Creative MuVo Micro N200 256 MB White ( 70PF121100007 )

Rating:
Summary: Lives Up To Previous Reviews
Review: As a novice to the mp3 player world I was looking for a device that would fit my criteria for a player that would perform well during workouts:

1) Consistent, excellent sound;

2) Non-interfering with workouts.

After reading the reviews on the MuVo Micro N200 I decided to buy the player and put it to the test. I have been doing cardiovascular workouts for over 25 years and have used the best technology available during those years. Needless to say, going from portable radios, cassette players, compact disc players and now mp3 player has been a mix of success and failure. I had become so disappointed in the past that doing without seemed better than the hassle of dealing with faulty players. Until now. Without a doubt, the MuVo Micro lives up to the reviews. Every time I put the headphones on I get clean, clear sound with no skips, hesitations, bobbles, etc. just pure sound all the time. I tried using the armband that came with the device as well as clipping it to my shorts. Both ways work well, my preference being to keep it clipped on. The only negative I found is something common to alot of reviewers. The ear buds provided are not the best for active workouts. I bought a pair of Philips SBC HS500 neckband headphones and they work flawlessly with the mp3 player. I estimate that the 256 mb holds about 10-12 cds worth of music. More than plenty needed for an hour workout. Downloading was essentially drag and drop with no drivers needed with my XP computer. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this device and have finally achieved something I have been wanting for years; consistent, hassle-free sound.

Rating:
Summary: Great workout mp3 player
Review: I own the 512 meg version in black. I saw this white version and thought the color plain looking, but I didn't realize until I came home that the cool protective rubber holder is a frosted white rubber, so the white player actually looks much better in the holder than it looks by itself. Had I known that, I would have considered this less expensive model. Still, though I have it in 512 meg black, I like this player very much.

I wanted an mp3 player for working out and running. I am one of those guys who reads everything they can about something before buying one. What I read about mp3 players was a bit worrisome: countless reports that mp3 players break or have minor problems. So I picked up a Memorex Biomorph (I liked the size and features) along with an extended warranty beyond the 3 month product warranty, and sure enough, with light use, the product died with lots of strange nonsense on the lcd screen after 4 months. (I "reset" the device per technical support troubleshooting, but it didn't help.) I went through the hassle of returning it and getting reimbursed, minus the 40 dollar extended warranty cost. And I set out to read all the reviews I could before buying another mp3 player. I read the most positive reviews and least complaints with the Creative MUVO series.

My requirements: Driverless flash drive [I use it to transfer files between my laptop and desktop, and I want the convenience of being able to plug it into any of my friends' computers, Mac or PC, and share files/music], arm band for working out, FM radio, small and light [so a AAA battery model, not AA], and 1 year warranty (this is no longer negotiable). Microphone recording a plus, but not a requirement.

The Muvo series fit the bill. I wanted a flash memory player, not a small harddrive, because for me it's mainly a workout device, not a home for all my music. I came close to buying the Muvo Slim, because I loved the idea of a lithium ion battery charging by USB, and I think it looks very cool, but the leather cover has no place for a belt clip, and it lacks an arm band entirely, and so I went for the Muvo N200 ("micro").

So far the unit has really impressed me. The Memorex came with a bulky, cheap nylon arm strap that was the size of a belt, and even on its smallest setting, was huge. The Muvo Micro, by contrast, has an excellent arm strap, suitable for a variety of sizes, made from a nice smoky-grey slightly stretchy material. It has a well-sewn extra place to secure the Muvo, too, which they could have skipped, since you could attach the Muvo anywhere, so it is a nice touch. The Memorex used a very cheap thin faux-leather case for the Biomorph, while the Muvo really surprised me by having a case that is not merely a cover to prevent scratches, but is a thick frost-white rubber sleeve that the Muvo slips into. It's pretty cool: clearly if you drop it, and it lands on one of the three corners protected by the sleeve, it will be well protected (it might even bounce). In addition, unlike a vinyl cover, this leaves all of the buttons easily accessible: i.e. it's not like a ski mask with holes for the buttons (this was a pain on the Memorex, as the vinyl kept slipping over the buttons). The buttons are well laid out, too. Even after four months, I always had to think for a second or two to remember which buttons were for what on the Memorex. The Muvo makes more sense. For example, the volume up and down buttons are by themselves (not next to other buttons), and they border the lcd screen. The volume up botton is on the side where the bar increases with the volume, and the volume down button is on the side where the bar begins: so it's easy to make second nature. The play/pause button is also by itself somewhere else, so you don't accidentally hit that. Overall, a very good layout.

The lcd screen is small, but it's sharp, and you can adjust the brightness, contrast, etc. As others have said, there is an audible buzz on the headphones while the backlight is on, but that lasts about two seconds, and it doesn't bother me.

The menus make a lot of sense. One very nice feature is the ability to make the screen appear upside/down. This way YOU can choose how you want to wear the player while working out, and then if the screen appears upside down, just flip it. It's those little things that I was happy Creative thought of.

Another thing: I was quite surprised that the Memorex didn't get very loud. I usually had the volume on maximum. The Muvo, by contrast, is much louder, so I can have control of the volume back, keeping it around 2/3rds, and then adjusting depending on mood, surrounding noise, etc.

The earbuds which came with the Memorex were painful and were garbage, but the Creative earbuds are actually pretty good. I did have problems keeping the right earbud in my ear while running, so I'll probably go back to my pair of padded over-the-ear headphones which I prefer. But I was still pleased with the quality of the Creative earbuds: e.g. they don't hurt.

The USB 2.0 cable that comes with the Muvo is a small-standard USB cable, which means that it's the same cable my digital camera uses, as well as many other devices. This means you can replace it at any store should you lose it and, more practically, it means I can just share the cable I use for the digital camera, thus cutting down on clutter.

I haven't tried some of the advanced features, such as on-the-fly recording of any analog source through the input cable. I also plan on trying some rechargeable batteries. When I do, I'll revise the review.

One final recommendation: I do recommend you consider the size of an mp3 player before buying one for working out. I saw a picture of a Sandisk I was considering, and it looked small, but when I saw it in person, it was huge compared to the Micro.

Rating:
Summary: my new N200
Review: I'm a non-technophile, I just want to listen to music as quickly and easily as possible, and the MuVo N200 allows me to do precisely that. Its plug-n-play and jog away.

Purchased Nov. 9th, the 256 MB model. Within minutes of getting it out of the box the N200 was on my computer via the provided USB cable and I began dragging and dropping music files into it. Turned the N200 on and music came flowing out, exactly what I wanted. Didnt install the software til later, and didnt need to. Thats how flexible, easy and intuitive the device is to use.


PROS:
1.) Size - its so small, and very light weight too. The Professor/Boss will never know you have it in your pocket.
2.) LED screen - nice back-lighting with easy-to-surf menu.
3.) Sound quality is very good, and the Equalizer can be custom-set so it sounds exactly as you like it. Excellent!
4.) Somewhat less expensive than many others I compared.
5.) 4-button control design is great. One button is for power/play/pause/off, depending how long the buttom is depressed. Two others are dedicated to volume high/low. And the last one is a wheel for selecting menu funtions, press the wheel in to confirm a selection. Brilliantly simple. Fits in the palm of the hand and the buttons are easy to recognize by feel alone.
6.) Every option is included - comes with an energizer battery, an arm band, a nice protective carry case, an USB cable (these arent cheap) and another cable for patching directly into other audio devices:
7.) One can record from any audio source now, even the FM radio. It also has a microphone to record and send message files to your girlfriend...trust me, this helps justify the new toy.
8.) Battery life seems very good so far. 5 hours of loud playing and only 1/3 drop in the battery indicator.
9.) Name of song being played scrolls across screen during entire song. Plus time song has been playing and EQ setting.
10.) Has super fast USB 2 port capability. But still recognized the slow 1.1 USB port on my old computer and that worked fine too. Flexibility, I like that.
11.) *I've heard* that the warranty on this item has been extended compared to previous models, but cant confirm this yet.
See gripes about web support below.


Bottom line: I love this thing. It does exactly what it says it would do and the price is right. Its EASY to use and offers extraordinary flexibility across platforms. You can get music from just about anything now, just dont forget the cables.


CONS:
not to be pessimistic, but this is the most important part in evaluating a potential new purchase:

1.) Earphones - if you've read reviews of other CREATIVE products then you know the earphones are nothing to write about, so I'll end it here. Buy your own, they're not expensive.
2.) FM radio reception only does well with the very strongest of stations. Mildly strong stations cut in and out while moving about and weaker ones are all static. Reception is far inferior compared to my 10 year old Walkman so its not me, its the N200.
3.) Funny, faint buzzing sound every time the LCD backlight is on...which is anytime one pushes a button. Not a bother really.
4.) The order of the songs loaded onto the N200 is instantly alphabetized. Does not retain the order in which you load them or attempt to re-arrange them in Windows. I've heard there is a way around this, but I dont know how to make play-lists. I'm no technophile and I dont want to be, I just want to hear music. This affect/feature is a little annoying.
5.) Web support - so far I have none. Tried to register the new product using the included software and continuously received failure messages. Then it gives the option to register online, so I tried this and found that the N200 is not yet listed as a product on the registration site, so that failed. I sent technical support an email asking what to do. Still waiting for an answer. So I cant determine my warranty details. I'm sure they'll work it out eventually.
6.) The case is fragile looking/feeling. Make use of the nice rubberized carrying case included.
7.) Menu is nice and easy to use, but the organization is a little random. Makes it hard to flip flop between FM music and the mp3. You have to stop jogging and fiddle through the menu. Once I accidentally erased my station pre-set instead of turning it on. This menu might have been more logically organized, and almost prevents a 5-star rating. More like 4 3/4 stars.
8.) The instruction manual is a little sparse on info, but certainly adequate to get a 'Quick Start', since this thing is so intuitive anyway.

Overall I really like this device and recommend it highly. Its' a lot of bang for the buck.

Rating:
Summary: Who needs an iPod when you can have a Muvo?
Review: I've been in the market for an MP3 player for some time now, and I've looked at the iPods and considered getting a shuffle, but the Apples are clearly too much hype over nothing. If Steve Jobs put his vomit into an off-white plastic case and sold it, everyone would still be running to buy it. I was seriously looking at the iRiver branded MP3 players, but after reading multiple reviews of their inferior build quality and price premium, decided to settle for the Muvo N200 or the Sandisk. The Sandisk was comparatively too large and bulky, and thus I settled on the Muvo N200.

It offers the most features for a very reasonable price- song shuffling, FM radio, microphone, a LINE-IN jack for recording from an input source, fast USB 2.0 connectivity, a very easy interface (hey, it's just plug and play!), and many attractive colors (I finally settled on orange and white). I prefer the N200 to the TX series or the upcoming V200s, because the N200s are of the one piece design, rather than have a detachable battery section.

So, a quick glance at the well equipped N200 package. It comes with a;

- mini-USB to full USB cord
- very decent earbuds that come in iPod-white (I found them quite comfortable, even at the gym, and are attractive as well)
- a nice soft neoprene like plastic case (with built-in belt clip) that has a side opening allowing easy access to buttons
- line input cord
- arm band for working out at the gym

First impressions: I was shocked at how small the N200 is! It's about the same size and thickness as a cigarette lighter, very unobtrusive, yet very functional. Construction appears to be robust and well made. The sound quality is superb, and sounds as good as my Creative sound card, lol. The volume is easily tunable, and the wheel for scrolling through menus is intuitive and easy. The LCD screen is backlit in an attractive blue; there is a bit of a buzz when you press buttons as previous reviewers have noted, but I did not find this to be a problem or irritation for me. Despite the screen being about 1 cm x 2.5 cm, it can surprisingly squeeze a lot of text and images in it, that are easy to read.

256 MB is fine for me, as I mainly need this as a workout player. I have no problems running with this MP3 player, as the earbuds do stay in my ears. It uses a single AAA battery rated at 15 hours according to Creative; I haven't been able to test the battery to its maximum potential yet, but at 6 hours so far, the battery life is still on maximum.

Even better, since the plug and play interface is so easy to use, the N200 can also function as a backup USB flash drive for storing those important files! The radio is fine for a unit this small. Bass is surprisingly good! and settings can further be tuned with the onboard graphic equalizer.

So in conclusion- no problems so far. I'm very happy with the purchase, and it's a great little flash based MP3 player for the buck! Trade in your iPod today!

Rating:
Summary: I love it
Review: Its tiny. Its full of functionality. Its easy to navigate after owning it for 3 days now.
With earphones it is plenty loud. With an FM transmitter I have it turned up all the way.
Been using it 1.5 hours a day for the last 3 days now & works great so far.
Folder navigation is great. Playing options for shuffle, repeat, ... are perfect.
Line in recording is to MP3 & works perfect.
Mic recording works good too.
I always keep it in the case & all the buttons & plugs & such are all available for use in the case.
I love it, I love it, I love it, I do.

Rating:
Summary: Small, cheap, and limited
Review: The good news is this product is really small, yet still has a built-in microphone and FM radio, plays mp3 files, and is very cheap. It's so small I can put it into a pocket that already holds a cell phone, badges for work, and other stuff. It only needs one AAA battery. The volume can be turned impressively loud.

However, one of my main disappointments was with the built-in microphone. It is swamped out by even moderately loud sounds, which make the recording unintelligible and painful to listen to. Needless to say, live performances are not compatible with this microphone.

I also found the user interface a little frustrating, because of this player's small size and paucity of buttons. Changing modes takes a lot of button-presses, and careful attention to the tiny screen to see exactly what menu you happen to be in. To its credit, the Muvo tries to remember what menu item you last used, and put you back there next time you enter that submenu. This helps reduce button-presses, but it also makes it impossible to remember where things are because the menu looks different depending on where you enter into it. Another gripe: recording from the radio takes 4 button-presses, even if you're already listening to the radio. I would really have liked a single button dedicated to starting a recording, but the small size makes that impossible.

I had a few other minor criticisms:

1. The graphic equalizer doesn't apply to the radio. If you want more bass or treble in the radio, too bad.

2. The record quality settings can't be changed. You can't trade off higher quality for shorter duration or vice versa.

3. The backlight turns itself off at the exact instant you start a recording. If you're in a dark room (which is often the case at talks, seminars, or live performances) it's hard to get visual confirmation on the screen that your recording is in progress.

4. The built-in MP3 encoder can only encode incoming signals on the "line in" jack. All other sources (namely the radio and built-in microphone) can only record to .WAV files. What the heck???? Why can't I encode the radio or microphone directly to mp3?

Although this product does the basics well, you should also be aware of its many limitations before you buy it.


Rating:
Summary: Micro MP3 player has Big Sound
Review: This little device is the Swiss Army Knife of Mp3 players. I already own an iPod, but wanted something smaller to carry around and load Mp3 to without the hassle of iTunes. I looked at lots of players including the RCA Lyra and iRiver, but what sold me on the MuVo is the ability to record directly from audio sources like tape decks, Turn Tables and the like. I can just hook up the inlcuded stereo mini plug and convert an LP or cassette into MP3 while listening to it! No need to mess with the computer and Mp3 software.

I have a G4 power mac at home, and this little device works perfectly with it. It just shows up as a Disk Volume when connected to the USB port. I can drag and drop Mp3 files and they play just fine on the MuVo. It's nice to be able to bypass iTunes when you're in a hurry or just need a few files dropped on. Of course you can drop other files like jpegs into the MuVo as well.

I also enjoy the FM radio function. It's nice to have handy if you're stuck somewhere or just need to check traffic or weather. I have not yet used the built-in microphone.
Battery life is great, with just one little AAA powering the MuVo. If it dies I can just pop in another one. Unlike the iPod, which you have to charge using a special cable and power outlet or computer firewire port.

This is not a replacement for the iPod, although lately I tend to carry the MuVo more because it's light and convenient. Sound from the MuVo is amazingly good. It's as good as the iPod and even includes a Graphic Equalizer to customize sound. The included headphones are OK, but not very comfortable. At any rate they're easy to replace. The only drawback is the small amount of storage. 256 MB can get eaten up pretty quick....so I find myself deleting stuff a lot. On a per megbyte basis the 20 gig iPod is a better deal, but the MuVo is a great first Mp3 player or even a replacement for a USB flash drive.

Rating:
Summary: Impressive!
Review: This little MP3 player has a lot of power and features for its size! While there are many brands of MP3 players on the market, I prefer this model of Creative for its compact style and durability. For half-hour workouts in the gym, it is ideal!

Creative shines with this product, maintaining its reputation for high quality computer sound. The flash drive has no moving parts, so there is no worry that it will skip or be damaged during an active exercise routine.

I would have given it five stars, but the sound buzzes faintly when the display is illuminated. While the faint buzzing lasts only a couple of seconds, I would think a company like Creative could do better.

Overall, this player is a good purchase for the money. I have no regrets!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent entry-level / at-the-gym MP3 player
Review: This MP3 player represents an incredible bang for the buck purchase, and is the perfect MP3 player for those looking for something to use for their workouts or those of us who want to spend under $100.
2 points that were important to me were the quality of the music experience and the look of the player:
Quality of music:
-Excellent playback, I ripped a Tribe Called Quest CD to start out with and was amazed at the clarity, the volume can be raised to too-loud heights, which is great.
-The FM tuner, which was a deciding point in my purchase of this product, far outperformed expectations. This really is an FM tuner that works, not an after-thought add-on that doesn't really live up.
-The software that comes with it is very intuitive, and I was up and running within 10 minutes, most of that time being waiting for the tracks to copy from the CD to my computer.
-The headphones are not as bad as expected reading other reviews, but yes, they could stick better.
Look:
-Very cool, fits in the palm of your hand, and has an easy-to-read, very sharp LCD display. Comes with a rubber casing to protect against drops without taking away from the look. Overall, cool-looking machine.

In summary, I cannot recommend this product highly enough for those people who don't need the huge memory capabilities of the Ipods and others, and who are looking for a high-quality player they can take to the gym without breaking the bank...