No upgrade required: MP3 players with earbuds worth keeping
Donald Bell,
Senior Editor
August 18, 2008
If the amount of white earbuds I see each day are any indication, few people upgrade from the stock headphones that come with their MP3 players. Whether it's the status symbol of iPod ownership or consumer pockets pinched hard by gadget addiction, the droves of people out there with inferior earbuds are enough to keep me up at night.
On the chance that our national obsession with bundled earbuds is really a subconscious protest against paying extra for quality that should come standard, we've rounded up five MP3 players that don't skimp on extras.
Microsoft, Creative, and Philips all offer in-canal earbuds with their higher-end models of MP3 players. These in-canal style 'buds include various sizes of earpieces to ensure a firm fit in your ears and offer an improved frequency response.
The king of bundled headphones is Sony, who could have filled this entire list with their Walkman line of MP3 players. Instead of turning this into a Sony love letter, we've only included their most notable examples. The Sony Walkman NWZ-S718F includes active noise-canceling earphones that work so well, we gave them an Editors' Choice award. If you're looking to jump into wireless audio with both feet, the Sony Walkman NWZ-A828K Bluetooth MP3 player comes bundled with high-quality in-canal earbuds and a pair of attractive Bluetooth on-ear headphones.
- More Resources
- Editors' top headphones,
- Editors' top earbuds,
- Best MP3 players,
- The MP3 Insider
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| Price | Pricing not available | Pricing not available | $289.99 |
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| Review date | April 10, 2008 | April 04, 2008 | November 11, 2007 | August 08, 2008 | July 23, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | The sum of the NWZ-S710F's audio enhancement and noise-canceling features adds up to one of the most pleasant and private music experiences you can have for less than $200. | The Sony NWZ-A820 is the best sounding, best-looking Walkman series yet, and the inclusion of Bluetooth audio makes it a top choice for cable-hating audio enthusiasts. | The Zune has blossomed from an ugly duckling into a worthy iPod alternative. | The Creative Zen X-Fi's plastic design leaves a little to be desired, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the player is an incredible value overall: for an extremely competitive price you get a boatload of features and great sound quality. | If you're looking for a Bluetooth-compatible MP3 player or you want to make the most of your Rhapsody music subscription, the Philips GoGear SA5245BT offers a well-rounded set of features at an attractive price. |
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| Features | |||||
| PC interface(s) supported | Hi-Speed USB | Bluetooth Hi-Speed USB | Wi-Fi Hi-Speed USB | Wi-Fi Hi-Speed USB | Bluetooth Hi-Speed USB |
| Flash memory installed | 8 GB | 8 GB | Info unavailable | 16 GB | 4 GB |
| Flash memory form factor | Integrated | Integrated | Info unavailable | Integrated | Integrated |
| Resolution | 240 x 320 | 240 x 320 | 320 x 240 | 320 x 240 | 240 x 320 |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | Info unavailable | x2 in x 0.4 in x 3.7 in | x2.4 in x 0.5 in x 4.3 in | x3.3 in x 0.5 in x 2.2 in | x2.3 in x 0.4 in x 4.2 in |
| Weight | Info unavailable | 2 oz | 4.5 oz | 2.4 oz | 3.4 oz |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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