Creative Labs NOMAD MuVo² 4 GB MP3 Player

See it at Amazon.com for $188.88

Average Customer Rating
(3.5 out of 5)

Amazon Customer Reviews

Most Helpful First | Newest First

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Good MP3 Player + Portable Storage

I seriously considered both the Muvo2 4GB and the iPod Mini before making my buying decision. My needs are that I listen to a smallish music collections (about 4GB or ~800 songs), I wanted a small MP3 player that can serve as a portable storage device, and my budget was under two hundred dollars (Feb. 2004). The Muvo2 4GB fits the bill as a small MP3 player and it is recognized by Windows XP as an external drive once connected via USB (1.1 and 2.0 compatible). I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars and here's why:

The Muvo2 4GB isn't smaller than the iPod Mini as one reviewer mentioned. Volumetrically, it's 1.5 times as large the Mini. The Muvo2 measures 2.6" x 2.6" x 0.8" or 5.4 cubic-in. The Mini measures 2.0" x 3.6" x 0.5" or 3.6 cubic-in. However, the difference is minute because they both easily fit in any shirt pocket. Both weigh (light!!!) about the same: 3.2-oz (Muvo2), 3.6-oz (Mini).

The Muvo2 comes with the Hitachi (not Toshiba) internal CompactFlash II compatible harddrive. For a new unit, battery duration is as rated: 14 hours. I've tested the claim to hold true as I use the unit through out the day and it hasn't once run out of juice on me. I do charge it at the end of the day. You can charge the unit via the supplied AC adapter or via any self-powered USB port (not PCMCIA card). You do need to right-click on the device under My Computer (XP) and select "Eject" in order to charge it via USB. Otherwise, XP just treats it as an external drive. The Muvo's rechargeable battery is user replaceable and costs less than the Mini's.

I can drag-and-drop music and other data files to the Muvo2 from my computer with ease without the use of any additional software (simply plug and play). This is one of the reasons I chose the Muvo2. However, you can still use the included MediaSource software to manage your music collections. For the iPod, I believe you need to use the iTunes software to transfer music files.

If you compare the Muvo2 against the iPod Mini, the look of the Muvo2 feels a little cheap because of the plastic enclosure but it feels sturdy nonetheless (if you don't drop it). The Muvo's ergonomics can stand some improvement. The two smallish navigation buttons don't feel right. The larger joystick type button has imprecise navigation. The 3-second-hold-and-release in turning on/off the unit is annoying. After holding the smaller on/off button for 3 seconds, you MUST release the button before it turns on/off (meaning you MUST visually pay FULL attention to it when turning it on/off). Counter-intuitive comes to mind. Hence the 4 out of 5 stars.

As one reviewer suggested, you should download the latest firmware to make the unit function a bit more intuitive (the root folder and playlist are now the two first choices under the menu). The latest firmware also adds support for the optional (must purchase separately) external remote/FM tuner/recorder.

Why I selected the Muvo2 over the iPod Mini was entirely based on my own needs:

1.) very small, very portable MP3 player
2.) 4GB (800 songs) of music collections
3.) portable external storage device w/o need for additional software (just plug and play)
4.) two hundred dollar budget
5.) user-replaceable battery

Suggestions for improvement:

- need to mimic iPod Mini ergonomics (better navigation, better buttons)
- need to incorporate more software functions like the iPod (song rating, time(date), calendar, contacts, games :D)
- need sexy aluminum (real) enclosure

Overall, the Muvo2 sounds great, feels very small, priced right, and meets my needs. Nothing fancy or sexy, however.

March 2004

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Excellent product!

I have had my Muvo 4GB player for 3 weeks now and have been extremely pleased with it. This player fit my very specific needs. I have a large number of files that are MP3 and WMA (the latter purchased online), so I felt it was best to NOT get an iPod.

My previous mp3 player was a MagicStar 256MB, but wanted to upgrade because I found my commute to be longer, spent a lot of time in the car or metro, and became bored with listening to only the same 60 some songs over and over again. Plus, I go to the gym, and specifically wanted something durable and not have to worry about a huge spinning hard-drive. I wanted a player that was light, small, unnoticeable, but could deliver big on functionality. The Muvo definitely hit the spot with its 4GB Toshiba Micro-drive (v compact, durable, and high capacity).

First, this thing is SMALL and LIGHT... it fits perfectly in the closed unused ashtray of my car, keeping it out of site from prying eyes. I compared side-by-side with the new iPod 4GB, and the muvo is SUBSTANTIALLY smaller, lighter and compact. It probably weighs as much as my Siemens C56 cellphone. I currently have 500 songs loaded on there with 3 different playlists, and have used less than 2GB so far.

On the metro and in the gym, I use the included belt holster. Its very well structured and shock-proof, but the only drawback is that the buttons are inaccessible. I can overlook that drawback since I tend to use playlists or continually shuffle my music.

The buttons are small, and people with large fingers may have some difficulty. I have not had any problems manipulating the directional button (vol up/down, prev/next track), nor accessing the menu (push button straight down). A slightly annoying factor is that you need to hold the PLAY/PAUSE button down for 5 seconds straight in order to power on/off.

The menu is small but readable, but I don't really read it all the time since I'm always on the go. The backlight is blue, and ID3 tags for the songs scroll across when playing. The menu includes tools, playlist, playmode (shuffle, repeat, etc), EQ, delete, radio, and microphone. You navigate using the directional button. For my basic needs, I use playlist and shuffle. I delete files using Windows Explorer.

I ditched the included earbuds and use my own Koss Plugs. I did use the included earbuds for the first couple of days and found it to be sub-standard in sound and uncomfortable.

The sound from this unit is great... many different equalizer settings, but I set mine to Rock and don't use the other ones. With the right set of earplugs, the bass is nice and heavy, and the sound is very crisp. I use a cassette adapter in the car with the Muvo, and it sounds just as good. I've noticed a little hissing or distortion, but that's either because of the cassette adapter, not having the player set at the proper volume, or your unit needs is almost out of juice. Just play around with the unit to find the right balance.

The unit comes with a rechargable lithium ion battery. I was spoiled before because my last player was able to recharge via USB port. This battery gets a full charge in about 3 hrs with the included AC-adapter. I haven't really pushed (nor paid attention) to the full claimed 10 hour charge. Let's just say, I recharge every 2-3 days of my everyday activities. I recommend plugging in your unit to the charger when doing large song transfers; those tend to eat a lot of juice. Oh, and the battery COMES OUT, meaning that you can replace or buy an extra one if needed. The iPod batteries are non-removeable.

I use MusicMatch and am able to do file/playlist transfers using the "import to portable" function in MMJB. It takes some getting used to... I initially would set up playlist folders on the Muvo using Windows Explorer, and import my playlists into each discrete folder with the proper m3u file. If I did not set up playlist folders with the m3u files, the unit would randomly read any existing mp3s in its memory regardless of playlist. I've toyed with the included Creative MediaSource software, and it is a little clumsy with too many frames and windows going on. Stick with what you're comfortable with because everything is drag and drop. You could just use Windows Explorer to drag and drop your files and m3u's directly to the Muvo, but if you do a straight drag-and-drop of your music files only, the player will play them alphabetically according to ID3 tag. File transfer by USB 2.0 is SUPER FAST. I was able to transfer my current 2GB of files on there in about 10 mins or so. I wasn't paying attention to exact duration because I was getting ready to leave and needed to do this on the fly before I left! It did the job superbly.

I ran a recovery once on the unit because it froze during a transfer and the drive became undetectable to my notebook. When in doubt, there is a small pinhole in the back of the unit that will reset your unit to original state.

I do recommend that you upgrade to the the firmware: http://www.nomadworld.com/downloads/firmware/
User manuals, support, etc are available on this website.

PROS:
- extremely small and light (moreso than the iPod)
- Great sound
- Huge capacity with a very durable and dependable microdrive (I've dropped this thing a few times with no probs at all)
- Long battery life
- Works with MMJB
- Inexpensive compared to other comparable players
- its not an iPod! Be different!

CONS:
- Small buttons take some getting used to
- Small screen
- does not support AAC files (for iTunes users out there)
- Playlist transfer (.m3u files) is not intuitive unless you play around with it and properly set up the folders just right
- Does not charge via USB (there aren't many out there that do that to begin with, and I was spoiled by my MagicStar)

I am extremely happy with this item and highly recommend it to people always on the go (commuters, gym, school, driving) and for people who are tough on their toys (toss in the bag, car, drop, etc). Great value. I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars for minor quirks.

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Excellent Player

Recently I was in the market for an mp3 player, and was deciding between an iPod mini, or this muvo2. After much research, I decided on the muvo2 for a few reasons. Firstly, after hearing so many complaints about the iPod's lack of a removable battery, I liked the removable one on this player. Just ask anyone who has owned an iPod for more than a year how much their battery life has diminished. In addition, my friends have both of these players. After comparing the sound quality, I would definitely recommend the muvo2. However, it does not come with this out of the box, and you need to adjust the equalizer. After doing this, the muvo2 sounds far greater than the iPod mini. The only complaint I have, is that at first, its two line screen can make it hard to organize 4 gigabytes of music. Ease of organization is where the iPod excels. However, I've found that after downloading the beta version of Windows Media Player 10, it is much easier to organize music because of the new file system it creates on the player through the synchronization feature. It is still no iPod, but it is definitely adequate. I would suggest ditching the included Media Source software. The bundled earbuds aren't great, but they never are on any player. In all, I love my muvo2 and and am completely satisfied with my decision. And in the end, I especially love how it is about half the size of the iPod mini and comes with a belt clip.

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Compelling capacity outweighs fumbling and bundling.

The four stars are strictly for the following:
-4Gb hard drive, which alone is a $300 item in bulk;
-WMA and MP3 playback;
-nice LCD interface;
-USB 2.0 speeds for really fast xfer rates;
-instantaneous recognition by WinXP/2k machines.

Those features above make this an outstanding player, and should make this a 5-star item. However:
-the enclosed headphones are earbuds, I don't like 'em;
-it isn't armored enough for decent shock-resistance (would like to see it rubber-skinned like its cousin the Rio Cali);
-no belt-loop holster or anything like an armband, so exercising with it might be a little challenging;
-FM headphone function is extra (boo!);
-controls are dexterity-building exercises in themselves.

This thing has an LCD screen, so why not use a thumb-wheel with pushbutton ability to handle on/off and playback? Granted, it has a four-way pad and a separate button which should be sufficient, but my banana-sized fingers keep jumping selections to "Menu" instead of scrolling left or right through the playlist.

Here's why this is so critical: this player can hold 500-1000 songs, depending on how dense the encoding is. Navigating through a straight list of 500 or 1000 songs takes awhile. Folders become paramount to organizing songs or artists, just so you can find something you like inside of a minute.

But does it play well? Does it do what it should? Oh yes, most definitely. And having a Li-On battery in it that recharges off the USB port is *exactly* what every player should have (if it used my Nokia 3650's battery I'd have given it the fifth star for the serendipitous convergence).

"Would I buy it again?" Sure, if I could find another one.
"Is it better than the Rio Cali?"

Hmmm... the Cali is definitely nice, armored with an armband I really like, better UI (LCD presents info much faster, is square and shows more at a glance), has FM built-in. But 4Gb makes up a lot of ground on 256Mb, even 768Mb if you pony up some cash for a 512Mb SD Card. Nah, the Muvo2 isn't perfect, but it's capacious, and sometimes that's more important.

Fred

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First MP3 player and it's great

Been trying to get this at amazon for a while since it comes in and out of stock very quickly. Lucky this time I was able to get it in mid-May and was delivered within 6 days via super saver shipping.

I bought this MP3 for myself not to resell it. Since this is my first MP3 player I have nothing to compare it to, but from using it the past two weeks I can say I'm very satisfied with it. I have about a Gig of music and audio books on it already.

Getting the Mp3s to the Muvo are so easy, just drag and drop and there you have it, you don't need their software if you WinXP as your OS. The battery life is awsome I have yet to see it drop even one bar during the time I have used it. I would have liked the case to have been aluminum instead of the cheap plastic.

Pros:
- long battery life
- small form factor
- 4GB memory
- great sound from the supplied headphones

Cons:
- small screen, they could have made it a little bigger
- carrying case covers the controls for the player, must take out the Muvo to use them
- out of stock often
- buyers that mistakenly buy this for $50 then complain they got ripped off because the 4GB drive is missing. READ THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT YOU'RE BUYING!

Nice product and get it while you can before it goes out of stock again.

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