Music is an integral part of our lives. In fact, while traveling or even working in an office most of us need to listen to music to keep our minds focused and our mood uplifted.
Thankfully there are many appliances and devices which can prove to be your music companion during these times.
Such ideal mp3 players are handy to carry and you can put them in your pocket and easily listen to your favorite tracks. But, which are the best mp3 players is the million dollar question bothering you at that moment.
Here we bring to you the 10 best Mp3 players available in the market. These players have been scrutinized on the basis of their features, looks, and the price at which they are available.
You can pick the one that is most suitable for your specification and carry on grooving to the beats.
1. SanDisk 8GB Clip Jam MP3 Player
Put the fun back into music-on-the-go with the compact and colorful Clip Jam digital music player you can clip on and take anywhere. The bright one inch screen and big navigation buttons make it easy to drag, drop and play files in popular audio formats including AAC. Add even more music via the micro SD card slot for up to 18 hours of big sound.
Review:
MP3 players have slowly been replaced by smartphones, but if you find yourself in the rare situation of needing one, luckily for you their near-extinct status means lower prices. The simple SanDisk Clip Jam is compellingly cheap enough to justify buying it just for the gym. For just $40 or £30 in the UK (converts to AU$54 in Australia) this super lightweight music player boasts a built-in clip, has a no-frills digital screen for easy browsing and it works with both PCs and Macs.
The Clip Jam lacks the Bluetooth found in the Apple iPod Nano — so don’t expect to use your wireless headphones or speakers. And though it’s small, it’s not as sleek as the tiny iPod Shuffle — but it is cheaper than both Apple music players. Additionally, the SanDisk MP3 player has one feature no Apple iPod has ever had: a microSD card expansion slot. Using this, you can increase its built-in 8GB storage with an extra 64GB. It’s no infinite cloud of streaming music, but it’s a lot more space than the Shuffle (2GB) and Nano (16GB) offer.
2. Sony Walkman MP3 Player
Stay entertained with this compact MP3 player/FM radio that lets you enjoy music and photos with drag-and-drop ease, plus up to 35 hours of battery life.
Review:
If our pick is sold out and you still want 16 GB of space, or if you need something with a slightly bigger screen and buttons, the Sony NW-E395 is a solid choice. It doesn’t have Bluetooth compatibility, so you can’t use it with wireless headphones. It also lacks the SanDisk model’s clip. But it does have a longer battery life than the SanDisk—we got over 33 hours on a single charge in testing. As with the SanDisk, you can load music by dragging and dropping just as you would with a USB drive, but if you want, Sony’s Media Go software can help organize and sync your music collection with the player.
3. High Resolution Portable Music Player
Hi-res music is about providing the listener with the best sound quality possible, just like the performer recorded it live in the studio. Hi-res music features better than CD quality. Most low-res music files, including CDs, remove the very upper and lower tiers of the recording in order to save space. With hi-res music, you get the full detail and dynamic range from the original recording. Press play and the artists seem to appear right in front of you. The sound of each string being strung on the guitar, each stroke of the piano keys gently lingering, the singer’s breath between the words. All of this is captured in the original recording, but compressed and lost for convenience.
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If you are really serious about sound quality but you don’t have the budget of a corporate bigwig, the Activo CT10 may just be the perfect portable music player for you. Created by Groovers Japan in partnership with Astell & Kern parent company iRiver, this tiny touchscreen player offers fantastic sound and 16GB of onboard storage, which is expandable via a built-in SD card slot. It also has a Wi-Fi connection, allowing you to listen to Tidal and other hi-fi music-streaming services.A beautiful 3.4-inch touchscreen allows you to easily pick between media and adjust settings like EQ, and an easy-to-use volume knob on the upper-right side lets you pick how loud you want things to be. The CT10 has a simple 3.5mm connection on the top, allowing you to plug in your favorite pair of headphones with ease. It’s also got Bluetooth and aptX HD support, so you can listen wirelessly in very high quality as well.The CT10 is charged via a Micro USB port, and offers up to 10 hours of playing time on the go. The sound is fantastic, easily besting the similarly priced iPod in terms of fidelity. Everything sounds open and true from the tiny little player, making it a favorite listening device when we’re out and about. If you’re after something that sounds great, is hyper-portable, and won’t break the piggy bank, we highly recommend you check out this little player.
4. 2 GB Walkman MP3 Player
Add an inspiring soundtrack to your workout with the wearable W Series Walkman MP3 player. Its streamlined, one-piece construction and water-resistant design is ideal for activities that work up a sweat. And with true-to-life sound and deep bass, this all-in-one solution delivers the audio quality that you expect from Sony. What’s more, it features a convenient, three-minute quick charge that offers up to 90 minutes of battery life (up to 11 hours with full charge).
Review:
In the 80s and 90s Sony dominated the portable media player market. Then Apple came along and released the iPod. Ever since Sony has been scrapping to keep pace and finally, after many years of denial, started building iPod compatible stereos, docks and bedside alarm clocks. So does the Sony’s NWZ-W252 Walkman even warrant a look?
Fortunately, the day after I ran my iPod Shuffle through the washing machine, the NWZ-W252 showed up at my door. So there couldn’t have been a better time to review the MP3 player. The first thing I noticed about the Sony NWZ-W252 is that there are no cords to manage. I ride a bike and always listen to my Shuffle or my iPhone while commuting to and fro. More often than not the cords get tangled in my helmet, which may seem like a petty concern, but when it happens time after time I assure you it is not. Everything needed to listen to the NWZ-W252 is contained directly in the headphones themselves, which includes all the necessary controls as well as a USB port for transferring and charging the device.
Use a Mac and iTunes? No problem. The NWZ-W252 is completely compatible. The included software doesn’t support Mac OS X, but fortunately you can just drag and drop tracks directly from iTunes to the player (it holds roughly 1.68GB of music), which mounts as a flash drive on your desktop. That’s it. There is nothing more to do or any drivers to install. Sony tossed in some additional software to facilitate transfers, but it’s PC compatible only, so I couldn’t review that.
5. Apple iPod nano 16GB Blue
Music You can tap to play your favorite songs and albums, or give iPod nano a shake and it shuffles to a different song in your music library. Design At 1.1 ounces light and 5.4 mm thin, iPod nano is designed to provide hours of entertainment with maximum portability. Bluetooth Wirelessly connect to speakers, headphones, your car stereo, and other Bluetooth-friendly devices. Fitness Since Nike+ support and a pedometer are built into iPod nano, you can track your daily activity.
Review:
IPod nano supports almost all currently available video and audio formats. This outstanding device allows you to open AAC, MP3, AIFF, WAV, H.264, M4V, MP4, MOV, MPEG-4, HE-AAC files. Thus, you will never face the problem of file converting and will be free to download any content you wish. Additionally, Apple iPod nano supports Apple Lossless and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), hence, you can listen to your favorite music in a high-quality stereo sound. For your convenience, the producer has designed this marvelous device with adjustable maximum volume limit. Now you customize it depending on your preferences. iPod nano would become an ultimate player for people who value hi-tech devices. Listen to music, watch movies and enjoy quality sound and video, or simply use it for audiobooks. This player is all you need to be entertained!
6. Spotify Music Player
Sweat, tumbles, drizzle, slips. Your phone can’t handle these things, Mighty can. Pairs with your favorite Bluetooth headphones or portable speaker. No wires to hold you back from being a badass. Endless audio entertainment for your kids, tweens, and teens…without more screen time.
Review:
However, since then, the Mighty MP3 player has attempted to fill the shuffle’s shoes with its matchbox-sized music player that syncs directly to the user’s Spotify Premium account. Mighty has enough storage for 1,000 songs or podcasts synced over Wi-Fi from your smartphone. The on-device buttons make it possible to skip between playlists and albums stored locally.
However, the first-gen product had its limitations; including spotty Bluetooth connections to wireless headphones. Now the company is back with a new version, the Mighty Vibe, which fixes that ill and also boosts battery life by an hour.
Bluetooth now works at up to 20 feet, which is fine for a device that’s designed to clip to users’ clothing, while battery life can now last for up to five hours. The device still has that chunkier plastic design, which comes in black, blue and red. However, the design is a far cry from the metallic and sleek designs offered by the latter-get clip-on iPod shuffles.
7. Astell & Kern A&ultima
The A&ultima SP1000M is equipped with two AK4497EQ DACs. A separate DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) is dedicated to each independent left and right audio channel producing a wider soundstage and better stereo separation. With the addition of an Octa-Core CPU the A&ultima SP1000M not only boots faster but is able to process digital audio playback without lag or compromise in sound. This will provide the ultimate sound experience of any player currently on the market. Astell&Kern’s advanced audio design and signal management technologies used in the A&ultima SP1000M brings more power output with less noise and minimal distortion.Available streaming services: Tidal Qobuz Spotify Pandora SoundCloud Amazon Music Tune-In Radio SiriusXM and myTuner Radio.Equipped with a 4.1″ HD-resolution screen the A&ultima SP1000M provides sharp images and vivid colors to display album art music playback and player information. The redesigned music-centric GUI that debuted on the full-sized SP1000 is also used on the SP1000M. USB Type-C 3.0 support allows data transfers that are twice as fast as other Astell&Kern players. The A&ultima SP1000 also provides 10 hours of music playback and includes support for fast charging.The SP1000M is available in Lapis Blue and features an all-aluminum body. The SP1000M includes 128GB of internal memory with one microSD card slot supporting additional memory (largest microSD cards currently available in retail are 512GB which are supported).Additional features of the A&ultima SP1000M include support of native playback of 32-bit/384kHz high-resolution PCM audio and native playback of DSD audio up to Quadrate(DSD256) 4.2Vrms Balanced output a Parametric EQ (PEQ) VCXO Reference Clock (Femto Clock) for minimal jitter Wi-Fi connectivity support for the AK Connect app USB DAC function DLNA networking support OTA software updates digital audio output via USB apt X HD Bluetooth and support for high-resolution music strea
Review:
If you’re dropping five finely milled pieces of cotton with a balding mullet-man by the name of “Franklin” painted on them, you probably expect your music device to look as sharp as it performs. While not as outlandish as some of the more expensive A&K devices, the pared-back Jr is arguably better for it.
8. SanDisk 16GB Clip Sport Plus MP3 Player
The affordable, lightweight SanDisk Clip Sport Plus MP3 player gives you the freedom and flexibility to work out the way you want. Durable and water-resistant1, it’s ready for a muddy mountain bike ride or a trail run in the rain. Use the lightweight earphones included or enable the Bluetooth wireless technology and pair it with your favorite Bluetooth wireless headset or speakers to experience the rich bass and quality sound without being tied down by wires. An 16GB* capacity means that it’s big enough to store up to 4000 songs2, but it also has a built-in FM radio3 for those times when you want to tune in. Lightweight, it clips to your clothes or gear, so you can stop worrying about your device and focus on your workout.
Review:
Despite its small size, the SanDisk Clip Sport Plus still has a screen and easy-to-use controls. It supports most DRM-free audio files and can even play Audible audiobooks—which other players we tested couldn’t do. Syncing is as simple as dragging files onto the player, as if it were a USB drive. It also has a built-in FM radio. We got a bit under 7 hours of battery life when testing with Bluetooth on, and a bit over 20 hours with wired headphones.
Despite being made and sold by a well-established MP3-player manufacturer, the Clip Sport Plus typically costs less than $60, about the same price as generic MP3 players with comparable features. If you don’t need Bluetooth, SanDisk also sells an 8 GB version that costs half as much—again, in line with no-name competitors.
9. SanDisk 8GB Clip Sport MP3 Player
Enjoy music, audiobooks, podcasts, and more while exercising with the SanDisk Clip Sport MP3 Player. Designed for athletes and fitness buffs, this lightweight yet durable MP3 player delivers dynamic sound quality and can clip right to your clothing, allowing you to free up your hands and pockets during workouts. A large LCD screen offers intuitive navigation, while an FM tuner lets you listen to your favorite radio station. With 8 GB (1) of storage space, the player offers plenty of room for your songs and audiobooks, and an integrated microSDHC card slot lets you add even more storage (3).
Review:
Using your smartphone to listen to music while exercising is nearly always a hassle. If you’re running, the phone is probably bouncing uncomfortably in your pocket, or you’re forced to hold it with a vice grip because you wore shorts without pockets (stop forgetting the shorts with pockets!).
Thankfully, MP3 players with clips — like the SanDisk Clip Sport — were built specifically to resolve that issue. What the Clip Sport lacks in audio quality, it more than makes up for with several useful features and a rock-solid 25-hour battery life.
Apart from the eponymous clip, SanDisk equipped this workout buddy with an FM radio tuner so you can listen to your favorite morning talk show as you take your brisk pre-breakfast stroll. The player features an LCD screen so you don’t need to rely on the “shuffle” function. The Clip Sport includes 8GB of onboard flash storage, as well as an SD card slot that allows for more storage space to be added in later. Capable of handling most audio file types (including FLAC files), this little guy is perfectly equipped for a marathon or a Tough Mudder. Plus, its low-risk price tag means you won’t need to panic if it somehow falls into a puddle.
10. Pyle Waterproof Sports Wearable 8GB Music Player
Tired of poorly made waterproof MP3 players that have short battery lives and bad audio? The solution to your problem is here with our waterproof MP3 player, created with Marine Grade construction. The durable and corrosion resistant coating makes it the perfect travel buddy for all your aquatic adventures. Customize your next adventure with the perfect playlist. Simple drag and drop file management allows for seamless audio file compatibility. When your playlists feel stale, the FM Radio with auto station scanning has you covered in your search for the perfect song.Spend more time doing what you love and less time at the charging dock with a built-in 8 hour rechargeable battery and 8GB of memory. Changeable earbud tips and streamlined clip-on design provides comfort and ease of use. Simple touch button controls make it easier than ever to adjust volume and track listing.
Review:
Just because it’s Summertime doesn’t mean the living is easy — despite what the now-decades old song says. But for those of us who like to swim, or at least paddle around, the biggest problem is often boredom. Now I’m obviously not talking about being in a public pool with hundreds of others, but when doing serious laps or exercising or even trying to “chill out” when it’s just you and the water.
So short of humming to myself, I need some way to bring the tunes with me — and I wasn’t raised stupid so bringing any device, mobile or otherwise, that can be fried from water won’t do — no matter how far from the water I place it. What I need is a waterproof MP3 player that I can take with me in the water. And by waterproof I mean able to take some deep diving and not go all kablooey on me. And yeah I mean the earbuds too. And since I already have mobile audio devices (smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.) up the wazoo — wouldn’t hurt for it to be reasonably priced either.
