iriver T7 Volcano 4 GB USB MP3 Player (White )

Comment: I really cannot recommend the T7. Sound is good, ogg support a plus, but the play, fast forward, rewind buttons and especially the menu button requires too much pressure to activate. Plus the software is very slow and unresponsive. But the biggest negative is the player doesn't resume where it was last turned off which is the logical mode. If I break for lunch half way through The Linux Link Tech Show I want it to resume where I turned it off. Actually I was so disappointed with the T7 that I immediately bought a Samsung U5 and I love it....half the memory but twice the machine.

Comment: Good little player overall. I needed an mp3 player with a USB connector, and this one has one hidden inside it so it works out perfectly since I don't have to carry around any extra connectors. I travel a lot and the less connectors the better. The package comes with an extension cord if you can't fit the USB connector in a tight space on your computer.

Also, when I'm on the road and get a rental car, they either have an auxiliary input or USB connection (i.e. Microsoft SYNC) and this player does both without being bulky.

You can choose from MSC and MTP Connection Type modes. MSC mode allows you to use your Volcano as a typical thumbdrive (drag&drop files) and you can play music straight off of it when connected to your computer/laptop. I'm not a fan of MTP mode so I cannot comment on that. Switching between the two modes will require a format of the Volcano. Sports a nice OLED screen as well.

Downsides: buttons are too dark to see easily (but I bought a black one so what can you do? hah.) You can't browse music while music is playing (it just stops). I haven't figured out how to put it in shuffle mode, but I haven't read the manual yet.

Comment: I was really looking forward to seeing and hearing this player in person. I had an iRiver unit in the past that offered outstanding sound quality and a plethora of features. Despite some warnings by the critics in the field, I thought I owed it to myself to try this one out.

After only a few hours listening to and playing with the Volcano, though, I've already boxed it up for a refund. This is one of the many reasons I shop primarily at Amazon. Long story short:

Really, the only highlight on this player is the decent to above usual sound quality (partly made possible by the 5 band customizable EQ.

The main reason I'm sending it back is because of the unusually long delay when skipping to the next song. It took approximately 5 seconds from the instant I clicked the advance button for the next song to play. And that whole time was filled with silence. I had read this in a review of this product, and thought it was a pretty small price to pay for a good player. It's not a small price. Five seconds is a long time when all you want is the next song; that's all! When powering up the unit and pressing the play button, the delay is even longer. After a couple hours, I was beginning to feel deep resentment every time I had to watch the "Please wait..." message on the display screen.

There are a few other buggy issues (or just plain bad design elements), but this alone was enough for me. Right now I'll stay with my Sony Walkman NWZ and Sansa Clip. Those a couple of great sounding, reliable players. Check them out.

Comment: I bought the iRiver T7 because I wanted a player with:

- built in USB plug
- Radio
- MSC mode for use with drag n drop

I previously had an iRiver T30 and got used to it's quirky complexity.

Compared with the T30 the T7 is very slow in all operations, playlists don't work in MSC mode, and the radio frequency shifts slightly after a short while. Even small details have changed for the worse, such as audio stopping while in the Settings and Browse menus, buttons are now harder to feel/press, and you have to press any button once to "wake up" the player before buttons can be used normally.