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MP3 Portable Players

The requirements for MP3 portable players are different when listening to MP3 Audio Books than when listening to MP3 Music.  AudioBooksForFree.com are constantly testing new MP3 players for the suitability for use with Audio Books.  We are not overly concerned with MP3's performance of Music, or the "value for money" (there are a lot of other sites that concentrate on these aspects). Our only concern is for optimal MP3 usage with Audio Books.

Firstly, please read our General Considerations which you should apply when choosing MP3 Portable Players for Audio Books.  Then view several results of our own tests to date.

We would very much like our Visitors to test their MP3 Portable Players' suitability for listening Audio Books and email us their conclusions to ToUs@AudioBooksForFree.com. 

General Information & Considerations

Different MP3 Formats

There are several hundred possible MP3 conversion rates ranging from 8Kb/s, 800Hz, Mono to 256Kb/s, 48,000Hz, Stereo.  The higher the conversion rate, the better the sound quality, but you will need more time to download and more storage space in your MP3 Portable Player.  With Audio Books, you need to go for the lowest conversion rate that you could possible tolerate.  Our experience shows the best and most commonly used MP3 formats for Audio Books are as follows:

• 16Kb/s, 11,025Hz, Mono
• 24Kb/s, 22,050Hz, Mono
• 32Kb/s, 22,050Hz, Mono
• 48Kb/s, 44,100Hz, Mono

Lower than 16Kb/s means the sound is so distorted that it cannot be tolerated for any length of time.  Higher than 48Kb/s means that the disadvantages of having BIG files will outweigh any noticeable gains in sound quality.

16Kb/s is ideal as Audio Books 6-7 hours long could neatly fit onto the 64MB onboard memory of a typical MP3 Portable Player.  Unfortunately, there is a very big problem with the 16Kb/s format.  There are two different versions of "frames" in MP3 formats of less than 24Kb/s: version 2.0 and version 2.5.  Most MP3 encoders (programs that convert WAV files into MP3 format) use version 2.0 frames and most mp3 portable players use version 2.5.  Therefore, some MP3 portable players do not recognise those MP3 files as MP3 at all, just as data files.  The majority of portable players however, do play mp3 with version 2.5 frames, but very often, many high level additional facilities of those MP3 portable players stop functioning properly, e.g. Bookmark, Pause, Loop, FF, Rewind, Hold etc.  It is crucial that you test MP3 Portable Player behaviour on 16Kb/s before purchasing, if you intend using it for mp3 Audio Books.

Download from our site several mp3 audio book files in 16Kb/s and in 24Kb/s and take them with you to the shop when looking for an MP3 Portable Player.

Loudness

Another big problem we came across is that many MP3 portable players are not loud enough for audio books.  Players might sound loud in quiet surroundings with plug-in earphones using demo music, but on a rackety commuter train with more comfortable over-the-ears headphones,you could find totally different results.

NB:  We expressly boost the loudness of all our audio books, so with our audio books the sound level maybe OK, but with other audio books it might be too quiet. We recommend that you firstly buy good expensive and comfortable over-the-ears headphones and only then go to the shops to chose an MP3 Portable Player.  No MP3 Portable Players come with good comfortable headphones.  Warning: we came across a curious fact: some MP3 Portable Players have FM radio bundled in.  Sometimes radio reception rely on the manufacturers headphones being plugged in!  e.g. Rio 500.

MP3 Portable Player Memory

In the first instance, try to get as much memory as possible.  A minimum of 64MB of flash memory will give you just 6 hours of 16Kb/s Audio Book.  Most players have the possibility to add additional memory cards.  Buy maximum available memory cards in the first instance.

We have tested many hard disk HDD-MP3 Portable Players (10GB to 80GB), and they are very suitable for long Audio Books. 

Some mp3 manufacturers just declare that you can add additional memory card, but you cannot purchase such a card anyware.

Another thing to be aware of with some flash-card players is that very often there is no connection between built-in memory and additional memory cards - a nuisance that you have to live with.

Batteries

Best to chose mp3 flash card player with 2 batteries in order to give sufficient loudness. 

Many players have built-in batteries - this is not very good if the rechargeable batteries run out on you whilst you are in the middle of an audio book and travelling.

Cable (to Connect an MP3 Portable Player to Your PC)

Connection can be by USB, FireWire or Parallel (Printer Cable).  Make sure that you have a USB port on your PC before opting for a USB (better speed).  Some mp3 players with parallel cables allow you to plug transparently your printer at the same time as your MP3 portable player.  These cables will probably work with a simple printer, but are less likely to work with a more complex devices (i.e. printer with scanner or fax). 

Most important is the length of cable - some cables are too short to reach from the back of a PC.

Firmware

Firmware is the software inside the player microchips.  The latest MP3 portable players allow you to upgrade the Firmware from their Internet sites to the latest version.  However, there is never a guarantee that the features needed for audio books will function in a newer version of firmware. So keep the old copy.  

Automatic File Sorting

The sorting of chapter files is most critical for audio books.  Check very carefully how both Software and Firmware are sorting the files.  Do you have the ability to sort your files at all?  Does it sort them by file names (the best way), by TAG fields, or just by track number?

[Bookmark]

Some MP3s have the [BOOKMARK] facility.  Do not rely on it!  It is normally complicated to use, it doesn't work at all, or doesn't work on low MP3 conversion rates.

[Pause]

This is a much more important facility.  Often the commuter / driver needs to pause the Audio Book.  Check how long. You need the player that can hold indefinitely.  (Check separately with 16Kb/s version 2.5 MP3 files! It might work differently.).

Continuity of the Book after Interruption

It is most important for audio books that MP3's keep to the same point in the book (or at least to the same file chapter), in case of intentional or unintentional interruption, e.g.:

• You switch the MP3 player OFF / ON;
• Your MP3 player switches itself OFF / ON automatically (for whatever reason);
• You switch the MP3 player OFF and then replace batteries;
• You change batteries without switching the MP3 player OFF first;
• The MP3 player's batteries run out;

We have yet to come across any MP3 portable player that still keeps pointing to the same place in the audio book in all the above situations.  Please tell us if you have!

Mostly, you can expect that the MP3 player would keep pointing to the beginning of the current file.  It is tolerable that you have to re-listen again from the beginning of the current file, provided that the file is no longer than 15 - 20 minutes.  However, if the MP3 "forgets" the current file and after interruption, points to the first file, DO NOT BUY IT!  It is not suitable for audio books.

The good thing is that you can easily test all this in the shop, before making a purchase:

1. What happens if you switch the MP3 player OFF and ON?  Is it going to the same file or to the beginning of the first file?  (check separately with 16Kb/s version 2.5 MP3 files);
2. What happens if you change the batteries?  Is it going to the same file, or to the beginning of the first file?  (check separately with 16Kb/s version 2.5 MP3 files);
3. What happens if you change the batteries without switching the MP3 player OFF first?  Is it going to the same file or to the beginning of the first file?  (check separately with 16Kb/s version 2.5 MP3 files);

AudioBooksForFree.com's MP3 Player Tests

The following is a summary of MP3 Portable Plays we have tested.  However, be sure to test as much as possible yourself before buying.

Diamond Rio 500 (Firmware 2.12) ~ ~ ~ Suitable for Audio Books ~ ~ ~

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Samsung Yepp-E64 ~ ~ ~ Suitable for Audio Books ~ ~ ~

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Pine D'Music MP3 Player Model SM-320V ~ ~ ~ Suitable for Audio Books ~ ~ ~

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Pine D'Music MP3 FM Voice Recorder Model SM-320F ~ ~ ~ Suitable for Audio Books ~ ~ ~

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MP3 Man F20 ~ ~ ~ NOT Suitable for Audio Books ~ ~ ~

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Sony MS-Walkman MW-MS7 (Not Strictly a MP3 Player) ~ ~ ~ NOT Suitable for Audio Books ~ ~ ~

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