Refurbished MP3 Players

Refurbished MP3 players have taken the world by storm as the prices and quality of brand new ones can get expensive. However, when considering a refurbished one there are some considerations that need to be taken into account.

There are three types of MP3 players, refurbished or otherwise, designed for personal, car or home use. The home version plays DVDs or CDs and can handle burnt disks with MP3 files ($100 US on up). The car version is fitted into a car’s dashboard and resembles a stereo; they do the same as the home version, but can cost as little as $50 US on up refurbished. The personal version is the most sought after because of their compact design and ease of transport ($20 US to thousands of dollars). They all have some or all of the following features:

  • Additional audio formats – G2, WMA and/or Ogg Vorbis
  • Potential audio format upgrades
  • On-board memory capacity – 32 MB to 40GB
  • Memory cards – MMC, Memory Stick, SmartMedia, Secure Digital or Compact Flash
  • Hard drive storage – high end versions only
  • Battery life/type – rechargeable, replaceable, lithium or watch batteries
  • Appearance/display – LCD display screen with good lighting, easy to read fonts, number tracking, file length, title, etc.
  • Transfers/user interface – USB 2.0 or Firewire connections
  • Software packages – MusicMatch Jukebox and/or AppleiTunes
  • Compatibility – must have a computer or laptop that exceeds or meets the MP3 player’s requirements, including connections and software
  • Copyright compliance (SDMI) – without this the MP3 player cannot play certain files that are protected
  • FM/AM radio tuner – good, but the reception varies
  • Audio recorder – voice recording that features an on-board microphone
  • Battery indicator – should indicate when batteries need recharging or changing
  • Graphic equalizer – allows for sound quality improvements; a minimum of a boost for bass
  • Random playing – plays tracks randomly
  • Auto resume – starts where you left off
  • Auto power down – turns itself off after a time of lack of activity to preserve battery power
  • Arm ban/belt clip – attaches to your arm or belt for ease of transport
  • Water resistant – good for use when its raining, but never for underwater use

Refurbished MP3 players are a cheap alternative to the sometimes thousands of dollars that can be spent on purchasing a new one. However, with all the added features, buying second hand is a perfectly good alternative.