Hardware review: Cheapass MP3 Player

Caydr · Post by **Caydr** » 12 Aug 2006, 04:33

Depending on where you look, this thing might be branded "Hyfai", or any of half a dozen other things. It's the same product though.

Here it's labelled a "Muller": http://www.factorydirect.ca/catalog/pro ... ode=MP0256

Here it's "Hyfai": Ebay link that some smartalec moderator couldn't leave alone. Probably the one dangerously obsessed with kittens. Yeah, you.

In short, it's a typical Hong Kong/China/Taiwan/Malaysia/SomeWhereElseWhereTheresSlaveLabour deal where they manufacture for everyone and everyone puts their own label on it.

I bought one of these about 3 months ago, and it's great. Don't expect too much from it, it is not a brand name product. It has problems with some types of ID3 tags for some reason, but I got around that by redoing them all based on filename using Entagged. Works since then. Also, if you change directories sometimes that messes things up, but why would you do that anyway? Just listen to your bloody music you fruit.

You can buy these on the cheap and they work great. The voice/audio recorder is great for taking notes when you have no paper - I can't tell you how many times I've got an idea for AA and been able to just quickly say it into the mic so I know I won't forget it. VERY helpful there. You can also play back your recordings.

Several different equalizer and play modes are available. There's also like 10 different colors of backlight, a few different languages... and the menu is shockingly intuitive. SHOCKINGLY. Comes with a neat pair of headphones that you can sort of turn into a necklace with the MP3 player hanging at just the right height that you can reach down and look at its screen and read it comfortably without straining anything important.

9/10

CompWiz · Post by **CompWiz** » 12 Aug 2006, 07:14

Holy $#!7 thats expansive

Das Bruce · Post by **Das Bruce** » 12 Aug 2006, 07:47

256meg? Got any bigger ones?

Min3mat · Post by **Min3mat** » 12 Aug 2006, 10:30

i got a 512MB iBead from Korea/Japan/w/e back when that was HUGE for a MP3 player for a mere 100 quid. It lasted being washed in a washing machine 2x and a lot of physical abuse, the sound quality was excellent (obviously not with the stock headphones) and has lasted me some 2 odd years.
Unfortunately they seem to be out of business now :<

AF · Post by AF » 12 Aug 2006, 12:02

My sisters have those.....

First of all some users may have an issue with the screens. One of my sisters has crushed the plastic screen on hers several times and is on her 3rd one.

As per usual listening to the same mp3 on hers and my ipod nano, the ipod thrashes it

Min3mat · Post by **Min3mat** » 12 Aug 2006, 12:35

BS can you tell the difference when using the same headphones. unless theres different eq settings and those are easy enough to change.

AF · Post by AF » 12 Aug 2006, 12:42

Nothing beats the ipod yet in sound quality in portable MP3 players, and yes I've verified it with ipod earphones, it makes an improvement but it still isnt the same.

Kixxe · Post by **Kixxe** » 12 Aug 2006, 12:42

My Mp3 is a cheap ass 32 meg who's lost it's USB and battery hatchs.

The only good thing about it is the blue neon glow it gives. Kinda works like a flashligth. :D

Caydr · Post by **Caydr** » 12 Aug 2006, 19:32

Comes in sizes up to 1 gig.. that was just an example listing from some canadian company trying to rip you off. Damn canadians.

Neddie · Post by **Neddie** » 12 Aug 2006, 21:02

AF wrote:Nothing beats the ipod yet in sound quality in portable MP3 players, and yes I've verified it with ipod earphones, it makes an improvement but it still isnt the same.

For once, I must ask what you are smoking... the iPod is not a brillaint piece of hardware and I have noted audible lag when reading music in excess of four minutes in length.

AF · Post by AF » 12 Aug 2006, 23:17

What ipod are you using? Is it HD based? What year was it you bought it? There are numerous versions of the ipod each better than the last, and I've been able to play 10 minute tracks successively with no lag at all.

I have seen no lag whatsoever on my ipod nano.

Das Bruce · Post by **Das Bruce** » 13 Aug 2006, 03:29

Caydr wrote:Comes in sizes up to 1 gig.. that was just an example listing from some canadian company trying to rip you off. Damn canadians.

Thats still not enough.

Caydr · Post by **Caydr** » 16 Aug 2006, 19:36

Meh. I guess it depends on the size of your collection. I've ony got around 200 songs, almost every single one from a different artist. All legally obtained, I'm sure.

rattle · Post by **rattle** » 16 Aug 2006, 23:27

AF wrote:Nothing beats the ipod yet in sound quality in portable MP3 players, and yes I've verified it with ipod earphones, it makes an improvement but it still isnt the same.

The Creative Zen (mini) does and was half the cost of an iPod when I got one (mid 2005).

LathanStanley · Post by **LathanStanley** » 17 Aug 2006, 01:01

I used to have approx 5,600 mp3's..

but meh, I dumped the 17 gigs of harddrive space for yahoo music.. and its worth it...

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Hardware review: Cheapass MP3 Player

Hardware review: Cheapass MP3 Player