MP3 BONANZA

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    MP3 BONANZA - Presentation Transcript

    1. ratedbigtest MEGA-HYPER-EXTREME MP3 PLAYER TEST Stylish From your shoes to your hair gel, it all counts – so don’t blow your look by slipping a dog-ugly player from the pocket of your APC straight-cut jeans MP3 B ONAN ZA! Eigh t ro ckin g pa ges of son ic m ayh em and aur al s Hard drive pec A no-holds-barred battle s of the big (capacity) boys sees Apple’s latest iPod Classic clash horns with Archos’s web-surfing PMP, the 605 Wi-Fi Compact Three players that are perfect for midgets and gym-freaks alike jostle for attention. Which of these dwarfish die-hards deserves your dosh? WORDS ROY SHARPE PHOTOGRAPHY PIXELEYES TTT145.rate_big 122 30/10/07 17:13:58
    2. Long live the LP! Despite the increased popularity of MP3s, over 10 million vinyl albums are still sold every year What we looked for Ample storage Audio enhancing equaliser Decent music- management software Love in the danger zone Video Grab a pocketable PMP, and – while you’re not giggling at new Simpsons episodes – die laughing at the tunes-only losers sat near you on the bus DAB Like ‘to’ and ‘gether’ , DAB and MP3 combine perfectly – the minute you exhaust your own tune library, flick to DAB and drain someone else’s CHRISTMAS 2007 T3.CO.UK 123 TTT145.rate_big 123 30/10/07 17:14:09
    3. Compact players DAB players Hard drive players Style players Video players A touchscreen- toting, rock-solid, DAB-tastic radio/ MP3 hybrid from Cowon. How do they do it? DAB players Frankenstein-esque hybrids of MP3 player and DAB radio. Bolts through neck strictly optional OONO MINI DAB IRIVER B20 COWON IAUDIO (2GB) £190 (2GB) £170 D2 (2GB) £120 www.amp3.co.uk www.iriver.com www.amp3.co.uk THE ONLY TOUCHSCREEN DAB here, COMPREHENSIVELY FAILING TO mix SUCCESSFULLY COMBINING OLD with new is not easy – just ask Paul this feels rock solid and practically old with new or sweat quality of any McCartney – but iRiver manages it by sweats quality. The design maximises kind, this looks like the portable radio adding an extendable, transistor radio- available space, meaning a 2.5-inch your granddad used to take to the footie. style aerial to this PMP. screen on a three-inch wide machine. About the best thing you can say Radio reception is excellent and A cinch to navigate, images look about this is that it’s lightweight. It also sound quality is rich. The bundled sharp, and music files leap along with feels incredibly cheap, however, and software swiftly converts video, and the vim of an eager beagle. DAB and FM has performance to match. Radio the 2.4-inch screen is textbook. Even reception both prove solid and battery reception is the worst of this trio, the the clicker interface works well, and if life – 10 hours video and 52 hours music earbuds are uncomfortable, and sound you’re in China in 2008, you can use – gives the player Spanish Fly-esque delivery lacks body, rhythm, and the DMB TV feature to watch the latest endurance. Finally, there’s a mains volume. In summary then: a dreadful blood-test results from the Olympics. charger – no USB-only skimping here. DAB player. Oono? Ooh, no. ##### ##### ##### CHRISTMAS 2007 T3.CO.UK 125 TTT145.rate_big 125 30/10/07 17:14:15
    4. ratedbigtest MEGA-HYPER-EXTREME MP3 PLAYER TEST Small, yet eye- wateringly chic and musically adept, this is a heavyweight, lightweight MP3 player Compact players The best mini-musos for commuting, working-out and cramming into very small spaces CREATIVE ZEN SANDISK SANSA APPLE IPOD (4GB) £100 EXPRESS (2GB) SHUFFLE (1GB) £60 £50 http://uk.europe.creative.com WITH ALL THE adventure of having www.sandisk.com www.apple.com/uk two sugars instead of one, the latest THE 2GB FLASHER snubs its silver THE OPENING SECTION of a Big Test Zen goes by the name of, err, Zen. More nose at cables, instead concealing a review tends to highlight a product’s daringly, it plays non-DRM AAC files, built-in USB adaptor. A packed feature- unique feature. So let’s hear it for the while accepted video formats include list includes a four-line display, Shuffle – the only player on test that… DivX and WMV. An SD card slot is microSD card slot, FM tuner and the doesn’t include a display. Erm… wooh. included, and there’s an FM radio. ability to make recordings. But, hey, it’s tiny, sexy and its iTunes Operation is simple, but music At about the size of a stick of software is by far and away the slickest. replay lacks sparkle, while video replay chewing gum, this is the fattest player Add the fact you get 12 hours music is smooth, but not very punchy, and here, but it’s also the leanest sounding, per charge, from a 15g box, and you’ve some directors may feel their vision is which is less than ideal if you want to got the ideal gym buddy. Just be sure compromised by being viewed on a play low bit-rate music files. you change the earphones. Swiftly. 2.5-inch screen. Pretentious swine. ##### ##### ##### 126 T3.CO.UK CHRISTMAS 2007 TTT145.rate_big 126 30/10/07 17:14:22
    5. Compact players DAB players Hard drive players Style players Video players Quibbles aside, how can you knock a music player that boasts a 160GB hard drive? Exactly… Hard drive players Squeeze your entire collection on one device. K is for Korn, KLF and, ahem, Kenny G… ARCHOS 605 WI-FI APPLE IPOD (30GB)£200 CLASSIC (160GB) £230 www.archos.com THIS MACHINE OFFERS web surfing, www.apple.com/uk THE KNOWLEDGE but the maker astonishingly charges Top tunes, for you £20 for the web browser plug-in. The WITH ENOUGH DISK space not just for T3’s fave music download basic-price model is streaming-ready, all your songs, but quite possibly for all services are the iTunes Store and set for extras – such as the DVR the songs that have been or ever will be (huge choice, a tad pricey, Station, which allows direct from TV recorded, the Classic is stunning value. annoying DRM); Emusic.com (best for indie/underground recording – but a Wi-Fi-named box that The 2.5-inch screen makes this more tunes, no DRM, subs-based); doesn’t have browsing? That’s silly. of an audio treat than a visual one, and Bleep.com (electronic Not so silly is the excellent, 4.3-inch though video performance isn’t bad. sounds, cheap rates, DRM-free) screen and the sofa-punchingly-good Owners of the last iPod will wonder why tune delivery. The user interface gets this one synchs more awkwardly with the thumbs up too, but your nose may iTunes, and has a slower interface, but the still be put out of joint by the price. price per GB is very hard to argue with. ##### ##### CHRISTMAS 2007 T3.CO.UK 129 TTT145.rate_big 129 30/10/07 17:14:31
    6. Compact players DAB players Hard drive players Style players Video players What? Apple doesn’t win? Well, how could it up against this slick, sexy Samsung? Style players What is style? While we have a think about that imponderable, have a butcher’s at these LG FM37 (2GB) APPLE IPOD NANO SAMSUNG P2 £130 (4GB) £100 (4GB) £130 uk.lge.com www.apple.com/uk www.samsung.com/uk WITH LOOKS – AND, indeed, edges DITCHING BUTTONS IN favour of a THIS SHINY NUMBER doesn’t feel as that are practically sharp enough to touchscreen is becoming the norm, but solid as the Apple or Samsung, but then slice cheese with, the new Nano is the P2 goes a step further and bins wires it does weigh a mere 63g. What could arguably the smartest iPod yet. too. You’ll have to budget for Bluetooth spoil your minimalist look, though, is A two-inch screen is housed in that cans – only regular buds are included – the sight of you stabbing furiously at the sexy chassis. It’s great for viewing but, even wired for sound, this looks screen – compared to the P2, this unit’s photos, fine for catching up with South and feels even fresher than the Nano. user interface is rather hit-and-miss. Park, perhaps not quite the thing to A fully-juiced unit gives 35 hours of A further downer is the relatively watch Apocalypse Now Redux on. Five music stomping or five hours of movie poor three hours of video playback, hours of video or 24 hours of music rolling. Measuring just under 10mm although vids do look crispy. Saving impresses, as does the forceful thin, sounds and vision are also this from a catwalk tumble, though, performance with tunes. The new sufficiently rocking. As your mum said is ithe big sound – it’s full of bass and Click Wheel’s a bit slippery, though. before long car trips, you must P2. brimming with ’tude. Girlfriend. ##### ##### ##### CHRISTMAS 2007 T3.CO.UK 131 THE COMPACT LOSERS h ld ’ f l TTT145.rate_big 131 30/10/07 17:14:39
    7. ratedbigtest MEGA-HYPER-EXTREME MP3 PLAYER TEST Sony trounces its low-rent, so-called rivals with mammoth battery life and Hollywood performance Video players What? You’re still listening to just tunes on your portable? Do you have an outdoor loo, too? PHILIPS SA9345 EMTEC C230 SONY NWZ- (4GB) £130 (2GB) £55 A815 (2GB) £90 www.philips.co.uk www.emtec-international.com www.sony.co.uk EMTEC, SOME 70 years ago, invented TROUNCING ITS RIVALS’ two hours JOINING LG AND Samsung in the the magnetic tape for audio recordings video playtime, this fires out up to eight touchscreen gang, Philips’ Flash-based – come 2077, though, T3 is unlikely to hours of viddy, and 33 hours of tuneage. audio/video player uses an impressively be fondly recalling this bit of kit. You can drag and drop files or use simple user interface. Though you may be initially seduced WMP, meaning you can wave a single- It’s beautifully built, and thanks to by its rubbery chassis, we suspect the finger farewell to ChronicStage. It plays the bundled conversion software, you’ll lacklustre performance will leave you MP3, WMA and non-DRM AAC, and find transferring video from your PC unfulfilled: tunes sound too quiet, and dumps Sony’s ATRAC format. quick and easy. Performance, however, the 2.2-inch screen’s video lacks punch The A815 also boasts superb music is not quite class-leading. Tunes can and sharpness. Sure, there’s an SD slot and video performance. Fast-moving echo, and the 1.8-inch screen’s moving letting you expand the 2GB memory, images are smooth, colours vivid and images can’t match the Sony’s. The but – as a wise man once said – a sound is detailed, and hard-hitting. Even biggest let down, though, is the video bargain’s only a bargain if it isn’t crap. the bundled buds rock – hallelujah. replay maxes out at just two hours. ##### ##### ##### 132 T3.CO.UK CHRISTMAS 2007 TTT145.rate_big 132 30/10/07 17:14:48
    8. Because everyone loves the harmonica… The harmonica is the world’s best-selling music instrument, outselling the guitar, the kazoo and even the Swiss alpenhorn The big test The stats of truth GROUP COMPACT DAB HARD DRIVE STYLE VIDEO PLAYERS PLAYERS PLAYERS PLAYERS PLAYERS WINNER APPLE IPOD IAUDIO D2 APPLE IPOD SAMSUNG P2 SONY NWZ-A815 SHUFFLE CLASSIC PRICE £50 £130 £90 £120 £230 WEBSITE www.apple.com/uk www.amp3.co.uk www.apple.com/uk www.samsung.com/uk www.sony.co.uk LOVE Ridiculously small, but with Classy build, with an The huge memory holds Touchscreen interface Image quality is eye- fantastic build quality, its awesome battery life. all your music and vids, works smoothly and poppingly brilliant, while punchy sound is ideal for Radio reception is solid, and the price is the same doesn’t demand a stylus, music delivery is ear- the treadmill. iTunes is with excellent music and as the old 80GB model. while extras make this more thumpingly good. The superbly intuitive, too movie performance Very pretty new interface than just a pretty fascia battery’s amazing, too HATE The lack of display means it Some like touchscreens, At 2.5 inches, the display You have to cough up cash There’s no getting away could take up to 240 mind- and some – stylus-hating is on the paltry side. The for Bluetooth cans –double from the fact that the numbing clicks to find the folk – don’t. Expandable menus and synching with that figure if you’re to take screen is pretty small. It’s tune you’re looking for. The memory is handy, but iTunes seem far more advantage of Bluetooth 2.0 more of a music machine earphones are rubbish cards cost extra sterling sluggish than before and run two headsets than a movie player RATING ##### ##### ##### ##### ##### OVERALL The most flawed iPod – For the money, this offers The image quality helps A top player. Samsung Ideal for the occasional minimal memory, no a full-fat list of features. make up for lack of screen appears determined, visual treat, but stunning display – the Shuffle is Even more remarkably, it inches, and sound quality almost regardless of cost, sound quality is what truly nonetheless an ideal player performs all its tasks with is tops. As for 160GB of to ensure Apple doesn’t sets this machine apart for those who travel light consummate ease storage… yes, yes, yes! have it all its own way from the chasing pack STORAGE 1GB 2GB 160GB 4GB 2GB MP3/AAC Y/Y Y/N Y/Y Y/N Y/Y ASF/WMA N/N N/Y N/N N/Y N/Y WAV/OGG Y/N Y/Y Y/N N/N N/N RADIO N Y (DAB & FM) N Y N SCREEN SIZE/RES N/A 2.5in/320x240 2.5in/320x240 3in/480x272 2in/320x240 BATTERY 12 hours 10 hours video 7 hours video 5 hours video 8 hours video 52 hours music 40 hours music 35 hours music 33 hours music DIMENSIONS 27x41x11mm 78x54x16mm 104x62x14mm 100x52x10mm 45x88x10mm WEIGHT 15.6g 91g 162g 85g 53g Here’s how it is… Buying tips… 1/Don’t pay for extras that you 4/If you’re a bit of a traveller, but THE COMPACT LOSERS shouldn’t feel tremble. The Archos is great for video, won’t use – it’s a waste of your lack a computer to charge your down: if you fancy a miniature player, but but even if you rip at high-quality money. This may sound pretty MP3 player, you should invest in demand a display, swerve the winning bitrates, Apple’s 160GB Classic will keep obvious, but you’d be amazed a universal charger such as the how many people buy a multi- Power Monkey. Shuffle in favour of the wee Creative. The you musically amused for your whole life. media player, only to make the Sansa’s bigger than both, but its memory The style dance-off, meanwhile, was 5/Upgrading the earphones ‘multi’ part redundant. expansion slot shouldn’t be sniffed at an orgy of flashing stiletto heel turns, – even paying just an extra 20 2/To create true portable music sheets – transforms a budget (unless you’re a memory-slot fetishist). however the Samsung P2 doesn’t just nirvana, always rip at 320Kbps or player’s sound. So do so… DAB fans won’t go wrong with the look sexy – it turns more than a few – if you’ve enough capacity – at winning iAudio D2 or the iRiver B20. digital tricks, too. The Nano remains a 6/… but beware with DAB lossless rates. players: the bundled buds usually We’d rather not discuss the Oono – a solid choice for Apple fans. Finally, in the 3/If you’re after a player for double as the player’s aerial, so spleen can only vent so much. Video category, the Sony’s combination watching movies, check the ensure that when choosing your The battle of the big boys – the hard of simplicity, longevity and goodnity left memory. Less than 8GB probably replacement earphones that they won’t cut it for most movie buffs. can do the same. Got it? drives – made the floors of T3 Towers its rivals bruised and sore. CHRISTMAS 2007 T3.CO.UK 133 TTT145.rate_big 133 30/10/07 17:14:56

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