Best CD/MP3 Player I've tried!
Written: May 11 '03
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Pros: Remote very useful and LCD is backlit.
Remote has many options.
Slim unit.
Rechargeable batteries.
Cons: Headphones inlcuded are not very good.
Sound quality could be better.
The Bottom Line: A great buy; I'd definately recommend this to anyone. The only thing I'd give higher marks is the next model up, the imp 400.
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| korree's Full Review: iRiver iMP-350 SlimX Personal CD Player |
One day I was looking through my collection of mp3s and I thought, wow I really need a mp3 player of some sort. I have always liked the MP3/CD player concept, so I looked into those. At one point, I stumbled across the CD player I am going to review here. This player was the iRiver SlimX 350. I read many reviews and many found it to be the best one on the market, so I had to try it. Within the next few days, I purchased it.
As soon as I opened the package I was extremely impressed. When you first see this player, you will automatically notice how slim it is, hence the product call name "SlimX". According to iRiver (I have not measured myself) the profile of the player is 16.7mm. I must say, that's pretty skinny. After noticing that, my attention turned to the remote. It's small, but it is very easy to use and has some wonderful features. If you are playing a mp3 disc, this is where the ID3 tag will be displayed. It not only does this, it displays the what type of file, the KHz and the Kbps and has a visual equalizer (there are 3 to choose from). Also, it basically has its own little OS to navigate the player. It even has the cellphone-favorite game snake on the 4 line LCD. It's pretty cool. Another feature I really like about the remote is that it is back-lit. The back light is blue indiglo, so that makes it even better. Overall, this feature is very usful for me.
Also in the package came ear bud headphones, an AC adapter, two slim Ni-Mh batteries, which look like two sticks of gum and an external battery pack for AA batteries. Let's take a look into all of those.
First, the headphones are quite generic and don't have very good sound, but they will give you a good start if you don't have any. The AC adapter is, well, an AC adapter. There's nothing special about it. The rechargeable batteries are a very nice feature of this product. They last a while and are slim, complimenting the unit. They recharge simply by plugging in the AC adapter and selecting to recharge when the unit turns off. With this, it can also decharge the battery and recharge, giving it a fresh start. Doing this every month or so will lengthen the life of the batteries. As I said before, they look like sticks of gum and are about the same size. Lastly, the battery pack is very clunky and I don't know why anyone would want to use it, other than an emergency.
Overall, I am very pleased with this player. So far it has served me quite well. I think this is the best MP3/CD player out on the market for a reasonable price right now. It used to cost $149.99, but now it costs less, around $120 retail, and the street price is even less. If you're really looking for a CD player that plays MP3s, I highly suggest this unit or any other iRiver MP3/CD player. It even has a FM radio tuner, which does not work all that well, but it has come in handy for me. This player is also firmware upgradable, so it will/can support future formats with updates. They are developing new models that should be released soon, so look out for them.
[Pros]
· Remote very useful and LCD is backlit.
· Remote has many options.
· Slim unit.
· Rechargeable batteries.
· Upgradable firmware.
· Loads MP3s quickly.
[Cons]
· Headphones inlcuded are not very good.
· Sound quality could be better.
· FM Radio Tuner could be better as well.
Scale of 1-10.
Performance: This player really outdoes any I have ever seen, like I said, one of the only problems I have had with it is the FM radio tuner and with the sound quality at times. - 8.5
Design: One of the coolest designs I have seen for a CD player. The sleek silver look does great for it. Very sturdy too. - 9.5
Features and Use: Loaded with features. There's way too many to list. Want one? Ask me. For use, it is very easy to learn and use effectively, the remote is fairly small. - 9.5
Longevity: If you buy this, you will be able to keep it for very long without having to buy anything new. This is true because of the firmware upgrades render it future-proof, and just because of an overall great product. - 10
Overall Rating: Wonderful product. I highly suggest it. - 9.4
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 149
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Epinions.com ID:
korree
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Location: Doylestown
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Sixteen year old into everything computers.
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