~~~~ Overview ~~~~
I’ve owned my Creative Zen Xtra mp3 player for about 2 years now; I received it as a Christmas present, and I should say I was a little disappointed when I first opened the wrapping and found it wasn’t an I-pod, however as I got to use the player I soon realised this was ... Read review
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Music to my ears, sore to my eyes
Advantages: Long battery, Massive storage, Good size and weight Disadvantages: Little ugly, Fiddly controls
...~~~~
I’ve owned my Creative Zen Xtra mp3 player for about 2 years now; I received it as a Christmas present, and I should say I was a little disappointed when I first opened the wrapping and found it wasn’t an I-pod, however as I got to use the player I soon realised this was a nifty piece of kit.
This particular model has a 30GB hard drive capable of storing over 1000 hours of music. The battery life of the player is typically ... ...The Creative Zen comes with:
~ A battery charger
~ A leather case
~ Standard 3.5mm in-ear headphones
~ Software
~ A USB 2.0 cable
~~~~ Pros ~~~~
I doubt you will be able to fill the player with 30GB worth of music files; I’ve used around 5GB with all the albums I own, (70 approx), so unless you have a heck of lot of albums – good luck!!
~~~~ Overview ~~~~ I’ve owned my Creative Zen Xtra mp3 player for about 2 years now; I received it as a Christmas present, and I should say I was a little disappointed when I first opened the wrapping and found it wasn’t an I-pod, however as I got to use the player I soon realised this was a nifty piece of kit.
This particular model has a 30GB hard drive capable of storing over 1000 hours of music. The battery life of the player is typically 10 - 12 hours between charges.
The Creative Zen comes with: ~ A battery charger ~ A leather case ~ Standard 3.5mm in-ear headphones ~ Software ~ A USB 2.0 cable
~~~~ Pros ~~~~ I doubt you will be able to fill the player with 30GB worth of music files; I’ve used around 5GB with all the albums I own, (70 approx), so unless you have a heck of lot of albums – good luck!!
A clear large screen with a light neon blue backlight allows you to view the menu options and player screen with great ease. The contrast can be altered on the screen for personal preference and/or in different light conditions. The time which the backlight is on when the player is idle can also be altered; to save battery power I usually reduce this to around 10secs.
The player is light and of a reasonable size, I know players these days are getting smaller and smaller and this one is by no means the smallest, however it will fit comfortably into your trouser pocket without annoying you too much, making it portable.
The player includes a function called EAX, which allows you to alter the way the music is played, for example in a “concert style” or “car stereo style”, it also allows you to change the play speed (up to 1.5x faster or 0.5x slower), making your music sound like the Chipmunks or Isaac Hayes, a good laugh!! I don’t really use this function much except for playing rock anthems in concert or stadium mode, but if you’re interested it’s incredibly versatile and realistic without compromising the music quality too much.
The major advantage this player has over comparable I-pods is the battery power; I’ve heard that most I-pods suffer from poor battery life especially when used for some time; however the Creative Zen suffers no such problems, lasting a good 10 hours on average. Further to this, and again unlike I-pods, the re-chargeable lithium battery can be replaced in the Zen.
The player can also be used to store computer files and data, in essence making it like an external hard-drive, I have stored a number of files on the player a couple of times to transfer files to other computers.
The write speed for transferring files from your computer to the player is impressive, I’m not aware of the actual transfer rate but it is capable of writing an average sized album in less than 20secs!!
~~~~ Cons ~~~~ The player controls which are all on the two sides of the Creative Zen can be a little fiddly to use. The main control button is the cycle wheel, which can be moved up or down to cycle through menu options, tracks, albums etc. This wheel is pressed to select a particular menu item. I find using this control a little annoying, it’s very small and seems delicate and breakable!! Other buttons are simple click buttons, which are ok but again a little fiddly to use due to their size and position. Overall the player controls are not very elegant, unlike the I-pod where the selection of tracks is like poetry.
It could be said the player is a little ugly, unlike the I-pod the player doesn’t have soft curves and symmetrical features; also the casing is made from a fairly cheap plastic which can scratch easily – it seems the style of the Zen was an afterthought for the designers, a little disappointing, but not the end of the world!!
After charging the player when the battery has been run right down, the controls on the player lock and menu items cannot be accessed, I’m not sure why this is, possibly due to the fact the player requires a little reserve power all the time, nevertheless it seems the manufacturers were aware of this problem and have included a very small “reset” button on the side. It can get a little tiring having to reset the player after charging, especially when you can’t find anything small enough to fit inside the hole to press the button!!
~~~~ Software and Accessories ~~~~ The software included with the player is simple to use and install, taking no longer than 5mins to fully upload all the necessary drivers etc. required for the transfer of music files. The software includes three programs, a player (similar to windows media player), an organiser for transferring music files between your player and PC, and an explorer to view all the files and music content on the player. All packages are dead easy to operate, but I certainly prefer using media player to the Creative version, matter of taste I think.
The charger is a little large as it includes a small transformer. The charging time is satisfactory, usually 2hours, which isn’t too bad but any longer would certainly be unacceptable. Although slow charging does prolong battery life it can be a little frustrating if you want to listen to your music on the move, sitting next to a socket in my bedroom to enjoy my music isn’t ideal.
The headphones included with the player are good quality, clear and accurate and capable of high volumes. Although I don’t really use these headphones (not keen on shoving things in my ears), they are comfortable and light to wear, with a long lead they easily reach from your trouser pocket.
The leather case included with the Zen protects the mp3 player from any bumps and knocks; however it does make the player very bulky and considerably heavier; hence I only use it when I have my player in my rug sack.
~~~~ Tech Spec ~~~~ ~ Size WxHxD: 3" x 4.4" x 0.86" ~ Weight: 7.9 oz with battery ~ Casing: Anodized Aluminium ~ Battery Life: Up to 14 hours of continuous playtime ~ Interface: USB2.0/1.1 ~ Playback Formats: MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3), Windows Media™ Audio (WMA) and WAV ~ Signal to Noise Ratio: up to 98dB ~ Channel Separation: up to 75dB ~ Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz ~ Harmonic Distortion Output: less than 0.1% ~ Display: 160 x 104 pixel resolution, blue EL backlit LCD
~~~~ System Requirements ~~~~ ~ Microsoft® Windows 98® SE/Me/2000/XP ~ Intel® Pentium® II 233MHz or AMD K6® -2 266Mhz (Pentium III 450MHz or higher recommended for MP3/WMA encoding) ~ 64MB RAM (128MB recommended) ~ USB 2.0 or 1.1 port ~ 30MB free hard drive space (more for audio content storage) ~ CD-ROM drive with digital audio extraction support
~~~~ Conclusions ~~~~ Overall a great mp3 player, as mentioned it does have its drawbacks, but the advantages over comparable I-pods should not be ignored. A long battery life is massively important, what’s the point in having a “potable” player which only lasts a few hours; the function of an mp3 player should take priority over aesthetics.
I would recommend this product to anyone who requires a quality mp3 player, who isn’t too fussed about style and is more interested in music quality and long battery life.
Advantages: Large hard drive, great sound quality, easy to use. Disadvantages: Big and heavy.
The Creative jukebox Zen Xtra is a portable Mp3 player that can hold up to approximately 16,000 songs. Of course, this all depends upon the size that you purchase. This particular Mp3 player starts from 30GB, then up to 40GB, and finally 60GB. However, before you jump in too quickly, don't be fooled that although the 30GB is half the size of their largest mp3 player, that the 30GB is going to be too small. I bought the 40GB, and never in a million ... ...of battery life).
The Creative Zen Xtra mp3 player doesn't just hold music files, you can store other documents (such as word documents) which can make transfers of such files easy. This Mp3 player was hailed as one of the best when it first came out (over a year ago), and was said to be much better than the iPod. Creative don't do things by halves, and judging by this mp3 player, they build to satisfy their customers, and they certainly aren't ...
lauraaah 22.02.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 GB
Advantages: Cheaper than an iPod, and as good as one. Disadvantages: Quite large and bulky.
...with £170 for a 30GB Creative Zen rather than a 20GB iPod for around £200+.
It was great I thought, an mp3 player with 10GB more storage and £30 less. You're probably now expecting the 'but', however, there isn't one.
The Zen is an excellent piece of technology. Let's break it down then. Firstly, the body. Yes it is large. Without the protective casing, it is actually quite a sleek and slim looking product. The silver buttons are very attractive ... ...extrude out of the body of the mp3 player. The buttons are comfortable to touch and have a satisfying 'click' when pressed, the scroll wheel is quite a challenge initially to control, however within 5 minutes, it is easily mastered. The jack plug, USB and power connectors all on the top look very nice and fit in with the design and are versatile and easy to plug in and plug out. On my player they have had a year's heavy use and they are still in ...
bonzo42 24.08.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 GB
Advantages: Ease of use, removable battery Disadvantages: Can freeze on occasion
...months ago and purchased the Creative Zen Plus 30GB for a price similar to that of 4 or 5GB players about (I cannot remember the price sadly, having something of sieve memory, but I believe it to be in the £150-£200 region. Purchased from Amazon.co.uk, it seems out of stock currently), and can say I've not regretted the decision. For starters: A quick read over the manual and glance at the player and its controls is you need to get to grips with ... ...their MP3 players' batteries, the Creative Zen's is removable, requiring that you never have to send your player away to have the battery replaced, which can be costly; extra batteries on the other hand are well-priced, and also let you listen for longer.
Sound
And last, but certainly not least, is the sound quality. The ability to transfer songs as MP3s, paired with on board sound level and environment controls means that the Zen Plus really is ...
ElapsedSpiral 06.05.2005 (07.05.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 GB
Advantages: Better than the I-Pod Disadvantages: A bit brick-like
...listen to for two days! Creative were very good about the situation and sent me a replacement, but AGAIN I had to go through the rigmarole of sticking songs on there again after it went wrong. This time it was 6000 songs, which believe it or not takes quite a while to do. 6000 seconds if you believe Creative's 1 second a song transfer rate.
Since that, I have had no problems with the player except that it keeps freezing on me so I have to scrabble ... ...to speak!).
If you don't want to conform to the i-pod mania (which I sure don't) and pay over the odds for something that can be so small that you are bound to lose it, especially if you are like me. The sound quality is amazingly good. The scroller can be a bit tricky to use if you have a sweaty thumb (sounds like a disease!). It looks like a brick but that is only with the case on, the player itself is sleek and quite beautiful. If you are a careful ...
Scouse_Dave 22.10.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 GB
Advantages: Great sound quality, holds plenty of files, removeable battery and useful accessories included Disadvantages: Big and bulky, somewhat basic (no video playback, cant display photos etc.)
I've had my Creative Zen Xtra 30gb for over a year and a half now and I have to say, its really good! I've managed to get over 2,900 files onto it (both .mp3 and .wma file types and you can also use it for transferring/backing up data which is very useful if your wanting to use up some of the spare space!) and I have just under 15gb left, so this should last me a long time.
I think one of the best things about this player is the audio quality. Creative ... ...quality is really good! it comes with whats called 'EAX audio' which allow you to use pre-selected settings to enhance the quality of tracks... but even with that switched off, the sound quality is impressive. You get an awful lot for your money with this item, in my opinion. For starters, you get the main unit itself plus you get the mains adapter, a USB cable to connect the unit to your computer, a designer pouch and software which allows you to ...
IzzyS 27.07.2006 (22.09.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 GB
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
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Advantages: Small, looks great, really easy to operate, great video and music playback Disadvantages: Doesn't come with mains charger, marks easily, battery life not that good
The MP3 player I had before I bought the 30GB iPod Video was a CreativeZenXtra30GBjukebox, which played music, but it was very bulky and needed software to be installed before it could be used as a removable hard drive.
The iPod Video on the other hand is very thin and so able to fit in your pocket easily. I use it as a removable hard drive which is easy as all you need to do is plug it into a usb port and then you can see it as an icon on my computer, and no extra software is required other than Windows XP drivers to use this feature unlike some other MP3 players.
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Advantages: Great product - 40GB of storage capacity - Easy to use Disadvantages: The name is quite a mouthful !!
Creative are a worldwide company pushing innovation to the limits. Originally famed for the excellent Soundblaster sound cards, the company has been expanding its product range over the past couple of years, and developing high quality speakers, webcams, mice, modems... and mp3 players.
The mp3 player market has soared recently, following the huge success of Apple's iPod. With virtually every well known electronics manufacturer trying to grab a slice of the market, (and many more unknown ones from Asia !), competition is fierce, where only the best will survive.
There is a huge range in storage capacity and quality on mp3 players, from tiny 64mb ones that only hold up to 30 tracks, to a huge 60GB which can hold up to 15000 songs !!
~ THE CREATIVE NOMAD JUKEBOXZENXTRA ~
The Creative Nomad JukeboxZenXtra is ...
Product Information for "Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 GB" »
Audio system
Capacity
30 GB
Digital Storage Media
Hard disc drive - built-in
Sound Output Mode
Stereo
Sound Effects
EAX
Equaliser
Built-in
Built-in clock
Yes
Timer
Sleep, wake
Features
Hold button, rechargeable capability, playback speed control, upgradeable firmware
Equaliser
Equalizer
4-band
Digital player (recorder)
Supported Digital Audio Standards
WAV, WMA, MP3
ID3 Tags Support
Built-in
Response Bandwidth
20 - 20000 Hz
Signal-To-Noise Ratio
98 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion
0.1%
Shockproof Memory
Yes
External Hard Drive Function
Built-in
Headphones
Headphones Type
Headphones - binaural
Connectivity Technology
Wired
Sound Output Mode
Stereo
Connections
Connector Type
1 x headphones ( mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
1 x USB
1 x DC power input
System requirements
OS Required
Microsoft Windows 98SE/2000/ME/XP
Peripheral / Interface Devices
CD-ROM, USB port
System Requirements Details
Windows 98SE/2000/ME/XP - Pentium II - 233 MHz - RAM 64 MB - HD 30 MB
Manufacturer's product description
The Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30GB with its extra-large blue backlit display gives fast, easy access to music. Running for up to 14 hours on its removable, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, it can store up to 8, 000 songs in MP3 and WMA. Users can quickly download new tracks at up to a song a second via the USB 2.0 connection. The icon-based interface and intuitive menu help users to navigate titles and compile and edit playlists, and high-quality Neodymium stereo earphones ensure excellent listening. The Jukebox Zen Xtra 30GB can also store other digital content such as photos, documents and other data files. The software bundle includes Creative MediaSource, the powerful software which makes it easy to manage digital music and convert it to MP3 and WMA on the PC.
Related tags for Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra 30 GB »
Amazing sound quality, well built, records straight to Mp3, S/PDIF, microphone, good battery life, playlist creation, backup compact flash cards
Big and clumpy (feels worse than a Zen!), poor Mac support, poor interface buttons, starburst features (photo wallet) need download for older versions (*)
