Customer Reviews

Iriver 40GB MP3 Player with FM Tuner H-140

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

The iHP-140 is the latest jukebox from iriver. It would be a mistake to call it an MP3 player like similar products because it also plays WAV, WMA and OGG files, and it not only plays files but can record and encode them too. Oh and its got a radio. Not only that, but two important things that you have to buy seperately on other players come as standard with this - a decent case and a superb remote control.

As well as looking here for reviews and opinions, also look at the iHP-120 because the two machines are identical in most respects. The 140 has a bigger hard drive and the case is a millimetre or two thicker, but all the controls, firmware and features are the same.

This really is a remarkable piece of kit, and the only reason to not buy it is if your music collection does not justify all the extra disc space. On an iHP-120 I loaded up about 450 CDs, using the WMA format at 64k and only used up about 12Gb of the disc. If you don't have enough music to fill up a 20Gb drive there would be little point in buying the 40Gb model unless money is no object, or you intend to encode at much higher bitrates (I find 64K WMA perfectly adequate, but I know a lot of people want to go as high as possible). To put it in perspective, the iHP-140 is 50% more expensive than an iHP-120.

A brief word about the batteries: they are lithium ion polymer and do seem to last a long time. I can play music for at least 10 hours and still have one quarter of battery charge showing. Recording does seem to use power a lot more quickly. As others have pointed out, the battery is not removable, but already there are kits available from reputable sources for about £50 - albeit for slightly inferior lithium ion bateries. As the life expectancy is several years, I would expect the replacement ones to be even more widely available, cheaper and maybe even better long before replacement becomes necessary. (Note that playing OGG files will be harder on the batteries than MP3 or WMA)

The price on this might seem a bit steep - but you do get what you pay for!

As someone who has a limited knowledge of computers and mp3 players and anything more advanced than a pencil but also someone who has a huge passion for music, I thought I could add to the already huge mass of favourable reviews on this site.

For anyone who also has a limited understanding (eg doesn't havwe a clue what an ogg file is) read this review...

I bought an Iriver (40gb) and have had it for 5 days. IT IS AMAZING!!! some of the reviews on tis site say that it is hard to use. It is not!!! As stated above, i am rubbish with all things technic and was very nervous I would struggle. I did not. If you have a knowledge of windows explorer and so can move folders around files, you will find it a doddle.

I use my housemates computer and have already copied all of his mp3s and started on my music collection. it couldnt be easier. just move a folder from one file to another and Bob impregnated your mum's sister a while back.

I havent yet got to grips with everything it is capable of doing but that is not cos it is hard, i just havent yet had the time. The instruction booklet is easy to use and tells you everything you need to do. I find the folder and file system very easy to use and my radio gets perfect reception.

Its awesome to have all this music on one small box, and whislt it doesnt look as good as an ipod, it does a far better job. the remote is useful and discreet, the buttons take a while to get used to but after 5 days i have it down to a T

So for anyone who is thinking of it but nervous cos of the technology, don't be!!! Get it now!!!!!!

Although iRiver are not very well known, they do produce some of the best MP3 products to date. The IHP-140 is no exception. Thus far it is the biggest in the IHP family, following the IHP-100 (10 GB) and IHP-120 (20GB) it offers mass storage for playback of your music files.

Here are some of the features the IHP-140 has to offer:
-40GB hard drive
-16 Hours Playtime
-Supports MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV & Ogg Vorbis
-Firmware Upgradeable
-Remote with 4 line LCD display
-FM Radio Stereo/Mono

-Microphone/Dictaphone
-20mW Outeffect
-Digital Optical-in/out, analogue-in/out & Mic-in
-SRS 3D Sound Support
-ID3 Tag Info Support
-WinAmp Playlist Support
-Supports .txt Files
-MP3 Encoding
-6 EQ Settings (including user defined)

This all adds up to one fantastic player. After a few cycles, the battery can achieve up to 16 hours playback and can also be charged whilst listening to music from the provided ac plug. The IHP-140 also supports the much hyped ogg format. It is firmware upgradeable meaning that you can upgrade its features when iRiver release new firmware products on their web site. These often add exciting new features and make your IHP all that more interesting. You also get a remote with a 4 line LCD display and almost every task can be performed using the remote so you may never have to disturb your player if it's in your back pack or pocket. With optical in and out you can be sure of getting excllent sound quality if hooked up to a compatible sound system. You can expect to hear quality sound and it will probably replace your old stereo system. If you a true music enthusiast, this is definitely for you.

Pros-
All above features.

Cons-
-No on the fly playlists meaning you cannot queue songs as you please. Although, future firmware upgrades should be able to solve this.
-Battery is non replaceable

Conclusion-
I have been researching what HD player to buy for about 5 months now. I had the IHP-120 on order but cancelled it because I heard the IHP-140 was coming out. For me, it is quite expensive so I wasn't just going to go out and buy and HD (hard drive) player. After all the research the IHP-140 comes out miles ahead of the competition. You will not be disappointed after buying this.

had this player for about a week now and i have NO regrets from buying it. i done a lot of research before buying it and it always came out at the top of the list. my only 2 niggles with it were that people in other reviews had complained that the controls were a bit fiddly and that the leather case included was brown. But when i recieved my player it came with a nice black leather case, and it only took me about 5 minutes to COMPLETELY learn the controls. you only need to skim through the manual (which is very good also) for a couple of minutes then u'll be well away. definately worth 5 stars, i'd recommend this to anyone looking for a HDD mp3/multi-codec player.

This is a really great product (trust me, I've gone through 4 other inferior units to finally get satisfaction with this one). The battery life is excellent & you also have the neat option of entering 2 different backlight times i.e. always on when using the charger & so many secs/mins when on the internal battery (not that the backlight's a problem for battery life AT ALL).

The quality of the internal/external mics is great. They pick up everything VERY clearly. The internal mic does pick up the usual mp3 player 'whirr' as the cache dumps to hard drive every so often while recording, but none of this is heard at all with the external mic (as supplied) so quality digital recordings are assured, whatever your need (bootlegs at Glastonbury anyone?).

The case is very robust & stylish, as is the whole unit, not much bigger than a cigarette pack (I don't care about this aspect myself, just giving you a full review). If you update the firmware to the latest version (1.6), mp3's can also be speeded up/slowed down (although not still in concert pitch, a hint for I-River there). Winamp M3U playlists can be stored/played on it, very handy indeed.

A feature I really like is that it has optical in AND OUT. Also, unlike some other mp3 players that claim to play wav files (but really only do so via a computer), this 1 plays them as stated all by itself, so no need to convert everything to mp3 1st. Linux's Ogg Vorbis format is also well catered for. It also records in wav format too, should you need that extra bit of quality.

An obvious boon is that you can have sub/sub folders to the root folder (nothing worse than trawling through 10,000 files all in the same folder). The display screen is nice & clear (even for my computer worn eyes). The text file facility allows for 240Kb's of data in each file (as an example this whole review is a mere 2.77Kb), & loads of files in folders & sub/sub folders (much more than you'll actually need for a pim system on the move).

Although the firmware version 1.6 update won't let you delete text files (mp3 audio files only), you can get round this : make a 2 second blank mp3 file/copies of it, name them as your seperate 'jobs to do' items & delete them as you go. It's £70 cheaper than an i-pod, & this is 40Gb ! ! !

Overall, this is a product that shouts quality. I'm a musician so above all I need a reliable, versatile, quality machine. If the record/playback quality was at all bad I'd be the first to say so (1 of the reasons, along with inferior battery life that this is my 5th machine tried to date). If you want an mp3 player, get this 1, you won't be sorry (unless that is, you get something else). I-River rock on & thank you, I knew somebody made what I wanted. For once I DON'T feel like I've wasted my money.

First off, I am a music lover, so when buying something like this, my priority is sound quality. I researched the iPod and the HP-140 extensively, and finally chose this. The iRiver is slightly deeper than the iPod, but has a slightly smaller width/height.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS : On opening the box, I was struck by it's compact size and it's weight; very light (180g). More impressive was the output quality of this unit. Using good headphones (I use Sony Fontopia MDR EX71), and a good MP3 sample rate (160 Kb/s) this thing might as well be a quality Sony Discman; the sound is flawless in my opinion. Volume is excellent too.

This is a robust unit and I'm particularly pleased with the optical/analogue line in and out features. The microphones are high quality too. The ergonomics of the navigation button in the centre of the unit could be a little better; it didn't 'feel' as easy to use as it could be, but that's a minor criticism.

PROS: Long battery life, superb sound quality, line in/out ports, ease of adding songs, excellent radio tuner, remote is SUPERB, can store any data on the 40GB drive (can store approx. 6200 songs/about 500 albums recorded at 160 Kb/s, far more if encoded at less quality), internal + external mics are very good and handy (for me), looks good.

CONS: No seamless playback between tracks (may be fixed in future, but no big deal), can't create playlists on the fly (you can only queue one song in advance at the moment - but it does support winamp playlists), the supplied black leather case bulks the unit out a bit, but that's unavoidable.

I know a few people with iPods, I've heard complaints of volume limits, sound quality in comparison to other units and battery life. The iPod does look a bit more 'slick' and may be slightly easier to navigate, but better battery life + better sound quality at a MUCH cheaper price wins the battle for me.

CONCLUSION : Being a bit of an 'audiophile' I know a good unit when I hear one. This thing looks good and comes up with the goods with bells and whistles to boot. You WON'T be dissapointed... unless of course you simply MUST have an iPod!

The IRiver has it's faults but in it's class, in terms of sound quality & value for money, I believe it is the best MP3 player you can currently buy.

Pros

> Sound quality - Far better than the IPOD
> You can record using both mic & direct from other sources & the quality is good
> 40 Gig hard disc
> Ease of use transfering files from computer to player - Just drag & drop.
> FM Radio & the quality is good
> Good level of volume.
> Battery life.
> Cost - In realtion to sound & features offers much better value for money.

Cons

> Ergonomically not as good as Ipod & visual display is poor - If you use specs for reading you may struggle without them as some of the text is very small.
> The Navagation controls are a bit fiddly and take a while to get used to
> Creating play lists. You have to use Winamp & can only create/ edit when connected to your computer.

Overall though, I believe the IRiver is the best MP3 player currently available

I purchased the IRiver IHP-140 from advancedmp3players.co.uk about 2 months ago (free next working day delivery). When I opened the box I was very surprised at how small and compact the player was not at all what I had imagined, See manufacturers description for contents of box. I have split this review into 9 sections:

Look and Feel/Durability:

The design of the IHP-140 is excellent far surpassing that of the plastic looking Ipod, ZEN etc. It fits in the hand comfortably; it's a bit of a retro design which I like. The player was lighter than I though it was going to be, the weight is not that noticeable anyway. So far I have dropped my player about 3 times once without the case on and twice with and so far not even a scratch, excellent.

Usability/Interface

The interface of the IHP-140 Coterie to some reviews the interface is very intuitive and easy to use, it took me all of 1 day to work out how to navigate through the player. All information is displayed in a meaningful way, so you get the best possible overview of what's happening. The folder structure is just like using windows explorer. I showed the player to a friend in work who has an Ipod, she told me that the Ipod interface wasn't as meaningful displayed with easy access to songs as the IHP

Functionality

The IHP-140 Has some amazing features such as the Optical in/out and Line in/out ports for superior recording. The radio with the Player has a surprisingly good reception (in my area). The manual states that you can change the region on the radio, this is not so it will be set to whatever region you buy it from: Europe, Asia, America etc. The player also comes with an internal and external mic, both are as strong as each other and can pick voices and music up very well indeed, the player will record these into MP3.

Sound

Well this is the big one, how does the player actually sound? To be honest it is outstanding, I was totally blown away when I first heard this player. It comes with SRS wow which is a technology developed for this player which gives the user better control over effects. There are 6 EQ with one being user defined. I mostly use True bass, this along with my Sony earphones gives a fantastic sound.

Support

The player allows for Firmware upgrades which can give the player great new features. File wise the player supports MP3, OGG, WAV, WMA, ASF so all the good stuff there. I got great support from the guys at advanced mp3 player when I was choosing my player.

Battery Life

The battery life of the player is excellent, about 12 hours, I use my player for commuting to work Monday to Friday and I only have to charge it once a week, I travel about 2h 15min a day so that's 11h 15min a week (depending on if I keep flicking through the songs in which case I charge it in the middle of the week as well) the battery itself will last up to five years and can be easily replaced by IRiver themselves, Advanced mp3 player also do it or you can buy the battery and do it yourself.

Remote Control

The remote control with the IHP-140 is the best I have seen with any MP3 player so far, this little remote does everything the main unit can do; it matches the look of the main unit but in a more compact form.

Accessories

The accessories with the player are dam good considering that with other players you would have to pay extra for them (not naming any names here) you get a line in cable for direct recording, earphone which to be honest are not the most comfortable earphone around. A case is also a standard with this player, the player is black and the case is dark brown, some people have a problem with this, why? The case allows easy access to all the major functions of the player and sport a see through front to see the LCD on the player. I use the case everyday in fact my player is rarely out of the case (to avoid damaging) and the case ius always attached to my belt with my shirt over that so no one even sees the case.

Recommendations

I would recommend that you take a look at the Sony MDR-EX71SLB Fontopia Headphones as these earphones coupled with the effect and sound of the player will blow you away. I would recommend recording in MP£ at about 192 or higher. Check out all the forms (advanced mp3 player has a great one for the IHP-140) for any questions that you might have that have not been answered in any reviews yet or even e-mail place like advanced mp3 player with specific questions as they will be more than happy to help.

I've had mine for about a week now, and I must say, overall I'm very impressed.

The actual unit is solidly built and doesn't look prone to scratching, although the top/bottom metal parts look as if they might get a little damaged after a while.

The remote control is really the piece de resistance, anything you can do on the main unit can be done from the remote control with the touch of one of the three jog wheels or the play/stop buttons. I almost never get it out of my pocket except if I'm feeling a little tired and my eyes get a bit fuzzy - the text on the remote control isn't huge, those of us with worse eyesight may prefer to keep to the main unit. The earphones supplied are standard pre-supplied junk - keep 'em in a drawer for when you're in desperate need of earphones and pick up a pair of decent Sony's.

Battery life is close to advertised 16 hours - after 10 cycles I'm hitting around 14 hours when playing 192k encoded mp3's. be aware that higher encoding = shorter battery life. This is especially true when using oggs - I have about 50 260k encoded OGGs and have to leave them out of my playlist, as they will drastically decrease the battery life.

The other accessories provided - external microphone, carry case (mine came in black, and apparently if you get the brown one and aren't happy with it, iRiver will replace it for you), line in/out cable and headphone extension (designed if you have L-connector headphones, they won't fit in the remote so you get a short inline extension to use) - are all top-notch and really make the player worth buying. On paper it's expensive but once you have it in your hands you appreciate what you're getting a lot more.

A word of warning - firmware upgrades. If you're desperate for on-the-fly playlisting, and I mean REALLY desperate, you might want to look elsewhere. I can live without it - I just transferred six of my favourite winamp playlists on and was ready to rock and roll - but a lot of people seem desperate for it. iRiver announced an ambitious upgrade schedule which they're not sticking to (the current firmware, 1.60, was promised in May), and it's got many people annoyed. Personally i'm happy with it out of the box, but if you're looking with one eye at the promised features, I'd look elsewhere.

Overall, if you want a nice, small, high-powered mp3 player and aren't amazingly bothered by on-the-fly playlisting, or can wait, then get one of these. The radio even works here in Ethiopia, where i'm currently stationed, which must be a plus.

I have had this player for about a year and a half now and still love it. In summary, it is a superb, very sturdy unit with lots of excellent features and AMAZING sound quality in comparison to other players. It is, however, let down very slightly by the software and user interface. Here are my pros and cons:

PROS:

1. Sound quality: I have listened to several other players, including a friend's ipod and my girlfriend's Zen Micro. The iriver beats them hands-down. This is the most important thing for me in a piece of audio equipment.

2. Multiple file formats: Not restricted to the increasingly corporate and restrictive WMA format.

3. Real-time MP3 encoding: I do a bit of DJing and use it to directly encode mixes to MP3. Can also be used as a Dictaphone.

4. Operates as a removable drive: No over-the-top branded software required to transfer files, just drag and drop within Windows Explorer.

5. Good battery time. I listen to it on the way to work and back everyday day (2 hours min) on high volume and only charge it about once a week.

6. Service & Support: At least in Europe, the service is excellent. My unit developed a fault with the hard disk. After some very detailed and helpful suggestions from iriver support they instructed me how to return it. Got it back repaired within a week.

7. Equalizer: An equalizer that actually makes a difference to the sound quality. Very atmospheric and very powerful.

CONS:

1. Inability to create playlists on the fly: You have to use Winamp whilst the unit is connected to a PC.

2. No gapless playback: If you rip a CD with multiple seamless tracks (i.e. a DJ mixed CD), the H-140 inserts a small, annoying gap between each track. There is no way to rectify this without ripping the CD to 1 long track.

3. Boot time: I have just over 35 gigabytes of music on my unit and it takes almost 4 minutes to boot when switched on. You can reduce this time by disabling certain features, but then those features are actually quite important.

4. Shuffle mode: If you shuffle all the tracks in, say, a certain genre - the unit will shuffle the songs in the exact same order every time you do it. It must have some non-random algorithm built in that works the same way every time you request the action.

5. DRM WMA not supported: This does not affect me as I really only use MP3 and OGG files, but will be huge for some people. If you have downloaded all your music using services like Napster - or if you have ripped your music using the standard Windows Media Player preferences - your music is in DRM WMA format and WILL NOT PLAY on the iriver H140.

6. Search facilities: You can search for and play music by artist, album, title, genre (and only if your ID3 tags are in order). It would be nice if you could select things like 'most popular' or music within a certain decade etc.

7. Firmware Upgrades: Upgrades to the software have been pathetic during the time I have owned the unit. They usually only fix very minor glitches and don't seem to respond to the points made above, many of which could be changed with a software upgrade.

All in all, I would highly recommend it. The PROS definitely outweigh the CONS where I'm concerned.