-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 53 reviews
- See all user reviews
Product summary
The good: Inexpensive; 128MB of built-in memory; expansion slot for adding more storage.
The bad: Somewhat limited features; doesn't display song information; LCD isn't backlit; no Mac support.
The bottom line: This simple, inexpensive player may appeal to first-time buyers and younger people but won't impress advanced users.
Specifications: Device type: Flash player ; Flash memory installed: 128 MB ; Digital player supported digital audio standards: MP3 , WMA ; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 10/23/2002
- Updated on: 11/20/2002
Design
At 2.5 ounces with two AAA batteries installed, the 1070--with its reasonably attractive, white-and-blue, boxy design--doesn't exactly scream expensive or cutting-edge, and it isn't the smallest digital audio player around. The buttons are well placed, with the volume controls, the Sound mode button, and the button-lock switch easily accessible from the sides of the unit. If we had a minor complaint, it's with the triangular stop, forward, reverse, and Mode buttons on the front of the unit; they're a tad small and feel a little chintzy. And while we liked the included hard-plastic carrying case with a belt clip, it felt slightly loose when attached; we wish that it clamped a bit tighter.
The LCD is surprisingly primitive, with no backlight and no support for ID3 tags. Instead of song information, you just see the bit rate, the elapsed time, the track number, the volume level, the sound and playback settings, and a rudimentary battery-life indicator.
Features
As noted, the player has 128MB of built-in memory and a Secure Digital/MultiMedia Memory card slot on its top for adding more storage. All in all, however, the feature set is pretty basic: you get repeat and random modes, programming capabilities, a button-lock switch, and five equalizer presets.
MusicMatch Jukebox manages your digital music collection (ripping, playlists, and organization) and transfers MP3 and WMA tracks to the Lyra over USB 1.1, the same connection used by other flash-based players. Sorry, Mac users--no iTunes support is offered. For that, you need to step over to the $129 RD1080, which also offers support for RCA's great-sounding MP3Pro format.
Performance
We had no complaints about sound quality. The included neck-band-style headphones are decent, and the unit plays loud and sounds fine, although its 75dB signal-to-noise ratio is less than stellar; anything higher than 90dB is considered very good.
Transfer speeds, while not sluggish, were a bit slower than those of certain other MP3 players that we've tested. We transferred 17MB of tunes from Sonic Youth's Murray Street to the device in 91 seconds, which translates into a speed of 0.19MB per second. In comparison, Samsung's YEPP YP-90S transfers files twice as fast.
We managed to match the rated battery life of 12 hours, which is slightly above average for flash-based MP3 players these days. No rechargeable batteries are included, but you do get two alkaline AAAs to start you off.
In the final analysis, $100 is a spectacular price for a 128MB player, especially one with reasonably attractive cosmetics and an included expansion slot. If you like the sound of the RD1070 but want something smaller, check out the aforementioned RD1080, which costs only about $30 more.
User reviews
- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 53 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
