MP3 & Digital Music Buying Guide

Don't be mystified by jargon or fooled by hype. Our comprehensive Buying Guides help you choose the right products.

What you need to know, from the kind of user you are to current technologies:

WHAT KIND OF MP3 USER AM I?

Work out what kind of MP3 player user you are and help narrow the field.

MP3 players are definitely not one-size-fits-all. They come in a range of shapes and sizes, use different types of memory, and support different formats. You should choose the player that both meets your needs and suits your personality.

As we see it, here are the main personality profiles for MP3 player users, as well as questions to help determine which camp(s) you belong to. Some people fall into more than one category, and they should possibly consider buying more than one MP3 player to address various needs. For instance, you might want an ultracompact flash player for jogging or going to the gym and a high-capacity hard-drive-based device for more general use

Commuter

You listen to your stereo at home and to your computer at work, but filling your commute with tunes requires a portable player. If you commute via bus, train or Underground, choose a player that can store enough music to get you through the day. You'll also need a pair of noise-cancelling or sound-isolating headphones to seal out as much of the din as possible. If you commute by car, look for a hard-drive-based model; size doesn't matter much in this situation, so feel free to save money by buying a heftier unit. You'll also need an adapter (either cassette or radio) and a cigarette-lighter charger. For the charger, stick with manufacturer-approved accessories as you'll avoid frying your player with the wrong voltage or polarity.

MuVo Micro N200

Creative MuVo Micro N200 (1GB)
The MuVo Micro N200's small size and use of an easily replaceable AAA battery make it the perfect on-the-go companion for commuters.

Fitness fanatic

If you spend all your free time exercising, you need an MP3 player that can keep pace. It should be compact and easy to operate with one hand. Rather than looking for one with massive storage, choose a flash-based model (with up to a 1GB of storage) that can withstand tough workouts better than hard-drive based players. You may also want an armband, an option on many ultracompact models, and a set of headphones that will stay in place rather than the cheap earbuds typically included.

Philips Nike MP3Run

Philips Nike MP3Run
If you're an MP3-loving jogger, you have to investigate the MP3Run from Philips Nike. The water-resistant and slickly designed player includes a Bluetooth speed/distance sensor that accurately tracks how far and how fast you've run. It's pricey for its 256MB capacity, but the player and the pedometer work well.

Traveller

If you spend a lot of time on the road, you need an MP3 player that will enhance your journeys with music yet doesn't add undue weight to your luggage. If you travel with the same laptop that stores your music, a compact flash based player is the one for you, whereas if you'd rather leave the laptop at home, try a high-capacity player that will hold all or most of your music. Accessories worthy of consideration include noise-cancelling or sound-isolating headphones for the plane or train.

Apple iPod 20GB

Apple iPod 20GB
The Apple iPod caters to most traveller's needs thanks to its 20GB capacity. You may want to get an add-on battery pack for long journeys.

Audiophile

Although often misused, the term audiophile refers to those users who prize sound quality above all other factors. Audiophile stereo systems often cost £5,000 or more and include pro-level components connected with gold-plated cables. Audiophiles have been reticent to adopt the MP3 format due to its sloppy compression, but if they choose high enough bit rates and look for lossless codecs in their MP3 players, their portable needs can be satisfied. It goes without saying that audiophiles would never use bundled headphones, so high-end replacement 'phones are a must.

Rio Karma (20GB)

Rio Karma (20GB)
Within this player's small, square chassis sits capabilities worthy of audiophile ears, such as a 95dB signal-to-noise ratio and an extremely high output of 60mW per channel. In addition, the Karma supports the FLAC format, which compresses music files by about 50 percent without losing a single bit of sound quality.

File hoarder

If your appetite for digital music has your computer's hard-drive(s) bursting at the seams, you are probably a file hoarder. Whilst sound quality and features are important to you, what you need is an enormous capacity: at least 40GB, but maybe even more. Today's portable music devices go up to 60GB or more, which should be enough to keep you satisfied until manufacturers can fit more memory into the 46mm (1.8-inch) drives used by high-capacity MP3 players.

Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra (60GB)

Creative Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra (60GB)
The Zen Xtra has a 60GB capacity, yet it costs less than the 40GB iPod. Those who hoard power as well as files will appreciate the Zen Xtra's rechargeable cell, which can be replaced in a matter of seconds by an average person (unlike the internal batteries that come with most other hard-drive based players).

Sound recorder

For some reason, MP3 player manufacturers have been reluctant to embrace tape and other portable-recording aficionados and rarely include a mic input. That said, a number of players on the market can record from line-level sources such as CD players or stereo outputs, so they're great for converting CDs, tapes, and vinyl records to digital formats such as MP3, WAV, or WMA. Those wishing to record live audio can do the same, although they'll need a powered microphone that can output a line-level signal.