223 of 230 people found the following review helpful:
Sansa Fuze
I began the search for the most versatile MP3 video player I could find at a descent price. Yes, my search included the ipod as well. When all was said and done, I choose the Sansa Fuze due to the amount of features, and they happen to come at a better price than the Ipod.
I wanted the ability to expand, in the event I fill my fuze, I can use the micro sd...
226 of 251 people found the following review helpful:
3 Stars for functionality 5 Stars for sound quality
This little player is a bargain. Your going to be hard pressed to find another 8gb player with these features at this price. Very nice build quality, above average user interface. Above all the sound quality is stellar judging by 320kbps tracks I used on it. Good soundstage, full & neutral.
That said the player does not come with software, which is fine...
This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
I began the search for the most versatile MP3 video player I could find at a descent price. Yes, my search included the ipod as well. When all was said and done, I choose the Sansa Fuze due to the amount of features, and they happen to come at a better price than the Ipod.
I wanted the ability to expand, in the event I fill my fuze, I can use the micro sd slot. The micro sd cards are relatively cheap and seem to be expanding is size all the time. I bought the 8 GB fuze and can expand as needed.
FM radio is a great feature. You may have all the music you want, but sometimes it is nice to listen to the news or hear new music. And just in case you hear something you like, it can be recorded and played back on your fuze.
The navigation is straight forward and things load very fast. The battery life is great at about 24 hours when listening to music. I have not watched many movies at this point so I can't give an estimate for viewing time.
Sansa releases updates that are easy to obtain when they make improvements to the firmware. I suspect some of the reviews I read before I bought my fuze regarding slow load time were fixed with firmware updates.
If are looking for a feature packed MP3 player at a great price check out the fuze.
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
I've tried a ton of MP3 players. A TON. And for the money, I will argue that you can't find a better MP3 player on the market.
I've owned and loved Sansa MP3 players for years. They have a great interface, are super easy to use, and have excellent sound quality. The Fuze, as opposed to the View, has the same sound processing as the amazing Clip. What does that mean? That means that this MP3 player arguably has the BEST sound quality of any MP3 player right now.
It's thin, light, and bright. It has a great screen (would be handy for movies, although I haven't tried watching any yet) and a very slick interface.
It has a rubberized back which makes me much less paranoid about babying this player. I can toss it around on the table or in my pocket and not have to worry about scratching it up. I use a protective clear skin on the front (from bestskinsever) and it keeps the screen pristine and scratch-free.
The absolute best part about the Fuze is the microSD slot. I have the 8 GB player, and an 8 GB micro SDHC card inserted which gives me a 16 GB mp3 player for 70 dollars!! You canNOT find another mp3 player with that kind of memory for that kind of money. Period.
I use this with my Rhapsody-to-go subscription. It works perfectly with Rhapsody, and even has an option to transfer Rhapsody channels on it (radio type stations with a ton of different music that Rhapsody thinks you would like based on your previous selections). Superb.
You don't need Rhapsody to enjoy this player though. I drag and drop mp3s just using Windows Explorer (you can also use Windows Media Player). It's got amazing compatibility and will play just about any kind of music file.
You won't find a better deal on the market today. Set any brand snobbery aside and just get an amazing mp3 player with amazing sound - you won't regret it!
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
This little player is a bargain. Your going to be hard pressed to find another 8gb player with these features at this price. Very nice build quality, above average user interface. Above all the sound quality is stellar judging by 320kbps tracks I used on it. Good soundstage, full & neutral.
That said the player does not come with software, which is fine as it will work with Windows Explorer or Windows Media Player as an MTP (media transfer protocol, for protected content such as Rhapsody) or MSC (mass storage compliant). Unfortunately it will not work with Winamp (my preferred media organizer) without rolling back Windows Media Player to version 10 (there is a conflict between Winamp and version 11).
My other gripe is that the expandable external memory (the MicroSD card) is seen as separate from the device's own internal memory. What does this mean? If you have 8gb of internal and 8gb of external for a 16gb combined and want to put 16gb of media on the player you have to do your own calculations or simply try dragging and dropping media on the player or card until it tells you no more will fit. It would have been much nicer to simply bundle the player with a small utility for managing storage space so both the internal and external are seen as a whole if you like.
Finally, while I'm impressed with the build quality, the jog wheel is a bit frustrating. It works fine but is overly sensitive and too easy to turn. A bit of friction would have been nice. If the player is going into a pocket the wheel is going to get turned, activate some other menu item or adjust the volume randomly.
Lastly, a small gripe; the headphone jack in on the bottom. I've owned at least 6-8 players in the last few years, none have had this feature. I realize this is becoming more prominent as several of the Apple players have this feature as does the 4/8gb Zune. Frankly I find it frustrating, the only good argument for a bottom placed jack is when you are holding the device in your hand and looking at the screen (hence the cord is more easily held out of the way). However, it puts the cord in an awkward position for any other use such as in the pocket or clipped to the waist or arm, necessitating the cord go from the bottom to the top of the player. It could be argued in fact that most people aren't buying these small screen flash players for video (the only realistic time you may want to hold the player for easy viewing) as the screen is too small to be very useful.
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
When I got the Fuze it seemed pretty nice. It downloaded most of my music when I asked and the sound was good. Unfortunately the Fuze stopped being recognized by my computer. I was pretty surprised when I found I could call the SanDisk Help line and talk to a real person. After about 2 weeks of trying stuff out and discovering that my Fuze wasn't recognized by any computer, they gave me a return authorization and I sent it back. After sending it back it was as if I disappeared from the planet. SanDisk has failed to return any emails I've sent them asking for a rough time to expect a repair or replacement. I've had the thing for two months but I haven't been able to use it for 45 days.
I see the great reviews and they were why I bought the Fuze in the first place. I understand my experience is probably a rare one, but I really hate it when a company simply ignores a customer's problem. I also should mention that during the two weeks I worked with SanDisk to resolve the problem I lost the ability to return the Fuze to Amazon (30 day limit). If you have a problem with the Fuze my experience says to get it back to Amazon within the thiry days because I haven't had much success with SanDisk.
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
Seriously. I've had it for 15 months. A couple months ago I stepped on it drunk, somehow, and smashed the wheel into the device. I could still turn the wheel but not really, like barely. And then yesterday I left it in my pocket and sent it through the wash. I was like, Oh man, that s(cks. It didn't work, of course. I set it on a fan and came back a few hours later. Still doesn't work. I plug it into the computer; turns right back on (even with foggy windshield). It works perfectly now, the wheel works as good as new, inexplicably. Honestly I cannot remember the last time I was so impressed with the durability and staying-power of...really anything, since the 8-bit Nintendo game system (just blow, jiggle it in the Nintendo, and push "Power" and it works).
OK, I bought 3 iPods before this, they all crapped out within the 6-month to 1-year time-frame (conveniently when the warranty was not valid, except when I bought the 15-gig when they first came out, that apple discontinued, that went out, that I mailed back to them per the "terms" of the agreement (they paid the shipping), that they said there was no refund for (See: discontinued) and had the audicity to offer to "fix" my iPod for 20 less than the original list (5 months later)). No. Apple=terrible customer service. This was not the first nor last time.
Enter the fuze. I bought it on the cheap (it's since dropped 40, still far and away cheaper than iPod). The only bad part is it doesn't sync to iTunes, which I have an account with an indie-music website that syncs fine. I am forcefully avoiding iTunes, I don't like the seeming monopoly iPod has over the industry, in my personal experience they know they have a good thing and abuse the consumer. 3 iPods, ironically, I've had about the same amount of time as my 15-month fuze.
I'll admit, I'm rough around the edges. I get boozed and other forms of happy and drop/kick/fall asleep on/wash/etc. and this is still going. You have no idea how happy I was when I plugged it in and it worked. I was amazed. Maybe I just lucked out and finally got my karma but this was so good, I'll never, NEVER, buy another apple mp3, I'll forever buy fuze b/c literally I'm that impressed, I'm 27 and may buy another half-dozen before I kick, but forget apple, they're pretensiouns and vainglorious anyway. I assume microsoft operates this, I don't even know, I'm not tech-savvy, but I took the time to write this review, something I don't do much anymore, b/c I'm so pleased. It's rare nowadays; as for the player, I don't know, its an mp3 player, read the other reviews, but this is one of the best purchases I've ever made.
Its been so long people probably don't even buy this model anymore but this is recommended, read other reviews but I def recommend...
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
I consider myself an audio and technology freak so here are my pros and cons:
Pros:
1) it's not an Apple product
2) comes in black
3) well priced for the amount of space you get 8gigs + the ability to expand using the card slot
4) the audio quality is very good and the 5 band equalizer is also top notch
5) small, light, yet feels solid
Cons:
1) it's slow to delete songs taking 25+ seconds (probably longer the more songs you have)
2) it's slow to play the next song; when i hit next i want the next song to play immediately, there's a bit of a delay
3) the proprietary data/charging cord is simply retarded (why couldn't they use a miniUSB cord and keep things consistent thus reducing WASTE?)
I'm pretty content with this purchase and you will be content too if you are looking to save money on an mp3 player that feels solid and isn't an Ipod.
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
I never used to think I wanted a dedicated Flash music player, but there was a great deal on the 8GB Sansa Fuze this past Christmas and so I stuck one on my wish list.
I can't get over how great it is. It's got great sound quality, fabulous battery life, a slick (decidedly iPod-inspired) interface that lets me quickly select what I want to listen to with a minimum of fuss.
Really easy to use, too. I'm a Linux user, but I've plugged it into Windows machines too--I don't need to go through any desktop applications, just drag and drop the music files to the player. File support is great too; it'll play not only MP3s but Ogg Vorbis files (which make up a chunk of my collection) as well.
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
I was in need of a mp3 player for the long driving times I make while I work. I live in the middle of nowhere which means the only station I get is country. Being that I don't own a truck that is souped up and don't have a mullett I do not listen to that twangy head ache inducing genre. To the point...
My friend owns an Ipod Touch. He paid nearly $300 for it because, frankly, he's an Apple nerd. He owns almost all generations of the Ipod (I'm not kidding) and I figured maybe he'd give me one on the cheap...not quite. He wants to keep them all even though he is currently into his touch. Ok, again off topic..I'm getting there...
So I go to the local Apple store (About 5 hours away) to see about an Ipod. I've looked around on the net and seen some of the outrageous prices for such a small storage MP3 player..(and they are NOT expandable) I was told that refurbs (rebuilt) were cheaper and are like new again from factory. [...]
I decided to shop around some generics first. I had seen some advertisment's for mp3 players that were selling for a little over a buckskin ([...]) and had expandable capacites beyond the built in 8 gigs it already held. I figued, GENIUS! Why pay [...] for a Ipod with only 8 gigs when I can buy a generic with 8 gigs plus a sd card slot to make it bigger.
I went to the local divorcee' store (Wal-Mart) to take a peek at what was available. Too my amazement, they had on sale(isn't everything on sale at Wal-Mart) two MP3 players. A 8 Gig Creative and a Sansa Fuze 8 Gb. I decided to go with the Fuze because it was made by the folks that invented the sd cards that go in them. Yeah, stupid reason, but I figured that they probably know what they are doing better than most since they are the fathers of the sd card.
So I got the Fuze 8 gigs, which plays all sorts of crap that I will never use, and a 32gb sdhc card for a total far exceeding what I thought I was going to spend. The card alone was almost twice as expensive. [...] . So now I had a 40gb player and spent [...] dollars. The 8 gb Ipod Nano with no extra expansion slots was retailing [...].
Now comparing the prices for storage the Fuze won. I showed my buddy and we decided to do a comparison of the two (Touch vs. Fuze) It was more him being mad that he spent a ton of money for his and I spent so little on mine and still had more space and my player did basically the same thing as his. The features on his win hands down. The touch screen is pretty sweet but honestly, that was about it. Who really watches videos on a tiny screen anyways? His was comparably bigger, but again, you will go blind trying to watch something on such a small screen.
I honestly could NOT tell a difference in sound quality. Don't listen to the Apple folks when they talk about there's being better. Its all about how the MP3 was created. If someone who has no clue on how to properly create an mp3 file decides to try there luck compared to someone who does, I will downlo...err BUY that mp3 from the dude who does know how to rip a mp3. There is a HUGE difference between a mp3 a 128kbs and a mp3 created at 328kbs. So again, don't be fooled by this non sense. Also, Apples packed head phones are more than likely going to be better than another mp3 players company that makes on the cheap mp3 players.
I read a review on here about someone complaing about how touchy the wheel is on the FUZE and how when its in there pocket it turns the volume up or down on them or switches songs. There is a LOCK button on the power switch and I believe that EVERY mp3 player has this future. I believe they were an apple fan...figures they would neglect to mention this feature that has been around since the Sony Walkman. If you lock the mp3 player there is nothing to worry about when you stick it in your pocket to jog or whatever.
Also read about how the cord is on the bottom as opposed to the top. Wow, getting a little nit pickey here. Someone would of complained if it was on the top. Really, its not a paid at all.
Since I don't pay for a product because of a name I do NOT own an apple anything. I'm not a MS fanboy either. I just don't know why anyone would pay a TON for a product when they can get a comparable one which is just as good if not exceeds said product for less.
I would rate the FUZE as a 9 out of 10. 9 because it doesn't cook my dinner.
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
I've had an ipod for a few years and the quality of the product and sound are crap compared to the Sansa Fuze. The sound on the Fuze is great. Since so many of these items have one button doing it all, it's vital they work. I listen to the NYT on my mp3's also and when I'd download audible onto the ipod it would never rewind back to only a few words or sentences correctly, taking me back to the beginning of the subject matter, wasting time. This Sansa rewinds/FF great, exactly where you want it to. The screen is nicer also.
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This review is from: SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)
This little player is fantastic and the price is simply amazing. Read the other reviews for all the features etc. I only have one complaint, but it was not enough to drop it to 4 stars. The "manual" included with the player is worse than awful and to make matters worse, Sansa tells you in that manual to go to their website at "www.sandisk.com/fuze" to get the full manual and Sansa Media Converter (the converter is required if you want to watch videos). The website location does not exist and even if you go to the home pages of sandisk.com or sansa.com, the links to this product don't contain manual, software or anything else of interest. Amazing that a gazillion dollar company like SanDisk/Sansa has a website that is so poorly done. In order to get the full owners guide and media converter, go to google.com and type in "Sansa Fuse manual" and you'll find the download in the first five or six links. Do the same for the free converter and type "Sansa Media Converter" and it will be in the first five or six links.
The Media Converter is pretty slick and easy to use and you can put in multiple movies to be converted in sequence so you don't have to babysit it. The manual is informative and useful.
Sound is fantastic, the video is great (even on this tiny screen) and the overall functionality of this device is better than anything else I have looked at. I have already ordered a second one for my wife and will give them out for Christmas too! Have fun!
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