Do people still use MP3 players?

[ElectroVibe]

QUESTION

What would a portable device dedicated to Internet streaming only be like? No phone. No camera. Could it be made any lighter or smaller than a standard smartphone?

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I used to buy MP3 players up until roughly 10 years ago and I loved them. But after a while they became harder to find. As in, finding them in stores.

Did a better method come along? Such as Spotify or some kind of online storage?

I still like the idea of a smaller device dedicated to music that is light and easy to carry.

To be honest, I've gone back to traditional radio. Yes, for 10 years. But if I could find a good player to hold lots of music, maybe hundreds of albums. Or perhaps a way of selecting a dozen albums at a time, and then switching them out each day. If that's easy to do.

I'd even be open to online options, none of which I have used, with the exception of youtube.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Yeah. Except my mp3 player also makes calls, sends texts, word documents, power points, plays games, controls my TV, records and produces music, and gets on talkbass.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I used to buy MP3 players up until roughly 10 years ago and I loved them. But after a while they became harder to find. As in, finding them in stores.

Did a better method come along? Such as Spotify or some kind of online storage?

I still like the idea of a smaller device dedicated to music that is light and easy to carry.

To be honest, I've gone back to traditional radio. Yes, for 10 years. But if I could find a good player to hold lots of music, maybe hundreds of albums. Or perhaps a way of selecting a dozen albums at a time, and then switching them out each day. If that's easy to do.

I'd even be open to online options, none of which I have used, with the exception of youtube.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Oh, and my phone has more storage than my computer also

 

[HassBacker]

Lol, sold my soul to Apple. iPod, iPad or iPhone into my Eden Navigator or my dual-driver earbuds. Sounds good in there. I don't know if I could actually discern a big difference between Apple's format and a lossless one, given the state of my ears now.

 

[lunarpollen]

I have a cuppla AGPTEK players. Cool thing is you use a micro-USB cord to the computer to open the player's drive and/or the microSD and just drag your files (any format - I like FLAC) into whatever folder you create, ex., the the album, artist, style ...

I would need something that can support microSD cards of at least 256GB capacity, and with firmware that can handle a library as large as I would be putting on there. Those are the main issues I have with finding something suitable... Everything I've seen can only support cards up to 128GB, with firmware that can't handle as many files as I'd need it to...

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I would need something that can support microSD cards of at least 256GB capacity, and with firmware that can handle a library as large as I would be putting on there. Those are the main issues I have with finding something suitable... Everything I've seen can only support cards up to 128GB, with firmware that can't handle as many files as I'd need it to...

My galaxy does. It takes 13 hours to load up my music everytime I get a new phone.

 

[Samatza]

I still use one for background music during breaks. I had an iRiver which I loved because it had a line in and we could record the band with it. It's got to be >15 years old, I have a newer one which is at the ready when the iRiver finally stops playing.
It was hard to find a replacement, they didn't have them in stores at the time and I happily found one while I was on holidays. For me it's the easiest way to store background music and not have to leave my phone on stage during breaks.

 

[Polkatronixx]

QUESTION

What would a portable device dedicated to Internet streaming only be like? No phone. No camera. Could it be made any lighter or smaller than a standard smartphone?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mighty-Spotify-Music-Player-Zazzy-Gully-Blue/dp/B07KJZJG7H

 

[ElectroVibe]

I was just reading about the iPod classic. They actually used a hard drive storage. And they use them until 2014. I think that's pretty interesting that they use them for so long

 

[m-j]

yup my iRiver iHP-120 and Sony PCM10 still get used and going strong!

 

[DTRN]

Clearly there's no hope for me. I still use my LP's and turntable. I still have usable cassettes for my Walkman. I wish my vehicle had a CD player. 8 tracks can just go away forever. I remember back in the mid 70's there was talk of actually storing recorded music electronically...pure sci-fi in the day.

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

I remember back in the mid 70's there was talk of actually storing recorded music electronically...pure sci-fi in the day.

I remember talking about this with my friend in the military (late '83 or early '84). No one of us have seen a CD yet, but we both read some article about them, and discussed what could be next. I've mentioned "crystal memory", something I've heard about, and my friend was very dismissive on the concept.
Around 20 years later I've put my first MMC card into my Siemens SL45i mobile phone.

 

[cdef]

... First, MP3s are garbage. They literally delete a quarter to a third if your music to compress it. I use FLAC because it is true, lossless, compression, and supports 24-bit hi rez audio.
...

You're strictly correct. However, I no longer hear any difference between a 320 kbps MP3 rip and FLAC, or the CD original. I'm admittedly no audiophile and seldom listen to music for pleasure, but mainly to learn songs, so the MP3 format does the job.

 

[vvvmmm]

For me, the 320 MP3 is pretty damn good. I can hear it in the cymbals, the reverb tails, and the depth of an acoustic kick or bass or sometimes solo acoustic guitar. And sometimes, dynamics seem ... "flattened". The difference is bigger in cans or on good monitors in a proper environment versus regular stereo speakers or earbuds on the train.

But for rock and pop, it's an acceptable medium - way better than cassettes or noisy vinyl. (Audiophile vinyl onna good system is its own thing; I've very little experience with reel to reel.)

FLAC, for me, is the same as WAV at 16/44.1

I work in 32/44.1 (32 bit float is essentially a variation of 24 bit), and that's a subtle difference when comparing the exact same file in 16/44.1; it's more important for processing purposes - some processed 32/44.1 is markedly superior to 16/44.1, particularly re reverb and sometimes compression. For me, I can hear 44.1 vs. 48 when comparing the exact same file (mostly in the highs), but the difference is negligible for my rock style.

96 is a revelation on a proper sound system, but, personally, I don't find it better/more "pleasing".

 

[socialleper]

You're strictly correct. However, I no longer hear any difference between a 320 kbps MP3 rip and FLAC, or the CD original. I'm admittedly no audiophile and seldom listen to music for pleasure, but mainly to learn songs, so the MP3 format does the job.

For a lot of people isn't isn't going to make a huge difference.
I spend an hour in my car commuting every day, go to the gym, and listen while I work some times. It is worth it for me. I want to experience music, not just have it in the background.

 

[socialleper]

Clearly there's no hope for me. I still use my LP's and turntable. I still have usable cassettes for my Walkman. I wish my vehicle had a CD player. 8 tracks can just go away forever. I remember back in the mid 70's there was talk of actually storing recorded music electronically...pure sci-fi in the day.

A lot of people have multiple ways of listening to music. Some people have vinyl for home, but since it doesn't travel for $#!+ they use digital when they are out and about.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Daily I-Pod user!

 

[FunWithBass]

Before I had a smart phone (and before I had a car with an audio input jack), I would connect audio players into various FM radio devices so I could play podcasts in my car on my commute. If your audio player was not very loud, you would hardly hear the music over the FM noise. I eventually ran across Cowon audio players that cater to audiophiles. They could play a variety of formats and were very loud (my J3 is rated at 29mW per channel stereo with a 95db signal to noise ratio). That volume allowed me to send a clean signal into what ever device I wanted down the line. I still use my J3 for practicing music (into my Vox Amplug, Rolls PM55P on my pedal board, Fender Rumble 30 amp or into my Yamaha sound sound board to my studio monitors). I also use it for listening to podcasts in the car using my audio jack.

I can't use my smart phone near my sound board/studio monitors as every time the phone sends/receives data, it causes interference that I can hear in the monitors. I also practice in areas with zero cell or WiFi signal (so streaming is out). I guess another benefit of these particular audio players is that I don't have to worry about them phoning home my data to someone else since they do not have internet access. When traveling, I find it handy to have the dedicated audio player so when I am driving all day long, I don't worry about exhausting my cell phone battery (for making phone calls or navigation).

I have found that you can reformat these audio players when they die and can get more life out of them. I will keep them going as long as I can since I find them very helpful. Also, for those who use the older iPods, you can use Spinrite on them to make them start working again. Also, there are alternate firmware out there that you can install on some of the iPods to get more features.

 

[MonetBass]

No. I was talking about the Classic line versus others like the Touch. Like it stores data differently.

Nope, like I said: storage is storage. The mechanism is just different. Magnetic media vs flash memory.

I was just reading about the iPod classic. They actually used a hard drive storage. And they use them until 2014. I think that's pretty interesting that they use them for so long

The HD in my iPod classic was failing (confirmed by running diagnostics on it). So I replaced it with a 128 GB flash card kit. It works great now!

 

[ElectroVibe]

Nope, like I said: storage is storage. The mechanism is just different. Magnetic media vs flash memory.

The HD in my iPod classic was failing (confirmed by running diagnostics on it). So I replaced it with a 128 GB flash card kit. It works great now!

I was surprised anyone would still be buying the older style in new versions, so long after flash drive technology had replaced it. 2014.?