I just bought one.

OMG. I love it.

I love it so much I am seriously considering buying another one.

What is so great about it?

I bought a FIIO X1 just over a year ago. I love that too. I bought it because I wanted something that I could use to play audio-book mp3 files and I wanted something that would support big micro SD cards. If you listen to a lot of audio-books, you do not want to mix them on a player with music files unless you are happy to mess around with bookmarks so as not to lose your place in your current audio-book when you switch to music. I did try some music on the X1 and the quality was super - as good as I could want from a mobile device given that it is music to listen to while walking about, cooking, hacking code etc.

I had decided to buy another X1 to use for music. Then the M3 appeared. Half the price of the X1, still supporting micro SDXC cards with user reports that it is happy with 200G cards.

I bought one from Computer Lounge in Auckland - first time I have been there - and moved my audio-book micro SDXC card there.

I copied my music collection to a fresh memory card in the X1 and while that was going on, I listened to a few sample music tracks that were still on my audio-book memory card in my new M3. Again, great quality, as I good as I would ask for in a mobile player. I cannot tell the difference between the M3 and the XI which is what you would expect given that I am listening to high bit rate mp3 files and not loss-less formats.

OK, given that I now have an X1 full of music and an M3 full of audio-books, why would I consider buying another M3?

Compared to the X1, the M3 is tiny and light. On a lanyard it is inconspicuous unlike the X1 that weighs enough to remind me that my ageing neck can no longer support even an alto sax with a simple neck strap. So yeah, an additional M3 for music is now on my list.

Love it.

Some hard facts: X1, around NZ$200, M3 half that.