The Samsung Yepp YP-T7X was a big hit with us for its audio quality, feature set, and cute look. The latest iteration, the YP-T7J, has revamped analog controls and support for music subscription and download services via PlaysForSure. Though we like this model's new Microsoftesque qualities, we're disappointed that it's no longer a USB mass storage class device. (Sorry Mac users, you're out of luck.)

The Samsung Yepp YP-T7X was a big hit with us for its audio quality, feature set, and cute look. The latest iteration, the YP-T7J, has revamped analog controls and support for music subscription and download services via PlaysForSure. Though we like this model's new Microsoftesque qualities, we're disappointed that it's no longer a USB mass storage class device. (Sorry Mac users, you're out of luck.)

A couple of our favorite features from the older model have also been downgraded slightly, but our real disappointment is the battery life that's stuck in the past, as is the $179.99 list price (though we did find the player for significantly less online). Still, the wide array of features, snazzy design, and sound quality keep it on our short list.

The main physical difference between the YP-T7J and its predecessor is the new four-way rocker and center select/menu button, which replaces the older model's pushable joystick. We're happy with this improvement, though we're not impressed by the square that surrounds the select/menu button lighting up when you press the controls on the front of the device.

And at first we thought the color screen had grown slightly—then we realized that only the frame around it had gotten bigger. With a 1.2-inch screen, viewing photos is still a low-res, eye-squinting affair. The body itself measures a wee 1.5 by 0.5 by 2.4 inches and weighs just 1.4 ounces.

The same basic navigation system remains, but we immediately noticed that the fonts have been resized to fit the screen better, giving the T7J a more polished look than the T7X. Some of the menus have been tweaked to be more logical, and navigation is quick and responsive. One thing we'd still like to see added is a contextual menu for playback modes and sound options. Currently, you have to go back into the menu system every time you want to make a quick change, which is tedious.

Audio format support now includes protected WMA, along with WMA and MP3, although you still can't play OGG, lossless, or Audible.com files. Podcast fans may be disappointed that there's no bookmarking feature, and if you switch away from a file, there's no way to return to where you left off. The T7J does have an option, however, to let you resume listening to a file from the same point you were at when you shut off the device.

Frequency response is very good, with a gentle rolloff in the bass down to about 25 Hz. Response drops off sharply in the lowest octave, but that's below what most consumer-grade headphones can realistically handle anyway—and certainly beyond the capacity of the included earbuds.

We were certainly impressed that this model puts out more power than the previous version, which means the TJ7 had less trouble driving higher-end headphones. The player puts out an admirably clean signal up to one click below top volume on its 40-step scale, though we doubt anyone will need to listen at that level (we never pushed it past 32, even in the noisiest conditions).

Some big changes have swept through the equalization and sound-enhancement menus. Samsung swapped out the SRS WOW features of the old T7 and added a Digital Natural Sound Engine (DNSe) menu, which gives you access to seven EQ presets, a custom seven-band graphic equalizer, three different 3D sound presets, and a customizable 3D setting.

We're generally not big fans of sound processing, but we did have some fun playing with the stereo image width in the custom 3D settings. There's also a Street mode, which essentially provides a signal boost and is meant for listening in noisy areas. This helped drive higher-impedance headphones such as the Shure E4c and even the Etymotic ER4S, though those headphones still deserve a dedicated headphone amplifier.

One feature we wish Samsung hadn't messed with is the variable-speed playback, which can be a valuable tool for students of languages and music. We loved that the original T7 let you adjust playback speed in either direction; the new version retains that ability, but you can only change speed in two increments instead of the nine of the older model. But the T7J also gained a very handy customizable skip-speed feature, which lets you decide whether the track skip buttons jump a whole track or just a specific number of seconds in the current track. Other features remain largely the same, including the integrated FM tuner, voice/FM/line-in recording (via an included 2.5mm to 3.5mm gold-plated audio cable), and support for one dynamic playlist.

Sadly, the life of the T7J's non-removable rechargeable battery is still stuck at a bit under 13 hours, according to our own rundown test. Though this isn't as short as with some flash-based players we've seen, we wish that in this respect, Samsung would take its cues from Sony.

We're a bit on the fence about whether we prefer this new model or the older one. The improvements to the analog controls and the more-polished interface are certainly welcome, as are compatibility with online music services and the more powerful output. But we do miss USB MSC compatibility and more granular control over playback speed. Basically, we're still waiting on a few more changes—such as contextual menus and longer battery life—before this player can claim the as Editors' Choice throne.