Well I've had my Karma a week now. Figured it was time to post and say what I thought of it.

Got mine for $284 from Amazon. At the same time I ordered the Sony Fontopia MDR-EX51LPs for $29.99.

First impression. Dang this thing is small. I hadn't bothered to go see one in the store yet. I've heard a few people say it is big or odd shaped. Well it ain't. In fact, I think that if it was any smaller it would be an inconvience. Just the right size and shape I say.

Looking through the other contents of the package I noted that there was not only a USB 2.0 cable, but an ethernet cable (can never have too many of those) and an RCA audio cable for the outputs on the back of the dock. Nice touch guys.

Then I see what appears to be a marble bag. Folks, this is sad. This is embarassing. Here, for those who haven't seen it, I am posting a grainy picture taken with my cheep webcam:



I mean really. No bag probably would have been better than this. Give us a reall case, even if we have to pay for it. PLEASE.

Another embarassment are the earbuds included. They don't sound good at all. I'm really glad I picked up the Fontopias (which are excelent BTW) at the same time.

Instalation went without a hitch. Uploading songs went without a hitch. Playback over the past week has gone without a hitch. Where are the stability problems others were complaining about? Call me fortunate, but I haven't had any.

As far as day to day usage goes, this thing rocks. I already wonder how I got along without it. As I have said, it fits my hand perfectly. Buttons are well placed, only I would have made the volume buttons stick out a tad more and would have positioned the hold swich on the right side below the scroll wheel.

Software interface is good with two exceptions. First it should be easier to turn shuffle mode on and off. Second, I know it's been said a million times, but I want my hiarchal playlists. Also, I'd like to be able to set playlists to always shuffle or never shuffle. (This setting keeps me from turning shuffle on and off much on my empeg.)

Also, the advertised 15 hrs battery life is pretty close to real life. Good good.

Pros:

Small
Battery life
Interface
Software prob.s seem to be worked out

Cons:

Needs a carying case
Needs good earbuds
Shuffle mode doesn't swich easily
Hiarchial playlists....please : )

All in all, I really love this thing. Good job guys. So when is it going to be put in a car-mountable chassis with proper connectors and such aka Rio Car Mk. III? Cuz as far as I'm concerned, this could be it. Different display maybe, but it is all there. And for $284 not $1500. Still I really feel I got more than I paid for with this thing. Like somebody is going to show up at my door one day and say I have to give it back or something.

Out of my cold dead hands.

My only counter to your review: The earbuds. As earbuds go, I think the included Seinheiser earbuds were actually very good. In fact, next to the Fontopias, I think they are the best sounding earbuds I've come across.

Now, if you try to compare any old earbud to regular headphones, they will always come up short. Aside from the Fontopias, what other earbuds have you tried which sounded better than the Seinheisers?

Anyone have $500?

nah, rather get the Etymotic ER-4P for cheaper.

Okay okay... what other earbuds have you tried which sounded better than the Seinheisers which didn't cost more than the Karma itself.

nothing big but.. to me, that picture wasnt really worth posting. thanks for a quick view of something i hadnt seen before. unfortunately, i still havent.

Thanks for the review... good to hear some nice feedback.

Now... do I get this for my wife, or that eliptical machine!

As earbuds go

Just because it is true doesn't make it right. Higher quality listening apparatus should have been included.

Actualy, I should have touched on this more in my review. Let me say this, the Karma is loud. This is the loudest portable device I have ever used. In a quiet enviroment I have the volume set on 12 and in noisy enviroments 21. The volume goes to 30. So I use between 1/3 and 2/3 of its output. I think I would seriously damage my hearing if it was on 30 for very long. It is probably because the output is so strong that the Seinheisers don't sound so great. I have not tried them on a lower power source.

that picture wasnt really worth posting

Well, you have to understand my suprise at seeing it after seeing the quality of everything else included. I liken it to buying a Mercedes, finding everything perfect, then noticing that the cup holders are the little plastic deals that hang in the windows. Like I said, I think it would have been better to include no bag than this thing. I saw it and I was like "WTF is this? Why? Why did they evey bother?".

do I get this for my wife, or that eliptical machine!

Get it_for the eliptical machine!

j/k : )

Thanks for the comments everyone, just want to say again how much I love this thing. I know I kinda focused on the faults up there, but thats mostly because they are all things that can be fixed.

In reply to:

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or that eliptical machine!

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The ellyptical will be collecting dust in a month ... Go for the Karma.

I dunno about anyone else, maybe I have odd-shaped ears or somethin', but I can never get earbuds to STAY in my EARS. So I certainly won't put out $500 for an expensive pair! Hell, the headphones I used when I was in radio were only $100.

Me.

the Karma is loud. This is the loudest portable device I have ever used.

Seconded. Which is probably why it sounds so good. You don't have to put the volume all the way up to hear anything. This is another reason I'm happy that I've got a US Karma model. I'm pretty sure that the European model's volume will be capped. (I believe this is obligatory because of a European law or something, but don't quote me on that)

In reply to:

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Seconded. Which is probably why it sounds so good. You don't have to put the volume all the way up to hear anything. This is another reason I'm happy that I've got a US Karma model. I'm pretty sure that the European model's volume will be capped. (I believe this is obligatory because of a European law or something, but don't quote me on that)

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Oooh, I hope they don't decide to cap the vol on later US models.. I personally am sick of testing out different player where I can't hear anything when working. I was worried the Karma was going to be like that, but now I'm not..

Me.

Now... do I get this for my wife, or that eliptical machine!

Buy her the Karma and a pair of running shoes.

Although the bag is crappy I still use it, yesterday one of the pieces of string fell off the damn thing. My headphones are still new in the bag.

Crossfade is probably the coolest feature to me. The player just sounds really good, and its worth it not to own an Ipod.