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August 30, 2023 8:05 pm  #1


MP3 player recommendations

This topic is peripherally related to the theme of this board, so please indulge me.

I'm looking for recommendations for MP3 players, with the following features (if possible):
* FM tuner
* playlist - ability to import these from Windows Media Player or similar application would be nice (creating a playlist on the player itself is very tedious)
* bluetooth would be nice (for connection to ear buds or car stereo)
* long battery life - "long" is, I realize, vague. A battery that doesn't suffer severe drop-off in life after a year's use would be nice (my recent Sandisk and Sony players have suffered from this)

Thanks,
Ron

 

August 30, 2023 8:08 pm  #2


Re: MP3 player recommendations

They are no longer sold by Apple, but the iPod Nano was the superior MP3 player that checks all those boxes. It might be the best FM tuner I own, the battery life 10 years on is still great, and the Bluetooth works well.

You can find "new" unopened ones on Ebay.
 

Last edited by RadioAaron (August 30, 2023 8:13 pm)

 

August 30, 2023 9:58 pm  #3


Re: MP3 player recommendations

Found this at a Surplus Store. FM radio + MP3 player. I won't be adding the radio to my DXing arsenal but it's decent for local reception. Can be tuned by scanning or by direct frequency entry using the key pad.
 
Can play MP3 files from a micro SD card or from a thumb drive, With an SD card in the unit you can download the files directly. Or you can plug a thumb drive into the device and it will read the files and play them.
 
Has a rechargeable lithium battery
 
$14.95
 
 


After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
 

August 31, 2023 11:12 am  #4


Re: MP3 player recommendations

RadioAaron wrote:

They are no longer sold by Apple, but the iPod Nano was the superior MP3 player that checks all those boxes. It might be the best FM tuner I own, the battery life 10 years on is still great, and the Bluetooth works well.

You can find "new" unopened ones on Ebay.
 

Whoa I didnt know it even had bluetooth!  And the radio I assume picks up over the air signals with a headphones connected?

 

August 31, 2023 11:18 am  #5


Re: MP3 player recommendations

I use my Android phone connected to my car radio via Bluetooth to play MP3s or Stingray Music. It also has an FM radio, but you need to plug in a headset for the antenna.

 

August 31, 2023 11:21 am  #6


Re: MP3 player recommendations

markow202 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

They are no longer sold by Apple, but the iPod Nano was the superior MP3 player that checks all those boxes. It might be the best FM tuner I own, the battery life 10 years on is still great, and the Bluetooth works well.

You can find "new" unopened ones on Ebay.
 

Whoa I didnt know it even had bluetooth!  And the radio I assume picks up over the air signals with a headphones connected?

Correct.

You can, however, only use the Bluetooth for the MP3 functionality - not the radio.
 

 

August 31, 2023 11:32 am  #7


Re: MP3 player recommendations

I bought a Sony MP3 player about 10 years ago (that interestingly, the company was still branding as a "Walkman") that had an FM radio, but no AM. 

Kind of a precursor of things to come, with no AM radio in cars in the not too distant future.


PJ


ClassicHitsOnline.com...The place where all the cool tunes hang out!
 

August 31, 2023 4:08 pm  #8


Re: MP3 player recommendations

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I'm actually replacing a many years-old iPod Nano whose battery has diminshed capacity.

I still use it to stream via Bluetooth to the car stereo, with it plugged into the power port.

@The Weed mentioned their Android phone has FM radio - I was under the impression that all Canadian cell providers have the FM function disabled.

     Thread Starter
 

August 31, 2023 4:20 pm  #9


Re: MP3 player recommendations

 Two things that don't belong on pizza. Pineapple and rhubarb.


After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
 

August 31, 2023 4:39 pm  #10


Re: MP3 player recommendations

RonaldS wrote:

@The Weed mentioned their Android phone has FM radio - I was under the impression that all Canadian cell providers have the FM function disabled.

One easy way to find out is to install the free NextRadio app, from Google Play. Once installed, as soon as you open it, it will tell you if the FM chip is non-functioning on your Android phone.

 

August 31, 2023 5:34 pm  #11


Re: MP3 player recommendations

I’ve had a couple Android phones with FM, and they were pretty good.

Early iPhones has FM chips, but it wasn’t the providers that disabled them. Apple decided the user experience wasn’t what they wanted and never activated them.

 

August 31, 2023 7:51 pm  #12


Re: MP3 player recommendations

RonaldS wrote:

I'm actually replacing a many years-old iPod Nano whose battery has diminshed capacity.

Anything but a direct replacement will be a disappointment. Apple nailed it with that one.

 

August 31, 2023 8:26 pm  #13


Re: MP3 player recommendations

RadioAaron wrote:

RonaldS wrote:

I'm actually replacing a many years-old iPod Nano whose battery has diminshed capacity.

Anything but a direct replacement will be a disappointment. Apple nailed it with that one.

Agree completely with the iPod Nano opinions here. One of Apple's greatest products. The one I have is 10 years old and still running strong. In fact, my son now uses it every night to listen to a favourite podcast. Perfect size, battery life, and sleek design.

 

August 31, 2023 11:39 pm  #14


Re: MP3 player recommendations

Paul Jeffries wrote:

I bought a Sony MP3 player about 10 years ago (that interestingly, the company was still branding as a "Walkman") that had an FM radio, but no AM. 

Kind of a precursor of things to come, with no AM radio in cars in the not too distant future.


PJ

It’s because an AM antenna needs to be bigger than an mp3 player to be effective.