Tiny music player that I can download music onto

[CharlotteBog]

I am a stumped.

I run. I don't take my phone, but take a tiny mp3 player.
Over the years I've gone from ripping cds onto my laptop and copying them to the player, to buying music in the Apple Store and converting to mp3 then copying to the player and it's all just got so complicated that I don't bother anymore. I have been listening to the same set of music for years.

I have Spotify premium. I can download music into my Spotify library.

How do I then get this onto my little player?

I have a Mac. I have Spotify on the Mac.
I see there are many different 'convert to mp3 apps' but they all seem so clunky and complicated.

Am I missing something?

I don't want to run with something that needs a network - it's sketchy when I'm out and about.

There's nothing complicated about getting MP3s onto an MP3 player. Save them on your PC/laptop hard drive, connect the MP3 player and drag them across.

You may need to convert files to MP3. That's not complicated either, but if you're not prepared to make any kind of effort to learn then it isn't going to happen.

I used tiny battery MP3 players for years, for running/walking/backpacking, but sadly there are far fewer available now since so many people use a phone. You can still get them, though. If you're prepared to do a bit of research then look on Amazon and Google them for reviews.

Wireless headphones are much better than wired, btw, for running, but of course stay with wired if you prefer. I use Shokz bone-conducting headphones now.

You can buy a usb disc drive, if that helps? Plugs in!

Obviously you should not Google 'youtube MP3 converter' websites and copy and paste the Youtube urls of songs you want into there. Because ripping copywrite music is illegal.

You may need to convert files to MP3. That's not complicated either, but if you're not prepared to make any kind of effort to learn then it isn't going to happen.

I have done this in the past with older lap tops. It was clunky and time consuming. Would you mind sharing how to do it since it's not complicated?
I have admitted that I have found the information online complicated.

There's nothing complicated about getting MP3s onto an MP3 player. Save them on your PC/laptop hard drive, connect the MP3 player and drag them across.

What is your source of mp3s please?

Wireless headphones are much better than wired, btw, for running, but of course stay with wired if you prefer. I use Shokz bone-conducting headphones now.

I have been running with wired headphones for many years. I am quite safe.
Shokz are very expensive.

It's possible to download from YouTube into MP3 format, which may be the easiest for you. I'll look on my desktop when I get home later today and post the name of the programme I use, but there are several available. I found I needed to try a few to find one that seemed to work. Over the years some of the ones I've used have stopped working, and I've needed to repeat the process to find new ones.

I'll also ask around for the name of a good app to download files from Spotify and convert to MP3. Will report back later today. (This isn't something I do. I don't use Spotify, and I'm probably decades older than you so have been collecting music files for years, before Spotify etc existed.)

Fair enough about the wired headphones. Shokz are expensive, I agree, but if you ever do look into changing then they are well worth looking at. For many years I had earphones that would start to cause pain after I used them for several hours (long walks, long runs), but that doesn't happen any more.

BTW, that little player that somebody else posted about above would almost definitely be the best solution for you if you could spring for the cost, as it would take all the faff away completely.

Will come back to you here later today.

Thank you @Shiveringinthecountry. It does sound like we've travelled along the same path - I am in my 50s - as I have previously worked my way through various methods on different computers and different devices.

I've just given up before you it seems!

Yes, that Mighty3 looks perfect.

The issue has been prioritised! The clip has snapped.
I got a promotion a couple of months ago so the Mighty 3 might be a nice thing to treat myself to.

As @FriendlyNeighbourhoodAccountant suggests get an external USB plug in CD drive and continue to rip your CDs. The mini player looks good too.

what is it about wireless that doesn't suit you?

I have running ones where the earpieces are connected with wire. they are not plugs but half-in-half-out design so I can hear ambient noise.

That Mighty player looks brilliant but the reviews are not great.

Yes, I've just seen those.

I actually think I might have given up too soon. I didn't ever try the sport ones which hook over the ear.
I'm sure the bluetooth on the ones I tried kept dropping out, too. They were probably not a great pair.

I will do some more research on both players and earphones. I'll have to use my phone in the meantime.

We use a usb disk drive to rip cds to MP3 - you can do this easily using something like vlc player or similar. Then just upload to MP3 player. We still use the SanDisk clipjam mp3 player.

You also have the option to buy an external disk drive, that you can plug into your laptop to use to move music from your CDs to your laptop. If you spend some time doing them all you can save to your laptop and resell the disc drive when you’re done? Unless of course you continue to buy CDs!

I have always bought CD’s mainly for the car but my most recent car doesn’t have a cd player and DH has gone on strike for putting them on a usb for me, so I have given up and just stream from my phone now, but appreciate that’s very different in the car to running.

I recently got an AiMoonsa mp3 player as a replacement for my broken iPod - I got it recommended when looking for similar mp3 players. I do have a laptop with an internal CD drive, but second the suggestion of an external one since you don't.

The thing I'm going to have to try to figure out is how to associate artists and albums with the mp3 file. I could do this on itunes. Not all CDs have been done in such a way that ripping them gives the mp3 the associations. Currently, I'm just using the 'All songs' listing and can't get that much out of Artists and Albums.