Nowadays, everyone wants to have music with them, and no one is surprised now seeing portable players, because almost everyone has it.
Players have two primary categories: hard-drive-based and flash-based.
Main merit of HDD-based player is big capacity. They're usually build about 1,8 inch hard drives, so players have even 160Gb space. Frequently, their price is similar to flash players with smaller capacity (for example, iPod nano 16Gb - 169$, iPod Classic 160Gb - 235$). HDD-based players unfortunately have demerits. Above all we must be carefull, because we can easily damage hard disk, for example - while we running. These players is also bigger, just because they have greater battery. In the other hand, players can hold even about 30,000 songs! Often they have much more functions too, like picture viewer or movie player.
Flash-based players don't have moving parts, so you can safely play some sports. They're mostly cheaper than HDD-based and battery can hold more energy (even 60 hours of still playing). We can define many types of portable players.
First type is small players for music only so-called DAP (Digital Audio Player). They have small display (or none). DAPs haven't many functions, basically music players. They're perfect for playing sports, running or something.
Next category are players, who have bigger screen (about 2,5 inches). They're also build for music, but we can play some movie, but often it's not comfortable. This size is quite universal, they're not too big, so you can easily put them in pocket.
Third - players with display around 3,5 inches so-called PMP (Portable Media Player). Here music is important in the same way as movies or photos. PMPs have many functions and big size screens, so they are perfect for traveling to, for example watch some movie or play a game. Now, almost each PMP has touch screen. It ensure a lot of aplications, for example, we can use fingers to paint or type something.
There is one more primary type of players - it's also PMP with display size above 3,5". It's also called MID (Mobile Internet Device), because many of them have Wi-Fi function, so you can find a hotspot and surf on the internet for free. Some of these devices have also GPS module or TV receiver. Also, most of them have operating system. Unfortunately, we must remember, that many functions comes in pair with large price.
For good player you must buy good earphones. I think, that the best combination is warm-sound (more down frequency – bass etc.) player with cold-sound (more high frequency – e.g. percussion) earphones. These features is complementary to each other and generate real good synergy set.
I choose flash-based small iPod Nano 1st generation. It's really tiny and sound pretty well. My headphones is not quite portable, but I'm very satisfied of them – Panasonic HTX7.
So what is your combination of portable sound system and what is your opinion about that?
Like I wrote before, now I use iPhone with earphones from the set - everything I need. It is perfect for long trip because of big storage, long battery life and build-in other functions like: email, photos, phone and video.
ReplyDeleteBut to play some sports I agree with your suggestion and choose smaller device, something like iPod shuffle.
As for mobile devices and their sound system it all depends on your situation. While driving, the phone with a headset connected (nothing special, with a set of Nokia), I heard the "background" of the scene like radio that was playing some music. When I go out jogging, shopping or on a bicycle I use headphones and the player Creative Zen Stone + and Sennheiser earphones, or SteelSeries Neckband. Being at home I prefer to listen to music on the speakers CREATIVE INcostam 5.1 that have a stunning sound quality!
ReplyDeleteI use an old Ipod video. It must be said, it isn’t most reliable player. On the up side is that spare parts are affordable and easy to buy. With a little effort and good will anyone can replace them. I had to change jack slot twice, replace battery and motherboard once. Good thing is that it wasn’t so expensive. It can be used as a 30GB pendrive which is always with you, and the sound quality is excellent. Another thing is that with senheisser HD600 the sound becomes even better. ;o) In terms of sound quality its in a league with Iriver.
ReplyDeleteI agree with s4115, iPhone for me is the best one!
ReplyDeleteI don't use portable sound players. I'm pretty sure I have an option of plugging in earheadphones to my cellphone, an listening music form it, but I don't do it ;).
ReplyDeleteWhen it's summer time and I go for bike rides, I use and old flash player. It's small, probably cheap and I wouldn't cry if i broke/lost it
My iPod Touch does the job well. I would only use a larger drive, because 8GB is too small for me. Many depends on your headphones, so spending extra money on them sounds like a good plan. FLAC support in a portable player is a large advantage.
ReplyDeleteRafał: And would you feel any difference if something is in Flac on iPod?
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you won't :p
we could check that:p
I never used portable player - I'm using mp3 player on my cellphone. With memory card, it has enough space for music, even for movies. I don't see the point in buying sound player when having it with your phone. Quality difference? It's not so big, I guess.
ReplyDeletes4441 is right. You won't feel the difference between sound quality from cellphone then from portable player. Mp3 doesn't give quality that hardware difference will affect to it.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely mobiles phones made a large step in portable music player industry. But i think the bigest leap was made by first gen of ipods. The 1st gen iPod was a really a revolution in portable music, it was in comercial advertised by famous artists. I was having one myself, and i can really say that was one of the best purchases i made.
ReplyDelete