Okay I'm in the market for a nice MP3 player to get me through the semester....I'm going for space (no more than 20G) and sound quality here, I have about $350 to spend so I want something decent but nothing over the top. I've been looking at quite a few, the iRiver and some Nomad models all have gotten good reviews, as the Dell DJ. And of course there are the iPods that look really futuristic and neato, but I've read mixed reviews on average sound quality and shitty battery life. I'm pretty torn here as I want to spend this money wisely. Any suggestions would be appreciated

I can't speak for the others, but the iPod can't be beat in terms of ease of use, accessories, and iTunes interface. I think the poor battery life stories are overhyped, I've had a 40GB for over a year and still get 7+hours (original battery life was 8 hours, new ones now have 12). But if you're worried, inexpensive DIY battery kits are available on the internet (check out ipodlounge.com), plus there is Apple's battery replacement program for $99.
I've read about an audio defect issue with some 4th gen iPods, but that was right after they were released and I'm pretty sure they've fixed the problem by now. I'm sure it would be easy to exchange if you did end up with a defective one though. Other than that, I think the sound quality is great.
Don't forget that you're most likely eligible for a student discount on an iPod, which would bring the cost down to $269 for the 20GB and $369 for the 40GB.

I posted this a little while back :

I'd say look into the Rio Karma. I've had mine for just about a year now and can't leave home without it! The biggest thing for me when I was looking to buy a DAP was gapless playback, which the Karma at the time was the only player available which had this. This is key, since a majority of the music I listen to are live recordings and the 1-2 second gap that the IPod would put in between the tracks would have driven me nuts. This is also key for albums which need to flow seemlessly, Abbey Road, The Wall, Ok Computer Etc. Etc. It plays a ton of different formats OGG Vorbis, FLAC, WMA, LAME encoded mp3's, just about anyting you can throw at it! The only downside to the player is its 20 GB capacity, I filled it up no problem. I could really use 40+ but for now I'm very happy!

Where can you get this?


Thanks for the advice guys, keep it coming....

If you go to http://www.apple.com/store, there is a link at the very bottom left-hand corner for "educational discounts".

I believe you can also use the "Education" link on the upper right-hand side of that same page under the heading "More Stores"

You can also walk into any Apple store and show them a student id.

yeah, i would go for the rio karma (20gig), too. i looks a bit clumsy compared to the iPod, but it's very easy to use, great audio-format variety as mentioned is a great plus, too. i'd hate to have to convert all my oggs ...

another nice feature is that if you put it onto the docking-station while playing, playback is instantly switched to the output of the docking-station, so that (if it's plugged into your home stereo) you may enjoy seamless playback when returning home ...

make sure to check it out. reviews and firmware on www.riovolution.com

one general advice:
dont buy it on the internet unless you've tried the thing out with your own hands. speaking from experience ...

yesss...I too love my karma! Any of you guys ever visit the forums athttp://www.riovoution.com?

What is unclear about this? You wanted to know how to get a student discount on an iPod right? One way to do it is online (right here to be more specific): http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Image ... gpage.html

The other is what Knight Rider posted.

I've had a 20G Dell DJ for more than a year and love it. Battery life has never been an issue (currently getting about 12 hrs per charge) and it's easy to use. The only downside when compared with the iPod is that it's slightly bulkier. Musicmatch is easy to use as well.

I've heard the sound quality on those is much better than an iPod, although I've also heard there isn't much difference either.

I haven't listened to an iPod long enough to make a valid comparison, but the DJ quality is great, provided you have good 'phones. The ear buds it comes with aren't that great. I got a pair of Sony noise-cancelling ear bud-like things that are fantastic.

nice demo if the ipod (flash required)

http://www.desclides.net/etienne/podfolio/

I'm very impressed by all the iRiver products I've owned. Featurewise and interfacewise, they are by far the best players out there. The audio quality is good, the prices are sharp, the durability is great.

http://www.iriveramerica.com/prod/hd/h320.aspx

This one would be my pick. (or the 40GB version)

there isnt really one that stands out above and beyond the rest. those with ipods swear by them, but do you really want to become an ipod drone? i was in the same position you were in, wanting a nice mp3 player and willing to drop the cash for it. instead, i settled for the iriver ihp120 on clearance at best buy for $150 a few months ago. figure this would hold me over until something better comes along. anyways, i also have the 20GB ipod (got it with the freeipods promotion) and it really didnt impress me. gave it instead to my sis for christmas.

if you are interested in microHDs, a few players you may want to consider:
iriver is coming out with a new one (H10) to compete with the ipod minis. i heard the zen micros are pretty slick and the rio carbon is solid too.

for the HD players, all i can think of is the zen touch. i dont like the new irivers - i just think its an ugly ass player (to each his own).

i'm actually waiting for the reviews on the iaudio M5 due out sometime this year. it tends to be a tad pricey though. heres a link with a pic:

http://www.dealtime.com/xPF-iAudio_M5_20_GB

i have a 15 GB ipod..

anyone one know what other players have that feature now? Im in the market also, and that is a must for any player i get. cant believe the rio karma plays FLAC. thats amazing to me.

I know, it's not wise to put to much into a couple of bad reviews, and i hope that the karma really is as good as it looks like. Because this sure looks good on paper! However, after doing some research i found a couple of bad reviews regarding the players HD tendency to freeze when used with training etc. And also, that the warranty is just 90 days. That's just horrible. Again, this doesn't necessarily means that the karma is a bad player. Just thought i'd share.