5mo ago

Recommend a new portable music player with NO wireless functionality at all (Bluetooth or WiFi or any other wireless technology)

As per title really. I'm looking for a new small music player that will play MP3 and FLAC files. Preferably that takes a large SD card, otherwise has at least 128gb of storage. I want to be copying files directly on to it in a file browser and for them to play in the right order (I have a player that plays in the order the files were copied on to it, which is full on madness). I have no interest in iTunes and I run Linux as my computer OS.

Also needs to be less than £100.

And I really mean no wireless functionally at all, I don't mean "includes Bluetooth but it can be turned off".

75 comments

- Yeah this isn't a bad idea. Especially if you get one that supports MP3 files on a CD, you can have several hours of material on one CD-R.
  I wrote a little blog post about my experiences trying a variety of different alternatives to just streaming music like most people do. Using players that support physical formats has been a very fun way to expand my music taste in unexpected ways.

New?
I highly doubt that exist.
Mainstream?
Nope.
Best recommendation off of the top of my head?
Used iPod mini that you flashmod and put Rockbox on it. then you put the files directly on it from what I can tell.
The lack of hardware BT and WiFi is too restrictive of requirenments these days, and to be honest I don't see the point of such a restriction, but eh, I am not the one looking for a device like that.
- yep, commoditization + SOC means youre not going to find this hardware with no radio. op is looking for a unicorn or an antique.
- Isn't stock iPod OS good enough? I remember it being instanteneous for things like playing next songs, or switching albums. That's what I never experienced ever again. For YouTube Music it sometimes takes few seconds to play the next songs and it drives me crazy.
  
  OP didn't want iTunes

If you need flac, absolutely NO radio, and wired headphones... I'd look at old devices that support flashing the Rockbox custom firmware. You can probably find something used with over 128GB storage for under your price point.
Rockbox supports almost any audio type you can imagine (flac, mp3, wma, chiptune formats like spc and nsf, tracker formats like xm and it, anything). It beats out the old click wheel iPod OS in terms of functionality. Playlists, construct a temp playlist while listening to other music, shuffle the playlist, shuffle the queue, shuffle a subsection, play all songs, play albums, play all by an artist, play all in a genre tag, etc. Everything you could expect and probably more.
Ever wanted to play Doom on crappy mp3 player controls? How about a janky proof of concept GameBoy emulator?
Rockbox is deeply customizable, but that also includes themes that mimic the default old school iPod OS or other old MP3 players if you want simplicity. It connects to a computer as a standard flash drive. No software needed for sync, no stupid MTP protocol making file transfers take stupidly long.
I think that it does support a few devices with FM radio, so you'd have to check that. The Sansa Clip Plus suggestion someone else made is one of the supported devices with FM radio. There's an incredibly slight chance it supports some device with Bluetooth, but take a look at the project site and tell me if you really think it does. I'd be shocked.
Also, probably outisde of your price range, but old iPod Classics don't have FM hardware, and up to 6th gen support flashing Rockbox as the OS. Apparently storage size limit is right at 128GB though, from a quick search. So you'd have less after the OS install. Would also probably have more available replacement parts like batteries and expanded storage mods. Either way you are probably looking at something used.
I have a hard time imagining there also isn't an existing small market for mp3 players for secure facilities or for prisons that would have devices with the limitations you're looking for. Probably not nice prices or feature sets though.
- Shockingly, if that market exists, it doesnt advertise itself. Otherwise they'd be making bank off the DoD and anybody else with restricted device policies.
  Its not exactly a complicated device to produce afaik, either;
  internal storage
  no recording capability (camera/microphone)
  no wireless capability (no antenna whatsoever)
  analog audio output
  bonus points for a non-data-carrying charging port (aka, barrel power connector, not USB) so you can charge it in a SCIF (USB cables not permitted).

The closest you're going to find is probably the SanDisk Sansa Clip+. It can receive FM, but IIRC no wireless other than that. I don't think it's made new any more but you should be able to find it for less than £100 online.
- I came to suggest a clip too! Loved those things
- Sorry, FM is out too, I didn't even think of that when I wrote the post.
  
  Ok, now you are just being ridiculous.
  This is clearly a troll thread.
  
  I don't know exactly what you're avoiding wireless for, but it has no ability to transmit, only receive FM if that matters. You could fairly easily disconnect/break the antenna and permanently disable even that.
  
  Why? I am curious now.
  
  I've had 3 Sansa Clip+ players. I never even accidentally switch to FM. I understand why your workplace bans Bluetooth. Mine does as well. Do they also ban the FM tuner?

Based on your requirements, your best bet is to hum to yourself.

OP most likely works in a SCIF - where such restrictions are pretty common.
TL;DR OP is a fed or fed contractor
- Wouldn't it still count like a USB stick though?

Someone works for hezbollah and doesn't want his music player blowing up unexpectedly

Just buy a Walkman and enjoy your life

If you're fine buying slave-labor import, I found a "MECHEN M30 HiFi MP3 Player" on AliExpress for about $45 USD. Pretty good reviews all things considering. No wireless that I can tell, 256gb microSD support, headphone jack out.
These kinds of standalone "hifi" portable media players will be the only things that support memory cards and "no wireless" like you're asking for. And even then a lot of them include Bluetooth, if not just for remote control support, as well as audio out.
- Looks like a good option. Thank you
  
  Of course.
  Keep in mind YMMV on their firmware. People seem to be happy with it but I don't own one so I cannot say how well it will perform, but I am at least assuming it can handle normal Playlist sorting and other things you need.

AGPTEK U3 USB Stick Mp3 Player, 40GB Music Player Supports Replaceable AAA Battery, Recording, FM Radio, Expandable Up to 128GB
https://a.co/d/bLVGWjx

Why so anti-Bluetooth?
- 5g is all about Brain-Control, man
- Can't have it in the office.
  And someone will question this, but that's all there is to it.
  
  About the only viable response these days is SCIF.
  
  Huh, Okay, buried the lede there because I was very skeptical of your specific set of needs until this and now it makes sense.
  The Mechen M30 seems to meet your spec, but I haven't tried it, I just looked it up. There seems to be a bit of a niche for single-use audiophile music players that may get you what you need.
- Bro works in a scif

A cassette walkman
- An all-in-one modern solution for that: https://www.wearerewind.com/
  (The Fiio CP13 is better, but it doesn't have recording functionality)
  
  I have a WM-EX631. I dont trust anything made after 94 thats not Sony. 2004 is my absolute cutoff.
- How do I transfer my FLAC files on to it?
  
  You need a male-male 3.5mm audio cable...
  
  You dont without effort, but theres not really any modern Walkmans that dont connect to WiFi. You are pretty much limited to cassette and disc Walkman, maybe a minicd player. You could burn your FLACs to a CD if you wanted. I've looked at a few modern Walkmans and they are basically shitty android devices, a phone with a 3.5mm jack would be better.

iPod 5th gen (aka Video), flash modded and with Rockbox.
If going without Rockbox, Rhythmbox on Linux can upload mp3-s to the stock iPod but (IIRC) not flacs.
- I just did this in the last year, it's a solid recommendation. I did the HD swap with some microsd cards, too
  
  Yes, iFlash is the best IMO, though a bit on the expensive side.
  The tutorial can be found either on YouTube or iFixit.

If this is a normal restriction at your office, would other people who work in that environment have solutions?

sound waves are a form of wireless transmission, better make sure to not connect any kind of speaker to it

Go to Ali Express, and filter through the "mp3" results. They will cost less than $10, be made of the cheapest material possible but meet your requirements. Otherwise you are thrift store shopping

Build your own? Given the constraints, that might actually be more viable than you'd think. Keep in mind, you could disable or even block radio transmitters to comply with whatever your environment is.
- I did this with a Pi Zero once. It's a fun project if you have the aptitude for it.

Think you would likely have to scour garage sales and used buy/sell sites for one of those ancient portable mp3 player devices. I remember the old iRiver devices did support FLAC natively but that was before 128GB storage existed so no idea how something like that would behave when you stick in a 128+ GB SD card into it.
The other tricky part is that something that old/used may have a worn out battery so any device with a built-in battery may not stay on for very long.
The other comment makes a good point, starting out you should focus on anything that https://www.rockbox.org/ supports since that'll give you FLAC support. (besides the Archos, apparently it is impossible to play FLAC on those https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/WhyRockbox.html).
- The other tricky part is that something that old/used may have a worn out battery so any device with a built-in battery may not stay on for very long.
  If you can solder, you might be able to replace old batteries.
  Honestly, if you think about all the increasingly-aging hardware out there with built-in rechargeable batteries...given that some people would like to use them, the way there are people who like vintage hardware from earlier decades, there have to be some people out there who must specialize in replacing internal batteries.

I specifically remember getting Linux to load music on my iPod Nano during my Ubuntu phase. There's got to be a way to do that still, but i understand the frustration.
Maybe a generic player like those old generic USB MP3 Players? Nothing i found comes with 128GBs of space unless it also has Bluetooth or some wireless functionality.
If all else fails just get an old Android phone and don't use the wireless features if you find one with an audio jack.

I'd suggest looking at small embedded computers and hats for them to fit your objective.
Since you're familiar with Linux, I'm thinking an Arduino might work out. There's probably a better way but I'm imagining you configuring it to work like a USB drive and dropping in playlist files along with your music and using the hat to select your preferred playlist like a homemade iPod.
You'll want to avoid the generic junk mp3 players online since there's no way to be certain it's free of radio chips before detailed inspections. Since that stuff is typically pumped out with whatever junk was available that day.

Do they still make the Sandisk Clip and Sandisk Go? Years since I used one, but from memory don't they do what you need?

Bit late as a reply, but I remembered your post when I came across this fully open source MP3 player. It does not even appear to have BT, so might be an option.
As that might be relevant, I came across it from this youtube video here (got it in my feed, haven't watched it yet).
Edit: nevermind, has wifi and bt after all. Not surprising as it's ESP32 based, so it's literally just there.

Look on fiio.com. At least in the past they made some no-wireless ones. 128gb wasn't really a thing in the mp3-only era though. Cowon D2 is a great player but uses SDHC (32gb max) rather than SDXC. I don't remember if it has FM.
- I highly recommend a fiio X1. You’ll have to find a used or refurb, but they are crazy simple, cheap, and have excellent sound quality.
  Throw in a 256g sd card and mount it as a usb disk.
  It has physical buttons and a scroll wheel like the old iPods.
  Did I mention great sound quality?
- For some fucking reason, the few FIIO models that are non-wireless have a microphone. Recording capability Is also a big no for a SCIF IIRC.