[andy_e]

As my iPod has a frustrating tendency to pause itself repeatedly, and is less than half the size of my music collection, and is also knocking on 8 years old, I'm looking to replace it. Does anybody know anything about mp3 players these days? I'm looking for 150gb+ (preferably 250gb) and a simple interface. it doesn't have to be an iPod obviously but I don't mind the iPods and know how to use one. What's the biggest iPod available? Does anybody have any alternative (and possibly cheaper!) suggestions?
Ta!

[andy_e]

Had a quick look, the biggest I could find was the 160gb iPod classic (which I might end up getting). There don't seem to be many large-capacity alternatives apart from some Archos 250/500gb ones which are too dimensionally large for my liking. Has the trend for having as big an mp3 player as possible died? Seems like a backwards step to me...

[dontfollowme]

I get the impression people tend to stick a big micro SD card in their phone these days. Saves carrying two devices. Fortunately my 3rd gen Ipod is still going strong.

[andy_e]

Unfortunately I don't have that option... As for having two devices, that doesn't bother me either because I rarely have to carry both further than home to the car and then car to the office and vice versa...

[iain]

As an alternative approach I can recommend one of these:
http://www.sandisk.com/products/music-video-players/clip-plus-mp3-player/
available from the usual places.

Pros: Good sound quality, tiny, expandable, easily works as an external drive on computers, builtin radio, cheaper than your ipod suggestion including cards
Cons: card faff

I tend to keep my main collection on computer/media player, have a couple of cards and change their contents from time to time.

[Muenchener]

The Clip+ has good sound quality and is small & cheap. My first one died after a few weeks though - although the warranty repoacement has been ok for over a year now.

[SA Chris]

I've got a clip too, and love it. really small and good sound - just get a couple of high capacity micro SD cards if you feel the absolute need to carry your entire music collection around with you all the time.

[andy_e]

Hmmm, 8gb+32gb is still far too little for me and having 6 microSD cards really doesn't appeal. Also, it looks small which probably means it'll be tricky to utilise whilst driving (I obviously don't do this).

[SA Chris]

fat handed twat.

[Stubbs]

External HD and a new head unit for your car?

[andy_e]

fat handed twat.

 

External HD and a new head unit for your car?

I had considered this as the other place I use my iPod is when it's connected to my office computer. Unfortunately I just bought a new head unit before my iPod started going on the blink so it makes me reluctant to buy one. Also it would be useful to have an iPod for the few occasions I need one (to calm me down when Christmas shopping, when flying/travelling, that sort of thing...)

[slackline]

Unfortunately I don't have that option...

If the number of tunes you have clocks in at < 20000 and you've a generous data allowance you could consider uploading them to Google Music and streaming them back to yourself on an Android phone or at your work computer (although the obvious drawback is if you're driving around and lose 3G connectivity, not an issue at the office desk though).

[andy_e]

I don't get 3G or H at my desk very often, plus my data allowance isn't that big (500mb) to allow for streaming. Plus most of the time I'm driving it's in areas with poor to no signal... Like the out of the box thinking though, if anyone else has any more potential solutions then keep them coming...

[slackline]

I guess its a bit  and it clearly won't help your in-car aural pleasure but

I don't get 3G or H at my desk very often,

You have an internet connection at your desk though don't you?

So you could listen to your tunes at work by installing Google Music Manager at home, telling it where your tunes are.  It uploads them all to the cloud (be wary if you have a cap on your montly data usage at home!) and you can then install the Music Manager at work and listen to them there.

[andy_e]

Oh yeah, of course I could! Duh. Too much technology...

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

..you can then install the Music Manager at work and listen to them there.

In case your work PC is locked down like mine, you shouldn't need to install anything, just log into Google and go to play.google.com

I got a 120gig classic ipod for not many fuck alls on the 'bay. My not small collection of music only half fills it.

[andy_e]

My even-not-smaller music collection wouldn't fit on it unless I converted them all to 256kb/s (which I might do...)

[Johnny Brown]

I doubt the DAC in any portable player is going to do justice to more than 256kb/s even if your headphones/ car stereo can (and they probably can't).

[andy_e]

I'm sure I read somewhere that human ears can't tell any difference above about 225 anyway...

[Johnny Brown]

Would seem to be the answer then?

[Muenchener]

Also, it looks small which probably means it'll be tricky to utilise whilst driving (I obviously don't do this).

The Clip is indeed very small, and the UI is a joke - even more so if you have the open source Rockbox firmware installed as I have. Trying to operate one whilst driving a car would be suicidal.

[andy_e]

Would seem to be the answer then?

A quick back-of-the-envelope calculation says that if all my mp3s were 320 and I converted them all to 256, I still wouldn't be able to fit the collection on to a 120gb iPod! And that overlooks the fact that probably most of my mp3s are less than 320 anyway... Looks like my only option is a 160gb iPod as nothing else on the market exists!

The Clip is indeed very small, and the UI is a joke - even more so if you have the open source Rockbox firmware installed as I have. Trying to operate one whilst driving a car would be suicidal.

Duly noted, I'll avoid the Clip then (not that I'd be operating the iPod whilst driving either of course...)

[SA Chris]

Maaargret! Do we have any compact but not too compact MP3 players?

To think we were happy less than 10 years ago to leave the house with a portable CD player and 2 or 3 CDs to listen to.

[andy_e]

I was thinking of that exact sketch when I was reading this thread back last night. Sorry all! Do iPods come with pirate memory games these days?

[Muenchener]

To think we were happy less than 10 years ago to leave the house with a portable CD player and 2 or 3 CDs to listen to.

I took about ten CDs with me when I went to India for six months in 2001. They're all pretty much burned into my memory now, but I didn't feel particularly deprived at the time.