NEX IA w/ 1Gb IBM/Hitach Microdrive
Written: Jan 13 '04
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Pros: - Well built
- No software (using USB card reader)
- Loud volume
Cons: - FM Tuner has poor reception
- Crashes occasionally
The Bottom Line: The best MP3 player for runners in my opinion.
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| eshik's Full Review: Frontier NEX IA (1 GB) MP3 Player |
I used the Nex IIIe and was relatively happy with it, though since I use MP3 players mostly for running/working out, it was severely abused and the headphone connector had worn out. I purchased the Nex IA 6-7 months ago and am extremely pleased with it. I have trained with it and used it through an entire marathon (when it was raining), and a few other races and it has also taken severe abuse and still works perfectly. (I usually run with the Nex IA in my hand, so it receives plenty of motion stress. Enough that my Sony Earbud headphone wire broke inside after awhile.) I do not use the headphones that come with it, and used a set of high-end Sony Earbuds which make more sense if you run, as larger headphones will not stay on your head. I also use a 1Gb IBM/Hitachi drive which after taking a beating finally died and had to be replaced under warranty. I use the 1Gb since I prefer the songs to be CD quality. The drive used to skip a little bit in the IIIe, but in the IA, it seems to almost never do so. I'm not sure if they added some kind of memory buffer for the music, but it seems to handle well. The compact flash memory cards are cheaper now, so I would probably choose a 1Gb CF card instead today. A USB cable is included, but I simple use my own card reader as that is more convenient. The battery life with (2) AA 1900mAH Panasonic Lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries lasts over 4 and half hours with the 1Gb Microdrive. Joystick is reasonably placed and makes it easy to select songs or make changes with one hand. Compared to the other MP3 players which most of which barely deserve a "D", this player stands out with simply doing the job.
Hope someone from Frontier Labs will fix some of these problems in the next version of the NEX.
- FM Tuner has poor reception. Scanning for stations is cumbersome.
- Extenstion controller was difficult to use while running, but can be detached and replaced (so that's OK)
- If you load up with alot of songs, the directory search is a bit cumbersome to find the song you are looking for. (i.e., it would be easier if the entire line currently selected was LCD inversed)
- Crashes occasionally, though typically from abuse (dropping, static electricity, etc).
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 120
Recommended for: Athletes - Lightweight and Portable, Perfect for the Gym
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Epinions.com ID:
eshik
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Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 1 member
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