Clip Zip or Clip+

Hello All

A couple of weeks back I posted re the Clip+…was advised to wait the couple of weeks to see what might be coming out. See that it’s the new Zip. I am interested in the 8GB Clip+, see that the Zip is only 4GB, read the manuals for both…besides the larger screen and the ability to read aac format (neither of which I require), are there any ‘benefits’ to getting the Zip? Or shall I just let price determine what I buy, since storage can be found in the SD card?

Thanks for suggestions

fritzmom

The Clip ZIp in fact is out in an 8GB version as well, in both black and gun metal gray color options. 

As of last check, Amazon.com was discounting the price of at least some of the Clip Zip models.  Even better, in my mind:  through Sept. 6, SanDisk’s online store has all the Clip Zip models and colors at full retail price, but is throwing in free shipping as well as a free, nice carry case (retail price $15).  Plus, register with SanDisk before buying and get 10% off your first purchase.  All in all, a nice package deal at prices below or around Amazon.com’s (which doesn’t include the case).    :slight_smile:

http://shop.sandisk.com/store?Action=DisplayHomePage&Env=BASE&Locale=en_US&SiteID=sdiskus

As to a comparison to the Clip+, I think you put your finger on the main differences.  Having said that, and although I’m not an album-art-requiring sorta guy, it really is kind of nice, once you have it.  Plus, with the Clip Zip, you also get a flush fit of the SD card (to help prevent rare issues with the card popping out), a stronger clip (altho the old one is pretty strong), a time-of-day indication on the what’s playing screen (it’s handy), a stopwatch (good for the gym, etc.), fast alphabet scrolling in lists, and some menu customizability.

You can read a number of professional and user reviews linked above at the top of the forum, to see if there are other things that people like (or not) in the new player.

One thing I also wonder:  as the Clip Zip is new, SanDisk likely will be providing firmware upgrades for it in the next however long–bug fixes but also, possibly, enhancements.  The Clip+ hasn’t received a firmware upgrade in a long while and unknown if any others will come, now, now that the new player is here. 

Hope this helps; ah, choices!   :slight_smile:

I was the one who advised you to wait two weeks ago. Imo you should go for the Zip, unless it is much more expensive than the Clip+.

Miikerman forgot to mention that the Zip has an improved radio  with  RDS (so radio stations can display the song name, artist, name of the station, and other information(I wonder if some stations  even have  news alerts via the RDS display?). Some claim it has better shielding from interference. I haven’t bought the Zip yet as I have a Clip, more than one Clip+ and also more than one Fuze, so I don’t want to buy any more players unless they suit my needs much better than what I already have. Imo the RDS radio is the best improvement of the Zip over the Clip+. Having the time displayed and a stopwatch might be great improvements for a jogger or runner who doesn’t want to carry a separate timer.

 i was really hoping for longer battery life, HD radio,  and variable speed playback with automatic pitch corrections for podcasts. Oh well. Maybe next year(or the year after). Perhaps then we may also see microSDXC card support and affordably priced micro SDXC cards(with 64GB or more storage).

That’s right as to the radio–the station’s call letters appear on the Clip Zip’s screen (I haven’t seen song or other (e.g. news?) info. appear yet, but I haven’t used the radio much and mostly listen to talk public radio–that would be cool, as a nifty extra).  I’ve also seen peeple say that they get less interference with the Clip Zip’s radio than before (I’ve never had an interference issue), as JK98 notes. 

Song info does display. I have had no interferance issues with mine. Just note that RDS is not always perfect (People make mistakes when entering the info into the computers all the time) and that what is displayed is the responsibility of the radio station. 

There is a long story behind this disclaimer but its not worth sharing. Its just something to remember.

Thanks very much for the info.

Don’t need the stop watch (though if it had had a Countdown Timer, that would be different) and don’t need the radio.

I’m in Canada and Sandisk Canadian Online Store doesn’t have that wonderful free shipping and free case offer :cry: ; neither does it have the 8GB Zip :dizzy_face: The price for the 4GB is $49.99 Cdn. Over at Amazon. CA (Canadian Amazon) I can get the 8GB Clip+ for $54.99 Cdn. Couldn’t locate a Zip at any of the other Canadian Retail or Online Stores. Knowing that we Canadians have to wait awhile for products to get here, I’m going for the 8GB Clip+ over at Amazon (even Amazon.ca doesn’t have the Zip yet).

Thanks again for all your help! Much Appreaciated

fritzmom

You won’t go wrong with the Clip+. $55 CDN. is a nice Canadian price for an 8GB Clip+. It is around the US price. Besides which, it is always nice to have more than one player, so you could get a Clip Zip in a few months if you feel like getting one. If you don’t already have one, an AC usb charger is a nice thing to have. It charges the player faster than a pc. it also saves wear on the player’s display, as it will charge with the display off. You can also listen to the Clip+ while charging it with an ac adapter. Remember the Clip+ has a mini usb jack.

@fritzmom wrote:

Hello All

 

A couple of weeks back I posted re the Clip+…was advised to wait the couple of weeks to see what might be coming out. See that it’s the new Zip. I am interested in the 8GB Clip+, see that the Zip is only 4GB, read the manuals for both…besides the larger screen and the ability to read aac format (neither of which I require), are there any ‘benefits’ to getting the Zip? Or shall I just let price determine what I buy, since storage can be found in the SD card?

 

Thanks for suggestions

fritzmom

Just got my 8GB ClipZip from Sandisk, along with the freebie travel case today.  They ARE available in black and gun metal gray off Sandisk’s web site.  You can also get 10% off pretty easily; I did a web search and found coupons that Sandisk accepted.

Go for the ClipZip.  Well worth it for the nice color screen.  I own an original 8GB Clip and the improvements are worth getting the color screen.  Issues not right in my old Clip, like gapless playback and some pitch error are gone.  The gapless is pretty close to perfect; I can hear an ever so slight “tick” with softer passages in the transition between tracks but it’s not a noticable pause like in the orignal Clip.  Pitch sounds correct too now, finally.  The only gripe so far is the lack of time elapsed for a track and the missing track no. / total track info on the top of the display like we used to get in the Clip/Clip+.

The supplied earbuds, to my surprise, aren’t half bad sounding.  No, they’re not the quality of my Beyerdynamic DT990 Pros but for supplied earbuds they’re better sounding than what came with my (company issued) iPhone4.  I won’t use them for walking/running (I have some Sennheisers for running for that) but when you’re sitting they’re pretty decent.

My daughter had some music on 2GB microSD cards on them and the refresh wasn’t too shabby, 30 extra sec. for that size card.  The card is flush (actually a bit deeper than flush), unlike the Clip+ so that’s a pretty big deal in my book.

One big gripe with the on/off switch compared to my old Clip: it’s easier to accidentally turn the thing on.  The original Clip had a slider on/off switch that mechanically locked in on or off position.  The button location and the size of the Sandisk travel case made the button inadvertently turn on the unit a few times.  That’s one downside but the Clip+ had the same issue.

Overall I’m pretty happy for $63 plus sales tax.:smileyvery-happy:

Glad you found a 10%-off coupon,  No need to search for it, though–it’s on SanDisk’s online store’s site. 

http://shop.sandisk.com/store?Action=DisplayHomePage&Env=BASE&Locale=en_US&SiteID=sdiskus

@miikerman wrote:

Glad you found a 10%-off coupon,  No need to search for it, though–it’s on SanDisk’s online store’s site. 

 

http://shop.sandisk.com/store?Action=DisplayHomePage&Env=BASE&Locale=en_US&SiteID=sdiskus

How long does it take for them to send the discount code?

I’ve read that Audible audiobooks work on the Clip+.  I just bought a Clip Zip and can’t get Audible books to work.  I’m hoping SanDisk and Audible will fix it, but so far no luck.  

They do work.  Have you first authorized your Clip Zip using the Audible Manager?

You may also need to update your Audible software. They had to patch it for the Zip.