# Best Cheap MP3 Player?



## Bakunin (Mar 21, 2011)

Morning All.

I'm preparing for my trip to Le Mans this June and I'll be spending a pretty large amount of time on ferries and trains and waiting in ports and stations and so on. Basically there'll be a fair amount of time when I'll be wanting music to listen and don't want to take my portable CD player and a ton of CD's when I can have a small and simple MP3 player instead.

I'll be happy to spend up to 50 quid for a decent one, as long as it runs on regular shop-bought batteries and maybe has an FM radio tuner as I'm hoping to use it for race commentary as well.

Suggestions?


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## stuff_it (Mar 21, 2011)

Dunno, have got a few of those little black ones from tescos, they are only about £12, but need recharging off a usb source, so you would need a plug with a usb hole in it as well.

Does your phone take memory cards and have headphones? Again you'd need to charge it more, but there are often plugs on ferries, and sometimes on trains too.

Most stuff is rechargeable these days.


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## TruXta (Mar 21, 2011)

The Sansa ones are ace. This for example.

EDIT WHoaaaa, runs on batteries? Hello?


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## Lucy Fur (Mar 21, 2011)

I've had a Sony Walkman MP3 player like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-NWDB10...J4/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1300702556&sr=8-13

I've had it for about 3 years, works well, tiny, battery lasts for ages, (taken it on holiday many times without having to recharge it) it needs usb to recharge, and 1GB seems to be able to store about 15 albums.

My partners got the next model up, 2 GB and that has a radio.

Enjoy Le Mans


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## ExtraRefined (Mar 21, 2011)

TruXta said:


> The Sansa ones are ace. This for example.
> 
> EDIT WHoaaaa, runs on batteries? Hello?


 
+1 on the sansa, great interface, simple to use and transfer to, FM radio. Also not dependant on wanky software like Apple's garbage. 

Using AA batteries isn't a realistic expectation, but you can easily enough get mains / car usb chargers if 10+ hours isn't enough.


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## Crispy (Mar 21, 2011)

They're a pretty rare breed. They used to be quite common, Samsung had some and there were AA powered iRivers. I can't find any for sale right now after a pretty intensive google.


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## Badgers (Mar 21, 2011)

Currently using a Creative Zen Stone (2GB) for the commute. 
You can find them for about £25


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## aspirationjones (Mar 21, 2011)

Hello Kitty 2gb Mp3 Player
HMV






batteries? No idea


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## mincepie (Mar 21, 2011)

I bought a cheap sony one from eBay £40odd, 8gb ( a year ago)
Internal battery - claims 40hrs life.


Add one of these to charge USB
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-Battery-E...DAsAccessories_PDACharger&hash=item1c1a511910

or 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-Portable-...rElectronics_Batteries_SM&hash=item588a8168c0


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## Bakunin (Mar 22, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestions. I've now found one that looks as though it'll do most of what I want it to:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5139268.htm?_$ja=tsid:11527|cc:|prd:5139268|cat:home+entertainment+and+sat+nav+%2F+mp3+and+mp4+players+%2F#pdpProductReviews


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## gentlegreen (Mar 22, 2011)

You can buy external battery holders with a USB plug. When I was on holiday a couple of years ago with only occasional access to charging, I took my spare 12 volt  bike light battery and car USB adaptor - though that was very wasteful - less than 50 percent efficient.

I only buy Creative players. My 1GB Nano has given me solid service for years - long enough ago I paid £100 for it


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## aspirationjones (Mar 25, 2011)

Bakunin said:


> Thanks for the suggestions. I've now found one that looks as though it'll do most of what I want it to:
> 
> http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5139268.htm?_$ja=tsid:11527|cc:|prd:5139268|cat:home+entertainment+and+sat+nav+%2F+mp3+and+mp4+players+%2F#pdpProductReviews


 
yup - that looks like it'll do it - 25hrs from 1 x AAA battery is impressive - am surprised there are still battery (only) powered one still for sale


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## gentlegreen (Mar 25, 2011)

My Zen Nano might be getting half that - maybe I play it too loud ...


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## aspirationjones (Mar 25, 2011)

probably

these max battery life quotes are usually under very specific circumstances


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## gentlegreen (Mar 25, 2011)

Still amazingly cheap to run though. I couldn't ever be bothered with keeping rechargeables charged - and NiMHs probably discharge significantly over a week or two ... I've used my Nano for an hour every day for years ...  been through at least 3 pairs of headphones.


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## Voley (Mar 25, 2011)

Creative Zen's are good Bakunin. if I was going to get one I'd spend the extra and buy one of them. They don't runof AA's though so maybe not ideal for your purposes. Enjoy Le Mans, mate. Been years since I went but I used to love it when I was a kid. Have a drink for me in Les Hunidieres, won't you? Great place to watch the start there, btw. Loudest thing I've ever heard in my life.


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## gentlegreen (Mar 25, 2011)

My Zen 8GB which is currently lost somewhere in my hovel was always going flat.


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## Voley (Mar 25, 2011)

Do those English blokes still do the radio commentary? They were good value. One of them was getting audibly more pissed as the race went on. He'd go off to sleep it off and come back worse. Singing by the end of it and extolling the virtues of not bothering with a tent and just sleeping in a ditch.


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## Bakunin (Mar 25, 2011)

NVP said:


> Have a drink for me in Les Hunidieres, won't you? Great place to watch the start there, btw. Loudest thing I've ever heard in my life.


 
I shall indeed head for the fabled drinking and food emporium that is 'Les Hunaudieres' and sink a glass or two in your honour, Good Sir.



NVP said:


> Do those English blokes still do the radio commentary? They were good value. One of them was getting audibly more pissed as the race went on. He'd go off to sleep it off and come back worse. Singing by the end of it and extolling the virtues of not bothering with a tent and just sleeping in a ditch.


 
Yep, Radio Le Mans are still there and as rowdy as ever. 'Tis a most excellent way to spend a week or so, methinks, watching cars pootling about the place in an orgy of speedy self-indulgence.


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## Voley (Mar 25, 2011)

I'm trying to think when the last time I went was. It's got to be 15 years or so ago. The best one I went to was the one where Paul Newman was co-driving. Came second.

ETA: 1979 according to wiki.


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## Bakunin (Mar 26, 2011)

NVP said:


> I'm trying to think when the last time I went was. It's got to be 15 years or so ago. The best one I went to was the one where Paul Newman was co-driving. Came second.
> 
> ETA: 1979 according to wiki.


 
Yep, he shared a Porsche with Rolf von Stommolen IIRC.


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