First of all, the H300 series is composed of two separate models. The H320 is the 20 GB version while the H340 is the 40 GB one. Both are set as direct competition against Apple's iPod line. Both have identical features as far as software is concerned. Although this review is based on the H340, it can be generalized as a reference to H320 as well. Other than model differences, iRiver released two different versions of H340, both of which come in different packages as far as the included-accessories are concerned. North America receives what is called by iRiver enthusiasts as the "U.S. version", while the "International version" is sold everywhere else in the world. While the two versions do have some superficial as well as substantial differences, they are essentially the same core products.
With that said, here is what the iRiver H340 offers (both U.S. and International versions):
*44Khz/128Kbps/Volume 20/Normal EQ
Accessories included (both versions):
I know that I said earlier that there are some substantial differences between the U.S. and International versions, with the biggest difference being the result of 1.27 firmware update, but I will get around to that at the end after covering the common features.
Sound
For a true audiophile, the sound quality perhaps ranks as the number one concern. However, due to the highly subjective nature of sound perception, I will compare the iRiver H340 to the 40G iPod. The iRiver's biggest advantage in sound reproduction is its excellent bass and treble balance. To demonstrate the superior audio quality, iRiver includes not only the standard EQ settings such as jazz, classical, rock, as well as user-defined, but also SRS, U.Bass, TruBass, and WOW. Out of all of the aforementioned EQ settings, the SRS and WOW perhaps demonstrate the best use of the H340's superior sound production as they are enhanced 3D audio, while all of the rest exhibited very minimal distortion. The same can not be said about the iPod.
As far as audio file support goes, the H340 supports MPEG 1/2/2.5 Layer 3, OGG Vorbis, WMA, and ASF. The difference in between the U.S. version and the International version is that U.S. version supports 8Kbps ~ 320 Kbps, while International version supports 32Kbps as its lowest quality setting. Both versions have identical support for OGG Vorbis from 32Kbps ~ 500Kbps. With the latest firmware updates, the H340 also expanded its support to WAV files.
Also factoring in to sound quality is inevitably the headphones. Right out of the box, both the U.S. and International versions come packed with the Sennheiser MX 400. The MX 400's technical features match the H340 nicely, as its rated frequency is from 18 ~ 20,000 Hz, compared to the H340's stated 20 ~ 20,000 Hz. Combined, the headphones and the unit are able to achieve noticeably superior sound to the 40G iPod right out of the box. The headphones themselves, of course, had "iRiver" printed on the sides. It should be noted though, that the iPod also claims a frequency range of 20 ~ 20,000 Hz, but the difference in sound quality is very obvious.
Ease of Use
Unfortunately, the H340 is definitely not the most user-friendly gadget.
Right away, I noticed the distinctively blue "Navi" button. Navi, of course, stands for navigation. Embedded around the Navi button is a rectangular outer strip, with "Previous" and "Next" to the east and west, and "Volume Up" and "Down" at north and south. Located to the left of all those are buttons for "Play/Pause" and "Stop"; to the right are "ABC" and "Record".
While it sounds like a fairly simple set-up, it really gets a lot more complicated and has a steep learning curve for a gadget. First of all, each button's labeled function is only applicable when pressed without being held down in audio play-back mode. Nowhere on the unit is there any instruction of what to do to even turn it on. No, there is no separate on/off button. The "On" function is handled by pressing "Play" with the unit being off, while the "Off" function is achieved by having the "Stop" button pressed and held down -- A little complex for just turning it on or off, right?
Such double functions are apparent in all different modes. For example, during audio playback, if you want to change the EQ setting, you would have to press and hold down the "ABC" button until a small red arrow appears next to the EQ; only then can you finally switch by pressing "ABC" to cycle through different settings.
Moreover, one of the biggest complaints from the H100 series is back: slow text scroll with no possible way to speed it up.
But to the H340's credit, its interface with PC is integrated seamlessly as if it is a mobile hard drive through Windows Explorer, which means you are not required to have special programs in order to download and upload files. In addition, the H340 also supports secure transfer from various programs such as Windows Media Player version 10.0 and higher.
Appearance / Hardware
As far as tech gadgets go, it is undeniable that consumers often go for style as much as they value quality. In terms of style, the H340 unfortunately falls short of the iPod's click-wheel, despite improvements made all around. Its choice of a rugged, canvas-looking outer shell doesn't look nearly as cool as the creamy and smooth appearance of the iPod. However, that is not to say that the H340 is completely without its attractions.
First of all, the 260,000 color LCD screen scores huge bonus points. Even the newly-released iPod Photo only features 65,000 colors. All images are displayed very vividly. To demonstrate the H340's ability to display photos, iRiver included several images including everything from candid shots to nature scenes. However, unlike the iPod Photo, the H340 does not support any slide-show feature, nor support for picture-viewing while listening to music. As far as the text display capability goes, I wouldn't recommend it as it will seriously strain your eyes if you try to read on that screen.
The unit itself is noticeably thicker than an iPod and thus is a lot heavier. In fact, the H340 is among the heaviest MP3 players out on the market. But while it feels heavier than most, it is never cumbersome. The best word to describe H340's feel is "sturdy", and if you're like me, you'll be very thankful for the quality of the H340's physical build as I have dropped mine even onto concrete floors several times already with very minimal superficial scratches.
The built-in lithium-polymer rechargeable battery can achieve a full charge in 4 to 5 hours, which provides up to 16 hours of audio playback under the advertised 44Khz/128Kbps/Volume 20/Normal EQ settings. While I did run a test on advertised setting, and achieved approximately 15 hours of playback on a full charge, I also ran a more realistic test as it is far likely for users to have a mix of all kinds of different qualities with their music files.
The test I ran was using a combination of 128Kbps, 192Kbps, and 256Kbps songs, some of which last as short as 3 minutes while the longest was an hour-long liveset. The music genres were a mix of hip hop, pop, and trance. Volume was set on 25, while I used the best EQ setting in my opinion, which is "WOW". The result was a little disappointing, as the playback time shortened by a few hours down to 10 hours and 31 minutes. However, that is still much better than the old iPods, and certainly put it up to par still against the newer MP3 players.
Miscellaneous Features
The H340 is truly a geek's gadget as it does a wide variety of extra functions. First of all, there's the FM radio reception. The FM radio is only through 2 channels so those fancy EQ settings are impossible. In addition, its playback is only from 87.5 Mhz ~ 108.0 Mhz. However, considering that with the iPod, users would need to buy an iTrip or some other external antennae just to be able to listen to radio at a comparable quality, this is definitely a nice perk. Also, you have the option of recording whatever radio show you are listening to, directly as MP3 files.
Speaking of recording, the voice recorder performs beautifully. Most recently, I had a chance to attend one of President Bush's rallies for Social Security reforms. Of course, I brought the H340 to test out the sound recording in a dome setting that does not feature the best acoustics. Surprisingly, the recording quality was quite high. Though there had been moments of inaudibility, that is more due to the rampant clapping of a mostly-Republican crowd that is prone to passionate responses. Users can also record with an external microphone and tweak options with regards to the quality of the MP3 file. But there is a 187 MB limit on the size of the recording.
In addition, users can also rip music directly from a CD. There is a line-in port to which users can connect a CD player. Then with the press of "record", H340 would start ripping down all the songs and encode it to the user's choice of quality and file format.
Differences Between U.S. and International
With all that said, the H340 is already well worth the current $399 price tag. But the single biggest disappointment with the U.S. version is the fact that it lacks the necessary hardware to support video playback as well as USBOTG.
With the latest firmware upgrades, H340 International version is now able to play video files (AVI) using the Xvid codec. The current limitation is to 10 frames per second, which suits most movies and animated features. But nevertheless, this is a very huge omission. Also omitted is USBOTG, which stands for USB On-The-Go. This enables users to hook up their digital cameras to the H340 directly through the USB 1.1 host port (media port on U.S. version), and store files directly on to the 40 GB hard drive. Thus, if you can hook up a camera capable of digital video, you would be able to turn both in to a single mobile digital video camera with virtually unlimited storage space.
To compound the omissions, iRiver also removed some of the accessories in the U.S. version package that originally came with the International package. As mentioned in the beginning of this review, both versions come with identical headphones, carrying case with detachable belt clip, installation CD, AC adapter, USB cable, audio line-in cable, and user manual. But with the International package, other extras include:
*H340 and H320 cradles are not interchangeable
The H340 cradle is convenient, while the remote control is fairly basic. The external microphone improves the quality of voice recordings even more. But the most useful out of the four is the external battery pack. It uses four AA batteries as a back up source of power. If the player runs out of power on its lithium battery, then you can connect the external battery pack, which attaches itself to the back of the unit and clicks in place securely, and enjoy extended playback.
The easiest way to identify your iRiver H340 other than the accessories (or the lack thereof) is to examine the two USB hook-ups on the bottom. If you have USB 1.1 port labeled as "host", then you have the international version; otherwise you have the U.S. version.
Conclusion
In the end, although the U.S. version is dubbed as H340LE, or the "Lite Edition", at the MSRP of $399, it is a very good deal. Apple chose to avoid a direct comparison by releasing the iPod Photo at 30 GB and 60 GB capacities, just avoiding the 20 GB and 40 GB H300 series. But for an extra $50, you get superior audio quality, 4 times the number of colors on screen, as well as an extra 10 GB of storage space compared to the iPod Photo 30 GB priced at $349.
Of course, there are trade-offs, such as Apple's style and iPod's size, as well as the slide-show aspect. But if you are lucky enough to be able to buy an international version of the H340, then you would find yourself a much happier person, as the USBOTG more than makes up for the lack of slide show feature, not to mention all of the extras you get as a part of the package that you'd have to purchase separately for the iPod Photo.
If you are in the market for a high-end MP3 player that can also be used to impress your friends and is also "different", the iRiver H340 is definitely a nice option.
Editor's Note: It has been pointed out to us that it is possible to flash the US Version of the H340 with an International firmware update in order to gain video playback. However, this doesn't seem to be supported by iRiver and will disable DRM in the player.