Great MP3 storage/player - Don't Use on the Run!!
Written: May 14 '03
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Pros: excellent MP3 playback, large storage, easy drag and drop file organizing.
Cons: Hard Drive was toast on the 3rd week of use(keep your receipt handy).
The Bottom Line: Great player if you aren't planning to be active while using it. It could be good in the car, and maybe at a desk job. Just don't jostle it!
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| slakkur's Full Review: Archos Mini JukeBox Recorder (15 GB) MP3 Player |
I received the Archos Jukebox Recorder 15 as a gift for my birthday.
What I loved about the Archos jukebox:
I'm an MP3 enthusiast, I have used the LAME encoder at -r3mix and -alt preset standard VBR settings on all my CD rips. Some hardware decoders/players have problems with VBR encoded MP3's, but the Archos jukebox worked flawlessly with all my files.
The sound output was excellent (after tossing out the cheap included headphones).
It has a separate Line out that I used with my Yamaha TSS-1B surround sound home theater system. It sounded wonderful! Rivaling my Sound Blaster Audigy's output!
The battery life is excellent, consistently lasting over 10 hours of continuous play at a moderate to high volume.
What I found disappointing:
The headphones were cheap plastic crud. I wondered why Archos even bothered. They had an inline volume wheel on the cord that never worked correctly. It would cut the sound in and out of the right and left channels when ever it moved slightly, and it became a challenge just to get sound out of both channels simultaneously. Even when i wasn't adjusting the volume! I didn't mind the cheap headphones though, because most portable music players come with substandard headphones anyway. Archos is no different than most.
Then there was the MAJOR problem. As I said I loved this thing! I brought it to work everyday. I work unloading boxes off a conveyor. I constantly walk back and forth along the conveyor all day long. I wouldn't say that the jostling is extreme, my portable CD player never skipped when I used it there. But never the less, the archos died on me less than three weeks into its life. On my third week of using the jukebox, I went to turn it on and it just kept flashing "drive - error!" at me. I went to the website. It couldn't reformat the drive per the directions on the site. It was now a $280 dollar paper weight! A sleek cool looking rather hefty paper weight that will flash "drive - error" when ever you feel like hitting the on button.
Since it was a gift, I didn't have the receipt, and frankly I'm disorganized and lack follow through, I just stuck it in the closet of my computer room for the last 4 months now. It has a three month warranty! So I guess I’ll fix it myself if I ever have a need to actually use it with out being active. I think a 90 day warranty is a little lacking, but understandable, since hard drives really where never meant to be jostled! They die fast that way.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 286
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Epinions.com ID:
slakkur
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 1 member
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