I'm looking at a new mp3 player and am considering the SanDisk Sansa Clip +. Anyone here have any experiance with one? They look like a real nice player with the added bonus of a microSD card slot which looks like a feature I'd want.

Whatcha think guys?

The Sansa Clip has always been well regarded. The new additions to the Clip + is the microSD slot you mentioned which will allow you to add up to 32gb of storage and improved build quality make this one of the best value portable music players out there on the market today. It also plays MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, Ogg and Audible. With a MSRP up to $70 it is quite the bargain, I say go for it.

By the way I tested a 8gb Sansa Fuze a few weeks ago and was really impressed with it. It is the model just above the clip.

Those on Head-Fi seem to like that Sansa. FLAC is a cool option too.

Thanks guys. I did read all the comments on HeadFi but wanted to check here to see if anyone has an opinion. Over there they like to play flavor of the month a bit to much for serious recommendation imo.

I was also looking at the Fuze too. I do like the smaller size of the Clip however.

The Clip gets great reviews on gadget sights I frequent. It sounds like a great solution for those who want tunes while they run, bike, gym, etc.

I never personally understand why FLAC is touted as a nice option for smaller flash memory players but with a 32GB MicroSD card you could get close to 900 flac songs on there and that's not too bad.

I remember the days of CD walkmans. (Hell, I remember the day when the cassette Walkman was a big invention.) 900 songs without a disk change seemed like it would have to involve a Cray supercomputer in the back of a tractor-trailer (New audio project for BigWyres perhaps??) Of course last time I checked the stats on my media library I was at over 5200 songs, all syncing to my 80GB Zune. Technology realy does fly in leaps and bounds.

What I thought was a "nice touch" is that the fuze came with a suede type material case with the player. Since the headphone jack was at width end you can flip it upside down so the headphone cord is straight out and it works very well using the case while listening to music and not having to worry about scratching it.

I agree with you Murph, the Clip+ would be one of the best players for exercising and "on the go activities".

Yeah, I don't know why you'd really want FLAC on a flash player, too much space. Also, I don't know why you care when you are using it for running. When I run, I want it small w/ long battery life. I use the cheapo buds so they don't get ruined by sweat. Decent MP3's are fine at that point.

My iPod shuffle works great for this. I use the 2nd gen one. I prefer buttons so I've avoided the newest one.

The Clip is small which is why it would be good choice for running etc. Neither the Sansa or iPods have long battery lifes compared to other brands.

Sansa claims a 15 hour batter life on a full charge, how far off do ya think this is? If I can get close that I'll be happy. So far I am still thinking this will be my next player so long as I don't hear of any major negatives.

My Cowon player is rated at 50hrs but in my tests it was around 47hrs. This was not a continous test with music in which 50 was based on. I believe the 15hrs Sansa states is based on continous play as well. It should be fairly accurate but I am under the impression if you use the SD slot it hogs more battery (somebody correct me if i'm wrong here).

The only negatives (if you can call them that) is that it does not support AAC and the 15 hours of battery life. 15 hours is pretty good still considering there are more expensive players in the market that are rated lower in this area. Remember this player isn't expensive (8gb for $70) so it is pretty damn good for what it is. As for supporting AAC files, I think the majority of people that are into iTunes and AAC files would be buying iPods anyways.

Gizmodo has a review of the Clip+ today.

Yeah, the reviews coming in are solid.

http://gizmodo.com/5352225/sansa-clip%252B-review-big-sound-tiny-body

http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/sandisk-sansa-clip-4gb/4505-6490_7-33770002.html

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In case you want to see whats inside before you buy....

I bought one for my daughter, and it seems to work fine. The interface is much more tedious than bigger models, but I have the Sansa Rhapsody 8GB and the clip seems to work the same, but again, navigation is more difficult without the wheel and without color icons.

I hate to say it, but I find the Ipod and Iphone to be much easier to use, but he Sansa sounds better, and is much better priced.

I liked the scroll wheel on the Fuze. I found it to work very well for navigation as well. I am use to a touch screen though.

On the Zune front, I read today that they are discontinuing all the old flash and disk drive versions when the HD version comes out. So if you are not into ipods and like to hoard triple digits of music, you might want to pick up the last of the 120GB versions.

Meanwhile, my typing is becoming mildly but annoyingly dyslexic, a sure sign I'm getting over tired from a couple of nights of crisis mode at work after last two weeks endless concerts duties. I'm going to start my long weekend early before I can't safely drive home.

Enjoy!

My computer doesn't even hold that much storage...lol...

I picked up the Clip today, getting loaded right now. Now I need to find a good resource for the memory cards. I found some good prices on line but the shipping was a deal breaker.

Nice ! What size (2,4,8)? Looking forward to your impressions. I can't help you find good deals on memory packs in the united states...sorry

I bought the 4 gig, for $49.99 with the memory slot I couldn't see spending more on the 8 gig.

What cans will you be using with this?

I have the iGrados, Sennheiser CX300, Koss KCS 75s and Altec Lansing iM716 for my on the go listening. The iM716s need an amp (which I have) as they are a bit to drive from a dap.

do these come with a cable to plug into the new cars with mp3 jacks?

No, but all they are is a mini stereo cable. My daughters car came with the cable as an accessory.

You can pick up a cable such as that from Monoprice with the leftover change in your pocket.

I picked up 3 Kingston 4 GB microSDHC class 4 flash memory cards from Amazon this morning. I got them for $31 and change, not bad I don't think. I will keep two and sell one to my sister. So all said and done I will have the player and 2 4 gig cards for just around 70 bucks.

Less if you mark up your sister's card by another $10.

I couldn't do that to my sister, could I ?

This is where you get revenge if she was mean to you when you were kids....

So whats the verdict?

I could never do that.

I only have a few hours on the player as of yet but I really do like it. Going from an older Creative Labs 2 gig (paid 69.99 for it) I think this player is a lot easier to navigate. Has more features and sounds pretty darn good. It has plenty of power to push most of my portable phones.

I'd have to give it two thumbs up.

With x-mas coming around these would be an amazing stocking stuffer....or as a gift......

<RANT>
OK, what is with this whole "stocking stuffer" thing I've been seeing? Over the last few years, it seems to have come to mean "anything that's small enough to fit in a stocking," with absolutely no regard to cost. I mean, pu-leeze, if you're going to give someone something that costs more than $20, it's a gift, not a freakin' stocking stuffer. In my family, at least, stocking stuffers are candies, silly little toys, kitchen gadgets, the like. Not friggin' diamond rings, or PMPs or cell phones (which are crappy gifts anyway, unless you're giving the service, too!).
</RANT>

Wow.

Coal in your stocking this year, dude!

I somewhat agree with Frogurt Boy.
Growing up, we got one "big" gift that was worth maybe 30 to 35 dollars and our stockings were filled with candy, a Delicious apple that we somehow got tricked into believing were 'Christmas Apples' and a couple of comic books.

My parents were not cheap, we just didn't have a lot to spare. I do give my dad credit though, somehow he always had enough money to make sure we didn't get left behind in the important things like hockey gear every year and that can be Expensive. I'm very generous with my gifts now that I can afford it myself but stockings remain as fun little preludes to the real gifts.

It could be worse, my wife's family are the kings and queens of depressing practicality. Stocking stuffers at her house are things like socks, deodorant, a toothbrush and the highlight of the stocking, maybe a box of two dollar chocolates and a pack of Certs.

All y'all's families whose Christmas customs aren't like my own, well HMMMPH! Pardon me while I go enjoy my beet soup and scarf down some pickled herring.

I'll put anything in a stocking I want, thank you very much.

To be clear, my reaction is much more to advertising and marketing than to you, Dr. House. Your post just provided a convenient jumping off (a cliff) place.

My "stocking stuffer" this year will be organizing a soup kitchen with friends and family. I'm going to purchase $100 in food and we'll cook it up for the less fortunate(hopefully at the church where my best friend's dad is the janitor).

My mom reminded me about it the other day, as I've wanted to do it for the past couple years but couldn't because of health problems.

Also, $20-$30 is considered a gift when it is for someone that could easily afford something many times that any day of the week. This whole gift giving thing, regardless of the time of year, is out of control. I, for one, opt out of it, with exception to the holidays and that's just to save my mom grief; I do that enough.

My stocking stuffer would be full of Rachel McAdam's legs.

OH!! errr, I guess you're talking about Christmas....



Make that Rachel McAdams AND Natalie Portman then.

Yeah, we do the pickled herring, too. I guess since I grew up with it, it doesn't seem so bad, although everyone else blanches when I tell them about it.

I like the way you think.

BLANCHE!

I also did not mean to tell you what you should do. It was just a chance for a social commentary on my past.

And to make fun of the Mother-in-law. That IS important, right?