Rio Karma 20 GB MP3 Player

I have a Rio Nitrus but I got the opportunity to play with one of the Karma's when my boss picked one up for himself. Here is a comparison between the two:

Size (Physical)
Nitrus: Very small.
Karma: Small. Wider and thicker than the Nitrus (but a little shorter).
Alternatives: Other than the Nitrus, this is smaller than anything else out there, including IPod and Creative's Zen.

Size (Hard Drive)
Nitrus: 1.5GB
Karma: 20GB. This makes the physical size to hard drive size ratio much better than the Nitrus and anything else out there.
Alternatives: Some go as high as 60GB. If you need more than 20GB then the Karma is not for you.

Carrying Case
Nitrus: None
Karma: None. Come on, folks!!! I'm disappointed that Rio doesn't even make one we can buy. The Nitrus fits in my jean pockets with no problem. The Karma fit with a little bit of difficulty. I run with my Nitrus all the time and have not had any problems with it...Read more

I've been previewing the Karma for a couple of months and thought I'd post my thoughts. Note: I am not an employee of Rio. First off, if you want really good unofficial tech support from other users, be sure to check out these two sites: rioworld.org and riovolution.com. Other users will be able to respond and help with any of your questions. As well, Help Section in desktop software and Karma UG makes it very easy to get the info you need in an easy-to-understand way. ***BATTERY*** 15 hours. ***CAPACITY*** 5000 MP3 128bit songs on 20GB model ***SOUND*** Rio is now owned by Denon Marantz, a high-end audio company. Dound quality is the highest priority and absolutely great. Ogg, FLAC, WMA and MP3 support!!! 30 mW/channel means that you can't turn the player to full volume without splitting your eardrums. 96 dB s/n from headphones, 98 dB s/n through docking station via dual line RCA lines out! Very crisp, clear, warm sound with low distortion and great bass response. The...Read more

I have been purchasing mp3 players since they first came out. From the first Nomads and Archos HD players, to the latest 1.5 gb mini jukeboxes. Alot of them have some good features (Nomad), great design (Ipod), compact size (Rio Nitrus), however none seem to have put it all together until now. The Pros - Nice compact design, fits comfortably in one hand with user friendly controls. Fantastic firmware. Unlike the Rio Nitrus, It is very easy to locate quickly any of the thousands of songs on its 20 gb hard drive. You can create Playlists from the unit itself. You can use the RIO DJ funtion to make a quick list of your favorite songs. It would take up too much space to list the rest of the functionality, but it all works very well. The battery life is a major plus. I am sure the Ipod would last 8 hours if you let it run and never touch it. However the Karma has lasted me at least 15 hours, and that is with me making playlists...Read more