Typical price: £139
What is it: Flash-based MP3 and video player with 4GB memory and colour screen
What we think: The first model we've seen that can take on the iPod nano -- and win
iRiver Clix 2 Review
Reviewed on: 9 May 2007
A five-band custom equaliser is built into the Clix and allows for some nice tweaking of music reproduction. There are also five preset 'SRS WOW HD' equaliser presets for adding some seriously dynamic alterations to music playback. These primarily deal with producing a sound closer to that of a live performance, along with some bass and treble alterations and 3D effects.
The iRiver PC software has a fairly clean design and doesn't pose any real problems to use. Transferring our 1.5GB test library took 12 minutes, which is pretty quick. The software handles your photos, music and videos. Videos are automatically converted into a file playable by the Clix. This took half an hour to convert a 30-minute file on our office computer.
Conclusion
The second-generation Clix is nothing short of
a work of digital art. Sound quality is superb, features are rich in
number and well implemented. We especially like the trendy rings of
Saturn background option, as this adds an aesthetic touch that we've
not seen before in an MP3 player.
If long battery life is your main consideration, consider Sony's NW-A808, which boasts up to 30 hours of continual playback; or if you need line-in recording, consider Creative's Zen V Plus, which will take your analogue input and transform it into a manageable digital file.
But for a flash-based MP3 that does practically everything well, look no further than the Clix 2. It's a little pricey, at £139 from Advanced MP3 Players, but it's worth the extra. It really is a truly remarkable piece of audio gadgetry and well deserving of a score that beats the iPod nano.
Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Nick Hide
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