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Conclusions
There is nothing to dislike about the Rio Karma.
It offers you much more out of the box than the Apple IPOD does and is the
absolute best alternative currently on the market. It's the most
feature-rich hard drive MP3 player we have had the pleasure of reviewing.
Its superb playback features overwhelmingly surpass those of the Creative
Nomad Jukebox Zen. The player, as well as the docking station, are
superbly designed and allow you to not only connect it to an audio component,
but also offers some advanced networking capabilities not found on any other
digital audio player. Its design, display and interface is top notch.
Based on my research, the only thing in question is the overall build quality
of the device itself. I've read quite a few horror stories regarding
this player. From hard drive failures to broken riosticks and wheels.
I cannot comment on these as I have not used it long enough. Sure, all
devices with moving parts are capable of malfunctioning, but if purchased with
some kind of service plan or warranty, you'll at least have some peace of
mind. Most users, including myself, strongly recommend you opt for
a service plan when buying these types of devices.
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Pros |
Cons |
- Design & Size
- Playback Features
- Network Features
- Docking Station
- Interface & LCD
- Excellent Firmware Support
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- Questionable build quality
- Moving Parts
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This is by far, the most powerful MP3 player
on the market. While some people seem to have some sort of grudge with
the company, they have obviously done their homework and have provided
consumers with an excellent product loaded with features most would only dream
of. Considering its acceptable $260-$300 price tag, you'll be
hard-pressed to find an MP3 player more suitable for the hardcore audiophile.
The Rio Karma earns our highest recommendation and a very enthusiastic "Extreme Excellence Award".
If you own one of these or any other Rio MP3 player,
I'd highly recommend you visit the
riovolution website.
They have an excellent and friendly support forum which consists of Rio owners
and staff that
frequently visit to answer any concerns or questions regarding their
products.
Questions? Comments?
Discuss the here!
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