Soundstream's X-ITE MP28 codec-happy touchscreen player

In the me-too world of obscure DAP manufacturers, there's one sure-fire way to make sure you stand out in the crowd, and that's codec support. Soundstream took that to heart with its new X-ITE MP28 touchscreen player, which supports MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV, FLAC, OGG, and APE for audio playback, and MP4, DIVX, XVIDV, AVI, and MTV for video. AAC is notably absent from that list, but uncompressed audio aficionados should have a field day. Other features include a 2.8-inch touchscreen, FM radio, voice recording and a miniSD slot. The player comes in 2GB and 4GB capacities, and Soundstream is based in the good old USA, so we might even end up seeing this one around. No word on price.

[Via PMP Today]

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 17th 2008 5:04PM]

I'm suprised you haven't rambled over about how you think it's an apple rip off

[Boynamedsue @ Mar 17th 2008 5:09PM]

i'm not surprised. but then, i'm not a tard who thinks the cubs will win.

[Drew Scott @ Mar 17th 2008 5:58PM]

Actually, I think the "apple haters" bring it up more than engadget does. Seems kind of counterproductive to me.

[fred @ Mar 17th 2008 7:22PM]

"Actually, I think the "apple haters" bring it up more than engadget does. "

That's cute, but people picked it up from the relentless attempts by Apple fanatics, who made it a sport over the years, of always claiming that every PMP was an "ipod ripoff", now they just are branching out into calling everything with a touch screen an iPhone/Touch ripoff. Engadget, and other sites, in their effort to cater to those fanatics, started to use the same point in their postings.

Now it happens so often that people anticipate them and mock the practice by, in this case, wondering where the expected talking point is.

I am as surprised as a lot of people that they didnt do it. A return to maturity perhaps?

[Tinu @ Mar 17th 2008 8:59PM]

So many touch screen players coming out lately. I miss the sweet buttons! =)

[tekdemon @ Mar 18th 2008 3:18AM]

It's probably since it's an American company, so everything it does is all sunny and glorious! Because only Chinese companies would ever do anything like infringe on copyrights!
*cough*

[Sharakar @ Mar 17th 2008 5:13PM]

chinese players are so leaving these ones in the dust, but I guess it's a start. The day I'll go GIMME GIMME, is when I see that juicy 800x400 touchscreen the sony mylo 2 is packing on an mp4 player that supports avi's and formats like mkv where u can switch voice and subbs, and actually play them at 800x400, the mylo can't do that:(

[Chris @ Mar 17th 2008 5:17PM]

What's the use of having lossless support when your storage capacity maxes out at four gigabytes?

[UKNigel @ Mar 17th 2008 5:37PM]

FLAC is your friend. Not too shabby filesizes plus lossless encoding. Mmmmmm, delicious.

[Chris @ Mar 17th 2008 6:22PM]

I know - about 95% of my music is FLAC. I was just trying to say that with ever-enlarging DAP capacities, 4 GB isn't enough, especially if you're using lossless audio - even FLAC. Most people would not be satisfied with a mere hundred songs.

[holycow @ Mar 17th 2008 5:26PM]

i just hope all these PMP's start supporting MKV soon!

[JohnTitor @ Mar 17th 2008 5:28PM]

total Meizu M7 rip

[Jubei @ Mar 17th 2008 5:33PM]

Probably not the best thing to happen for Zune users if this player arrives in the US. Zune is already struggling as it is.

[craig @ Mar 17th 2008 5:49PM]

Soundstream isn't an obscure DAP manufacturer if that's the implication. If the author had been around long enough to make such insightful commentary he'd know Soundstream's history.

[Stoobiedoo @ Mar 17th 2008 6:01PM]

Soundstream has been in the car audio speaker and amplifier market for a long time. I think it is quite a jump from amplifiers to start making DAP's though.

[craig @ Mar 17th 2008 7:16PM]

Soundstream has made far more than just car audio speakers and amplifiers and they've been in business since at least the early 80s. The question isn't how different DAPs are that other things Soundstream has offered for more than 2 decades, it's the blanket-labelling of Soundstream as an obscure DAP manufacturer. I wouldn't be surprised if the first Soundstream product I owned is older than the author of this article is.

[OneLove @ Mar 17th 2008 6:15PM]

XVIDV? is that a typo?

[Reader @ Mar 17th 2008 6:21PM]

Yeah... both the product page and Engadget got it wrong.

[OneLove @ Mar 17th 2008 6:28PM]

isnt the word "aficionados"?

[OneLove @ Mar 17th 2008 6:31PM]

steriods!!

[DarkLightConnection Unbanned @ Mar 17th 2008 6:52PM]

MTV support?

That means the player itself only supports mp3 and MTV and you need to convert all the other formats....

I mean, if you really had the other codecs on player, you wouldn't need that crappy chinese MTV thing, no one would use it, there's no point on including it..

[DarkLightConnection Unbanned @ Mar 17th 2008 6:54PM]

And no, I didn't miss the part where it reads "Soundstream is based in the good old USA"....

[ReggieXuk @ Mar 17th 2008 7:27PM]

*rolls eyes*

would of been a nice design if is silver border was see through though

[Husar @ Mar 17th 2008 9:52PM]

Yeah, when i looked quickly at the picture i thought it was clear, but now that u said its silver and on closer inspection i find that i woulda also preferred clear.

[Nietzche @ Mar 17th 2008 7:32PM]

Okay, so it plays lossless. If only it hade the storage space so you could store more than just a couple albums.

[hotwings1 @ Mar 17th 2008 8:45PM]

Hello, wake up and smell the coffee! Soundstream is not some "obscure DAP manufacturer". They've been in the car audio business for over twenty years now! Being a car nut, gear whore, whatever you want to call it, I'm glad an aftermarket automotive audio company that took a step up number one, and number two, made their product an original (cough fake Asian PMP's cough) Even better, I wonder if they'll start making some of their in car head units compatible with this thing.

[RicketyRoll @ Mar 17th 2008 8:54PM]

I don't get it. It supports MP4 format (I'm assuming that means the mp4 container format) but not AAC audio playback? Isn't the standard audio format of the ISO MP4 format AAC audio?

[hocanada @ Mar 17th 2008 11:03PM]

Soundstream used to make very high quality car audio components. Still using my Tarantula amp

[tekdroid @ Mar 17th 2008 11:40PM]

miniSD = good
FLAC = good http://www.flac.sourceforge.net
Ogg = good http://www.vorbis.com
APE = good

Can't say I prefer touchscreens or embedded batts, but gotta give credit where it's due. Nice codec support. With any luck it sounds good and is priced sanely for those looking for something like this.

[CanoSpinach @ Mar 18th 2008 3:02PM]

Soundstream has been a premier audiophile quality manufacturer for years. I once worked with Larry to obtain some of his custom 15" woofers. Clearly they are not manufacturing this particular piece, but they rank up there with MacIntosh audio gear and other high end gear. Forget Rockford, Kicker and the kiddy crud. These guys make real equipment.