Best MP3 Player for Classical Music?

[TeaLeaf]

My father is looking for an MP3 player that will be 'most excellent' for classical music.  Budget probably £100-£200.  Any hints clues tips or anecdotes as to what would fit the criteria?  He has mentioned iRiver but as this is not an area I follow on a regular basis I am asking for help from you peeps.  

TL.  

[Dr Sadako]

Macs iPod have got excellent reviews.

[sheepy]

agreed with sadako.
i not got one myself but tut has one and it works very very well

[albert]

MACs IPod is £300- £500 and comes only with a firewire connection plus the European version is volume restricted due to some French law that suggests adults cannot choose how loud they want their music to be, apparently this restriction is a real pain. And it's white which so will look bollocks if it doesn't get washed regularly   .

My brother has a Freecom Beatman Flash 64 (not the more expensive Freecoms) and it takes 128 MB SMC cards (£15 each):

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Onl...layers_109.html

Or the Creative Zen Jukebox has USB2 connectivity and sounds superb so for a £250 it is a far better option is you want mass storage.

Overclockers sells both of the above very cheap.  :wink:

Both came out great on the sound front and the Creative one has EAX for tuning it to classical. Plus both also support window WMA format which I find to be better quality sound than mp3 and smaller files at teh same bit rate as mp3s.

I will likely buy the Zen some time soon.

[Gandalf]

Just something to bear in mind with an iPod.... (Warning, contains strong language)

http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2003-05-28

So, why not try here for one of these puppies?

http://www.richersounds.co.uk/index.php?f=...list.php&c=2001