Customer Reviews

1GB Muvo Tx MP3 Player Voice Recorder USB Red with Fm Tuner and voice recorder

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After my old Creative Muvo finally died (it lasted 4 years), I went to the (....) site looking for replacement options.

The (....)lists more than 100 players, but doesn't really give you a good idea of how compatible they are, or what benefits one has over another. A look at amazon does offer a filter for 'audible' format players, and so I found some inexpensive options this way.

The first player I tried was the Sansa M230, however, hookup with audible was impossible, and it also was missing two major requirements for use with audible books: the ability to skip sections, and also progressive fast forward. Spending 5 minutes pressing fast forward to get 20 minutes further in a 5 hour book is not my idea of fun.

The player also had a defective backlight, so I returned it to Amazon, and started looking for other options.

After much searching online, I couldn't find any specific information about other players that offered progressive fast forward. Even an email to Creative elicited a response that progressive fast forward was NOT available in any of their players.

I couldn't find anything else that really fit my needs, so I went ahead and purchased the MuVo TX FM.

It was an effortless process to get it connected to (....), and download books. To my amazement, this player DOES have progressive fast forward!

I am very happy with this player. There are better options for music, but if you listen to audible books, this is the least expensive good player I've found.

After scouring the net for my next MP3, I realized that the Creative Muvo TX/FM that I already owned was superior to the rest! My current Muvo is a 256MB, and only holds around 4 CDs worth of music. When I got to looking around for a new MP3 player, I could never find another one that had Muvo's built-in USB plug (which makes transferring files as easy as wiping your nose). Every other MP3 player has a chord that you have to have on you, (and with me, there's the constant possibility that the kids have lost the darned thing). Also, no other MP3 out there comes with a built-in FM tuner, a 5 band equalizer, PLUS voice recording!

I use my FM radio all the time, and occassionally I'll use the voice recorder (when I have something important on my mind that I don't want to forget...). When I looked around a bit and discovered that other MP3s out there didn't have all these added features, I really started to appreciate my little white Muvo. Now, I'm buying the 1GB (Red) Muvo, and for $65.99, what a snag!

Oh, it doesn't have video, you say? I say, if I want to watch a video on a 2 1/2 inch screen that costs me $350, I'll buy one of the fancier MP3s, but for now, my Muvo is for listening to music, the radio, and recording my latest ideas; my laptop is where I watch my movies (...on a 15 inch screen, at that).

Once I started reading some of other people's reviews I discovered how lucky I was to have picked up a Muvo in the first place! (One reviewer said he slammed his Muvo in his car door, left it overnight in freezing weather, and washed it in the washing machine and it still works!) That's what I'm talking about man... no more dippity doo fancy pants overpriced gadgets for me... I'm sticking with the Muvo. When you go to Amazon to look for MP3's and the muvo comes up in the top 5 when you sort by customer reviews, that says something. It's cheap ($65-$70), it's small (about the size of two bic lighters side-by-side), it's easy to use (no USB chords to tangle with), it's advanced (it has a graphic EQ... most other MP3's that I've looked at don't have totally adjustable, custom EQs!, plus it records!)... it's convenient (slips into a pocket, or you can use the little belt attachment, or the snappy armband thingy and wear it under your shirtsleeve). It's not a power hog... (It uses a single AAA battery, which lasts around 10-15 hours. I bought a AAA recharger set, and I never have to worry about my Muvo going dead... I just keep an extra battery in my pocket if I'm about to run out of juice). It's a flash drive! (use it to store Word documents, pictures, even program files... whatever you want, then transfer it to another computer!)

My new 1GB Muvo should be arriving within the next few days and I'm excited about the extra storage space. Like I said, my current one holds around 4 CDs worth of music... the 1 GB should give me 16 (how much more do you need, right?) The Creative Muvo, in my opinion, shows how much of a rip-off other MP3 players are. Why pay over $200 bucks for flash, when you can get a workhorse for around 70 bucks?

5-12-07
I started with the MUVO when I first joined Audible, then I graduated to the MUVO TXFM 1GB. I couldn't be more happier. With my initial MUVO I could load up to 7 unabridged books into it. Now with the 1GB, I could load up to 15 unabridged book with several more to spare. I take this little MPlayer in my travels and it has never let me down. For the price it is well worth it. I would recommend it anytime. Oh and I am 62 yrs old too!!

I only use the Muvo TX to listen to individual .mp3 files (i.e. no playlists) so I cannot speak for the advanced features it may have.

I tried to use the FM tuner in my house and I could pickup only 3 FM stations. So, in my situation, the FM reception is poor. Your mileage may vary.

With my previous .MP3 player I had to install software on my PC before I could transfer .mp3s. This proved to be a headache.

I am very pleased with the file transfer to the Muvo Tx. As advertised, I simply plug it into my USB port and then Drag and Drop files. It even preserves any folder structures I transfer. I am using Windows XP (haven't tested it in VISTA).

The learning curve for the device interface was very quick.

There are only 2 things I would change on the Muvo TX:
1) change the position of the power button (currently I almost have to push the power button to take the 2 sections apart).
2) The scan forward/scan backward is extremely slow.

Obviously these are 2 MINOR issues because I still rated the player 5 stars.

I've owned this for about a year now.

Pros:
A nice option if you want a compact, durable player for exercise. I enjoy having a player that has a built in USB plug and can be used as a portable drive without having to bring along a cord. Fairly decent equalizer and good sound range. Good battery life (varies wildly with sound level, so it would be difficult to give an estimate). Comes with sturdy clip and armband. FM tuner is adequate for the gym TV system where I go.

Cons:
Don't get this if you are wanting a nano or similar device. The screen is small and takes a while to scroll through the song data. The sound reproduction is above average, but not as good as some of the high end players. The interface for "favorite" FM stations could have been better thought out.

I'm giving this 5 stars because it was exactly as advertised. I knew what I was getting before I ordered. This is the second MuVo I have had. They are tough (ie survived washing machine). I didn't want a nano or another delicate player. I wanted something that would survive a long bike ride, a workout at the gym, get rinsed off, and still be OK to clip on my belt at work the next day. For me, the "cons" were known and minor. Highly recommended.

I tried to convince my pre-teen daughter to replace her old MP3, which was an older version of this one, with an Ipod, but she didn't want to. She wanted this one again. She loves the recording ability as well as the FM tuner. The downloading couldn't be easier, and the sound is great. The reason she was replacing her older one is because it made a trip through the washer and dryer. We thought it was a goner, but my younger daughter replaced the battery months later, and it STILL works perfectly, so now we have two of these!! We don't have a need for huge memory space or any other fancy features. You absolutely cannot get something better for the price.

very small, easy to use since it has direct connection from usb, and cheap..

This unit combines large storage with a very small size (the comparisons to a Bic lighter are appropriate). It's also incredibly quick and easy to transfer music from your computer to the player - simply plug the unit into a USB port & copy/paste. But I think the best feature of all is the 5 band equalizer. It allows you to shape your sound more precisely than with pre-programmed settings (rock, jazz, etc) & I have not seen this function on any other player. The only downside is that I don't get the advertised battery life - a single AAA seems to only last me about 6 hours.

I LOVE this player. I have the 512MB version but it's the same thing. I'm buying the 1GB version today.

Pros:
1. USB interface. No cords to connect, just plug 'n play.
2. Battery. A real battery. Not the internal, rechargeable kind. The quick-swap, good-to-go-in-10-seconds AAA kind.
3. Size. Less than three inches. Perfect size for a shirt pocket.
4. Durability. I have dropped this player onto concrete 20+ times, sent it through the wash, left it in the car in -25°C temperatures, slammed it in a car door, and lost it in the snow for 3 days. Yet, it still works great. (Looks like crap, but WORKS great)

Cons:
Maybe...
1. No hold/lock button (if you care about that)
2. Smaller style screen.
3. Sometimes while fast-forwarding, I accidentally skip the song instead. (Probably just big fingers)

Overall, this is one great player for the price!

Pros:

Small size, slips easily into your pocket

Looks great, slick red color

Durable and simple. No worries that you will crack the screen. You can take it to the gym and not worry about breaking it.

Flash based. No moving parts to fail or hard drives to crash

Comes with a nice clip-on case that attaches to your belt or waist band

No adapter cables necessary to connect it to your computer

Can double as a flash drive

Uses one AAA battery that lasts a long time, no fooling with a USB cable to recharge, just pop in a new battery. Great for when you are traveling and don't have a computer around, or you are hit by a hurricane and the power is out

Cons:

Tiny display, but at least it's backlit. Some players in this price range have no display *Cough* Ipod Shuffle *Cough*

Small capacity compared to other more modern flash based players

Awkward controls. Scroll wheel thingy is small and doesn't feel all that great

As of the date of this review - for just a little more money, you can get an MP3 player that has more capacity and a much bigger color screen that can show pictures and even movies

Summary:

this player is good for doing it's job, which is to play music. I take away one star because the scroll wheel control isn't that good. The Sansa M series, which I have also owned, is similar and has better controls. I like this player better than the Sansa M series because it just looks so much cooler and plugs into my computer without an adapter.

Overall, my Muvo has served me well. I'll keep it as a backup and for jogging etc, but for a little more cash you can pick up a player that does much more. This one is good pick up if you can get it for a low price as a backup player.