The Targa TMU-401 MP3 player, whilst a little light in on-board storage, outperformed devices with larger storage capacities.
In terms of playback performance, there is little to complain about. Sound quality is better than most, although we found the bundled earphones didn't do it justice, so tested with a quality set. Using the EQ presets, we found the bass was full and punchy, the mid tones rich and smooth, and the high tones clear and sharp although just a little harsh in places. The clarity of sound was exceptional, hearing detail in tracks that we didn't hear from most others.
This player can record directly into the device from an external source, including the built-in voice microphone. Both the bit-rate and sampling frequency can be set, up to 48,000 for the sampling frequency, and 256Kb/s for the bit-rate. The device can be set to synchronise with the external sound source, so recording doesn't commence until the line-in detects an audio signal.
The TMU-401 uses directory structures, making navigation a little easier. The display can be confusing, however, as it truncates file and folder names to eight characters.
Using the player was straightforward. There is a jog dial, used to control the settings and navigation, as well as voice recordings and the FM tuner. A 'lock' button prevents accidental changing of tracks or settings.
The supplied software is the same as supplied with the TMU-601. It is a basic but effective file manager for the supported audio files. It can also handle non audio files, should you use the device to cart your precious JPEGs and other important data.
A wired remote is supplied, with play/pause and track skip functions, as well as a line-in socket, for recording from external devices. The battery recharges through the USB port, and there is a supplied AAA battery extension, which securely attaches to the device, if you need a few more hours of playing time.
Although there is only 128MB on board, the player has an MMC slot, should you need more storage.
Please note: the price of $151 printed in the review in the magazine is incorrect. The correct price is $249. This doesn't affect the score, and the Targe TMU-401 still wins the Recommended Award. We apologise for any inconvenience.