Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra 40 GB MP3 Player

by Creative

Product Details

Product Manual [2.24mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002AZNKA
• Item model number: 70PD055000032
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (130 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Featuring a large, hi-res, blue backlit LCD, the NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra builds on the industry-leading music features of the NOMAD Jukebox Zen product line. Simply transfer all your music into the player with Creative MediaSource or the new NOMAD Explorer using ultra fast USB2.0, press the play button and get set to enjoy high-fidelity music. With advanced features such as Quick Scroller Navigation, Find, Playlist Creation and automatic ID3 tag categorization, managing and organizing your music will be a breeze

And the NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra doubles up as an external hard drive for storing all your photos, documents and other data files. Simply open NOMAD Explorer (integrated into Microsoft Windows Explorer) and drag and drop data files into the data folder or music files into the music library.

A Stylish Digital Audio Player with Huge Storage Space Huge storage lets you bring up to 16,000 WMA songs (80 kbps) or MP3 songs (128kbps) everywhere you go (Based on less than 4 minutes per song and 60GB hard drive model) Use AudioSync to synchronize your music on your player with your PC at work, school and home or on the road Load a song a second with ultra fast USB 2.0 port. Works with USB 1.1 too Advanced Features Enhance your Digital Music Experience Create and customize playlists for any occasion anywhere Music files are automatically arranged by artist, album, genre or track Handy Find Feature locates any song, album or artist in seconds Powerful icon-driven interface with Quick Scroller Navigation Removable, high-capacity Li-ion battery -- up to 14hrs continuous playback per charge Sleep Timer and Wake to Music Feature Personalize your player with 6 different Profile settings that let you customize screen savers, skins, idle timers and more!

Customize Your Audio Playback with Innovative EAX Technologies

• Advanced EQ lets you customize your music playback with Equalizer presets or set your own using the 4-band custom equalizer
• Smart Volume Management adjusts the playback volume of all the tracks on your playlist so they will remain at the same level without you reaching for the volume control between songs!
• Time Scaling speeds up or slows down an audio track with no distortion
• Sleep Timer and Wake to Music Feature
• Environmental Effects simulate audio environments such as "Concert Hall" or "Arena"
• Spatialization Effects expand your soundstage

Product Description

Creative Labs Nomad Zen Xtra - Among the smallest MP3 players available, the Nomad Zen Xtra has huge 40 GB storage for thousands of songs. With USB 2.0-1.1 connectivity, data transfers are swift and easy. 9.5-ounces with built-in Li-ion battery Complies with SDMI Reprogrammable firmware supports MP3, WMA, uncompressed WAV plus additional future audio playback formats and software extensions Sound spatializer for enhanced playback performance Stylish anodized aluminum case Includes stereo headphone, AC adapter, carrying case Integrated, removeable rechargeable battery Up to 14 hours continuous play per charge

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

362 of 365 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is NOT the old 40Gig Nomad...., October 27, 2004

By 

Jim Krupnik "jkrupnik" (Watchung, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra 40 GB MP3 Player (Electronics)

I think that several reviewers are confusing this player with the last generation 40 Gig player. One reviewer pointed out the differences in the packaging and the protective case between the two earlier, and that reviewer was right on the money.

This model is shipped as described by the previous reviewer, and has the latest firmware installed. Mine is too new to give a long term report on, but it seems to be a top quality unit so far. The USB 2.0 port is awesome fast. I dowmloaded 1700 MP3 and WMV files to my Nomad this evening without a hitch, and each batch was completed before I could select the next batch. Very fast compared to the old USB standard.

The controls and layout are great. I don't know if there is a difference between new and old, but even the selector wheel has a good feel to it, and I have not had a misfire when selecting a menu item with it. I do agree that it would be nice to have an audio tone to go along with button movement, but it isn't a showstopper.

The included carry case is very well made. It will probably protect the unit from shock well enough to allow it to survive a fall. Some complained about the plastic structure, but it is built to be as light as is possible, while still maintaining a solid feel. I like it.

The software isn't the greatest by any stretch, but it does work, and I was able to transfer music and data without resorting to the manual. There are other packages available for Windows that do the job in a more intuitive manner for only a few bucks. There are also a number of free packages available online that allow you to use your Nomad on a linux system (for those of you who have grown tired of the Windows nightmare). Also keep in mind that the entire OS (firmware) of the Nomad is writable, and there are people working on their own enhanced versions as we speak.

One more note. The ipod has a problem with connecting with more than one computer. I suspect that is a built in hurdle to prevent people from sharing music, but it doesn't help those who use several computers during their work/play week. I was able to transfer song files between multiple computers with the Nomad without any problems. The latest version of the firmware (as shipped) also correctly displays track information for Russian tunes in cyrillic font. It's a small matter, but it can be important to those who enjoy Russian music.

To sum it up, the newest version of the 40Gig Nomad is light, has a great control layout, solid construction, and the headphone jack seems to be as good as any I have used. I think it's a great player, and for the price, it can't be beat. The earbuds that come with it seem to please many reviewers, but I think ALL earbuds are awfull. I have a collection of them now, and they are all junk. Even the ones offered by name brand audio companies. Buy a good set of Sony or other ear hugging phones for $20, and enjoy music in more quantity and quality than you have ever heard before.

Did I mention that the Nomad comes with Creative EAX as standard? Those of you who have an Audigy sound card in your computer know what I'm talking about. It can be used in selective fashion, and sounds just as good as the PC version. There is more than meets the eye with the Nomad. It might take awhile to master all of it's features, but you will be enjoying fine music from the very first battery charge (lots of classical music and EAX demos built in).

This is an amazing player. Even with a total of 2000 songs loaded, I can still rip a DVD movie to an ISO image at a friends house using a free prgram lke "DVD Shrink", download it to a data folder on my Nomad, and burn the disk on my PC when I get home. For that matter, the Nomad can hold several DVD ISO images at any one time.

Someone mentioned that they didn't like the fact that it wasn't weather proof. Neither is the ipod. Then again, with a one quart Zip Lock plastic bag, and a drop of glue, you can make both players beach proof in a few minutes. Just puncture the plastic bag enough to allow three inches of the plug end of your headphones inside. Seal the puncture with a drop of glue, put your Nomad or ipod in the bag, plug in the headphone jack, zip the bag, and let it rain all day.

A good set of light headphones only costs $20. A Zip Lock bag is about 10 cents. Use your imagination here. You can walk in the surf without placing your Nomad in danger.

Aside from the minor complaints about the software, the only other thing that bothers me is that the max volume should be higher. It's not bad, mind you, but it doesn't allow the head banging levels that other MP3 players deliver. This is a minor complaint, and can probably be fixed at the firmware level in the future. Meanwhile, I am happy to report that using a generic cassette adapter, or an "aux" input port on the latest car audio systems will geive you enough CD quality music to make a trip from one coast to the other and back withought being forced to listen to the same tune twice.

That's it for now. If my opinion changes because of problems with the Nomad, I will update this post in a heartbeat. Meanwhile, it gets 5 stars without hesitation...

Update... It has been Months since I wrote this review, and my Nomad is still a constant companion at work and play, It has been dropped, used, and abused. The early problem with the headphone socket must have been fixed, as my headphone jack has been ripped out of the Nomad countless times, and it still works as new. This update was posted on July 2 2005.

144 of 150 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars worried about the headphone jack problem?, September 24, 2004

By 

race_of_doom (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra 40 GB MP3 Player (Electronics)

According to nomadness.net, Creative Labs fixed the problem (that being, of course, the faulty headphone jack) -- shipments of new, corrected Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra players have been in stores for a little over a month now.

There are two ways to tell if you have the fixed Zen version.

#1. If the package you bought it in was heat-sealed, then you have the correct version. Heat-sealed means that it takes a lot of manpower plus knives/scissors to open up the package. The plastic is literally sealed together, not just glued together like with the old version. (You may want to pick this up at a real store instead of amazon.com, because you'll be able to see the package for yourself before buying. That is unless Amazon can confirm details about the package.)

#2. If the carry case for the Zen has a hole for the display. The older faulty version does not have this case, as you can tell from some negative reviews. So, if you put the case on the Zen and can see the display, there's a good chance you have the fixed version.

Hope this helps some of you.

56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I STAKE MY REPUTATION ON THIS PLAYER! NUMBER 1 PLAYER!, June 13, 2005

By 

L. Byer "byerfam" (Miramar, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen Xtra 40 GB MP3 Player (Electronics)

I will try to give the best explanation of why this device should be chosen over every other player out there. I am 19 years old (using my mom's Amazon S/N to write this review for you all) and in college so I need something I can commute with and listen to all my CD's. I have had an mp3 player ever since the first Nomad came out from the CreativeLabs. I use to care about the size of the unit, but after the experience I have had, I much rather sacrafice size for quality. I started with a Nomad Jukebox 3 which was not only the heaviest and largest mp3 player out there (but back then only 1 of 3 players on the market), but it was one of the BEST SOUNDING mp3 players I ever witnessed. Not only was the quality superb, but the features were so much more than others had to offer. I am teched out in my room from PDA's to mp3's so I love to search for the best and let everyone else know how good a product is. I went from the nomad jukebox 3, to the rio karma, to the ipod, then iriver H300, then iriver H320(color screen), Creative touch, and finally the Creative Zen Xtra 40gb.

I will now compare all of these and show the true differences:
Jukebox 3: Pros: 98dB noise cancelling ratio, fm radio and remote control option, 2 Line out's, Optical Line in, firewire, USB 1.1, and an assortment of features like: find a song, EAX advanced, green and blue backlight, 4 channel speaker, profile. You can have up to 2 batteries. Cons: Huge, heavy, bulky, and small battery unless u add another. Small display.
RioKarma: Pros: Smaller, very easy to use, Rio DJ, clock, scroll wheel, Left hand and Right hand inversion settings. Cons: quality is above par, but not spectacular like the jukebox 3. Other than that, very well made machine. Battery could be better and it is not replaceable.
ipod: Pros: scroll wheel (heaven), games, design. Honestly...the only two good things. Cons: Battery life is a two thumbs down, quality is not impressive, interface is whack, software is evil, scratches like no other, and other things that I will discuss a little later. No replaceable battery or firmware updates as well.
iriver H300 & H320: Both are identical except the H320 is colored screen. Pros: Gorgeous color display. That alone was super tempting. Built in voice recorder, built in FM radio, size, nice interface, very easy to transfer songs, Sound quality is ok. Cons: Sound quality-lacks bass and treble settings (even with EAX) that help produce that kick in your stereo and headphones. No replaceable battery.
Creative Zen Touch: Pros: Nice size display, great battery life *similar* features to the xtra and jukebox 3 BUT not the same, nice case. Cons: quality was not what I expected from a Creative product (just under par from the jukebox 3 but still sounded better than the iriver), the touch pad is SO SO SO annoying...trying to go down by one selection is tough, the EAX is half done....the jukebox 3 was loaded, and no replaceable battery.
***The Nomad Zen Xtra*** Pros: THE SAME AS THE JUKEBOX 3 with a smaller, sleeker more attractive design. Cons: under par battery life, but is replaceable so you can purchase another one for $50 and swap it out when the other dies out to give you up to 28 hrs of battery life.

Now I will give you history to show how I arrived to this conclusion:

I started with the Jukebox 3 that I considered it to be SO AMAZING that I couldn't believe the quality and storage this device could produce. Up to this day it goes down in history as the best player made on the market and I sware by it. I truly wished for something smaller since the bulky, heavy machine would be difficult to travel with. I couldn't put it in my pocket so that was annoying for carrying around. I decided to pick up the Rio Karma. This player is much smaller, little fat, but overall solid and a good choice. Unfortunately, this player no longer exists so don't rush out to buy one just yet. I liked it for what it was, but the quality could not compete with the mighty Jukebox 3. If you don't believe the quality of the jukebox 3, go try to find one. The machine will convince you that it is the best....the music sounds better than the CD! Then I purchased the ipod...I will start a new paragraph to make this stand out.

IPOD: By far the worse machine I have purchased. Where to begin....first of all, the device will get a scratch with the slightest touch. Secondly, the software is decent until you learn the evil behind it. So many people buy it from the hype and sleek style, but they lack the hidden knowledge that ipod brilliantly hides. When you connect the ipod to your computer, consider that computer to ipod a one way street. When you send a song over to the ipod, it is not coming back. Ipod strictly protects each and every song from ever returning to that computer....even if it is your own. Another problem is the firmware....it doesn't exist. You have 1 firmware and you are trapped. If a new firmware release comes out, you will need to spend $300 to buy yourself a new player because that is the only way you will have it. The next issue is the battery. Contents in box stink....no case or docking station to cut back the cost. I can't believe how fast it just drained. It sucks the life out of it before you get the chance to say "The battery is dead." Playlists, song deletion, and organization all must be done on the computer. You CANNOT delete a song or create a playlist on an ipod from the device itself. Utterly annoying to say the least. Don't be fooled by the style and glitter. It is a device that puts pain and mental anguish in you that isn't needed from an mp3 player.

Iriver H300 and H320: These were the next two players I invested in. I bought the H320 just because of the color screen since all of the other features were the same from the H300. The device is solid. You get a ton of bang for your buck. I see they have have brand new H10 20gb version which is much smaller that you could take a look at. The H320 has a very powerful voice recorder which is worth the purchase if you need a digital recorder, it has a drag and drop capability, and FM radio. If you want to compare software with the other players, then you're out of luck.....there is none. You just open the Hard Drive folder, open the folder of music you want, and drag it to the Hard Drive folder. That is it. The battery is 16 hrs which is good. With all of this, can't you see why I bought it. It even comes with carrying case and remote control. The problem with the iriver is the quality. It sounds as good as the rio karma, but I sware you can notice a gigantic difference between a creative product and this iriver. If you plug your player into an external source, the iriver has poor bass and treble. Your car sound system or home stereo system will not sound too thrilling. You will think that you paid good money for that Bose sound system and end up wanting to take it back. Trust me...it is the player. I tested the Jukebox 3 with the iriver on the same sound system and the sound quality difference was night and day...completely different. The Creative blew my mind with the power and clarity compared to the iriver.

Now I tried the brand new creative touch. This player supposedly is *97dB* compared to the jukebox 3 *98db* noise cancelling ratio. Believe me...I now know the difference. It sounded better than the iriver, but still worse than the jukebox 3. The touch pad was about as annoying to work with as it gets. It was an attempt to copy ipod and obviously failed. It is hard to navigate without going past your selection. The play button and the others are flimsy and felt like they could fall off. The player as a whole felt VERY solid...like a rock. I felt there was no hope in sight of ever coming close to the Nomad Jukebox 3 and I was dissapointed until I researched this player: The Nomad Zen Xtra.

The Nomad Zen Xtra is not only the best player up to date, but it mimics the success and fantastic quality of the Jukebox 3. Up to now you heard me rave about the Jukebox 3 which had nothing to do with the Zen Xtra until now. Take the name "jukebox 3" and place "Zen Xtra" everywhere in this review. The Zen Xtra not only sounds so great, but it is smaller, sleeker, stylish, and feature packed like the Jukebox 3. However, it cannot play FM radio or voice record and it cannot use a remote control, but that is the smallest price to pay to acheive a dream machine. If you want superb audio quality, a wonderful device, and have your external sound systems sounding like what they were purchased for....then you have just wisely invested in this product. Of all the players I have witnessed and thoroughly tested, this is by far as good as it gets. The bass and treble are fabulous, the device is smaller (not the smallest but u sacrafice quality for size), the buttons are very sturdy, the screen is very big with a nicely sapphire lit screen, jam packed with features without sacraficing others, and a nice interface to work with.

If you ask "What makes this different from any other device?" or "Is it hard to use?", then let me break it down for you. I don't understand what kind of rap this machine has been getting for the software because I found it to be very intuitive and easy to operate. You are given not 1....but 2 different programs to make the process easy to operate. One is an organizer and one is a drag and drop which simply puts the songs on to your device just like I explained with the iriver. The interface on the device is so advanced and loaded with features that up to now beat out all other mp3 players in my opinion. You can find any song by using the A-Z finder. You can choose from MANY Equalizers like the Jukebox 3 offers. The Zen Touch DOES NOT HAVE ALL THESE EQUALIZER... Read more ›