Home > Consumer Reviews > Archos 20 GB USB 2.0 MP3 Jukebox/Recorder/ FM Radio

I've had one of these for just over a month. It's bigger and heavier than the I-pod, but 1/3rd the price. 20 Gig holds a LOT of music - I have 200 cd's on mine and have used up under 7 gig! The USB 2 is FAST. It takes only seconds to copy songs. The device shows up as an external hard drive called "jukebox" - you just drag and drop your audio files.

The quality could be a little better - I have had no problems, but the controls seem a bit flimsy. The volume could also be louder. As with most portable devices, you're well advised to purchase a set of good quality headphones. Don't plan on wearing it on a back support belt or clipping it on pants - it's too bulky or heavy. It had a belt loop on the included neoprene pouch - this will fit a standard belt, but not a belt for the gym. I keep mine in a pocket or carry it around.

It's a great buy!

Followup (3 months later) - still love this thing! Found a couple of software bugs, but these are addresses in frequent updates.

Everyone in the house keeps taking it. I have been looking for an MP3 player for a long time. I wanted at least a 20G unit. When I saw that coupled with an FM Radio/recorder, I couldn't wait to get it. Biggest gripe with this unit was getting it out of the plastic box it came in. Talk about tough plastic! It connects via USB, completely painless. Simply drag and drop files and you are done. The printed documentation is limited but the included CR-ROM and the web site has complete instructions. But after a few minutes with it you pretty much can figure out how to operate it. I'm amazed at the FM recordings. I have recorded music and long format talk shows with ease. The included headphones are junk. But that should be expected. I'd estimate the battery lasts close to 7 hours. I am constantly playing around with the screens and keeping the backlight on, so if I were to just let it play un interrupted, it would probably last longer. The voice recorder works fine. The sound is great. And you can not beat the price. So glad I did not get an IPOD.

I love the concept and functionality of this device and it works great if it's connected to an external power supply, but the battery is severely under-sized. The player will only run for about 3 hours on battery and then just randomly stop if there is too much disk activity. I have tried to contact Archos numerous times by phone and email and have received no response. There tech support is non-existent. Until the battery issue is resolved, I recommend not buying this product.

I purchased this product in November. Its performance/price ratio is not good. Here is why:
1) Customer service is horrible. The phone line is always busy. They don't reply emails.
2) The AC adapter can only be used as a charger. i.e. you always have to use the battery
3) In my case, the battery can only last about three hours. The manual claims "up to 10 hours". Customer service ignored my inquiry.
4) When it is recording using the built-in mic, an annoying hard-drive-accessing noise gets recorded every two minutes. In addition, you can not attach a non-powered external mic.
5) The FM radio can not give clear sound no matter how hard you tune.

What this product is good is it can record voice directly into MP3.

I would not recommend the product.

Horrible...

Pros:
1. Sometimes it worked.

Cons:
1. Terrible battery life. I needed to be charged everyday.
2. Horrible Tech support. Email response took 2 days.
3. Screws were loose on my device.
4. It would randomly turn itself off even on a full battery.
5. FM radio was terrible.
6. Crystal display is small.
7. Menus are VERY hard to navigate too.

I will never buy and Archos again. NEVER!