A workout audio kit? Budget- INR 4300

[Arjun_M]

Music at the gym can be numbing at times, so I'd prefer something to strap on that is light, comfortable, durable and won't cost much- and actually helps out a little. I'm looking for a best-in-budget MP3 player with a clip and earphones. My choice of music is often synthpop/neo-progressive rock/guitar shred/AOR/classic rock/classic (not extreme) metal- think Vince DiCola, Simple Minds, The Cars, A-Ha, Toto, Mr Mister, Journey, REO, Night Ranger, Survivor, FM, Europe- and by a long shot, Dokken, Gary Moore, YJM.

So far, I have listed these options, and a certain audiophile group of friends have commented on each- and they shun big brands. I have even asked the rival Tree of Knowledge on Twitter a few questions, and their answers are far from satisfying.

1. Philips GoGear Mix 4GB- Flipkart have a few, SnapDeal have the cheapest, but the clip-headed ones are difficult to catch. Audiophiles tell me to keep away.
2. Transcend MP330/MP350- The best in storage space, but I've heard about reliability issues such as the buttons not working properly or the player skipping or stalling or even hanging. Again, the audiophiles tell me to avoid it.
3. Sony Walkman B-172- I'm opting for the 2GB version from this, to save on headphones, but I'm not so sure. Maybe I can do with the stock headphones? Sony, as expected, isn't a preferred brand.
4. Cowon iAudio e2- Not a clip-type, but a pendant-type. Touching the Rs 3K mark, and not very user-friendly. Recommended by these experts.
5. Sandisk Sansa Clip- Really, really difficult to catch at a decent price- it's available at close to Rs 3k, but some say it's available for a little over Rs 2K. These experts recommend it most.
6. Creative Zen- Small, compact, but can't find a clip on it- maybe I can use it as a dangler?
7. Philips EarHook- I don't know which ones make a genuine difference to the sound, but I'm not keen on breaching Rs 1500.
   [*]Sound Magic PL-11- Highly recommended by the experts, very cheap, but I am looking at certain other options with ear clips. If this is the best I can get, I'll pick this.
   [*]JVC's HA-EB75- Will wait for the word on it.
   [*]Sony's MDR 'Ear-hooks'- Will wait for the word on it.

The task will be to pick out either an MP3 player or MP3 player-headphones combo. But wait, do I need to spend that much?

Here's what I already have-

• Northwest Territory waist pouch- can hold a phone.
• Nokia N8 - can't find a wristband/armband for it, and not sure if strapping it on is a good option, though I see several iPhone users strapping theirs. Bluetooth-enabled.
• Jabra Street 2- Bluetooth-enabled dog-tag design. Needs something that is bluetooth-enabled to hold on to.

Let's see how much I can save.

 

[The Incinerator]

Output

Audio Technica Sports Headphone ATH-CKP330 [ATH-CKP330] - Rs.1,890.00 : Pristine Note, Shop audio, headphones, amplifier, DAC, hifi, mp3, audiophile products online store India

Audio Technica ATH-CP300 Dynamic Earphone [ATH-CP300] - Rs.1,999.00 : Pristine Note, Shop audio, headphones, amplifier, DAC, hifi, mp3, audiophile products online store India

Audio Source

Nationite NaNite N2 4GB MP3 Player With Built In Amp Chip [N2] - Rs.2,950.00 : Pristine Note, Shop audio, headphones, amplifier, DAC, hifi, mp3, audiophile products online store India

There you go....all audiophile and pretty upmarket!

 

[5fusion]

Nationite NaNite N2 4GB MP3 Player With Built In Amp Chip [N2] - Rs.2,950.00 : Pristine Note, Shop audio, headphones, amplifier, DAC, hifi, mp3, audiophile products online store India

There you go....all audiophile and pretty upmarket!

Pristine Note is not their working site anymore and products are not updated up there. Proaudiohome is the new pristinenote-- The Audio Megastore

And i guess N2 has been discontinued long back. @OP- get clip plus/zip if you find one. nothin beats it in the price range for the sound and features.

 

[Arjun_M]

The Sandisk (which I prefer over the NaNite) is still selling at a price bordering on Rs 3000, while the Sony B172 sells for Rs 2600 at some sites. Should I grab this and pair it with better headphonesm or let this pass and save up for the Sandisk?

Sony has a W-series Walkman, which is head-mounted and stores MP3s in the headpiece itself, selling for Rs 4990. Would you recommend it? The cheaper Philips GoGear Action sells for Rs 4300, but reviews are not too positive about the sound. Are there any other alternatives in this design?

Another option I have is a combo of the Creative Zen Stone and an armband/clip skin, which I can then pair with my Jabra Street 2. But the skin is difficult to locate.

So far, I have my options ready-

1. An MP3 player with a clip and conventional or sport-fit headphones
2. A composite head-mounted MP3 player and headphone unit
3. A Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player with a clip or a clip/armband skin
4. Just a clip-case/armband for my N8 (which is very difficult to locate, online or real-world) and best sport headphones.

From a workout perspective, would you recommend carrying something as bulky as an iPhone or iPod Touch with a clip-on or armband? The size is what pushes me towards smaller MP3 players, but I see several iPhone/Galaxy users working out, and a few have armbands.