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MP3 player: buyer's guide

In case the name doesn't mean anything to you, an MP3 player is a compact electronic device that cannot make calls, send SMS, and in most cases, also open Internet sites or play games. Its main and often only task is to play music from the internal flash memory in MP3 format (still the most popular in the world) or in other audio formats:

1. Firstly, cheap MP3 players sound better than cheap smartphones, and expensive ones sound better than expensive ones, while costing much less. In the language of analogies, a smartphone is a Swiss army knife that can do everything, but does everything equally poorly, and a player is a corkscrew that has only one function, but performs it perfectly.
2. Secondly, most players have convenient physical buttons for controlling playback and volume. Pressing on them, receiving a tactile response, is much more comfortable and pleasant than sliding your finger across the phone screen. Especially when it’s frosty outside, and you don’t want to take off your gloves at all.
3. Thirdly, players are much lighter and more compact than smartphones. The modern fashion for huge touch screens has turned smartphones into heavy, bulky shovels that are little more convenient to carry in most pockets or handbags than real shovels. And it would be nice to just wear it! What if you want to go for a run with music? The player will fit into the narrowest pocket, but with a smartphone you will have to dance.
4. Fourthly, the player saves smartphone memory and can also be used as a portable flash drive.
5. Fifthly, the battery charge of an MP3 player usually lasts for a very long time, which cannot be said about smartphones. And the player helps save precious phone charge.
6. Fifthly, you can take the player with you to places where you cannot take a smartphone with a camera, for example, to sensitive sites.
7. Finally, sixthly, players sometimes can do things that smartphones can’t even dream of. One Espada Cassette Capture EZCAP from our selection is worth it!

There are several important points here.

Memory size. If you are buying a player specifically for MP3 music, then a model with 4 GB of built-in memory will be enough for you: this will fit several hundred songs (depending on their quality and duration) and an entire library of audiobooks. When choosing a device capable of playing lossless formats, look for more memory, preferably 10 times, and even with the possibility of expansion using SD cards. One way or another, there will be no excess memory. Practice shows that the most convenient flash drive is a player that you always have with you.

Supported audio formats. Actually, most people buy MP3 players for music in MP3 format. For the most part, these devices also support less common formats: OGG, WAV and others. Do you need a machine that supports FLAC, AAC, ALAC and other lossless options? It’s up to you to decide. Still, 95% of people do not hear the difference between an MP3 with a decent bitrate and the same song in CD quality, and of the remaining 5%, only every tenth is ready to buy headphones that can demonstrate this difference. However, it is better to have lossless support in the player than not.

Display. It should be bright and not fade in sunlight. Whether it should be sensory is a separate question. In my opinion, touch screens in audio players are pampering. A good player can live just fine without a display; the Apple iPod Shuffle and its numerous clothespin clones are an example of this. And the main thing is...

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Interface and controls. The buttons on the player should be large and comfortable so that you can press them blindly in your pocket or in the cold with gloves on. It is desirable that the system interface is also convenient and logical, but it depends on your luck. For example, my favorite Cowon players sound great, but they operate as if they were designed not in Korea, but on Mars.

Additional functions. Most modern MP3 players can not only play audio, but also view photos, show movies and listen to radio. These options have already become the default functionality. Some can do all this and much more, turning into analogues of smartphones, only without access to the GSM network.

Best MP3 Players on AliExpress

If any steps in the instructions are not clear, watch this video tutorial:

1. The category with MP3 players is located at the link below. Follow it and get to the section:

• Best MP3 Players;

2. Here you can choose a suitable MP3 player for yourself. But first, let’s take a closer look at the search results page:

• In the left menu you can sort MP3 players by criteria: color, functions, screen, style, battery life, memory size, etc.;
• In the top menu, you can specify the player manufacturer (brand) and check the boxes next to the “Orders” value to select a device by the number of purchases (the more orders, the higher the likelihood of good quality);

From the list, select a couple of mp3 players that you like the most in appearance. On the product page we perform the following actions:

3. We make sure to carefully check the seller so that the parcel arrives and is not “lost.” To quickly check, just hover your mouse over the store name (top left).

• If the seller has a high rating and positive ratings, then everything is in order;
• If there is little or no data, I recommend choosing another player;

The best players from Aliexpress 2021 up to 150 rubles

Daono Audiotape MP3

Our rating opens with a small but very interesting player from Daono. In appearance, the device is very reminiscent of a cassette, it looks really interesting. It is practically no different from competitors in this price segment; it supports only two formats (WMA, MP3) and does not have its own memory. You can install a Micro SD (TF) card with a capacity of up to 32 GB, it is not included in the package. A standard 3.5 mm jack is used to connect headphones. This model is perfect for sports; Daono Audiotape MP3 can be easily attached to clothing. Charging is carried out using a USB port, it is included in the kit. On one charge the player can work up to 10 hours.

Pros:

• Compact dimensions
• Interesting design
• Price

Minuses:

• Few formats supported
• Poor sound quality

Buy on Aliexpress for $1.88

ZUCZUG MP3 PLAYER

Let's continue to consider budget MP3 players from Aliexpress; the next model in our rating will be ZUCZUG MP3 PLAYER. It has very compact dimensions and weighs only 20 grams. Two formats are supported: MP3, WAV. It does not have its own memory and supports installing an SD/TF card from 128 MB to 8 GB. There is a convenient clothespin on its lid; you can use it to secure the player to your clothes. It has a built-in battery that is charged from a PC; one charge of the device will take about 2 hours, this will be enough for 5 hours of listening to music. Apart from the player itself, nothing else is included in the package, but what should you expect for such a reasonable price?

Pros:

• Price
• Clothes pin for attaching to clothes
• Simple controls

Minuses:

• Battery
• Supports memory cards up to 8 GB

Buy on Aliexpress for $1.33

ONLENY MP3

This player differs from previous models in that it has a small display with a diagonal of 0.8 inches, which serves to display basic information. It is made of metal, so you don't have to worry about dropping it. The model is presented in various colors, everyone will choose the option for themselves. ONLENY MP3 supports MP3 and WAV formats, it can’t do anything else. Control is carried out using mechanical buttons on the body. Like previous models, it has a clothespin for attaching to clothing. It has 1.5 GB of internal memory which can be expanded with a card up to 32 GB. One battery charge will last up to 10 hours of music listening.

Pros:

• Has built-in memory
• Has a display
• Price

Minuses:

• Little functionality

Buy on Aliexpress for $1.82

High-quality expensive MP3 players from Aliexpress 2021

Today we decided to include only one interesting model in this category.

HIDIZS AP80

Characteristics:

Memory:
Supported formats:
MP3, WAV, AIFF, ACF, ALAC, DSD.
Battery:
10-20 hours
Screen:
2.5 inches with a resolution of 480 x 360
Dimensions:
48 x 30 x 15 mm.
Housing:
plastic
Connectors:
miniJack 3.5 mm, miniUSB

A successful compact, almost frameless player with a rich display and smooth sound control. Supports many well-known formats, including FLAC without loss of quality. The device runs on its own unique Hiby 3.0 Linux Version operating system with a dedicated ESS Saber ES9218P DAC.

Pros:

• Very high quality sound.
• Bright juicy display.

Minuses:

• High price.

Which MP3 player is better to choose?

Prices for compact audio players differ tenfold. It is logical to assume that the reason for this scatter lies in the different characteristics. However, not everyone needs the best and most expensive player - for many, a simple, inexpensive device is enough. In order to make the right choice and not get confused when looking at the existing assortment, you should know what characteristics to look for when purchasing:

• drive type. There are players with flash and HDD drives. The first ones are more compact, cheaper and have a memory reserve of 1 to 32 GB. The second ones are more advanced, they have 4-80 GB of memory. But you'll have to pay more for more memory. In addition, in terms of compactness, they are inferior to players with a flash drive;
• Memory. Here you should choose based on your own needs for music storage. 100 average songs weigh about 1 GB, so even a modest 4 GB should be enough. Many models have a memory card slot, which will solve the possible future problem of storing a large music library;

• supported formats . Why did audio players come to be called MP3 players? Yes, because the first models supported exclusively this playback format. Now even the cheapest models can play music in FLAC, WMA, WAV, AAC and other formats. If the recording format is important to you, pay attention to this item in the characteristics.

Important! mp3 is a lossy compression format . The original track becomes many times lighter, but some sound nuances have to be sacrificed. For an undemanding listener, this is no big deal, but for demanding listeners, it’s better to pay attention to the possibility of playing lossless compression formats. These are ALAC, APE, FLAC and some others;

• battery type Most players are powered by their own batteries, which need to be charged from time to time. The average battery life is 15-20 hours, but there are simple compact models that last only 6-8 hours, there are also more durable players, but the larger the battery, the higher the weight. If you need music for an hour-long commute to work and back, then you won’t need an excessively capacious battery, but music lovers who spend half the day with headphones in their ears are better off looking towards more durable models. There are players that run on batteries. This is a good solution if you are often away from electricity, for example, when you go hiking. True, finding a battery-powered player today is increasingly difficult;
• display. If you need the player for jogging and hiking, then it is not necessary to have a screen - the main thing is that the buttons are located logically and pressed comfortably. The display makes it much easier to navigate through the playlist, and if you absolutely cannot do without it, then it’s better, of course, to look in the direction of such models. The simplest option is a three-line monochrome screen. A model with a color display will cost more, and the most advanced option is a player with a touch screen, although many users still find it more convenient to control tracks using buttons;

• additional functions . The player must do one thing well - play music. If you need a device that can record sound, pick up the radio, play audio books and videos, and wake you up in the morning, then you’ll have to be generous with all this stuff. Just think carefully in advance whether you really need all this;
• dimensions . The smaller the battery, the more compact the player will be, and if it also doesn’t have a screen (or it does, but it’s small, black and white), then the size of the gadget will be similar to a flash drive. If a high-capacity battery and a color screen are a priority, then the size of the player will be close to a compact smartphone;
• the presence of protection from dust and moisture is a useful feature if you go fishing, hiking, or to the bathroom with music.

This completes the course on the basics of choosing an audio player. Now it's time to move on to the fun part.

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