As per title really. I’m looking for a new small music player that will play MP3 and FLAC files. Preferably that takes a large SD card, otherwise has at least 128gb of storage. I want to be copying files directly on to it in a file browser and for them to play in the right order (I have a player that plays in the order the files were copied on to it, which is full on madness). I have no interest in iTunes and I run Linux as my computer OS.
Also needs to be less than £100.
And I really mean no wireless functionally at all, I don’t mean “includes Bluetooth but it can be turned off”.
Yeah this isn’t a bad idea. Especially if you get one that supports MP3 files on a CD, you can have several hours of material on one CD-R.
I wrote a little blog post about my experiences trying a variety of different alternatives to just streaming music like most people do. Using players that support physical formats has been a very fun way to expand my music taste in unexpected ways.
New?
I highly doubt that exist.
Mainstream?
Nope.
Best recommendation off of the top of my head?
Used iPod mini that you flashmod and put Rockbox on it. then you put the files directly on it from what I can tell.
The lack of hardware BT and WiFi is too restrictive of requirenments these days, and to be honest I don’t see the point of such a restriction, but eh, I am not the one looking for a device like that.
yep, commoditization + SOC means youre not going to find this hardware with no radio. op is looking for a unicorn or an antique.
Isn’t stock iPod OS good enough? I remember it being instanteneous for things like playing next songs, or switching albums. That’s what I never experienced ever again. For YouTube Music it sometimes takes few seconds to play the next songs and it drives me crazy.
OP didn’t want iTunes
You don’t need iTunes to upload music to iPod, although it’s still not as user friendly as opening it as regular storage device.
The closest you’re going to find is probably the SanDisk Sansa Clip+. It can receive FM, but IIRC no wireless other than that. I don’t think it’s made new any more but you should be able to find it for less than £100 online.
I came to suggest a clip too! Loved those things
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Sorry, FM is out too, I didn’t even think of that when I wrote the post.
Ok, now you are just being ridiculous.
This is clearly a troll thread.
Based on the comment saying
Can’t have it in the office.
I don’t think this is a troll. I think OP works in a high-security setting, or around extremely sensitive equipment. I’m leaning toward the latter because I wouldn’t expect an SD card to be allowed in a high-security setting.
But receiving FM doesn’t matter. Tons of things can receive FM that don’t broadcast, like tooth fillings.
Corporate rules rarely care about logic.
Tooth filings pick up AM, not FM. Assuming that’s even a real thing. All you need get AM is a diode which can be made to varying levels of performance with a number of common materials.
FM radios generally use superheterodyne receivers which generate a radio frequency to be mixed with the incoming signal to pull out audio.
This receiver does emit a small amount of RF as a result and it’s how the TV police in the UK would catch you for skirting a TV license.
TV licence people were never capable of detecting TV like this. They just assumed everyone has a TV but not everyone pays for the licence. So would pursue people without a licence.
They’re main detection technology was looking in peoples windows and intimidation to gain access to their homes.
You should update this article: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_detector_van#Detection_techniques
An FM receiver is purely passive. I mean there might be places with rules against it, but why? It doesn’t influence or affect anything…
FM receivers are capable of producing interference. Note their listing here.
The weird thing about this post is that both of the obvious scenarios that would lead to the kind of restrictions OP’s workplace has don’t quite add up.
- If radios are banned due to interference, random electronic devices like digital music players are also capable of producing interference. It’s surprising that any kind of personally owned electronic gadget is allowed.
- If it’s a high-security environment, it’s surprising that any personally owned digital storage device is allowed.
I wish OP would elaborate, not because I doubt them, but because the explanation is probably interesting.
My guess is OP works in a max security or super max prison.
That is an absolute possibility, I had hoped OP would respond with something line:
“I work with highly sensitive equipment, radios can cause then to report inaccurate data, so no radios!”
Do you think an FM radio is enough to be banned from a SCIF?
I have a friend who occasionally works in a SCIF. My impression is that a radio receiver would probably be allowed, but an SD card would not. That’s what makes me suspect it has to do with sensitive equipment, though I’d be a little surprised any electronic equipment not explicitly vetted is allowed in that situation.
I don’t know exactly what you’re avoiding wireless for, but it has no ability to transmit, only receive FM if that matters. You could fairly easily disconnect/break the antenna and permanently disable even that.
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No.
Too much television for you.
Why? I am curious now.
I’ve had 3 Sansa Clip+ players. I never even accidentally switch to FM. I understand why your workplace bans Bluetooth. Mine does as well. Do they also ban the FM tuner?
Based on your requirements, your best bet is to hum to yourself.
OP most likely works in a SCIF - where such restrictions are pretty common.
TL;DR OP is a fed or fed contractor
Wouldn’t it still count like a USB stick though?
Someone works for hezbollah and doesn’t want his music player blowing up unexpectedly
Just buy a Walkman and enjoy your life
AGPTEK U3 USB Stick Mp3 Player, 40GB Music Player Supports Replaceable AAA Battery, Recording, FM Radio, Expandable Up to 128GB
A cassette walkman
An all-in-one modern solution for that: https://www.wearerewind.com/
(The Fiio CP13 is better, but it doesn’t have recording functionality)I have a WM-EX631. I dont trust anything made after 94 thats not Sony. 2004 is my absolute cutoff.
I’m jealous, that sounds like a very nice unit. Unfortunately it’s hard for me to trust used portable machines like that one if I can’t verify they work beforehand. I’m sure it sounds much better than the newer units though.
There is still a trove on EBay and Etsy. They’re just expensive. Just make sure theres pictures, the seller mentions its tested, and you have 200-400 bucks you’ve luckily come into.
The only issue mine has is it sometimes flips to the other side of the tape automatically before reaching the end. Though I think thats operator error somehow.
How do I transfer my FLAC files on to it?
You need a male-male 3.5mm audio cable…
You dont without effort, but theres not really any modern Walkmans that dont connect to WiFi. You are pretty much limited to cassette and disc Walkman, maybe a minicd player. You could burn your FLACs to a CD if you wanted. I’ve looked at a few modern Walkmans and they are basically shitty android devices, a phone with a 3.5mm jack would be better.
iPod 5th gen (aka Video), flash modded and with Rockbox.
If going without Rockbox, Rhythmbox on Linux can upload mp3-s to the stock iPod but (IIRC) not flacs.
Go to Ali Express, and filter through the “mp3” results. They will cost less than $10, be made of the cheapest material possible but meet your requirements. Otherwise you are thrift store shopping
Why so anti-Bluetooth?
Bro works in a scif
5g is all about Brain-Control, man
Can’t have it in the office.
And someone will question this, but that’s all there is to it.
About the only viable response these days is SCIF.
Huh, Okay, buried the lede there because I was very skeptical of your specific set of needs until this and now it makes sense.
The Mechen M30 seems to meet your spec, but I haven’t tried it, I just looked it up. There seems to be a bit of a niche for single-use audiophile music players that may get you what you need.
Thank you, looks like a good option
Build your own? Given the constraints, that might actually be more viable than you’d think. Keep in mind, you could disable or even block radio transmitters to comply with whatever your environment is.
I did this with a Pi Zero once. It’s a fun project if you have the aptitude for it.
sound waves are a form of wireless transmission, better make sure to not connect any kind of speaker to it
Think you would likely have to scour garage sales and used buy/sell sites for one of those ancient portable mp3 player devices. I remember the old iRiver devices did support FLAC natively but that was before 128GB storage existed so no idea how something like that would behave when you stick in a 128+ GB SD card into it.
The other tricky part is that something that old/used may have a worn out battery so any device with a built-in battery may not stay on for very long.
The other comment makes a good point, starting out you should focus on anything that https://www.rockbox.org/ supports since that’ll give you FLAC support. (besides the Archos, apparently it is impossible to play FLAC on those https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/WhyRockbox.html).
The other tricky part is that something that old/used may have a worn out battery so any device with a built-in battery may not stay on for very long.
If you can solder, you might be able to replace old batteries.
Honestly, if you think about all the increasingly-aging hardware out there with built-in rechargeable batteries…given that some people would like to use them, the way there are people who like vintage hardware from earlier decades, there have to be some people out there who must specialize in replacing internal batteries.
