Memories of the First MP3 Player

Recollections of the First MP3 Participant

Marc Sanchez

MARCH 15, 2008

Full Episode Audio

World’s First MP3 Participant.

(Courtesy Eliot Van Buskirk)

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Eliot Van Buskirk remembers that day the primary MP3 participant got here out. He was a part of a techie crew that acquired to test-drive it.

Eliot Van Buskirk: Effectively, the primary time I noticed the Eiger Labs MPMan F20, I used to be simply strolling down certainly one of CNET’s cubicle farms. This was a typical dot-com arrange. And, simply by sheer probability, I see this man decide up a bit black field that is hooked up to his pc, disconnect it, plug in headphones, stroll away. And it blew my thoughts.

To start with, it solely matches 10 songs, so you do not have to fret an excessive amount of about navigation — however the navigation that was there was very a lot what you’d have on a CD participant. Quick ahead, pause, rewind. After which there’s a bit show that solely reveals you the variety of the monitor, so you do not truly see what’s enjoying. I believe they have been considering, ‘Effectively, that is the primary technology, possibly this entire MP3 participant factor will not take off. Perhaps the following technology will begin displaying track names.’

The MPMan I’ve now sounds about pretty much as good as an iPod. It is form of like a type of mosquitoes trapped in amber, or one thing, as a result of I’ve misplaced the parallel port cable that you just use to place songs on to the system. I am nonetheless caught with those self same 5 songs that I loaded on there initially. And, the primary track is one which I recorded myself referred to as, “This Means Bwahr.”

After which the final two songs are by My Bloody Valentine. There’s an instrumental referred to as “Instrumental B.” And at last is “Quickly,” which might be their best-known monitor. I am truly pleased to say I am nonetheless into My Bloody Valentine, and I’ve tickets to go see them in Glasgow, Scotland, on July third.

Within the early days, 10 years in the past, I felt like I used to be one of many solely individuals who knew about these items, and for concerning the first two years, I reviewed each single participant. After all, that is inconceivable now. There are literally thousands of completely different fashions. For some time there, it was a really small celebration. It felt like being a part of an unique membership, simply realizing that this was going to alter the world and no one knew that but.

The MPMan, with it is pure dedication to audio, that is truly one thing that I nonetheless like in a tool. I needn’t watch little movies all over the place I’m going. There’s been lots of discuss concerning the MP3 participant disappearing, and it is simply going to soften into the cellphone. And to me, for the intense music fan, it is going to be actually laborious for a multi-functional system like a cellphone to actually provide the expertise you want. The absolute best music expertise is simply going to return from a tool that solely does music.

• Music Bridge:

  Opal Periods

  Artist: Donnacha Costello

  CD:
  Colorseries

  (Minimise)

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