MP3 player with buttons!

beveragelady

I want an mp3 player that has some sort of buttons instead of a touch screen. I really only want it for listening to audiobooks in the car. These are the deal-breaking criteria:
A. Good loud volume so I can hear it on the car's speakers over my diesel engine (I use an auxiliary line into the car stereo).
B. Actual buttons! I need to be able to work it by touch, without looking down and taking my eyes off the road to squint at a touch screen.
C. Foolproof. I am not very smart.
D. Reasonable battery life.
E. Not 'Creative'. Never again.

Any ideas? I have taken to hooking my laptop up to the car stereo on long journeys, which is asking for trouble. I'm not impressed by fancy colour screens or sleek design or trendy software, I just want something that will play audio files. Will I need to go 'vintage'?

Scubadevils

beveragelady wrote: »

I want an mp3 player that has some sort of buttons instead of a touch screen. I really only want it for listening to audiobooks in the car. These are the deal-breaking criteria:
A. Good loud volume so I can hear it on the car's speakers over my diesel engine (I use an auxiliary line into the car stereo).
B. Actual buttons! I need to be able to work it by touch, without looking down and taking my eyes off the road to squint at a touch screen.
C. Foolproof. I am not very smart.
D. Reasonable battery life.
E. Not 'Creative'. Never again.

Any ideas? I have taken to hooking my laptop up to the car stereo on long journeys, which is asking for trouble. I'm not impressed by fancy colour screens or sleek design or trendy software, I just want something that will play audio files. Will I need to go 'vintage'?

http://www.hifihut.ie/fiio-x3-portable-mp3-player-fiio-x3.html

This springs to mind for most of the criteria you've listed above... where it may fall down slightly is that I wouldn't call it foolproof, bit of a learning curve to get used to it but then easy - battery not groundbreaking at about 10 hours or so (you could overcome this by an in-car charger).

However... the volume is unreal - I use in the same way in my car and going from previous MP3 players to this is just outstanding - it uses a line-out facility for connections to auxiliary lines etc. It only has buttons, no touchscreen - you've got skip back/forward, enter, back and volume controls (although you don't use these when connected via the line-out to the car).

The main selling point of a player like this is the sound quality so in that context for audiobooks it may be more than what you require... unless you also intend to use for music, then I'd say it's exactly what you are looking for. Check out the reviews also on the above link.

beveragelady

Scubadevils wrote: »

http://www.hifihut.ie/fiio-x3-portable-mp3-player-fiio-x3.html

This springs to mind for most of the criteria you've listed above... where it may fall down slightly is that I wouldn't call it foolproof, bit of a learning curve to get used to it but then easy - battery not groundbreaking at about 10 hours or so (you could overcome this by an in-car charger).

However... the volume is unreal - I use in the same way in my car and going from previous MP3 players to this is just outstanding - it uses a line-out facility for connections to auxiliary lines etc. It only has buttons, no touchscreen - you've got skip back/forward, enter, back and volume controls (although you don't use these when connected via the line-out to the car).

The main selling point of a player like this is the sound quality so in that context for audiobooks it may be more than what you require... unless you also intend to use for music, then I'd say it's exactly what you are looking for. Check out the reviews also on the above link.

Thanks Scubadevils! I had a look at that, and it does seem like just the job, if a bit expensive. However I should have included in my list of dealbreaker criteria that I need it to work with a particular audiobook provider (not sure if it's ok to mention their website) and it looks like they don't support FiiO devices.
It seems that FiiO make a headphone amplifier http://www.amazon.co.uk/FiiO-E06-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B005HJWWW8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390669521&sr=8-1&keywords=fiio+e5+headphone+amplifier.
Maybe I should get a Philips GoGear Vibe and combine it with the amplifier.

pleasant Co.

beveragelady wrote: »

Thanks Scubadevils! I had a look at that, and it does seem like just the job, if a bit expensive. However I should have included in my list of dealbreaker criteria that I need it to work with a particular audiobook provider (not sure if it's ok to mention their website) and it looks like they don't support FiiO devices.
It seems that FiiO make a headphone amplifier http://www.amazon.co.uk/FiiO-E06-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B005HJWWW8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390669521&sr=8-1&keywords=fiio+e5+headphone+amplifier.
Maybe I should get a Philips GoGear Vibe and combine it with the amplifier.

Fire ahead.

The fiio x3 is actually on my wish list for in car use, once my old old old ipod finally kicks the bucket, but I agree that for it's purpose it's a lot of money - I'm justifying the cost as I'll expect it to last no less than 5 years (my old old old ipod turned 8 at xmas)

if you want a cheaper option with loud volume the sansa clip zip. search on amazon. 4gb cheapest and and you can stick in a cheap micro sd card.

beveragelady

I'm limited to the mp3 players listed on the audible.co.uk website, here: http://www.audible.co.uk/dc
I really REALLY love audiobooks.
Looks like the Sansa is an option. I'll try it on its own and see if the amplifier is required. I drive a diesel van, and I often find I have to have the volume right up to hear something on the stereo.
Thanks everyone!