Linux has been my primary desktop OS now for close to a decade, originally via Gentoo but for the last while now I have been sticking with the less attention demanding Kubuntu. As pleasant as the Linux experience generally is, one unfortunate downside is that the two most prevalent MP3 players out there require proprietary software to use - there is no iTunes or Windows Media Player available for Linux. This forced vendor lock-in immediately takes the iPod and Zune out the running when looking for a new device to help you rock some tracks while out and about.

When looking for cross platform media players, the magic acronym you want to hear is "MSC" (Mass Storage Class) which means that the drive will be mountable as a standard removable drive. "MTP" (Media Transfer Protocol) can be hit or miss due to lack of standardization so has less chance of working. An article over at the venerable British tech rag The Register suggested that the Philips GoGear Muse had decent support for MSC mode and should be a suitable option for those running Linux.

Now I was fairly late to the PMP (portable media player) party so my first device was a 16GB Sansa View. Forgotten and unsupported by the manufacturer with terribly written firmware (OS crashes, bugs, poor power management, you name it), the View should be the textbook example of how not to implement an MP3 player. I cannot speak for Sansa's other products but I for one will never buy another MP3 player from them. But hey, at least I now have a low water mark to compare against.

With my frustration with the View finally bubbling over and a need for a reliable player, I wandered down to the local Future Shop outlet and picked up a 16GB Muse for $100 CAN (plus taxes).

Note: this review is an ongoing project.

My main uses for the Muse are feeding music to a PA for in between performances, fuelling a small portable PA for group bike rides and for listening to music before going to sleep via the RCA ins of a small ghetto blaster. For these uses this player has performed well enough that I am not seeking a replacement.

For a hundred clams (at least in my town) your MP3 options are often fairly limited. The Muse is not perfect but for that price of entry I can recommend it to those looking for a Linux friendly player who do not require a loud audio output. If the Muse could generate a better volume level and if the random play was less prone to repetition my prognosis would be glowing. As it stands, this player has given me my money's worth and I will definitely consider Philips when I need a replacement.

Pros

• on device playlist support
• good format support including OGGbattery life is usable
• nice display
• standard mini USB connector
• on device database generation handles missing ID3 tags gracefully
• mounts in MSC mode with Kubuntu 9.* and 10.*
• sleep timer

Cons

• "random" play is not as random as it should be
• rather anemic output level (volume much too low)
• lack of a compressor (volume limit helps but aggravates the already low output volume
• occasionally does not seem to shut down properly
• long boot up time
• device does not currently work with Amaraok 2.*
• sleep timer rudely cuts off which can cause audible glitching instead of fading out gracefully

topics: review