MP3 player is an indispensable device for those who like to listen to music without losing sound quality. Technology is progressing every year, and more and more functional digital players appear on the market. Most models can play not only music, but also videos, photographs, and even text documents. How to navigate this variety and choose the right MP3 player? Today we will tell you what to look for when buying a portable player.
Content
Drive type
First you need to determine the type of drive. There are only two of them - flash and HDD. In rare cases, you can also find CD players, but they are no longer relevant. If the priority is compact housing, it is worth giving preference to devices with flash-memory. They are light in weight and contain a small music collection. The amount of internal memory in flash-players varies from 1 to 32 GB (with the assumption that 1 GB is equal to 100 average songs). If this is not enough, you can buy a memory card and add more space.
If you have a large library with many tracks and playlists, you should pay attention to players with HDD-drives. They are much larger than flash devices, but have much more storage space for audio recordings. Average performance - from 4 to 80 GB. Such players can be used not only to play music, but also to transfer important information. It is noteworthy that devices on the hard drive consume more power. Therefore, choose players with a capacious battery.
Battery or batteries
Players can work both from the built-in accumulator, and from finger or little batteries. It’s better to buy devices with batteries, as they support many charge cycles and last longer. But if you travel a lot to places where there is no access to electricity, it is more convenient to use a battery-powered player. Batteries are sold at any store and can be easily replaced if necessary.
Format supported
The first digital players supported exclusively the MP3 format, which is why they were called MP3 players. Modern devices are more versatile, they can play many other formats, such as WMA, AAC, Ogg, FLAC, WAV, etc. The advantage is higher sound quality and smaller song sizes. For example, songs in WMA format take up less memory than in MP3 format, but the quality is on the same level.
Display
If you intend to use the player for training or jogging, the display is optional. The main condition is the availability of intuitive controls and convenient buttons. Anyway, during active exercises there is no way to look at the screen or scroll through the songs. If the player is needed for everyday life, it is better to choose a model with a display. It will display information about playback, battery charge, volume level, etc.
Additional features
In addition to the basic functions, the player may have additional features, such as voice recording, watching videos, listening to radio stations, reading text documents, etc. The more versatile and functional the player, the higher its cost. A useful feature is the built-in equalizer, with which you can adjust the sound quality as you wish.
General tips for choosing a player
There are still important nuances that are useful to learn about before buying a device. These include the player’s interface, dimensions, the presence of external speakers and control.Let's consider in more detail:
- Interface. Before buying a player, make sure that it has a standard USB connector. You will need to constantly connect the player to the computer in order to copy songs and other media files. Unfortunately, some devices come with a complex connector, which is inconvenient when connected to a PC. In addition, if the cable is lost, it will be difficult for him to find a replacement.
- Dimensions The weight and size of the device is affected by the amount of memory. Small players are suitable for training or morning jogging. They do not have a screen, and the operating time is no more than 6 hours, but they are convenient and light. Large players are best chosen for everyday use. They have capacious batteries, a bright display and a lot of internal memory.
- The presence of external speakers. External speakers are not very appreciated in audio players, as the sound in the headphones is always better and louder. Yes, and such devices will cost more.
- Control. Management can be mechanical or touch. The choice depends on personal convenience and scope of use. For sports, mechanical control is necessary so that you can easily find the buttons in your pocket and switch the song.
There are moisture or dustproof players on the market. If you do swimming or love fishing, it is worth giving preference to just such models. Children's player must be protected from dust. Design depends on the user's personal preferences. The players on the hard drive look pretty uniform - a rectangular case, a middle screen and a standard control system. But among flash-devices you can find many original models.
Top Players 2019
Finding the right device among many models can be difficult. We have put together the best MP3 players of 2019 in this rating, based on reviews and user reviews.
Sony NW-WS623
- Device type: for sports training and pool
- Mount: on the ears
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 4 GB
- Display: no
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB 2.0
- Interfaces: Bluetooth, A2DR, NFC
- Power Type: Own Li-ion Battery
- Maximum playback time: 12 hours
- Water resistant: yes, IPx65 certified
- Case materials: plastic with soft touch coating
- Light weight is not felt with prolonged wear
- High build quality
- Loud sound even in the subway
- There is a quick charge function
- Not found
Moisture-proof hybrid headphones that can be used for swimming in fresh or salt water. They have a capacious battery with quick charge function. A few minutes of power lasts for an entire hour of continuous playback. The weight of the case is only 32 grams, so the headphones are almost not felt while running. The device is perfect for swimmers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Ritmix RF-3450 16Gb
- Device type: for sports training
- Mount: on clothes
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 16 GB
- Display: yes, OLED
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB
- Power Type: own lithium polymer battery
- Maximum playback time: 10 hours
- Case materials: plastic
- Volume: 85dB
- Large amount of internal memory
- Attractive design
- Direct connection
- Inconvenient key layout
Inexpensive player for sports. It has a convenient clip for attaching to clothes. The capacious lithium-polymer battery allows you to play music for 10 hours. There is enough memory for a large audio library (16 GB).
Digma S3 4Gb
- Device type: multimedia player
- Mount: no
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 4 GB
- Display: yes, LCD
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB
- Power Type: own lithium polymer battery
- Maximum playback time: 12 hours
- Case materials: plastic
- Optional: the ability to view videos, photos, text files, built-in digital equalizer
- Convenient to listen to audio books, thanks to the memory effect
- Small body size
- Large and bright display
- Expandable memory
- Inconvenient management
Budget multimedia player with the ability to play video files, photos and text documents. It has 4 GB of internal memory expandable using an SD card. Suitable for lovers of audio books, as has a memory function.
Sony NW-WS413
- Device type: for sports
- Mount: on the ears
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 4 GB
- Display: no
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB 2.0
- Power Type: Own Li-ion Battery
- Maximum playback time: 12 hours
- Waterproof: yes
- Case materials: plastic
- Rugged, waterproof housing
- Intuitive controls
- Quick charge option
- No built-in radio
Hybrid waterproof player with the ability to flash. Withstands depths of up to 2 meters even in salt water. The player has dust protection, and also maintains operability at critical temperatures up to 45 degrees. Of the features - the "sound around" function, which allows you to make music the background for surrounding sounds.
Transcend MP330 8Gb
- Device type: for training
- Mount: no
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 8 GB
- Display: yes, OLED
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB
- Power Type: own lithium polymer battery
- Maximum playback time: 12 hours
- Case materials: plastic
- Optional: voice recorder
- Direct PC connection
- Large amount of internal memory
- Beautiful design
- Unsuccessful firmware
Stylish and functional player for any occasion. Ideally combines the functions of a music player and a portable drive. Thanks to the compact body, the player is perfect for sports and active pastime.
Digma B3 8Gb
- Device type: multimedia player
- Mount: no
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 8 GB
- Display: yes, LCD
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB
- Power Type: own lithium polymer battery
- Maximum playback time: 10 hours
- Case materials: plastic
- Optional: the ability to view videos and photos, digital equalizer
- Lightweight and compact body
- Good volume
- Charge enough for 3 days of active use
- Inconvenient random mode
- Bad headphones included
Cowon iAudio 9+ 8Gb
- Device type: multimedia player
- Mount: no
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 8 GB
- Display: yes, LCD
- Management: touch
- PC pairing: USB
- Power Type: own lithium polymer battery
- Maximum playback time: 29 hours
- Case materials: plastic
- Additionally: the ability to view videos, photos, text files, a built-in digital equalizer, alarm clock, sleep timer, the ability to flash
- Sound quality is high.
- Battery holds charge for 30 hours
- Sensitive Touch Control
- You can record broadcasts of radio stations
- Not found
Player with advanced equalizer, convenient controls and a bright screen. Considered one of the best devices in its class. Allows you to listen to audio recordings, play videos, open text documents and view photos. Suitable for people who want to have a universal gadget for different purposes.
Digma U3 4Gb
- Device type: for sports training
- Mount: no
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 4 GB
- Display: yes, LCD
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB
- Power Type: own lithium polymer battery
- Maximum playback time: 9 hours
- Case materials: plastic
- Volume: 85dB
- Optional: sleep timer, firmware upgrade
- High sound quality
- Long run time
- Wireless connection
- No clips for attaching to clothes
- Lack of progressive rewind
Ritmix RF-4550 8Gb
- Device type: multimedia player
- Mount: no
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 8 GB
- Display: yes, LCD
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB
- Power Type: own lithium polymer battery
- Maximum playback time: 12 hours
- Case materials: plastic
- Volume: 85dB
- Bright body design
- Quality display
- Fairly high volume level
- Weak battery
- No separate volume buttons
Sony NWZ-B183F
- Device type: for sports
- Mount: on clothes
- Drive Type: Flash
- The amount of internal memory: 4 GB
- Display: yes, monochrome
- Management: mechanical
- PC pairing: USB 2.0
- Radio: yes, with recording
- Power Type: own lithium polymer battery
- Maximum playback time: 20 hours
- Case materials: aluminum
- Bright blue body
- Convenient playback control
- Direct PC connection
- High sound quality
- You can easily lose the cap
Portable digital player with an original design. It has a durable metal case with a glossy finish. Supports most popular music formats. There is a radio with 30 fixed settings and the ability to record broadcasts.
To summarize
It is better to choose MP3 players based on your own preferences. For sports, compact models with fastening on clothes are perfect, and for everyday use, you should pay attention to devices with a capacious battery and a large number of functions. Players on the hard drive have more memory, they can come in handy as a separate drive.
