- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 22 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
4.5 stars
"Perfect pick for subscription services; not for indexing your existing cd library"
Pros: Small, solid build, simple-but-powerful interface, subscription support for those who want it,
Cons: Windows Media Player is terrible for ripping/indexing existing CD library
Summary: This is a great little player. I researched it quite a bit and have not been disappointed in the hardware. Read on, though, if you'd like to see me rant about the software, or lack thereof.
The player is very small -- larger than a nano but small enough to run with, tuck in a pocket, and do just about anything. Perhaps more important, it is built like a (very small) tank. This is not an item that one could smash accidentally. The sound is as good as you will find. Equalizer is preset-only.
I have seen mild criticism of the interface and maximum volume. Neither is a problem. The interface is incredibly confusing for the first three minutes you use it -- after that, it's about as simple and intuitive as can be. I can't imagine how it could be improved. Controls work perfectly underneath an "action jacket" neoprene cover, too. As for maximum volume, if it isn't enough for you, see your doctor.
On the whole, the hardware could hardly be better. Nice interface, tremendously solid build, even the firmware is flawless.
The big disappointment -- perhaps the fault of DRM-mania more than Samsung or this particular model -- is what a shocking pain in the ass it is to simply rip and index existing discs. The player comes with no software alternative to Windows Media Player 10, and I could swear they designed that thing to annoy. I became so sick of accidentally indexing and copying to the player random system sounds and audio lectures that I quickly opted just to treat the player as an external drive and copy-paste files to it.
If you want to index your existing CD collection (and haven't already), opt for a micro-drive player and get some third-party software -- anything but Windows Media Player.
The saving grace, though, is that this player works with the so-called subscription services, MSN Music and Napster. I picked up Napster on a trial basis. $15 a month gets you a very solid selection of unlimited downloads. The catch is that your collection self-destructs the moment you un-subscribe. I was not wholly enthusiastic about this setup, but I've found that it works beautifully with this player and is really the way to go. In fact, if you invest in the player and don't invest in the subscription service, I'd say you're missing the best part. Even more important, the excellent Napster interface is a HUGE improvement over the Windows Media software -- simple to use, drag-and-drop, very quick downloads even on a wireless router.
In a nutshell: This thing is great for exactly what I never expected -- holding a huge number of subscription-based files. It works seamlessly with Napster. Why it doesn't come with music management software other than the dreadful Windows Media Player is a question for someone else, but certainly a disappointment if you were hoping to easily digitize your existing CD collection.
On the hardware, it's perfect. I know that many people will be comparison shopping with the Nano. Vital differences are -- more battery life; a lot tougher; slightly thicker; keeps you out of iTunes, but it's hardly an improvement; perfect integration with Napster, to the point that subscription is almost necessary to make the player all that it can be.
- 2 replies to this review
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Try Yahoo Unlimited To Go...very easy to use and only $10 a month for the same type of deal as Napster. Great review, totally agree!
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I enjoyed reading your review -- I couldn't agree with you more about the significance of adding a Music Subscription Service (I use Rhapsody to Go).
The Max Volume issue was one of my mild criticisms. I have a huge MP3 collection and I have found that there is an occasional discrepancy in volume on some of my files. A lot of my Eighties tracks, for example, seem to have been encoded at a lower (or not high enough?) volume. Even on Rhapsody To Go, I have noticed inconsistent volume results from several Artists. These are the times when the extra "oomph" in volume would be appreciated. When I initially reviewed my Z5, I was using a pair of full size headphones -- It would be nice if the Z5 had a little more volume (or is it power?) to drive them. For earbuds, however, there's sufficient headroom to work with.
Anyways, I digress... As you already know, the Z5 is a wonderful player.
I wanted to refer you to what I believe is (currently) the best user forum for the Z5. We've been discussing firmware improvements lately, and I believe that your input would be greatly appreciated. Here's the link:
www.z5lounge.com
Hope to see you there!
Samsung YEPP YP-Z5 (4GB, silver):
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