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Featuring CNET Editor Donald Bell

MP3 players Session has ended.

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Previous topics: iPhone Home audio HDTVs MP3 players

Latest questions and answers

Q: What Mp3 player has bookmark functionality?

by ngej - 6/14/07 11:53 AM

I listen to ebooks, recorded speeches etc a lot.
And I find being able to bookmark in those long mp3 files are essential. I still have a very old Rio mp3 player which had that capability. But I can't find any mp3 player on the current market has that function? Any suggestions?

A: Here's a start...

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:59 AM

Here's a piece we did recently.
http://reviews.cnet.com/4321-6499_7-6547912.html

Q: jai

by hisingh - 6/14/07 11:48 AM

i saw a review of the panasonic noise-cancellation headphone in new york times that said that at $100 it's as good as the $300 Bose. Do you agree?

A: Hey Jai

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:58 AM

I haven't heard the Panasonic headphones, but I can tell you this much--on brand name alone, the Bose headphones will retain their value for years to come.

Q: EARphones vs headphones

by Yunks - 6/14/07 11:48 AM

Which should i get?
I am about to get the se530 (e500), i know thay are great, However, would you recommend a good headphone(s) - with comparable quality to this earphone.

RANDOM: just btw archos just unveiled their new 605!!!!!

A: Headphones

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:56 AM

Earphones are a necessary evil, but not even the best earphones can present music as well as a decent pair of headphones. Without getting too far into it, earphones only shoot music straight at your eardrum, while headphones can make use of your outer ear and do much more with stereo presentation. Plus, headphones are more comfy and don't depend on sealing off your ear canal to deliver full sound.

Q: Should I get the ipod

by Gameking7 - 6/14/07 11:32 AM

i gust entered in a contest for an ipod if i win should i accept it?

A: Yes.

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:49 AM

Then give it to me.

Q: iPod alternative for Mac owners

by vongruetz - 6/14/07 11:27 AM

I'm a Mac owner and also the owner of a formerly working 2G iPod. I'm in the market for a new MP3 player, but can't seem to find one that works for the Mac beside the iPod. While the iPod is nice, I'd like to try something new. Any suggestions?

A: MSC mode

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:48 AM

Most MP3 players that can support MSC file transfer mode should work on a Mac. We did a small piece on this that you can find here: http://reviews.cnet.com/4321-6490_7-6545983.html

Q: who makes the best headsets?

by joegillespie - 6/14/07 11:32 AM

who makes the best headsets: for the ipod?

A: That's a big question

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 1:30 PM

iPod headphones, earphones, earbuds, etc. are a topic of endless debate around here. On a purely personal note--I really enjoy the Ultrasone HFI-700 over-the-ear headphones (http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones-headsets/ultrasone-hfi-700/4505-6468_7-32391033.html) just for listening at home. In a commuter situation where shutting out noise is a concern and you don't have the space for a full pair of headphones, I like the sound (and look) of the Shure SE 310 earphones.

Shure SE 310:
http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones-headsets/shure-se310-sound-isolating/4505-6468_7-32327762.html

Q: Hi, Is there a way to transfer music to my Ipod BECIDES ITunes

by Emeraldgirl93 - 6/14/07 11:06 AM

Hey there! I have a 30gig Black Ipod that is currently being fixed, I would like to know Is there any way to transfer my music to my Ipod becides Itunes. Because I mainly use realplayer for managing my music collection. It has worked fairly well. I see that there is a tab on realplayer for transfering muisc to a portable device. Would this work on my Ipod or do I have to use Itunes.

A: Rhapsody

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:40 AM

...just occurred to me that Real's Rhapsody Player might be a perfect solution for you. It should be able to let you sync to your iPod. http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html

Q: MP3 Audio Balance Issue

by micmax86 - 6/14/07 11:21 AM

Hi - I am partially deaf in my left ear to the point wihere I cannot hear anything with a headset. Is there a way to join the left with the right on a headset so I can hear everything instead of only parts of a song? Or is there a MP3 Player out there that the user has audio balance control so it can be adjusted to monoural.

Thanks!

A: Mono

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:37 AM

I don't know of any players that will convert to mono as a function of the device. You may want to look at a way to convert the files to mono before they reach the iPod (a free program like Audacity could do the trick). Still, no easy solution I can think of.

Q: MOST COMFORTABLE EARBUDS?

by soothingeffect - 6/14/07 11:20 AM

Hi audiodonald,

I live next to some noisy neighbors. In order to decrease the distractions caused by my neighbors, I play white, pink, and red noise on my iPod. This works great except my earbuds fit so tight that they make my ears soar. Do you know who makes the most comfortable earbuds?

A: try Foam

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:30 AM

Foam earbud sleeves offer the best fit with the most comfort. People usually avoid them because they look a little silly and get crudded with earwax--but if you're in bed, who cares? If, the noise is a really serious problem, find a local audiologist and get custom-fit earplugs. Worth every penny.

Q: 2nd gen vision:m?

by n-telligence.com - 6/14/07 11:13 AM

I own a Creative Zen Vision:m, and i love it. But i've been wanting a new player for a while, i hate the iPod however, and i can't even try a Zune in Denmark (where i live, besides i think i'd hate that too).

Do you know of any plans of a second generation Vision:m, or whatever name they might chose for it.

A: Creative Vision:M

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:27 AM

The Vision:M is a fantastic player. I don't know of any plans to update it. What kind of improvements are you looking for?

Q: Which program is best

by LouLew - 6/14/07 11:12 AM

Which program is easy to use for transfering music to an ipod?

A: iTunes

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:26 AM

http://www.apple.com/itunes/

Q: Mr_Format

by mr_format - 6/14/07 11:12 AM

I have a Samsung YP-MT6z player and I bought it to download spanish clases but for some reason they seem to playback in random order.
Is there something I can do to ensure that they playback in the order I want them to?

A: My guess...

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:24 AM

I'm not familiar with that particular player, but my guess is that the player has some kind of Shuffle mode activated. Shuffled playlists are great for music, but horrible for podcasts and lecture material.

Q: Levels of quality

by rlessmue - 6/14/07 11:09 AM

Could you give a breakdown on "quality" types of MP3. (e.g. 192kbs is just below CD quality... right?)! A listing would be great.. and where does VBR fit in... and does it help?
Thanks again!

A: Can't beat wikipedia

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:22 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_file_format

Q: Hi, Is there a way to transfer music to my Ipod BECIDES ITunes

by Emeraldgirl93 - 6/14/07 11:06 AM

Hey there! I have a 30gig Black Ipod that is currently being fixed, I would like to know Is there any way to transfer my music to my Ipod becides Itunes. Because I mainly use realplayer for managing my music collection. It has worked fairly well. I see that there is a tab on realplayer for transfering muisc to a portable device. Would this work on my Ipod or do I have to use Itunes.

A: Not officially

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:21 AM

We don't get a lot of users singing the praises of RealPlayer as a music management tool. It might be inconvenient, but switching over to iTunes brings a lot of benefits (easy podcast subscriptions, Photo management, Outlook calendar syncing, etc.). RealPlayer may add iPod syncing in the future (especially with their latest release planned), but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Q: Recommend Free Programs

by rlessmue - 6/14/07 11:06 AM

o.k., my sister is coming to visit and I am going to talk to her about how to make MP3's.
She wants to use "free" software, but the software I use is all purchased... and she is on a budget.
What would programs would you suggest for:
Ripping.... (Audio Grabber comes to mind)
MP3 encoding .... (Lame is free)
Taging Files ..... (eags on! is free)
MP3 player .... (Something that would display album art would be great)
MP3 Editor..... (?)
MP3 converter to Wave ... (if needed for Editor).
Thanks!

A: Free software

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:15 AM

Take a look at the Audcacity at Sourceforge.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Q: ipod recording

by bored1040 - 6/14/07 11:06 AM

what is the best ipod accessory for recording audio?

A: ipod recording

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:13 AM

Are you looking for more of a voice recording solution or stereo-capable music recording solution?

Q: Podcasts in WMP

by margotlescargot - 6/14/07 11:04 AM

Do you know whether there are any plans for podcasts being available in Windows Media Player? I like iTunes because the music and podcasts can be synced all at once. However, I do not own an iPod. I have a Zen Vision M.

A: I don't know of any plans

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:12 AM

You can, however, strike a compromise by using a 3rd party podcast application (Juice, comes to mind) and have WMP automatically pull content from the Podcast application's download directory. Not as seamless as iTunes, but it works.

Q: iPod shuffle 1st gen broken

by narutaki - 6/14/07 11:03 AM

i accidentally tore whats inside of the iPod shuffle. i accidentally 'kicked' it to one direction (lets say the left) while it was plugged to a computer near my foot and i saw the insides. the soft brown thing (which i believe is the circuit board) tore and i was wondering if it can still be fixed.

A: Possible to repair...

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 11:08 AM

...but with new Shuffles so affordable, you may just want to toss the old guy out. The new Zen Stone also seems like a good, affordable replacement (no iTunes, however).

A: Here I am...

by audiodonald - 6/14/07 10:58 AM

Fire away.

Incoming questions

Ipod/ iTunes level match
Even though I have level match turned on in iTunes I notice varying audio levels between tracks during playback. Back when I was using Music match, volume leveling was much more effective. This seems to happen more with mp3 than aac files. Have anyone else noticed this?
by cggkevin - 6/14/07 12:03 PM
IPOD connecting to a NAS
why doesn't iTunes understand the setting required to disable gapless playback when the music library is on a NAS.
by joegillespie - 6/14/07 12:01 PM
eARphones vs headphones2
oh, i primarily use it with my 5g ipod, and im already got the e3g and REAALLY do find iem VERY comfy, so comfort issue is solved!!

i understamd what you said, what would you recomend for best headphone - similar price as shures - primarily portable use, or with my creative audigy notebook?!?!

Thnx a mil
by Yunks - 6/14/07 12:00 PM
Alternative Players?
Have you ever used a mobile software based player such as Pocket Tunes or TCPMP (Coreplayer) on a WM or Palm based device, and in your opinion are they beginning to become adequate replacements for standalone MP3 players?
by jjesusfreak01 - 6/14/07 11:59 AM
MP3 players integration with mobile phones
Hello Donald,

This question has bugged me for a long time. Is MP3 players integration with mobile phones good?
Personally I hate such type of integration. It doesn't give you complete music control with maximum number of options. Case in point SonyEricsson Walkman series. There aren't many preset. High memory can not be accomodated. And more importantly there is question of battery life.

What do you think about it ?

Thank you
by Aditya Ratnaparkhi - 6/14/07 11:58 AM
Need some help with my mp3 player
i have a sandisk sansa 512MB Mp3 player and i need to know how to delete recrodings i have on it because i dont know how to. i got this from a friend since he bought a new opne and he lost the cable to hook it up to the computer and dowload song. also do i have to use that usb cable if i want to delete songs from it?
by VCT_Aramis - 6/14/07 11:56 AM
What Mp3 player has bookmark functionality?
I listen to ebooks, recorded speeches etc a lot.
And I find being able to bookmark in those long mp3 files are essential. I still have a very old Rio mp3 player which had that capability. But I can't find any mp3 player on the current market has that function? Any suggestions?
by ngej - 6/14/07 11:53 AM
Xbox 630 or PS3
I want to my gaming console for mostly gaming but a bit for hi-def movies. Which one should i choose
by michaeljoeseph - 6/14/07 11:51 AM
jai
i saw a review of the panasonic noise-cancellation headphone in new york times that said that at $100 it's as good as the $300 Bose. Do you agree?
by hisingh - 6/14/07 11:48 AM
EARphones vs headphones
Which should i get?
I am about to get the se530 (e500), i know thay are great, However, would you recommend a good headphone(s) - with comparable quality to this earphone.

RANDOM: just btw archos just unveiled their new 605!!!!!
by Yunks - 6/14/07 11:48 AM
mp3 player os software
I know that iPod and Zune use custom software to control their music, but i heard that some mp3 players are developing their own os software and drm stuff.

Any info on what is the latest? How are they doing or have they died?
by eldernorm - 6/14/07 11:41 AM
ZIGGYAMI
I see ,that you have enough on your plate to end the hour. This is nice and tell Lee Koo Hi!! for me.
by bluesail20 - 6/14/07 11:37 AM
ZEN V PLUS
hi i have a zen v plus 2g - I love it what do you think about buying one for my wife it is only $99- Is that the best value out there
by killjoy2.0 - 6/14/07 11:36 AM
Ipod Alternative
I have a macbook pro and was wondering is there an ipod alternative that will work on my mac and can subscribe to online music stores, like yahoo, rhapsody, urge, etc.?
by mreal03 - 6/14/07 11:35 AM
Should I get the ipod
i gust entered in a contest for an ipod if i win should i accept it?
by Gameking7 - 6/14/07 11:32 AM
2nd gen vision:m part 3
oh yeah, and if they could fit it in, widescreen and touch.
by n-telligence.com - 6/14/07 11:32 AM
who makes the best headsets?
who makes the best headsets: for the ipod?
by joegillespie - 6/14/07 11:32 AM
2nd gen vision:m part 2
Well mainly software i guess (like iTunes, but for my product), and wireless like the sansa connect or even better would be nice to. Another thing that would be cool would be if they made it thinner, and improved some of the general design. It looks pretty good, but it's not a style icon, which is really the only thing apart from the software that the iPod has going for it.
by n-telligence.com - 6/14/07 11:31 AM
hi res music
there seems to be a small but growing move towards higher quality digital music "for the masses." MP3 might be great to use for portable music, low bit rate, small storage requirements, lossy compression but who cares because you are out listening in traffic or the park (hardly audiophile environments or listening devices - with the exception of the very high end ear buds). The cost for the digital files is a bit higher, the storage requirements are larger (but those prices keep coming down), and the bandwidth to download is higher (but that keeps going up). Do you think we will get back to true CD quality (or better) anytime soon? My high end vinyl and half-speed master tapes need a new home and I don't want to compress the living daylights out of them. BTW, what's a good tool for digitizing them with no compression?
by BHarris - 6/14/07 11:30 AM
The Best MP3 Player
In your opinion what is the best MP3 player? Which one has the most features, a good price, a lot of capacity? You know all the good stuff you'd want in a MP3 player today!
by Blazeral B - 6/14/07 11:29 AM
iPod alternative for Mac owners
I'm a Mac owner and also the owner of a formerly working 2G iPod. I'm in the market for a new MP3 player, but can't seem to find one that works for the Mac beside the iPod. While the iPod is nice, I'd like to try something new. Any suggestions?
by vongruetz - 6/14/07 11:27 AM
MP3 Audio Balance Issue
Hi - I am partially deaf in my left ear to the point wihere I cannot hear anything with a headset. Is there a way to join the left with the right on a headset so I can hear everything instead of only parts of a song? Or is there a MP3 Player out there that the user has audio balance control so it can be adjusted to monoural.

Thanks!
by micmax86 - 6/14/07 11:21 AM
MOST COMFORTABLE EARBUDS?
Hi audiodonald,

I live next to some noisy neighbors. In order to decrease the distractions caused by my neighbors, I play white, pink, and red noise on my iPod. This works great except my earbuds fit so tight that they make my ears soar. Do you know who makes the most comfortable earbuds?
by soothingeffect - 6/14/07 11:20 AM
2nd gen vision:m?
I own a Creative Zen Vision:m, and i love it. But i've been wanting a new player for a while, i hate the iPod however, and i can't even try a Zune in Denmark (where i live, besides i think i'd hate that too).

Do you know of any plans of a second generation Vision:m, or whatever name they might chose for it.
by n-telligence.com - 6/14/07 11:13 AM
Which program is best
Which program is easy to use for transfering music to an ipod?
by LouLew - 6/14/07 11:12 AM
Mr_Format
I have a Samsung YP-MT6z player and I bought it to download spanish clases but for some reason they seem to playback in random order.
Is there something I can do to ensure that they playback in the order I want them to?
by mr_format - 6/14/07 11:12 AM
Levels of quality
Could you give a breakdown on "quality" types of MP3. (e.g. 192kbs is just below CD quality... right?)! A listing would be great.. and where does VBR fit in... and does it help?
Thanks again!
by rlessmue - 6/14/07 11:09 AM
Hi, Is there a way to transfer music to my Ipod BECIDES ITunes
Hey there! I have a 30gig Black Ipod that is currently being fixed, I would like to know Is there any way to transfer my music to my Ipod becides Itunes. Because I mainly use realplayer for managing my music collection. It has worked fairly well. I see that there is a tab on realplayer for transfering muisc to a portable device. Would this work on my Ipod or do I have to use Itunes.
by Emeraldgirl93 - 6/14/07 11:06 AM
Recommend Free Programs
o.k., my sister is coming to visit and I am going to talk to her about how to make MP3's.
She wants to use "free" software, but the software I use is all purchased... and she is on a budget.
What would programs would you suggest for:
Ripping.... (Audio Grabber comes to mind)
MP3 encoding .... (Lame is free)
Taging Files ..... (eags on! is free)
MP3 player .... (Something that would display album art would be great)
MP3 Editor..... (?)
MP3 converter to Wave ... (if needed for Editor).
Thanks!
by rlessmue - 6/14/07 11:06 AM
ipod recording
what is the best ipod accessory for recording audio?
by bored1040 - 6/14/07 11:06 AM
Best retractable cord earbuds for mp3?
My wife wants good quality mp3 earbuds with retracrable cord. Can you recommend?
by dratner - 6/14/07 11:04 AM
Podcasts in WMP
Do you know whether there are any plans for podcasts being available in Windows Media Player? I like iTunes because the music and podcasts can be synced all at once. However, I do not own an iPod. I have a Zen Vision M.
by margotlescargot - 6/14/07 11:04 AM
iPod shuffle 1st gen broken
i accidentally tore whats inside of the iPod shuffle. i accidentally 'kicked' it to one direction (lets say the left) while it was plugged to a computer near my foot and i saw the insides. the soft brown thing (which i believe is the circuit board) tore and i was wondering if it can still be fixed.
by narutaki - 6/14/07 11:03 AM
(NT) recording audio on computer without microphone
by rampagejam - 6/14/07 11:00 AM
Donald Bell, MP3 players editor, Live!
..
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 6/21/07 4:30 AM