Apple recently bid farewell to its iconic iPod. The media player changed music as many of us know it, allowing us to literally carry thousands of songs in our pockets. Of course, as phones became more versatile, and music started getting streamed thanks to improved (and affordable) Internet connectivity, many felt that there was no need to have a dedicated device for music. One could store and play music off that one ubiquitous device — the smartphone. It was this phenomenon that perhaps hastened the demise of the iPod. But that does not mean that the dedicated media player is dead. Far from it. There are still a number of options out there for people who want a device solely for their music and do not want to depend on their smartphones for the sound of music. So if you are looking for something like the iPod, check out the following five music players:
Sony NW A-105 Walkman: Those iPod Classic feels
Price: Rs 21,990
If you are looking for a single device that does both video and audio, a la iPod touch, then this is the device for you. The Sony NW A-105 Walkman is a portable media player that runs on Android, and also comes with Wi-Fi support. So, you can stream music from services like Amazon Prime and Apple Music and also store songs on its 16GB internal memory, which can be expanded to 128GB using a memory card. The quality of audio on this device is perhaps the best on this list. The device can stream 24-bit audio, which beats 16-bit audio CD quality. There is also Bluetooth and NFC connectivity, and even a digital noise cancelling feature that can work even with some headphones that do not have active noise cancelling (ANC) support. You can connect your wired headphones via a 3.5mm audio jack or connect over Bluetooth. The device also runs Android apps, comes with a 3.6-inch HD touchscreen, and has a very impressive 26-hour battery life. In terms of design, its metal and glass body exudes class. Sony NW A-105 is for those who truly appreciate sound, and want a bit of sight thrown into the mix as well.
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Shanling Q1: The iPod Nano replacement
Price: Rs 9,999
Perhaps the closest thing to the iPod Nano, the compact Shanling Q1 is perhaps the best-looking player on this list. It is small enough to be easily carried in a pocket, thanks to its square shape with smooth sides. It also comes in some attractive colourways. The front is dominated by a 2.7-inch display, while the body is made of zinc alloy, giving it a premium feel. The device has a touchscreen interface with its own UI and also has an Apple Watch-like crown on the side for controlling volume. The display cannot play video but is great for viewing album art and song details, and is also comfortable to use for navigation. You can listen to music using the 3.5mm audio jack or Bluetooth. And, music is its forte because this tiny player delivers astonishingly high-quality audio, thanks to an ESS Sabre ES9218P Hi-Fi DAC/AMP chip. It can actually even be used as a DAC. Round that off with an impressive 21 hours of battery life (charging happens over a USB Type-C port) and the Shanling Q1 emerges as a great iPod replacement. Just remember to invest in a microSD card as you cannot store music on the player itself.
Lotoo Paw Pico: Miss the Shuffle? Try this
Price: Rs 8,999
This is for those who like to take their music players to workouts and runs. Described as a "wearable digital audio player," the Lotoo Paw Pico is small enough to fit into the palm of one's hand and comes with a detachable clip as well. Thanks to an inbuilt GPS module as well as a motion sensor, it can count steps and also monitor activities. It is pretty much similar to an iPod Shuffle but with a strong tilt towards fitness. There is no display and controls are through buttons, one of which is a very handy scroll wheel on the side. Sound quality is exceptionally good, thanks to an ADI Blackfin 706 DSP processor, and 32GB of inbuilt storage ensures that you can store thousands of tracks in this tiny device. The chip also lets you use the media player as a DAC with your notebook to improve sound quality. Its 10-hour battery life is decent enough, but you will have to use wired headphones with this player, as it only has a 3.5mm audio jack.
Sony NWZ-B183 F Walkman: The most mini Walkman
Price: Rs 4,990
This is perhaps as basic as it gets when it comes to good quality portable audio. The Sony NWZ-B183 is an entry-level audio player from the Japanese tech giant and offers a terrific option for anyone who just wants a simple device to cart their music around. The player is beautifully crafted, resembles a slim, 8.4-cm long aluminum tube, and at 30 grams, it can be carried around easily. It also comes with a tiny 0.9-inch OLED display to show track details and has a respectable battery life of 20 hours. The small gizmo also packs in a radio tuner and FM recorder. The sound quality is very mainstream (it plays both MP3 and WMA files), but you can tweak that with its bass boost option and an equaliser. You even get a pair of headphones with it.
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Saregama Carvaan Go 2.0: For retro Hindi music lovers
Price: Rs 2,990
It might not be as high-tech or snazzily designed as some of the other devices mentioned on this list, but there is no doubt that TVS' Saregama Carvaan range has breathed new life into mainstream portable music players in the Indian market. The original Carvaan was designed like a large transistor radio, and came with thousands of songs preloaded into it. Its Go avatar is more pocket friendly, in terms of both price and portability. It is smaller than most cellphones and comes preloaded with about 3,000 "retro" Hindi songs. Audio quality is decent rather than exceptional, but then again, this is not really an audiophile device. You also get Bluetooth connectivity, a 3.5mm audio jack, and even two reasonably loud speakers. You can add other songs to it via a memory card. There's no Wi-Fi, so streaming audio is not an option. Controls are button-driven, and the small LCD screen is mainly for displaying the names of tracks and artists. It is as basic as you can get, but will definitely appeal to those who love old Hindi film music and do not want to be bothered with downloads, apps, and Internet connections. We just wish it had more battery life — five hours for a portable player is a little on the low side.
And one more thing:
iPhone SE (2022): As close to the iPod experience as possible
Price: Rs 43,900
Yes, we know the latest iPhone SE is not a music player, but if you are really looking for an authentic iPod touch experience, then this is the closest thing to it. You get a 4.7-inch HD display and all the power of the A15 Bionic chip which can run pretty much any app around. The music part of the device is formidable as well. You get access to Apple Music in all its lossless music glory, as well as access to other streaming services. Storage starts at 64GB and you get 5G connectivity and a dependable battery life that will comfortably go past a day with support for wireless charging, along with dust and water resistance. You also get a fingerprint scanner that will keep your audio collection safe from others, and if you want to hear your music out loud, there are superb stereo speakers to spread audio joy. Yes, it is expensive. But it is incredibly easy to use and delivers great audio quality. You can always ignore the phone functionality altogether, use it only over Wi-Fi and imagine you are using an iPod touch. If only it had a 3.5mm audio jack!