Gadget Wars: Creative Zen Stone vs Samsung YP-S2QB vs iPod Shuffle

When it comes to the faceless DAPs that offer nothing but audio, three names come to mind. Apple would be first on the list with its Shuffle that’s been around for quite a while and has undergone a couple of minor changes over time. Next up is Creative’s Zen Stone which also underwent upgrades to the Zen Stone Plus with an OLED display, and then to the Zen Stone Plus with speaker. The third is Samsung’s latest offering, the YP-S2QB or 'Pebble'.

You may recall that I had done a feature on faceless DAPs a while ago, and I’m just adding the Samsung to this list. I intend to help you make up your mind about which of these players is worth buying if you’re looking for a simple DAP that does little else but play music.

Creative Zen Stone (1GB Rs 1, 500, 2GB Rs 2, 200)
The curvaceous and petite Zen Stone is small and lightweight (21g), with a simple copy-paste format for audio playback. Accepted file formats are MP3, WMA, and Audible. It offers no media manager software of any kind, but you won’t really need one. It's equipped with a standard 3.5mm earphone socket and a set of Creative earphones that you don’t need to change. The Zen Stone offers users a folder switch option in case you’ve stored your files in specific folders. A shuffle mode allows random play.

For charging the Zen Stone comes equipped with a mini USB port and connector cable to hook it up to a PC, so you can also transfer your data. The battery offers up to 10 hours of nonstop playback. Audio quality is both loud and clear. I recommend avoiding peak volume as the audio tends to get a bit harsh depending on the recording. The good thing is you won’t need to pump up the volume that high. The player comes with a bundled keychain for portability and is available in a couple of funky colors.

Samsung YP-S2QB (2GB Rs 2, 750)
Samsung’s YP-S2QB is a neat-looking player too. It's also called the Pebble because of its shape. This DAP is also lightweight at 13.6g and easily portable. The necklace-style strap with earphones helps. The 3.5 inch earphone socket is coupled with a locking system to make sure it doesn’t slip off. The charger doubles as a dock for data transfer. Since it’s just a single pin it minimizes the need for wires.

The YP-S2 reads MP3, WMA, DRM, and OGG formats, and files can be copy-pasted for playback. But Samsung's also included a copy of its Media Studio PC software for file transfer. It may not have a folder switch feature, but it does come with Samsung’s DNSe sound engine with EQ presets to enhance the audio experience. The player is loud and clear, and the earphones are comfortable. Battery life is probably the best part; it lasts a little over 12 hours.