Customer Reviews

Creative Labs Nomad II "C" 32 MB Digital Audio Player (Silver)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I did a lot of research before buying my mp3 player and I know these reviews help, so I'll try to be as detailed as I can. At frist I was unsure about buying an mp3 player because they hold so few songs. I thought about buying a 64 or 128 megabite player but was turned off buy their very high prices. I began researching the nomad II and found that it had 32 megabites of built in memory, which means that there is no smartcard involved with the original 32 megs you get. Then I started looking at the prices for smart media cards. I was originally going to get a 128 bite card, but again the price was too much. I settled for the 64 megabite viking card. I went for the viking because it was cheaper and just as good as the competition. In fact the only differce is the name. With the built in memory and the 64 MB card i can fit about 30 mp3 files onto my mp3 player. This is the perfect amount for me. I get about 1 and 1/2 to two (2) hours of music(all files were mp3 files, not WAV). The other thing I wasn't sure about was how well the software would be. I have over 300 mp3 files on my hard-drive and I use MusicMatch as my default mp3 player. At first I thought I would have to transfer all of my musicmatch mp3's over to the Creative Labs software. To my surprise, the software for the nomad II accepted my MusicMatch files and I was able to transfer all of them to the mp3 player no problem. If you're wondering how long it takes to transfer mp3 files, it's pretty darn quick. It only took me about five minutes to add a fresh 30 or so songs to the nomad II. The battery life on the nomad II is great. On average you get about 10 hours of battery life, which is pretty good considering it's only one battery and my cd player only gets 12 hours of battery life with two batteries. Some other reviews said that the menu navigation was difficult, I found no problems and it only takes a little tinkering with to get all the controls down pat. The only problem with the nomad II is it comes with no ...instruction booklet. You have to get the instructions off of an adobe acrobat file. That's a big pain in the [behind]. The other software that comes with the player is ... obsolete. The only program I kept installed was the Creative sound lab so that I could transfer mp3's to the player. I will continue to use MusicMatch as my mp3 player and I'm sure your other programs like Real Jukebox will be more gutsy when It comes to listening to music on your computer. All in all the nomad II is the best for the price, and I would recomend buying additional cards to expand the memory.

Weighing in and sizing up as to be no larger than a regular deck of playing cards, the Nomad IIc is a great little MP3 player. It is packaged with a single software CD, USB cable, and 1 battery. Yup, no headphones.

Once you have the player setup, it's ease of use is straight forward. The screen is backlit and there are different setting options to help you maximize player feedback. Out of the package, this player supports both MP3 and WMA (however I am finding WMA's a bit more picky to set up). The onboard 32MB of memory will support roughly 40min of music if ripped at 160Kbps. You can rip in the range between 20 and 320kbps (CD quality is roughly 128). The higher your setting, the more memory is used, hence less music you can store. So I suggest buying a Smart Media chip to increase memory if you want to listen to anymore than 45 minutes worth at a time. The open end of the firmware will allow you to upgrade to future codecs (so Creative says).

The player also has a built in microphone for voice recordings in which you convert later to .wav, .wma, or mp3.

I found the onboard menu's pretty easy to navigate. If you can operate a modern microwave or alarm clock, you can operate this player.

The nice thing I think aboout when it comes to Smart Media cards, is that there are no moving parts. Unlike small hard drives or discs, there is no wear or tear on internal parts.

Now the software on the other hand is a bit of a disappointment. Upon opening the package there is no manual. You actually have to install the CD-ROM and Adobe Acrobat to get to the manual .pdf files. Also there are some programs on the disc that have no description on what they do, or why they were included so I am at a loss on whether I want to load them or not. Basically you only need to load the IIc driver and player software in order to use your Nomad, all others seem to be fluff. At the very least Creative could have supplied a one page document explaining what exactly the 6 programs on the disc do.

The Creative Play Center, while serves it purpose, could have been much more robust. If all you want to do is tranfer files from PC to Nomad, or rip CD's, its very painless and straightforward. Third party software like Real's Jukebox or WinAmp does a much better job in organizing your MP3 library and making changes. The changes you can make in the included software are basic at best and really limit full control over your music library. The manual is also buried on the disc and while explanations are adequate, it lacks depth. For a computer/MP3 newbie, this could prove a little challenging and overwhelming, you may want to look at other software music organizers. Overall the disc is not too user friendly.

I was looking for a basic player to take to the rec center, and that's exactly what I got.

Right out of the box I was loading songs with no problem. The software was very intuitive - though I did have to refer to the online manual to figure out how to navigate the menus on the Nomad itself. Luckily the manual is crystal clear.

32MB seemed small, but that's fine for my purposes (besides it's expandable, though I don't think I'll find the need.) I loaded 15 songs with no problem using the WMA format at 64kbps. Now I know that's only 'near CD quality' but in the rec center with crappy little head phones, who can tell the difference?

This unit doesn't come with headphones. That was fine with me, if it had come with headphones I probably would have just replaced them.

There are two reasons I didn't give this 5 stars. One is it doesn't come with rechargeable batteries. There is no reason Creative Labs can't package this with rechargable batteries for the same price - and it's just silly using throw aways in it. Before it even arrived I bought myself a couple of rechargeable batteries and a charger.

The other is the belt clip. It is pretty loose. I'm using this in an active environment, and may end up having to buy a carrying case for it.

Bottom line - I'm quite pleased with my purchase.

Well I bought this and the Viking 128MB card and well...so far have been pretty much addicted. All the features that I need and have figured out everything (except how to set the time) without the manual.

Like many other reviews have stated, the headphones make all the difference. I started with "The Plug" by Koss but didn't like the way they felt in my ears after many hours. So I bought the Sportapros by Koss and have been very happy (just make sure you configure them on the Nomad to be line driven and not player driven).

The software has worked fine for me on my Win2000 machine. Just loaded from the CD and then updated the sw from the update on the Nomad site. Also, the firmware upgrade to support the 128MB card worked flawlessly.

I am VERY glad the I purchased the 128MB mem card. This gives me the room to load a good variety of music without constantly downloading new ones (which is very smooth and easy).

I have the newer Nomad IIc digital audio player with 64 MB onboard memory (model: DAP-6406), but Amazon doesn't have it listed yet so I decided to write my review here.

This digital audio player is great for people who are looking for an alternative to CD-players and hard-drive based music machines. It has no moving parts, which means no skipping, so you can use it while jogging or playing sports. It is small, lightweight, and only requires 1 "AA" battery, although you'll probably want to invest in NiMH rechargeable batteries.

The sound quality is amazing. I use my own headphones and not the ones that come with the player, however, so that likely makes a difference. But the quality and loudness of the music is exceptional nonetheless...I can hear perfectly with a volume setting of "3" and if I switch to DSP mode I can hear with no problem at volume "0"! Amazing sound for such a small device.

Before I got it, I wondered about the set-up, since I heard that these machines can be a pain sometimes. The Nomad IIc was very simple to get going. I just installed the Playcenter software and drivers on my machine (running Windows 2000 Pro), plugged in my player via USB port, and I was able to transfer files. The interface is similar to the FTP program WS_FTP, where you have two panes -- one for files on your computer and one for files on the player. Just select the files, click "Transfer", and that's it. Very easy to use.

The layout of the player is pretty good too. You can do the normal play, stop, skip, ffwd, etc. functions as with a CD player. There is also voice recording capabilities which is pretty cool -- it encodes a large amount of audio in WAV format. The player has an option that shows you how much memory is in use and even allows you to directly erase items without connecting to a computer. The backlit LCD screen is readable and it doesn't take long to figure out how all the buttons work.

The big question most people ask concerns memory. I specifically chose the 64 MB model because I knew 32 MB wasn't much. With 64 MB I can cram about 18 full-length MP3 songs on it (about an hour of music), or double that if I do Windows Media Format, which the player supports. If 64 MB isn't enough, there is one expansion slot for a Smartmedia card -- currently the player can support a 128 MB card for a total of 192 MB of memory. It is firmware-upgradeable, however, so as better technology comes out you can easily upgrade your player.

Overall, the Nomad IIc digital audio player is probably the best portable music machine on the market and I highly recommend it.

I have done tons of research on MP3 players. When I found out about the Nomad IIc, I decided to give it a try. I fell in love with it immediately. Within minutes, I was uploading WMA files to it. I was able to fit 11 WMA songs at 96 Kbps (CD Quality Hi). It even recognized my 80 Kbps (CD Quality Lo) WMA files, in which a previous player did not. With my 128MB SmartMedia expansion, I was able to fit 6 complete CD's worth of WMA using Windows Media Player's portable transfer tool. The sound quality is superb and the 5 band equalizer just made it better. The USB interface makes transfers of all files (MP3, WMA, and non-music data) quick and easy....

The Nomad IIc is the biggest bang for your buck available today. Priced at $... less than its cousin, the Nomad II, and $... less than the top-of-the-line Rio 800 and Intel Pocket Concerts, the Nomad IIc provides unparalleled flexibility and ease of use for the active user. If you are looking for something that will carry your entire CD collection around, look into the Nomad Jukebox - however, do not expect to go running with that thing anytime soon.

All you're missing from the Nomad II package are an FM tuner, 32 less megabytes of memory (which actually provides a boon - more on this later), and packaged headphones/remote/carrying case. The latter three can be purchased seperately in the Accessory kit, along with a car adapter, for $....

The player itself is roughly the size of a deck of poker cards, and weighs slightly less. It runs on a single AA battery, of which 8-10 hours can be expected. A removeable belt clip screws into the back of the player. The main buttons are located on the front, underneath the display. Secondary buttons run up and down the length of the left side, with the lock and the USB port (protected by a rubber flap) on the right side.

The included software (Creative PlayCenter 2.0) was fairly easy to install, and once I formatted the internal memory transferring music was a breeze. A printed version of the manual is not included; however a .pdf is available on the CD. You can download the latest drivers and software from its website at www.nomadworld.com; Creative says they the firmware is upgradeable to support other codecs in the future, but I have not seen anything on their website yet. I found the player's GUI very easy to navigate once I read the manual. It saves the necessity for a lot of useless buttons on the face of the player.

Now let's get to the meat of this player. As I said before, the Nomad IIc comes with 32 megs of on the board memory, as opposed to the Nomad II's 64 megs of removeable Smartmedia memory. What this means is that the Nomad IIc is upgradeable to 160 megs of memory opposed to the Nomad II's 128. I have seen 128 MB smartcards go for $70 new on the web - factoring in the accessory kit and the docking station, your IIc can have 160 megs of memory and all the amenities for $70 less than the top of the line Rio 800 and Intel Pocket Concert. Very nice.

I have taken my IIc running every morning since I got it. It has not skipped once, though the belt clip does not clip on to anything but a belt very well.

The mic records well, but does not pick up sounds from far away. Don't expect to record your teacher's lesson with it so you can sleep in class! However, it is very handy to keep personal memos on.

I have had my problems with it, as well. Mine did not come with a rubber port protector - but since my first shipment was lost in the mail, I did not feel like mailing it back for a replacement, and I plan on purchasing the docking station soon. I have had a few instances in which it did not turn on, caused because the battery was lined out of place - it is easily remedied by jiggling the battery. The volume, controlled by a + and - button, is not accessible when the player is in lock. A disc-based volume control like those found on some Discmans would have been preferred. You can control the volume with the remote in the accessory kit. There are smaller players out there, but none are as upgradeable as this one.

Final verdict: Highly, highly recommended. So flexible, so economical, so very useful.

An inexpensive player that provides excellent sound quality during hard workouts and runs. I went through 3 CD anti-skip players trying to find one that was actually skip-free. You know what, they don't exist! I should have bought an MP3 player before I purchased CD player #3, but the reviews were so good that I believed it would be satisfactory - WRONG - no better than #2 - that's player number 2. Anyway, the Nomad IIc works extremely well. Sound quality is good/excellent with my Sony Sports Walkman earphones - a little more bass would be nice. And, with no moving parts, NO Sound distortion, no matter how hard I exercise. I am far from a software expert, but I was able to Rip CDs and download MP3 files from the Internet within an hour or so - I guess that speaks well for the "user friendliness" of the Nomad IIc. At the 128 setting you get approximately 30 minutes of CD-quality music, as advertised. The controls are easy to navigate and read. My only criticism is that the belt clip is a little wimpy and purchasing a secure holder is a good idea.

This little guy is one great performer. Responsiveness with iTunes is amazing. When you connect your player via USB, iTunes will display it on screen within a couple seconds. I've found I like hooking it up off the side of my keyboard. The USB cable that came with it is incredibly sturdy and I doubt anyone out there would ever wear it out. To make the niceties even greater, Creative made a standard USB port on the side. So you can easily hook this up without needing a special cable with a small connector. The 32mb onboard is nice, but the expansion options are superb. Though Creative has not publicized it (I haven't the faintest idea why!) the latest firmware update you can download from them will add support for 128mb Smart Media cards. That's 160mb, five times the original capacity. It took jumping some hoops to talk with tech support to find that out. .... Playback is incredible. There is no hiss or interference, the fact that you've gone digital will be crystal clear when you listen. The output volume goes up a tad over too loud, which you'll like if you enjoy damaging your ear drums like me. In the past I'd have to turn music up really loud to just hear the full spectrum of what I was listening to. After using this a while, I've found I listen to things quieter because I don't have to struggle to hear the subtlties in the music. The display is gorgeous. It displays your battery indicator, volume level, elapsed time of track, name tag, artist tag, and encoding rates all at the same time! The display is also backlit (glows green). The only problem I have with it, isn't so much the screen but the interface. I'm really getting nit picky here though. What bothers me, is you have to stop playing your music in order to make changes to the contrast of your screen or backlighting. You'll hardly ever have to make these changes, but it seems to me this shouldn't affect playback. The player is smaller than a deck of cards and is really light. It's powered by one AA. I don't know how long it runs for yet. For you Mac users out there, get this:

I have iTunes installed on my computer. Upon opening up the player I just hooked it up to my Mac and started using it without using the installation disc or having to do any configuration! Plug 'n Play nirvana realized.

I did alot of reaserch befor deciding on this mp3 player. I looked at CD players MD players and MP3 players. CD players are to big and skip so i threw those out of the picture, MD players dont skip very often or not at all but are extreamly expensive and no one sells any stuff in MD's and writing songs to an MD takes forever (so says my freind). So i focused on MP3's and when i saw this one i was amazed at the price and at first i though there was somthing wrong b/c [price] for an MP3 player with a nice big backlit display and all the other nice features that come with this player is a very good deal. I read all the reivews and looked at all the specs, I found no one had any serious complaints and the player it self looked good to. Plus its upgradable, its got firm ware and you can increase the storage to a max of 160MB (untill they make larger smart media cards that is). When i got it I was amazed at how easy to use it was and how great it sounded, and even tho it says the lcd screen is hard to navigate thats not true, if you have half a brain you can get it. Also I saw no problems with the software that came with it... it was quite nifty. I could crank up the sound untill my ears blew off so no problems with power:) If your looking into getting any type of music player get this one! you wont regret it.