MaximumPC 2004 12

Reviews

Rio Carbon 5GB

MP3 Player

Wherein the iPod Mini suffers a mortal wound

Y

ou’ve got to hand it to Apple—the iPod family of MP3 players is so iconic

that every new MP3 player is immediately challenged with the same

review cliché: “Is it an iPod killer?” The Rio Carbon is not. But paradoxi-

cally, it’s a superior device.

The Rio Carbon uses Seagate’s miniature 5GB drive, putting it a gigabyte

over the capacity of the iPod Mini. Even better, the openness of the Carbon

makes the iPod Mini look positively uptight. You don’t need proprietary manage-

ment software to load tracks onto it (although software is included for creating

playlists). Instead, the player shows up as a removable hard drive in Windows

Explorer, and from there you’re free to transfer music and data files onto it.

Tracks within folders—even folders several levels deep—are also recognized.

The sound is delectably vivid, and can be further shaped with the five-band

graphic equalizer the iPod Mini lacks.

The display is as crisp and titillating as the dark-red backlit buttons and the

curvaceous shape (which is more comfortable to hold and to pocket than the

iPod Mini). We can even forgive the lack of a Hold button because not once

during our abusive go-round was a button accidentally pressed. Best of all, the

battery life absolutely crushes the iPod Mini at more than 19 hours on a single

charge at 75 percent volume.

True to Maximum PC’s perfection-seeking character, we have quibbles. The

carrying case is awful; it prevents us from operating the player, and removing

it from the case is an awkward chore. Audio is disabled during fast-forward,

and there’s no fast-advance equivalent of the iPod Mini that allows you to

quickly jump to any point in a track. Furthermore, we’re flummoxed by the

absence of OGG or FLAC support,

both of which are present in the

20GB Rio Karma. (The player does

support the Audible audiobook

format, and can bookmark your

place in these tracks.) We also

would have liked to see an on-

the-fly playlist function compa-

rable to the one in the

iPod Mini.

The Rio Carbon isn’t an “iPod

killer” because it won’t seduce

those who prefer the Apple con-

vention of restricting choice in

favor of “ease of use.” Instead,

it delivers the do-it-your-way

music management system and

broader format compatibility

that PC users expect. It’s got the

right attitude, and the right hard-

ware. Apple could learn a thing

or two from this media player.

—LOGAN DECKER

Convenient, intelligent music and data file-man-

agement. Looks sweet.

SANTA’S REINDEER

COURTNEY LOVE’S CAREER

No OGG or FLAC support. Ridiculous carrying case.

$250, http://www.digitalnetworksna.com

MA XIMUMPCVERDICT 9

88 MA XIMUMPC DECEMBER 2004

absence of OGG or FLAC support,

20GB Rio Karma. (The player does

As comfy to hold as it

is comely to behold, the

Rio Carbon reinforces

for us the notion that

great MP3 players should

be more than just a

patented interface.

3.3

”

2.5”

Sicuro 5.1 Gaming Speaker

Why we thought we were encircled by five

alarm clocks

I

f you look at the speakers pictured here and feel your

internal crap-o-meter going off, do not be alarmed. It

does not need recalibration. Here’s what probably set

it off: the heavy use of faux chrome, the complete lack of

a control pod or volume knob, cheesy enclosures made of

colored plastic, and the piece de resistance—a “techno-light-

ing effect” that causes each satellite to flash colored LEDs

in sync with the music. All these features conspire with the

most pathetic sound output we’ve ever heard in a 5.1 speaker

system to create a product that is just begging to be used as a

gag gift for an audiophile.

Let’s begin with the satellites. The sound output from each of

the 15W satellites is incredibly weak, and lacks any midrange whatsoever.

Sure, each satellite flashes an LED in sync with the music, but you have to

turn them up quite a bit to get the flashing going. You can toggle the “techno

lighting effect” on or off via a button on each satellite’s base, but it’s a

hassle to toggle the speakers individually.

None of the satellites has a volume knob, nor is there a control pod. No,

that would be too easy. Instead, the controls are mounted—get this—on the

base of the subwoofer. Luckily, the system includes a wireless remote control.

Because these speakers are best suited for the dark —what with the lighting

effect—it would make sense for the remote to be backlit; the Sicuro 5.1’s isn’t.

The subwoofer—also equipped with said lighting effects—is a joke.

We’ve heard flatulence that was deeper than this. During Lab testing, one

staffer wondered if the subwoofer was even turned on (it was). Both the sub-

woofer and the satellites were eerily silent for long portions of our 20Hz-to-

22KHz sweep, being simply unable to produce any sounds at the high and

low ends of the sound spectrum.

The final insult is the price.

It’s hard to believe, but this

system costs 200 dollars. We

suggest you save your money,

go buy some stamps, and then

start a letter campaign to your

local elected official to get

these speakers off the market

before anyone actually pur-

chases them.

—JOSH NOREM

Blue-light special on Aisle 7? No, the blue lights are LEDs that flash

in sync with the music.

Good for a laugh, and they function when turned on.

WARREN G

KENNY G

Too numerous to list.

$200, http://www.rwti.net

MA XIMUMPCVERDICT 3

Plays: MP3, WMA (incl. protected files), Audible