When I was 18, I bought a heavily reduced MiniDisc player. This wasn’t even what you could charitably call “fashionably late”, given the format was already on its last legs, but I loved it, and because nobody else was interested, blank discs were dirt cheap. I have a vague recollection of grabbing packs at Poundland, allowing me to create a glorious self-curated library of cheap music, five years before the birth of Spotify.
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I’m reminded of this because this week I’ve published a piece on the Filter about the portable audio technology that killed them: MP3 players. Or digital audio players, to give them their more accurate name, given MP3 playback is just one of many supported file formats.
For some time, I’ve had a nagging feeling that music streaming wasn’t cutting it. Yes, having all the world’s music at your fingertips is a technological marvel, but you have to deal with “kid in a sweetshop” choice paralysis – and even more importantly, it’s not your music.
Rage against the algorithm
While collecting modern players for the piece, I was delighted to find I wasn’t alone in experiencing this disconnect from the modern streaming world. Chris Laidler, office manager at Advanced MP3 Players, gave me an insight into the kinds of people who reject streaming modernity. My kind of people.
When he started in 2017, the customer base was primarily the niche audiophile community, “pursuing high-res audio as a hobby”, he says. People who “talk more about the tech than they do about the music”.
But since Covid, these buyers have been joined by a new, more casual customer. For some, there’s an element of nostalgia, but there are more logical reasons, too.
“It gets them off an algorithm,” Laidler says. “It’s music they’re seeking out themselves. But it also means they have a device that can store music that they actually own, rather than leasing it from Spotify.”
And for audiophiles, smartphone audio just doesn’t cut it. “When you think about it, if your phone’s about that size,” Laidler says, gesturing with his hands, “it means that the DAC [digital-to-analogue converter] that’s in there is only going to be one tiny component of this thing.” Whereas, with dedicated MP3 players, “the entire infrastructure is designed for as accurate music recreation as possible.” And yes, that means wired audio ports as standard. Take that, Apple!
Some people will balk at the price of entry, even if they like the idea in principle. For the purposes of the piece, I capped the eligible price at £650, although the technology can go into the thousands. Don’t worry too much, though. Not only is my budget pick, the excellent Snowsky Echo Mini, from an astonishing £66.99, but after a certain price point, it becomes more about chasing a specific sound signature than any noticeable increase in quality.
The tyranny of choice
Ironically, there are so many devices that trying to choose one can echo the paralysis you feel when opening Spotify. “At the audio trade shows, people come in with their little notebooks, and they go around each room making notes about the character of each player and the price,” Laidler says. “But then you see these same people come back the next year, and you ask them, ‘Oh, which one did you end up going for?’ and they’re still deciding.”
Should you buy an old MP3 player? Probably not, due to limited storage, weak file-format compatibility and the lack of warranty. “As a nostalgic thing, I think they’re great,” Laidler says, recalling his first one: a “hideous-looking thing” built in to headphones that wrapped around your head.
“I like when people bring out these old players and show them off to me when I’m doing trade shows and meetings. We still have an iPod Classic rattling around in the office because we just can’t bring ourselves to part with it. We should really start a museum or something.”
This week’s picks
Editor’s pick
Raining on your parade? Not if you dress right. Photograph: Cicy/Getty Images/iStockphoto
You step out into glorious sunshine, only to arrive at the office looking like a drowned rat. Your cheap emergency umbrella keeps flipping inside out. Yes, changeable autumn weather is back. So how can you stay looking stylish when the weather might turn at any moment? Fashion writer Charlotte Gornall has all the answers, from a waxed hood or cap you can add to any outfit to a spray to protect your beloved suede shoes.
Monica Horridge
Deputy editor, the Filter
In case you missed it …
A few swaps in your beauty regime and some rehydration can help repair summer damage. Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images
Let’s be frank: did you forget to diligently rinse your hair every time you went in the sea this summer? Did you neglect to apply sunscreen to every area of your body each time you set foot outside? And are you desperate to hold on to that summer glow for as long as possible? (All three apply here.)
Hayley Spencer’s guide will help you to restore your skin, hair and nails after a summer of excess. We particularly love this Drunk Elephant almond milk scrub that “not only sloughs away dead skin cells and helps to remove debris that can clog pores, but allows creams to penetrate more deeply, so skin stays hydrated, which will make it look healthier, less dull and therefore more glowing”. We’ll take that.
Get involved
Cup of coffee or a breath of fresh air – what are your tips for starting the day right? Photograph: Stephen Chung/Alamy
Whether you’re a lark or an owl, what makes your early mornings better? Waking to a radio alarm rather than a phone? A great coffee? A gentle stretch? Or is it an eye mask to give you another half hour’s sleep? Let us know by replying to this newsletter or emailing us at thefilter@theguardian.com.