MP3 Buying Tips:

=Which MP3 Enc/Prog To Use? =

There are tons of MP3 encoders out there, and all of them claim that they have the best quality. But do yourself a huge favor and do not use "Xing Audiocatalyst"! It is one of the worst encoder out there! If u want my suggestion, I highly recommend "CDex"! I love this prog b'coz it uses "LAMEenc" (w/c is currently the best encoder available in terms of sound quality), the prog is free, and it contains features that makes "LAMEenc" easier to use!

=What Bitrate Should I Use? =

Again, it depends. But if u want my suggestion, read my recommendations below:

128kbps (Constant Bit Rate - Joint Stereo) - This setting is good for folks who:
-can't notice the diff between cassette and cd quality music!
-Have a 'very' old sound card
-unpowered speakers

** If u plan to upgrade ur PC's multimedia capabilities soon or plan on converting their mp3's to audio-cd format, then by all means consider higher bit rates instead!

32min-192max kbps <or 256max> (VBR - Joint Stereo)- Good balance between filesize and sound quality.
-For folks with powered/amplified speakers.
-New or not-so-new sound card owners.

32min-320max kbps (VBR - Joint Stereo) - Recommended for folks who wants quality and doesn't care about the filesize. Filesize is most of the time going to be less than 10mb ... so it's really not "that" big.
-If u convert ur mp3's to cda's and play it on HI-FI stereo's, this setting is definitely for u!
-For PC's with new sound cards and good quality speakers. 

Six Tips for Buying an MP3 Player with Flash Memory

If you're the type of person who's on the go all the time and wants to jam to your favorite tunes while commuting to work, trekking across campus, or working out, then having the "right" MP3 player is essential. Here are six tips to help you find the flash memory player that's right for you: 

1. Understand the basics.

For the active person, a player that uses flash memory to store music has distinct advantages over a player that uses a hard disk. Simply put, flash memory players have no moving parts, meaning that you can take them jogging and your music won't skip.  

2. Make sure you're getting all the goodies.

Many portable music players can do more than just play music. Some players have a built-in voice recorder, FM recorder, or stopwatch. And some come with extra accessories like high-quality headphones, a belt clip, or an armband. Because most of these features are included at no additional cost, make sure the device you choose is filled with these fun extras.

3. You'll want a display.

When you have hundreds of songs on your player, you really need an easy way to select your music by artist, album, or genre. This is critical if you want to find that one song or artist you really want to hear. A display also comes in handy when you're looking for your favorite radio station.

4. Let a professional make your next play list.

Having an FM radio lets you put your player on autopilot as you mountain bike, cycle, or rollerblade. And when you're sweating it out on the stationary bike at your health club, you can listen to the program airing on the club's TV. You want to have something that is fun, lightweight, and flexible. And FM radio is a key feature that many players offer at no extra cost, even for less than $100.

5. Pick the right size for you.

The price of a player will depend on its storage capacity—the more megabytes (MB) of storage it has, the more music it can hold and the more it will cost. If you're ripping your own CDs, using a player with Windows Media Audio (WMA) support as well as MP3 support gives you the most music per megabyte. Here are some quick rules of thumb for how much music per megabyte you get, depending on the quality of the compression.

6. Don't get locked into one online store.