MP3 Player with Big Capacity

[teamsaint]

I was wondering if there are any decent , big capacity MP3 machines, or tablets which include MP3 functionality.

What I am looking for I suppose is something along the lines of an Ipod Classic, 160 GB or similar perhaps, that isn't an apple !!

There are one or two tablet type things like the Archos 70 at low prices, but quality is surely suspect?
Any thoughts welcome.

Cheers

TS

[Beef Oven!]

I was wondering if there are any decent , big capacity MP3 machines, or tablets which include MP3 functionality.

What I am looking for I suppose is something along the lines of an Ipod Classic, 160 GB or similar perhaps, that isn't an apple !!

There are one or two tablet type things like the Archos 70 at low prices, but quality is surely suspect?
Any thoughts welcome.

Cheers

TS

I'd be interested in the same. I have a 160 iPod classic, but it won't last forever and wouldn't mind a non-Apple for a change. Capacity is important because you never know what you want to listen to and your CDs or library isn't always to hand when your not at home.

Why don't you want Apple?

[teamsaint]

I'd be interested in the same. I have a 160 iPod classic, but it won't last forever and wouldn't mind a non-Apple for a change. Capacity is important because you never know what you want to listen to and your CDs or library isn't always to hand when your not at home.

Why don't you want Apple?

because ipods do my head in. Because I don't like the way they operate, just "because" really. You know me. Thats how I am.
Actually at this point a classic would probably do me, just want to rip my own CDs and take them anywhere.
Shouldn't be that tricky !!

[Beef Oven!]

because ipods do my head in. Because I don't like the way they operate, just "because" really. You know me. Thats how I am.
Actually at this point a classic would probably do me, just want to rip my own CDs and take them anywhere.
Shouldn't be that tricky !!

If iPods do your head in because you don't like the way they operate, then you mustn't have one!

I fancy a change, iPods and Apple are pretty boring.

[teamsaint]

If iPods do your head in because you don't like the way they operate, then you mustn't have one!

I fancy a change, iPods and Apple are pretty boring.

boring? I accept your opinion.
What really bores me about tech stuff is when it doesn't work properly or easily !!

[Frances_iom]

in past Archos mp3 players have had one of the best audio qualities available - however I havn't heard the model mentioned but I wouldn't dismiss it on basis of cost - Apple products are generally sold on on other criteria than value for money and Apple seem to have produced some models with very poor audio

[Beef Oven!]

in past Archos mp3 players have had one of the best audio qualities available - however I havn't heard the model mentioned but I wouldn't dismiss it on basis of cost - Apple products are generally sold on on other criteria than value for money and Apple seem to have produced some models with very poor audio

This was the brand that was strongly recommended to me a few years ago, but I bottled-out and 'played safe' with an Apple iPod Classic (had, had a good experience with Nanos).

[Gordon]

I had an Archos Jukebox before my iPod Classic 160 a couple of years ago, it was OK but heavy and bit cumbersome to carry. Apart from the arcane method of dealing with "songs" that belong together and managing playlists I find the Apple easy to use and 160 GBytes is more than enough. I got my iPod through Tesco online which had an attractive offer. It certainly has very good battery life compared to the Archos which was v poor but at least they were AA replaceable/rechargeable whereas the iPod in integral and possibly not replaceable. Sound quality is OK with a decent set of Sennheiser headphones, the ones that come with it aren't very good. The iPod is best used with iTunes to load it and I still use the old iTunes because the new one is not at all friendly.

[Frances_iom]

... The iPod is best used with iTunes to load it and I still use the old iTunes because the new one is not at all friendly.

Apple go out of their way to make life difficult if you don't use their controlled store - if you are happy with lockin and living with a rapacious commercial outfit then probably ok for you - personally I prefer to have more choice with what I do with my 'toys';

[Nevalti]

You can currently get a 160 GB Cowon X7 for £159 from Amazon. High quality sound, very long battery life, wide range of formats including FLAC (yea!) and you can even watch videos if you have a mind to.

I have a Cowon (iAudio) X5 that is donkey's years old and still performs perfectly. It easily out-performs my iPod Touch, iPhone 4 & iPhone 5 even when they are loaded with Apple lossless files.

Alternatively, do you really want a big machine? I use my X5 on holiday but for travel it is difficult to beat a little Sansa Clip Zip. Great sound (FLAC again!), about 10-12 hrs battery life, dirt cheap, built in radio & recorder and you simply need to plug in another micro-card if you get fed up with the last 48GB. Spare cards are no trouble to carry; they are called micro for a reason.

Both the Cowon and the Sansa show up on a PC as mass storage devices so file loading is a simple drag and drop operation. You don't need to fight iTunes to get things organised the way you want them.

[teamsaint]

You can currently get a 160 GB Cowon X7 for £159 from Amazon. High quality sound, very long battery life, wide range of formats including FLAC (yea!) and you can even watch videos if you have a mind to.

I have a Cowon (iAudio) X5 that is donkey's years old and still performs perfectly. It easily out-performs my iPod Touch, iPhone 4 & iPhone 5 even when they are loaded with Apple lossless files.

Alternatively, do you really want a big machine? I use my X5 on holiday but for travel it is difficult to beat a little Sansa Clip Zip. Great sound (FLAC again!), about 10-12 hrs battery life, dirt cheap, built in radio & recorder and you simply need to plug in another micro-card if you get fed up with the last 48GB. Spare cards are no trouble to carry; they are called micro for a reason.

Both the Cowon and the Sansa show up on a PC as mass storage devices so file loading is a simple drag and drop operation. You don't need to fight iTunes to get things organised the way you want them.

Cheers Nev, I'll look into the Cowon.

I have a Sansa clip, and as you say its a brilliant cheap piece of kit. Completely recommended.
my only gripe is I never managed to get the external micro card to work: any tips?

[MrGongGong]

I still use my 'old' iRiver machine (ihp 120)
came out about the same time as the ipod
drag and drop
records uncompressed WAV files
plays all kinds of formats (Wav, aiff,mps, ogg etc etc )
can be used as an emergency hard drive
and so on and so on

The iRiver machines were much sought after by sound tech folks because they could be used as recorders and the ability to play uncompressed formats, sadly they 'improved' them , made a colour screen and got rid of the wav recording

If you are technically savvy you can do what a mate of mine did and replace the hard drive with a large capacity solid state one.

Even though I use mac computers all the time, I'm another of those who detests iTunes, I only use it for podcasts and synching my phone ! BUT most folks find it ok.....

[JimD]

Is it reasonable to assume that all of these machines can be made to play without a gap between tracks? (For opera and similar-I use the Naxos web site and find the gaps very annoying. They tell me they 'can't' or at least won't put in a gapless option.)

[MrGongGong]

Is it reasonable to assume that all of these machines can be made to play without a gap between tracks?

NO
Some machines won't do gapless
(the iRiver machine will only do it if you use Rockbox firmware, Which I think is also available for other machines ?)

[Beef Oven!]

NO
Some machines won't do gapless
(the iRiver machine will only do it if you use Rockbox firmware, Which I think is also available for other machines ?)

iRiver