Oracom Or Iriver

[jenturnbull]

I have been reading all the reviews I can find on mp3 players and these two seem to be popular. The oracom orc200 seems to do almost everything that the iriver does but without fm radio. Has anyone got an Oracom and how do you rate it?
I would be so grateful to hear your comments before I make up my mind.
thanks in anticipation

[The Legend]

I bought one of the 128mb models in the summer and things were fine to start off with..I thought for the price I'd got a good deal for something that was clearly better than the Muvo.

What I noticed was a bit of hiss on playback...not huge but there none the less...the file transfer was good...and the general sound quality was fine...although the volume was a bit low thanks to only 6.0mW per channel.

One thing that bugged me was the electronic buzz at the end of each track...it wasn't a fault but it was like the noise of data change.

Also there's no real ability to create playlists or organise tracks (well not on the one I had anyway), and the menu system is not the best.

Anyway..used it happly enough but found over time it could be a little picky about low bitrate or sample rate tracks, sometime just playing noise instead...with VBRs it always miscounted on the timing...and it had the odd quirk with other CBR files.

The fatal flaw I found was that it cannot cope with regular 320kbps files...now I know not a massive about of people rip @ 320...but I always try and d/l them if there's the opportunity cos I can always re-encode them lower (not the best way I admit)...anyway..the Oracom can play em...but if you play a lower bit rate file (under 256) and then play a 320 you get all sorts of glitches, buzzes and drop outs making it unlistenable...the only way to avoid that is to listen to any 320s first or turn the player off and on again.

Now I think that's a total pain in the arse...and not what I'd paid for even though it was a budget unit...so I got in touch with my reseller and sent it back and was refunded.

I'm now in the market for a player again and I'm giving serious consideration to two models...Iriver 390T and the yet to be released Cowon iaudio 4...I'm just holding back at the mo cos the off the delay to global release of the iaudio...both are a step up from the Oracom...and I think you probably get what you pay for.

But as they say down my way 'you pays yer money you takes yer choice' (or words to that effect...)

[TheFilePirater]

like legand said, to get high amounts of mp3s on a small card, it encodes to lower bitrate, that means sounds can be cracking and ect

EDIT: typo

[adamp2p]

I personally think that those 128 mb models are really a waste, but that is just my opinion. What do you guys think of the iPods? I think they are interesting, but I do not know if I have a use for one quite yet; I just don't go out enough... :

[The Legend]

Originally posted by adamp2p@8 January 2004 - 08:46
I personally think that those 128 mb models are really a waste, but that is just my opinion. What do you guys think of the iPods? I think they are interesting, but I do not know if I have a use for one quite yet; I just don't go out enough... :

Ipods are overpriced (certainly in europe), either due to Apple price fixing or sales taxes..the accessories seem pricey as well.

Ipods have pathetic battery life compared with other HDDs...and they damage or get marked in an instance

I think too many people are won over by the style or coolness of it rather than anything else.

[Mad Cat]

The Creative Archos can play DivX movies, and comes in sizes akin to the Ipods, yet is usually a hell of a lot cheaper.

[Mad Cat]

Originally posted by TheFilePirater@8 January 2004 - 01:10
like legand said, to get high amounts of mp3s on a small card, it encodes to lower bitrate, that means sounds can be cracking and ect

EDIT: typo

What are you on about?

The mp3 player doesn't encode music into smaller bitrates. Its just a rubbish mp3 player if it has bad audio quality.

You encode the mp3s, at whatever bitrate, and then put it onto the mp3 player. The mp3 player plays them.

Oh yes, in response to this Thread, read more reviews.

[bigdawgfoxx]

My friend has a 20GB HDD Creative Juvo (I think its called a Juvo...) Anyway, I know its a creative and it holds a TON of songs, and its all organized VERY well. The sound quality is great and it also looks cool.

[Mad Cat]

Originally posted by bigdawgfoxx@8 January 2004 - 21:15
My friend has a 20GB HDD Creative Juvo (I think its called a Juvo...) Anyway, I know its a creative and it holds a TON of songs, and its all organized VERY well. The sound quality is great and it also looks cool.

I think you got the Jukebox and MuVo mixed up. It's probably a Jukebox if its 20GB.

[The Legend]

Originally posted by Mad Cat+8 January 2004 - 18:13--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Mad Cat @ 8 January 2004 - 18:13)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-TheFilePirater@8 January 2004 - 01:10
like legand said, to get high amounts of mp3s on a small card, it encodes to lower bitrate, that means sounds can be cracking and ect

EDIT: typo

What are you on about?

The mp3 player doesn&#39;t encode music into smaller bitrates. Its just a rubbish mp3 player if it has bad audio quality.

You encode the mp3s, at whatever bitrate, and then put it onto the mp3 player. The mp3 player plays them.

Oh yes, in response to this Thread, read more reviews. [/b][/quote]
I didn&#39;t understand it either...wasn&#39;t the point I was making