MP3 players!

[Zusk]

I kind of miss having a standalone, purposeful music-device. I feel like just using spotify and/or youtube playlists for your music kind of removes some of the charm in feeling like you 'control' your music.

I wish Steam had a better built in music player, would make the Steam Deck better for that   

[Starstorm_X1]

I have one of those cheap stick MP3 that was popular in the mid-2000s or so. Sadly, it's only 256 MB, and the music collection I randomly found on one of my computers is MUCH bigger (doesn't help that I expanded it with even MORE music, so now it's around 35 GB!). One day, I'd love to find a much more substantial MP3 player. My holy grail is a Toshiba Gigabeat S, considering that not only was it influential to the Zune's development, it's also interesting in the software side as it uses Microsoft's Portable Media Center OS. (And you can stuff Rockbox in it too, as a bonus!) I'd also love a first-gen Zune (especially since one featured in the second Guardians of the Galaxy film) and maybe a fifth-gen iPod Classic. And maybe a Zen Portable Media Center or iRiver device? (Might be going a bit too far into that rabbit hole...)

Even though our phones can serve as MP3 players, there's something about having a standalone device dedicated to playing music. Fewer distractions is one factor I can think of. And no Internet connection needed...

[PurpleHello98]

MP3 players definitely still have a place in my heart, something about having a device soley for music is amazing to me. Personally I'm using a cheap Chinese knock off MP3 player with a 32GB SD card. Once I have some money I do wanna get a better one and maybe go down the route of modding an Ipod. Does anybody know a good way to edit the data of an MP3 so that I can change the album name or artist name?

You can do that in iTunes, I know, by right-clicking the song and clicking "get info", but I don't know about in file explorer or whatever.

[PurpleHello98]

I've been using a fifth-gen iPod nano for almost three years now. I had an 8GB one for about two years before the screen went kaput, and I replaced it with a 16GB version. It holds all my music (1800-1900 songs) though I suspect that won't be for long unless I start compressing all the songs on it! Anyways, I love how it doesn't distract me! And buying all my music on iTunes (or getting it on CD, etc., and then ripping it) gives me a feeling of ownership compared to streaming, but without the clutter. I may get a 160GB classic someday soon to hold my growing collection, but until then my nano serves my purposes very well.

[glitchlynx]

I got an ipod shuffle sometime around 2010, and it still works. I still use it from time to time - sometimes its kind of nice to not have to make a decision about what music I want to listen to, and as someone who gets eye strain and headaches easily, anything I can use without looking at a screen is nice. I kind of wish that these were still being made - the one I have only has 2GB on it, with today's technology a device like that could have so much more storage space.

That being said, I probably wouldn't recommend the 3rd gen ipod shuffle (the one I have) because the volume can only be controlled through the buttons on the headphones.

[KatKing]

Hello, i want to get a mp3 player but since i dont have much money i dont want to accidently buy something i cant use, can anyone help me? i dont know much about tech

i found this one Mp3 player
that i really like the look of, its cheap, and from a good seller it seems, but i want to make sure theres not anything im missing. Does anyone know of this device? i just want something i can plug into my computer and download mp3s onto but i found this manual and it says stuff about downloading a program. idk if thats optional. I also dont know what kinda cord it takes

i think this one is cool too i like how its round but it also might be a bit inconvenient. But again, idk what coord it takes. Circle mp3 player

does anyone have any other suggestions or know if these will be ok? my budget is around $20, i dont care about wear and tear unless its decrepid, ill just put a sticker over it, and looks wise i dont *really* care but i really like silver ones and light colors. and i like when they have interesting shapes and buttons. but not required.

was also thinking about older ipods

[Melooon]

@KatKing that first one is a Diamond Rio! It’s one of the first mp3 players ever made. Super interesting as a collectible, but not very practical - they haven’t made the memory cards it uses in 20 years and even when they did they could only hold an few albums. It also uses a very early version of USB that needs a special wire or you’ll fry its brain! (Still very cool though if you can make it work!  )

The second one does not appear to be an mp3 player. It’s a CD player than can play mp3s that have been burned to a CD (most could do this) 

Older iPods Classic/Video models are definitely some of the most usable today; you can put flash cards in them now to replace the old hard drives so they can hold hundreds of GBs of music, and many repair shops will still offer new battery replacements for them.

You can also look up old reviews; Sony, Creative Zen, Zune, SanDisk all made good mp3 players in the mid 00s - but getting ones where the battery is still replaceable can be hard  (batteries from 2006 will not be working anymore) if your lucky you might find one that takes regular AA batteries and that would be your best bet!

I don’t love the design personally, but this would be a reasonable one in your budget! SanDisk Sansa 2GB

Finally an alternative is to look at modern hi-res music players like FiiOs or modern Sony Walkmans - they will play mp3s too as well as flac etc n stuff (but they are getting outside your budget)

[KatKing]

@KatKing that first one is a Diamond Rio! It’s one of the first mp3 players ever made. Super interesting as a collectible, but not very practical - they haven’t made the memory cards it uses in 20 years and even when they did they could only hold an few albums. It also uses a very early version of USB that needs a special wire or you’ll fry its brain! (Still very cool though if you can make it work!  )

The second one does not appear to be an mp3 player. It’s a CD player than can play mp3s that have been burned to a CD (most could do this) 

Older iPods Classic/Video models are definitely some of the most usable today; you can put flash cards in them now to replace the old hard drives so they can hold hundreds of GBs of music, and many repair shops will still offer new battery replacements for them.

You can also look up old reviews; Sony, Creative Zen, Zune, SanDisk all made good mp3 players in the mid 00s - but getting ones where the battery is still replaceable can be hard  (batteries from 2006 will not be working anymore) if your lucky you might find one that takes regular AA batteries and that would be your best bet!

I don’t love the design personally, but this would be a reasonable one in your budget! SanDisk Sansa 2GB

Finally an alternative is to look at modern hi-res music players like FiiOs or modern Sony Walkmans - they will play mp3s too as well as flac etc n stuff (but they are getting outside your budget)

thanks so much! that sucks about the first one, i think it looks really cool. its interesting how its one of the first mps players though! but im not tech savy enough to get it working

as for the second, i guess that explains the circle shape lol. i actually dont mind the idea of using cds, my mom used to burn CDs all the time for us. but i just realized my laptop doesnt have a cd slot i unlocked a memory of listening to audio books on a simular device as a kid though

i think i will look more at ipods, i am not sure what you mean about the battery replacement though, like the internal battery? cus i thought they were chargable but maybe not. is that just for if the battery breaks?

[JackFrost]

Not exactly related but i saw someone who put a Ipod nano IN A DREAMCAST VMU SO IT LOOKS LIKE ONE. The buttons dont work but its so cool! I wanna try it one day. I might save up for a different one though.
Video Link

[arsenicCatnip]

I use a regular Sony MP3 player, it's metallic blue and really awesome. I've got all my tunes on there! I'll see if I can find a picture of a similar one.

[yatagarasu]

I use an old sandisk with an oled screen from time to time. I like listening to music in bed, but I don't want to operate a phone to do so.

[Melooon]

i am not sure what you mean about the battery replacement though, like the internal battery? cus i thought they were chargable but maybe not. is that just for if the battery breaks?

Batteries do not last forever (Usually once they are 5+ years old they start to go bad; like sticks of electrical butter!) - so if you buy a device thats older than 5 years and it contains an internal battery - you will prob need to replace that battery in order for it to function like new! (Otherwise it may not charge anymore or it will run out of power after a very short amount of time)

[2010]

ive been really wanting one lately! for christmas or if i have money i'd love to get one! i had a barbie MP3 player when i was a toddler but i think that's my only instance of having a working one, i think i had another one as a kid that was my older sister's but it didn't have a charger so i kinda just used it as like a really large phone to play with my MLP toys

[yungwake0]

My family and I went through quite a few of these digital Sony Walkmans



It seems you can still buy them on Amazon

[arsenicCatnip]

My family and I went through quite a few of these digital Sony Walkmans



It seems you can still buy them on Amazon

I have this one in blue! It's really good :P it's even got radio.