Big Things Come In Small Packages, September 19, 2002

Software and File Transfer: The only software you really need installed is the Yepp Explorer (Real Jukebox is optional). The software installed quickly and easily. Data is transferred through USB, and actually transfers data faster than the product specs claim. I really found the `drag and drop' feature of the explorer application very useful. The explorer opens in a heartbeat and will only function/transfer while the Yepp player is turned on.

Sound Quality: Sound quality really varies with variables such as the bitrate of the mp3 and the source of sound (earphones/speakers). I prefer listening to 128-bit mp3's because they offer the best sound for the smallest filesize (meaning more songs on the player). I use Sony Fontopia earbuds and have no complaints about the sound quality of the player. I have connected the player to my home stereo system, and was extremely impressed with the quality of the sound. I played an mp3 entitled "The Ultimate Bass Test" and was blown away with the bass response. The mp3 also featured surround sound pans and treble sounds, which were equally impressive. I was also impressed with the sound quality when I connected the player to an auxiliary input jack in a car stereo.

Voice Recording: I was surprised to see that this player supported voice recordings. Upon read, I expected this feature to be an "on-the-side," useless, and overall low-qual attribute. I was surprised. The recording gets input from a small microphone on the bottom right of the player. It records crisp, clear, and is pretty sensitive. It is very useful for making short personal notices/reminders, or recording long conversations or lectures. When transferring voice recordings (saved as an *.sc4) file to your computer, you have the option to transfer it as a *.wav. Then, you can share that file with friends.

Battery Life: The stock batteries that come with the player do not live up to the life that the specs claim (over 8 hours). I had the same experience with other low quality batteries (off-brand). Although, when I experimented with a well-known brand battery (Duracell/Energizer), the player easily lived up to it's 8+ hour claim. <b>::EDIT::</b> I had recently gone out and bought rechargeable batteries and a charger. Even though alkaline batteries last a good 8+ hours, I would find myself getting tired of constantly changing batteries every week. I got Rayovac NiMH (nickel metal hydride) and the Rayovac charger.

Ease of Use: The player is extremely easy to use. The software is extremely easy to install and use. The button configurations on the player itself, in my opinion, are very well laid out. For one, I love the look of the player, with the navigation buttons on the side. It gives the player that "hi-tech" look. The buttons are very sensitive and easily accessible (which I find to be GREAT), which is where the "hold" switch comes in very handy. The buttons/player and software are very straightforward. I sometimes wonder why the player even came with an instruction manual.

Misc. Features: The player features repeat(1), repeat(all), shuffle, and intro playback, which would not be a complete player without them. The player has 4 preset equalizers (normal, classic, rock, jazz), which are each complemented with a 3d sound (normal 3d, classic 3d, rock 3d, jazz 3d), making the 8 presets that the specs claim. Honestly, these presets do nothing for me. Yes, I <b>can</b> tell a difference between each eq preset, but the change is so small that I don't see the point in using them. I just keep the preset at "normal." The stock earphones are ugly, uncomfortable, and are downright poor. But that is a norm in most stock earphones (at least with my experiences). I would love for the player to have a backlight in the LCD display. It would make things so much easier during the night, but there isn't THAT much need to look at the display when you are listening. The player is very compact (2.8"×3.5"×0.8") which is smaller than your average wallet. It gives added meaning to the word "portable." With absolutely NO moving parts in the player, you never get a skip or a jump when it is shaken or dropped. I have admittedly and absentmindedly dropped the player a couple times, but it has never malfunctioned or skipped.

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A great MP3 Player, September 18, 2002

Setup was bascially flawless. I can't speak for people who own Macs, becuause I don't own one, but if you have a PC insert the supplied software CD first, then, without running any setup programs, connect the player to a free USB port with the supplied cable. THEN run the programs. There shouldn't be any problems, there weren't for me.

The player has good sound, once the earbuds that are supplied with it are replaced with decent headphones. The 3D effect tends to distort the sound a bit, but the equalizer settings work wonderfully. The Techno Yepp also has a built in voice recorder, which seems to work well. The player is easy enough to use, although it takes a small amount of time to get used to where the buttons are. The player seems to be pretty durable, I dropped it once and it continued to work just fine.

Overall, I'd reccomend this player to anyone looking for something good that has a budget... with 128MB of memory and a voice recorder, you can't go wrong.

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