Comparison SanDisk Clip Sport Plus 32Gb vs Sony NW-E394 8Gb

Players that are designed to be used while playing sports without experiencing any inconvenience. Distinctive features of "sports" models are miniature size, often — the presence of a clip for wearing on clothes (see below), as well as the simplest display, suitable only for displaying service data like the name of the current song (or even the complete absence of a display). Not all such devices are specially designed for lovers of an active lifestyle, but this does not prevent them from being successfully used while running, cycling, etc. And specialized options can have a case with water protection (up to the possibility of immersion in water) and even built-in fitness tools.

The amount of built-in memory installed in the player.

This parameter directly determines how much music and other content can be stored in the device without resorting to memory cards (especially since some models do not support such cards at all). For comparison: the size of one MP3 file usually does not exceed 20 MB, the same composition in lossless format has 3-4 times more volume, a film in standard quality takes on average from 700 MB to 2.5 GB, in HD 720p — up to 5 – 6 GB. Thus, in terms of data storage, the more internal memory, the better. On the other hand, the price of the player directly depends on the storage capacity. Thus, some models are available in several modifications, differing in the amount of memory and price.

When choosing, note that part of the memory will inevitably be occupied by software firmware and pre-installed applications; sometimes this part turns out to be quite significant — for example, in models with an OS on board (see above), several gigabytes can be occupied. Also note that memory cards in terms of gigabytes of volume are cheaper than built-in drives, and from the practical point of view, in most cases they are not inferior to them. So it makes sense to specifically look for a player with a large amount of internal memory, first of all, if this model does not work with memory cards.

Now there are players on the market with such a memory capacity: up to 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB and more. However, there are also models without built-in memory, designed for use only with memory cards.

Audio file formats that the player is able to work with.

— MP3. The most famous of modern digital audio formats; supported by almost all compact players, the name MP3 has even become a household name for them. Provides so-called. lossy compression, where some of the audio frequencies are lost. However, during compression, the sound is processed in such a way that it "disappears" mainly frequencies, the loss of which is imperceptible to the human ear. As a result, the sound quality can be quite high, and you can clearly distinguish high-quality MP3 from lossless format only on Hi-Fi equipment.

— WAV. Another popular audio standard, originally developed for storing sound on a PC. It can technically be used to store audio in a variety of formats, but is most commonly used for uncompressed audio. Due to this, the sound quality can be quite high, and its processing does not require special computing power. The downside of this is the large volume of audio files — many times more than MP3s.

— WMA. An audio format, at one time specially created for the Windows operating system. By default, it uses lossy compression (although there is also a lossless version of the WMA codec). WMA is particularly suitable for low bitrates, under such conditions it provides better quality than MP3 and takes up less space. On the other hand, this format is much less popular in high-quality digital audio.

...— AAC. A format developed as a potential successor to MP3. Also provides lossy compression (see above), but allows you to achieve better quality with the same file size; this difference is especially noticeable at low bitrates. Actively promoted by Apple in iPod players; nevertheless, it is noticeably inferior to MP3 in terms of prevalence, although it is supported by a considerable number of players.

— OGG. A lossy compressed digital audio format is one potential alternative to MP3. One of the key features of OGG is that as audio is encoded, the bitrate is constantly changing; at the same time, on fragments where there is no sound, the bitrate drops to almost zero (unlike MP3, where the data stream is constant, including in sections of complete silence). This makes it possible to achieve small file sizes while maintaining sound quality. Also note that the OGG format is open and not limited by patents.

— FLAC. One of the formats that uses lossless audio compression. With this compression, all the details of the original sound are preserved, so lossless formats are especially appreciated by sophisticated music lovers and audiophiles. The reverse side of this quality is large volumes of files. Specifically, FLAC is perhaps the most common of today's lossless formats. This is largely due to the fact that this standard is not particularly demanding on the processing power of the player. Thanks to this, its support can be implemented even in relatively simple and inexpensive players (unlike another popular format — APE, see below). On the other hand, FLAC files are larger than APE files.

— A.P.E. One of the popular lossless audio compression formats. Compared to another common standard — FLAC (see above) — APE allows you to achieve smaller file sizes with the same quality. On the other hand, to play such files, electronics with a fairly high processing power are required, so APE compatibility is relatively rare in compact players.

— DSD. A specific digital audio format using the so-called. sigma-delta modulation (as opposed to pulse code used in most other formats). Such modulation provides a very high sampling rate — 2822.4 kHz; however, it cannot be compared with the usual sampling rate (see above): in this case we are talking about a specific signal format. Its properties are such that DSD support can be provided even if the player's DAC formally has a much lower sampling rate. In general, this format is considered professional, its support is found mainly in Hi-Fi models (see "Type").

— DXD. Professional audio format originally created for editing DSD files (see above) — For technical reasons, original DSD is not well suited for editing. DXD uses a bit depth of 24 bits (8 bits higher than Audio CD format) and a sampling rate of 352.8 kHz (8 times higher than Audio CD). Like the original DSD, it is found mainly in Hi-Fi players.

— AIFF. Audio format developed by Apple for Macs and Macbooks; a kind of "apple" analogue of the WAV described above, also in most cases used for uncompressed audio.

— Audible. Proprietary file format used by the online audiobook store of the same name. One of the features of this format is that file playback is available only if you enter a login and password for the Audible online store; thus, supporting this standard usually means having a client programme to access the store.

This list is not exhaustive, modern players (especially the top category) may support other types of audio files.

Non-audio file formats that the player can handle.

— AVI. One of the most popular video file formats nowadays, it is used both in portable devices and in stationary video equipment. Technically, it is a container, that is, it can contain data processed by different codecs; playback requires that the device supports not only the AVI format, but also the corresponding codec.

— MP4. Video files using the MPEG-4 container. MP4 was once one of the most popular formats for portable players, and it is this format that is usually meant when people talk about "converted video" for a media player or smartphone.

— MPEG-4. Another name for the above MP4.

— MKV. A video container created as an open source alternative to the above described AVI and similar standards. Very handy when creating video files with multiple embedded video, audio and/or subtitle streams, which is why it is widely used and continues to evolve.

— MOV. Video file (container) format originally developed by Apple for QuickTime software players

— ASF. Microsoft's proprietary format, specifically designed to work with streaming content.

— SWF. A format in which animation clips are recorded based on flash technology.

— jpegs. One of the most popular modern image file formats, it is the standard for digital photography. Note that graphics support, including JPEG, can be pro...vided even in players with very miniature screens — to display album art.

— PNG. Popular graphic file format. In particular, it is widespread on the Internet due to the ability to achieve good quality with small file sizes.

— GIF. Another popular graphic file format. Notable for the ability to create animated pictures.

— BMP. One of the most common graphic formats. However, due to the rather large volumes of files, it is less common than the above standards.

— txt. Text-only files, no formatting (except paragraphs). Support for this format can be provided even in players with very small screens — to view lyrics.

This list is not exhaustive, other file formats may be supported in modern compact players.

The player supports Bluetooth technology.

This technology is designed for direct wireless communication between different devices. There are different ways to implement it in players. The most common option is to broadcast sound to wireless headphones, acoustics or other similar equipment (aptX is highly desirable, see “Features/capabilities”). Other methods of application may also be envisaged - in particular, exchanging files with other devices and remote control (player or from the player). The specific set of additional functions should be clarified separately.

Bluetooth wireless protocols from the 4th revision and newer are relevant today:

• Bluetooth v 4.0. Revision 4.0 introduced a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection mode with low power consumption. This communication standard is intended mainly for transmitting small amounts of information - in particular, service data packets to maintain a connection. At the same time, the creators managed to combine economical energy consumption and a long communication range - it can reach 100 m, which has a positive effect on the stability of the connection.
• Bluetooth v4.1. Development and improvement of Bluetooth 4.0. In terms of players, the key innovation in this version was improved noise immunity when working near 4G (LTE) mobile communication devices (in earlier standards, Bluetooth and LTE signals could overlap, which led to failures).
• Bluetooth v4.2. Further..., after 4.1, development of the Bluetooth standard, which mainly presented a number of general improvements in the reliability and noise immunity of the connection.
• Bluetooth v5.0. Major Bluetooth update released in 2016. One of the most notable innovations was the introduction of two additional operating modes of Bluetooth LE: an increased speed mode (by reducing the range) and an extended range mode (by reducing the speed). The key benefit of these innovations is to improve the overall reliability of communications, increase their range and reduce the number of breaks.
• Bluetooth v5.1. Update to revision v 5.0, in which, in addition to general improvements in the quality and reliability of communication, it became possible to determine the direction from which the Bluetooth signal is coming. Thanks to this, the location of connected devices is determined with centimeter accuracy, which has a positive effect on the quality of the wireless connection.
• Bluetooth v5.2. The next update, after 5.1, is Bluetooth 5th generation. The main innovations in this version are a number of security improvements, additional optimization of power consumption in LE mode and a new audio signal format for synchronizing parallel playback on multiple devices.
• Bluetooth v 5.3 came into use at the dawn of 2022. Among the innovations in it, they accelerated the process of negotiating a communication channel between the controller and the device, implemented the function of quickly switching between the operating state in a low duty cycle and a high-speed mode, and improved the throughput and stability of the connection by reducing susceptibility to interference. When unexpected interference occurs in Low Energy mode, the procedure for selecting a communication channel to switch from now on has been accelerated.
• Bluetooth v 5.4 was introduced at the beginning of 2023. This edition has increased the range and speed of data exchange. Also in Bluetooth v 5.4, the energy-saving BLE mode has been improved. This version of the protocol uses new security features to protect data from unauthorized access, has increased connection reliability by selecting the best channel for communication, and prevents connection losses due to interference.

Characteristics of the display installed in the player.

— Color(color/monochrome). The display color is selected by the manufacturer taking into account the functionality of the player. So, for a device that supports video and graphic materials (see “Other formats”), a color display is mandatory, and if the player only works with audio, a monochrome (one-color) screen is quite sufficient for it, especially since such screens are cheaper and consume less energy.

- Size. The diagonal dimensions of the display is directly related to the type of device (see above). Thus, classic audio players do not require large screens, in most of them this figure does not exceed 1.5"; but for a media player, 1.5" is, in fact, the absolute minimum, usually the diagonal is 3" or more. Also large Hi-Fi players are equipped with screens, they also provide a similar feature for the convenience of working with special tools.In general, a large screen, on the one hand, is convenient to use, on the other hand, it affects the dimensions and price of the device.

— Display resolution. Display dimensions in pixels vertically and horizontally. With the same diagonal, a higher resolution provides a clearer and more detailed image, but increases the cost of the player. In addition, not every player needs high detail: if the screen is used only for service information like the title of a so...ng, you can get by with small resolutions. Therefore, you should pay attention to this parameter only when it comes to a media player (see “Type”) on which you plan to often watch videos. In other cases, we can assume that the screen resolution is guaranteed to be sufficient for the tasks for which the device is intended.

— Sensor type. The type of matrix used in the screen.

• OLED. An OLED matrix in which each pixel is actually a separate LED. In portable players, most of these screens are monochrome; for color displays it is more convenient to use other technologies.
• TFT. General name for liquid crystal displays. In this case, the TFT designation is used mainly for relatively simple screens that do not use advanced technologies like the IPS described below and have rather limited characteristics. However, such screens can be made in color and have high resolution.
• AMOLED. A development of the OLED technology described above, designed to create high-quality color displays. AMOLED screens are characterized by high brightness, rich colors and good viewing angles. Among their disadvantages, we can note a slightly shorter service life than the same IPS, as well as a tendency to fade in areas where bright parts of the image are often displayed.
• IPS. One of the most popular color screen technologies used in modern portable technology. Provides good color rendering quality and wide viewing angles; The picture quality is somewhat inferior to AMOLED, but is cheaper and lasts longer.

- Touch screen. The touch screen is similar to tech used in modern smartphones. On-screen controls are often more convenient and versatile than using buttons and other hardware controls. For normal use, such a display must be quite large. We also note that a touch screen is mandatory for models with a full OS (see above).

The maximum time the player can operate on one battery charge in audio playback mode. You should pay attention to this parameter first of all if you have to use the device for a long time without the ability to recharge the battery. At the same time, note that manufacturers usually indicate an “perfect” operating time: at a constant relatively low volume, without working with the screen and other additional functions that also consume battery. And this means that in fact the battery life of the player may be somewhat lower than stated. Nevertheless, this parameter allows you to fairly accurately assess the suitability of the player for long-term work without recharging, and is also quite suitable for comparing different models with each other.

The type of connector used to charge the player’s built-in battery, or more precisely, to connect an external charger. The role of such a device can be played by a network or car adapter, a power bank, or even a USB port of a PC or laptop. As for specific connectors, the most common options are:

- microUSB. A smaller version of the USB connector designed for portable devices. It appeared quite a long time ago, but does not lose popularity in our time and is used by many manufacturers.

- MiniUSB. Similar to the connector described above, which differs only in the size and shape of the socket - for this interface they are slightly larger than for microUSB. Because of this, the connector is less common.

- USB C. A miniature USB connector, positioned, among other things, as a potential successor to microUSB. Unlike its predecessor, it has a double-sided design, thanks to which the plug can be inserted into the socket on either side.

— Lightning. Apple branded connector. Like USB C, it has a reversible design, while being somewhat more convenient and reliable, but the use of Lightning is limited to products from Apple itself.

- Branded. A connection connector that does not belong to generally accepted standards and is used to a limited extent - in equipment from one or several manufacturers. However, due to general standardization, this option has practical...ly disappeared from the scene.

The presence of a “clothespin” clip on the body of the player, which allows you to fix the device on clothes — on the lapel of the collar, the edge of the pocket, etc. Carrying the device in this way is often more convenient than in your pocket — due to the fact that its body with all the controls is outside, within not only reach, but also visibility. In addition, this detail is a very common attribute in models for sports (see above): many types of sportswear do not have pockets, and the only option for attaching the player is a clip.