Playback and Sound Quality

The only drawbacks of this unit have to do with the display. First of all, there isn't a back light, which doesn't really matter all that much, since, given the size, you can't see the name of the song you are playing anyway. I got to thinking, and after discussing things with my friend Ryan, who also owns an iRock!, I decided that title support isn't necessary since you can always just preview the first seconds of the song. Since the unit doesn't hold too much music, it isn't really hard to find the song you are looking for.

The iRock! 530 produces crisp, clear sound. As a matter of fact, I was very surprised out how good this tiny player made my Mp3's sound. Too bad the included headphones put a damper on the entire experience. While I could listen for a a few minutes, after fifteen or more units of use, the headphones would begin to really hurt my ears, and unfortunately I had to resort to purchasing new ones from Radio Shack.

My overall listening experience was very enjoyable on the iRock!, and the battery did last eight+ hours, as advertised on the box and on the iRock! website. Perhaps it's time for a...

Conclusion

The iRock! 530 is an exceptional product, despite a couple of small issues regarding functionality. The sound output was very good, and the adjustable music-style's were an interesting touch. The included headphones were of substandard quality, and I actually ended up discarding them due to the discomfort they caused in my ear. The LCD screen was very basic, but functional. I think that for the price, this unit certainly is deserving of an Viper's Lair Editors Choice Award. Kudos to iRock! on a great product at an affordable price. Look for a review of the iRock! Bling portable CD/Mp3/FM player sometime in the near future here at Viper's Lair!

Pro's
Small and lightweight, easy to hide from your boss while at work
Included software easy to use and setup
Relatively inexpensive ($129 on the iRock! website)
Produces great sound
Excellent battery life

Con's
Small size makes it easy to lose
Lacking a few features (title's, back lit display)

Bottom Line
If you need a no-nonsense MP3 player, then the iRock! 530 is definitely worth a look. At under , I feel it is a great bargain, and definitely worthy of our Editor's Choice award.

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