Solid, flexible player with some features MUSICIANS need.
Written: Oct 17 '03
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Pros: Expandable, Easy to shuttle around tracks, Transfering tunes is cake
Cons: Screen light too dark, Small text, Droppable case material, Not the quickest menu navigation
The Bottom Line: I especially recommend the Nomad IIc to musicians because of the easy in-track shuttling, and the adequate recording feature.
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| pbass's Full Review: Creative Technology Nomad IIc (128 MB) MP3 Player |
Reviewed October 14, 2003
The Nomad IIc is slightly on the large SIZE compared to other flash memory-based players now available. I chose it anyway because it had the features I needed. Fine for jacket pockets, but bulky for jeans. My next player will probably be smaller, but I don't regret buying this model at all.
Generally I like the design of this thing; most FEATURES are well-thought out. I like:
- Bass and Treble controls available in the User DSP setting.
- Multiple dedicated buttons, so most features aren't buried in menus. (Bass & Treble could be a bit handier though)
- Decent battery life, on 1 AA.
- Capacity expandability, via Smart Media.
- Recessed controls that resist accidental pushes.
- Auto shut-off after a preset time of no use.
- Very straightforward, drag-and-drop song loading -- at least on MAC OS. iTunes is so intuitive and convenient, and the drivers come with the program. You can sync with virtually every modern Mac without an installation. Plug 'n play, man.
PC USERS: Be on the lookout for iTunes Windows version, which is apparently coming soon. Hopefully it will also have the Nomad drivers.
A couple of NIGGLES though:
The DISPLAY BACKLIGHTING is inadequate for my (admitedly 40-something) eyes. My Indiglo watch looks like a halogen headlight in comparison. Combined with the LCD's tiny characters, get ready to do a lot of squinting when the room/vehicle light is bad.
I was initially disappointed in the HEADPHONE VOLUME. I listen in vehicle's, so I need enough dB's to drown out road/train noise. I found the sollution though; switch to headphones that have a different impedance. Just try various pairs you have lying around until you hit some loud ones. I found a 4-year-old pair of folding Sonys (Model MDR-A34) that make good use of the Nomad's modest output level. A loud tune at full volume verges on painful with these; so problem solved. (And don't mourn the included quieter phones -- they're crap anyway.)
Added bonus: when folded, they're the same length as the Nomad, which keeps things very pocketable.
(BTW, I keep player, phones and spare battery in a little zip-lock bag so I can stow 'em anywhere without worrying about spills or dust and crud.)
I'm a MUSICIAN, so I have mp3 needs that go a little beyond the average listener. First of all, I wanted a player that records, so when I'm learning a colleague's music I can snag his performance on the spot to take home and work on. When I bought the Nomad I expected I would be returning it after my first experiment with live RECORDING. The mic is clearly intended only for personal note-taking, and the bit rate and quality are low. But despite a rather gritty low level distortion audible throughout, I find it gets the job done. On playback I can hear both voice and guitar well enough to do my transcribing.
Other great musician's feature are the ability to loop sections of a track (A-B), and the rewind and fast-forward (shuttle around within a track): press and hold the left and right arrows. The latter is missing on early production models, but available as a downloadable firmware update.
RELIABILITY? I've heard these devices are (as a class) prone to sudden and unprovoked early demise. So I said ***k it and ponied up $30 Canadian dollars (~ US$22) to get a total of 3 years of on-the-spot-replacement warrantee. Worth it to me for a gadget that has instantly become a career necessity. I hope it dies at 2 years and 364 days.
3 days after purchase, my brother dropped the Nomad 3 feet onto a hard kitchen floor. Not a scratch. Chalk one up for high impact plastic. I wish the case had a rubbery grip though; it's a little too easy to drop.
SUPPORT: Before I bought this model I had a question that wasn't answered in the downloadable manual. After a typically convoluted web register procedure, I got timely back and forth email responses from a Creative Labs tech. Pretty good! They made a sale there.
ADVICE: Unless you're happy looping about 12 songs over and over, spend the few extra bucks and get the 128meg version. Even with 128 you'll be buying a SmartMedia card soon. (Check prices at Dealram.com) With a 128 SM you'll be good to go for a total of around 4 hours of music.
Also: Get a pair of hi-power rechargeable AAs (look for NiMH's, 1600 MaH's and up) and alternate them. Seize this fine opportunity to be kind to both your wallet and the planet!
SUMMARY: Fine performance, great features, a hair bulky, adequate voice recording, detailed but hard to read display, reliable so far = a very satisfied customer.
Peter Wilson (Montreal)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 135
Recommended for: Beginners - Easy Enough for Tech Newbies
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Epinions.com ID:
pbass
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