Home » Features » Portable MP3s & Gizmos » 5 Most Annoying Features in MP3 Players

Back in those days when the dearest thing to me was my Sony Walkman, the single biggest annoyance happened to be the GSM signals interfering with the playback. This invariable happened due to the fact that headphones then, weren't equipped to handle GSM interference. But this didn’t stop me from cursing people for being constantly over the phone.

These days, however, the reasons have changed, and I still curse. Although the reasons that annoy me have changed. After having used and tested scores of mp3 players, I realized that even though we have moved on to achieve a certain respectable level of technological integrity, we still lack in keeping our act together. In my opinion the only thing that MP3 players should differ from each other in is the sound. Why create a niche by wasting time building 'wild' keys and ‘innovative’ designs (hope you catch the sarcasm) when all they do is hurt.

Low Volume level
Now this one, you have to agree with me. What’s the point of making a good looking and plush product when the volume can’t even beat the racket on the road. Despite, what they call it, a cutthroat competition, companies make products with little room to maneuver with regards to the volume output.

When it comes to selecting the right player, apart from the quality, I always look at the volume output. I’m not getting into wave frequencies or sound nitty-gritties. All I’m saying is that when you stay in a noisy city like ours, and (like me) if you depend on your music to save yourself from the insanity, then a player with low volume output will just put you off.

Another problem with some players in the market is that the sound begins to distort the moment the volume is pumped up. I know a certain sect of people who don’t mind, or in some cases can’t make out the difference. For true music connoisseurs, however, this is a big downer. By far, some of the Chinese players that have been on sale in and around the city are known to have this problem.

Also, I will just add that I’m talking about low output levels in context of high bit-rate songs. It’s always nice to listen to songs that are properly ripped. You might notice that while playing certain songs the sound just skyrockets. For this, always make sure you normalize the volume on all songs. Also, you can use software like ‘mp3gain ’ to adjust peak normalization.

Bad set of earphones
Earphones alone can either make or break your listening experience. Of course, what may seem bad is a matter of perception and the design of one’s ear. This is exactly why I think while packing a set of earphones with the player, companies should keep the masses in mind before dishing out products that either keep falling off, or starts hurting your ear.

Apart from ergonomics, many players in the market are known to pack bad earphones with regards to quality. I know it’s the manufacturers prerogative to make stylish and innovative earphones. But not by compromising on people’s comfort level and want for good products. This is exactly why most people have to upgrade their set of earphones after buying the player. Players like Transcend T-sonic 610, Turbolinux Wizpy and even the Cowon A2 have below average earphones. While, some in this list come with bad designs, many here have a below average quality.

What you need, instead, is the good ol' super-aural design to come back in fashion. These headphones are by far is the best value for money. The bass control as well as the stereo dynamics that these can handle is overwhelming. For people who are in love with earphones, would appreciate those in-ear ones that work on noise-isolation technology.

Bad Design
Trust me when I say sleek and slim is in. Keeping this in mind, every product is moving from small to smaller. This goes without saying that everyone prefers a tiny player that slips into the pocket without showing any bulge. However, I certainly don’t appreciate oddly shaped keys (odd is fine, it’s only when they get uncomfortable to use I have a problem) or/and unevenly placed keys. Perfect examples of small sized players with easy-to-use keys would be the Panasonic SV-MP020A, iPod shuffle, Creative MuVo series etc.

Another annoying thing is to see mp3 players without a screen. iPod shuffle is one! I know it is meant for people with a fetish to shuffle songs. But I would love to see what I'm listening to, and it always rocks to have nice interface to arrange, rearrange songs, select presets etc. Shuffle doesn't allow any of that. And by not including, it's not like the prices are low either. You are still paying a premium than most of the players that cost less in the market. What the heck!!

Bad preset options
Whenever you pick a player to scrutinize at any shop, I suggest you check out the pre-loaded song with respect to each and every preset option. In fact, I go so far as to check the usability of EQ settings. I prefer using my own settings, however, when in a hurry it’s your right to expect the presets to perform up to the mark. That good presets come only with high-end products is a misconception. I know some cheap players like the iPod Nano and the Cowon A2 to be the cheapest in the category and still provide some killer preset settings.

Also i hate useless 5-band equalizers that some players dish out. So working on manual settings can prove to be a big problem. You dont want to end up with something that sounds like the loud treble rickshaw deck. While I'm at this, I'll also suggest you be wary of players with confusing UI. You will be stuck figuring out where to find what!!

Lack of expandable memory

Now this is something that is not very common. It beats me how companies have failed to standardize this. When you are making long distance trips, chances are you may have heard all the songs back to back twice. This is when you will wish your player had an option to increase the memory. It's not like players don't come with this option. The Wespro WK512S, the SanDisk Sansa series, iRiver clix etc. have this option, and they don't even come with a premium for this. In fact, if the Wespro player comes for less the Rs. 2,000.

You know the list doesn't end here. There's DRM file compatibilty issues, external battery etc. You can discuss all this and more in our forums.