iAudio X5 vs iRiver H10 vs Zen Vision:M - Cant decide!

Kona*

Kona*

Kona*

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Last week my iPod nano packed up so I am in the market for a new MP3 player - I would prefer to stay away from the Apple tripe as I have had three iPods and all of them have broke and Apples support is shocking to say the least.

I have come up with a shortlist of three MP3 players:

Cowon iAudio X5
iRiver H10 20GB
Creative Zen Vision:M 30GB

Between those three I cant decide, could you give me some feedback as to what they are like?

Cheers,

Craig
 
ive had the H10, and now have the ZVM and between the two the ZVM is the better player. Its easier to use, has better file support and isnt as tempromental as the H10.
 
Not quite the same, but I have the iAudio M3 40gb with which I couldn't really be any happier, as I wasn't fussed about a colour screen or movie playback when I bought it. Assuming the X5 is of similar quality I can't imagine anyone being dissapointed with it.
 
iAudio has the best sound quality hands down.

My brother got a ZV yesterday. It's a really neat little device. He is an absolute spastic at computers yet even he managed to rip a DVD onto it with the help of google. From what I gather it has excellent file support. Although, having got an iPod myself, I found the navigation on it impossible. I guess it's just a question of getting used to it.

Can't comment on the iRiver H10.
 
Jihad said:
Probably getting used to it, if you can't get "with" the navigation on the iPod something's wrong :p
Click to expand...

I meant the navigation on the Zen. My bad though, I'm really tired - not thinking properly.
 
The 20gb H10 is a bit of a brick, and unless you change the firmware, you need to poke a reset button get it to be seen as a hard drive. ('Emergency Connect'/UMS trick)

H10's are nice players though, the navigation is simple and you learn all the ins and outs pretty quickly. Can put Ipods to shame on looks if that's your thing and comes with a radio too iirc. If you really aren't fussed on video it's a solid audio player. (and if you have a pin handy, good for carrying files around)

I'd probably recommend the Vision:M though. The navigation is a bit tricky, but it plays video well and is smaller than a 20gb H10. They are about £60 more however.

I have friends with both (and a 5gb H10 myself) so i've only limited experience with them.
 
WolfR1der said:
The 20gb H10 is a bit of a brick, and unless you change the firmware, you need to poke a reset button get it to be seen as a hard drive. ('Emergency Connect'/UMS trick)

H10's are nice players though, the navigation is simple and you learn all the ins and outs pretty quickly. Can put Ipods to shame on looks if that's your thing and comes with a radio too iirc. If you really aren't fussed on video it's a solid audio player. (and if you have a pin handy, good for carrying files around)

I'd probably recommend the Vision:M though. The navigation is a bit tricky, but it plays video well and is smaller than a 20gb H10. They are about £60 more however.

I have friends with both (and a 5gb H10 myself) so i've only limited experience with them.
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With limited experience of the other players you mention myself only having the I20 20G for a few years now (bought when it first came on the market) I have to agree with most of the comments above. whilst its is easy to navigate and can play a host of formats it is now somewhat outdated as far as style goes. but still performs admirably if you are looking for a funky capable peice of equipment that can handle almost everything you throw at it then this is not one to look at. its more of the dependable old warhorse
 
style? pft. i couldnt care less, my h10 spends most of its time in my pocket. it still sounds amazing with the rockbox firmware and plays virtually every audio format out there.
 
H10 is poor as iRivers go - the soundquality is subpar and missing so many functions that had made iRiver in the past.

The iAudio does have slightly beter sound, but its a bit old now - but priced more expensive than the much higher specked Zen Vision:M.

If you wanna play a few films from time to time deffo go for the ZEN.
 
sound quality is a different ballgame with the rockbox firmware, that's why i specifically mentioned it. it's better than a vision m but that's the problem - there arent any reasonably price new video DAP's that match the sound quality. if iaudio pulled their finger out and released a new video DAP id probably snap it up.
 
i recently bought a iriver u10 2gb, now i know this is far from the 20gb u require but the u10 is just an amazing peice of kit, its so small, light weight, easy to use, stores enough data for loads of music and a good few films, and has tip top sound quality, also has a good picture quality screen. it plays mostly all music formats even ogg and video formats are taken care of with the format changing program which can be downloaded from iriver website, this will convert all most any format into the required format for the u10. :D
 
Lot of old players been mentioned - Really think now days its between 5th gen iPod and Vision:M for Hard disk players. iRiver Clix, Nano, Samsung YP-Z5 and sony walkman's for flash mp3 players.
 
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