Meizu Music Card

I spent a while searching for an MP3 player in the leadup to xmas 2007. I thought my criteria were reasonable:

  • Access as a USB Mass Storage device
  • Decent enough sound quality that I’m not compelled to buy an amp
  • FLAC and ogg support
  • A form factor that I can take running with me in a pocket

I ended up with a shortlist of:

iPod nano
  • the 3rd generation form factor isn’t great
  • it can’t play ogg and flac (well, until rockbox gets ported)
  • isn’t well-regarded for its sound quality.
Sony NWZ-S61x
  • It certainly seems from Sony’s promotion, user reactions, and some RMAA tests that sound quality was a focus, and that Sony were taking advice from their users by switching to UMS.
  • The lack of ogg and flac support was disappointing
  • The form factor tipped the balance. Really it’s not that bad, but it reminded me of my V600i, whose appearance I loathe.
Cowon iAudio 7
Meizu M3
  • A form factor that fit my criteria
  • Comprehensive codec support
  • Some bells and whistles (FM, mic recording)
  • A decent price
  • I couldn’t find much regarding quantitative tests of the sound quality (the others had been subjected to RMAA and similar).

On separate whims I came close to getting the iAudio 7 and an NWZ-S616.

So the belated birthday present from my sister was an M3 SP, 8 GB, stocked with the T 2.003.3 firmware. I christened it “simble”. Here are my first impressions, chronologically ordered rather than logically categorised.

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