Looking for new portable music player...or help revive an iRiver H320

[Andy 0]

Now before I even begin, I have to admit that I'm angry (and even sorry) at myself for what I have done. It was downright stupid and careless but it goes to show how easy it is to ruin the things you love the most. Now with that out of the way, here it goes:

 

It's been a roller coaster ride trying to get my portable music setup running again. First, my Xtra X-1 amp battery ceases to work. It is revived with the help of a very kind member here who sent the battery all the way from Singapore to Australia so I could have a working amp...not to mention the very reasonable price I paid for a new batt.

 

Then I searched for a pair of full-sized headphones and bought a Beyer DT860 off Ebay. The first example arrives DOA with no sound from the right side. Sent it back and it took almost 3 weeks for everything to be resolved. The new pair arrived last week, and with a working DT860, X-1 amp and iRiver H320, I was in musical bliss. It was perfect. TOO PERFECT.

 

When I arrived home today I needed to charge up my iRiver, so I hooked it up to an adapter to charge. Now here's where the stupidity begins. The plug for the X-1 amp was all too similar to the plug for the iRiver charger. The sizes were identical. So with both chargers on the ground near the socket, I plugged one of them into the iRiver thinking that it was the correct charger.

 

Needless to say, it took just two seconds for me to realize it was the wrong one. I switched over to the correct charger and monitored charging. The iRiver started to feel warm after just a short time of charging, so I disconnected it completely. The most alarming thing is that the player will not turn on at all. When hooked onto the CORRECT charger the screen does come on but it glows awkwardly.

 

iRiver charger output: 5V, 2A

X-1 amp charger output: 15V, 500mA

 

Obviously, I fried the MP3 player. It doesn't take an electrician to figure that out. Question is, can anyone now suggest how it can be repaired, or if it's even worth the cost? Thankfully I have a full backup of all my music elsewhere, but I've lost the MP3 player I've used for over 3 years and have come to love dearly.

 

Yes, I'm an idiot...but now that I've decided to not cry over spilt milk, I shall start the hunt for a new player, if my iRiver has been fried beyond economical repair.

 

I have very few requirements for my next player but they are quite specific. Size is not an issue for me, considering that the H320 itself has been quite sizeable. I'd prefer a flash-based player, since it appears that all hard disks have a limited lifespan and I don't want to be stuck having to change one. Also, I'd prefer the player to use standard AA or AAA batteries rather than an internal rechargeable battery.

 

After the last couple of incidents with both my X-1 amp and iRiver, I think this has become pretty clear to me. Most important is that the player must have the best possible sound. But as long as it can play a wide variety of file formats, I have no need for nifty features to display pictures, play movies, fancy screens etc. Like the H320, it should mount easily onto either PC or Mac computers and be instantly recognizable as a removeable disk without needing additional software. It should be able to read standard playlist files (if applicable) that can be created with Winamp and the like. It should have a line-out jack because I want to use it with an amp and bypass the onboard equalizer.

 

In an earlier thread I saw some people recommend the Cowon D2. How much does this cost in Singapore? I may opt to buy off Ebay instead, however. What other players should I consider? I'm hoping to buy a good one, and fingers crossed, keep the same one for the next decade or so.

 

I would have done that for my H320, if it didn't meet an untimely death. All suggestions welcome.

Edited August 18, 2008 by Andy

[sghound 0]

u won't find better than D2.

 

http://www.boonco.com/product_info.php?products_id=380

[Andy 0]

u won't find better than D2.

 

http://www.boonco.com/product_info.php?products_id=380

 

Thanks for the link. Wow, $400...it's time to get broke again! I'm actually considering to buy just a 4GB version and then to add large capacity cards as they get cheaper. Would this make more sense if I do not need massive storage immediately?

 

I'm still in complete disbelief as to how royally sc**wed things can become in just a few seconds.

[sghound 0]

Thanks for the link. Wow, $400...it's time to get broke again! I'm actually considering to buy just a 4GB version and then to add large capacity cards as they get cheaper. Would this make more sense if I do not need massive storage immediately?

 

I'm still in complete disbelief as to how royally sc**wed things can become in just a few seconds.

 

calculate the price per gb and u'll find the 16gb one being the best deal.

[Andy 0]

calculate the price per gb and u'll find the 16gb one being the best deal.

 

Yes, that's what I've always done when looking at external HDD. The SD cards are always getting cheaper however, so I'll need to look out for that. Cowon makes the iAudio 7 as well. What's your opinion on this?

[evilmerlin 0]

The other thing is that Boonco charges quite a high price. You can find it cheaper in the shops or online. I take it you are in Australia? If so, you might be able to get it cheaper from Amazon.

[Andy 0]

The other thing is that Boonco charges quite a high price. You can find it cheaper in the shops or online. I take it you are in Australia? If so, you might be able to get it cheaper from Amazon.

 

Ah yes, I noticed that. Factor in the 7% GST and it looks like it's going to cost me a heap. Naturally I want 'cheap and good' but these terms are usually mutually exclusive in today's world. I've flushed thousands of dollars down this technological toilet bowl to date. In most cases they were things that broke down on their own, but this one...

 

*sigh*

 

Yes, I'm in Australia. Buying off Amazon makes good sense as their prices seem okay. But the main beef I have is that they pretty much take credit cards only. I doubt if they take Paypal, and even if they did, whether they would accept it from an Aussie bloke. Ebay was the other thing I was looking at, and here the prices vary wildly. Some are inexpensive and others are a ripoff.

 

How else can I buy from Amazon if I don't have a credit card?

[sghound 0]

Yes, that's what I've always done when looking at external HDD. The SD cards are always getting cheaper however, so I'll need to look out for that. Cowon makes the iAudio 7 as well. What's your opinion on this?

 

 

i7 sounds great as well but mem is limited and not expandable.

 

a Transcend 16gb Class 6 speed card with free card reader is only $115 at memory world sim lim.

 

yeah u can also buy the 16gb d2 at amazon for dirt cheap if u gotta card, that's what i did. but getting from boon gives a sense of security coz of the warranty. but since u're down under, just grab from amazon, they'll deliver.

[Andy 0]

i7 sounds great as well but mem is limited and not expandable.

 

a Transcend 16gb Class 6 speed card with free card reader is only $115 at memory world sim lim.

 

yeah u can also buy the 16gb d2 at amazon for dirt cheap if u gotta card, that's what i did. but getting from boon gives a sense of security coz of the warranty. but since u're down under, just grab from amazon, they'll deliver.

 

I see...now it makes sense to get a D2 instead. Looks like Amazon is out for me. There were many times I wish I had a card but most of the time I don't even need it, and it doesn't make sense to pay all those fees. Nevertheless, I'll have a look into it.

 

When buying additional cards to expand on memory, do I need to buy a specific class of card? Will a slow card cut it?

[Andy 0]

Hmm...I don't see it being written anywhere, but can playlists be created on the D2? What sort of file format should the playlists be in? From memory the standard Winamp ones had the M3U extension. Will the D2 read these sorts of files?

[sghound 0]

When buying additional cards to expand on memory, do I need to buy a specific class of card? Will a slow card cut it?

 

 

class 6 have better transfer speeds.

 

no point getting slower cards coz they're about the same price.

 

I see...now it makes sense to get a D2 instead. Looks like Amazon is out for me. There were many times I wish I had a card but most of the time I don't even need it, and it doesn't make sense to pay all those fees. Nevertheless, I'll have a look into it.

 

what's a common visa yearly fees like down under?

[Andy 0]

 

what's a common visa yearly fees like down under?

 

Good question, for I really have no idea. At the moment I have had no need for a credit card and hence, regardless of how high or low the fees are, it's an additional expense I don't need. This is why I've held off getting one for so long. It might seem very strange however, because most sane people would get a credit card as soon as they could, even if they didn't actually have any income.

 

A credit card would put right away some of the issues I have with buying online, however Paypal has helped me a lot so far, especially buying off Ebay. Credit card is convenient, but I'm not sure if I can justify the expense.

 

There's always some talk also about cards with no fees (with drawbacks such as very high interest, or otherwise only temporarily free of fees), but nobody's been able to point me towards a good choice as of yet.

[sghound 0]

There's always some talk also about cards with no fees (with drawbacks such as very high interest, or otherwise only temporarily free of fees), but nobody's been able to point me towards a good choice as of yet.

 

get the cc, buy from amazon, payback the $ & cancel the card. problem solved.

[Andy 0]

get the cc, buy from amazon, payback the $ & cancel the card. problem solved.

 

Haha! The time it takes me to apply and then cancel the darn thing might be more trouble than it's worth. However, I've found a couple of CCs that have no annual fees and a good number of interest-free days...perfect if I were to pay the bills as soon as they're due.

 

Hey, I've been looking closer and closer at the iAudio 7 and it's looking very tempting considering the prices. I could probably get away with a 4GB (US$99) for very little money but the shipping (US$49) would kill me. In total it'd still run about S$200 for a 4GB version.

 

The 4GB D2 on the other hand runs at US$144 (and US$49 for postage) to put the total up to S$262. Is Amazon going to be cheaper? If the price is significantly less then it might make sense for me to get the CC temporarily.

[Andy 0]

Well, I'm buying from Ebay for sure. Guess what...tried adding the item to my cart and then proceeding to checkout, and it says that the item cannot be shipped to my address in Australia.

 

Oh bummer. Now it's just the choice between iAudio 7 and the D2.