Premium player, unfortunately, also at a premium price
Written: Apr 23 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Amazing featureset, nice grip, does what it claims to do
Cons: Expensive (all 64MB players are though), buttons could be arranged better
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| jtran's Full Review: Rio Rave MP2050 MP3 Player |
I've been dying to buy an MP3 player as soon as they were available on the market. Earlier last year, I purchased a Diamond PMP300 MP3 player, but I ended up returning it to the store due to problems with the MP3 transfer, and the fact that 32MB was only capable on holding six or so songs. I decided to wait for an inexpensive 64MB MP3 player to come out. Well, the RaveMP 2100 came along at the right price, so I decided to buy it.
Well, what can I say, I am VERY HAPPY with my RaveMP 2100 so far. However, it is worth mentioning that I got my Rave as part of a promotional offer, so my satisfaction may be a little skewed, since I didn't pay full retail for it. (The retail price I believe is over $200.)
I'll assume that you're familiar with the touted features of this RaveMP 2100 player. I won't bother rehashing the features list, you can always check it out at Sensory Science's web page for the Rave:
http://www.ravemp.com/ravehome.html
Anyways, here are my thoughts on the Rave:
-= FORM =-
When I first saw a picture of the RaveMP, I thought to myself that the shape seemed a bit "off." I had liked the Diamond's rectangular shape, and thought that looked more becoming of a music player. I felt that the Rave's curves were needless and somewhat overdone. However, now that I actually have the Rave unit in my hand, I have to say that I've grown to like the shape quite a bit. The "indent" from the curves gives you a really good grip, which is important I suppose if you decide to hold the unit while walking, etc.
The unit's weight is VERY light. If you're used to holding Walkmans (Walkmen?) or portable CD players, you will be surprised with how light the Rave unit is (specs say 2.47 ounces without battery). In a way, this is good, since if you're on a treadmill with the Rave in your gym pants pockets, you don't need it weighing down your gym pants. (By the way, the belt clip could be more sturdy and "springy" but that's really a minor minor complaint.) However, because it IS so light, there's a lingering perception in my mind that is is very breakable as well. Whether or not this is true--my RaveMP hasn't been dropped yet--I can't say, but I think a little more heft would put my mind at ease regarding its sturdiness.
The buttons are placed along the middle curve. Stylistically it looks nice, but usability-wise, it is VERY hard to differentiate between the different buttons. In other words, I can't just reach down and feel for where the "Volume Up" button is...the separations between the buttons is hardly perceptible. I wish they would separate the Track +/- and Volume +/- buttons to make it easier to use those buttons without having to glance at the unit every time.
-= FUNCTION =-
Functionwise, this thing is a BEAST--if you haven't looked over the features list yet, do so--it's very impressive. Aside from storing and playing MP3 files, the RaveMP 2100 can also serve as a voice recorder (VERY COOL) and a simple organizer which stores phone numbers and simple text memos. Also, it can act as a "mini-hard-drive" so you can store some files on the RaveMP, and transport them from computer to computer.
Suffice it to say that when it comes down to features, the Rave beats the Diamond player all the way. (I do have to say though, that the Diamond player *does* look sharp!)
One thing I really enjoyed was the fact that the track title is shown on the LCD screen (and other relevant info) is displayed right there on the LCD screen. On my older Diamond (not sure if this applies to the newer Diamond MP3 players) the tracks were only referred to by numbers. Having the titles right there on the LCD screens is soooo helpful, it's one of those things that you don't realize you need until you have it.
I'm not sure what else there is to say about functions...I mean what the RaveMP claims to do, it DOES it, and it usually does it well. The voice recording quality using that built in microphone is surprisingly good (you can choose 3 different quality settings). The MP3 output was clear and crisp, I didn't notice any distortions. I know some other users have complained about a buzz at lower volumes, but I did not experience that with my unit. So as far as living up to its touted features, I think the Rave does an impressive job of that.
The battery life is rather good...it usually lasts about a week's worth of gym workouts for me. Of course, your mileage may vary... :)
Finally, as a bonus, the Rave2100 comes with a very nice pair of in-ear headphones--claimed retail $25 value (YEAH RIGHT :)
-= SOME OTHER THINGS TO THINK ABOUT =-
Well, there's the issue of software compatibility. The software that allows you to transfer files and data to/from the RaveMP player only runs on Win95/98. This is too bad, since I use a WinNT machine at work. (Of course, my work machine has more MP3s than my home machine :) However, if you deal exclusively with Win95/98 machines, this isn't such a big deal.
Another issue that comes up is memory upgradability. Unfortunately, the RaveMP uses its own proprietary memory cards, so if you want to add another 32MB to your RaveMP, you'd have to buy from Sensory Science. Contrast this with the Diamond players, which use the industry-standard CompactFlash memory cards. CompactFlash cards are the ones used for digital cameras and other media devices, and can be bought in nearly any electronics store. So.....since the RaveMP uses its proprietary memory cards, you can't just upgrade another 32MB by buying a 32MB CompactFlash card. In a way, this is unfortunate since there are some really good deals on CompactFlash cards out there. You may want to keep this point in mind if you decide you want to buy more memory for your RaveMP later. However, I can't really see a strong case for a memory upgrade, ever. 64MB is sufficient to store an entire album's-worth of MP3 at a pretty good encoding quality. If your primary use is for the gym (that's the case with me), then 64MB is perfect.
-= OVERALL EVALUATION =-
Anyway, that's all that comes to mind about my Rave. If anything new develops, I'll try to update this review. I know there are also a lot of other really good reviews on the RaveMP (usually comparing them to Nomad and Diamond players) out there on the web...I'd definitely also take a look at those before plunking down $200+ dollars for the RaveMP.
Overall evaluation then is: very satisfied, but I would look at all other options before spending the $200+ on it.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jtran
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Member: Jim Tran
Location: Montclair, CA
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 1 member
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