Samsung Yepp YP-55 (256MB)
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CNET Editors' Review
The good: Slick, solid design; 256MB; clean, punchy sound; unique effects, including simulated surround sound; FM radio; voice, FM, and line-in recording.
The bad: Requires an adapter for direct USB connection; goes to sleep too quickly; tiny Mode button; no rechargeable battery; not expandable.
The bottom line: The encyclopedic feature set of the YP-55 makes up for its slightly larger size and its awkward USB dongle.
With understated styling and a sleek, silver casing of plastic and aluminum, the YP-55 looks more like an executive accessory than an MP3 player. Measuring 1.02 by 3.2 by 1.02 inches and tipping the scales at 2 ounces to come in as the bulkiest ... Expand full review
With understated styling and a sleek, silver casing of plastic and aluminum, the YP-55 looks more like an executive accessory than an MP3 player. Measuring 1.02 by 3.2 by 1.02 inches and tipping the scales at 2 ounces to come in as the bulkiest and heaviest plug-in model we've seen to date, this device is an awkward addition to your key ring.
At the touch of a button, the YP-55 starts recording voice input in the WAV format. What's more, you can encode MP3 files from external analog sources such as turntables, cassette decks, and sound cards. Both operations occur at one of five bit rates, ranging from 32Kbps to 128Kbps. The player's FM tuner comes with a generous 20 presets, programmed manually or automatically, and you can encode its streams directly to MP3. Once you've installed the appropriate drivers, you can use Windows Explorer or the Apple OS X Finder to drag and drop MP3, WMA, and data files onto the player. But the YP-55 doesn't support playlists; if you don't want to hear your songs in alphabetical order, you have to number your filenames or listen in shuffle mode. We're also nonplussed by the Yepp's sleep timer, which shuts off the player if you don't press any keys within 10 to 25 seconds of hitting Pause. We wish we could disable the function or stretch the time limit to at least a minute. We'd also like playback to resume exactly where we left off in a song, rather than at its beginning. The YP-55's audio was crisp and punchy, with an 88dB signal-to-noise ratio. Our tunes sounded even better when we combined the equalizer with the DBB. The simulated-surround effects of SRS and TruBass aren't for everyone; purists scorn such processing, but it did increase the presence of some MP3 files. Putting out 10mW per channel at 16 ohms, the YP-55 definitely came across loudly enough through our Sony MDR-V600 test headset. The bundled earbuds cranked out clear music without sacrificing bass, but as with most included 'phones, audiophiles should consider upgrading them. Though we'd prefer a rechargeable cell, the Yepp's AAA battery did last impressively long, meeting Samsung's rated 15 hours of music. Hide ReviewUser ReviewsSee all user reviewsMost recent user reviewsShowing 3 of 23 reviews stars "a solid flash-based mp3 player" By mtbtylorPros: loaded with features, aluminum construction, great sound Cons: limited storage capacity Summary: I bought this several months before my 5th gen iPod (which i love) and believe it or not i still use it frequently because i can store files in it (which is better at this than the ipod since its small and comes with a direct-connect USB plug). and i ... Expand full review stars "plenty of features but limited storage" By jwang1229Pros: mp3 encoding, radio tuner, voice recording, srs wow audio effects Cons: bulky, no rechargeable battery, packaged components easy to lose Summary: It has a good set of features but the design is bulky and the custom cables are easy to lose. Although it lasts 15hrs with a AAA battery, you have to replace the battery when it dies or invest in rechargeable ones that don't last as long. The menu'... Expand full review Where to BuyPricing not available Compare to Editors' Top sSee All Best s Where to BuyPricing not available   
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