Was impressed, now disappointed....(Clip to Fuze)

SanDisk MP3 players Sansa® Fuze™
#1

In 2007 we bought a Sansa Clip for my teen daughter.  I wasn’t familiar with the brand, but the model offered all of the specs that we were looking for and it was reasonably priced.  We were amazed!  That MP3 player went through the washer and dryer at least 5 times and worked like new after each time.  It was taken on the bus to and from school, thrown in backpacks, dropped, scratched and even chewed on by our dog.  Even though the case was punctured and scratched, it still worked great.  Three years later our beloved Sansa Clip died.  We were sad, but very strongly attached to the quality that Sansa had provided through this MP3 player.  Our oldest daughter was 17 by now and we figured she deserved a new model anyway.

We went out and bought a Fuze to replace the Clip.  It has lasted three months.  It has come apart  at the headphone jack.  I easily paid three times as much for the Fuze, and have gotten a tiny fraction of the use we had from the Clip.  I was a huge cheerleader for Sansa, and now I feel that I may have recommended something to friends and family that is a lemon of a product.  My youngest daughter is in the market for an MP3 player now.  I guess I’ll have to buy 2 new MP3 players…when I should only have to be buying one. 

What happened Sansa?  How can these products vary in quality in such extreme ways?

#2

I have had a Fuze for over 2 years and have had no problems with it.The Clip and Clip+ are probably much more durable and much more able to stand up to abuse than the Fuze due to the much lighter weight and smaller screen. I have the Fuze, clip, and Clip+. i suggest that you consider getting the Clip+ for the next player.

#3

The fuze should definitely last longer than 3 months. SanDisk has a 1 year manufacturers warranty so I would suggest contacting SanDisk support for warranty replacement. 

#4

I buy my players fro Best Buy and pay for the guarentee. I can always return them for any reason I can think of and get money back or get another player. I have owned 7 different players now. My Fuze is comming apart at the jack too. About time to go back to Best Buy again.

#5

I have had a Fuze for about two years and used it 5 out of 7 days a week, if not more often than that. I use various headphones with it and move my music around a lot. I haven’t had any problems with the headphone jack.

I think you’d have to be particularly brutal with the Fuze to wear out the headphone jack so soon. But use your guarantee and get another one.

#6

When I use a player with a headphone that has a long straight plug, I don’t plug that plug directly into the player. I will plug a short Y cord with a right angle plug into the player, then the straight plug of the headphone  into the jack that is on the Y cord. In the Walkman tape player days before I started doing this, I broke some headphone jacks on portable players. Since I started doing this, I have not broken a headphone jack on a portable player. The right angle plug was devised as a solution for headphone jacks being broken on portable players. Unfortunately there are still many headphones that use a straight plug.When a long straight plug is plugged into a plater, it acts like a lever, and even a small amount of pressure on the end of the plug sticking out can be enough to start damaging the jack.

#7

The fuze is durable, but up to a point.  The larger screen size makes it more prone to scratches and should be protected with a screen protector.   And even a case for the fuze itself to protect against scratches and bumps. 

Here’s a plastic case that many have found to be useful and it only costs one penny, not including shipping and handling.

http://www.amazon.com/Transparent-Clear-Crystal-SanDisk-Sansa/dp/B001ECP666

That along with a L-shaped adapter for the headphone jack is a  small investment to prolong the life of the player.  Mine has lasted almost 2 years now and it’s still working great.

#8

“That along with a L-shaped adapter for the headphone jack is a small investment to prolong the life of the player”

An L shaped adapter doesn’t really solve the problem completely, as if you press against the long headphone plug, it still puts plenty of force on the jack, The long straignt plug needs to be plugged into a jack that is on a cable, then the right angle plug of the cable plugged into the player.

I’m talking about something like this.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2404397

#9

@jk98 wrote:

An L shaped adapter doesn’t really solve the problem completely, as if you press against the long headphone plug, it still puts plenty of force on the jack, The long straignt plug needs to be plugged into a jack that is on a cable, then the right angle plug of the cable plugged into the player.

 

I’m talking about something like this.

 

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2404397

To me, JK,  it looks like it’ll work the same way where the L-shaped part of the plug goes into the headphone jack port.

The one I have looks similar to this.

I guess it all just comes down to personal preference what adapter is used.

#10

So glad to read that this problem isn’t just me. I wouldn’t say my Fuze (after 3 less than 3 months) is coming apart exactly, but the headphone jack does not seat as well as it should and I am getting a lot of static. It is annoying to keep fidgeting with the headphones to get a clear playback. 

#11

Call 1-866-SANDISK. You are still under warranty.

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