Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I picked one of these up for work yesterday at a major retailer/e-tailer that seemed to have it "first", because I was really feeling the necessity of a device like this and the feature-set sounded promising. I frequently have to crawl around in ceilings for insane numbers of hours doing networking and cabling jobs. I needed something to fill the dead-space in my brain.
Light-weight, feature rich. Very attractive (and user-intuitive) design. The surface is black mirrored finish. Very shiny, but prone to fingerprints. The "finger print problem" isn't a big deal for me. Everything gets grimy and icky up there anyway.
The battery life is insanely good. I don't run the volume way up, so I'm not over-driving the amplifier - probably one reason. Anyway - I worked for 16.5 straight hours, and never stopped it. It was on shuffle/repeat all. It was still showing 1/4 on the charge indicator when I went to bed. I plugged it in before I fell asleep, and it's fully charged now.
The included earbuds sound pretty darned good, but they aren't terribly comfortable, and they don't stay in my ears with any kind of activity. I'll be immediately replacing them.
I also couldn't believe the thing is so feature-rich but doesn't include a clock! A few bits of scratchpad nv and a few bytes of code. This surely has to be on the to-do-list for Sansa...Capable of playing both MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) at a much improved size-for-quality (to simplify: WMA is effectively MP3 at 50-60% of the size), this is far superior to my view than Apple's "Shuffle" being primarily limited to iTunes/AAC.
The FM receiver had moderate sensitivity. Not much of a groundplane for that antenna, so I guess it's to be expected. It works fine for strong stations. I wasn't really buying it for the FM tuner anyway. That said, many gyms have an FM broadcast of the TVs over the equipment. That's probably what this is designed for primarily - and it'd be perfect for that.
The display is awesome. VERY readable and it's downright gorgeous in a totally darkened space, as are the blue backlit buttons.
I transcoded 293 songs out of my MP3 collection to 64kbit/sec WMA. It required just under half the device's storage. So at that bitrate, 600 songs may be a fairly accurate accounting with the types of music I listen to at work. I'm sure the sound may lack a bit, but when you're just using it as background filler - who cares? It's about the amount of music stored at that point...
Just for kicks, I encoded a 384kbit MP3 track from an SACD (Charlotte Church. Very demanding.) utilizing a commercial well-reviewed MP3 CODEC implementation, and plugged the Express into my More Headroom headphone amp, and that into my HD580 Sennheiser headphones.
There was some identifiable amplifier noise on the Sansa. It didn't punch the lows or lift the highs. Probably 75% of SNR that I get on the Creative Zen NX. A friend's Shuffle shows similar characteristics to the Sansa Express (by seat-of-pants method). The Shuffle seems to carry the bass a bit better, the Sansa a bit cleaner on the highs. But that's just my "golden-ear" opinion. I don't think I'd want it as my only MP3 option for more audiophile-type listening. But again: It's a "micro-device".
The one niggling "gotcha" that is common out there: Why put the lanyard attachment point on the cheap and disposable cap section rather than the actual "business end"? Hmm. Maybe I answered my own question. ;) I like the idea of the lanyard, but wouldn't use it given the probability of losing the device and keeping the cap.With all that said, I am *super* happy with this device; for its purpose and value proposition. In fact, I'm ecstatic. I would give it a 9.25/10 rating. Earbuds are a very personal thing. I'm only docking them 0.25 for the earbuds. I have no problem replacing them. I'd like to hit them another 0.25 for not adding a clock - but heck, the Shuffle doesn't even have a display. I'm going to hit them another 0.25 for apparent SNR/THD/Amplifier quality, but I'll apologize for it since other similar micro-players have similar apparent performance.
Honestly, a "fairer" rating is probably 9.90/10 when all factors (cost, size, battery life, display quality, quantity of music stored, overall feature-set, etc.) are taken into account.
This is truly a ShuffleKiller. I just hope SanDisk can push the marketing and advertising hard enough to upset the Apple cart [sic].
Yeah, scratch that... I'd give it a "10" on the emotional scale for a day and a half of use. ;)
With apologies to Cliff Richard:
"Walkin' about with a head full of music, MP3 in my pocket and I'm gonna use it-stereo, out on the street ya know whoa whoa whoa, [...] I feel so ecstatic, it's music I've found, and I'm wired for sound"--- Jodie
Click Here to see more reviews about:
SanDisk Sansa Express 1 GB MP3 Player (Black)The Sansa Express MP3 Player is the world's first cable-less, flash-based MP3 player with a microSD expansion slot.It includes an FM tuner, a built-in microphone, voice and radio recording, a bright four-line OLED screen, and intuitive controls for quick navigation.
Fits Any Lifestyle The Sansa Express connects directly to your computer's USB port. That means no extra cables to add to your already-cluttered desktop (if you do require a cable, an extension USB cable is included). Weighing less than an ounce and about the size of a pack of chewing gum, the Express can easily go anywhere you go.
Full-Featured MP3 Player The Sansa Express supports MP3, WMA, protected WMA, WAV, and Audible file formats. It includes 1 GB of flash memory, along with a microSD slot to expand your capacity and provide music portability. It also supports most subscription music stores.
Enjoy FM Radio--Now or Later The Sansa Express features a digital FM radio tuner and the ability to record radio broadcasts. Keep that interview or song for later reference. Program up to 20 of your favorite stations as presets.
Voice Recording Have a thought you need to get down before it evades you? Use the built-in microphone to record voice memos. Capture interviews, classes, short notes to yourself, or anything else you might feel inspired to record.
Sweet Simplicity Once connected to your computer, the Express is detected by your operating system and appears as additional drive. Simply drag and drop your music files to the Express and you're ready to go. The lithium polymer battery is also recharged while the device is connected, giving youup to 15 hours of use at full capacity. The device is compatible with Windows XP and Vista, and requires Windows Media Player 10 or later.
What's in the Box Sansa Express Player, Headphones, Lanyard, USB Extension Cable, and Quick Start Guide.
Click here for more information about SanDisk Sansa Express 1 GB MP3 Player (Black)
