Customer Reviews

SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player - Black

5 star:		(301)
4 star:		(93)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(48)

 

 

BACKGROUND: I was in the market for a small MP3 player with primary usage at the gym. I was looking for a rechargeable unit as my previous player ate AAA batteries about every week or so. I considered three options of which the Sansa Clip was one of them. I eliminated the iPod Shuffle due to its cost and lack of display. The other primary contender was the Creative Zen Stone Plus (I rejected the non-Plus model due it its lack of display). I will reference how the Sansa Clip won out throughout the rest of the review.

SET UP: The Sansa Clip is about as simple as it gets in this area. It requires no additional software installation. My home system runs XP SP2 with Windows Media Player 11. When I plugged the player in to charge, it was detected and recognized automatically. I told windows to "Take No Action" as the default behavior when the device connects. This allows me to maintain complete control over the syncing process. My unit charged in about an hour.

MUSIC TRANSFER: You have the option of using simple drag and drop of MP3 files to the device as you would a USB flash drive. However, using Windows Media Player allows you the more advanced feature of playlists. Since I primarily use my MP3 player at the gym, I created multiple playlists for warm up, workout, and cool down. The workout lists are about 90 minutes while the others about 20 minutes. I really liked that I was able to create multiples of each for variety. Right now I have three of each with about 1.5 Gb still remaining to use as I please. Using Windows Media Player, you can sync albums, songs, or playlists as you would with any other device. The Sansa Clip fully supports all of these options so it is a nice low effort, highly functional set up.

SOUND QUALITY: This is an area where the Sansa Clip is pretty impressive. I previously had the Sansa M230, and I can tell a significant difference in sound quality. I am able to hear a lot more detail in the higher ranges (such as high hat cymbals). I am using the headphones that came with the unit, but I would image that higher quality headphones would sound even better. The player also has a series of preset equalizer settings for different music styles as well as one that you can customize.

DISPLAY: This is a distinguisher between the Clip and the Zen Stone Plus. The display is larger and easier to read. The mix of blue and yellow against the black background is also pleasant.

NAVIGATION: The Clip has a normal four button dial that is common to most small MP3 players. With the crisp, clear display it is easy to move around and select music by artist, album, song, or playlist. The only thing that I have noticed that doesn't work quite the way I would like is that if you navigate away from the song that is playing there doesn't seem to be a way to get back to it to see the details of what's playing. This is pretty minor, though, because I do not regularly navigate away from the song that is playing.

FM RADIO: This is about what you would expect from a unit with no external antenna. Strong signals come in clearly, but it is not going to match what you can pick up on your car stereo. This is a nice to have feature for me so it is plenty adequate.

OPTIONS: As I mentioned previously, my primary usage comes at the gym. I had used the song timer to measure the time between reps while lifting weights on my M230. However, the Clip has a power saving feature that shuts off the display after 15 seconds by default. However, you can change this to 30, 45, 60, or 90 seconds which should cover your needs. After adjusting mine, I wake up the display after completing a set. When the display shuts off, it's time for the next set.

USE ON THE GO: This is the other area where the Clip separates itself from the Zen Stone Plus. You can clip the player to your clothes or an arm strap (I use the one that came with my M230). The Zen Stone Plus requires purchase of a separate armband accessory for an additional $15.

COST: At base price, the Zen Stone Plus and Sansa Clip are a push. However if you factor in another $15 for an armband you have a clear winner given the other advantages.

CONCLUSION: The Sansa Clip is now the leader in 2 Gb small MP3 players. Give it a spin and you won't be disappointed.

The Sandisk Sansa Clip 2GB is a great value MP3 player. It has twice the capacity as the iPod Shuffle for about $50. It also has a screen, FM Tuner, voice recording and more. You can get the 1GB version for $35.

Pros -
+ good sound
+ nice capacity for a decent price
+ light-weight
+ FM tuner (20 Presets)
+ voice recording
+ nice design with more color options
+ Nice format compatibility (MP3, DRM WMA, WMA, Audible)
+ USB 1.1 and 2.0 connectivity
+ Can be used as a USB drive / mass storage
+ Can sync music with drag & drop or via software
+ 15 hours battery life is better than Creative Clip Plus
+ Integrated Clip means no add-on case / lanyard purchase needed!

Cons
- larger body than the 2nd and 3rd generation iPod shuffles

The new Sandisk Sansa Clip has the advantages of the iPod shuffle with some of the compatibility, feature, and price benefits of other MP3 players. Unlike the Sansa Express, which you can plug in directly into your USB port, the clip uses a standard USB B cable.

The Clip is definitely a little bigger than the iPod shuffle, but not by much. It has a great feel and a nicer clip. It is also priced VERY well for the holidays. It fills the market for a starter MP3, workout unit, or gift.

The rechargable battery seems better than the Creative Zen Stone Plus and gives you a respectable 15 hours. The sound is nice. The earbuds are passable for beginners but most people will replace them. As for durability, only time will tell; so far it's holding up nicely.

I definitely recommend the larger 2GB option. For those needing more space, you will have to explore the Creative Zen, Sandisk Sansa, Sansa View or new iPod Nano. All of those units have higher price tags.
SanDisk Sansa View 8 GB MP3 Player
SanDisk Sansa View 16 GB MP3 Player
Creative Zen 4 GB (Black)
Creative Zen 8 GB (Black)
Creative Zen 16 GB (Black)
Sandisk SDMX4-4096 Sansa e260 4 GB MP3 Player with SD Expansion Slot
SanDisk SDMX4-8192 Sansa e280 8 GB MP3 Player (Black)
Apple 4 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Silver (3rd Generation)
Apple 8 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Black (3rd Generation)

Overall, an awesome starter unit that deserves a try. Enjoy!!!

Rating:
Possible CON - I feel the build material could be a tad bit more robust. Considering this MP3 player is designed to be attached to your body as you are working out, I think the plastic casing might be a little fragile in the event the Sansa Clip falls to the floor. Then again, the MP3 player is so light that the force of it dropping probably wouldn't crack it. Actually, the only reason this thought came into my head was because my Beagle was eyeballing the SansaClip as it dangled from my computer case. I'm sure one crunch from my dog and this thing would be less than fully functional. Other than the small player being plastic(which is a completely minor gripe since the only small player I know of made of metal is the iPod Shuffle) I have no complaints and believe the device warrants a 5 star rating.

Size:
The Sansa Clip is super small. Granted, it isn't quite as small as the small iPod shuffle, but any smaller and the player becomes too small in my opinion. With this size you still have a nice sized screen, easy to access buttons, and yet a small enough form factor to forget you've got it clipped to your shirt.

Features:
I won't run down all the features because many people have done that. Suffice it to say, you won't find any MORE features available in an MP3 player of this size for the same money. The newer small iPods with the video can claim video play back, but those are larger than the Sansa Clip. I'd also contend that you wouldn't use video on such a small device anyway.
I will say that my FM reception was good on strong stations, but only passable on weaker channels. Don't expect to get that college radio station with that weak signal. Still a handy feature to have especially if your gym puts the TV sound on an FM frequency.

Purpose:
Very important is the idea that the Sansa Clip serves a distinct purpose, transportabitlity. The ultimate use for this device is to listen to music while being active. No more goofy armband cases for your $400 video iPod which is too heavy to be strapped to your arm. No more worrying about your iPhone falling out of its case as your go mountain biking. Just clip and go.

Value:
$55??? Really?? All this for less than $60? That just says it all really. Imagine you're running with your $400 iPod video and the velcro strap comes loose. SMASH! there goes $400! Now let's say for the sake of argument that some how the Sansa Clip comes loose and smashes into the ground. You're only out $60! Seems like a steal to me.

Connectivity:
When I first got mine I went straight to SanDisk's website to download the latest firmware (I don't think this was all that necessary, but it couldn't hurt). You download and intall the firmware updater (a self-running program which requires no effort on your part), then plug in your Sansa Clip. The program updates your device and asks you to unplug it. Done.
When I plugged in my Sansa Clip (even before the update) Windows XP recognized it right away and gave me the typical window with choices for what action I wanted to take. I could have opened it in Windows Explorer, but I had other ideas. Each time I plugged it in I would get the same window so using the device is a snap, complete plug-and-play.

Transferring Music:
Not recognized by iTunes (obviously)
Recognized by Windows Media Player
Recognized by WinAmp
Recognized by MusichMatch Jukebox (version 10)
Recognized by Windows Explorer for drag-and-drop transfers
these are the only methods I tried
I didn't install any programs and the device didn't come with any CD to load anything anyway. It seems the choice is up to the consumer on how to transfer music.

I used MusicMatch (the version just prior to the blackhole that is Yahoo's version after buying out MusicMatch). The jukebox recognized the SansaClip right away and I had full-functionality. I made a playlist and transferred 370 songs with room to spare. Disconnected and started listening.

Sound Quality:
I will admit, I took one look at the included earbud headphones and didn't even bother unwrapping them. I already own several "good" headphones that I prefer. With my Bose Triport headphones the sound was as rich and full as my 80GB iPod video. For earbuds, I'd recommend pairing this device with Creative's EP-630's, they are cheap, light weight, and sound great.

Sansa Clip vs. iPod Shuffle (the small one):
Has FM tuner, iPod does not
Has screen to view song information and change settings, iPod does not
Has 2GB, iPod will but not just yet
Has on-the-go playlists, iPod does not
Let's you choose song, artist, etc., iPod cannot
Costs $55, iPod WAS $79 now $49 but is still only 1GB (2GB version forthcoming)
Has a clip, iPod has a clip too!
Comes in different colors, iPod does too!

I think the choice is clear.

Hope this review was helpful.

This is a good product, but the install process can be a mess (check the SanDisk forums, and you'll see there are a lot of people struggling). I have an XP machine and am computer savvy, but it took me 3 hours to get my computer to recognize this player and two frustrating and very unproductive tech support calls (they tried, but they ran me around in dead-end circles that did not make much sense). I *finally* got it to work by reading a random non-SanDisk website that said to turn the player to on, slide the bar to "hold," and then press the center button while plugging the device into your USB port. For some weird reason, that did the trick, even though never suggested by tech support. So, watch out, but if you can get it to install, it's a good deal.

I love, love, LOVE this player!! I workout regularly and have been looking for a small, high quality MP3 player for quite some time. I can't stand Ipod anything, so I've tried some others. The Sansa E250 was ok, but a bit bulky and the sound quality wasn't stellar. After doing some research and seeing such positive reviews on the Clip, I gave it a shot.

Man, am I glad I did!

This little player is T-I-N-Y. I'm talking the size of a matchbook here. It weighs next to nothing. The sound quality completely blew me away! I didn't expect miracles from something so small, but read reviews all over the internet - this thing has OUTSTANDING sound! Paired with my Sony EX81 ear buds (amazing in their own respect), and I have the best gym combo I've ever seen.

I never notice I'm even wearing this thing while working out. It's got the built in clip which is strong - it really holds onto whatever you've clipped it to. You NEVER have to be one of those people that bring their 30gb MP3 players to the gym and have to strap them to their upper arms.

Besides the form factor, it's just amazing in every other way. 2 GB is more than enough for music - I've got 200 songs and it's nowhere near being even halfway filled up. It's got a display (unlike the competing Ipod Shuffle) so you can see song titles if you feel compelled to do so. It's got about 10 different built-in EQ settings, along with a custom setting. It's got an FM player and lots of other customizable settings that set this player way above the rest.

I use this with my Rhapsody to Go subscription, which is handy. But that's totally not required - it's super easy to transfer any MP3 to this player. Really, it's just plug-and-play.

Really, your search is over if you're looking for something small and high quality. Don't hesitate!

A fashionable salesgirl at Benetton asked me about my cute little MP3 player. She said her iPod had broken, and she wasn't ready to pay $200 to replace it. She asked me if the Sansa works with Macintosh. I said "of course." I let her play with the Sansa for a bit; and within minutes, she HAD to go straight out to buy one after work.

Why did she fall in love with my Sansa Clip, and not me?

Tiny, cute, fun and easy interface. Check.

Works with her Macintosh and her friend's PC. Check.

Plenty of space for her favorite songs. Check.

15-hour battery life for a girl on-the-go. Check.

Clips discretely to her cute outfits. Check.

Excellent sound quality with nice earphones. Check.

FM Radio that can record songs off-the-air. Check.

She can tape boring lectures with the microphone. Check.

Costs 1/2 of what a replacement iPod would cost? Check.

Plays her favorite videos? No, sorry.

Syncs with iTunes? Nope. But it works great with Windows Media Player and VLC or other non-iTunes players on the Macintosh.

This is just what everybody needs: A tiny, great-sounding, light, music player that weighs nothing, holds 500+ songs and clips to any clothing. I'm selling my iPod.

BACKGROUND: I was in the market for a small MP3 player with primary usage at the gym. I was looking for a rechargeable unit as my previous player ate AAA batteries about every week or so. I considered three options of which the Sansa Clip was one of them. I eliminated the iPod Shuffle due to its cost and lack of display. The other primary contender was the Creative Zen Stone Plus (I rejected the non-Plus model due it its lack of display). I will reference how the Sansa Clip won out throughout the rest of the review.

SET UP: The Sansa Clip is about as simple as it gets in this area. It requires no additional software installation. My home system runs XP SP2 with Windows Media Player 11. When I plugged the player in to charge, it was detected and recognized automatically. I told windows to "Take No Action" as the default behavior when the device connects. This allows me to maintain complete control over the syncing process. My unit charged in about an hour.

MUSIC TRANSFER: You have the option of using simple drag and drop of MP3 files to the device as you would a USB flash drive. However, using Windows Media Player allows you the more advanced feature of playlists. Since I primarily use my MP3 player at the gym, I created multiple playlists for warm up, workout, and cool down. The workout lists are about 90 minutes while the others about 20 minutes. I really liked that I was able to create multiples of each for variety. Right now I have three of each with about 1.5 Gb still remaining to use as I please. Using Windows Media Player, you can sync albums, songs, or playlists as you would with any other device. The Sansa Clip fully supports all of these options so it is a nice low effort, highly functional set up.

SOUND QUALITY: This is an area where the Sansa Clip is pretty impressive. I previously had the Sansa M230, and I can tell a significant difference in sound quality. I am able to hear a lot more detail in the higher ranges (such as high hat cymbals). I am using the headphones that came with the unit, but I would image that higher quality headphones would sound even better. The player also has a series of preset equalizer settings for different music styles as well as one that you can customize.

DISPLAY: This is a distinguisher between the Clip and the Zen Stone Plus. The display is larger and easier to read. The mix of blue and yellow against the black background is also pleasant.

NAVIGATION: The Clip has a normal four button dial that is common to most small MP3 players. With the crisp, clear display it is easy to move around and select music by artist, album, song, or playlist. The only thing that I have noticed that doesn't work quite the way I would like is that if you navigate away from the song that is playing there doesn't seem to be a way to get back to it to see the details of what's playing. This is pretty minor, though, because I do not regularly navigate away from the song that is playing.

FM RADIO: This is about what you would expect from a unit with no external antenna. Strong signals come in clearly, but it is not going to match what you can pick up on your car stereo. This is a nice to have feature for me so it is plenty adequate.

OPTIONS: As I mentioned previously, my primary usage comes at the gym. I had used the song timer to measure the time between reps while lifting weights on my M230. However, the Clip has a power saving feature that shuts off the display after 15 seconds by default. However, you can change this to 30, 45, 60, or 90 seconds which should cover your needs. After adjusting mine, I wake up the display after completing a set. When the display shuts off, it's time for the next set.

USE ON THE GO: This is the other area where the Clip separates itself from the Zen Stone Plus. You can clip the player to your clothes or an arm strap (I use the one that came with my M230). The Zen Stone Plus requires purchase of a separate armband accessory for an additional $15.

COST: At base price, the Zen Stone Plus and Sansa Clip are a push. However if you factor in another $15 for an armband you have a clear winner given the other advantages.

CONCLUSION: The Sansa Clip is now the leader in 2 Gb small MP3 players. Give it a spin and you won't be disappointed.

My purpose
-------------
* To listen to radio or audio books while walking or running

The good part
-------------
* Audio quality is good and can be controlled using an equalizer.
* Long battery life.
* Small and very light.
* FM radio has presets.
* FM radio can still pickup stations with strong signals even inside a building. It's better outside of course.
* FM radio has seek function (automatically looks for stations with good signal and stops there)
* Can record/replay/delete voice so you can remind to yourself to get out more often during good weather. Can record FM stations too.
* 2GB is plenty of space for several audio books and music.
* Remembers your last setting after you turn it on - whether it was a particular FM station or in the middle of an audio.
* Can fast forward to the middle of an audio. This is very useful if you listen to long (boring) audio books.
* Volume is good. I live in Iowa and it's very windy when I am out walking.
* Has lock feature to prevent accidentally pressing buttons while inside your pocket.
* Acts like a flash drive when attached to a PC so it's easy for me to transfer and manage files. I have Windows 2000 (it's old I know...)

The bad ones
-------------
* Can't play audio or listen to radio while charging.
* The only way to charge is through USB.
* Requires USB cable (comes in the box), the unit can't be plugged in directly.
* No antenna for FM radio. Indoor signals would have been much better.
* Tiny display, only 3 lines are shown at a time.

Some notes
-------------
* If you notice that the unit is not charging a few seconds after plugging the USB try this: press the Home button select Settings-->USB Mode-->MSC. The default is auto. The battery indicator must be animated while the unit is being charged.
* When adding audio files, make sure to put them under the MUSIC folder of the device, otherwise they won't show up in the list. You may create subfolders under the MUSIC folder and they will be properly listed.
* After adding files into the unit, allow it to refresh the database. I did not want to experiment to find out if you try to turn it off at that time. It's just 1-2 seconds.

Final word
-------------
* If your need for this product is similar to mine, you won't be disappointed.

Hope it helps...

I will preface this review by stating that I am no technological wizard. With that said the Sansa Clip is on close to the best $60 I have spent in quite some time. Due to some of my shortfalls in computer operating I had little strugggle getting started with the music downloads, but after a couple of tries I am pretty sure my dad could even do it. ( He still asks me how to start his VCR!)

One thing I was pretty disappointed in the initial charge time one the batttery. At no point do the included instructions tell you how long the Sansa Clip needs for the initial charge. I almost returned the Clip because I didn't think the battery was charging. After calling Sansa, I was told that pluggnig it in to my laptop was not sufficient. I had to use the USB on the back of my desktop and then it still took and overnight to charge. Once I was over that, all has been great!

One last thing: It's not a huge deal, but I am glad I bought new ear buds along with the player (Somkin' Ear Buds). The head phones provided are junk.

Due to the price difference and the ability to see the music you are listening to, I would RECOMMEND THIS OVER THE i-POD SHUFFLE IN A HEARTBEAT!

The Sansa clip is an outstanding player in the compact, on the go field of MP3 players. I've had or have used a few other players in this range and bought the Zen Stone Plus a few months back. The Sansa clip is better than the Stone Plus in just about every way possible. The most notable aspects where the Sansa clip is superior is the battery life (about 2x that of the Stone Plus) and ease of use. The LCD display is also much nicer on the Sansa clip. And of course the Sansa clip has....the clip, while the Stone doesn't, so that's an extra expense.

Anybody looking for a compact player can't go wrong with the Sansa clip. The only down-side I found is that my 5 year old PC with USB 1.1 can't charge the Sansa clip nor will it recognize the clip in MTP mode, while the Stone Plus doesn't have this issue. If you have a newer PC with USB 2.0 it's not an issue. My PC will recognize the Sansa clip in MSC mode, however.