ALBA MP3256D10

The latest version is a lot more tinny compared to the ones available in 2006 with not much bass, random play is not what it should be, it keeps playing tracks in the order they are on the SD card despite setting RAN (random play) in the display. The black 1G memory one is even tinnier. Just a note on SD card use, I found that 1G is the maximum you can use in total, I.E.: if you have 40mb of music on the inbuilt flash memory you lose the last 40mb of music from the end of the SD card even though they are still there and show up on the computer's screen they won't show up on the mp3 player's screen, that I find a dammed cheek, what do they think we buy the SD cards for? I've decided to pay out for a better model, but the original version of the Alba as made before 2007 was OK.

I was looking for a cheap mp3/wma player so that I could download tracks from the internet. I saw the ALBA MP3256D10 in Argos and though it was a bargain at £19.99, so I decided to purchase. It wasn't until I got it home and started 'playing about' with it that I realised it wasn't DRM compatible and I was unable to download songs from the internet. I was disappointed, but soon got the hang of copying my cd's onto it instead - the only problem being I've now got 82 songs on it and it's full!! (Thank goodness for that extra memory)

I'd say it's a great bargain for the price and the fact that you can add extra memory is a real bonus.

This is my second MP3 player since the Matsunichi one I bought suddenly stopped working after about 3 months of solid performance. As a frequent Gym user, I found my MP3 player to be an invaluable piece of equipment when faced with the prospect of working out while listening to the Gym owner's abysmal CD collection.

So off I went looking for a cheap MP3 player.

Imagine my surprise when I saw this ALBA model for £19.99! Yes, 20 quid for a 256Mb MP3 player. Without trying to compare it to any other MP3 players available from more prestigious manufacturers, the MP3256D10 is an outstanding piece of kit for the price. The memory size is more than big enough to hold 120-odd tracks, and the simple LCD display keeps battery drain down to a minimum, hence the 8 hours of continuous play if you use a decent cell like an Energiser or Duracell.

The design of the unit is sleek, and stylish and the minimal no fuss functions, such as random track selection and track repeat are great. There are also a number of in-built equaliser presets that change the tone of the music you are listening to, such as 'pop,' 'rock,' 'classical' and so on.

What really impressed me though, was that this £20 MP3 player came not only with a couple of extras such as a belt clip, a carry case and a USB cable, but it also has a slot for an SD Memory card so you can theoretically increase the storage capacity to a maximum of 1GB - nearly as much storage space as an iPod Nano for a fraction of the price. Incredible.

The supplied manual does warn that power consumption may radically increase if an SD card is used, but just having the option is very commendable.

So the perfect MP3 player? Nearly, but not quite.

There are a few things that potential buyers should be aware of. Firstly, and least importantly - the headphones. While they are white and therefore quite similar to the ones you get with an iPod (ergo upping your 'street cred' instantly if you use them), the wire is frustratingly short. This means you can't have the unit in your pocket when using the supplied phones as they won't reach - you have to just let the thing dangle just above your belly button! Was this MP3 player QA-ed by a dwarf?!

It's not a massive hindrance though, as any stereo headphones can be used - I'd recommend some decent Sony ones to get the most out of the ALBA though - the sound quality is frankly amazing with a decent pair of 'phones - and LOUD!

Now for the biggy though. The ALBA MP3256D10 is not compatible with DRM (Digital Rights Management) tracks. For the uninitiated, the majority of internet based download websites use DRM protected tracks that will only play on legal copies of Media Player, and only on some of the more expensive MP3 players. If you paid more than £50 for your player, you should be fine, but most cheapo ones aren't compatible. I only discovered this after buying a load of Arctic Monkeys tracks and then discovering I couldn't play them on my new bit of kit. I wasn't pleased.

Apart from that gripe, there isn't a lot wrong with this ALBA player. It plays CD ripped WMA tracks fine, and also MP3 files. Couple this with the price and the expandable memory, and you've got a hell of a deal for under 20 notes.