Rating: 
Summary: Decent Value
Review: I have owned this player since July 2002. Unlike some of the reviews, this player has been very good to me. Sound quality is very good and I like the fact it is small and comes with a neck strap (I constantly use it at the gym). One annoyance is that it does not use RAW MP3 encoding: it converts files to a proprietary code via MusicMatch Jukebox, a piece of software that is more bloatware and can be cumbersome to use. However, I have not had any problems with installation, downloading, uploading, etc. Another annoyance is the headphones: they are too loose and I had to use an already owned existing pair. So far, support is non-existent on their website, even after numerous inquiries(I was told I was one of the first to buy and that it was not yet widely available).
Overall, the value is very good for the price: it is upgradeable via memory flash cards. Battery life is about 7 hours of play time (I usually change the 2 AAA batteries about once per week). I do recommend this player if you are a gym nut or a runner as it is lightweight and quite rugged (RCA has built a solid player)and is small enough to not get in the way. Again, sound quality is decent and comes with equalizer presets as well as Bass/Tone controls. Radio quality is average. I just wished it used RAW MP3 files.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Player, uses raw mp3 files, you don't need music match
Review: I have read reviews about this product that claim that you need
to convert the files to use them. I have had no such problem.
For one thing I use Windows 2000, so I didn't even need the USB drivers. Then when my computer recognized the LYRa as a hard drive I just copied all my mp3 files to it. When it was done, I started playing. Try it you'll see. Buy it from Circuit city, you
can try it and return it if you don't like it. (That's what they advertise) The radio is great when I work out too long and don't want to listen to my MP3's for a second time. Also great for tuning into the muted tv's that have sound on the 88.x channels.
Maybe there was a problem with the first versions, but they are fixed now. I have the RD1080B and purchaced it on Oct 1 at Circuit City. The only problem I have with it? The damn buttons are too hard to press and/or they don't work like I think they should. But its like any new product, you have to get used to the way it works. I buy just about every new gadget that comes out after reviewing or try buying and this one is a keeper. Oh,
one other problem, I forgot because I replaced them. I HATE THE HEADPHONES, but I had a ton of better ones.
Rating:
Summary: Works fine for me...
Review: I purchased a Rio cali that froze up after 3 days...so I returned it and decided to go with with RCA since someone I know has had the 64mb model since Christmas and experienced no malfunctions. I've had this player for over a month now with no problems at all. Works fine and easy to use with Windows XP and Music Match Jukebox. I would recommend purchasing an extended warranty since many things computer related seem to malfunction easily or are hard to operate if you are new to computers or certain programs. You'll want to be able to exchange it or get a refund.
Rating: 
Summary: Volume Button HORRID!!!
Review: This is a decent product, BUT the volume button feels VERY POORLY designed and 'weak'. True to this feeling, it broke the third time I used it and wouldn't raise the volume. I've since sent it back to RCA for a replacement. [have yet to receive that one] This is not a good weakness to have, as the volume button is likely the most-often used button on such a unit. The other main weakness is the lack of a cover for the memory slot; not a big deal, but not a difficult thing to fix! Another minor gripe is that the battery cover feels a bit flimsy and weak; I'm worried it'll bust someday too.That being said, overall this MP3 player is well put-together, and EASY to begin using out of the box; even ships with a 'demo MP3' file on it! [nothing good, but it _is_ there] I was able to open the 'box', plug it into my computer & begin transferring files with no software installation nor opening of manuals. This product would be SUPERB if they just spent a little extra effort on it's construction and solved the problems noted above.
Rating: 
Summary: Volume Button Breaks Easy
Review: As anyone can easily see by reading many of the comments left on this page, the volume button is a problem. When I first purchased this product, it worked fine and I had no trouble downloading Mp3's. Unfortunately the volume button stopped working almost after I purchased it. I am stuck with something I spent over 150 dollars on and I can't listen to songs because the sound it too soft. Don't buy this crap. You have a good chance of it freezing up or simply no sound control.
Rating:
Summary: Good sound quality, plays MP3 and WMA raw, downloaded direct
Review: I bought this machine a month ago at Radio Shack Positive: No need to use bundled software that many reviewers have complained about. Just plug in the USB cord and it pops up on your computer as another drive. Drag and drop the MP3 or WMA files you want, it will play both types without any intervention for the user. This is my third MP3 (and WMA) player and the one with the best sound so far. Many reviews complain about a belt-clip, my model did not come with a belt clip, it came with a very clever elastic arm band that holds it perfectly on your upper arm. I have used it 2-3 times a week at the gym and it is so much nicer than all the other Walkmans (yes I am old, the tape type) and CD players I have hauled to the gym. Very good value for money. Negative The headphones are comfortable, but you can improve sound quality with better headset. The radio is a nice feature with impressive auto search and memory for many stations, but all that does not matter because the receiver is so poor that most channels give you terrible static noice that ruins the experience. All in all I am very pleased. The additional memory slot came in very handy as I had an old MMC 128 meg card laying around from an old digital camera. Just fill it with music, pop it in, and voila - you have 256 meg or in my case 61 songs to enjoy. Good value, buttons and interface easy to use, I have not (yet) had any problems with the volume getting stuck on maximum as some people have reported. Have fun.
Rating:
Summary: Great Value, as long as you keep a few things in mind...
Review: Have been looking for an MP3 player for working out and traveling for some time now. Have looked at the Rio for a while but it just seemed so ...expensive. Came across the RD 1080 and decided to give it a try. I LOVE IT! FM Tuner works well, and has good reception and quality. Sound quality for the unit is very good. It's small and lightweight and seems to be pretty reasonable on battery life. However, I'd make sure you keep a few things in mind before you buy. 1) You have to use MusicMatch. Period. No other options. (As far the other user's comment about paying for upgrades to the software, I'd splurge and buy the lifetime membership to the software. I bought it a year ago and love it). 2) This is NOT a replacement for your $2000.00 home sound system. While it comes with some preset equalizer settings, you can't get too creative with the sound quality. But for [the price] you're getting a pretty ... good value. 3) Download times are slow (approx 15 min for 20 128k songs) 4) Belt clip does not really secure the player if you're pretty active with it (ie off-road running). No arm band either. However, you can readily rig one up with a little bit of creativity. 5) You have to use MusicMatch. Enough said. All in all, I'm VERY happy with the player as an all around compact way to carry lots of great music with me in the outdoors or working out.
Rating: 
Summary: You can do much better
Review: This was my 2nd MP3 player and I was disappointed in it from several perspectives: 1. As noted, the volume button is very fragile. 2. The most recent viewers did not mention software download problems, but I had nothing but issues (running Win/XP Professional) AND I didn't like being locked into "MusicMatch". 3. Sound is fair. I know that MP3 has lost some quality, but this unit seemed worse than most. 4. RCA's web (and phone) support is poor. This made the software problems even more frustrating. 5. I found presetting radio stations and then bringing them back up to be difficult, error prone and counter-intuitive. An extra button or better button debouncing would have been greatly appreciated. This was at its worst when exercising or jogging. I gave up on it when the volume button broke and I was tired of having to re-install MusicMatch and bought an iRiver IFP-395 which was one of the best decisions of my life.
Rating:
Summary: good allround very solid
Review: I first bought the MPIO FL100- what a piece of junk, so flimsy I was scared to open the usb cover- I cannot believe the good reviews it got. As per the RD1080 this thing is great- solid nice little joystick to pick radio or mp3, decent reception on the FM radio- remember it is a portable so you won't get perfect reception always, but it works great for me. -nice software button lock- I thought I needed this because of the joystick but it never depresses in my pocket or bag
-no real software playlist management not a big deal for me- there is a way to order the lists
-EXPANDABLE- I put my 256 camera/PDA SD card in and I now have 384 mb of memory, more than enough.
-Backlit
-Cheap headphones, but whatever all headphone that come with this are junk.
-nice armband for mp3 player
-again very solid and well built. I am super happy with this that I went out and got the RCA 64mb lyra for my dad
Rating:
Summary: Volume Controls
Review: At first I really loved this product, small, lightweight and good sound. I've had it almost a year (but didn't keep receipt, of course)and now the volume will not lower. If I turn it down, it will automatically climb back up to 50. Customer service on this product is abysmal and RCA should save money and let them stay at home. Has anyone else had this problem? I'd appreciate anyone emailing me if they had this problem and know if there is a fix? The actual volume control will move the volume up and down, but when I take my fingers off the control, it automatically goes high again. email: gypssy@mchsi.com
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