Best <$50 USD MP3 Player

[Benjio]

After downloading some new music, I realized my old 2GB Philips MP3 player is running out of space. I've been looking for a new replacement, I want something that has an SD card slot, a decent screen, and a good DAC/Amp and FLAC support would be a plus. So far the best I could find is the Sansa Clip Zip (4GB, FLAC support, SD card slot for ~$25). Do you guys have any recommendations?

[QcDExtreme]

anything like this http://www.amazon.com/Coby-MP620-8GRED-1-8-Inch-Video-Player/dp/B005BJQTDC/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_z

[JoshM]

Why don't you buy a mobile like a galaxy, iphone...etc

[Benjio]

anything like this http://www.amazon.com/Coby-MP620-8GRED-1-8-Inch-Video-Player/dp/B005BJQTDC/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_z

Don't really see any benefits of this over the Clip Zip.

 

Why don't you buy a mobile like a galaxy, iphone...etc

I don't want to spend $500 for a phone.

[Kajornkeat]

Maybe Sansa Clip+? Heard that screen on Clip Zip isn't that great.

[Benjio]

Maybe Sansa Clip+? Heard that screen on Clip Zip isn't that great.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SanDisk_Sansa

According to this, the Clip Zip is just a newer version of the Clip+, with a better screen and AAC support.

[ShearMe]

Cowon makes some good stuff too.

[JoshM]

Don't really see any benefits of this over the Clip Zip.

 

I don't want to spend $500 for a phone.

You can get them cheaper like S2's are cheap, why dont you kill 2 birds with one stone? lol

[Benjio]

You can get them cheaper like S2's are cheap, why dont you kill 2 birds with one stone? lol

Still like $250, and I already have a dumb phone, with a physical keyboard (not a big fan of touch screens). I also have an Ipod Touch if I ever need to do other non-phone smartphone stuff.

[Kajornkeat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SanDisk_Sansa

According to this, the Clip Zip is just a newer version of the Clip+, with a better screen and AAC support.

Yep, It's newer but some people still prefer Clip+ over Clip Zip. Maybe it's just the screen issue that make them don't like Zip.

Actually iPod touch is pretty good mp3 player. They also support lossless too.

[Lays]

Still like $250, and I already have a dumb phone, with a physical keyboard (not a big fan of touch screens). I also have an Ipod Touch if I ever need to do other non-phone smartphone stuff.

 

wait if you have an ipod touch why don't you put music on that? 

[ShearMe]

wait if you have an ipod touch why don't you put music on that? 

 

!!!

[Turkatron]

Maybe Sansa Clip+? Heard that screen on Clip Zip isn't that great.

The stock firmware sucks on the Clips' but if you're willing to install Rockbox (its like a dualboot so you keep the original firmware, it bootsi n to rockbox by default) it is WAY better. Best $<50usd device I've ever had.

 

 

Yep, It's newer but some people still prefer Clip+ over Clip Zip. Maybe it's just the screen issue that make them don't like Zip.

Actually iPod touch is pretty good mp3 player. They also support lossless too.

Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)? Also screw itunes. Clip Zip is free as in freedom. I prefer FLAC for lossless.

[Benjio]

wait if you have an ipod touch why don't you put music on that? 

I do put all my music on that as well, I like to have physical buttons to switch songs though and I hate Itunes, though. Also it would be really nice to have SD expansion, my Ipod is running out of room as well, it's only an 8 GB.

[Benjio]

Yep, It's newer but some people still prefer Clip+ over Clip Zip. Maybe it's just the screen issue that make them don't like Zip.

Actually iPod touch is pretty good mp3 player. They also support lossless too.

Do you have any idea why they don't like the screen on the Zip? It seems much better than the one on the clip+ from pictures I've seen. Also, I already have all my lossless files in FLAC, I don't want to take up a bunch of space having a copy of each on my computer.

[Turkatron]

I do put all my music on that as well, I like to have physical buttons to switch songs though and I hate Itunes, though. Also it would be really nice to have SD expansion, my Ipod is running out of room as well, it's only an 8 GB.

Clip Zip comes in a 4gb and 8gb model and both have ONE microsd card slot. I recommend the 4gb because it is half the price of the 8gb from what I've seen (Bestbuy and Amazon) and the difference when I checked was $40. That is enough to buy a second microsd card for the size of 32gb or maybe even a 64gb. You just gotta be willing to carry multiple cards if you need more than 36gb of storage or so.

 

 

 

Do you have any idea why they don't like the screen on the Zip? It seems much better than the one on the clip+ from pictures I've seen. Also, I already have all my lossless files in FLAC, I don't want to take up a bunch of space having a copy of each on my computer.

Not sure why people are saying this but I'll put my intake. The stock firmware felt clunky and was very inefficient at the user interface. It looked really awful and it was just unresponsive generally. I assume people are talking bad about the screen maybe because of the stock firmwares user interface. Once I switched to Rockbox all of my issues were fixed.

 

 

Here is what I recommend:

Clip Zip - Link

64gb card - Link

[Turkatron]

Why don't you buy a mobile like a galaxy, iphone...etc

I find phones to be extremely inefficient for playing music because if you want an equalizer you need to install an app generally and I have yet to see a good free one that doesn't have ads in it. Plus I extremely dislike most of the music playing apps. Plus when you want to use your phone for anything but playing music you will have way less battery life remaining.

[Benjio]

Clip Zip comes in a 4gb and 8gb model and both have ONE microsd card slot. I recommend the 4gb because it is half the price of the 8gb from what I've seen (Bestbuy and Amazon) and the difference when I checked was $40. That is enough to buy a second microsd card for the size of 32gb or maybe even a 64gb. You just gotta be willing to carry multiple cards if you need more than 36gb of storage or so.

 

Not sure why people are saying this but I'll put my intake. The stock firmware felt clunky and was very inefficient at the user interface. It looked really awful and it was just unresponsive generally. I assume people are talking bad about the screen maybe because of the stock firmwares user interface. Once I switched to Rockbox all of my issues were fixed.

The one I was looking at was a 4GB one, there are some on Ebay for $25, so I was thinking the same thing. Also, what are the benefits of Rockbox? Is it just faster/more responsive?

[Turkatron]

The one I was looking at was a 4GB one, there are some on Ebay for $25, so I was thinking the same thing. Also, what are the benefits of Rockbox? Is it just faster/more responsive?

From what I remember (haven't used Sandisks firmware in a LONG time) that there was no gapless playback, playlists were a pain to create, and the firmware in general was slow/unresponsive or just felt clunky. Rockbox has a ton of more options including gapless playback and even has fucking Doom on it that you can play for lolz. Plus the firmware is free as in freedom and is stable on the clip zip. You could try the stock firmware but I'm quite sure you will want to switch to Rockbox (hopefully before you consider returning the device).

[Benjio]

From what I remember (haven't used Sandisks firmware in a LONG time) that there was no gapless playback, playlists were a pain to create, and the firmware in general was slow/unresponsive or just felt clunky. Rockbox has a ton of more options including gapless playback and even has fucking Doom on it that you can play for lolz. Plus the firmware is free as in freedom and is stable on the clip zip. You could try the stock firmware but I'm quite sure you will want to switch to Rockbox (hopefully before you consider returning the device).

That seems like it will be very good advice if I do end up getting one of these, thanks. 

[Turkatron]

That seems like it will be very good advice if I do end up getting one of these, thanks. 

NP. If Sandisk's firmware is better and it works out for you, then great. If not I strongly recommend trying Rockbox because it made the player a 9/10 when before I would've rated it at 6/10.

[JoshM]

I find phones to be extremely inefficient for playing music because if you want an equalizer you need to install an app generally and I have yet to see a good free one that doesn't have ads in it. Plus I extremely dislike most of the music playing apps. Plus when you want to use your phone for anything but playing music you will have way less battery life remaining.

I have an iPhone that has an equalizer and plays decent quality music (compared to a $40 mp3). Music doesn't chew battery, its when you use the internet, (like facebook) that kills the internet, btw mine is an iPhone 4 and they are cheap as, may as-well get that. 

[JoshM]

Still like $250, and I already have a dumb phone, with a physical keyboard (not a big fan of touch screens). I also have an Ipod Touch if I ever need to do other non-phone smartphone stuff.

Why would you bother when you can have it all on one device and out performs both those devices?

[h264]

oh!  Yes, i should do a review of my clip+.  But what's the point?:

 

http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/sansa-clip-measured.html

 

Not to mention the #1 PMP on anythingbutipod since ... ever

 

It's the ONLY DAC I own that doesn't have an audible noise floor with my Etymotics ER-4p (even the ODAC does!)

[Benjio]

Why would you bother when you can have it all on one device and out performs both those devices?

That doesn't really solve any of my problems though, it is still ~$250 (talking about the Iphone 4), is basically the same thing as my ipod (which I barely ever use) with a phone built in, which I'd rather use a dumb phone with a physical keyboard anyway. The battery is not going to last nearly as long as a sole mp3 player, it doesn't have flac support, and it does not have an sd card slot, which were the main things I was looking for.

 

Edit: And of course you can't forget about Itunes... *gag*