A certain MP3 player invaded our review labs lately, called the Creative Zen Stone Plus with built-in speaker. Music has no boundaries and the numerous MP3 players dominating the music world will vouch for it. Holding a plethora of music, these devices seem to delight music lovers. So without further ado, let’s step into the review.
Good things come in a small package stands true to this dainty device. At a glimpse, it appeared miniscule flashing a girlie pink color. Well, it does offer other colors. Complementing the miniature form factor of the Zen Stone Plus is its diminutive circular screen that is readable. However, a bit larger monochrome display would have been appreciated. On the navigation front, the integrated buttons are well placed but a little hard to press.
The sound quality that the device offers is crisp and clear. We could adjust the equalizer settings manually with preset equalizer settings like jazz, rock and more. Though, it usually takes some time to get a hang of the functionalities, the device’s user interface isn’t easy and failed to impressive us. Especially for audiophiles, the FM radio tuner allows to store up to 32 presets. It incorporates auto-scan function that traps FM stations. However, our experience with the FM radio was dissatisfactory. We could decide the order of songs to be played which was enhanced with the incorporated functionalities.
The Normal mode plays music beginning with the root, Repeat All is similar to the Normal mode but will start over when all the tracks are played. Repeat track and Repeat Folder enables one to be glued to their favorite track. Track Once, as the name suggests, plays a track once and stops while Shuffle Repeat mode shuffles the music. The device also features Shuffle Once and Shuffle Folder options.
Other attributes include FM radio, stopwatch and voice recording. The built-in speakers are powerful. However, the speakers are not functional if the headphones are not connected. The compact device measures 55.6mm x 35.4mm x 12.8 mm and it weighs around 21grams. To get a fully charged music player, you need to charge it for an hour or so. It almost reached the 9.5 hours playback time mark, as claimed by the company.
As far as the buttons are concerned, it features compact navigation tools besides the display. At the crest of the music toy, there is a button that acts like a power cum play-pause key. It supports MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible and Protected WMA (DRM 9) audio formats. The pocket-friendly device can be charged by connecting it to the PC by means of a USB cable, which can be annoying at times. Separate charger is offered as well. However, it is not included in the package. The data transfer rate was sluggish with just around 1MB/s.
Apart from the music player, the package is inclusive of earphones, clip, quickstart guide and USB cable. Users can opt for several accessories that complement the music player including armband, keychain case and more.
In a nutshell, Creative Zen Stone Plus could be an ideal choice for those who want to please their hearing senses at an affordable price. The 2GB version can be purchased for Rs. 3,699. On a scale of 10, we rate the Zen Stone a 7.
