Toshiba Gigabeat T400 Multimedia Player - Performance and Audio Quality
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Here are some of the key audio specs for the T400:
Audio Frequency: 20-20,000 Hz
Audio Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 95 dB
Battery Life: 16 hours (audio) and 5 hours (video)
Thanks to the H2C technology I described earlier in this review, the sound quality of the T400 is exceptional. To enjoy this benefit, go to the settings menu and enable the harmonics feature. It is subtle, but effective at giving the sound a bit more of a dynamic feel to it.
The T400 comes equipped with seven equalizer presets, although it doesn't have the same user-definable equalizer that other Gigabeats have. The presets work well for any kind of music, though, so most people will be more than happy with the sound quality. As with most other MP3 players, the included ear buds are okay, but some people may want to substitute an aftermarket pair to get the best listening experience possible from this device. Check out my article about noise-cancellation headphones (coming soon!) for some aftermarket headphone ideas.
The video quality is as impressive as the sound quality. You will have a hard time finding a better video player in this price range. Video, and photos for that matter, appear crisp and clear. Colors are relatively accurate and vivid. It can cause a bit of a strain on your eyes to view the 2.4 inch screen for extended periods of time, but this device isn't designed for full-length movies anyway. In my opinion, the T400 is the currently the best video player in its class, all things considered.
Toshiba rates the battery life for video and audio at 5 hours and 16 hours respectively. The T400's competition outperforms these numbers by almost a two-to-one margin. The iPod Nano will get about 30 hours of music from one charge. Looking beyond the somewhat disappointing battery life, I have read a lot of bad user-reviews about the internal battery that the Gigabeats use. This battery is a lithium-ion rechargeable battery that is charged via the included mini USB cable. Some users have experienced problems with this battery within the first year of owning their Gigabeat device. Because the Gigabeat T400 is still new on the market, I do not have any long term data on battery dependability. So, these may be isolated issues, but that is yet to be seen.
I have also heard some negative things about Toshiba's customer support. From what I hear, it is not as good as some other MP3 player manufacturers out there. But again, I don't have any personal experience with Toshiba's customer support, so I cannot confirm these issues.
These minor issues aside, the Gigabeat T400 is a great media player for under $120. You can expect great sound quality and a good video viewing experience. For those who are familiar with Windows Media Player, and who currently use a Windows XP or higher OS, this would be great choice for your next media player.
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