Customer Reviews

iRiver iFP-899 - Digital player / radio - flash 1024 MB - WMA, MP3 - ruby red

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've had this unit for a few days now, and I must say that it is quite impressive for what it is, especially compared to some competing products. It's not perfect, but I think it comes closer than most other attempts by other manufacturers.

First and foremost, you must read the manual. There is no getting around this. Once you've done that, operating the unit is pretty easy and nearly intuitive. There are a lot of nice custom settings and bells and whistles that are worth knowing how to use.

Overall, I think the sound quality is quite acceptable for the purpose. I primarily got this player to listen to Internet audio downloads / podcasts for subject areas that interest me to reduce boredom at the gym, along with the occasional music listening to some of my favorite ripped CD's. I think higher bitrate recordings sound quite good, and lower ones are handled respectably. If you want to listen to high fidelity audio, this probably isn't your first option anyway, but I don't think it's a bad alternative when you're on the go, considering the high portability and small size of the player.

The FM tuner sounds pretty good and has decent reception. I've easily filled up the twenty presets, which are configurable on-unit or via the iMM software. The unit remembers the last station listened to, unlike some nutty competing products. However, I do wish there was a one-button method to switch quickly between file playback and radio.

Be sure to get the v1.25 firmware update from the iRiver website. If you want USB Mass Storage capability, you could use the v1.28 firmware, but I chose not to because of the downsides, such as lower recording quality capability.

I found the iRiver Music Manager to be fine for the purpose of transferring files, so it's not a big deal. Using USB 1.1 results in slower file transfer and sluggish response in accessing the unit via the iMM software, so use USB 2.0 if you can. If not, don't lose any sleep over it, as USB 1.1 will still work, just slower.

The player uses a single standard or rechargeable AA battery, and has a configurable setting to better use either kind. I'm glad there is none of that proprietary battery / mail to the factory for servicing nonsense here.

I was very pleased that my package included the upgraded plastic case with belt clip (and improved arm band, which I don't need), so putting the player on my hip at the gym is easy.

Although this is an excellent device in many ways and has a large amount of highly useable customization options, here are some areas where there is still room for improvement:

- There is no AM or TV audio tuner. While this is not unusual in this category of device, I wish it wasn't the case, as I've had a Sony Walkman cassette player with AM/FM/TV/WB tuner for nearly ten years now, and it's still working just fine.

- You may have to experiment a little before you find the bitrate you want for some of the main codecs. MP3 seems pleasantly reliable up to 320Kbps as advertised, which is more than I can say for some competing brand players. WMA at 192Kbps results in occasional loud screeches during playback, but 160Kbps seemed to work okay, although I suspect the spec for WMA is a max of 128Kbps, as WMA at 192 and/or 160 is a more recent Microsoft improvement to the Windows Media Player capability. OGG support is quite controversial on the message boards, as the player design did not originally include it and does so only via a later firmware update. I got OGG files recorded at 224Kbps (near the top of the spec) to playback on the unit, but there was a loud annoying pop between tracks, and the playback volume for OGG files was much lower than the other two main formats. I am currently recording my CD's in MP3 at 320Kbps, as I think it just barely edged out WMA 160Kbps in terms of quality. I am one of those people who is bothered by highly compressed audio files that have the notes literally sawed off around the edges or muffled under cotton, so the less the compression the better. I'll just have to swap out songs more often. That is not to say that MP3 128Kbps or even 64Kbps files sound bad; it's just that the 320Kbps ones obviously sound better.

- Unlike some MP3 CD players, this unit has no gapless playback capability. That is, there is a pause between files when one ends and the next one starts. This may or may not be an issue depending on the source content, and the codec used seems to affect the amount of delay, although it's usually less than a half-second or so. Still, when the source CD tracks are audibly connected, the gap of silence on the flash player's playback between files is annoying.

- A bookmark function per file (up to say 5 or 10 files) would be most welcome, as currently, switching between files loses one's place in the file, requiring fast forwarding or rewinding through the file to back to where you were. However, remembering the position for the one current file does work unless it is a REC recording from the FM tuner. Do not confuse the lack of bookmark capability with auto-resume, which is an included feature for MP3/WMA/OGG files.

- When you record from the FM tuner, playback the file part way through, and then turn the unit off and then back on again later, it starts over from the beginning of the first FM recording file stored on the unit. That's pretty silly, but there is a workaround by transferring the FM recordings to the PC, converting them to MP3's, and transferring them back to the unit.

- The unit seems to really suck battery life when transferring files from the PC or using the equalizer option. Don't leave the unit attached to the PC longer than necessary. I have found that I can live without the EQ option, although it is nice to use on certain types of source material. I might use it more often if it didn't drain the battery so noticeably.

- Having to regularly remove the case to replace the battery or recharge it is a hassle. Ideally, the unit would have a power input on the side that would simply allow you to plug in a DC adapter that recharged the battery inside, much like other portable devices such as cellphones. My three-year-old Sony MP3 CD player does exactly this just fine.

- The backlight intensity really needs a sensor for adjustable viewing in the dark, as the backlight is blindingly bright in the pitch black. I suppose this is so that you can see the display in bright sunlight, but there's no varying the display brightness, just the LCD contrast viewing angle.

- The package included a leaking Duracell AA battery (exp. date of 2011) inside a little plastic bag that didn't stop it from getting dried battery acid on the software CD cover. No damage was done to the unit, but including a battery in the package is questionable when this sort of thing happens.

Overall, I like this unit a lot and highly recommend it. I'm not too interested in hard-drive based players right now, so hopefully the next generation flash-based player will include many of the above suggestions.

I did quite a bit of research before finally taking the MP3 Player leap. Had procrastinated due to lack of options, high price and concerns over sound quality. But I wanted an alternative to my "talk radio" standard while walking. Decided on the iFP 899 and am very pleased. Sound quality is key for me. For instance, I'd rather buy more hard drive capacity for my computer than use other than WAV files to burn my own CDs. I.e., I can "tell the difference" with other file formats. But so far I have been amazed with the sound quality of MP3's on my iRiver. I'm using a set of Sony sport headphones because I prefer to hear the "outside world" while walking as a safety measure. While walking today one of my favorite Kenny Burrell tracks came on and I had to do a double take -- I thought someone in the yard across the street was tapping a cymbal. I'm using Goldwave to convert my WAV's to MP3 at 192 kbps (the unit can handle higher but I chose this to leave head room) and the sound is incredible. 1Gb capacity is also great -- more than I could ever use for my purposes, particularly given how easy it is to delete and add files. I tend to agree with other comments on the plastic case and battery cover (c'mon iRiver!), but for my purposes it has exceeded expectations. Highly recommended!!

I had originally purchased a similar Samsung player that I had liked a lot in design for a flash player. Some of my tunes on that unit sounded great, some were just so-so. Having done further research. I was uncertain whether I was going to go w/ a Creative Muvo or the iRiver; I passed on an IPOD Shuffle b/c I don't like having do deal with manufactuer's overpriced batteries if they die. Creative Labs had pretty good ratings for sound quality and a very low price. However, some of the reviewers indicated issues with product defects.

So I splurged on the 1 GB iRiver 899. Though the body being plastic did not seem the most durable; the sound was outstanding, loud, and well articulated, on EVERY song- even those less than 128 resolution. There are numerous options including 3D sound, Bass boost, preset and manual graphic equalizer, that allow you to further enhance your tunes. 1 GB is holding over 120 with over a 1/4 of the hard drive still free - many of my files are 192 kpbs or higher!

There is are two minor nuisances that I chose to overlook:

* You must use the proprietary software to load the player. ( You can not drag and drop between two Windows Explorer windows. That said the software is not complicated. Just slows things up a little.

* If you want to share tunes with friends, you can not upload from the player to another computer, or even back onto your own. IRiver says this is to control piracy. Still a bit of a let down.

Albeit the above dings, I am still giving the unit five stars. The sound is unprecedented and loaded with features. These attributes substantially outweighed all.

I got my iFP 899 from my sister, who couldn't figure out how to work it. She offered it to me, and I grabbed it- and I'm very glad I did.

I didn't need another MP3 player- I have an iPopd that works very well- but the iFP 899 offers something I did want: Simple, portable, direct to MP3 recording. You can record snippets direct from the built-in FM radio, from the built-in microphone, or via the line-in, from high quality microphones of an outboard microphone preamp.

I put together a small field recording kit consisting of the iFP 899, a set of homemade stereo microphones made from modified Panasonic electret cartidges, and a waterpoof box. Now I'm set to make nature recordings, music recordings, any sort of recording anytime, anyplace. With 1GB of flash memory I can record hours and hours of high quality MP3 sound.

Standard MP3 and FM radio playback is very good from 899, too; add an outboard headphone amp, and you've got a first-rate portable music system. The controls are a little non-intuitive, but the manual makes it all very clear.

As delivered, the unit is set up to load songs using a special desktop app, but iRiver offers a simpler driver on their website that allows the iFP 899 to act as an attached drive on your computer, whcih I find more flexible (particularly as I already have iTunes loaded). COnversion was automatic, and took a couple of minutes.

All in all, a great toy with a lot of flexibility.

My first MP3 player, and I'm thrilled! The headphones are Sennheiser, and more than adequate, it will play MP3, VBR, and WMA, and the software, while not as convenient as drag-drop in explorer, is very intuitive. The USB 2.0 is fast. Another poster said that you cannot transfer to your computer, but I have done so with no problems, drag and drop.

I've owned an iRiver ifp series player for over a year. I've been pleased in general with their operation except for the issue that when the unit breaks (which yours may or may not) iRiver has no facilities to repair a unit beyond its warranty period.

On the plus side:

+ Small size

+ Long battery life with single AA battery.

+ No OEM battery that can't be replaced

+ Audio good, and EQ settings very flexible

+ Many changable option features

+ Software can be flash upgraded

On the negative side:

- The software for loading the device is only fair. The unit can supposedly be modified by software to act as an external drive, but I have not tried this.

- The need for an external cable is a hassle, nicer if it could just plug into a USB port without a cable

- FM radio is not very sensitive. Only local stations are heard. The earphone cord is the antenna, so this accounts for the lack of sensitivity. The stereo decoding takes about 10db more signal so only strong signals will be heard in stereo

But, I bought this unit as an MP3 player, so the FM aspect isn't that important.

NOW... FOR THE MAJOR PROBLEM WITH IRIVER.....

I had my unit for a little over a year. One day, while playing music, the unit just quit, and the display went dead. Checking for the obvious problems, like a dead battery, nothing seemed to be wrong with the unit EXCEPT that it wouldn't turn on or do anything.

I sent multiple emails to iRiver and received no reply. I called their 800 number, and was informed that "they do not have a servive center, and make no repairs of the flash players"

I cannot give any higher rating than two stars to a company that charges $150-200 for a product and then expects it to just be thrown away as they don't service their product.

Apparently, if the unit is still in warranty, they can send out a new unit as a replacement, but beyond the warranty period, you're out of luck as iRiver won't touch the unit.

Buy iRiver at your own risk.

I have been looking for a MP3 player for sometime now. Reading specs and reviews and tech sheets till I was about crazy...Anyway, I finally decided that this was the player to buy. For starters, with a gig (well almost) memory, I can get close to 150 VBR quality songs on this player, which keeps me in music for quite a while without a repeat. The ear buds that came with the player are actually Sennheiser's and have very good sound, I was surprised! The FM turner is a feature I wasn't looking for but was glad to get it and so far has great reception and was easy to program via the iRiver Music Manager software. Also this player features direct recording, either voice/ radio/ or line-in, another feature I was not originally looking for but works quite well. I also like the fact that the player uses AA batteries. I have never been fond of AAA batteries and they are not as readily available as AA's. So far battery life has been excellent, still on the first battery and have been using the player for almost 2 weeks now. The controls are easy to use, though you do have to read the manual to get the full use of them until you have it down. The only drawback I can say is the requirement of the Music Manager software to load the player, I would have preferred to be able to just load using Windows Explorer, that is the only reason I did not rate this wonderful player with 5 stars.

I've read great things about IRiver so I thought i'd buy one for my first MP3 player. It took me about 10 minutes to master this product. It does require reading the manual. It sounds great its easy to operate and comes with alot of accessories. Although im not to wild about the headphones so make sure you got a better pair. It is VERY easy to upload songs into this baby and it comes with a USB 2.0 cable for increased uploading speed which is great.

iRiver 899 is really good.

Only problem with this set is earphones , but it is superb with good headset.

PC interface is not so great as compared to iPOD.

Overall a good buy.

I've had this mp3 player for over 3 years now and NEVER had a problem with it. If only all players were like this one!

Considering how far mp3 players have come along in 3 years, this player was great back in 2005. It's definitely not fancy (1 GB, no color), but the sound quality is decent, the screen is tough (only one scratch), and it takes only one AA battery.

The software wasn't the easiest to use, but I managed to make sense of it all and listen to my songs.