iRiver iMP 450 SlimX CD / MP3 Player with FM Tuner and Remote Control

Rating:
Summary: Perfect, as I expected
Review: I just bought this player, and it was perfect even working in my car with a cheap car adapter, there is only pure music. Default earphones are pretty good as well. Only thing is, input voltage of AC adapter was not stated in amazon.com, I was expecting it is 125 VAC because of US, but it should be stated in description anyway. I strongly recommend this to everybody.

Rating:
Summary: State Of The Art
Review: I purchased one of these about a month ago...and it has surpassed my expectations in every way. It works flawlessly, sounds fantastic, has excellent build quality, has options galore, and looks clean (once you remove the decal). I do a fair amount of research on the net and have discovered that many products have conflicting reviews. I have purchased some of these products and have found that some of the negative reviews were completely false. For this reason I have had to begin considering the possibility that some reviewers have an agenda other than mere honesty...like undermining the competition etc. Anyway, if you are considering this type of player...don't hesitate to grab this model. It's a very nice piece of electronics. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Reliability Problems
Review: I was about to buy an iRiver SlimX iMP 550 CD/MP3 portable player, but I got warned off it by a friend who got a defective one and some notes on line complaining of reliability problems. One reviewer suggested trying the iRiver 450 model instead. I did. It arrived broken and would not rotate CD's. Also the FM section only got one station in Phoenix, AZ, the sixth largest metro area in the US. A Panasonic I recently lost on a plane got virtually every station. I then called the iRiver's help line and was put on hold for far too long. Seems the help line is too busy. I gave up and now warn readers about the iRiver 450, 550 and related products: they have serious reliability problems that don't seem to go away. The 450 is iRiver's effort to fix the problems on the reliability of the 550. Well, it did not work, at least in my case. Also, I should mention these iRiver units are very complicated and convoluted to operate for some, I hear, but I did not encounter a problem because I just avoided all the bells and whistes.

Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointed
Review: I was very disappointed with the iRiver SlimX 450. I got two players, and both were defective. The first made this really loud clicking sound as it played and would stop on its own and be non-responsive. The iRiver customer rep said it probably had a bad motor.

I exchanged it for another one thru Amazon. This one played, but it too would stop randomly during playback. I tried recharging the batteries and even connected the AA battery pack, and still it would stop during playback. Other times I would try starting it and it would hang up during loading with nothing happening. The troubleshooting section in the manual was no help for either of these problems. iRiver again said it was probably a defective power unit. I particularly had trouble with playback of CD-Rs I made using wave files (they play fine in every other player I and my friends have ever tried). Sometimes the player would halt for 15 seconds, as though it was covering a skip, but the player was sitting on the table.

Being 0-for-2, I'm going back to Sony probably. I got this unit because the other iRiver CD players came highly recommended. When it was working, I found the player to have decent sound. The unit is very slim. The remote unit was generally intuitive, but some of the icons on it (like for shuffle play) are soooo tiny that you cannot decipher them. Plus they try to put too much functionality in some of the buttons.

Rating:
Summary: The Once-and-for-all, imp-350/400, 450, 550 Sonic Shakedown!
Review: I went and purchased an imp-450 and got the chance to get to the bottom of the imp 450 and 550 sonic differences in relation to my trusty imp-350.

First off, no disrespect to the imp-350; it's no slouch; it's sound quality is great, basically bombproof and the user EQ has plenty of bass boost. At times, however, with older tracks that need that little extra boost the 350 didn't quite cut it--it's only shortfall, and a slight one at that.

So, out of curiosity, I stepped into an imp-550 Initially, it was great because of the small size, but it FEELS delicate and reports of quirky behaviors and bugs (of which some I did experience) stopped me short. Plus there are sonic oddities which I will now address.

Sonically, with a flat EQ, the 350/400, 450, and 550 are all about equal in terms of warmth detail and clarity. The only bonus out the the bunch is the imp-550's optical line out. I did not test it, but have read twice that it was decent---but nothing special. Where there are huge differences, and to me make or break two of the players, is with the EQ settings. (For the record the imp-350 and imp-400 are identical sonically in every way, with the 400 being a cosmetic change and that's it.)

Before I proceed, yes, the imp line and possibly the iRiver line in general is not sonically as pure as some other media players (HDD's and vintage CDP's included), it is however, probably the most "fun" sounding line up of media players which can add amazing bass boosts and other sonic tweaks to stimulate the user...in small well designed packages.

Back to the imp-550. It features an Extreme 3D (a stereo imaging DSP processor that creates a virtual surround effect) and Extreme EQ. The 550 has the familiar iRiver EQ presets like Rock, Jazz, Metal, Blue-grass, uBass, etc, but instead of user1/2/3 EQ it utilizes the Extreme EQ feature. ExtremeEQ is a 5 band EQ adjustable both db+ and db-. The presets on the 550 are amazing. They color the sound greatly and very cleanly. The problem with the imp-550 sonically, is that when adjusting the sound with the Extreme EQ you can not achieve the levels of sonic adjustment that the presets offer. The presets are indeed good, but in my case I just want to boost the bass, like the rock preset, but without the added treble. I tried this with the Extreme EQ, but with the bass boosted to max it makes hardly a difference. iRiver has yet to address or rectify this problem with multiple firmware updates. I grew frustrated that with the imp-550 the bass was great but too treblely or the bass was not enough. Coupled with the nagging other bugs and quirks with firmware, and the 550 does not offer a worthwhile change from the imp-350/400.

From this point I contacted iRiver to find out the differences between the imp-550 and new imp-450, and was told that they share very similar components (including processor chips) and the the imp-550 is discontinued in the USA. Further, the imp-450 is its replacement, and as demand for a high-end mp3cd player is declining in the US, the upcoming imp-900 is not for the American market either.

So, my thoughts started to wonder about the imp-450. Upon further research which included downloading and thoroughly going through each players respective .pdf manual I discovered the the 450 and 550 are very similar players indeed with one notable sonic difference. there is no Extreme 3d/EQ in the imp-450. I began to theorize that perhaps the 450 could possibly remedy the 550's EQ bugs decided to try to dig in the forums to find out. To my surprise there wasn't much info out there. I did read in the imp-450 manual though that it had an EQ much like that of the imp-350/400, presets and 3 user EQ's. The major difference is that unlike the 12db bass boost on the 350 the 450 had a 18db boost. My suspicions were beginning to take shape.

Today my imp-450 arrived. It is a beauty. Considering I had a brand new imp-550 last week, I can say the 450, is esthetically more pleasing and much better built than the imp-550. For example, the lid does not feel loose or shift side to side slightly when closed. It is definitely smaller than the imp-350 and of course identical to the redesigned 350, the imp-400. Its weight feels about the same as the 350 and only slightly heavier than the imp-550. Overall the size differences between the 450 and 550 are slight at best. Hands down the imp-450 is the better more secure feeling and esthetically pleasing player. (note: the iRiver pics do not do this player justice at all....it REALLY looks nice and is QUITE small)

At this point, I would like to add that the presets on the imp-350/400, even without comparing them to the 450/550, offer very subtle change in sonic characteristic and one really must use the custom user EQ's to get sound to really maximize its potential.

Yes, and after much discussion, I can report that the preset EQs on the 450 and 550 are identical! They both offer amazing sound boost. Furthermore, the user EQ's DO offer 18db of adjustment, however the control on the remote offers the adjustment in steps of 2db (0,2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18). The treble is only a 6db adjustment as in 2db steps. I can also confirm that the user EQ's sonic adjustment equal that of the presets and it not deficient like the user EQ (Extreme EQ) on the imp-550.

Next I performed the following test.

imp-350 user EQ bass set to 12db, treble set to 0
imp-450 user EQ bass set to 12db, treble set to 0

The two units were identical in sound. Next, I boosted the imp-450 to a full 18db and, yes there was a substantial increase. Clear, clean, detailed, tight bass sprang from this little player. Its has all the bass boost of the recent firmwared imp-550, but with the user EQ control of the imp-350!!

I personally not only feel validated, but that I have reached my sonic nirvana. I was very pleasantly surprised, as I was expecting the imp-450 to fall short and have the similar problems of the imp-550.

So, in conclusion, the imp-450 is the definite winner here, and at a bargain price. I cannot see any reason one would choose an imp-550 over a 450. Physically and sonically superior, the imp-450 easily beats it. Im only slightly curious about the imp-900 now, as I cannot possibly see how it could be better, except for battery life. But since it shares the same micro 13.7mm size as the imp-550 I wonder how the build quality is.

My personal opinion, after owning all the major imp players, is that the imp-550 was a great concept that just didn't pan out. Not only that but I think that challenges of utilizing the Extreme3Q/EQ efficiently has been questionable as well. I think they countered the shortcomings and struggles of the imp-550 with a slam dunk of a release with the new improved and dare I say, perfect, imp-450.

*EDIT/UPDATE: Well, I must correct myself as I proceeded to do some further imp-350 and 450 tests. I ran a selected mp3 track in both players side by side with the EQ set flat on both, volume set to 30.
The headphones I tested were both a well broken in Sennheiser px200 as well as Sennheiser HD 25-1, also well burned-in.

The two players do indeed sound different, noticeably so. The 450 is defintely more punchy sounding and a bit more dynamic, open and involving, while the imp-350 sounds a bit thin, and slightly small sounding in comparison.

I am not a golden eared individual by any means, but I was easily able to tell a difference between the two.

Sorry to give the earlier impression that the various imp's are sonically similar. i can honestly say now that the later models do step it up a bit in the sound department. But hands down the imp-450 with its unflawed performance and quality wins, even without the added features of a optical line out, slightly larger size, and inability to charge whilst playing. Cool features of the imp-550, but not needed.

Rating:
Summary: The best CD Mp3 player out there
Review: iRiver has quite a history of excellent products, and over the years they've had a chance to refine their popular line of CD/mp3 players, moving from the iMP-350 to the 400 and now the 450 and 500 models (we'll ignore their discontinued budget line).

The 350 and 400 share the same guts, with the only difference being a cosmetic change and the removal of some buttons on the CD player itself. Whether that's good or not is up to your own eye in terms of style.

The 450 and the 500 share similar innards but the 450's case is identical to the 400 series. The iMP-500 is smaller and claims longer battery life as well as an optical out, but none of those are particularly significant.

Where it is available, the 400 seems to be universally more expensive than the 450, which is ridiculous - the 450 has twice the battery life and a newer version of the firmware. Its only caveat (if you could even call it that) is that it doesn't include a car adapter. However minor that is depends on what you plan on using the unit for - however, you'd still be better off grabbing a 450 and a car adapter.

Let's get to the player itself - it's very well designed and sounds amazing. It's a bit on the hefty side (it weighs more than my girlfriend's Panasonic player, although it is definitely more sturdy) but it's not a brick or anything. The remote is beautifully designed and works well. The sound this thing is capable of producing is also flawless - I've run it through a Klipsch system as well as a set of Pro headphones (Koss) and there is not a hint of static unless you feed it badly encoded or low bit-rate mp3 files. The equalizer settings work well and managing the directories is quick and efficient once you've spent half an hour or so getting used to the remote.

The FM tuner seems to work well too, although it certainly wasn't the deciding factor for me. I needed an inexpensive unit to play mp3s, but didn't want to completely ignore my CD library. As well, flash units hold a pathetic amount of music, and I don't mind carrying around 10 mp3 discs with me.

iRiver's iMP-450 definitely delivers - it's cheaper than equivalent players from the competition and also offers a far superior remote (as well as WMP/ASF playback). If it has a flaw, it's that the drive motor is a bit on the noisy side. Everything else, from boot-up time (never has it taken more than 10 seconds on me, even for multi-directory discs) to especially sound quality, is amazing. If you're in the market for a CD/mp3 player, I recommend the iMP-450 without reservation.


EDIT - a few things I missed earlier:

-The player seems to be somewhat picky when it comes to CD-Rs. The first two discs I burned using an old spindle of Memorex discs and the iMP-450 would only read the first 1/6 (or so) of the disc before halting entirely with skips. I went out and bought some Maxell discs and they worked flawlessly. Yet the Memorex discs work fine on my girlfriend's Panasonic player, so go figure. It's certainly interesting.

-There is a 'caption' program available on iRiver's site that allows you to attach lyrics and their timing to mp3 files. IE, when you play the mp3 on the unit, the lower portion of the screen goes blank and is instead filled with the lyrics as you timed them to the file. The whole procedure is a bit clunky and requires a bit of effort, and ultimately it's nothing more than a 'it's neat' feature. It's more something you'd use to show off to people.

-The iMP-450 apparently remembers the position of the last 10 CDs when you turned it off/ejected them. I wasn't counting, but it went right back to its place on the handful of CDs I put back in it. Definitely a neat feature, if not essential.

Rating:
Summary: Nice player
Review: Pros:Durable, Small, looks cool, nice remote, plays lots of formats, easy to use, lots of features, good design, good battery life, great sound quality.

Cons: Slow loading... (sometimes takes up to 45 seconds to load cds), Expensive ($120).

Overall: good cd player, not really worth the $120 in my opinion because of the slow load time mostly. It is only when you are turning it on that it is slow, it is very fast switching songs and everything. Other than that it is a great cd player and I would recomend it.

Rating:
Summary: Very good sound, but finicky at times
Review: This is a good player most of the time, and sounds great. The main reason I got it was for the" line out", because I listen through a dedicated (home) headphone amplifier, and occasionally electrostatic headphones as well. However, since the unit's volume control affects it (line out), and headphones can be driven by it, I don't think that this "line out" is much different from the headphone output.
It is very noisy, mechanically, and I can hear it from across the room. These noises do not transmit through the headphones, though, and do not disturb me while listening to music.
One CD in my collection, which consists of two tracks of about thirty minutes each, although brand new, does not play at all on the 450. The recording does play on all my other CD players, including my trusty Panasonic portable SL-S320 (c. 1997). This particular CD is not really "music" - its one of the Jeffery Thompson CD sets from The Relaxation Company, called THETA MEDITATION SYSTEM. Maybe the "advanced" electronics in the 450 do not recognize the data on one of the two CD's as music and cannot play it. Just a guess.
The iRiver player also goes silent for a few seconds on other CDs, which play perfectly on my other players, but this is a minor annoyance and most CDs play without problems. I should mention that I've used this player exclusivly at home, and it sits flat on an audio stand. I don't know how well it operates while walking, jogging, etc., since I have not tried it during these activities.
After reading about some of the other customers' experiences, I am not going to return it because the replacement one may be worse. As far as the reviewer who is suspicious about some of the other (alleged) reviewers' honesty when they reported bad experiences: [...] I recently bought a DVD player that many people reported trouble with, but mine works perfectly. I don't doubt that some units were defective - I was just lucky.
Overall, this is an above-average sounding player.
Music, especially when operating with the flat batteries, the additional AA power supply, a battery-driven headphone amplifier, and good headphones, is very engaging, detailed and accurate. In this setup, playing CDs, it sounds more like a large component than a portable.


Rating:
Summary: Ugly, tends to skip a lot
Review: This portable discman plays CDs and CD-Rs with MP3 files. It also comes with a built-in FM radio, and a very flimsy inline control. Battery life is quite poor, with either audio CDs or MP3 playback. The two worst offenses are: 1) a very ugly exterior design; you'd look like a dork carrying one of these on your commute; and 2) it skips more than the typical CD player. At first I thought it was with my CDs but they played fine on my old Panasonic discman, so I realized it was a problem with this player. I cleaned the lens but it didn't help. The build quality is pretty poor. Look for a better choice elsewhere (Sony or Panasonic).

Rating:
Summary: very good
Review: Tip: burn finalized single session CDs. Only 12 second intro scans! Tip: It's hard to attach the controller to the waist without pressing buttons, so switch the hold. Tip: The player is set to lower anit-skip and sound fade-in out of the box, so change those if you wish.

I was looking for a replacement portable MP3-CD player that I could walk with without skipping and that had (full) resume, and this one delivered. I was willing to pay the extra price. So I give it a good rating based on that, even with the annoyances that I had read about before hand. It seems that all the MP3-CD players I ever had had some kind of annoyances.

I gave it a skip test with an hour long walk. It only briefly skipped once, but recovered instantly.

I'd rather they just make this a fatter unit that has the control and AA-battery built in. The controler and its buttons seem fragile. My AA-battery adapter arrived broken, and iRiver said they will send a replacement.