Mp3 Player for the Cost-Conscious
Written: Feb 18 '05 (Updated Mar 06 '06)
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Pros: Inexpensive, huge capacity, USB2.0, replaceable battery, menu available in multiple languages
Cons: Modifies file names, jog dial, not seen as mass storage device
The Bottom Line: Perfect for those on the go with a tight budget. Easy to use and beautiful to listen.
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| maidenindigo's Full Review: Creative Technology Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra (60 GB)... |
The Nomad Zen Xtra 60 GB is a stout little mp3 player. The player comes with a black hard vinyl belt clip case, ear bud headset, USB A to mini A cable, and of course the 3.6V Li-ion battery and charger. At first glance it doesn't seem as chic as its pricier competition: the aluminum cover on white plastic make it seem like the Honda of portable audio devices. I'll tell you something, though: I drive a Honda and they aren't as bad as their reputation.
===========Update===========
This update knocks down the rating by one star because even though I did not care about the size before, now I have a reason to require a smaller player. I have recently been going to the gym frequently and have tried using the Zen Xtra while on an elliptical trainer and it is simply too awkward to use while doing cardio exercises. If you're looking for an mp3 player to use while jogging or at the gym, stick to something smaller preferably with flash memory.
Another thing that brought it down is the fact that it isn't seen as a mass storage device. After taking it to several friends' houses only to remember that it needs drivers before being recognized this has grown a bit annoying.
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Sound:
The headphones that come with this unit are rather shoddy, but they're fine for commuting to work in the morning. However, I paid for the unit, not the headphones they threw in on the side. With the use of some old Sony over-the-ear headphones, and Creative's EAX equalizer the audio quality is superb. The listener can hear every nuance in every concerto, every inhale in every vocal piece, every fret in every acoustic piece.
The sound is very rich. I am not the most musically inclined person in the world, but this little device manages to digitally relay everything that music is supposed to impart upon the listener. There are several presets available in the EAX equalizer, as well as the option to use your own settings. Some of the presets sound a bit tinny with the sort of music I listen to, but the majority produces more than satisfactory results.
Ease of Use
The Zen Xtra's menu is laid out in a very straightforward manner. All of the options are clearly labeled and the submenus are logically organized. One of the few issues with this mp3 player is its navigation method. Instead of a scroll wheel or directional buttons, it uses a jog dial. At times it is not very responsive and requires the user to look down at the display to ensure that it's doing what it's supposed to do.
The bundled software, the Creative Nomad Explorer, is also simple to use. It allows the user to change the artist, album, genre ID3 tags of multiple files at once for much quicker file organization. The only problem with the software is that once it's installed, the Zen Xtra icon is always displayed in "My Computer" whether it is attached to your computer or not.
One more gripe about this device is that when you attach if to your computer, under Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Home, it is not recognized as a mass storage device. You must install the Nomad Explorer software on the computer in order to use it as an external hard drive or mp3 player.
Durability
Apparently once I have owned this thing for six months it will magically bork itself. I checked the hard drive and it's a regular Fujitsu 2.5" laptop hard drive. If anything fails or starts acting up, I guess I'll have to update this review, but for the two months I have owned my Zen Xtra everything has been running smoothly.
It seems to be quite sturdy, with the lone exception that the faceplate occasionally pops off if you rub it the wrong way (literally). It takes a lot of rough-housing to get it to pop off, so it isn't even a real issue.
I have yet to drop my Zen Xtra, so I don't know how resilient it would be if it suffered a fall.
The aluminum casing is a bit thin and seems like it would scratch easily, but I have yet to damage it in such a way. I generally leave it in the belt clip case which has a soft lining to prevent cosmetic damages.
Portability
According to my trusty ruler, the Creative Zen Xtra 60GB is about 7/8" thick, 4.5" in height, and 3" wide. It isn't as compact as some of the players out there, but it isn't exactly as bulky as ye olde Discman, either.
As stated earlier, the player comes with a belt clip carrying case that makes traveling with it more convenient. The case covers the display window, so if you need to look at the menu for whatever reason you must first unbutton the case. It's a bit inconvenient, but hardly a problem unless you have difficulty doing things with your hands while walking. If one were to use the case while driving for some reason, I guess it might be a bit more problematic then.
The device does not come with a car charger adaptor and I don't believe I saw one on Creative's site, so you would have to either stick with a third-party adaptor or look harder than I did. For long trips, however, one could simply invest in a secondary battery. The replaceable battery is one of the best features this player has to offer (aside from the 60GB of storage, that is).
As for hardware portability, I have not tried interfacing the Zen Xtra with a Mac, so I can't really say too much about that. I have installed and used the Nomad Explorer software on IBM-compatible PCs running Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Home with no problem.
Battery Life
The battery life is exceptional. I can go to class at 8:30 with a full charge and come home at 1:30 with the battery gauge still showing full power. The power cable that comes with the unit is a bit bulky, so it would be awkward to take it to class or the computer lab on campus, but with the battery life this thing has that doesn't even pose a problem.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 278.34
Recommended for: Music Lovers - High Capacity Storage for an Entire Album Collection
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Epinions.com ID:
maidenindigo
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Member: Natalie
Location: Delaware!
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 1 member
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