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Topic: Rio Karma (Read 6690 times) previous topic - next topic
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Rio Karma

I am thinking about a Rio Karma.  Can someone give me some insights & pros/cons from their experiences?  I am primarily an Ogg Vorbis & FLAC user.

Thanks. 

Rio Karma

Reply #1 –
I own a Rio Karma.  I've had it since Christmas and I've never been happier with any audio/visual electronic device...EVAR.  IMO, this is the best DAP out there right now.  The Karma has a 20gb capacity at a price arount $299 (Best Buy) but certaintly you can find it cheaper online somewhere.  It comes with a dock, which allows for analog stereo outs, usb 2.0 in for music transfer and even an ethernet port for network configuration.  The analog outs from the base allow for a true hi fi configuration for the player, and the Karma certaintly delivers when it comes to sound quality.  It plays mp3, ogg, and flac.  It is the only player that plays mp3s nearly gaplessly and there are future hints at incorporating gapless mp3 playback for LAME encoded mp3 files.  Ogg playback is perfect, as well as FLAC(This is after firmware upgrades, but if you buy a Karma new now, it will most likely have the latest firmware preloaded).  The Karma uses its own software to transfer music files to it with usb 2.0.  I'm very happy with the software itself, it performs flawlessly.  The Karma sorts files with meta data information tagged into the files, so it is a MUST that your tags are correct or you will have problems with playback.  The unit itself is small and the interface is a breeze. 

There are some cons with the Karma that I've noticed.  The Karma doesn't appear as an external drive with Windows.  This is because of the way the Karma organizes based upon meta data written with the files.  You can store non-music files on the Karma, but only with software called Rio Taxi which is included with the Karma.  When using ogg, the battery life is a little more than halved.  Which isn't bad considering I've been getting around 8-9 hours of battery life using ogg.  The unit is supposed to get around 15 hours of battery life using mp3.  I haven't tested it with flac.

Overall, I would highly reccomend the Karma.  I wanted something other than an Ipod when I looked for DAPs.  I immediately fell in love with the Karma based upon it's ability to play ogg and flac files.  It is a serious contender against the Ipod because the Ipod lacks some of the Karma's features. 


Here are some links for more info:

Official Rio Karma Page

Riovolution Forum

Rio Karma

Reply #2 –
I have an iPod and Karma, I concur with the above chappie, the iPod doesn't get a look in these days.

Check out also www.rioworld.org  it has been around for about 5 years supporting Rios.

Rio Karma

Reply #3 –
Do I detect a troll plugging Karma?

The sky is blue.

Rio Karma

Reply #4 –
Quote
Do I detect a troll plugging Karma?


Who is that directed at?

Rio Karma

Reply #5 –
Quote
Quote
Do I detect a troll plugging Karma?


Who is that directed at?

Sorry ChangFest, but your post sounds like a salesman trying to sound as if he's not plugging to death whatever it is he's hawking.  Doing a search on your other post (one other post) reveals more of the same. If I'm mistaken, apologies. 

This kind of thing has become an increasing problem on community boards; I have visions of The Truman Show as I type this. 

If I get nailed for trolling, so be it, but at least it's raised a little awareness...
The sky is blue.

Rio Karma

Reply #6 –
Perhaps, it is probabbly be either a choice between a Karma or iPod for most people. I think the iPod is great, but what is not great are the battery issues and Apples lack of interest in even addressing them.

It is good the iPod supports mp4, it is also good that the Karma supports Ogg - I really like the Karma supports FLAC (the iPod only has AIFF, which  is uncompressed).

Rio Karma

Reply #7 –
Well, I dreamt of buying myself an iRiver IHP-120 for the last six months but I bought myself a Creative Zen Xtra 30GB instead. The primary reason was the non replacable battery. I don't see the sense in buying something if I know that I am going to throw it away in a couple of years for a reason such as a dead battery-I mean, it is not a good enough reason to throw away a good machine.
The second reason was sound quality. I believe Creative comes out on top when it comes to sound quality.
The final reason was price-$220 for a 30 GB unit of the Zen Xtra (at circuitcity) drove the final nail in the coffin of my dream to buy an iRiver.
I have been using my Zen Xtra for about a week now. Although there are some issues, I am very happy with it. Take a look at a Creative Zen Xtra if you listen to MP3s and WMAs. Since you are a FLAC and Vorbis user, I don't think you will consider a Creative Zen Xtra.

Rio Karma

Reply #8 –
mpcfiend, I'm not trolling and adversising for the Karma.  It just so happens that my first post contained reasons for using vorbis that pretained to the Karma.  It is pure coincidence that a question was asked about the Karma and I decided to show support for it again.  Sorry if it looks like I'm trolling or something, but I'm truly not.



Quote
The primary reason was the non replacable battery. I don't see the sense in buying something if I know that I am going to throw it away in a couple of years for a reason such as a dead battery-I mean, it is not a good enough reason to throw away a good machine.



The Li Ion batteries used in the Karma and the iRiver are supposed to have an average batter life of around 5 years or something.  That seems like a long time to me.  In five years I believe your DAP will be obsolete and you would be interested in whatever the latest DAP trend is.  I'm not saying being concerned about a non-replaceable battery is null, it just seems to me like it shouldn't be as big of a factor considering how long 5 years is.

Rio Karma

Reply #9 –
in general, i don't like to trash an electronic system because of bat life ... i hate batteries ... but 5 years is not that much ...

Rio Karma

Reply #10 –
Quote
I have an iPod and Karma, I concur with the above chappie, the iPod doesn't get a look in these days.

Same here. I recently sold my iPod after I got a Karma.

I consider the iPod to be a fundamentally broken music-playback device because it is unable to play albums (without inserting a second of silence between each track; see: http://www.pretentiousname.com/mp3players/ ). Many people don't care about it but for me that makes it a POS.

If Apple ever pull their fingers out and make a device which can do gapless playback (whether it supports Ogg or not) then I might consider an iPod again but until then I won't and the Karma has a lot of cool stuff going for it in addition to gapless playback (there's certainly *nothing* I miss about my iPod, except that it looked a bit cooler).

Rio Karma

Reply #11 –
Quote
Quote
Quote
Do I detect a troll plugging Karma?


Who is that directed at?

Sorry ChangFest, but your post sounds like a salesman trying to sound as if he's not plugging to death whatever it is he's hawking.  Doing a search on your other post (one other post) reveals more of the same. If I'm mistaken, apologies. 

I would certainly expect to be paid after such a long post of that device

Rio Karma

Reply #12 –
Quote
I would certainly expect to be paid after such a long post of that device


Haha...well I guess it's like advertising for Nike by wearing Nike shirts, but at a higher level .  I was just helping the guy get some facts about the Karma.

Rio Karma

Reply #13 –
mai9, you should go check out Riovolution if you think ChangFest's was a long post about the Karma!
WARNING:  Changing of advanced parameters might degrade sound quality.  Modify them only if you are expirienced in audio compression!

Rio Karma

Reply #14 –
as i understand Karma has own software (i gues its for win only) to move favorite songs in it, so what about linux,unix support? is there is any solutions?

Rio Karma

Reply #15 –
Quote
as i understand Karma has own software (i gues its for win only) to move favorite songs in it, so what about linux,unix support? is there is any solutions?

Please read the FAQ.

From the FAQ:

Quote
Can I use Karma with Linux or my Mac?
Yes. RMMLite supports Linux and OSX. It is developed by resident Java god, Mike Schrag, and is constantly being updated. You may connect to it via your ethernet hook-up on your Karma docking station. Currently, you can transfer files but cannot do firmware upgrades via ethernet. RMMLite resides on a webserver on your Karma, included with each new firmware update. More current updates may be found at this site.
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.