Posted on 04/23/2006 3:37:11 PM PDT by redheadtoo
Help, I have promised my niece an MP3 player for her graduation and have found the selection available completely overwhelming.
A friend has recommended the Zen by Creative Labs but a quick check of their sight revealed that there are dozens of Zen and MuVo models to choose from. I have found that I do not like the i-pod because once the battery recharger fails you have to send your unit back to Apple and recieve a refurbished unit as a replacement.
I want something that produces a good quality sound, has a long life, can be repaired without sending the unit back to the manufacturer, and is durable.
My niece is getting a new computer from Grandpa so she will have all the up to date hardware and software. But I want to know if I will need to purchase other equipment, such as a cable, for her to download music. I want to know how much memory I should buy and what music sites are safe and which ones should be avoided.
If you know something you think I should consider but have not mentioned please share it with me. Finally, since this is a gift for a teenage girl any knowledge of a products coolness factor will also be useful.
I don't need the photos feature because I'm pretty certain my niece does not have a digital camera. But I'm realizing from what everyone has posted that $200 dollars is not the mid range that I thought it was. I believe I will need to up my price range by at least $100.
Signal to noise ratio? Something else I know nothing about.
http://www.buy.com/prod/SanDisk_Sansa_M240_1GB_MP3_Player_with_FM_Tuner_SDMX3_1024_A18/q/loc/111/202021589.html
Signal-to-noise ratio is a term which describes the output audio quality. Higher this ratio, better is the audio quality.
More signal, less noise = higher S/N ratio.
Any player you choose should have all the cabling and software you need to get the player hooked up to your PC.
The sites you go to for music will depend to some extent on which player you choose. Apple's iTunes offers files in AAC format, which players other than the iPod will not recognize (before someone who doesn't know tells you otherwise, the iPod does recognize and play mp3 files). Most of the other sites (Rhapsody, Wal Mart Music, Napster) offer files in a protected Windows Media format. The iPod will not play those files.
I buy most of my music from iTunes, but I do buy quite a bit from a site called emusic.com. They have files in mp3 format, but most of their stuff is from small labels and is definitely off the beaten path. They're great if you like less popular stuff like blues, jazz and classical. There's another mp3 site hosted in Russia that I've heard some good things about, but I haven't visited it so I just don't know. Someone who knows more than I will probably be happy to post the URL.
Generally, any of the sites where you pay for the music will be "safe", as in free of viruses and other malware. Since you're getting this for a teen (as in someone who doesn't have her own credit or debit card), you may want to look into sites where she can buy and redeem gift cards.
One thing about Napster - they have "unlimited downloads", but you don't actually own the music. You have to pay them a monthly fee (about $15 the last time I checked), or else your music will not play. I don't like that at all, but some people prefer it (I'm guessing that most of them are people who burn their music to CDs).
My suggestion - take your niece shopping with you when you're ready to buy the player, and take her someplace like Best Buy or Circuit City, which should have a good selection of various models. Let her try out all the players that fit your budget and pick the one she likes the best.
Thanks Carrot. I need to remember you the next time I have a technical question.
You're welcome!
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