MP3 Player Review: RCA Lyra MP3 Player

MP3 Player Review: RCA Lyra MP3 Player
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Overview

The RCA Lyra MP3 Player Slider SL5008 is a MP3 player that also comes with a built-in FM radio. This player generally sells for around $50 in 2011, making it attractive to budget consumers. You may be wondering if the Lyra MP3 player is worth the money. It just might be.

Features (5 out of 5)

First, it has a huge amount of built-in memory for such a small, inexpensive player. It comes with 8 GB of internal memory.

It allows you to tune into your favorite FM stations and you get the MusicMatch Jukebox software. This software helps you manage your library and you can use it to add both MP3 and Windows Media (WMA) tracks to your MP3 player.

You transfer tracks onto your player via a USB interface. Mac users cannot use iTunes to transfer music. Both PC and Mac users, however, can take advantage of the drag and drop feature to add music to their player.

Supported Media (5 out of 5)

The RCA Lyra slider automatically converts your video formats into compatible formats, eliminating a major step. This player is also compatible with a variety of formats, including MPEG-4, MP3, AVI and WMA. It supports photos in JPEG format, as well.

The player has a record function that allows you to record both audio and voice tracks. It also keeps track of your most commonly played media, helping you to access your favorite tracks quickly.

Body (4 out of 5)

The body of this player is extremely nice. It looks similar to an Apple iPod with the circular scroll button. However, the menu buttons are hidden beneath the 2.2-inch full-color LCD screen, which slides out to reveal them. This makes for a more compact unit. This unit weighs about 2.3 ounces, and its dimensions are 3.1 inches wide by 0.6 inches deep by 2 inches high. The microphone is built-in and is quite decent.

The rechargeable player battery provides you with a fair amount of battery life at nearly 50 hours. The best part of this player, however, is that it is extremely easy to use. It comes with plug and play software allowing you to setup the device quickly. The drag and drop feature is extremely handy, especially for those who are not very technically savvy.

Cons (3 out of 5)

The major downside to this player is that it so lightweight that it feels almost toy-like. Further, the shuffle feature does not work consistently. You may get the same song a few different times and you cannot go back to the previous song when you are in shuffle mode.

Bang for Buck (5 out of 5)

Despite some minor shortcomings, the RCA Lyra MP3 Player Slider SL5008 offers a lot of features for a not very big price. Plus, it looks and acts similar to the iPod, making it a perfect budget alternative to that player. This player is well worth looking into.

References

CNET Reviews, https://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/rca-lyra-slider-sl5008/4505-6490_7-33588418.html.