Best mp3 player to workout/run with?

Im really look for the one that isnt going to break easy or skip. Of course i want to have decent quality sound but more imporant to me is being able to workout and run with out it breaking skipping ect.

I am not very informed about a Hard drive player, BUT the flash player I have (the sandisk) never skips.

I would think it it about as durable as others. It is a bit plastic feeling, and I have heard others that have a concern with the battery cover. BUT the case it comes with covers the battery cover with not only the cover, but the "strap loop". very hard to describe in a post, but trust me it covers it pretty well.

I would second the Sandisk suggestion. Since it's a flash player, it cannot skip. Only hard disk players are prone to skipping during heavy exercise.

The Sandisk has very good sound and with the optional case from Sandisk you get a belt clip. I use the unit for running with the optional case and it is completely sturdy and not fragile in any sense. Combined with the subscription service compatibility and I always have great music to hear during the run without having to spend a dollar a track as with the Nano (which I also own, but only really use to listen to Audible files and podcasts).

he said the m250 i have found no such series the only thing i find is the Sansa e200 series is that the ones your talking about? They have 1,2,4, and 6 gig models.

I know Best Buy and Circuit City have them. In fact circuit city also has the 512 mb or 4gb as well. I found the 2gb was the right mix of cost and size for me though.

for some reason when I look at their sites though they do not really note the MXXX model.
it looks like this though

http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Catalog(1161)-SanDisk_Sansa_m200_Series_MP3_Players.aspx

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7331149&type=product&id=1118844780039


PLUS PLEASE READ THIS: (yes, read it read it read it)

if you are interested in the subscription based music, which personally I love, you MUST take advantage of what I think is one of the best deals ever

www.rhapsody/com/rebate

you get a Sandisk Sansa player, THEn go there and sign up for 6 month membership w/ Rhapsody To Go for $90 BUT GET A $80 REBATE!!! so you get Rhapsody To Go for 6 months for $10 total. I did that, worked like a charm and I am now 2 months into the service and love it.

ps the page says your Sansa M200 - that is the generic term for the M series

Again, the subscription is the ability to "rent' the music and the 'To Go" allows you to dump it to a portable player versus just having it on your PC

it is

www.rhapsody.com/rebates

messed up a bit in the previous post

Sansa are decent players and very cheap for the amount memory they provide. If you want subscription music this is probably what to go for, although you might also look at iRiver.

Personally I prefer iAudio, for its sound quality. But it does not support subscription music at the moment.

ok 2 questions for you gurus. Can also by individual songs and put them on the sandisk players? Second when you buy a subscription and put the songs on your pc and your player say after 3 months you cancel your subscription do the songs on your player still work and pc?

First off, there really are two things you can do:

1) 'Purchase' individual songs OR albums. Without a 'subscription' account you can still go to rhapsody.com, napster.com etc and PAY for the music. about $0.99 song, $8-$11 per full album. THIS you then own. can dump it to mp3 player, burn a cd, keep it on your pc etc etc. you have basically 'bought' the music.

BUT be careful, some players do not even allow you to do this (but most do)

2) Subscripotion Based - this is more where you rent the tunes. flat rate per month and you have unlimited access to millions of songs. My 5 yr son loved 'Santa Claus is coming to town' this year, and on Rhapsody.com they had something like 250+ songs from various artist on that one song alone.
$10.00/month usually to get that on your PC, OR $15.00 /month for to go service that allows you to synch to MP3 player (which since you are in this forum, I assume that is what you want).

However, this music you are 'renting'. At the end of the month, if you do not renew for the following month, then you cannot play the music any longer. The file has a date stamp or something PLUS if you set up account to just auto bill you, you still have to synch player at least once a month to keep it current. takes like 3 minutes.

BUT again, not all players are compatible, especially the less expensive ones. Sandisk is though. AND some players are compatible with Option #1 (Downloads) but not Option #2 (Subscription). And in my opinion, the "Play for Sure" label on some players are misleading as well. Some play for sure means just downloads (Zen Nano Plus great example) and others mdean downlaod and subscription

does this help?

yes that helped out although this part i didnt understand.

And in my opinion, the ''Play for Sure'' label on some players are misleading as well. Some play for sure means just downloads (Zen Nano Plus great example) and others mdean downlaod and subscription


One more question also sandisk m200 series what are the differce between the eseries ones? one better? eseries still good for working out? I really appreciate the help

if you go to best buy or circuit city, you will see some of the players have a little triangle thing that says " plays for sure" on it, and it is meant o indicate the player is compatible with site like napster and rhapsody.

BUT what it does not indicate is if that means it is only download compatible or download and subscription

for example, I think these links will work. apologize if they do not.

from the Sandisk website, here is the e series, notice the plays for sure at the bottom only has download 'unshaded'


http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Catalog(1073)-SanDisk_Sansa_e100_Series_MP3_Players.aspx

BUT the M series has both download and subscription

http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Catalog(1161)-SanDisk_Sansa_m200_Series_MP3_Players.aspx

BUT when you go to the store, all the players have is the little triangle sticker without the download or subscription boxes shown all teh time. so plays for sure does not always mean subscription AND downloads

if you were in the actual store and saw these stickers, my comments would make more sense. sorry for the confusion

more info

http://www.playsforsure.com

If 1 gb is big enough for you, than go with the scandisk m240..There are 2 gb players as well, although i'm not sure of the model number- I think it might be the m260 BUT, Make sure you get the sansa ''M'' series/model..The M has much higher ratings then the E..

At any rate you can't beat the price or the sound. It's a very sturdy player and it uses one AAA battery..No fuss no muss just switch the battery and keep on running..I might add the battery life is LONG!! Mine just keeps on working. So far its the best player i've tried and I've tried them all AND Yes, that includes the pods- which are lotsa money and nothing special..

I own the M250 (and as I have replied before also recommend it for the needs outlined in this post).

I have the cover that it came with on it now and for the most part like it. BUT I have also seen the silicon case for like $9.99 but thought that left the screen exposed. When I saw your post about the "skin" to cover the screen I got interested.

what is that? where do I get that? again I have seen to cover but not the skin thing

ps - again, I also think the cover and armband that came with it are also pretty nice for what it is