FINIS Neptune Swimming MP3 Participant In-Intensity Evaluation

When FINIS introduced the brand new Neptune swimming MP3 participant two months in the past I used to be skeptical.  I used to be beautiful pleased with the former era – the SwiMP3.  It used to be smaller, and and thus for many swimmers, that’s a essential promoting level. However after the usage of it a bit of, I’ve shaped some other critiques on it – which may wonder you.

As a result of I need to be clear about my evaluations – FINIS despatched me a last manufacturing Neptune unit to check out.  Later this week I’ll ship it again to FINIS after which move out and get my very own (so as to fortify y’all within the feedback segment down the street). Easy as that. Sorta like mountain climbing in desolate tract trails – go away simplest footprints. If you happen to in finding my evaluation helpful, you’ll be able to use any of the Amazon or Artful Coaching hyperlinks from this web page to lend a hand fortify long run evaluations.

Finally, on the finish of the day take into account I’m similar to every other common athlete in the market. I write those evaluations as a result of I’m inherently a curious individual with a era background, and thus I attempt to be as whole as I will. However, if I’ve ignored one thing or if you happen to spot one thing that doesn’t slightly jive – simply let me know and I’ll be at liberty to get all of it looked after out. Additionally, since the era global repeatedly adjustments, I attempt to return and replace those evaluations as new options and capability are added – or if insects are mounted.

So – with that intro, let’s get into issues.

Unboxing:

First step is unboxing the FINIS Neptune.  FINIS had followed a brand new field taste, which seems approach nicer than the older yellow/black containers they’ve used.

While you open the highest you’ll pull out the inner field.  That is the place the Neptune is putting out, sitting in virtually the similar positioning that you simply’ll in the long run put on it.  On the similar time the registration card will most likely fall out.

While you sell off the contents of the field out, right here’s what you’ll in finding.  I’ll stroll via each and every merchandise in my view.

As at all times, we get our greens out of the way in which first – on this case, the instruction handbook.

Subsequent we’ve were given the little mesh baggie to retailer the Neptune in whilst now not swimming.  I’m now not a large fan of little baggies, however I’d if truth be told counsel the usage of this as opposed to simply throwing it on your huge swim bag un-bagged.  The reason is that as a result of the skinny headphones wires you need to simply get them stuck up on a random snorkel and doubtlessly in a second of expediency – rip them.  Which…can be dangerous.

Subsequent on our adventure is the USB charging cable.  On one finish is a typical USB plug in your laptop (or an outlet).  At the different finish is a customized connector for the Neptune.  Earlier SwiMP3 & AquaPulse customers will word it is a other design than that unit, the place the connector used to be constructed into the tool.  This connector will have to get to the bottom of problems some people had with corrosion of the particular USB plug that went into your laptop.

In spite of everything, we’ve were given the Neptune itself.

Right here’s the again.  The yellow portion is the place your swim goggle straps slide via.

And at the backside you’ve were given the charging/add connector port.  Once more word the customized connector as opposed to ordinary.  Additionally word that no protector quilt is needed.

In spite of everything, we’ve were given the 2 earphones themselves.  Those use jawbone conduction, which means that that the sound is transmitted the usage of vibrations.  This has been used with a good bit of good fortune in different merchandise, and is truly one of the crucial very best tactics I’ve noticed to get audio for your head underwater.

One earphone comprises a play/pause button, whilst the opposite simply comprises a Neptune spear (neatly technically the Trident, from the Roman god of the ocean and freshwater).  You’ll additionally understand that there’s a small house above each and every of the ones the place your goggle strap will slide via – maintaining them for your head.

And right here’s the phase that touches your head.  Simply sorta like large pads.

With the whole lot unboxed, let’s move forward and get all of it setup.

Setup and Configuration:

Now putting in place the Neptune is if truth be told beautiful simple.  If truth be told, the one factor to truly setup from a technical perspective is striking  your track on it.  To take action you’ll simply plug it in.  No wi-fi switch right here.

The tool enumerates onto a pc as a normal USB mass garage tool – the similar as a normal USB thumbdrive.  This implies it’s appropriate with PC, Mac, Android pills and with regards to each and every different computing tool on earth with the exception of that Commodore 64 nonetheless in my folks’ storage.

While you’ve carried out so, you’ll see it indexed inside of your drives for your laptop:

And then, you’ll be able to move forward and switch information.  I in my opinion simply switch them onto the tool in the similar approach that I’ve them saved on my laptop.  In the end all of that is if truth be told overlooked regardless that.

In many ways, the tool isn’t extraordinarily clever in that it will probably’t learn the more than a few metadata tags at the track information itself and enumerate that into any categorised show past the artist and album metadata.  It pulls this data from the metadata fields for: “Album artist”, “Contributing artists”, and “Album” fields.  It gained’t use such things as “Style”, “Yr”, and so forth…

Then, inside of each and every album folder you’ll have the MP3 (or an identical) information themselves:

(Should you’re focused on my track tastes, Reidar is a neighborhood Seattle band that certainly one of my high-school buddies is the drummer on.  The others are extra widely recognized.)

The unit doesn’t fortify any type of playlists (reminiscent of more than a few playlist document requirements).  As a substitute, it simplest helps surroundings explicit songs as ‘Favorites’ from the unit itself – which, is only a wee little bit of a ache.  However extra on that later.

From a document structure perspective the unit can simplest play unencrypted/non-protected information.  Which means that some songs it’s possible you’ll obtain from more than a few services and products are DRM-protects (aka rights secure) to an authenticated person account to stop piracy.  The ones information gained’t play.

Right here’s the document sorts that do play: MP3, AAC, WMA (all non-protected)

In spite of everything, a few of you’ve requested about audio books and the like.  Whilst the unit does fortify them simply advantageous so long as they aren’t secure, I in finding it beautiful arduous to pay attention to the phrases with the water splaying about from time to time.  You’ll do it, and switch up the quantity a number, nevertheless it will not be crystal transparent whilst you’re full-speed forward in the course of a slew of fifty’s.  So do stay that during thoughts.

Now that we’ve were given track at the unit, let’s dive into the pool.

Options and Capability:

The very first thing we’ll wish to do is flip the unit on.  That can sound easy (and it’s), nevertheless it’s necessary to grasp you want to carry down the ‘On’ button (Play/Pause at the unit) for 5 complete seconds.  Now not 3, now not 4, neither two nor one.  5.  As soon as that’s completed you’ll be introduced right here:

That is certainly one of two top-level menu choices.  There’s ‘Tune’, and ‘Settings’.  The whole thing at the unit exists underneath a kind of two choices.  Additionally of word is that the display will routinely flip off (to avoid wasting battery) after 20 seconds with out contact. Merely faucet up/right down to have it flip again on once more.

To navigate into the ‘Tune’ segment, merely press the ‘Play/Pause’ button (higher proper) at the unit.  If you want to return up the menu, you’ll be able to faucet the little ‘Go back/Again’ button (decrease proper).  As soon as in Tune, you’ll be right here:

Inside this menu you’ve the 3 alternatives:

1) Play All Songs (aka ‘The Nuclear choice’)
2) Artists
3) Favorites

Now, the primary selection is relatively glaring.  It simply begins enjoying the whole lot you’ve.  You’ll make a selection within the settings the method to have shuffle on or off.  Clearly I desire shuffle on if I’m the usage of the the whole lot choice.

Subsequent we’ve were given the ‘Artists’ choice.  This feature enumerates the names of the artists out of your track information.  As famous above it makes use of the information from the “Album artist” or “Contributing artists” metadata fields.

As soon as inside of a given artist, it’ll then enumerate the albums from that, the usage of the metadata box “Album”.  Right here you’re given the selection to dive right into a unmarried album, or play all albums from a given artist.  If you choose to “Play All Albums” from that artist, then it’ll instantly start to play all songs.

Assuming you’ve decided on an album you’ll be able to play all songs in that album or only a unmarried tune in that album.

At this level you’ll be able to press the ‘Play/Pause’ button to started rocking out.  The unit will show the tune title after which a growth bar appearing the time of each and every tune.

Moreover, alongside the highest you’ll see the choices you’ve decided on for repeat/shuffle/and so forth…

If you wish to pause the tune, you’ll be able to accomplish that from the principle unit itself, or from the aspect of your ‘headphones’.  That is at hand within the tournament you want to have a dialog on the finish of your lane and need to in brief silence Britney Spears.

You’ll build up/lower quantity the usage of the 2 up/down arrows.  It is going from mute to truly rattling loud.  No, severely.  At the loudest surroundings whilst above water (i.e. at finish of lane) you’ll simply listen it a couple of lanes away.  Whilst underwater, it’s truly simplest heard by means of you.

The closing method to pay attention to track is inside the ‘Favorites’ segment.

The issue with favorites is that it’s extremely tedious.  You’ve principally gotta construct your personal handbook playlist at the tool itself, by means of wandering via all of your artists, then albums, then tracks, to search out the songs you need.  As soon as there, you’ll be able to upload/transparent them to favorites by means of merely conserving down the ‘Go back/Again’ button for a 2nd or so:

After which as soon as in favorites, you’ll be able to move forward and play them – like a playlist.  With the exception of, you recognize, with out being a real playlist document.  Thus, no moving it off for your PC, nor enhancing it there.  I truly want that even supposing the unit couldn’t perceive playlist information, then I want they’d have allowed the method to merely put all favourite songs in a easy folder – reminiscent of a folder known as ‘Favorites’.

At any fee, you’ll have spotted above that whilst you grasp down the ‘Go back/Again’ button you’ll be able to additionally toggle ‘Repeat’ and ‘Shuffle’ settings, in addition to exchange the equalizer mode and outright delete the document.  The equalizer modes are ‘Flat’, ‘Bass’, ‘Pop’, ‘Rock’, and ‘Jazz’:

With all of the enjoying purposes coated, I’ll briefly dip again into settings.

There’s now not a ton of choices right here we haven’t already coated, however right here’s what’s within the settings:

1) Shuffle (On/Off)
2) Repeat (Off/All/One)
3) Equalizer (Flat/Bass/Pop/Rock/Jazz)
4) Screensaver (10s/20s/30s/1m)
5) PowerSave (Off/1m/2m/5m/10m)
6) Device Data (Shows firmware model, general area, and loose area)
7) Repair Defaults
8) Language (English/French/Spanish/German/Italian/Portuguese)

The only price noting that we haven’t mentioned is the PowerSave characteristic, which is able to routinely close off the unit after the desired time frame if now not in use.  This turns out to be useful if post-workout you fail to remember to show it off.  I’ve been ready to come back again to my Neptune every week+ later and now have a number of battery left, in spite of leaving it on after the pool.

Additionally, for loss of anyplace else to position it, the Neptune is obtainable as a 4GB unit, and the whole usable area is 3,862MB.

Now that we’ve coated all of the purposes within the tool, let’s give a snappy evaluation of if truth be told swimming with it.

Swimming with the Neptune:

Step one within the pool is getting the item hooked up for your goggles.  Now technically you’ll be able to if truth be told connect it for your goggles after you’ve put the goggles for your head.  However I in finding it more uncomplicated to simply get all of it settled pre-goggle donning.

The again of the unit the place the yellow clip is will slide over the again of your goggles.  Chances are you’ll wish to alter issues reasonably if that occurs to be the precise spot the place your goggle strap clip is.  Or, simply have it reasonably off-kilter.

Then, you’ll need to connect the earphone parts for your goggles.  Now, it’s necessary you set those in the proper orientation – if for no different explanation why than you’ll glance wonky in a different way.

I’ve just a little trick to remembering, albeit foolish.  See the little pitchfork emblem at the proper aspect?  That are meant to be dealing with upwards.  Now whilst the spear  is meant to remind you of the Roman god, as a substitute, it strikes a chord in my memory of a satan’s spear.  Which in flip strikes a chord in my memory to indicate the sharp ends upwards, so you seem like you’ve little satan’s horns.  Sure, you’ll be able to thank me now – you’ll by no means fail to remember which approach they move once more.

Subsequent, flip the Neptune on.  Whilst in time you’ll recover at navigating the menu in the back of your head, for now it’s very best to get the whole lot all grew to become on (keep in mind – grasp down that ‘Play/Pause’ button for 5 complete seconds).

As soon as that’s carried out, navigate to no matter tune/artist/album/fake-playlist you propose to hear and press play to get it began.  Then, press the ‘Play/Pause’ button once more if you wish to have it grasp from enjoying till you’re in a position to begin swimming.

With that, get the entire mess onto your head.

Adequate, assuming you didn’t strangle your self within the procedure you will have to be just right to head.  You’ll now get started your track the usage of the left earphone by means of urgent the yellow Play/Pause button.  There’s just one button, and simplest on one aspect – so it’s sorta arduous to make a mistake.

If you want to regulate quantity as it’s too loud/quiet, merely achieve in the back of you and press the up/down buttons (at the left aspect), which is able to exchange the quantity at the fly mid-song.

Be aware that the unit claims 8 hours of battery existence.  When it will get too low, it’ll alert you:

From right here, it’s only a topic of swimming with it.  The unit performs track by means of if truth be told sending vibrations for your listen by means of bone conduction.  Somewhat than me attempt to play physician and provide an explanation for it, I’m going to defer to this tiny little snippet of textual content and graphic:

I’ve had no problems in listening to the track the usage of the bone conduction means, and usually like it to earphones.  I dislike earphones for a couple of causes.  First is that you simply’ve gotta in finding the easiest set of earbuds in your ears.  Many of the swimming MP3 avid gamers in the market do come with a collection of various sizes, however I’ve discovered that what works on land doesn’t at all times paintings within the pool – so it takes a couple of periods to select the suitable ones.  2d is that some (however now not all) of the opposite gadgets in the marketplace require that the headphone plug use a specialised water resistant plug – which means that that if for some explanation why the plug isn’t tight (most often they screw in), then you need to kill your unit.  While with regards to the Neptune, there’s no approach I will fail to remember to do any waterproofing similar process.  It’s at all times in a state of waterproofness.

As famous previous on, there’s no cap/quilt for the connector port at the unit itself.  It’s totally waterproofed – and just about looks as if maximum watch connectors at the moment.  Two prongs for knowledge switch, and two prongs for energy/charging.

In step with the handbook, the unit is protected to make use of in contemporary water in addition to saltwater.  And all over my checking out I’ve used it in each with none hints of corrosion creating, even if I used to be lax in rinsing it off post-use (reasonably on goal).  Although, the handbook does counsel giving it a snappy freshwater (i.e. faucet water) rinse after use – which, btw, is a good suggestion anytime you’ve electronics within the pool.

Now, I do need to indicate that whilst it’s completely protected to make use of the unit in openwater (salt or contemporary), I’d extremely counsel now not doing so.  The reason is it’ll in the long run stay you from listening to the boat that’s going to run you over.  That further 3-4 seconds of listening to the boat engine whirring against you’ll be able to actually imply the adaptation between popping out of the water alive or now not.  There are many instances of openwater swimmers getting hit annually.  Don’t transform certainly one of them.  Additionally, believe the usage of an openwater swim buoy, like the only I reviewed again a couple of months in the past.  A couple of greenbacks is definitely price it.

Oh, and after all as an FYI, the Neptune will if truth be told waft, like a duck:

Thus within the extremely not going tournament it falls off your head in openwater, no less than it gained’t sink to the ground.

Swimming Tune Participant Marketplace Comparability:

I did an enormous swimming MP3 participant submit up to now, evaluating all of the choices in the marketplace on the time.  Since then, there if truth be told haven’t been too many new entrants.  There’s been a brand new Sony unit that turns out unimaginable to obtain (my order remains to be in a pending state, months later), however in a different way it’s just about the similar scenario as prior to.

In my earlier advice I discovered all gadgets have been usually beautiful just right, however I truly preferred the SwimMP3 (additionally a FINIS product just like the Neptune) as a result of I didn’t must care for headphones.  Given the whole lot, my simplest exchange to that submit can be to exchange the SwimMP3 advice to that of the Neptune.  After all, that’s essentially in accordance with my choice for bone conduction over earbuds.  Now not as a lot since the unit has extra/higher general options.  In many ways, you’ve gotta focal point at the fundamentals right here: Enjoying track underwater that you’ll be able to if truth be told listen.

The Neptune turns out to deal with the former SwimMP3 explicit problems that some customers have reported across the USB port being corroded, by means of going to a non-standard USB connector.  As at all times regardless that, time will inform there.  However I haven’t noticed any problems but.  And I will’t say I’ve been nice about rinsing it post-swim both (together with salt-water swimming pools).

Abstract:

In spite of the older FINIS SwiMP3 being discontinued and the Neptune being the alternative shifting ahead, I don’t have any considerations recommending it for people taking a look to swim with track.  Fortunately the associated fee hasn’t shifted – it’s nonetheless $139US.  It really works just about precisely such as you’d be expecting (minus playlists).  Whilst I want it will settle for secure information, I perceive the relatively complicated technical demanding situations related to that.

The sound high quality is just right – inside the confines of the truth that you’ve were given a number of speeding water round your head, so this isn’t a Bose sound device, however unquestionably of excessive sufficient high quality to stay you occupied, if now not making a song along side the track.

Professionals:

– No issues of quantity point being too quiet
– Show makes for simple tune selection operation, easy
– Lots more room than earlier variations, 4GB now
– New charging connector will have to get to the bottom of any corrosion problems

Cons:

– No playlist capability
– Can’t play secure information
– I will’t keep in mind, did I point out ‘no playlist capability’?

With that, thank you for studying!  As at all times, be at liberty to drop any questions underneath and I’ll be at liberty to respond to!

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With a bit of luck you discovered this evaluation helpful.  On the finish of the day, I’m an athlete similar to you searching for essentially the most element imaginable on a brand new acquire – so my evaluation is written from the perspective of ways I used the tool.  The evaluations usually take numerous hours to position in combination, so it’s a good bit of labor (and hard work of affection).  As you most likely spotted by means of taking a look underneath, I additionally take time to respond to all of the questions posted within the feedback – and there’s slightly a bit of of element in there as neatly.

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