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Preferred MP3 players for the gym?

Muse

Muse

Lifer
I've used this and that and lately Sandisk Sansa m250, have two of them. They have issues, for one thing there are at least 2 versions of firmware (2.x and 4.x, and they differ significantly and have different deficiencies, and you don't know which you are going to get). I don't like the armband, so I don't use it. Tuck it in a pocket, occasionally remove and hold in one hand. 2 GB, sounds good, has customizable EQ for MP3s, superior FM reception, under $35.

What are the good ones now with good bang for the buck?
 
I use an ipod. Just stick it in the waistband of my pants. I didn't reeeeeaally feel like buying a whole new mp3 player just for the gym..
 
I just get what is cheap and on sale that has enough storage. I use pocket t-shirts to work out in so I stick it in there. The reason for the cheap ones is I am hard on my MP3 players in the gym. I usually go through a MP3 player ever 8-10 months.
 
iPod Classic, 80GB.

Arm band around the forearm, run the headphone wire up my arm, into my sleeve, and then through my neck, pulling the slack down so it's hanging down against my chest/stomach, that way if I move my head it moves with me, giving me more slack, and I can have full range of motion in my arm without it pulling tight.

This works for me great and I do really hard work outs 5 days a week and run in it 6 days a week (3+ mile runs) with absolutely no problem.
 
Originally posted by: iAtticus
iPod Classic, 80GB.

Arm band around the forearm, run the headphone wire up my arm, into my sleeve, and then through my neck, pulling the slack down so it's hanging down against my chest/stomach, that way if I move my head it moves with me, giving me more slack, and I can have full range of motion in my arm without it pulling tight.

This works for me great and I do really hard work outs 5 days a week and run in it 6 days a week (3+ mile runs) with absolutely no problem.
Click to expand...

I usually work out with the iPod Nano, 4GB. Armband around the bicep. Works nicely. I strap it to my shorts if I'm working arms since it gets a little constricting.
 
2gig nano with hard case clipped to my shorts. My battery is almost dead so it's time for a new player soon.
 
8GB 3G iPod Nano. Gonna have to buy another when the 5G Nanos arrive in a few years, and I'll have to double the space as my music collection grows.
 
Originally posted by: Cstefan
2gig nano with hard case clipped to my shorts. My battery is almost dead so it's time for a new player soon.
Click to expand...

haha, i'm in the same boat.

i use a 1st gen 2gb nano in the gym. battery life is gettin' worse, so i'll probably get a new one in the near future.
 
I have heard REGULAR IPODS are NFG for the gym.
Classic I think they are called now.
They are hard drive based where as Nano's and Shuffles are just a big memory chip.


At least that is what the guy at Apple says....
 
Sandisk Sansa m250
Click to expand...
I just bought a couple from Buy.com a couple weeks ago as stocking stuffers for the wifey and I. These both have the 01.02.24 A firmware. What deficiencies does this version suffer from? Because @$24.99 shipped I like them fine, replaceable battery and microSD slot to expand storage capacity. I use Sennheiser CX300B ear buds with mine in an arm band, mostly to run. So far, it does what I need it to i.e. allow me to use it as a portable storage device, and play music and videos.
 
Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Sandisk Sansa m250
Click to expand...
I just bought a couple from Buy.com a couple weeks ago as stocking stuffers for the wifey and I. These both have the 01.02.24 A firmware. What deficiencies does this version suffer from? Because @$24.99 shipped I like them fine, replaceable battery and microSD slot to expand storage capacity. I use Sennheiser CX300B ear buds with mine in an arm band, mostly to run. So far, it does what I need it to i.e. allow me to use it as a portable storage device, and play music and videos.
Click to expand...

I only have familiarity with the 2.x and 4.x firmware. Tell me if you can if this has accelerated FF/REW. The 2.x does not but the 4.x does. I use ~3 hour MP3s and that feature is very important to me.

I use mine with Etymotics ER4S earbuds. They are pretty inefficient and I have to boost the m250 all the way and then some. By "then some" I what I mean is that I boost the EQ. I'm low in my highs, so I boost the bands from ~3000 hz and above. I have some SENNHEISER CX300B too, but the Etymotics are better -- come with replacement buds, for one thing. Very expensive, though. Had them for years and they have never failed me. Can't say that for any other portable headphones that I've used extensively.

Edit: $25 from buy.com makes me think the m250's were maybe refurbs. My first was from buy.com, a refurb, and it wasn't working properly out of the box. I wouldn't buy another sansa refurb. They are all done 3rd party... Sansa doesn't support refurbs.
 
Originally posted by: Keeper
I have heard REGULAR IPODS are NFG for the gym.
Classic I think they are called now.
They are hard drive based where as Nano's and Shuffles are just a big memory chip.


At least that is what the guy at Apple says....
Click to expand...

This is true of any hard drive based media player. Excessive motion, vibration, and shock will lead the hdd to an early death. Solid state devices are far superior to hdd based players for exercise and other high motion activities because they have no moving parts.

Now, one could make the argument that if you're just lifting weights, its not a problem because your motion is slow and controlled, but why have one player for your cardio, one for weight lifting, one for car trips, one for plane trips, etc?
 
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Originally posted by: Keeper
I have heard REGULAR IPODS are NFG for the gym.
Classic I think they are called now.
They are hard drive based where as Nano's and Shuffles are just a big memory chip.


At least that is what the guy at Apple says....
Click to expand...

This is true of any hard drive based media player. Excessive motion, vibration, and shock will lead the hdd to an early death. Solid state devices are far superior to hdd based players for exercise and other high motion activities because they have no moving parts.

Now, one could make the argument that if you're just lifting weights, its not a problem because your motion is slow and controlled, but why have one player for your cardio, one for weight lifting, one for car trips, one for plane trips, etc?
Click to expand...

I used my iRiver iHP-120 in the gym until I got my Sandisk m250. Now I just use the iRiver for playback in the house or for recording.
 
Muse,

Yep, refurbs, refurb seems to be actually stamped in the back plate :Q both units seem fine so far though. You also sound like at least a mild audiophile, I'm not, but the CX300B's still haven't impressed me much, even compared against a couple of $10 brands from Target. The bass being advertised is a 404, but they are comfortable and good at blocking outside noise imo, and after the mail-in ear bud exchange rebate the final cost was $10 so it worked out about right.

To answer your question- FF&REW are great on this one, I can get through a 4 1/2 min song in no time if I hold it down. The video FF&REW are much slower though, maybe 5 second? skips at best. But hell, for $25, I'll be stoked if they last 6+ months trouble free.
 
Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Muse,

Yep, refurbs, refurb seems to be actually stamped in the back plate :Q both units seem fine so far though. You also sound like at least a mild audiophile, I'm not, but the CX300B's still haven't impressed me much, even compared against a couple of $10 brands from Target. The bass being advertised is a 404, but they are comfortable and good at blocking outside noise imo, and after the mail-in ear bud exchange rebate the final cost was $10 so it worked out about right.

To answer your question- FF&REW are great on this one, I can get through a 4 1/2 min song in no time if I hold it down. The video FF&REW are much slower though, maybe 5 second? skips at best. But hell, for $25, I'll be stoked if they last 6+ months trouble free.
Click to expand...

Do they do accelerated FF/REW? You might have to have a long MP3 to find out. If you hold down the FF or REW button, and acceleration is in effect, after several seconds (e.g. 10+) you begin to notice acceleration. Whoever wrote the algorithm should be fired. At first there's no perceptible acceleration. When it starts being perceptible it's reasonable but it goes ballistic shortly thereafter and you can jump an hour in 3 seconds. However, that behavior (4.x firmware) is a ton better than the absent acceleration of the 2.x firmware. I have both. I'm thinking of ordering another at Amazon, where I got a 4.x the one time I tried there. Don't know if it's worth the gamble. That's why I posted here. I figure that there's a better player out there for me, I just don't know what it is. At Amazon, the m250 is $35. I think the sound is OK.

Don't understand what you mean about video FF&REW. The m250 has video? 😕

I got the same deal on those Sennheisers, $10 after rebate and sending them some portable headphones.

BTW, if you have any issues with your m250's or if you're just curious about other people's experiences there's a forum dedicated to them. They really helped me get past some show-stopping issues:

Sandisk forum for m2xx series
 
F*ck me, after donning reading glasses *damn this onset of presbyopia@42* I see the model is the e250R. As Gilda Radner's character on SNL used to say "Never mind." 😱
 
i use my cell with bluetooth headphones. I found that just having the wireless headphones worked much better than my ipod. Plus when I am at the gym during the workday I know if someone is trying to get a hold of me.
 
I just use my Zen Stone Plus (2GB) with the included case/clip. Clip it to my pocket and it works fine.

Before I got the stone, I was using my Creative MuVo V100 (1GB) and would just shove it in my pocket of my shorts or hold it in my hand while running.
 
Originally posted by: Deeko
I have a Sansa Clip. It was $30 and is perfect for the gym.
Click to expand...

My first m250 was a lemon and a Sandisk rep offered me a Clip as a replacement but I told him I wanted another m250. Reason was I like the single AAA instead of the li-ion. I can carry a spare AAA (I use NiMH), and always have an answer if the battery craps out. Problem is the m250 rarely remembers where you were in a file when that happens (and I listen to ~3 hour MP3s usually).
 
i dont listen to music when i workout. when u listen to music, it makes more of ur blood rush up to your brain when it should be rushing to ur muscles, which isnt good.
 
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