Samsung 1GB MP3 Player review

Samsung 1GB MP3 Player
Model: YP-MT6Z
Storage: Flash memory (works as a flash drive also)
Battery type: single AA
Casing: metal
Price paid: 149 (USD)

I decided to go look for a high quality flash based MP3 player; this was quit hard to accomplish. Most companies that create a decent MP3 player have either switched to hard disc based devices or cannot be readily found at local retailers. A local retailer in my area sold Samsung flash players, so I decided to try out one after being content with other Samsung consumer electronics.

Build quality and ergonomics: (10 out of 10)

The first thing one notice’s when unpacking this player is the incredibly small size. This player is just a bit larger and thicker than a 9 volt battery. Despite its small size, it does feel quit well built and solid thanks to its metal construction. Menu navigation is brilliant; most navigation is enabled through a single joystick upon the unit. It will only take a few minutes for most users to become comfortable and familiar with the menu navigation. Menu control and responsiveness are very good, along with a great deal of user customizability. The unit utilizes a backlit lcd that can be viewed in all lighting conditions with no problems. The backlight is a blue-ish white that allows for great text contrast. The joystick is illuminated using a blue LED that can be independently controlled in option menus. In all this; player looks great, feels solid, and is very ergonomic.

Connectivity and features (10 out of 10)

This player comes with an usb cable and an adapter that allows it to be inserted into a usb port like a thumb drive. As with most newer usb storage technologies, this player does not require drivers under windows XP. The player need not be in the on position for connectivity to be present, just plug the cable in and within seconds it is recognized as a mass storage device. Usb 2.0 is required to get maximum transfer speeds, but will work with computers that only have usb 1.1. Loading mp3’s to this device is as simple as just copying them to the drive it generated on your system. An FM radio tuner function is built into the unit and produces fairly decent results. Not only can you connect the Samsung player into a computer, but you can record from: internal microphone, line in port (which can encode in mp3), or from the internal FM tuner.

Compatibility: (10 out of 10)

This mp3 player can support a broad range of audio including: ogg, mp3, ASF, wav, WMA, and DRM WMA. I have tested the ogg and mp3 capability with out any incident on playability.

Sound quality (10 out of 10):
The user of this player will be surprised in the amazing sound quality produced. Many user options to enhance sound quality exist such as an equalizer and SRS effects. The mp3 playback sounds about as good as it does on my PC with an audigy 2 zs. You must tweak some of the setting to get great quality though, as the presets are not very good for most types of music.

Battery life (10 out of 10)

The battery life is amazing, gone almost 18 hours without even loosing one bar on the battery meter. The manufacture rates 45 hours + off one AA.

Conclusion:

A great player for the money if you are in need of a flash based player. Rugged and quality can some up the construction and usability of this player.