This was my first MP3 player, and I did a lot of research before I made the purchase. Overall, I'm very pleased. Instructions, while not very necessary, are clear enough, and downloading music has been a breeze. I haven't tried recording voices yet, and probably won't. The ear buds are inadequate, but I'm having a hard time finding any really good earphones, so I wasn't surprised. I am just now changing the battery (one AAA), and am VERY surprised that I've played as much music as I have on one little battery. Controls are easy to use, the backlight stays on long enough to be of assistance, and the player works under gym conditions without a hitch. Good price, good player.