The only decent player that's actually moddable afaik is the ipod classics, I'd honestly suggest just getting a used one in good condition/refurbished if you can otherwise Answer from Deleted User on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/digitalaudioplayer › recommendations for 2000s/2010s mp3 player?
r/DigitalAudioPlayer on Reddit: recommendations for 2000s/2010s mp3 player?
July 21, 2025 -
hello, ive recently got into offline music and am looking for an older mp3 player from around the 2000s/2010s with good sound quality. kind of struggling with knowing what are the most important specs / brands / models to look into (on yt theres a lot of talk about the ipod classic 5.5 gen, but i want to see what else is out there).
key qualities:
- easily moddable / replaceable battery and storage
- aesthetics: NOT touch screen – i love buttons so much (vibrant colors would be nice but not necessary; love the look of older sony walkman mp3 in the E/S series)
- budget friendly (< $100 but preferably < $70 i am sadly a broke college student)
would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions :)
Top answer 1 of 6
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The only decent player that's actually moddable afaik is the ipod classics, I'd honestly suggest just getting a used one in good condition/refurbished if you can otherwise
2 of 6
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nah, dont do it. these will have issue connecting to modern operating systems, battery issues and more. dumb idea.
Manifest-tech
manifest-tech.com › ce_gallery › portable_gallery_players.htm
Portable Media Player Gallery - 2000s
Audio: Stereo MP3 @ 30-320 Kbits/s CBR & VBR, WMA / Protected, WAV (PCM/ADPCM), AAC (not protected), AAC+ stereo, Ogg Vorbis to 320kbs @44hz, Flac to 1000kbs @44hz.
What was your first portable music device in the early 2000s?
How you mentioning early 2000s but not showing any cassette players nor CD players? My mom got her first MP3 player in 2004 and she was considered "hip". I didn't listen to music portably until I was already in my preteens, but my first portable audio player was a fake Chinese Aiwa that my mom bought me for my studies around 2002-2003. My dad had a real Aiwa lol. (forgot to mention it's cassette player) In around 2006-2007 I got my first MP3/MP4 player. I think it could play videos but I never put any on it cuz my stoopid ass couldn't figure out how. Or it just couldn't play videos. I don't even remember. It had a very sleek appearance or so I thought. Glossy black front with a brushed metal back. It was quite literally a slab form factor without any buttons on the surface. The "buttons" are touch keys like on the PS3, and would illuminate in red colour. It was cool at the time, but nowadays I prefer tactile buttons. The screen had a sticker on it when it was brand new with a picture of an attractive tanned women wearing what was probably crop tank top and low rise jeans, so basically the most 2005-2007 picture ever created. Tomb Raider Legends vibes, back when they changed Lara Croft's design for a brief time. Such a 2000s moment, honestly. More on reddit.com
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September 2, 2023recommendations for 2000s/2010s mp3 player?
The only decent player that's actually moddable afaik is the ipod classics, I'd honestly suggest just getting a used one in good condition/refurbished if you can otherwise More on reddit.com
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July 21, 2025Looking for the name of an old MP3 player from the early 2000s
Try doing a Google image search for "old mp3 players" More on reddit.com
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November 11, 2019[TOMT][Music player device][Early 2000s] Some sort of electronic mp3 music player that was marketed towards kids!
Commenting for approval! But also one other detail I remember: It came in different colors like a Tamagotchi. I PROMISE I'M NOT DESCRIBING A TAMAGOTCHI, unless there was a Tamagotchi that played music lol. Also, this might have been a given, but it obviously had a 3.5mm jack for headphones. HOWEVER, and it just came to me as I wrote this comment, I believe that another striking design figure was that the device had a 3.5mm tip that flipped out of it!! Put this in the "may or may not have been true" category, but I do vaguely remember it having that feature! And I believe that's how it "recorded" music from like radios and CD players, for example. More on reddit.com
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June 29, 2020Videos
Facebook
facebook.com › groups › 1624257187672486 › posts › 7187945261303623
Which mp3 player did you own in the early 2000s?
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eBay
ebay.com › electronics › portable audio & headphones › ipods & mp3 players › vintage mp3 player
Vintage Mp3 Player for sale - eBay
Explore vintage MP3 players like the Diamond Rio 500 and Apple iPod Classic. Relive the nostalgia. Shop Vintage MP3 Players on eBay!
MensXP
mensxp.com › home › technology › tech hacks
5 Iconic MP3 Players From The 2000s That We Wish They Still Made Today For Music Lovers
July 12, 2020 - We compiled a list of the most iconic MP3 players from the 2000s that we all remember from the period, and wish that they were available even today as they provided a great musical experience.
Vintage Computer Federation
forum.vcfed.org › index.php
Vintage Computer Federation Forums
2 days ago - A group of folks that like to bring life back to old systems.
Retropunk
retropunk.substack.com › p › mp3-players-were-the-pinnacle-of
MP3 Players were the Pinnacle of Portable Music
August 1, 2023 - With flash storage becoming the standard by the mid-2000s we started to see the devices shrink and take on a personality of their own. It seemed like every consumer tech company out there started producing their own with a great degree of variance in quality, but it was the 2000s... that’s just kind of how everything was. A collection of MP3 players circa 2003-2008.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/zillennials › what was your first portable music device in the early 2000s?
r/Zillennials on Reddit: What was your first portable music device in the early 2000s?
September 2, 2023 -
One way to age ourselves among the young zoomer and alpha populations is that we remember a time when there was no streaming and you had to download music to an MP3 player. Or if we really want to take it back we remember when music was only available on a CD format.
I knew one kid in 5th grade (2006) used his PSP to listen to music and watch x rated films ctfu. Around the same time I was given cd Walkman but felt outdated, then a year later I got the iPod shuffle for Christmas . Do you remember what your first portable music device was?
Top answer 1 of 57
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How you mentioning early 2000s but not showing any cassette players nor CD players? My mom got her first MP3 player in 2004 and she was considered "hip". I didn't listen to music portably until I was already in my preteens, but my first portable audio player was a fake Chinese Aiwa that my mom bought me for my studies around 2002-2003. My dad had a real Aiwa lol. (forgot to mention it's cassette player) In around 2006-2007 I got my first MP3/MP4 player. I think it could play videos but I never put any on it cuz my stoopid ass couldn't figure out how. Or it just couldn't play videos. I don't even remember. It had a very sleek appearance or so I thought. Glossy black front with a brushed metal back. It was quite literally a slab form factor without any buttons on the surface. The "buttons" are touch keys like on the PS3, and would illuminate in red colour. It was cool at the time, but nowadays I prefer tactile buttons. The screen had a sticker on it when it was brand new with a picture of an attractive tanned women wearing what was probably crop tank top and low rise jeans, so basically the most 2005-2007 picture ever created. Tomb Raider Legends vibes, back when they changed Lara Croft's design for a brief time. Such a 2000s moment, honestly.
2 of 57
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The first one I can vividly remember is this Sony Walkman (or a similar one). My first MP3 player was a 2nd Gen iPod Nano.
Pinterest
pinterest.com › explore › electronics › usb storage › usb mp3 player 2000s
Usb Mp3 Player 2000s
Discover Pinterest’s best ideas and inspiration for Usb mp3 player 2000s.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Portable_media_player
Portable media player - Wikipedia
November 23, 2025 - In July 2002, Apple introduced the second generation update to the iPod, which was compatible with Windows computers through Musicmatch Jukebox. iPods quickly became the most popular DAP product and led the fast growth of this market during the early and mid 2000s. In 2002, Archos released the first PMP, the Archos Jukebox Multimedia with a little 1.5" colour screen. The next year, Archos released another multimedia jukebox, the AV300, with a 3.8" screen and a 20 GB hard drive. In the same year, Toshiba released the first Gigabeat. In 2003, Dell launched a line of portable digital music players called Dell DJ.
Bio Break
biobreak.wordpress.com › 2020 › 10 › 26 › nostalgia-lane-mp3-players-of-the-past
Nostalgia Lane: MP3 players of the past – Bio Break
October 26, 2020 - My very, very first MP3 player was a Creative Jukebox Zen, which I got in the early 2000s back when iPods weren’t playing nice with Windows. This was a very bulky and heavy unit, but I fell in love with the ability to take all my music with ...
Pinterest
pinterest.com › pin › retro-2000s-mp3-player--1010847078865943447
2000s MP3 Player
May 12, 2024 - Mp3 Player 2000s · Purple Mp3 Player 2000s · Pink Mp3 Player 2000s · Pink Portable Cd Player · Y2k Dvd Player · Street Fashion Men Streetwear · Mp3 Players · Equalizer · Mp3 Player · Save · Crazy CatMom ·
NPR
npr.org › sections › monitormix › 2009 › 11 › slideshow_a_decade_of_mp3_play.html
Slideshow: A Decade Of MP3 Players : Monitor Mix : NPR
November 9, 2009 - Slideshow: A Decade Of MP3 Players : Monitor Mix For nostalgia's sake, let's a take a look back at what MP3 players used to look like.
Etsy
etsy.com › ca › listing › 1756537528 › 2000s-mp3-cd-player-new-old-stock
2000s MP3 - CD Player, New Old Stock, Vintage Portable Disc Player, Retro Music Player, Collectible, Fully Functional - Etsy Canada
2000s MP3 - CD Player, New Old Stock, Vintage Portable Disc Player, Retro Music Player, Collectible, Fully Functional
🎶 2000s MP3/CD Player 🎶
Experience the nostalgia with this stunning vintage portable disc player from the 2000s! 🌟 This New Old Stock MP3/CD player is in mint condition and ready to bring retro music vibes into your life. Whether you're a collector or simply love vintage tech, this device is a must-have. 📀✨
Features:
🌟 New Old Stock: Unused and in perfect condition.
🎵 Retro Music Player: Enjoy your favorite CDs and MP3s with a touch of vintage charm.
🚀 Anti-Shock Protection: Smooth and uninterrupted music experience.
🌍 International Free Express Shipping: Fast and secure delivery worldwide.
Price $128.57
TikTok
tiktok.com › new saint (@ivoasanto) | tiktok › did anyone have one of these mp3 players bro 😭 #early2000s #mp3players #music #ipod #ipodnano #greenscreen
Did anyone have one of these mp3 players bro 😭 #early2000s #mp3players #music #ipod #ipodnano #greenscreen | TikTok
28K Likes, 693 Comments. TikTok video from NEW SAINT (@ivoasanto): “Did anyone have one of these mp3 players bro 😭 #early2000s #mp3players #music #ipod #ipodnano #greenscreen”. mp3 player. WALL2WALL - New Saint.
Etsy Canada
etsy.com › ca › market › early_2000s_music_player
Early 2000s Music Player - Etsy Canada
Check out our early 2000s music player selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops.
YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Early 2000s Vibes with the Majority MP3 Player | Review & Nostalgic Rambling | MP3 Players in 2023 - YouTube
Get it here: https://amzn.to/411Z0zu@majorityaudio #ad definitelyMANUAL: https://www.majority.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/English.pdfMy Music & Socials:...
Published December 1, 2023
Vulcan Post
vulcanpost.com › home › still remember your first mp3 player? – 8 gadgets cool kids in the early 2000s had
Still Remember Your First MP3 Player? - 8 Gadgets Cool Kids In The Early 2000s Had
May 17, 2016 - Those simpler times were unforgettable – when I bought CDs from HMV and uploaded the songs onto the player. These were the days before the convenient, but impersonal iTunes and Google Play Music. Portable music actually needed effort, but it made the music so much sweeter. Why It Was Cool: Everyone had a side they were rooting for, and Creative was the underdog that made Singaporeans swell with pride. ... Now we’ve arrived at the other side of the MP3 wars in the early 2000s.
YouTube
m.youtube.com › watch
I Bought A Music Player From Every Decade!
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world
Published October 25, 2024
Vintage Computer Federation
forum.vcfed.org › forums
Early 2000's mp3 player issues
April 20, 2022 - A group of folks that like to bring life back to old systems.