Archos JukeBox Studio (6 GB) MP3 Player
Out of stock |
Similar in MP3 Players
- Number of Songs: 1500
- Usage: Music Recording
- Interface: USB
- Main Storage Type: Hard Drive
- Storage Capacity: 6 GB
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Archos produces a descent portable player debut
Pros
sound quality, fast file transfer, plenty of space
Cons
quality of sound only good through certain headphones, tech support really sucks
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Good sound, good battery life, good looks, upgradability, etc. The only thing to plague it is the bad support. But it's very solid, and probably will not break. Buy it.
TECH SPECS
----------------------
BUILT IN MEMORY-- 6 GB
EXPANSION OPTIONS-- you can put any size 2.5" hard drive into the player if you know what you're doing
DOWNLOAD RATE-- about 5 seconds for a 4 meg song
DISTORTION-- 0.01 - 0.1%
S/N RATIO-- -90 dB (standard cd player= -90 dB)
DISPLAY TYPE-- 3 line LCD
FORMATS SUPPORTED-- mp3
FLASH CARD SLOTS-- none
BATTERIES REQUIRED-- 4 AA (rechargable)
BATTERY LIFE-- they say 8 hours. i've gotten 10
COMES WITH-- 1 Archos Jukebox 6000, 1 USB cable, 1 instruction manual, 1 set spare batteries, 1 carrying case, 1 battery charger
BACKGROUND
-----------------------
The Archos Jukebox 6000 is a solid entry product for Archos into the portable mp3 player market. However, being a first release, it is plagued with a few problems. The early models were really crappy. They skipped a lot, and the sound quality was awful. However, Archos was nice, and replaced all the old units for free when the newer hardware version came out. The newer units are much better about skipping (very rarely do they skip), and the sound quality is much improved... but could still be better.
SOUND QUALITY
--------------------------
When i first pulled this player out and plugged in the headphones, and listened to the sound, i was like "wow... this really sucks." However, with the right headphones, the sound quality is drastically different. Using the included headphones, the sound was tinny, flat, and had no bass whatsoever, even with the bass setting up to the max (5). Even with my nice Sony pair, the sound was still not up to par with my CD player. However, when using the right headphones (the Koss SportaPro model), the sound can match the sound from my CD player. I have no idea what makes these headphones sound so much better than any other pair, but they do. The bass is no longer flat, the distortion is gone, and the sound is overall much more full.
Sound Quality Bottom Line: At first, you won't be impressed. But go pick up a pair of SportaPro's at Circuit City for about 20 bucks, and you will be amazed.
Rating: 4/5
FILE TRANSFER
-------------------------
File Transfer is done through windows. Upon installing the JB6k drivers, Windows will add a drive letter to your computer. Drag and Drop mp3 players directly from explorer. Very fast transfer as well. 5 seconds for a 4 minute song.
File Transfer Bottom Line: Fast, Flawless, and Easy
Rating: 5/5
INTERFACE
-------------------
The JB6k has an interface that's very easy to get used to. It uses the directory system, for easy organization of your music. For example, you can have all songs by one artist in one folder. To enter the folder, press play. To play a song in that folder, press play again. To exit that artist directory, press stop. To move from song to song in a directory, use the + and - buttons.
The menu button gives you access to a bunch more options:
Volume: Adjust the volume from 0 to 15
Sound: Adjust bass and treble from +5 to -5
Play Mode: Normal, Repeat All, Single, Shuffle, Scan
Language: English, French, German
Hard Disk: Tells you the free space on the drive
Diagnose: Check the state of the hard disk (check for errors)
Firmware: Tells you the current firmware version
External: Has no useful function that I can find
Contrast: Adjust the contrast from 0 to 15
Interface Bottom Line: Easy, Useful, Perfect (except for the useless external function. but no big deal really)
Rating: 5/5
EXTRAS
------------
This is where the JB6k loses some of it's fire... actually, it gains some fire. Which is not cool. The recharging adapter for the JB6k tends to overheat the drive. Some people reported instances where their JB6k's actually melted by using the packaged adapter. Some caught fire. How stupid is this? You'd think that a company would ship a product with an adapter that worked. But, all is not lost. Go to Radio Shack and buy a different adapter that won't overheat the drive, and you'll be fine.
Also, there's a line-in jack on the JB6k that serves no purpose. Archos was going to release some firmware that would enable the user to plug in a microphone and record. Not so. Archos has informed us that the line-in jack will never be used.
Also, in the manual, there is a picture of a headphone remote, supposedly included with the player. There's no remote in the box. We got screwed.
One good extra is the ability of Archos to release upgrades to the product, and distribute them as new firmware over the internet, so we can upgrade our players. This is cool. Unfortunately, they suck at releasing firmware. Version 5.0 was supposed to be out months ago, and still nothing. Which brings me to Archos support. It's practically non-existant. E-mail them, and it could be months before a reply. Call them, and no one picks up. It's almost impossible to get in touch with these people.
Extras Bottom Line: With the exception of the upgrading capability, they all suck
Rating: 2/5
BUY IT OR NOT?
-------------------------
Archos released a quality product. If you can get past the fact that you have to buy new headphones, and a new adapter, and the support sucks, so you better hope it doesn't break. It comes with a one year warrenty, and mine has yet to break, even with all the abuse it goes through (I run with it every afternoon). It's solid, it sounds good, it looks cool, and it's small enough to fit in your hand, with ample storage space. Considering the fact that all it's competition in the HD based mp3 player market sucks, buy it.
----------------------
BUILT IN MEMORY-- 6 GB
EXPANSION OPTIONS-- you can put any size 2.5" hard drive into the player if you know what you're doing
DOWNLOAD RATE-- about 5 seconds for a 4 meg song
DISTORTION-- 0.01 - 0.1%
S/N RATIO-- -90 dB (standard cd player= -90 dB)
DISPLAY TYPE-- 3 line LCD
FORMATS SUPPORTED-- mp3
FLASH CARD SLOTS-- none
BATTERIES REQUIRED-- 4 AA (rechargable)
BATTERY LIFE-- they say 8 hours. i've gotten 10
COMES WITH-- 1 Archos Jukebox 6000, 1 USB cable, 1 instruction manual, 1 set spare batteries, 1 carrying case, 1 battery charger
BACKGROUND
-----------------------
The Archos Jukebox 6000 is a solid entry product for Archos into the portable mp3 player market. However, being a first release, it is plagued with a few problems. The early models were really crappy. They skipped a lot, and the sound quality was awful. However, Archos was nice, and replaced all the old units for free when the newer hardware version came out. The newer units are much better about skipping (very rarely do they skip), and the sound quality is much improved... but could still be better.
SOUND QUALITY
--------------------------
When i first pulled this player out and plugged in the headphones, and listened to the sound, i was like "wow... this really sucks." However, with the right headphones, the sound quality is drastically different. Using the included headphones, the sound was tinny, flat, and had no bass whatsoever, even with the bass setting up to the max (5). Even with my nice Sony pair, the sound was still not up to par with my CD player. However, when using the right headphones (the Koss SportaPro model), the sound can match the sound from my CD player. I have no idea what makes these headphones sound so much better than any other pair, but they do. The bass is no longer flat, the distortion is gone, and the sound is overall much more full.
Sound Quality Bottom Line: At first, you won't be impressed. But go pick up a pair of SportaPro's at Circuit City for about 20 bucks, and you will be amazed.
Rating: 4/5
FILE TRANSFER
-------------------------
File Transfer is done through windows. Upon installing the JB6k drivers, Windows will add a drive letter to your computer. Drag and Drop mp3 players directly from explorer. Very fast transfer as well. 5 seconds for a 4 minute song.
File Transfer Bottom Line: Fast, Flawless, and Easy
Rating: 5/5
INTERFACE
-------------------
The JB6k has an interface that's very easy to get used to. It uses the directory system, for easy organization of your music. For example, you can have all songs by one artist in one folder. To enter the folder, press play. To play a song in that folder, press play again. To exit that artist directory, press stop. To move from song to song in a directory, use the + and - buttons.
The menu button gives you access to a bunch more options:
Volume: Adjust the volume from 0 to 15
Sound: Adjust bass and treble from +5 to -5
Play Mode: Normal, Repeat All, Single, Shuffle, Scan
Language: English, French, German
Hard Disk: Tells you the free space on the drive
Diagnose: Check the state of the hard disk (check for errors)
Firmware: Tells you the current firmware version
External: Has no useful function that I can find
Contrast: Adjust the contrast from 0 to 15
Interface Bottom Line: Easy, Useful, Perfect (except for the useless external function. but no big deal really)
Rating: 5/5
EXTRAS
------------
This is where the JB6k loses some of it's fire... actually, it gains some fire. Which is not cool. The recharging adapter for the JB6k tends to overheat the drive. Some people reported instances where their JB6k's actually melted by using the packaged adapter. Some caught fire. How stupid is this? You'd think that a company would ship a product with an adapter that worked. But, all is not lost. Go to Radio Shack and buy a different adapter that won't overheat the drive, and you'll be fine.
Also, there's a line-in jack on the JB6k that serves no purpose. Archos was going to release some firmware that would enable the user to plug in a microphone and record. Not so. Archos has informed us that the line-in jack will never be used.
Also, in the manual, there is a picture of a headphone remote, supposedly included with the player. There's no remote in the box. We got screwed.
One good extra is the ability of Archos to release upgrades to the product, and distribute them as new firmware over the internet, so we can upgrade our players. This is cool. Unfortunately, they suck at releasing firmware. Version 5.0 was supposed to be out months ago, and still nothing. Which brings me to Archos support. It's practically non-existant. E-mail them, and it could be months before a reply. Call them, and no one picks up. It's almost impossible to get in touch with these people.
Extras Bottom Line: With the exception of the upgrading capability, they all suck
Rating: 2/5
BUY IT OR NOT?
-------------------------
Archos released a quality product. If you can get past the fact that you have to buy new headphones, and a new adapter, and the support sucks, so you better hope it doesn't break. It comes with a one year warrenty, and mine has yet to break, even with all the abuse it goes through (I run with it every afternoon). It's solid, it sounds good, it looks cool, and it's small enough to fit in your hand, with ample storage space. Considering the fact that all it's competition in the HD based mp3 player market sucks, buy it.
