Style matches function in a great sounding MP3
Written: Sep 09 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful case, sleek and light, great sound, good software
Cons: Expensive, software tricky to install
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| Profilewriter's Full Review: Rio PMP-500 (64 MB) MP3 Player |
New to Napster, and still marveling at the miracle of downloading all my favorite songs to my computer, I was introduced to MP3 by my son.
He had been carrying around his slim, transparent purple Diamond Rio for weeks in a nifty black cargo net-like clip-on case. Once in a while he would hand it to me, inviting me to admire its sound.
Impressive, I thought. Great sound, and wonderful futuristic look. All of the tiny music computer's workings are clearly visible through its case. A single AA battery sits at the bottom, encircled by a thin black ribbon for easy unloading. Control buttons in clear plastic sit on the face and are easy to use. A digital read out on the top of the player announces the song that is being played.
I even liked the Rio 500's case right away. It looks like a miniature black cargo net, and has a tight black clip at the back. It adds an extra $19.95 to the cost of the MP3.
After listening to a couple of his downloaded Silvio Rodriguez songs, I handed the MP3 back.
The whole idea didn't pull me in until I began playing around with Napster. Pulling down song after song, I quickly built up a library and enjoyed listening a little in the evening. Very cool.
It was only a matter of time before I started lusting for an MP3 of my own to make some of the music portable.
I tooled around on various Internet sites looking for an MP3. The Rio 500 my son had been sporting, at about $259, was more expensive than most. Hmmmmm. I debated. I could get an MP3 for $149, and it was tempting. But I liked everything about the Rio 500, and that's the one I went for.
Beyond good looks and great sound, this MP3 is fairly easy to use. Actually, once it's set up, it's very easy to use. I did have problems connecting it through my cable hook-up, however. On try after try, I got an error message telling me to uninstall the software. Only after calling in my son, who spent hours fiddling around with settings, did the software connect through my cable Internet set-up.
Once it was set up, the Rio software made transfer of songs from the computer's hard drive to the MP3 painless. A playlist of every music download on the computer comes up in an attractive display. Check the songs to go on the MP3 and they go on fairly quickly. An indicator bar shows how much room is left. The software also displays additional music downloads by genre, and has a sizeable collection of spoken word downloads too.
Depending on file size, about 15 to 20 songs can be loaded onto the MP3 at a time. The single AA battery translates into limited play time, however, and it's a good idea to carry spares and to keep the player turned off when it's not in use.
For me, MP3 is perfect. With a sadly primitive taste in music and a tin ear, I am happy to listen to a few dozen favorite songs. Albums don't appeal much, because I often like only a few tracks. The ability to download just my favorites and then take them with me on walks is amazing. The Rio 500 makes the process easy, and it is a pleasure to use.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Profilewriter
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Location: Trenton, New Jersey
Reviews written: 495
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