A Little Lost.

Wow ! This is like a minefield trying to purchase the ideal MP3 player, with so many contrasting reviews on what the experts consider to be the best model it’s nigh on impossible to choose, so help and advice needed please.

I currently use a basic 1GB Philips USB type MP3 player given to me by my daughter and although I find it quite good and very reliable, I would like to upgrade to a model that would give me improved sound.

Firstly I would like to steer away from the USB type of MP3, this after having 2 USB memory sticks that have malfunctioned.

Secondly, I would like an MP3 player that lets me dictate the volume level I want to listen at. One of my main gripes with the Philips is the low volume output. Old I maybe but still love my music loud.

Not too bothered about the picture/video side of the MP3, as I purely want it to listen to music.

Thanks for reading and any help you can give will be very much appreciated.

I understand your problem. There is a plethora of choice out there. But luckily there will be lots of things to suit your needs.

Volume is a constant issue for most people. The EU regualate the output of MP3 players in this region so you will never be able to play it too loud. A way to solve this is get a set of good headphones which fit your ears properly. This will block out external noise whilst keeping the good stuff in.

You should consider the ipod route depending on your budget. Amazon or advances mp3 players.com both have a good range from most brands. The reviews on amazon will give you the consumer perspective so thats always a good place to start. If you could provide your budget and exact needs then it would be easier to make a proper recommendation.

Thanks ever so much for taking the time to get back, really appreciate such useful advice.
Take your point on the use of good headphones and so a recommendation on what to buy would be helpful please. – price range £50 - £150.

On the MP3 – Ipod – Must admit to not really being that sure of the difference between the two formats other than I thought that Ipod was for use on Mac computers only.

My price range is again in the region of £50 - £150.

Thanks once again for taking the time and trouble to reply.

Regards.

good earbuds are the Sennheiser CX300, cx400 or cx500 - the last pair would set you back about £35 on Amazon

Firstly ipods are for use with both PC and MAC. You will just have to get a copy of itunes (a very easy download from the www.apple.com/uk. The nano may be a good choice (see the review on cnet), it's available on amazon for around 100 pounds (no pound sign on my keyboard). If your top end is around 150 then you should be able to add a decent set of headphones. My advice is to go to an apple store near where you live and have a chat with them. You will save a few quid buying it elsewhere but at least you can see if it meets your needs.

The software is fairly simple to use but some people have issues with it. Some other mp3 players allow you to just drop the files into a folder as you would normally in windows. There are a whole host of players that do this. If your looking for something at the lower end of your budget then the creative zen stone is available on amazon for 34 pounds. It has more storage than your phillips and should offer a drag and drop facility.

Again the best thing to do is research as much as you can. Just thought this might put you on the right track.

Get an iPod Nano, there excellent mp3 players.

Hello Everyone,

Hope you won’t think me ungrateful after all your great help, but went to the local store on Saturday and tried out a few Ipods and MP3 Players.
I must admit that I was really impressed with a make that was new to me; it was a Cowon D2 4Gb with Dab radio. Sounded superb, but as I don’t know anything about this particular company I thought I would ask if anyone knew anything about this product?

Cheers.

G

This one?

What you will find is that the volume is dictated as much by the headphones you use as the player. The cheap phones supplied with MP3 players are very unresponsive and need a lot of power to push the sound through. If you invest in a decent set of cans you will find that the volume they output is higher and as you are picking up more detail, you don't need them as loud either.