Creative Nomad MuVo NX: A Wonderful MP3 Player for Most Needs
Written: Oct 14 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lightweight and tiny, great sound, lots of memory, value for the price is excellent
Cons: Mediocre battery, small enough you can forget it
The Bottom Line: A wonderful MP3 player.
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| hwz1's Full Review: Creative Labs Nomad MuVo NX 256MB MP3 Player |
I have been in the market for an MP3 player for quite awhile, but have put off the buying decision for a few reasons. Finally, I made up my mind to go ahead and make a purchase. I made my first stop right here at epinions and then took some added knowledge with me as I went to the Best Buy's and Circuit City's of the world.
I was not looking for the absolute top of the line MP3 player, but did want something that would not be completely out of date in another couple of weeks. I began and ended my search with Creative Labs.
THE SPECIFICS:
* 256 MB of flash memory holds up to 4 hours WMA or 2
hours MP3 music when recorded at 64 kbps (WMA) or 128
kbps (MP3).
* Works as a USB Flash Drive with any PC or Mac with USB
1.1 port, holds the equivalent of 176 floppies.
* Connect to any Creative Speaker system with the M-PORT
interface for instant music playback through your
speakers.
* Built-in microphone records up to 8 hours of high
quality monaural voice recording.
* Compatible with Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, and XP.
* >90dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio for better sound quality
than players many times its size.
* 5-band custom graphic equalizer, and 4 equalization
presets.
* Dimensions of 1.4" x 2.9" x 0.6" or about the size of a
pack of gum.
* Weight of 1.5oz with the battery and 1.1oz without the
battery
* AAA Alkaline battery that provides 11 hours of
continuous MP play time and 9 hours of WMA play time.
I will warn you right now that this will not be the most technically sound review. I do not know how everything works with an MP3 player and why it works that way. What I do do know is whether or not it is working as it is supposed and how it matches up to my expectations.
WHAT I LIKE:
1. The size- The MuVo NX is about the same size as a pack of gum. This is a positive because it then means you can carry it like you might a pack of gum. I carry mine in my shirt pocket and barely realize that it is there.
2. Ease of set up- The MuVo NX is very to use. To begin with, your system will automatically recognize the NX as a removable drive and does not require any additional drives in order to operate. Additionally, there are no cables involved in connecting between your computer- always a big plus in my mind.
3. The memory- Are 256 MBs enough for you? The 128 MBs are enough to hold four hours of WMA music and two hours of MP3 tunes. In addition, the USB flash drive holds the equivalent of 176 floppy discs. I would hope this is enough memory for most of your endevours.
4. The sound- What is one of the most importnat aspects of an MP3 player? The sound. The sound is crystal clear and as good as an expensive CD system for your home- at least to my amatuer ears. The MuVo NX comes with a five band equalizer and four presets that help make the sound even better.
5. The recording capabilities- Another important aspect of an MP3 player is the way it records. The MuVo NX records as clearly and as it plays and that is a must. One thing that it does that I find useful is that it records voice-up to 16 hours. While this is not the primary use of most MP3 players, it is useful for those who want to record a memo or have a spoken reminder. The bottom line is that you will be impressed with all of the recording capabilities of the MuVo NX.
6. Durability- Can you throw it against the wall? No. Run over it in a car? No. Take it deep sea diving? No. Can you do just about anything else with the MuVo NX? Yes. In researching the various MP players before purchasing, I understood that there seemed to be a question as to how well the Creative Labs products were made. There were some complaints as to the durability. I have not noticed a single problem with mine. Though small, the casing is solid and able to withstand a decent amount of abuse.
7. Navigation- Again, I heard some gripes about the navigation with previous Creative Labs Mp3 players, but yet again, I have not noticed any problems. The player now has an easy to read LCD screen that allows you to see what is playing. The menu and navigation options are performed with the ease of a button that is surprisingly not too small. Finally, you can put the MuVo NX on auto pilot and set up the play mode to work in "shuffle" or "resume" fashions, depending on your desires.
8. The price- I was surprised to learn that I could get an MP3 player of this quality for less than $200. I guess it has been that long since I have looked for one. The MuVo NX will run you around $150.00 which is not bad as far as I am concerned. I am sure that the price will come down at some point, but this is still reasonable. Your money will get you a start up CD, earphones, extra battery module, armband, AAA alkaline battery, and a quick start guide.
WHAT I DO NOT LIKE:
1. The size. The MuVo NX is so small that I sometimes forget I have it on me. While I like the small size, I do get a little unnerved that I might have lost or misplaced it from time to time.
2. The battery is not bad, but I would have expected a little better. I would have expected that this would have contained a Lithium Ion battery that would have better play times. While I will rarely, if ever, go over the nine hours of play time I am sure there are people who will end up with a dead battery. I find that the battery does not last quite as long as advertised. I typically will fall a couple of hours short of the advertised time, but again, for my needs this is no big deal.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
I am pleased with my purchase of the Creative Nomad MuVo NX. While I know there are higher end MP players out there, this is an excellent upper- middle of the road MP3 player that more than meets my needs. I use it while taking the train to and from work and during walks over the lunch hour. I do not need anything more than this to meet my needs.
I would highly recommend the MuVo NX to anyone with similar needs. If you will need more battery life, or storage, you may want to look elsewhere, but otherwise I cannot think of any reason not to look toward the MuVo NX.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
hwz1
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Location: Philadelphia, PA
Reviews written: 845
Trusted by: 924 members
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Just got a big promotion that will move my new wife and I to Atlanta.
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