PX200s which were closed-back so offered better noise isolation (both for me and for fellow commuters).

Thanks JD. They're very good for the money.

Can you anticipate any cabling issues as I mentioned above?

 

[John Duncan]

plastic penguin:Does the Nano have a USB connection or can you get a combined USB/Phono lead?

It does have a USB connection, but I'd get a headphone-to-RCA socket or a universal dock, personally.

 

[plastic penguin]

JohnDuncan:plastic penguin:Does the Nano have a USB connection or can you get a combined USB/Phono lead? It does have a USB connection, but I'd get a headphone-to-RCA socket or a universal dock, personally.

Understood. . .

 

[plastic penguin]

Is an MP4 an upgrade?

 

[Anonymous]

plastic penguin:Is an MP4 an upgrade?

An mp4 player in this case is simply an mp3 player that can play various video formats, of which you'll have to pay for or download from your PC.

 

[John Duncan]

Without confusing the issue too much, you can think of mp4 players as basically playing video as well as audio.

 

[plastic penguin]

JohnDuncan:Without confusing the issue too much, you can think of mp4 players as basically playing video as well as audio.

Like an ipod?

 

[Anonymous]

plastic penguin:
Like an ipod?

Like an ipod.ÿ

 

[plastic penguin]

Octopo:plastic penguin:

Like an ipod?

Like an ipod.

I used to be stupid, but now I can't work it out. . .Lol

 

[Anonymous]

Not to worry, obviously replacing a 3 with a 4 has this exact meaning:

Some devices advertised as "MP4 players" are simplyÿMP3ÿplayers that also playÿAMV videoÿand/or some other video format, and do not play MPEG-4 part 14 format. To the makers of these players, the "MP4" designation simply means that they play more than just MP3. This can get rather confusing for potential buyers.ÿ

 

[John Duncan]

Like an iPod that plays video yes (like most of them), but not like an iPod that doesn't (like the Shuffle) but not like mp3 players from many other manufacturers (which only play audio), but like mp4 players from other manufacturers (like Archos), which do, though it may not actually be mp4s they play, but other video codecs.

*Now* can you see why I answered the way I did?

 

[plastic penguin]

JohnDuncan:Like an iPod that plays video yes (like most of them), but not like an iPod that doesn't (like the Shuffle) but not like mp3 players from many other manufacturers (which only play audio), but like mp4 players from other manufacturers (like Archos), which do, though it may not actually be mp4s they play, but other video codecs. *Now* can you see why I answered the way I did?

*Yes* I can. . .

. I've never, until now that is, had the need for an MP3 etc so consequently I've just ignored this particular format.

 

[Anonymous]

Octopo:

This can get rather confusing for potential buyers.ÿ

Yes.ÿ

 

[plastic penguin]

Octopo:

Octopo:

This can get rather confusing for potential buyers.

Yes.

"Not arf, pop-pickers." I think I'll go and lay down for a while

 

[Anonymous]

No judgement on you PP I was talking about the number and letter switching propaganda we innocents are unduly led into.